Yet another visitor

/rant on

Persia didn't notice him/her otherwise I'd have had a cat doing the
bottle-brush tail and arched back while hissing on my hands.

A patchy orange & white kitty came up to the (open with screen on) window in
my office and peered inside. Short haired but otherwise looking much like
Spotty the long-haired cat I captured and took to The House of Mews. The
difference was, Spotty was straggly, matted and bony. This cat looked
pretty well cared for.

I'm 99% sure this one is owned by the woman across the street from my
apartment complex. She's the one who says she never lets her cats out, they
just "get out". Yeah, right. That's why I see them sitting in her front
yard all the time. Because they just "get out".

I yelled "scat!" and it ran off before it could upset Persia. I have NO
idea how I can get this woman to understand her cats running around loose
aren't safe. Just yesterday evening I spotted a calico laying dead by the
roadside not a mile from my home. It might have even been one of hers; I
really have no idea how many cats she has. We aren't exactly on chatty
terms.

There are entirely too many cars and way too much traffic to let cats or
dogs run loose in this area. 10 years ago this area was considered "in the
country". Not any more. Tons of traffic, a lot of which come zooming
around the corner at breakneck speeds. I can't tell you how many times I've
been nearly rear-ended while turning into my parking lot, the first entrance
right around the corner from the cross street. People do not slow down!!
It's not SAFE to let your pets run loose around here!

I don't know how I'll ever get it in that woman's head. I guess when she
keeps having to explain to her little girl why [whichever] cat didn't come
back home *maybe* something will click. It's doubtful, but I can always
hope. (sigh)

Jill

/end rant

jmcquown wrote:

/rant on

Persia didn't notice him/her otherwise I'd have had a cat doing the
bottle-brush tail and arched back while hissing on my hands.

A patchy orange & white kitty came up to the (open with screen on) window in
my office and peered inside. Short haired but otherwise looking much like
Spotty the long-haired cat I captured and took to The House of Mews. The
difference was, Spotty was straggly, matted and bony. This cat looked
pretty well cared for.

I'm 99% sure this one is owned by the woman across the street from my
apartment complex. She's the one who says she never lets her cats out, they
just "get out". Yeah, right. That's why I see them sitting in her front
yard all the time. Because they just "get out".

Perhaps they "get out" through a pet door? Not all of us
share your phobia about never allowing cats outdoors. Even
the experts on cat welfare have differing opinions on the
subject - with valid facts to back up their positions.

I yelled "scat!" and it ran off before it could upset Persia.

If that's the worst "upset" Persia ever has, she's lucky.
There ARE other cats in the world - perhaps she wouldn't
find the idea so upsetting if you got her a full-time feline
companion?

EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque) wrote:
jmcquown wrote:

/rant on

I'm 99% sure this one is owned by the woman across the street from my
apartment complex. She's the one who says she never lets her cats
out, they just "get out". Yeah, right. That's why I see them
sitting in her front yard all the time. Because they just "get out".

Perhaps they "get out" through a pet door? Not all of us
share your phobia about never allowing cats outdoors. Even
the experts on cat welfare have differing opinions on the
subject - with valid facts to back up their positions.

The woman claims she doesn't let them out, inferring there is no cat door.
And it's not a PHOBIA when you spot them lying dead by the side of the road.
It's not a phobia when you yourself are constantly nearly rear-ended when
you slow down to pull into your driveway because some jerk making the turn
behind you doesn't slow down or heed your turn signal. It's not a phobia
when you have to be very careful about the cars that zoom past at breakneck
speeds when you walk out the mailbox by the street. It is dangerous on this
corner, whether you (or anyone else) agrees with me or not. I dislike any
pets being placed in a dangerous situation no matter what the "experts" have
to say about it.

Jill

jmcquown wrote:

The woman claims she doesn't let them out, inferring there is no cat door.
And it's not a PHOBIA when you spot them lying dead by the side of the road.
It's not a phobia when you yourself are constantly nearly rear-ended when
you slow down to pull into your driveway because some jerk making the turn
behind you doesn't slow down or heed your turn signal. It's not a phobia
when you have to be very careful about the cars that zoom past at breakneck
speeds when you walk out the mailbox by the street. It is dangerous on this
corner, whether you (or anyone else) agrees with me or not. I dislike any
pets being placed in a dangerous situation no matter what the "experts" have
to say about it.

Not all of us share the same perceptions of "danger", Jill,
and only you can judge the area in which you live. (Humans
might be safer if they stayed indoors and never went out,
too - those who subscribe to that practice suffer from a
condition called "agorophobia".) I try not to get involved
in these "indoor/outdoor" controversies, because it is
pointless - you're not going to convince me and I'm not
going to convince you. I was just pointing out the fact
that there are valid arguments on both sides, and suggesting
you express yourself less dogmatically - what's true in your
area is not necessarily true everywhere, even in your own
city. Many posters to this group feel that cats are happier
(and healthier) when they can go out to hunt - that in many
cases the benefits outweigh the risks. (You're free to
disagree and act accordingly, that's your privilege, but
don't insist your viewpoint is the only correct one!)