'Mr. X' - A Mystery wrapped in an Enigma Stuck in a Tree

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It was about a noon on a Friday, and the weather was beautiful. I had been looking at the trees longingly that morning as I trudged in to work for the MAN, and wondered when my next kitty rescue would occur. But wonder NO MORE, because the Kat Fone was yowling! I answered it eagerly, and Denise in Shannon MS told me about a kitty of unknown origin that had been stuck in a tree in her yard for a long time according to the granddaughter that had noticed the poor kitty. Denise had only become aware of this the previous day, and had sought help which eventually led her to me. I told Denise that I could help, and would be there mid-afternoon. I also sent a text to my PhD student, Drew, who had expressed interest in attending a kitty rescue. Humoring the old man, Drew agreed to ride along for the EXCITEMENT of a DARING KITTY RESCUE!

Drew and I arrived at about 3:20 pm. Denise led us to the tree, where Mr. X was about 30 feet up. Mr. X was crying piteously and clearly wanted down. The tree was perfect for climbing, and I soon had a rope installed. As I climbed up, Mr. X watched me, rubbing the branch and working his claws in anticipation that he would soon be down. When I reached Mr. X, I scritched his ears a bit and then easily put him in the Kat bag. A short ride down, and I handed him off to Denise for food, water, and rest. Since Mr. X acted like a pet and not a stray, Denise promised to ask around the neighborhood to see if she could find his owner. Denise said that one way or the other, she would find a good home for Mr. X.

The entire rescue only required 40 minutes - Drew took several pictures, a couple of which appear below. It was a routine kitty rescue, sadly lacking in DRAMA and EXCITEMENT, which may have been boring for Drew, but was just fine with me!