If you watch the news, you might have your doubts that there are good people left in the world sometimes. But that’s a big reason we love the world of cat rescue because we see such incredible, heroic people going out on a limb for cats and other animals every day! Yet, it’s a rare few who would go to such lengths as a kind man from Treetop Cat Rescue from the Cleveland, Ohio, area did.
An Ongoing Need for Treetop Cat Rescues
As we all know, there’s an ongoing need to save cats stuck in high treetops and utility poles. A few people have even taken up rescuing cats in their retirement years! But Angelo Ciammaichella (Chim-a-kella) does it after working his daytime job in the tree industry.
Unlike most folks, Angelo has the professional gear and know-how from working with Fleck Tree Service. (Don’t you try it at home!) So when his fiancée saw a Facebook post about a cat being stuck in a tree, she knew he was the man for the job!
“She’s like, ‘Hey, you can climb trees; go help them.’ So I did,” he told the local news. “And then after doing that, somebody else heard about it, and they had that issue, so they called me, and then after getting a few calls, I realized there was an actual need for this.”
Climbing Beyond His Comfort Zone for Cats
Since then, he’s continued traveling Northeast Ohio to save cats stuck in the treetops. He does it all after his regular job in his free time. And more than once, he’s saved the same cat that managed to get stuck again! Although he doesn’t charge for his heroic service, donations and fundraisers help him keep up the good work.
Although he works with trees every day, he still finds himself climbing beyond his comfort zone.
“It’s funny because I’m climbing up a tree…where if this was a tree job, I would have said no. The only reason I’m willing to go that high or go out that far in a branch is because there’s a cat there,” Ciammaichella said. “It’s really surprising how far you can push yourself when there’s somebody else’s life on the line.”
Saving a Cat Stuck for Days in the Treetops
It was a “super hot” Monday in Mayfield, Ohio, just east of Cleveland. After finishing work, he drove 30 miles to save a cat stuck high in the treetops for three days. When he arrived, nobody was around, but he located the cat next to a tree where someone had left bowls of food at the base. A climbing rope indicated they also contemplated making the dangerous climb themselves!
Way up in the tippy top of the tree, the by-then dehydrated black cat had no way back down. But thankfully, his worries were all over that day.
“Here we go! Let’s go save a kitty,” he said in his livestream of the rescue.
While shimmying up the trunk to heights that might make most people pass out, Angelo talked reassuringly to calm the distressed kitty. Then, he continued to climb so high he was lost from view. All the while, he kept talking to the cat, who was very happy to see him!
“Hi, buddy! I know. I’m coming, pal!” he said as the cat meowed in distress. “Give me three minutes, I’ll have you on the ground, nice and safe.”
As the cat continued crying his heart out, Angelo steadily made his way higher. Finally, he reached him and secured him in a pouch. While continuing to talk reassuringly, he rappelled back down as the cat continued to cry. Along the way, he managed to poke his head from the bag!
A Successful Treetop Rescue and a Cute Hug!
Safely on the ground, a man appeared, explaining that he had been trying to find the right equipment to climb the tree himself! But such a climb would be extremely dangerous for most folks. He gratefully took the cat inside to recover, and Angelo had to recover himself from the extreme heat in the treetops.
Later, he posed with his cute and much-relieved rescue! They shared an adorable hug together. As you can see, the cat looked adoringly at Angelo for saving his life that day.
“Today after work I traveled to Mayfield, Ohio to save this cute little guy! He was way up there and he had been there for 3 days! When I got to him he was happy to see me and without too much trouble I had him in the bag and safe! Once I got him down I returned him to his owner who then took it inside for some food and water. After all my equipment was packed up I asked if I could take a picture with the cat because it was so nice!”
You can follow Treetop Cat Rescue of Ohio on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Here’s the video of the dramatic rescue by Treetop Cat Rescue Ohio:
