A cat’s nine lives were about to be used up recently. A cat had
climbed up a 90-foot palm tree in the yard of Carmen and Mike
Mendoza. For 10 days, neighbors listened to the cat’s constant
struggling and desperate cries. The problem was no one knew exactly
where the cat was located.
Dear Editor,
A cat’s nine lives were about to be used up recently. A cat had climbed up a 90-foot palm tree in the yard of Carmen and Mike Mendoza. For 10 days, neighbors listened to the cat’s constant struggling and desperate cries. The problem was no one knew exactly where the cat was located.
Finally, Alex and Sylvia Valdez spotted the cat inside the 90-foot palm tree peaking his head out. I called the Gilroy Fire Department and Harrison Tree Service only to be told they would not help. I then called neighbors Ric and Jodi Heinzen who immediately took charge of the situation.
Ric called one of his associates, Cresco Equipment Rental in Gilroy. They generously provided us with a lift attached to a bucket seat to go up the tree and rescue the cat. Brave Jodi Heinzen climbed in the bucket and was hoisted up the 90-foot tree to the wailing cat. As Jodi came closer to the cat with lunchmeat in her hand, the cat decided to become a parachute and hurled itself from the tree. We all gasped as the cat hit the ground, landing on its feet. It clawed its way over the fence and high tailed it down the alley.
The story had a happy ending, but only because of the efforts of neighbors and Cresco Equipment Rental, who cared enough to go out of their way to be good citizens. Certainly one very lucky cat who is lucky enough to live in Gilroy!
Jeanne Gage, Gilroy
