|
Cat Climbing Tree
There are many reasons that a cat could climb a tree and most have to do with defensive or predatory tactics. Cats like to know their environment, but because they are small, their scope of vision is limited. Therefore, at times they climb trees, to get a better view of their surrounding and to assess if there is any potential prey or danger around.
They can sometimes also climb trees just for fun, or to improve their climbing abilities. In fact, kittens try to climb anything and everything ranging from furniture to your legs, just to test and use their claw-skills.
While climbing up a tree is easy for a cat, getting down is a different story. This is because a cat’s claws curve inward, allowing her to grip surfaces, while going headfirst. The climbing curve does not help her to get down. That is why the thought of getting down is daunting and scary to her.
Some cats manage to get down, by either jumping or by shimmying down, tail-first. It is best to try and coax your cat down before rescuing it. Try to leave an open can of her favorite food underneath the tree and keep calling her name in a calm, soothing voice. You could also lean a wooden ladder against the tree as close to her as possible, so that she can try to get down on her own. Leave her alone with the ladder for about fifteen minutes.
However, if your cat has been injured or has a leash around her neck, it is not advisable to wait. You should avoid leaving a cat stuck in the tree overnight, as she may fall victim to a night predator. Hence it may be up to you to rescue cat from tree.
- Before you climb the ladder, check the ground and make sure it is stable.
- Then put on some gloves and a thick coat to protect yourself.
- Don’t climb up too fast, lest you startle the cat.
- When you reach the cat, grab her by the nape to induce calmness in the cat.
- Climb down slowly. Once you reach the ground, check the cat and yourself for any injuries.
You could try another method like throwing a rope over the branch that the cat is sitting on, with the cat’s carrier (a basket or a bucket) attached to one end of the roped and some weight attached to the other end. You can also put some of the cat’s favorite food in the carrier, to tempt it. Then, pull the carrier up to the branch wand wait patiently, for it to go into the carrier. It may take hours for the cat to finally climb inside it.
If your attempts at rescuing the cat are not successful, please contact a professional.
|