Who should you call when a cat goes out on a limb and doesn’t come back down? As we are painfully aware, cats have a knack for climbing trees but once they go up, they can get stuck for days. It quickly becomes a life-threatening situation, and it can be very hard to find help. But for folks in Southern New Jersey they have a tree-climbing hero in Steven Murrow and Tesla Tree Service.
For those in the area, Murrow, owner of Tesla Tree Service, can climb the highest treetops. And after rescuing over 100 cats in three years, he’s still doing it all for free! Despite the heights and precarious situations, he says it’s fun!
Note: If you or someone you know has a cat needing rescue, you can locate someone near you at the Cat in a Tree Emergency Rescue directory.
“I’m a professional with training and the right gear so definitely do not try this at home,” Murrow told ABC 6.
Steve Murrow of Tesla Tree Service with rescued Winston via Facebook
Little wonder he’s being recognized by the Washington Post and the Drew Barrymore Show, among others. So, how did a guy allergic to cats become a celebrated hero for rescuing cats from the tallest trees?
Tesla Tree Service and Cat Rescue
Murrow named his environmentally friendly tree service Tesla after his vehicle. His battery-electric chainsaws are powered by solar panels, which also charge his car.
In 2021, he responded to a Facebook post suggested by a friend about a cat stuck up a tree for days. While a ladder truck couldn’t reach the cat, his weighted throw lines and specialized gear could. That day, his first rescue became an emotional one.
“I literally cried when I held that cat and comforted him to let him know it was okay,” Murrow told the Washington Post. “He was so hungry and thirsty that he was starting to get organ failure.”
“No better way to start the day than with coffee and a cat in a tree rescue. Poor “Church” was freezing up there last night, but he’s all warmed up now and back with his humans,” shared Tesla Tree Service.
From there, he included rescuing cats in his service, but yet he doesn’t charge a dime for it! He considers doing good deeds part of a ripple effect, which he hopes will inspire others to follow suit.
Rescuing Church the cat
“There’s no price I could put on saving an animal,” Murrow told the local news.
“Clementine was stuck up there for 5 days, so she was pretty vocal about wanting to come down. Beautiful day to climb a tree and rescue another cat,” via Facebook
Dramatic Treetop Rescues
To give you a better idea of how high up these cats can be, check out the video Murrow posted below. Fifal, the tuxedo cat was stuck almost 100 feet in the air for 5 days when the community rallied to help.
As you can see in the video below, Fifal was clearly visible in the tree and the birds were attacking her. Then Tesla Tree Service arrived and made a dramatic rescue from extreme heights. It made us dizzy just watching it, but soon, Fifal was back on the ground and safe.
Video by Steve Murrow:
A Life or Death Situation for Cats Stuck in Trees
Appearing on NBC, Murrow explained why he does why he does. When nobody else can reach them, he’s unfortunately the last hope for a cat.
“After five days without water, they can start to get organ failure,” explained Murrow. “And then, on top of that, fatigue from being in the cold for four or five nights in a row, it was kind of like the last chance for that cat.”
You can imagine how relieved distraught families are to be reunited with the cat after such an ordeal. But he does it all for the cats.
“It’s not about how I feel. It’s not about how they feel; it’s about how the cat feels and that’s why I do it,” Murrow told NBC. “If my kindness can inspired someone else to be kind then I’ve done what I needed to.”
Incredibly, he’s even rescued “repeat offenders,” cats that have gone right back up a tree after he saved them. Thankfully, there have only been three of those so far. Purrhaps the cats wanted to see Steven again?
Thank you for making the world a better place and for helping all those cats when nobody else could!
Video by NBC News:
100+ ‘Cats in the Bag’ For Tesla Tree Service
Murrow recently met Drew Barrymore and Ross Mathews, who celebrated the “local hero” for rescuing over 100 cats in three years from trees. You can see the video on Tesla Tree Service’s Facebook page.
That Good News Girl also made a wonderful video about Tesla Tree Service below.
