Firefighters rescue cat from 40-foot tree in Town of Genesee

GENESEE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Lake Country Fire & Rescue rescued a cat stuck atop a 40-foot tree Thursday, Oct. 10 in the Town of Genesee, giving the feline another chance to preserve one of its nine lives.

Firefighters responded at 10:04 a.m. to a resident’s call about a cat stranded near the top of a tree near Madison and Waukesha. The cat was struggling and unable to move from the end of a branch after climbing too high.

A statement from LCFR says that members from Ladder Truck 42 secured the cat, with Firefighter Ardellini retrieving the cat safely. The Persian cat was about 35 feet in the air and 60 feet away from the ladder truck.

Assistant Chief Matthew Haerter noted that rescues of this nature are performed while responders are still available for emergency calls, and that the rescues provide opportunities for firefighters to use equipment in ways similar to human rescues.

The cat was returned to the ground unharmed, perhaps having learned a lesson about future climbing adventures.