Frightened Tortie Rescued After Spending 3 Days in Palm Tree!

A cat was rescued from a Phoenix neighborhood on May 5, 2016, after getting stuck in a 40-foot palm tree for at least three days. (Photo: Becca Smouse/The Republic)

A cat was rescued from a Phoenix neighborhood on May 5, 2016, after getting stuck in a 40-foot palm tree for at least three days.
(Photo: Becca Smouse/The Republic)

ARIZONA – A scared tortoiseshell cat was rescued on Thursday after spending at least three whole days stuck atop a towering palm tree.

Phoenix resident Larry Pyle first heard the cat meowing frantically Monday night on his block near 21st and Orangewood avenues. Pyle and his wife both turned to social media to help get the cat down, posting on Facebook to find the right helping hands.

“We didn’t have the means to retrieve the cat, so we had to locate people,” he stated.

Answering the call was Andy Gallo, who works as an EMAT — emergency medical animal technician — and is an animal-cruelty investigator with the Arizona Humane Society. Gallo contacted local fire officials, and they utilized a bucket truck to reach the cat Thursday afternoon.

The unnamed tortoiseshell was immediately given some food and water. The cat’s demeanor immediately changed from stressed to friendly, wriggling its body against the bars of the cage to indulge in petting.

Gallo stated that the cat will be treated at the Humane Society’s Second Chance Trauma Hospital and will be up for adoption soon.

“We know we just saved someone’s new family member.”

“We’ve rescued everything from every situation,” Gallo went on to say. Rescues like these are not very uncommon for the Humane Society, according to Gallo, who said he goes out on rescue missions at least twice a week. At this point in time, there’s very little he hasn’t seen.

Gallo said to wait at least 24 hours before calling for help if a cat is spotted in a tree is best, as most cats can get down on their own. He also recommends luring the animals down with food and treats at the bottom of the tree.

The Humane Society uses a variety of tools and techniques to get animals out of sticky situations. Gallo said that he usually scales trees or uses extension poles for animals stuck in high places.

“Getting a cat out of the tree is never black and white,” Gallo concluded. “Every time, it’s different.”

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