Cat stuck in tree heroically saved by Fire Department after 2 days of failed rescue attempts by local cat rescue: ‘They extended the ladder all the way over the apartment building, and an awesome firefighter named Kolby went up to get him.’

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Laurent Shinar • Writer and Editor
Sep 5, 2026 6:15 PM EDT

It seems that no matter the age, no matter how many times they have been warned by hoomans and other cats, cats will always find a way to get stuck up in a tree and in the most inconvenient of perches. Making it impossible for mere mortals to get up there and save them. No, these kinds of moments are for true heroes and sheroes to deal with. And in the case of this story's stuck cat it was a whole firecrew of heroes who turned up to save the day.

Our story begins with a cat named Simba. For one reason or another Simba found himself atop a rather tall tree with no clear way of coming down. More often than not, cats who are on the run from something will make a move like this. But in their panic they will not check to see that the tree they are scaling has a reasonable perch from which they can jump down from later. And so from time to time find themselves committed to climbing the trunk of a tree that has no perch for at least 40 ft. A safe place to hide from a predator but not so safe in terms of coming back down. And so the cat ends up stuck.

At this point the cat's pawrent got a local cat rescue involved, hoping for a gentle hand and a low stress way for the feline to be returned to the ground. But as it would turn out the cat was catatonic and unable to move or feel safe enough to collaborate with the rescue's efforts. Leaving them with only one port of call, the local Fire Department. 
 

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    SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY FIRE We were contacted about a cat (Simba) that had been stuck in a tree for 2 days. We were able to safely reunite the kitty with his owners.
    via catsofsanbernardino
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    EATS OF San Bernardine We were contacted about a cat (Simba) that had been stuck in a tree for 2 days.
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    CATS OF Can Vernardino
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    CATS OF Salt Bernaraling The heat had been over 100 degrees and the poor Simba was getting weak
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    CATS O San Bernarding We sent up a camera to make sure he was ok
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    CATS OF
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    ATS OF We got up on the roof of the house to get closer to him...
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    CATS OF San Bernardine Attaching a carrier to long metal pole didn't work...
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  • Holy moly, this truly looks like a case of best intentions but no action. Honestly, if we were a cat in this situation there is a good chance we would not trust this crazy contraption. Especially when you think that from the cat’s point of view he can see the ground below through the mesh liner of the back wall of his carrier. Quite the frightening spot for a cat. But at least the feline is ok for the time being and attempts to save him are being made. Things are moving in the right direction.
     

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    CATS OF San Bernardino We had to come up with plan B
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    Suit Bernardine We attempted to attach our net to the pole but Simba wouldn't stand up so we couldn't get it underneath him
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    CATS OF San Bernardbo
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    CATS OF San Bernardine After 2 hours we had to call in reinforcements...
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    CATS OF San Bernardino R AN BERNARDINO RESCUE FIRE COUNTY EMS We personally went to the fire station and asked the San Bernardino County Fire Department for help.
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    CATS OF San Bernardino PARAMEDIC SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY FIRE RESCUE EMS They were so understanding and got a ladder truck out in under 5 minutes!
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  • Well, that is quite the response time we have to say. Maybe it was the social stature of the cat rescue that sparked the firefighters’ motivation. Or perhaps this fire crew really do take cats stuck in trees as a serious problem that must be dealt with the same way that they would a fire or any other kind of emergency. And with their help things are about to get  a whole lot more wholesome. We won’t spoil the story, so go on and find out what happens to Simba next. 
     

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    CATS OF AV The crew got to work immediately ww ca
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    CATS OF San Bernardino SAN BERNARDINO COUNT
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    San Bernarding 970
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    CTS OF Sant Bernardino
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    CATS OF San Bernardine 80 SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY FIRE We were able to safely reunite the kitty with his owners.
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    CATS OF San Bernardino 50 SBCOFD They promised Simba won't be allowed outside again.
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    Sun Vemunding SBCOFD We offered to take Simba to the vet but his family said they would take him.
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    COF Bevardits 224 Special thanks to SBCOFD for going above and beyond to ensure the safety of this kitty!
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    CATS OF San Bernardino Special thanks to SBCOFD for going above and beyond to ensure the safety of this kitty!
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    CATS OF San Bernarding ARDING COUNTY FIRE EMS Kolby, your patience with Simba was beautiful to witness! You rock!
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    We were contacted about a kitty who had been stuck in a tree for days in 100+° weather. His name is Simba, and after being up there for so long in the heat, he was starting to get weak. We rushed out to try and help. We ended up climbing onto the roof of the apartment building to get closer to Simba. For almost two hours, we tried different poles, attachments, and everything we could think of to safely get him down, but unfortunately, nothing was working. We needed reinforcements. We drove over
    via catsofsanbernardino
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    We offered to take Simba straight to the vet, but his owners told us they would take him in right away. They also vowed that Simba's outdoor adventures are officially over and he will be staying safely inside from now on. A HUGE thank you to The San Bernardino County Fire Department for taking the time to help sweet Simba. And a special thank you to Kolby for being so patient, gentle, and calm with him while getting him down. You guys ROCK! Simba rescued from tree by San Bernardino County Fire D
    via catsofsanbernardino
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    Body A report came in about a kitty named Simba trapped in a tree and weakening from extreme heat. Rescuers arrived quickly and climbed onto the apartment building roof to get closer. For almost two hours they tried poles, attachments, and improvised tools to reach Simba, but none of those attempts worked safely. Recognizing the need for professional help, the team drove to the San Bernardino County Fire Department. The station captain welcomed them, made calls, and within five minutes a ladder
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    owners took him in right away. They also committed to keeping Simba indoors going forward to prevent further outdoor adventures. Closing/Takeaway Thanks and appreciation go to the San Bernardino County Fire Department and firefighter Kolby for a careful, timely rescue that returned Simba safely to his family. The incident highlights the importance of rapid response in extreme heat and the value of calling professional responders when initial rescue attempts aren't working.
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    Watch the full video:

    via catsofsanbernardino

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cat after failed stuck saved local heroic attempt cat rescue tree fire department cat videos tiktok days rescue
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