Treetop Cat Rescue: Ohio Hero Saves Cat in Daring Climb

A northern Ohio hero, Angelo Ciammaichella, of Treetop Cat Rescue, staged a jaw-dropping rescue this week saving a cat teetering on the edge of disaster in a swamp. The frantic call hit Angelo’s phone: an orange-and-white feline was stranded high in a tree, surrounded by icy, 35-degree swamp water. Local witnesses shared a chilling detail: several days earlier, a car was seen slowing down to hurl the cat out the window. Against all odds, the terrified animal now appeared clinging to a tree in the swampy wasteland.

 

 

Angelo didn’t hesitate. Driving to the scene an hour and a half from home, Angelo knew he would save the cat, but he didn’t yet quite know how.

 

 

At the swamp in Dundee, Ohio, Angelo was met by another rescue hero, Angela Frier of White Dog Farm Rescue. With a heart for animals and a long-standing dog rescue of her own, Angela jumped into action. She single-handedly wrangled a canoe onto her truck for the big rescue.

Armed with tree-climbing gear and grit, Angelo and Angela  -rescue angels-  faced a nightmare.  The terrified orange and white cat was spotted  high in a soaring tree, in the middle of the flooded swamp.

 

 

The Rescue: A Heart-Pounding Showdown

Treetop Cat Rescue lives up to its name, plucking felines from perilous perches with practiced skill—but a tree in a swamp? That’s a whole new beast. 

As Angelo and Angela approached in the wobbly canoe, the terrified cat took a swan dive from 30 feet up into the frigid water. He swam to a another tree and clambered up twenty feet. As Angelo ascended the second tree, the cat again leapt into the water, swimming to a third tree. At the fourth tree, Angelo and Angela hatched a new strategy.

 

 

As the water-soaked kitty clung to the tree, Angelo and Angela regrouped with a fresh plan. The  kitty, who had already survived two 25 degree nights in the wild, now clung to smaller, but even more unstable tree.

 

 

 

While Angelo climbed the tree with a carrier, Angela gently nudged the cat with an oar. In a final act of fight, the kitty clamped its jaw on Angelo’s hand before surrendering to the carrier. Days later, Angelo’s infected hand is still healing (he says he gets “banged up” on every call.)

 

In the canoe, the rescuers celebrated with a jubilant high-five as they ferried the cat to safety. Of all Treetop Cat Rescue’s high-altitude saves, the swamp rescue of the orange and white kitty is Angelo’s craziest cat rescue to date. Angela arranged for her good friend at Casssie’s Whisker Warriors in Baltic, Ohio to take on the cat’s care.

Friends in High Places:  Treetop Cat Rescue  

 

 

Who are you going to call when you have a cat in a tree? Cat on a roof? You need a guy who will go out on a limb for you. That guy is Angelo Ciammaichella of Treetop Cat Rescue. But how did Angelo come to devote himself to saving cats from impossible places? Angelo is a self-described tree guy, who just loves cats. 

 

Angelo goes where others won’t -where trees soar above the tallest ladders and cats hide for days in hidden places.  A year and a half ago, his first rescue was a complicated save involving a telephone pole, a transformer, and a fire department.

 

 

More calls followed and Angelo found that rescuing cats from high places “is a thing.” Treetop Cat Rescue was born.

 

 

Angelo himself has two cats at home, including a black and white kitty he saved last summer. Kitty is now named Sophie and she lives happily with Meow Meow as a strictly indoor cat!

Based in the Cleveland/Akron area, Treetop Cat Rescue serves northern Ohio or as Angelo explains, he’ll go “where needed.”  He typically accepts calls as far south as Mansfield, west to Toledo and east to Youngstown.

 

Treetop Cat Rescue: Priceless Service Survives on Donations

Amazingly, there is no charge for Treetop Cat Rescue’s service. Angelo explains that many, if not most, of the calls that come in for help are not from the actual pet owner. Calls are often for a stray or unidentified cat.

 

 

Angelo wants to make sure that cost is never a barrier to saving a cat in need, especially cats like the swamp kitty.  Instead, Angelo and Treetop Cat Rescue survive on donations. To help save more cats in tough places, there are several ways to help: 

• Follow Treetop Cat Rescue on Facebook and  share his posts
• Donate (note -links also in Treetop’s FB profile)

cash.app/$TreetopKiityRescue

venmo.com/u/TreetopKittyRescue

paypal.me/TreetopCatRescue2024

Update on the Dumped & Rescued Swamp Kitty

Life has improved dramatically for the dumped kitty since he landed in the carrier and was ferried to safety by Angelo and Angela. As for Angelo, he went on to save another cat later that day (see his Facebook for details), and his hand continues to improve from the bite he sustained in the swamp.

 

 

 

The weary cat, now named Lagoon, was quickly whisked off to the care of Angela’s good friend at Cassie’s Whisker Warriors.

 

 

In the vet’s care, Lagoon immediately began to feel better and revealed himself to be a sweet and lovely boy. He is now home with Cassie’s Whisker Warriors and reportedly doing great. Cassie reports that he has a big appetite and is pleased with his comfortable setup. The plan is for Lagoon to be neutered later this week, get a clean bill of health, and be available for adoption soon. Follow Cassie’s Whisker Warriors for updates and consider a donation for this part of Lagoon’s rescue  (note: Casssie’s donation links on FB profile).

 

 

 

Thank you to  Treetop Cat Rescue, White Dog Farm Rescue, Cassie’s Whisker Warriors, and the other individuals that came together to save Lagoon. And thank you for supporting these heroes so they can continue their good work.

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