After several days perched high in a tree, cat finally makes it back to the ground
Published Thursday, April 24, 2008
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Stumble It!Jakimo’s family began to worry when he didn’t return home Sunday night.
Generally a loner, it was not uncommon for him to roam his Palo Verde neighborhood during evening, hours but he was usually home at a reasonable hour.
On Monday morning, Becky Roza was ready to search for Jakimo. Roza said she heard his cry for help before leaving her front yard.
Jakimo is a 9-month-old mixed-breed cat. Roza, the cat’s owner, said she’s never seen him climb a tree until that day when he was sitting at what she estimated to be around 100 feet high in a neighbor’s spruce tree.
Attempts to coax Jakimo down were unsuccessful, prompting Roza to call for assistance. She spoke with a dispatcher at the University Fire Department who said the department doesn't usually go on kittie rescues.
So Jakimo stayed in the tree.
She said a man came to her home on Tuesday with a duffel bag full of climbing gear.
“He put on his gear and started up the tree ... but ran out of tree before he reached the cat,” Roza said, then adding, “He just climbed back down and left. I don’t know who he was.” So Jakimo spent Tuesday night in the tree.
On Wednesday morning, Roza was not sure where to turn for help so she called the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. After Roza explained Jakimo’s predicament, someone suggested Roza try calling a sign company.
Roza called Power Comm Signs, and the company dispatched a bucket truck to the Roza home.
Power Comm employee Jeff Landrum manned the bucket, extending the arm to its maximum height of 75 feet, but it was still not within reach of Jakimo. Determined to rescue the climbing kitty, Landrum used a length of plastic pipe to try and persuade the cat down. Landrum’s attempts were initially disappointing as Jakimo simply jumped to another tree. Landrum didn’t give up easily and eventually got Jakimo to climb down.
When Jakimo hit the ground, it seemed like he already had a plan.
“He ran in the house as fast as he could and ate for about five minutes,” Roza said.
Jakimo was relaxing at home Wednesday afternoon. Surrounded by children attending Roza’s “Becky’s Piglets Too” home day care, Jakimo appeared no worse for the wear.
Roza said Jakimo’s rescue cost $125.
Dave Dreydoppel, lead dispatcher at the UAF Emergency Communication Center, said the “University Fire Department provides any assistance they can,” but their response depends on current demands for their service.
Community Discussion
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I expect lots of catty comments about it being a slow news day, but I smiled fur sure.
Two animal related articles in one day.
Read the second paragraph.
Was great that the sign company was to the rescue. ($125.00)
Is Jakimo updated on it's shots?
Try to have a good day.
From years of experience owning cats and knowing cats in general...... usually if left in the tree long enough..they eventually figure out how to come down themselves given enough time. I have yet to really know of a cat that stayed in a tree till it died. They almost always come down of their own accord.
Its hard to watch them be hungry up in a tree for a few days..but I'd save the money and just wait them out... before I called for help. But each to their own..
Something I learned back in my firefighting days...
The best way to get a kitty out of a tree is an open can of good smelly cat food.
Nice to read some positive articles for once. News these days is always so depressing.
Good try on a cutsie headline, but "corpulent" doesn't fit if the cat ain't fat.
Just to point out, being an irresponsible pet owner shouldnt be news
One of the on-going problems with the NewsMiner is glaringly presented here: no one seems to copy-edit what gets written before it is published. The writers need to give up trying for clever and cute, just report the facts. Does this writer know the meaning of "corpulent" or is something missing from the text that would have explained this strange insertion of the word in the headline?
I guess we will forever have people who complain or judge others over some of the strangest topics... I am glad that the cat was ok..
I believe Jakimo was described to us as being a rather large kitty, but you are correct in saying that part of the description didn't make it into the story. I have edited the headline. Thanks all.
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