A kitten was stuck on a concrete ledge high above the ground in Spokane, Washington. 60-year-old Kay Leclaire passed by jogging and heard the cat cry for help. So she decided to climb up and get him. The trapped kitten lucked out, since Leclaire is a champion climber who has scaled Mount Everest and holds a record as the oldest woman to climb the highest peaks on all seven continents. The kitten was adopted almost immediately after his rescue. http://www.komonews.com/news/local/81611402.html -via Fark
Didn't anybody watch Cats 101? Cats cannot "climb down." They kind of skid and jump or fall. Their claws are not meant for downward traction.
2. Climbing gear was required, that ledge is a long drop for a human. One slip on some of the loose gravel and shed be in an ambulance, or worse. Not to mention the fact that the ledge is too high for anyone to climb.
Even if the animal can 'get out' on their own, there's a risk of injury. One of my cats got stuck up a tree, and as it was late at night I didn't really have anyone to call for help. I was patient and worried and tried to coax him down. Eventually he did make the leap down- and broke one of his canine teeth when he landed. We're lucky he didn't break his jaw or leg.