Cat rescued near northeast Calgary school after spending snowy night in tree

Seeing a cat in trouble earlier this week, staff at a northeast Calgary school got the wee creature help, and back to its owners.

Staff at Foundations for the Future Charter Academy North Middle School first spotted the cat high up in a tree on the afternoon of April 12.

At the time, it was fighting off a crow that was trying to attack it, a school staff member says.

Later that night, a custodian saw the same cat, still in the tree, now covered in snow but not willing to come down.

By the next morning, the cat hadn't moved, the staff member says.

School staff did the math, realizing just how long the cat had been up there without food or water, and called around to find someone to safely retrieve it, starting with the fire department and some animal rescue organizations.

Soon, staff turned to arborists.

Brad from Bartlett Tree Experts was up to the task, and after he rappelled back down with the wee creature in hand, school staff took it to nearby McKnight Veterinary Hospital.

Turns out, the cat has a microchip, so the vet was able to get in touch with its owners.