Cat survives storm
By: Jenny Chu
Updated: September 13, 2007
Tuesday night's thunderstorm was scary for many folks as heavy rains and high winds battered windows and brought down trees. But imagine if you were outdoors, stuck in a tree and alone. Some would say it was raining cats and dogs Tuesday night. The proof was in Bryan Buck's tree.
“Just seeing the trees going back and forth, back and forth, thunder, lightning," said Bryan Buck, a cat owner.
While most people were inside, dry and warm, George, the five-month old kitten was stuck in a tree.
"We called everybody, we called 911, animal control even the Barnard Fire Department. They wanted nothing to do with it," said Buck.
For three days, George was clutching on to this tree limb, letting everyone in the neighborhood know of his predicament.
"I've been hearing this meowing for two days. I've been listening to this cat meow and I just couldn't find it. I tried looking and today I brought my binoculars out," said Maryanne Muench, a neighbor.
Then George's cries were answered. Despite handling a number of emergency calls after Tuesday night's storm, Michael's Tree Service came to George's rescue, not on a white horse, but on a white truck. In a bucket truck traditionally used for cutting down tree limbs, Michael Noto reached for the skies, reached 85 feet to get to George.
"I can see him now about 20 feet away from him," said Michael Noto, from Michael’s Tree Service.
After some coaxing, George inched his way towards Noto's arms.
"Thank God for them claws. They're a little banged up and he's got tree bark in them, but cats are made to climb," said Buck.
And they're made to eat. George ate his bowl of food as fast as he could. They say cats have nine lives, but for George?
"He's on his last one. I think he's only got one left. He spent eight of them up in that tree," said Buck.
The crew from Michael's Tree Service says they're not heroes, it was simply…
“All in a day’s work,” said John Bartolotta, the General Manager.
After that ordeal, George is fine. He's being checked out for free at the Greece Animal Hospital.
