A Three Kitty Day (Albus, Corletta, MIdnight)

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I was at the MSU/Arkansas football game when I noticed a voice mail and text from Rachel about a kitty living in a drain pipe near Main Street in downtown Starkville. After the game, I met Rachel and she showed me the drain -- it was a small opening just the right size for a kitten. Rachel said that they saw the kitten off/on during day but that it would disappear into the drain if anybody got too close. I left a live trap with some wet cat food, hoping for the best. The next morning, I checked the trap and the kitten was sitting inside of it, with the wet cat food eaten. The kitty was not heavy enough to spring the trap. I tried sneaking up and manually tripping the door with a stick, but the kitten saw me and ran into the drain. I retrieved the trap, and then set it again that night, this time with added some weight to the trigger plate, making for a hair trigger. During the day I received two calls about stuck kitties, in Tupelo and Collinsville, so planned to check the trap early the next day before the rescues.

At 7:00 am the next morning, I checked the trap and was happy to see the kitten inside -- the extra weight on the trigger plate worked! I brought the trap home, and my wife Donna set the kitty up in our fostering bathroom. Later that morning, Rachel came to retrieve the kitty, taking him to a vet. Rachel told me in a text that she named the kitty 'Albus', after 'Albus Dumbledore' in Harry Potter.

I then drove to Tupelo to rescue "Corletta". On arrival, I was met by Lisa who had organized the rescue. Lisa told me that Corletta was a neighborhood kitty that appeared to live at more than one house, granting the humans who lived there the health benefits of her purrs in exchange for food and scritches. Corletta was stuck at Kim's house (a neighbor), in the backyard, up a small hardwood at about 30 feet. A rescue attempt with a long ladder and net the previous day had failed, scaring Corletta higher up the tree. Corletta meowed loudly while I set a rope above her, and Lisa performed diligent sweet talking to keep Corletta from climbing higher. As I started up the rope, Corletta looked down at me and descended a bit, clearly wanting a rescue. When I reached her, Corletta eagerly accepted my scritches. I easily bagged Corletta, and handed her off to Lisa on the ground. Lisa reported that Corletta ate and drank well after the rescue. Kim, thanks for allowing me to climb your tree. Cole (Lisa's son), thank you for your help in dragging equipment to the tree and in packing up. Finally, many thanks to Lisa for your generous donation to the Oktibbeha County Humane Society!

Next, it was off to Collinsville to rescue Midnight, a scottish fold who had been stuck for three nights. On arrival, I was met by Shireen (Midnight's person), her adult daughter Heather, and Heather's two children Trevor and Nora. Midnight was 25 feet up a pine tree, out on a limb about 10 feet, huddled in a miserable ball. Shireen said that Midnight was an indoor cat who had escaped outside during some construction work, and then had been chased up the tree by the neighbors friendly but exuberant dogs. Midnight had not moved from the limb since that time, three nights previously. Midnight nervously meowed while I set a climbing rope, but did not move. When I reached Midnight's limb, she meowed hopefully at me. She tried advancing a couple of times, but each time settled back down. After more sweet talking from she, Midnight gained enough courage to walk the limb back to me. She accepted my scritches by arching her back, and then went into the Kat bag with only a mild protest. Midnight snuggled with Shireen back on the ground, clearly happy to be rescued. Nora had been especially worried about Midnight and was overjoyed that Midnight was safely back on the ground.