Firefighters avoid a cat-astrophe as they rescue feline stuck in tree for 24 hours

Firefighters rescue cat stuck in tree in Elland

The cat was so high up the tree RSPCA Animal Collection Officer Shannon McGrath had to ring the fire brigade to help with the rescue in Elland.

Firefighters from Huddersfield attended and used their cherry picker to help rescue the tomcat from the tree off Whitwell Green Lane.

Members of the public had monitored the cat for 24 hours before phoning the RSPCA.

RSPCA Animal Collection Officer Shannon McGrath said: “The tree was next to a busy road and was hanging over a sharp fence so I really wanted to get him down before he fell.

“The weather was awful. It was torrential rain and hail so we wanted to get him safe. He looked really frightened and was clinging to the branch.

“The caller's only noticed the cat due to it crying in distress, as it was quite hard to spot from the road.

"Luckily some of the yard workers, and parents on the school run with their children were checking on it and kept an eye on it."

It is not known who owns the tomcat. He was uninjured, so has been checked over, fed and released with a temporary collar with the RSPCA’s contact details.