Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Coaxing the cat down from the tree
• Method 2 of 3: Helping Your Cat Down the Tree
• Method 3 of 3: Climbing a tree
• Tips
• Warnings

Cats climb trees easily, but descending from a tree is a completely different story. Their claws are well adapted for climbing a tree, and much worse for descending from it. Stuck in a tree, the cat gets scared; you try to talk to her, and the more you persuade the cat, the more she is afraid.There are many ways to calm your cat down and get it off the tree.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Coaxing the cat down from the tree

1. 1 If the cat is difficult to see behind branches and leaves, determine where exactly it is. On which branch and how high does the cat sit? Finding out the exact location of the animal will help you decide how best to lower it from the tree.
2. 2 Make sure there are no dogs nearby. It is necessary to calm the cat and try to get it off the tree on its own. The sight of a cat in a tree can be very aggravating for dogs, which will increase the cat's stress.
3. 3 Try to coax the cat down from the tree before taking any other action. Call an animal. If the cat does not belong to you, try to track down its owner to call his pet. The cat is more willing to respond to the calls of a person she knows.
   • If your cat gets stuck in trees a lot, clicker training can be of great benefit. The clicker sounds trigger the pet to react to, and you can train your cat to run up to you when you call her name by clicking the clicker. With this training, your cat may be able to walk down the tree on its own, overcoming fear and hesitation.
4. 4 Try to lure the cat out of the tree with food or other incentives. If the cat is yours, offer her her favorite food. If someone else's cat is in the tree, use a cat-friendly food with a strong smell, such as tuna.
   • Place a bowl of treats under a tree and step aside. If your cat doesn’t know you, it may be afraid to climb down from the tree while you are around.
5. 5 Try using a laser pointer to lure the cat out of the tree. If your cat loves to play with the spot of light created by a laser pointer, try to interest him in the spot, and then slowly lower it to the ground. Find a laser pointer and direct its beam so that the cat can see the spot of light. Most cats will not resist temptation and will try to chase a small spot of light.
   • Move the stain down along the tree trunk. If necessary, repeat several times until you get the cat's attention and she is interested in the stain. With any luck, the animal will follow the spot and descend from the tree.
6. 6 Wait for a while, continuing to observe the cat - it may come down from the tree by itself. Allow the animal to climb off the tree on its own before taking any further action. Often cats, having calmed down and finding a suitable path, themselves descend from the tree. The cat will need some time, enough room to maneuver, and the confidence that people or other animals will not interfere with her.
   • After a while, the animal will get hungry, which will give it additional incentive.
7. 7 Consider further steps to remove the cat from the tree. These measures should only be taken after the cat has been unable to descend on its own for a long time (about 24 hours). Remember that cat claws are good for climbing a tree, but not for getting down from it. Your cat can really get stuck in a tree and will need your help!

Method 2 of 3: Helping Your Cat Down the Tree

1. 1 Bring something to the tree, along which the animal can go down. It can be a long branch or a sliding ladder. It will be easier for the cat to descend if you lean the object against the tree trunk at a less sharp angle, so that the descent is more gentle.
   • As before, give your cat time to assess the situation and take advantage of the opportunity. Make sure the new path is safe by leaning the chosen object securely against the trunk of the tree and step aside.
2. 2 Try to lift something to the cat, in which you can then lower it down. Toss the rope over the branch the cat is sitting on, and tie an object that can accommodate the cat, such as a cat carrier, to one end of the rope. Make sure that the cat can climb into this container, then pull on the rope to lift it up to the stuck animal.
   • You can put your cat's favorite food with a strong smell in the container.
   • Wait until the animal enters the inside of the container. Be patient. If, after a few hours, the cat still does not enter the container, you will probably need to climb the tree yourself and place the cat in it.
   • Once the animal is in the container, lower it gently but without delay to the ground.
3. 3 You can use a long-handled broom and towel. This method is suitable if the cat is close to you, but you still cannot reach it; use it after you have tried other methods, as in this case the animal may fall and be injured. Tie a towel tightly over the tip of the broom. From a safe position on the ground or a stable ladder, poke the cat with a broom to get it out of balance. When the cat loses its balance, it will instinctively grab the towel, clutching it with its claws.
   • Before the cat can unhook from the broom, gently pull it towards you (the cat will try to hold onto the tree with its hind legs). If you're lucky, the cat will grip the broom harder than the branch, and at some point will have to completely jump onto the broom, leaving the tree behind.
   • Be prepared to take the weight of the cat and broomstick.
   • Grab the broom close to the working end immediately. Grab the cat by the scruff of the neck before it jumps back, making sure to hold onto a tree or ladder. If you have an assistant, pass the broom and cat to him.
4. 4 Contact a tree care service for help. The fire department is unlikely to agree to leave for this, but local tree care workers can help. They will charge inexpensively for their services, but care must be taken to ensure that the animal is not harmed.

Method 3 of 3: Climbing a tree

1. 1 If other methods are unsuccessful, climb the tree yourself. Use a stable ladder unless you have extensive tree climbing experience. Find at least one helper before climbing the tree. He will inform you about the cat's movements and call for help if you fall.
   • When deciding to climb a tree after a cat, be sure to pick up reliable equipment so as not to get hurt, and enlist someone's help in case of unforeseen situations.
2. 2 Check the ground near the tree. Make sure there is nothing around the tree that you could hurt yourself if you fall.
   • Check if the stepladder or ladder you are using is reliable - it was not enough to get injured trying to lift the cat from the tree.
3. 3 Wear long sleeves and gloves before climbing a tree. Regardless of whether you are rescuing your own or someone else's cat, a frightened animal may try to escape. Long sleeves and gloves will protect you from the claws and fangs of a panicked animal; they will also give you a better grip on your cat when you finally get to it.
4. 4 When you reach the cat, grab it tightly. Try to grab her by the scruff - cats fall into a stupor from this, and so it will be easier for you to hold the animal.
5. 5 Handle your cat carefully but confidently. Don't let it slip away from you before you grab it securely or place it in a box or bag.
   • Stay calm - if you start to panic, your anxiety will be transmitted to the cat and she will try to escape.
6. 6 Place the cat in a box or bag to help lower it to the ground. You can, for example, use a portable cat box by lowering it on a rope.
7. 7 Go downstairs and check if you or the animal are hurt. Your cat can be shocked after everything, so make sure she's okay before letting her go.

Tips

• If none of the methods work, contact your local rescue or animal welfare organization. They can help with advice or call professional climbers.
• Don't call the fire department. As a rule, firefighters are not involved in rescuing cats that have climbed into trees.

Warnings

• Do not try to climb a tree without an assistant and appropriate skills!
• Although it is believed that a cat has nine lives, if the cat fell from a tree and hurt itself, take it to the veterinarian as soon as possible. The doctor will examine the animal and find out if it has any internal injuries.