"SMall" is Skittish

Mary contacted me - "Small" was stuck again, and this was day 3.  My first rescue of Small was in September 2023 and it was easy. I climbed up, Small yowled, jumped out of the tree, and Mary collected him. From the photo that Mary sent, it seemed like this rescue would not be tough. That impression was dispelled when I arrived and met Mary at the tree.  Small was WAY UP, about 60 feet, and the tree was wiggly (I HATE WIGGLY TREES).  It took me about 45 minutes to set a trunk cinch at about the 50 ft point, as Small was sitting in the only good union that high up.   I started climbing, and the higher I went, the more the tree wiggled and the louder that Small yowled (he did not like the tree wiggling either). When I got to the tie-in point, I thought about stem climbing the remaining 10 feet but chickened out and brought up my grab pole. Small was not in ideal position for a grab, but I decided to go for it. Just as the loop slipped over him, Small freaked and started up the tree - I tightened the loop but just as it was cinching around his hips, the end knob on my grab pole slipped off, loosening the loop, and Small ended up about five feet height.  I had recently replaced the innards of my pole grab and obviously had not done a good job. I was frustrated, and angry at myself, and it was full dark so I came down. I told Mary that I would be back the next day to try again.

Fortunately, I had a backup grab pole.  So the new plan was to set up the big net under Small, get within grab pole distance and try again. If that failed then I would bring out my long chainsaw-on-a-stick and cut the limb, with Small hopefully falling into the net. When I arrived the next day, Mary had recruited Rus to help out. Mary had also been talking to Small all day, trying to coax him down, and Small had moved back to his  original position. The three of  us set up the net, and then I started up (I had left the rope in the tree so did not have to reset it). When I reached the tie-in, Small was back to yowling. I was determined to get within hand grab distance just in case Small was cooperative, so I inched up the remaining distance via stem climbing. When I was in range, I offered Small some treats but he just yowled louder. I decide to try for a fast grab, so I looked down to get my grab bag. When I looked back up, Small had moved.  He had gone up the tree again, but this time only about two feet to a parallel branch that was just long enough for him to stand on. He was in perfect position for a pole grab, so I pulled up the net and grab pole. I made ready, and went for the grab. He spooked again as the loop went over him, but I was able to successfully cinch it tight before he could go higher. Small went berserk as I pulled him off the limb but I was able to stuff him into the bottom of the net, release the noose, pull out the pole, and cinch the net opening tight.  Small was in the net! Whew! I lowered him to the ground where Mary took the net and Small into the house.  She came back out shortly and reported that he started purring the minute he was out of the net and headed for the food/water bowls.  Mary, many thanks for your generous contribution to  Loveable Feline Rescue of North Alabama! Rus, many thanks for your help on the ground in setting up and tearing down!