Karnak Street Kats

Toby was declawed. He had arrived at our house that way, but that did not keep him from climbing trees. We had dogs and a doggy door, so there was no keeping Toby inside. Usually, he stayed in our fenced backyard with the dogs, but occasionally he ventured into the front yard.

One cold, wet November day, Toby took a stroll in the front yard only to encounter a pack of three dogs. Barking madly, they chased Toby up the pecan tree. I heard the commotion and ran to see what was happening without stopping to put on a coat. Toby was about sixteen feet off the ground with his front legs wrapped around the trunk of the tree and his rear ones resting on a branch. He was only about two feet from the top of the tree. I yelled at the dogs and they took off. I had not seen them before and did not see them again, but they had done their damage.

With the dogs gone, I assumed that Toby would make his way down the tree. He did not move. I went back inside to put on my jacket, then returned to call Toby. He looked at me, but would not come down. I retreated to the house once more. Maybe if he were alone, he would leave the tree. I knew he was physically able to climb down even without claws because I had seen him do it many times. Today, however, he would not budge.

The weather was not improving. The intermittent rain had turned to sleet. I called my vet for advice. Did he think Toby would come down on his own? Maybe not came the answer. If he had been really frightened, he might not want to come down anytime soon. There was also the possibility that he had gone so high that he was afraid to move. Usually, my vet said he would advise just to give Toby more time but not in this weather. I needed to retrieve Toby from the tree.

I owned an aluminum extension ladder. I carried it from the garage to the front yard. I was much younger and healthier then. I tried once more to convince Toby to vacate his perch. He did not even twitch. With considerable difficulty, I managed to prop the ladder against the tree with the top of the ladder about a foot below Toby. The diameter of the tree was only a couple of inches. I wondered if the tree would hold. (In later years, I would have at least made sure my mother was home before I did this, so she could call for assistance if I fell.) Up the ladder I went. Once I was about five feet off the ground my fear of heights began it's assault. I had to think about every movement as I crawled higher. One hand always had a death grip on the ladder. Ice was beginning to form on the ladder's edges.

At last my head was even with Toby. He did not even move to look at me. I edged higher now holding the tree with one hand. Toby had always been willing to come to my arms, not today. I realized I would have to pry him from his perch and that would take both hands. I did not think I could do it. My fear of heights was simply too great. I took a deep breath. Toby needed to come down. I released my grip on the tree and reached for Toby. He did not move. Whether from fear or cold, he was unresponsive. I pried his front feet loose from the tree one at a time, then somehow swung this twenty pound cat against my chest and held him there with my left arm. I began my very slow descent.

When my feet rested on solid ground, I was shaking. I put Toby down expecting him to make a beeline for the backyard and then into the house through the doggy door. Toby simply crumpled on the grass and remained there without a single change in position. Now frightened for him, I scooped him up in both arms and headed for the house. Once inside, I put Toby on the kitchen table, grabbed a clean towel and began to massage and dry him at the same time. To my relief this worked. Toby perked up, jumped off the table and headed to the utility room where food awaited. I sat down, my knees weak. Both of us had survived our high escapade.