Pittsfield Firefighters Rescue Cat Stuck 30 Feet Up in a Tree

Turns out the stereotype is real.

The Pittsfield Fire Department responded to 150 Francis Avenue Tuesday morning for a call that most people assume only happens in cartoons - a cat stuck in a tree. And not just a little stuck. The feline was about 30 feet up, and neighbors told crews the cat had been stranded in that same spot for days.

Engine 3 crew laddered the tree and Probationary Firefighter Carolina Jones made the climb, bringing the cat down safely to a waiting Pittsfield Police Animal Control Officer on the ground below. The cat is expected to make a full recovery, though it's showing signs of probable malnourishment after its extended stay in the treetops.

So why do cats keep ending up in this situation? It's actually a design flaw. A cat's claws are built for climbing up, not coming down. Their instinct is to descend head-first, but the curve of their claws makes that nearly impossible, so they freeze up. Younger cats are especially prone to it. According to one experienced cat rescuer, 73% of tree rescues involve cats two years old or younger, and more than half involve cats under the age of one. -catrescueguy.com

As for Firefighter Jones, not many people can say their early days on the job included scaling a ladder 30 feet in the air to pry a stubborn cat out of a tree. So yes, firefighters really do rescue cats from trees.

Press Release from Pittsfield Fire Department:

During the morning of April 28th, 2026, the Pittsfield Fire Department responded in front of 150 Francis Avenue for a reported cat in a tree.

On arrival we found a feline an estimated 30’ in a tree. Witnesses said the cat had been in the spot “for days”.

Engine 3 crew laddered the tree and Probationary Firefighter Carolina Jones ascended the ladder and retrieved the cat to the waiting PD Animal Control Officer.

Despite some probable malnourishment the cat is expected to make a full recovery.