This is the moment a straying puss finds himself just one slip away from becoming a pack lunch as he gets stuck up a tree over a zoo enclosure full of hungry wolves.

He was spotted by sharp-eyed keepers who saw there was no way down without becoming a snack for the pack in the wolf enclosure at Moscow Zoo, Russia.

So after first shutting the wolves into their indoor quarters, rescuers from a local non-profit called “Help Centre” tried to shake the cat off its branch on 10th May.

When that failed, video footage of the rescue shows one rescuer scaling a ladder and bringing the relieved moggie back down to the cheers of hundreds of watching zoo-goers.

Local media said that the puss has been adopted by keepers and named Simba after the cub destined to become the Lion King in the Disney movie.

A statement from Moscow Zoo dated 10th May obtained by Newsflash said: “The cat was saved!

“The operation to save the cat was successful – employees of the ANO Help Centre removed it from a tree.

“This afternoon at the zoo, an outdoor cat climbed to the top of a tree located in the wolf enclosure. We quickly moved the predators indoors and tried to get the cat on our own.”

They added: “However, he was very high up and was very scared. He did not know how to get down on his own.

“It was decided to call special services. Rescuers arrived at the zoo and rescued the poor fellow. Everything went well. The cat is alive and well.

“Employees of the Fauna of Russia department, who initially tried to save the cat on their own, confirmed they had come up with the name for him of Simba.

“While Simba will remain living in the management of the Moscow Zoo, zoo specialists will take care of him.”