My neighbour wants to climb my tree

Serious question: not a cat owner, I always heard that if a cat is up your tree, you turn the hose on full on it to get it down? I assume this is bad advice?

Ninja gran - I agree, there were some harsh comments that were uncalled for. Your house, your decision.

Good news. Cats are pretty good at stringing their owners along! ?

I would let people bring ladders through if there is no other way,it's a distressed cat,if it could get down it would,that's why it's meowing!
Sometime cats can go up but feel unsafe or frightened and cannot get down,it's also a icebreaker with your neighbours as well ,a common ground to get you all talking.

To many people are not community minded,help out when you can!
I cannot see why on earth you would mind!

Did you consider that they wouldn’t be complete ‘strangers’ by the time they’d finished ‘traipsing through’ your house ninjagran and that helping or hindering sends out a message to neighbours about yourself?

I imagine the RSPCA know what they’re talking about

Not always in my experience Maggiemaybe and I foster rescue dogs so have lots of dealings with the RSPCA. It depends on the quality of the person on the other end of the line, believe me!

The cat is down. Or we assume so because there's been no noise this morning. Hopefully it's gone back to its home and plate of food. Bit harsh I think to tell me I'm being mean by not wanting strangers traipsing through my hallway. They didn't stay very long under the tree I don't think so probably gave up because I don't think the ladder would have reached nearly high enough. And yes, what I know of cats they would have scrambled up even higher. Crisis over I'm happy to say!

Some time after the incident I mentioned upthread, DH reminded me that another of my cats tree’d itself in a tall fir tree in the back garden. There was no way (and no intention) of repeating the aforementioned rescue exercise. She did manage to find her way down onto some lower branches, and then he extended my wooden washing line prop - about four inches wide - as far as it would go and eventually she made her way down it putting one paw in front of the other ever so gingerly. They can do it. But I agree with those who say all the hubbub from the concerned neighbours is likely to be the main problem!

Our two cats can spend an afternoon running up and down the very tall trees in the garden, to tease the dog.
At first we were worried but then realised it was all a game, they always seem to come down forwards sometimes jumping over the dog at the bottom. They get on well together and it is great fun to watch them.
The cat is probably mors terrified of a lot of strangers making a lot of noise than being up the tree.

As it happens yesterday, a person I know locally had posted on FB that her cat was stuck up a tree , miowing and appeared unable to come down. It had done this before but her neighbour had managed to reach it with a broom and poke it down! The neighbour was away so could not help from her side of the fence! A picture posted this morning showed the cat back home having breakfast.. down under its own steam!

Is it down yet? If not, try shaking a tub of Whiskas Temptations cat treats, mine would rip your leg off to get at those.

I imagine the RSPCA know what they’re talking about. Though it’s not likely to come down while all hell’s breaking loose below it.

Ninjagran is the cat down yet?

If not please let the neighbours into your garden to rescue the poor thing, it will be getting tired, frightened and hungry.

You never know, you may really like your neighbours, it's always nice to have a good relationship with people close by.

Just stand under the tree and rattle a spoon against a tin can or dish, watch the cat descend smartish.

I agree with BlueBelle and Bluegal Time to be a little neighbourly.

Sorry but I find it mean to not let them come through your house surely a house can never take precedence over an animal
I m not an over the top cat lover but I don’t like any animal upset or fearful
If you’re so worried about your hall just point out to them to be careful..... but really that’s pretty mean to not let them through

Cats do generally come down themselves if left to it but may be frightened with so many people around?

How long has it been there? Maybe leave some cat food at the bottom and all retreat back?

If it doesn't come back in a few days then I would let anybody in to get it down. Don't you have a ladder yourself OP? I don't really understand you saying "you don't know these people" What better way to GET to know people. I think yes YAB a tad unreasonable.

Cats can usually only come down backwards because their claws can only grip that way round. Squirrels paws are different, so they can run down forwards.

I watched one come down backwards the other day - very slowly and carefully.
She's a very young cat too.

My cat does come down trees backwards and seems to follow the exact same path he went up - he occasionally runs up trees too enthusiastically then panics and starts miaowing. I would let the people take the ladders through my house but then I can't bear to hear cats upset like that. On the other hand, I think they are very unlikely to be able to grab it but hopefully it might come part way down the ladder - mine did that the one time SIL decided the cat was stuck.

I wouldn't have one, but could never hurt one.
And the best cat I knew got knocked down (and left) on the road

Cats are not squirrels. They are good climbers going up, but not good coming down. Cats must climb down a tree backwards due to physics and their physiology. Some cats eventually figure out this concept and are able to work their way down from a tree

Eh? Our cat comes down forwards until she's near enough to the ground to jump the rest of the distance. I've never seen her come down backwards.

Poor thing ,seems folk here have the same attitude towards cats as the "driver" who hit mine and left him to die at the side of the road.Some people are all heart! After all its JUST a cat...part of somebody's family .Just like a dog in fact .

That was from a Cat Rescue website.

Poor pussy! I’m glad at least someone’s helping it down.

Not a particular cat lover either but can’t bear the thought of it stuck up there all night.

incidentally the RSPCA are wrong to,tell you that

Cats are not squirrels. They are good climbers going up, but not good coming down. Cats must climb down a tree backwards due to physics and their physiology. Some cats eventually figure out this concept and are able to work their way down from a tree