Jim’s Tree Cat Rescue Cat stuck up a tree? Call Jim.
Experienced climber. Cat person. The guy you call when everybody else says no.
100% successful tree-rescue record to date
The question every cat owner ends up asking
So… Who Do You Call?
The old movie solution was to call the fire department. Real life is a little different.
In the movies
Sirens. A shiny ladder truck. A firefighter climbs up, tucks the kitten into their coat, and the whole neighborhood applauds.
In real life
Unfortunately, most fire departments aren’t able to respond to cats stuck in trees. Their crews and equipment have to stay available for emergencies involving people — fires, accidents, medical calls — which is exactly where we all want them.
That can leave cat owners standing at the bottom of a tree, looking up, wondering who they’re supposed to call.
That’s where Jim comes in. He’s a climber who is comfortable high in the branches and knows how to handle a frightened cat once he gets there.
The fire department has people to save. Jim saves the cats.
Meet Jim Perez
Why Jim?
A climber who happens to be a cat person. Or a cat person who happens to climb. Either way, it works out well for the cat.
Jim Perez brings rock-climbing and tree-climbing experience to a job most people would rather not attempt. He’s comfortable working high off the ground, he genuinely loves cats, and he has real experience handling animals that are frightened, stressed and not at all in the mood to be rescued.
This isn’t a big company or a call center. It’s one skilled local guy with climbing gear, a lot of patience and a soft spot for cats. The number on this page is Jim’s, and Jim is the one who climbs.
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Rock climber
Rope work, careful footing and staying calm on exposed terrain are familiar territory.
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Tree climber
Trees aren’t cliffs. Living wood flexes, and branches don’t always go where you’d like. Jim knows the difference.
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At home up high
Being comfortable at height leaves his attention free for the part that matters most: the cat.
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A genuine cat person
Jim likes cats, including the ones hissing at him from the top of a tree.
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Calm with scared animals
He has experience handling frightened, stressed cats who haven’t figured out they’re being helped.
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Patient on purpose
No rushing and no grabbing. The goal is to get both climber and cat back down safely.
How a rescue works
Getting Up Is Only Half the Job
Cats are excellent climbers. Getting back down is sometimes another story.
The cat doesn’t know that the person climbing toward it is there to help. From up there, Jim is just one more alarming thing in an already alarming day.
A frightened cat may…
- retreat farther out onto a thin branch
- panic when approached
- scratch or bite defensively
- try to climb even higher
- refuse to go into a carrier or rescue bag
That’s why rescuing a cat takes more than climbing. It takes patience, a steady approach and experience with animals that are stressed, clinging and scared.
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Reach the cat safely
Pick a sound route up the tree and get into position without rushing it.
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Approach without driving it higher
Slow, quiet and deliberate, so the cat doesn’t bolt farther up or out along a limb.
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Secure or contain the cat
Calmly corral the cat and get it secured so nobody, feline or human, gets hurt on the way down.
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Descend with both on board
Climb down while managing himself and a cat who may still have strong opinions about all of this.
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Hand back one very relieved cat
Back on solid ground and back with the people who were waiting at the bottom of the tree.
100% Successful tree rescues to date
Every tree rescue Jim has taken on so far has ended with the cat safely back on the ground.
That is Jim’s record to date, not a guarantee. Every tree, every cat and every situation is different, and no one can promise that every rescue will be safe or possible.
Right now, while you wait
Is Your Cat Stuck?
First, take a breath. A few simple things can help while you get in touch with Jim.
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Stay calm
Your cat picks up on the mood at the bottom of the tree. Calm and quiet helps.
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Keep dogs and crowds back
Give the base of the tree some space. Barking dogs and gathering neighbors can push a cat higher.
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Go easy on the calling
Avoid repeatedly shouting or doing anything that could frighten the cat further.
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Please don’t climb after it
Don’t attempt dangerous climbing yourself, and that includes wobbly ladders. One stuck cat is plenty.
If a person is hurt or in danger, call 911 first.
Cats we’ve brought home
Rescue Stories
Cats Jim has helped bring home, in the words of the people who were waiting at the bottom of the tree.
Jim’s rescue scrapbook is just getting started.
After a rescue, cat owners can share a photo and a few words here. Jim reads every story before it goes up.
Cat up a tree?
Call Jim
Send a photo of the tree if you can. It helps Jim understand what he’s dealing with before he arrives.