by Nellie Curtiss …
Just in from a Cole and Marmalade (cat foster and rescue) post on Facebook: “Australian Firefighter Matthew Hodder made the “catch of the century,” when a kitten decided to try its luck as a flying squirrel, leaping from 32 feet up a tree. Now, Hodder is being hailed as a hero with lightning-fast reflexes. According to 7News Australia, Firefighter Hodder prevented a “serious cat-astrophe.” ColeandMarmalade.com, headquartered in Florida, is a feline rescue with a huge 2.2 million followers on Facebook.
At https://www.facebook.com/ColeandMarmalade, the feline dad, Cat man Chris, along with his human cohort Jessica Josephs posits cat milestones on the page feed. This week has been no exception with this dangling kitten in a huge Australian tree. The story goes that the 8-week-old grey kitten darted in and out of busy traffic then inch by inch climbed the 32 foot tree.
One on-looker, An Grobler who called the fire department for a rescue, tried to coax the little one out of the tree. Instinct carried it higher and higher up the tree until Grobler dialed into the Adelaide fire and rescue. A cherry picker was brought in. Despite the friendly fire fighter in fire gear reaching out to help the tabby, the little cat-gangster decided to follow flight mode right off that limb he found himself on.
Down below was the waiting hero. Firefighter Hodder with his football maneuvering instinct kicking in, reached up. As the kitten fell, Hodder stretched upward like a quarterback might flex and grabbed the tabby in midair. As he stumbled, the 7News Australia reporter said, Hodder caught the little rascal a second time.
Final reports say that the cat gangster is looking for a name; and some say Phoenix should be his name, or Lucky, or better yet, Miracle. If he was my kitten, I might name him Hodder, or Grobler or even Rocky the flying Squirrel.
Another post by ColeandMarmelade (https://coleandmarmalade.com/2022/04/14/lifelong-cat-lover-nicolas-cage-says-merlin-the-cat-is-best-friend-and-like-a-son/) was about Merlin, the feline son of actor Nicolas Cage. Merlin looks ever so smart. Cage was asked in a recent interview: Who’s your best friend? He said his cat Merlin was his bestie. Adopted in 2017, Merlin is a black Maine Coon. The actor goes on to reveal that Merlin is like a son to him, is affectionate, and unusual in that “He loves contact.”
As a gawker on ColeandMarmelade posts, I’m so glad we have such great examples of caring for other creatures.
Similarly, here in our community, we have like-minded rescues. Cats Alive SLV! Is one in particular as they have recently aligned with SLV Spay and Neuter Alliance.
A recent need they posted states, “HEAVY LIFTING VOLUNTEER DESPERATELY NEEDED FOR SATURDAY MORNINGS. Approximately 8:30 to 1. Ideal candidate would be a student or possibly a community service opportunity. …Candidate must be able to lift and carry dogs 50-75 pounds. Be tidy and nothing loose fitting. Scrubs are best. We can feed you and there will be time to study or doodle between dogs, but we can’t pay you. Yet. If you learn and like it there may be paid fill-in opportunities—say when one of us throws out our back. HELP!”
These agencies, Cats Alive SLV and SLV Spay and Neuter Alliance, are benevolent and caring. Their Facebook ad says: It’s hip to snip. The low cost spay and neuter service offers dogs at $75, and cats at $50. Call or text 719-286-3100 for an appointment! The service helps with trap-neuter-release and community cats, too. More info at https://catsaliveslv.org/spay-neuter-clinic/.
Finally, we can all be heroes. We might not be leaping like the firefighter catching the gangster kitten above, but we can pool our love for animals. Some people like me have become watchers and caretakers of community cats which Cats Alive trapped, neutered, and released. For these cats, it makes all the difference.
Nelda Curtiss is a retired college educator and long-time local columnist. Reach her at http://www.columnsbynellie.com or email her at columnsbynellie@gmail.com
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