He climbs 70-foot trees to save NJ pets for free — and the calls keep coming

🐱 A South Jersey tree expert has rescued more than 200 cats from trees across New Jersey — and never charges a dime.

❤️ What started as a favor for friends has become a statewide mission, with rescues nearly every week.

🏡 One of the cats he saved stole his heart so completely that it now lives with him.

PITMAN — He’s an arborist by day, but moonlights as a cat rescuer in the great Garden State.

Steve Murrow is a New Jersey arborist who owns Tesla Tree Service in Pitman.

But for the past five years, in his spare time, he rescues cats from trees all over the state, free of charge.

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Steve Murrow rescues a cat in a tree in NJ (Steve Murrow)

New Jersey cat rescuer has saved more than 200 cats from trees

It started when Murrow’s friends saw an online post about a cat stuck up in a tree for five days. They knew Murrow was a rock climber and had just started climbing trees, so they enlisted his help, and he has been rescuing cats from trees ever since.

“We rescue at least a cat from a tree every single week now. It’s kind of built up from there. It took a little while for people to find out that I do this. But now we’re up in trees every week rescuing animals, cats mostly,” Murrow said.

Steve Murrow rescues a raccoon stuck up in a tree in NJ (Steve Murrow)

He even rescued a baby raccoon who got its legs stuck up in a tree, and he even rescued a parrot, a Macaw.

Over the past five years, Murrow said he’s rescued more than 200 cats from trees, and he does it for free.

Steve Murrow rescues a raccoon stuck up in a tree in NJ (Steve Murrow)

“It’s the right thing to do. I have the skill and the ability to climb a tree. Not many people have that. I’m not going to put a price tag on someone’s pet or even a wild animal. If I have the ability to help, then I’m just going to do it, and that’s how I’ve been my whole life,” Murrow said.

Steve Murrow rescues a Macaw from a tree in NJ (Steve Murrow)

How a South Jersey arborist rescues stranded cats for free

He uses his normal tree-climbing equipment to perform these rescues. He launches a throw line into a tree, which forms a lifeline.

“I walk up that rope. I ascend. I get into the tree. Preferably, I’ll get above the cat and then I’ll kind of repel down towards it or come in from the side to get towards it,” Murrow said.

Steve Murrow rescues a cat in a tree in NJ with a treat(Steve Murrow)

Once he’s there, Murrow sweet-talks the cat, gains their trust, and entices them with treats from a bag he brings up the tree with him.

Once that trust his gained, Murrow uses a roped bag with a drawstring to grab the cat. He then comes out of the tree, with the cat-filled bag attached to his harness.

Steve Murrow rescues a cat in a tree in NJ (Steve Murrow)

Dramatic New Jersey animal rescues include cats, raccoons and a parrot

Murrow has had some notable rescues over the years. The long, scary ones are exhilarating because Murrow said he has to be careful that in the middle of a rescue, a tree limb doesn’t break with a cat on it.

Normally, he is secured by a lifeline that allows him to be hands-free. One time, he had to rescue a cat named Biscuit in Toms River, who was stranded 70 feet up a pine tree.

Steve Murrow rescues a cat in a tree in NJ (Steve Murrow)

During the rescue, Murrow flipped in the tree just a little bit while he was reaching for the cat. Murrow didn’t fall. His lifeline was holding him. Biscuit was okay too. But in a video that was taken, it looks shocking to people.

All the rescues have been successful, but there have been some unfavorable rescues where it was a forced jump-and-catch, or a blanket-ready-catch, where people on the ground had to perform the catch. But there were no issues and no injuries, fortunately.

Steve Murrow rescues a cat in a tree in NJ (Steve Murrow)

The rescued kitten that became part of the family

When he first started rescuing cats, Murrow was highly allergic to them. But now, after five years, he’s developed a sweet spot for them. So much so, that he now lives with one of the cats he rescued from a tree in Upper Darby, a kitten named Baby.

Baby, who is now a year old, had no family, and the woman who called Murrow to come rescue the cat already had cats of her own and couldn’t take the kitten.

“She sits in my lap at night. She’s the cutest thing,” Murrow said.

Steve Murrow rescues a cat in a tree in NJ (Steve Murrow)

Anyone who needs Murrow’s help rescuing a cat or any other animal from a tree in New Jersey can text him at 856-264-8386. Simply leave your name, address, and if possible, a picture of the tree.

Remember, cat rescues are free.

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