Good Samaritans Help Rescue Cat Stuck in Treetop for 5 Days

After Binx climbed a Sweet Gum tree near his Pearl, MS home last Thursday and got stranded in the treetop, his cries could be heard throughout the neighborhood, and his owner, Ronald Filner, was unable to coax him down.

Neighbor Summer Slovak took action trying to bring help. “I called the fire dept and they couldn’t get him for insurance purposes and then I called animal control, and they said he would come down on his own,” Ms. Slovak said when speaking to a news crew for a story on the rescue.

Ms. Slovak’s appeal on social media brought better results. An animal activist contacted tree service owner Jerry Griffin, who has rescued several cats in the past. Mr. Griffin came out on Tuesday but his truck couldn’t be manuevered beneath the tree, so he called his colleague, Buddy Greenlee.

Mr. Greenlee brought his climbing gear and scaled the 50 foot tree, with Binx clinging to a branch as the treetop began to sway. His rescuer climbed high up the tree before finally reaching the frightened cat and grabbing him.

“It was ok until I put him in my coat, and he ran up my coat sleeve,” said Mr. Greenlee. “He couldn’t have gone no farther in the top than he already was. Just thank God the tree held up, and it didn’t break.”

Mr. Greenlee was able to bring Binx down and hand him to his owner in the space of about 10 minutes, ending the cat’s 5 day ordeal. This was Mr. Greenlee’s fifth cat rescue in a long career.

“He comes over here and plays with my kids all the time. He’s super sweet,” said Ms. Slovak of Binx. “So when I saw him up there I felt really bad for him.”

Thanks to everyone who helped, Binx was brought safely down and was taken into his home for a rest and a good meal.

WFSB 3 Connecticut

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Karen Harrison Binette

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