Sunday, December 7, 2008

Pet Rescue

Friday I arrived home from work, anxious to get showered and changed so I could head out for an evening with the girls. Normally when I walk into the house, it’s only a matter of seconds before I’m greeted by the sound of a tiny bell, jingling its way towards me, Fintan. I listen out and I look forward to seeing his little self round the corner and lay on his back at my feet, looking for a belly tickle. He has missed me all day and this is his way of showing it.

However, today I hear nothing. Weird, I think. But I assume he is still outside playing so I go about my business of decompressing from a long day. But it’s starting to get dark, time for him to come inside. I walk around the side of our house towards the back where he likes to play. I call him and once again wait to hear the sound of his tiny bell racing towards me. But nothing. He must be playing in the neighbor’s house, another one of his hangouts, so I walk towards the fence that divides both our gardens and call out again. Still nothing. Something wasn’t right. It never takes him this long to respond. A little bit of panic hits me and I start walking down towards the creek, calling and listening, calling and listening. At one point, I think I hear something. So I stand still and perk up my ears. Yes, I definitely hear something that sounds like my kitty. I call his name again and hear a tiny cry. Sh*t, that’s not good. I’m walking around trying to follow his little meow. I know he’s in trouble. I can’t hear his bell, which means where ever he is, he can’t move. I keep calling and he keeps responding, I think it’s coming from the neighbor’s house, so I immediately go and knock on their door and ask if I can look around the garden for Fintan.

The neighbor was sweet enough to helped me look. He too could hear him, but was unable to figure out exactly where it was coming from. At this stage it’s getting dark and cold. I’m starting to freak out. My cat is trapped somewhere and I can’t find him. I race into the house for a flashlight and try to call Husband. No answer. I call again and again and finally I get him. I’m in total panic at this stage. I’m thinking the absolute worst has happened to Fintan and I just can’t get to him. Husband makes a few calls to have some friends come over and help me look. With flashlight in hand, I continue to search. At one point I hear his bell, good that means he can move. I remain frozen to the spot and listen hard. I hear his bell again, then a bunch of leaves fall down next to me. Oh my god, he’s up in a tree. I turn the flash light upwards but can’t see him. At this time of year, he is the same rusty color as the remaining leaves and cos my eyesight is not great, I think ever cluster of leaves is him, until I turn the light onto a certain spot and see 2 tiny eyes flash back at me. I found him. Somehow he managed to get himself stuck up in the neighbor’s tree. Way up. About 40ft or so. At this point some friends arrive thinking they are just going to help search for Fintan, but quickly they discover that they are now in fact part of a rescue operation.

A group meeting begins, how are we going to get him down? Fanz wasn’t to climb the tree herself and even though she is an excellent climber, unless she’s spider-woman, its going to be slightly impossible.
Ian wants to hold a blanket out at the base of the tree, start throwing stones in an effort to force him off his perch and rocketing towards the safety or the blanket, but I’m horrified at that idea.

A grown up suggestion comes from Chuck, ladders. But nobody had one ladder long enough to reach him. Chuck however had a couple of ladders that somehow if we could tie together then we had a shot at reaching him. And so began the ladder project.


Once all the ladders were tied together, we had the huge task or trying to negotiate it into place. Honestly, it looked very wobbly and unsafe. But we got it in place and discovered that it could now reach right up to where Fintan was stuck.


It was Chuck who took on the dangerous task of climbing the shaky ladder to rescue my kitty. I would have taken a few photos of the actual rescue, but we were all frozen in silence and doing our best to keep the ladder secure as Chuck worked his way slowly to the top. Thankfully Fintan co-operated and latched onto to Chuck straight away and stayed perfectly still until they made it safely back to earth. My god, the relief. The relief that the ladder did not collapse and send Chuck plummeting to the ground and the relief that my cat was not going to die of hypothermia or starvation up there in the tree.
Big thanks has to go to everyone who pitched in and helped recuse Fintan. But the biggest thanks clearly has to go to Chuck for getting the ladders, setting them up and then climbing those shaky things.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Sis

Always have great blog entries. Glad to see Fintan recovered safely.

Chuck is a fair man for saving the day. Lot of guts to go up the shaking ladder to get the cat.

Silja said...

Jesus... poor Fintan!
I´m glad everybody was safe after this rescue mission...

I can imagine how worried you were, we know Fintan is the baby of the house!

Shinks said...

Edward: Yes, lots of guts were needed to get him down, but P.S hope you have your thinking cap on for the B'day on friday. I have a suggestion, will e-mail it to you.

Silja: of course he's the baby, you've met him, he's fabulous.
So let this be a warning to you when your baby arrives, keep it away from trees.