X-No-Archive:

Just left my cat out in the woods 35+ft up in a tree. I spent all day Tuesday
until 2:30 AM Wednesday trying to find Mali and then 12 hours of trying to caox
her down from the tree. She's up there on some limbs, looks pretty exhausted,
cold (temps. are dipping into the 30s tonight), has no good way down. The longer
she stays up, the more fatigued she will get, and the less likely she will be
able to get down safely by climbing and/or falling. She's desperate since she's
been up there over 24 hours with no food or water. I've tried everything I could
think of: gentle coaxing, canned food, scare tactics, tried to but couldn't
spray her with water. Nothing worked. Most of my efforts were during the
daylight hours. The tree is in a gully with steep sides and I've been up and
down this very steep side at least 20 times Tuesday, trying to walk up, crawling
up through the mud (over a dead possum a couple times). Since it turned dark,
I've left a latern out with her and been out and sat with her several times.  
I'm exhausted and out of options. She calls out in distress constantly now, but
she still won't _try_ to get down. She's scared. I left her for good tonight at
2:30 AM...just couldn't stand to here her cries anymore when I can do absolutely
nothing to help. If I step out on the back porch, I can here her calling.
Actually, I constantly here her distress calls in my mind--I imagine them as I
type this post. Nothing I can do to help her.

It's my fault I guess. I have had some doubts about her instincts since I got
her, but I thought she would adjust. Her "adjustment" might kill her. My guess
is that a predator drove her up the tree, but my other cats _never_ leave
themselves vulnerable. They always look/listen before wandering anyplace or
putting themselves in the open. Mali is careless. If she survives the night, but
doesn't appear well by around 8:30 AM, I'll have a friend shoot her out of the
tree. I can't stand to see and hear her suffer and just couldn't shoot her
myself. I won't let her starve in the tree or get so weak that she takes a long
fall. I think I know whether she can continue by then. Perhaps worst of all, her
continuous cries of distress are exactly what predators like coyotes listen for.
She's vulnerable and they can tell.

If I have to have Mail killed, no more cats! Ever! First Scooter is put down due
to a liver tumor in 1998, then I have to put my mothers cat put down in April
2007 due to a brain tumor. Now I may have to have this cat shot because she
can't get out of the tree. The tree is not accessible to any equipment that
could reach her. I'll keep Jaws, who I've had since 2001. And I'll feed a black
cat that shows up for food...maybe catch it and try to give it to someone. He
may be adoptable. I enjoy the company of cats, but it's just not worth the grief
anymore

Just had to vent,
MM