A cat took self-isolation to new heights by getting stuck up a fir tree for 30 hours before being rescued and returned home safely.
The animal – named Tiger – was returned to its “overjoyed” owners after they enlisted a professional tree company to get him down.
On Sunday, the Veasey family realized their one-year-old cat was stuck in a large tree on their southern Vancouver Island property, near Sooke.
The young cat mewled and meowed for hours while being harassed by crows.
The family tempted to coax the cat down from the 40-foot tree by calling it and tempting it with food.
Tiger tried in vain to walk down some of the enormous drooping branches, but those limbs ended 20 or more feet off the ground, forcing him to return to the top of the giant tree that an arborist previously topped.
Once it was apparent the family couldn’t coax Tiger down, Veasey began making calls.
“I thought it was an easy call to the fire department to come out,” Veasey said.
But it wasn’t. The Otter Point Fire Department didn’t have a long enough ladder, and Sooke Fire Rescue couldn’t leave its jurisdiction to rescue a cat.
Veasey also called nine tree services companies, and none were willing to help – except one.
Affordable Tree Care owner Andrew Church put another job on hold to rescue Tiger. All he asked in return was for the Veaseys to pay for his gas.
Church climbed the tree with the cat carrier in hand. He softly talked to the cat as he ascended the tree. Once he reached Tiger, he gently nudged the cat into the carrier and brought him safely to the ground.
“He was ready to come down once I reached him,” Church said. “He was meowing his heart out.”
Church, a professional tree faller for more than 30 years, said this is only the second time he’s rescued a cat from a tree.
“I would have no problem rescuing another cat out of a tree,” Church said. “Animals become like family members, and I know what it’s like to lose a family member. You do what’s right.”
For the Veasey, they were happy that Church offered his services to rescue their cat.
“We are extremely grateful for Andrew helping us out. It was an anxious day, but it had a wonderful outcome,” Veasey said.
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