Ever see a cat climb down a tree?

[Bonhomme Richard]

It was the strangest thing last night. We see the neighborhood cat Squeaks (hangs around all the houses and is real friendly) climb a large oak in front of the house. Probably chasing a chipmunk. The cat goes up about 30' and is going out on the limbs, then back to the trunk, back and forth. I was worried that the cat was stuck and got below her trying to convince her to jump into my arms. Didn't happen. I was about to go get the ladder when the cat goes to the trunk, edges out, swings around and then starts lowering itself back down the tree. Just the opposite of the way it went up. I had never seen anything like that and was duly impressed. Is that normal behavior? Geez, I felt like an idiot standing below her with my arms open. She must have thought I was nuts.

[adriennel]

1. no. my cat climbs up a tree

then jumps! it scares the crap outta me.
he's either not as smart or not as agile as your cat ;)

[Don_G]

2. Do It The Easy Way

[mirandaod]

3. My cat does it like that.

The first time he climbed the tree he got stuck, though. This was on a Friday night, after we had a bottle of wine. I got the ladder and insisted that my husband climb up after him. It's a good thing the cat figured it out, because that was the one and only rescue he'll get from Bob.

[trof]

10. No cat ever starved to death in a tree.

Hunger overcomes fear every time.
Never seen a cat skeleton in a tree either.
You can take that to the bank.
;-)

[TX-RAT]

4. I've never seen it but,

They say a Main Coon can go down head first. Supposed to be specific to that breed.

[murielm99]

5. My cat does that.

She climbs the tree, and them climbs back down the trunk, sometimes forwards, sometimes backwards.

It acutally depends on how high up she is. If she is not that high, she just jumps.

I think it is probably normal behavior for a cat.

Now, if your neighborhood dog starts to climb trees and then climbs down, please post a picture.

[Bonhomme Richard]

7. LOL My son was telling me his friend has a dog...........

thats half Greyhound and half Dingo that climbs trees chasing Squirrels. Maybe I can get a pic. That would be a hoot.

[MuseRider]

6. Mine jump.

They also get on the roof of my barn. A few times I got out the ladder and climbed up after them to have them fling themselves off right next to my arms as I balanced myself on the ladder. They are nuts!

[Blue-Jay]

8. My cat won't even go outside

unless he's in his carrier. Even then, he bitches about it. He's kind of a couch potato. Takes after me, I suppose.

[TrogL]

9. Yep, that's normal

How do you get down a tree? The same way.

Also, their claws bend inwards so if they tried it upside down they wouldn't get any traction.