West Yorkshire police and fire chiefs issue reminder NOT to contact them to report cats stuck up trees

The force said today that they have had a "handful of calls recently" in relation to stranded felines

A Tweet from West Yorkshire Police's Contact Management Centre states that the first point of contact to report the problem should be the RSPCA or a tree surgeon.

The Tweet states: "We need to keep our focus on preserving life, protecting people and dealing with matters of a criminal nature. There are other organisations that care for animal welfare."

An RSPCA spokesperson said: "Cats often climb trees and get stuck on house and garage rooftops but usually make their way back down.

"Many years of experience have taught us that it's often better to leave them alone, as an early rescue attempt could chase them higher or cause them to panic and fall.

"If it is fair weather and the cat appears healthy, we ask that people monitor the situation.

"You may find that the cat comes down from the tree or roof on its own after a few hours.

"We ask that people call our 24 hour cruelty & advice line on 0300 1234 999 immediately if a kitten or young cat is up a tree or the cat appears to be sick or injured in some way.

"It is important not to attempt to rescue a cat yourself.

"Although cats are agile animals, they can injure themselves badly if they fall from a height."