There is no such thing as a routine rescue of a cat stuck in a tree, it’s always a precarious situation, and presents safety concerns for both the humans and animals involved.

In late January, the Animal of Rescue League of Boston’s (ARL) Field Services Department was contacted by animal control in Mansfield, MA, to assist with a cat that had been stuck at the very top of a tree for more than 12 hours.

The four-year-old cat, later named Henry, was approximately 30 feet from the ground, and once on scene, ARL’s Field Services agent and Mansfield Animal Control deployed nets around the tree and began to assess the situation – however, Henry didn’t want to wait.

Henry was dangling from a branch, and was also frightened and exhausted. As he was trying to get his footing he lost his balance, and tumbled towards the ground.

The nets did their job, providing a soft landing for the cat, and while frightened, he was able to be safely secured, and was then rushed to ARL’s Dedham Animal Care and Adoption Center for triage and veterinary care.

ARL’s shelter medicine staff gave Henry a thorough exam, and along with finding a heart murmur, Henry also had a number of abrasions from his experience in the tree.

Henry was overcome with fatigue following his harrowing ordeal, but knew he was in a caring and nurturing environment, and once settled in, he ate heartily and began the healing process.

Ready to Go Home

Thanks to have a quiet place to rest and recuperate, Henry quickly began to showcase his personality.

The handsome cat would welcome anyone who would come and visit, headbutting hands, purring loudly, and curling up in the laps of staff and volunteers.

With his tree ordeal behind him, Henry is now ready to find his perfect match!

To see Henry’s profile, click here.

ARL Field Services

As part of its Community Outreach programs, ARL’s Field Services provides technical (tree climbing and swift/ice water) and non-technical rescues for injured domestic animals – including community cats, livestock, and raptors (turkey vultures, ospreys, hawks, eagles, falcons, and owls).

For more information about ARL’s Field Services click here!