Rescued Cat Now Resting Comfortably
By Kathleen Serino, Reporter
The cat which has been stuck in a tree in the parking lot of the Lasansky Studio at 703 S. Clinton Street in Iowa City since last Thursday was rescued Monday, January 16, 2011. The cat was taken to the Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center to be checked out by staff. (Lasansky Studio Photo)
By
Belinda Yeung
Story Created:
Jan 17, 2012 at 2:19 PM CST
Story Updated:
Jan 17, 2012 at 3:15 PM CST
IOWA CITY, Iowa - After spending four days stuck in a tree on Clinton Street, the cat is resting comfortably at the Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center thanks to a community rescue mission.
“She’s kind of like a little local celebrity right now,” said Willa Hamilton, an animal services officer, who believes the feline to be a young female due to her size and features. She hasn’t been handled or examined yet because she is exhibiting feral tendencies, she said.
The 29-year-old, who aborted an attempt to rescue her with the aid of the Iowa City Fire and Forestry Division crews Friday, believes the animal’s behavior might also be due to her traumatic four days being 30-feet above downtown Iowa City, where more than one attempt was made in her rescue.
Hamilton said the location of the cat was too difficult for her to reach, and officials believed the cat would come down on its own eventually, she said.
But thanks to a pair of locals, and the free use of a lift, the cat was finally brought down Monday afternoon.
“It was pretty wiped out,” Jeff Waite, 49, said of the animal who appeared less than happy when he finally retrieved her with the aid of Michael Matthess.
Aero Rental Manager John Clarahan said he lent a tow-behind bucket lift, normally used for landscape work, to the men for the 20-minute rescue mission at approximately noon, Waite said.
The 49-year-old, considered a “do-all person,” he said, was solicited to check out the situation. Matthess operated the lift while Waite distracted the cat, he said.
Matthess was able to grab her by the scuff of her neck and pass him to Waite, who wrapped her in towels, carried her down, and brought her to the adoption facility, located at 4852 Sand Rd. SE.
Waite said it was a “spooky” experience being up so high, noting he and Matthess are both over 200 lbs each, and the lift (and the cat) wiggled the entire time. No one was injured.
The cat, described as a domestic short hair tabby with brown and white coloring, has been eating and drinking well, Hamilton said, and noted there haven’t been any missing cat reports matching the feline’s description.
The center will be monitoring the cat in the meantime.
More Good Stuff
Conversation Guidelines
Be Kind
Don't use abusive, offensive, threatening, racist, vulgar or sexually-oriented language.
Don't attack someone personally. Keep it civil and be responsible.
Share Knowledge
Be truthful. Share what you know and what you are passionate about.
What more do you want to learn? Keep it simple.
Stay focused
Promote lively and healthy debate. Stay on topic. Ask questions and give feedback on the story's topic.
Report Trouble
Help us maintain a quality comment section by reporting comments that are offensive. If you see a comment that is offensive, or you feel violates our guidelines, simply click on the "x" to the far right of the comment to report it.
read the full guidelines here »
Commenting will be disabled on stories dealing with the following subject matter: Violent crime, sexual abuse, Amber Alerts, Operation Quickfinds and suicides.
Most Popular >>