'Celebrity' cat is comfortable, testy, after rescue

IOWA CITY-- After spending four days in a tree on Clinton Street, the rescued cat is resting comfortably at the Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center.

"She's kind of like a little local celebrity right now," said Willa Hamilton, 29, an animal services officer who believes the feline to be a young female because of its size and features.

The cat hasn't been handled or examined yet, because it  is exhibiting feral tendencies, Hamilton said.

Hamilton, who aborted a Friday rescue attempt with the Iowa City Fire Department and forestry division crew, believes the animal's behavior also might be from the traumatic four days spent 30 feet above downtown Iowa City, where more than one attempt was made to rescue the cat.

Hamilton said the location of the cat was too difficult to reach, and officials believed the cat would come down on its own eventually, she said.

Thanks to a pair of locals, and the free use of a lift, the cat was finally brought down Monday afternoon.

"It was pretty wiped out," Jeff Waite, 49, said of the animal, which appeared less than happy when he retrieved it  with the aid of Michael Matthess.

Aero Rental manager John Clarahan said he lent a tow-behind bucket lift, normally used for landscape work, to the men for the 20-minute rescue mission.

Matthess operated the lift while Waite distracted the cat. Matthess was able to grab it by the scruff of the neck and pass the cat to Waite, who wrapped it in towels, carried it down and brought it to the adoption facility, 4852 Sand Rd. SE.

Waite said it was a spooky experience being up so high, noting he and Matthess each weigh more than 200 pounds and the lift (and the cat) wiggled the entire time. No one was injured.

The cat, described as a domestic short hair tabby with brown and white coloring, has been eating and drinking well, Hamilton said. There have been no missing cat reports matching the feline's description.

The center continues to monitor the cat.