“Whiskers” Rescued from Tree on King Edward Street

Glace Bay - Late Sunday afternoon, concerned residents on King Edward Street gathered as “Whiskers,” a curious grey-and-white tabby, perched precariously in a towering maple tree near the corner of Second Avenue. The five-year-old feline had apparently chased a squirrel up the trunk and then hesitated to climb back down, sparking a neighborhood rescue effort that drew nearly two dozen onlookers. 

Whiskers belongs to local resident Marie O’Donnell, who first noticed her pet was missing around 3 p.m. “He slipped out through the back door while I was unloading groceries,” she recounted. “I called his name, but instead of coming back, I heard him meowing from above.” After locating Whiskers about 25 feet up, O’Donnell called 911, fearing the cat might panic and fall.

Within fifteen minutes, Glace Bay Volunteer Fire Brigade arrived on scene. Firefighter Ben MacLeod, who led the rescue, described the challenge: “It’s a tall tree, and the branches were a bit sparse near the top. Whiskers was clinging to a thin limb that could have snapped under his weight.”

Residents clustered on the sidewalk, some offering blankets to cushion Whiskers’s landing if he fell. Neighbors Ellen and Roy Sinclair brought a ladder borrowed from Ron’s Hardware down the street, but its height fell short. “We were all worried he might slip,” Ellen recalled. “Poor thing kept meowing like he was ashamed but also scared.”

Undeterred, firefighter MacLeod donned gloves, hoisted himself onto a high-reaching ladder from the brigade’s rescue truck, and slowly climbed toward Whiskers. “I talked to him the whole time, calling his name and reassuring him,” MacLeod explained. “He trembled when I got close, but once I offered my hand, he let me scoop him up.”

At 3:45 p.m., to applause from the watching neighbors, MacLeod descended with Whiskers safely cradled in his arms. Then, with careful steps, he handed the trembling cat to O’Donnell, who wrapped him in a warm blanket. “He was so relieved to be back on solid ground,” she said, petting Whiskers as he purred.

Veterinarian Dr. Allison Kerr of Glace Bay Veterinary Clinic, who volunteered to examine Whiskers on the spot, confirmed the cat was unharmed aside from a slightly scraped paw. “He’s a lucky cat,” Dr. Kerr noted. “I saw no injuries, just a bit of shock. I recommended monitoring him over the next day, but otherwise he’s healthy.”

As the crowd dispersed, some residents lingered to share stories of their own adventurous pets. “Our dog once got loose and chased a rabbit into someone’s yard,” said passerby Jackson Reid. “It’s funny to think Whiskers chased a squirrel up a tree instead of fleeing.”

By 4:15 p.m., Whiskers was safely home, tucked into his favorite spot on O’Donnell’s living-room couch. As for the maple tree on King Edward Street, neighbors joked they might trim the lower branches to discourage future climbing escapades.

“Whiskers has made his point,” laughed O’Donnell. “But knowing cats, he’ll probably try it again. Next time, I’ll be ready with treats, not groceries.”