Washington Man Climbs 90 Feet Up a Tree to Rescue a Cat
"Once he was in my arms, he totally melted," the rescuer said.
— -- A cat reportedly stuck 90-feet high in a tree for five days has been rescued.
Sean Sears of Canopy Cat Rescue, based in North Bend, Wash., told ABC News he scaled the tree and rescued the kitty this past Monday after getting several calls from residents in the Cedar Park Apartment complex. The callers were concerned after hearing meows in the tree for nearly a week, he said.
"They had been frustrated because they called the fire department, animal control police and even called several local tree services and arborists, but they all said they either didn't do cat rescues or that they had a fee," Sears, 36, said. "No one's going to pay a fee for a cat that's not theirs, and when Park Services tried to get up there, they didn't get very far."
Sears then came to the rescue and ascended the tree using rope, seen on GoPro footage he recorded via a camera on his helmet.
"The cat was a little afraid at first, and what was difficult in this situation was that I didn't know anything about the cat's personality," he said. "I was also a complete stranger to the cat, so I needed to do something to get him to trust me.
"Right as I got up to him, I put my hand on him and scratched the back of his ears and nuzzled his chin, so he was like, 'Okay, yeah, you're totally friendly.'"
Sears then "pounced" and grabbed the cat by the nape of his neck to prevent him from trying to jump down the tree and injuring himself, he said.
"Once he was in my arms, he totally melted," Sears said. "He started doing what we call the trusting shivers. He was shivering but purring because he finally felt relaxed and safe."
Sears then took a few selfies with the cat, descended the tree and handed over the feline to the apartment complex's property manager, who is trying to locate the cat's owner.
"I have a feeling the apartment manager has a soft spot for cats, so she may even take it in herself," Sears said.
The rescue was the 325th Cat Canopy Rescue performed this year and the 34th in September in Washington state, according to Sears.