Matt Baumann, owner of Baumann Tree Service in Knoxville, Tennessee, has been in the tree care business for over a decade and has rescued many cats in his free time. One such rescue took place on December 22, when Baumann was called to rescue a cat that had been stuck in a poplar tree for about two weeks. The cat, who Baumann and his team nicknamed Jingle, had survived extreme cold but was exhausted, hungry, and dehydrated.
The first attempt at rescuing Jingle failed when he climbed too high for Baumann to reach him. Baumann returned the next day, but Jingle was still too high in the tree. Cold temperatures kept Baumann from attempting the rescue again until December 28, when he climbed the tree again with supplies, including a can of tuna. Baumann took his time to gain Jingle’s trust and eventually coaxed him toward him and his empty rope bag. It took more than an hour, but Baumann was finally able to get Jingle into the bag and carry him down gingerly.
After being reunited with his grateful owners, Jingle was taken to the veterinarian, where he was treated for frostbite and received updated shots and deworming. Despite being stuck in a tree for two weeks, Jingle was in relatively good health. Baumann, who considers himself a dog person, will likely have more cat rescues in his future, but for now, he will have to content himself with his three cats at home: Phantom, Bandit, and kitten Midnight.