Rescued cat stuck in tree for four days

A worried cat owner was recently reunited with their pet after the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) safely rescued the cat who had been stuck in a tree for four days.

ARL’s Field Services Department received the call just before Thanksgiving about a cat who had been in a tree for about four days in the Upham’s Corner neighborhood in Dorchester, and with concerns for the cat being in a precarious position without food, water and having to endure frigid overnight temperatures, ARL responded quickly to the scene.

The cat had perched itself on a limb about 30 feet off the ground, and an ARL Field Services agent was able to scale the tree and by talking calmly to the cat and offering him food, was able to lure him close enough to safely be corralled and placed into a carrier for the return trip to solid ground.

Neighbors had seen the cat previously, but did not know if anyone owned him, and he was then transported to ARL’s Dedham Animal Care and Adoption Center for a medical evaluation and signs of ownership.

Thankfully the cat, named Fats, was microchipped, and it turned out his owner is a client of ARL’s Wellness Waggin’, a mobile veterinary clinic offering low-cost, high-quality pet wellness services in several Greater Boston communities, including Dorchester.

Fats had been microchipped on the Wellness Waggin’ in 2022, making it easy for ARL to contact his owner.

The owner was overwhelmed with joy that Fats had been rescued and was safe.

She had been searching for him for several days, and had even heard him meowing during one of her searches, however, she did not realize that the sound had been coming from above her!

Fats is just one of many cats ARL rescues from precarious situations like this annually, and also reminds the public that microchipping your cat and dog greatly increases the likelihood of a happy reunion should the animal go missing.

A microchip is a tiny computer chip, about the size of a grain of rice that is programmed with an identification number unique to your pet.

It is non-toxic, non-allergenic, and lasts the life of your pet with no maintenance required.

ARL’s Field Services Department provides technical (tree climbing and swift/ice water) and non-technical rescues for injured domestic animals, livestock, and raptors (turkey vultures, ospreys, hawks, eagles, falcons, and owls), and anyone in need of assistance can contact ARL’s Field Services Hotline at (617) 426-9170 x563.

Supporting Vital Services

As the year comes to a close, you have the power to make a life-changing difference for animals in need like Fats. Your support helps provide ARL’s Field Services with the tools, training and resources to save animals like Fats who find themselves in precarious situations.

Donate today and help us start the new year with hope, love, and brighter futures for the animals who need us most.

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