Catastrophe averted

CELINA - After a cat found itself stuck in a tree, cold, scared and hungry, community members banded together and went out on a limb to rescue it - literally.

Angela White said her husband, Greg, noticed the feline last Saturday as they were getting ready to leave their home on Dogwood Drive. She said she recognized the cat as belonging to her elderly neighbor.

The couple contacted the Celina Fire Department for aid. Despite their best efforts, firefighters were unable to retrieve the cat.

Unsure what to do, White reached out to the Facebook group "Celina Cares: A Community Cat Page."

"What do you do if a cat is stuck in a tree and is scared and afraid?" she posted on Sunday. "We've already called the fire department. It's so high up they didn't think they could get him/her out safely."

Group members suggested leaving food and blankets at the bottom of the tree. Many said the cute critter would come down on its own.

However, by Monday the cat had climbed even higher in the tree. Teresa Caroll-Randolph, a volunteer with Sue's Animal Rescue Team in St. Marys, brought catnip and extra food to try to entice the cat, along with protective gloves in case the feline wasn't feeling friendly.

By the third day, community members rallied to support or help in any way they could. Celina city law director George Moore worked to organize rescue efforts. Joann Schwieterman made calls for help and to comfort White. Employees from Klosterman Tree Service tried to fetch the feline only for the cat to continue to clamber upward. Animal lover Brad Sheaks, who had brought a drone, also tried to reach the cat.

"I was inches away from touching it," Sheaks said in a message. "Then the poor cat reached out and tapped my hand a few times with his paws, but I couldn't safely get a grip on him."

Temperatures continued to drop as the days went on and snow began to accumulate. By Wednesday the ground was blanketed in white, but the cat continued to endure the harsh conditions.

Chelsea Westgerdes had seen White's post days before but had figured the cat would work its way down the tree in no time. However, she was surprised when she saw another post from White and other cat lovers asking for ladders to rescue the still-stuck pet.

By the fourth day, Westgerdes contacted White and said her father, James Evans, owned a contracting company with a 36-foot ladder that could be put to good use.

"I'm an animal lover, so I said I'd give it a shot," Evans said.

Evans and his friend Charlie Baker arrived on Wednesday afternoon with ladder in hand and kitty in sight - barely. The cat had continued to crawl upward and was up higher than ever.

Baker planted himself in the snow, holding the ladder to keep Evans steady. Evans said his boots were packed with ice and snow, so he had to tip-toe up the ladder.

"It wanted to come down. It was meowing," said Evans. "But it was scared."

As Evans neared the top of the ladder, the cat made one final climb and had reached the top of the tree. Evans would have to leave the ladder behind and climb.

At 40 feet up and four days into the rescue mission, Evans stretched out his hand and captured the elusive cat.

The cat put up a minimal fight, exhausted from its days of climbing, crying and cold weather, Evans said.

"Our village came together," "Celina Cares" Facebook page creator Sara Kriegel wrote in a message.

Once safely on the ground, it scarfed down some tuna and had a face that said, "thank you for saving me," White said.

"I was scared, I didn't know what was going to happen," White added. "It felt like an answered prayer. The community came together."

Caroll-Randolph took the cat to a local veterinarian to be checked. After being subject to the frigid weather, the kitty was more than pleased to take up residence on a heating pad.

"It was a Christmas miracle," White said.

Evans said he was happy he and Baker could help.

"We got lucky," Evans said. "I'm just glad we tried."