Cat Drowned In Pool

I think it's very sad that the poor kitty drowned and, yes, I agree it's safer
(in the US anyway) for cats to be indoors only...but I also have a stray cat
situation (in addition to my indoor cats) usually and I generally wind up
leaving most of them as outdoor cats with good care otherwise and, sadly,
eventually something seems to happen to most of them. Something bad. Not
drowning but dogs, cars, etc. Therefore, I will not judge the OP. Let's face
it, the world is full of unwanted cats, unfortunately, and even a cat who has a
decent outdoor home with food, vet care, and love is better off than the
majority of poor, unwanted cats. Maybe not the ideal life but better than
homelessness, starvation, rampant disease, immediate death, etc. And most of
them live a fine life until the unspeakable occurs. **** happens, sadly.
Everyone can only do the best they can do and maybe he cannot take an infinite
number of cats inside, for whatever reasons. I don't feel I can either but the
strays keep showing up.

All this being said...I live in AZ where there are a ton of pools and I don't
personally know of any cats who drowned in these pools. One of my friends had
her elderly dog die in her pool and that was horrible but she had someone
babysitting the dog while she was on vacation and they, obviously, were not
attentive enough. It made me really sad that Skeeter died in this way but most
deaths are sad and some are worse than others.

But what I was going to say, was that no one I know of has a pool cover...other
than a boyfriend I had back in the 80s. He had one for the cleanliness issue
and the thing was a pain in the ass. It also had some safety issues itself.
One of the warnings was that if someone or something managed to fall into the
pool along the edges (which is where you'd fall in if you were falling in,
obviously), they could easily become trapped under the cover and not be able to
get out. As long as you fell on top of the cover, you were okay, it would
support your weight, but if you slipped in underneath the edges, you were a
goner. Maybe the covers have changed in the last 20 years but that thing gave
me the creeps. He had an elderly mom living with him at the time who was
unsteady on her feet, at times, and I had visions that she would take a tumble
in there and get caught underneath. She didn't but I don't think they're a
sure thing in preventing tragedies. And they are definitely a hassle.

Now there are rodents, birds, lizards, other small animals that drown in these
pools and that is sad, too, so technically no one should have a pool. I don't,
but I can see where people would like to have one and for them to all have
covers so that a mouse doesn't fall in every few years seems impractical.
Especially in AZ, where you could use them everyday of the year. It seems more
like what happened to the OP was kind of a freak accident and who can account
for every unusual thing that can occur? He could have had a pool cover and the
cat could have drowned in the toilet instead or hung itself on the venetian
blind cord or any number of wierd things not thought of. I think we should
just feel sad for the cat and the OP and be thankful that the cat did have some
happy times and love in her life prior to her untimely demise.

Rest in peace, kitty.

What she said.

Teri

Yes, you shrugged off the cat's life. I have read every one of your posts.
Perhaps you need to read your posts? BTW, name calling is not called for
here. You now reveal again that you knew this could be a problem since the
cat had some limitations. The cat fell in the pool and drowned and once
again you say words are being twisted. Nobody edited your posts. Yes you
were quoted directly and now you want to play victim by saying I didn't
understand your posts and thus make yourself look bigger. I guess when faced
with the truth and your own words you feel denial is better and thus makes
you feel like did good. You most certainly stated (but for your
entertainment we'll use the word inferred) that you felt it was too much
trouble to take future precautions. When quotes were needed I certainly
provided them when you said you never said this or that. I even quoted your
posts when you thought you were words were being twisted. Of course you
never did answer my question. How many more lives must be lost before you
finally get a pool cover, fence, or any other safety device?

Nothing is wrong with me since you asked. I happen to love cats and care
enough about them to take the necessary precautions so that they have a
healthy, happy and long life. Did you know you could prevent a lot of
dangers to your cat by keeping them indoors? I suggested this earlier but
you threw out that idea. I guess there is no point in talking about this
with you since you obviously don't want any of our advice. It makes me
wonder why you asked for it when you feel you have all the answers? I hope
at some point you will eventually learn.

--
Panther TEK: Staying On Top Of All Your Computer Needs!
www.members.cox.net/catprotector/panthertek

Cat Galaxy: All Cats, All The Time!
www.catgalaxymedia.com
"Tlg064" wrote in message
...
Ok Protector. This will be the last time I respond to you. Its getting old
and
you need everything spelled out for you


I have no exuses to make and have not made any. Still saying I shrugged
off the
cats life because it was a stray. See you just dont read well. Everyone
else
here undesrtood what I wrote and that some of the bit about the stray was
sarcasm towards you intended to get a point thru your thick skull..

You can ignore the signs all you want but to put a swimming pool and
money
before another a life is pretty sad.

Just to make you happy I'm going outside as soon as I'm thru here with you
and
dismantle the pool.

Your scenario about cats being agile and not falling in a pool like dogs
do is
pretty irrelevant now given that a cat has now fallen in your pool and
drowned

Again you dont read well. A cat did fall in the pool - but a partially
handicapped one is what I said. What grade did you make it to in school. I
won't venture a guess.

You also stated in your first post that you had a fenced yard but
not around the pool. You seem to changing the scenario a bit.

There you go twisting things around again. Nothing has changed. The yard
is
fenced the pool is not. Here is where it might get tricky for you so I
will
type this slow for you. I stated that the pool came with a fence but I
never
installed it and that it would not be sufficient to keep a pet out..

then why is it so hard for you to keep your cat
indoors, get a pool cover or take any of the simple precautions other
people

First I thouroghly explaind why the cat went outdoors.Second it is known
that a
simple pool cover could be more dangerous to a child or pet. Third - one
of the
suggestions was for a platform for the cat in the pool and thats the one
I'm
going with.

Stop playing the victim here and blaming others for your faults. Nobody
twisted your words. I took those quotes directly from your previous
posts.

What in the world are you talking about .I am not blaming anyone here for
anything. Everyone else undertood my words except you. Either that or they
were
not to your liking so you twisted them around.

You also seem to say that taking safety precautions is just too much
trouble.
How is
saving another life too much trouble?

I did not say that taking REASONABLE safety precaution was too much
trouble.
Driving a car is dangerous. Should I stop driving. Sticking to cat dangers
though heres one for you. In my home there is a stairway. At the top of
the
stairs there is this sort of half wall along a hallway that you can look
over
and see a 14 foot drop that ends at the last few hardwood stairs. The
deceased
cat and the others often sleep on this wall. On several ocasions they have
taken the plunge and landed 14 ft below half asleep. Nothing happened to
them
so far. In your eyes though maybe I should have my entire house torn down
and
rebuilt with nothing in mind but cat safety.

Somethings wrong somewhere with you. You must be living in some kind of
fantasy
world. Were you spoiled as a child?

Tom

Yes, you shrugged off the cat's life. I have read every one of your posts.
Perhaps you need to read your posts? BTW, name calling is not called for
here. You now reveal again that you knew this could be a problem since the
cat had some limitations. The cat fell in the pool and drowned and once
again you say words are being twisted. Nobody edited your posts. Yes you
were quoted directly and now you want to play victim by saying I didn't
understand your posts and thus make yourself look bigger. I guess when faced
with the truth and your own words you feel denial is better and thus makes
you feel like did good. You most certainly stated (but for your
entertainment we'll use the word inferred) that you felt it was too much
trouble to take future precautions. When quotes were needed I certainly
provided them when you said you never said this or that. I even quoted your
posts when you thought you were words were being twisted. Of course you
never did answer my question. How many more lives must be lost before you
finally get a pool cover, fence, or any other safety device?

Nothing is wrong with me since you asked. I happen to love cats and care
enough about them to take the necessary precautions so that they have a
healthy, happy and long life. Did you know you could prevent a lot of
dangers to your cat by keeping them indoors? I suggested this earlier but
you threw out that idea. I guess there is no point in talking about this
with you since you obviously don't want any of our advice. It makes me
wonder why you asked for it when you feel you have all the answers? I hope
at some point you will eventually learn.

--
Panther TEK: Staying On Top Of All Your Computer Needs!
www.members.cox.net/catprotector/panthertek

Cat Galaxy: All Cats, All The Time!
www.catgalaxymedia.com
"Tlg064" wrote in message
...
Ok Protector. This will be the last time I respond to you. Its getting old
and
you need everything spelled out for you


I have no exuses to make and have not made any. Still saying I shrugged
off the
cats life because it was a stray. See you just dont read well. Everyone
else
here undesrtood what I wrote and that some of the bit about the stray was
sarcasm towards you intended to get a point thru your thick skull..

You can ignore the signs all you want but to put a swimming pool and
money
before another a life is pretty sad.

Just to make you happy I'm going outside as soon as I'm thru here with you
and
dismantle the pool.

Your scenario about cats being agile and not falling in a pool like dogs
do is
pretty irrelevant now given that a cat has now fallen in your pool and
drowned

Again you dont read well. A cat did fall in the pool - but a partially
handicapped one is what I said. What grade did you make it to in school. I
won't venture a guess.

You also stated in your first post that you had a fenced yard but
not around the pool. You seem to changing the scenario a bit.

There you go twisting things around again. Nothing has changed. The yard
is
fenced the pool is not. Here is where it might get tricky for you so I
will
type this slow for you. I stated that the pool came with a fence but I
never
installed it and that it would not be sufficient to keep a pet out..

then why is it so hard for you to keep your cat
indoors, get a pool cover or take any of the simple precautions other
people

First I thouroghly explaind why the cat went outdoors.Second it is known
that a
simple pool cover could be more dangerous to a child or pet. Third - one
of the
suggestions was for a platform for the cat in the pool and thats the one
I'm
going with.

Stop playing the victim here and blaming others for your faults. Nobody
twisted your words. I took those quotes directly from your previous
posts.

What in the world are you talking about .I am not blaming anyone here for
anything. Everyone else undertood my words except you. Either that or they
were
not to your liking so you twisted them around.

You also seem to say that taking safety precautions is just too much
trouble.
How is
saving another life too much trouble?

I did not say that taking REASONABLE safety precaution was too much
trouble.
Driving a car is dangerous. Should I stop driving. Sticking to cat dangers
though heres one for you. In my home there is a stairway. At the top of
the
stairs there is this sort of half wall along a hallway that you can look
over
and see a 14 foot drop that ends at the last few hardwood stairs. The
deceased
cat and the others often sleep on this wall. On several ocasions they have
taken the plunge and landed 14 ft below half asleep. Nothing happened to
them
so far. In your eyes though maybe I should have my entire house torn down
and
rebuilt with nothing in mind but cat safety.

Somethings wrong somewhere with you. You must be living in some kind of
fantasy
world. Were you spoiled as a child?

Tom

tlg064, I told you if you attempted to carry on a conversation with CP on any
level, you'd end up banging your head against a wall. In fact, banging your
head against a wall at this point probably sounds like a pleasant endeavor in
comparison. He either doesn't read anything you write anyway, or is just too
thick-headed to comprehend, but you've probably already figured that out.
Ignore him.

Sherry

tlg064, I told you if you attempted to carry on a conversation with CP on any
level, you'd end up banging your head against a wall. In fact, banging your
head against a wall at this point probably sounds like a pleasant endeavor in
comparison. He either doesn't read anything you write anyway, or is just too
thick-headed to comprehend, but you've probably already figured that out.
Ignore him.

Sherry

Sandra Loosemore wrote in
:

itter (MacCandace) writes:

It seems more like what happened to the OP was kind of a freak
accident and who can account for every unusual thing that can occur?
[...] I think we should just feel sad for the cat and the OP and be
thankful that the cat did have some happy times and love in her life
prior to her untimely demise.

This is what I think, too, and I'm pretty horrified that people have
responded so viciously to the OP. It seems like some folks, in their
sentimental zeal as cat-lovers, have forgotten that there's a human
being involved, too -- and one who is dealing with the emotional
trauma of the death of a pet.

-Sandra




Many many years ago I chastised a poster, who, while parked at a thruway
truck stop, opened the car door and let her (un-crated) cat jump out of the
car and get flattened by a truck. Aside from the fact that it seemed more
like a writing exercise it was clearly an EXPECTED result of the persons
actions [Truck-stop, trucks, loose cat = dead cat] Oddly, I was attacked
for my comments! How things change!

This event (the pool) would have been a lot less predicatable. Tom sounds
to have done and admirable job in taking in this STRAY cat (those who have
done this know you sometimes need to compromise with the cat just to take
care of it). He missed one danger and the cat died. He did NOT minimize
the value of the cat for being a stray. If he did he would NOT HAVE EVEN
POSTED!

So it would be nice if all the perfect folks and all the imperfect folks (I
would be in that group) would start cutting a little slack. It is not
always easy to express or discern complex emotional content in writting so
you may want to assume the better intent rather than the worst when you
read a CAT LOVERS writting.

Andy

Sandra Loosemore wrote in
:

itter (MacCandace) writes:

It seems more like what happened to the OP was kind of a freak
accident and who can account for every unusual thing that can occur?
[...] I think we should just feel sad for the cat and the OP and be
thankful that the cat did have some happy times and love in her life
prior to her untimely demise.

This is what I think, too, and I'm pretty horrified that people have
responded so viciously to the OP. It seems like some folks, in their
sentimental zeal as cat-lovers, have forgotten that there's a human
being involved, too -- and one who is dealing with the emotional
trauma of the death of a pet.

-Sandra




Many many years ago I chastised a poster, who, while parked at a thruway
truck stop, opened the car door and let her (un-crated) cat jump out of the
car and get flattened by a truck. Aside from the fact that it seemed more
like a writing exercise it was clearly an EXPECTED result of the persons
actions [Truck-stop, trucks, loose cat = dead cat] Oddly, I was attacked
for my comments! How things change!

This event (the pool) would have been a lot less predicatable. Tom sounds
to have done and admirable job in taking in this STRAY cat (those who have
done this know you sometimes need to compromise with the cat just to take
care of it). He missed one danger and the cat died. He did NOT minimize
the value of the cat for being a stray. If he did he would NOT HAVE EVEN
POSTED!

So it would be nice if all the perfect folks and all the imperfect folks (I
would be in that group) would start cutting a little slack. It is not
always easy to express or discern complex emotional content in writting so
you may want to assume the better intent rather than the worst when you
read a CAT LOVERS writting.

Andy

"Cat Protector" wrote in
news:Tg0Sa.875$Ye.700@fed1read02:

Rona,

I don't think you really have anything apologize for anything here.



Why not read this back in a few weeks. Imagine telling someone NOT to have
apologized. Would not RONA be the judge of what RONA should apologize for?
Rona apologized only for her tone not for her content anyway. Pretty even
handed behaviour it would seem.

Andy
very imperfect cat lover

"Cat Protector" wrote in
news:Tg0Sa.875$Ye.700@fed1read02:

Rona,

I don't think you really have anything apologize for anything here.



Why not read this back in a few weeks. Imagine telling someone NOT to have
apologized. Would not RONA be the judge of what RONA should apologize for?
Rona apologized only for her tone not for her content anyway. Pretty even
handed behaviour it would seem.

Andy
very imperfect cat lover

It is not
always easy to express or discern complex emotional content in writting so
you may want to assume the better intent rather than the worst when you
read a CAT LOVERS writting.

Andy

I would certainly agree with you that the truck stop incident was clearly
within the owner's control and was extremem negligence...very different from
Tom's situation. Tom's was a freak accident. We can't totally protect cats or
people from every possible danger in the world.

Candace
(take the litter out before replying by e-mail)

See my cats:
http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace