Mary Allen
Cats are excellent climbers – but animals are always stuck on tall trees. This is also because they cannot rotate their hind paws 180 degrees.
Susi fell from the balcony, fled up a tall tree – and was then stuck in the freezing cold at a height of around five meters for almost a week. What happened to the mature cat lady a few years ago in the Aarau disc chess district is not an isolated case: cats are always stuck in tall trees. And this is despite the fact that the popular pets are known to be excellent climbers.
In the case of Susi, it was probably crucial that the cat actually lived in the apartment and, frightened by the unfamiliar surroundings, climbed the nearest tree in panic. A professional arborist finally saved the cat. This was after the fire brigade had refused on the grounds that their heavy vehicle would cause too much land damage on the school meadow.
Up is Easy
It’s natural for cats to climb trees. After all, elevated places are essential for survival in the wild – be it to evade enemies or to keep an eye on them as best as possible. When climbing up, the cat literally hugs the branch or tree with its flexible front legs and swings its way up using the sharp claws and strong muscles of the rear legs.
It’s easy for cats to climb trees, but things are different down there. An inexperienced cat likes to try the descent upside down – which can quickly get into trouble. While a raccoon can turn its hind paws 180 degrees and therefore climb down a tree headfirst, the cat is in danger of falling.
If the cat wants to get back to the ground safely, it has to start the way back backward. But that is difficult because she is used to having an eye on her running or climbing direction. Indoor cats that escape and climb a tree out of fear, or young inexperienced cats simply have not (yet) learned the necessary technique. In such cases, it may actually be advisable to call the fire brigade or a professional arborist for help.