One day, curiosity will kill a cat because these adventurous creatures do not seem to have limits during their exploration. Such was the case in Belen, New Mexico, when a stray cat was rescued after being on top of a pole for 3 days where she could have died from dehydration or, worse, electrocution. It took the sympathetic plea of residents to ensure the cat was brought down to safety, and now that she is up for adoption, she could be yours. Here’s is her story and since she most probably will keep climbing, let’s help you understand why cats like high places.
Too Busy To Save a Stuck Cat
We get mad at people who say they will be there whenever we need them, yet they can’t do anything about our situation when we ask for help. Unfortunately, that was the case for this stray cat that had to remain stuck on an electric pole because whoever was supposed to help was too busy. According to Cole and Marmalade, after a local man spotted the cat, he called the emergency departments. They could not help due to their busy schedules, making you want to redefine the meaning of “emergency.”
The cat, therefore, had to remain on the pole until the emergency department’s schedule was not tight. Therefore, the residents kept trying to ask for assistance, seeing that they could not get involved due to electrocution risk. For three days, no help came, but by then, the stray cat’s pictures had found their way to social media thanks to The Volunteers of the Valencia County Animal Shelter, Los Lunas. Their post attracted the entire community and local fire stations, and before long, a rescue team was dispatched to the location.
Saved but Homeless
The rescued cat was having a bad week. Besides staying in the cold for three nights and not having any food or water, the cat was yet to overcome all the obstacles. Despite all the effort to get the cat to safety, it appeared that no one was ready to take her home, yet from her appearance, she was not a stray. Unfortunately, even after one of the locals who had been so keen on ensuring that the cat was cared for took her to the shelter to find out if she had a microchip, none was found. By the time Love Expands published the story of the rescued cat, no one was yet to come forward and claim her. Therefore, The Volunteers of the Valencia County Animal Shelter, after taking her in on December 8, 2020, made it known that she was available for adoption on December 12, 2020.
Cats Getting Stuck on Power Poles is Common
It appears that three days on a pole is what it takes to get help from emergency departments. One cat near Lake Mead Boulevard suffered the same fate as the one in New Mexico as reported on KNTV. The cat’s owner tried getting help from different agencies to no avail. Local fire departments said they could not assist when the electricity was still on since they could also be electrocuted. Luckily, NV Energy came to the rescue. They had to bring down the cat twice because after being rescued the first time, the cat was spooked by a dog and went up the pole again.
A cat named Fat Boy had to remain on a power pole for five days until Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) sent its electricians to rescue him. Fat Boy had been missing for three days when his family finally noticed him perched on a power line. When the family tried getting help from local fire departments, they referred them to PG&E since the power line carried over 45,000 volts, and only power electricians were well-equipped to handle such a rescue.
Unfortunately, the family had to wait for two more days to get the cat down because when PG&E came the first time around, they said the cat would come down on his own. Fat Boy was, however, determined to stay atop the 45-foot power pole. After two days, the power electricians returned, cut the power, and used a cat carrier to take the cat down. The cat was found to be okay, and according to ABC News, all he needed was to be rehydrated, so he was injected with fluids.
Why Do Cats Like Climbing Stuff?
You might have noticed that your cat loves relaxing in a certain spot, offering him a vantage point to survey the entire area. It could be the top of a fridge, by the window sill, or bathroom shelf, but sometimes the felines go a little overboard, especially during their outdoor adventures, and end up on trees or roofs. There are a few reasons why our furry friends like high places, and Pet Wellbeing informs us that it is the cat’s nature. Cats are predatory creatures, and the best way to spot an unsuspecting prey is from high up a tree; we have seen the behavior even in cheetahs and leopards in the wild. At home, sitting on top of the fridge allows the cat to watch everything without being seen. While outside, they are at an advantage of not being snuck up by the cats. Although cats are known for spending the entire day and napping, they still like to remain agile, and their love for jumping can only be made possible if they are perched up high. Sometimes the cats want to have fun, and climbing up the drape and playing Tarzan meets their need. You might even catch your cat looking back from where he has jumped as if patting himself on the back for making that long jump. Because of these varied reasons, any cat behavioral expert will advise cat parents to have climbing options for their pets.
