Several adjectives come to mind when we think of cats – regal, mischievous, persnickety, etc. Professional arborist, Tyler Roth can think of another word to describe the kitty he met 100-feet off the ground in the branches of a Douglas fir tree – STUBBORN!
Fievel had been trapped in the Hood River, Oregon tree for over 72-hours when his owner contacted Roth for help.
Animal lover and all-around good guy that he is, Roth grabbed his climbing gear, strapped on his GoPro camera, and went way above and far beyond the call of duty to rescue Fievel.
Roth climbed to where the cat clung to a branch about 60-feet above the snow-covered ground, but Fievel became spooked and climbed an additional 40-feet into the tree. The frightened orange kitty was now dangling more than 100-feet in the air!
Luckily Fievel’s rescuer refused to give up. He soldiered on until he was face to face with the cat. After speaking to him soothingly, Roth lifted Fievel firmly by the scruff and secured him in a drawstring sack for the long, treacherous climb back down to safety.
For those of you with a fear of heights, be warned, Roth’s GoPro video is pretty intense!
28-year-old Roth told KGW News that this was not his first kitty rescue, but it was definitely the most dangerous. He made light of his heroism, saying:
“When somebody calls you and says ‘you’re my last hope and I think my cat’s gonna die,’ you just kind of move some stuff around and just go take care of it,”
Despite Roth’s humble attitude, those who have seen the video know that Fievel is alive today thanks to his kindness and bravery.