Conference misery::feline_v1

303.0. "A Story" by MELODY::WATSON () Thu Aug 14 1986 02:05

    While I was in college I spent my summers in the beautiful state
    of Vermont, working at a summer camp.  This was a great camp, I
    had lots of fun, and could tell many stories.  This being the FELINE
    notesfile, I will tell one pertaining to a cat.
    
    Every summer, about the middle of August, the campers would put
    on a big stage production in the outdoor theatre.  Most of these
    were quite good, and the kids spent a lot of time in rehearsal.
    This particular summer one of the counselors had attached herself
    to a cat.  This cat must have been a city cat as it was not very
    up on life in the wild.  Anyway, one day the cat got stuck up in
    a tree, about 45 feet off the ground, and refused to come down.
    As fate would have it this tree was directly behind the outdoor 
    theatre, with the branches overhanging the stage.
    
    For days various counselors and campers tried to coax the cat down.
    The cat's cries echoed through the mountains far into the night. The
    kids in the play were trying to rehearse in the meanwhile, amid
    this wailing. 
    
    "We've got to stop for the night.  It's starting to rain."
    
    "That's funny, it's not raining over here!"
    
    (The cat had relieved itself)
    
    Finally the Music/Play director could not take it any more. The
    play was to be that night.  The play was his pride and joy, nothing
    could go wrong. The cat's vocal cords were not giving out.
    
    "John, let me borrow your .22."
    
    "What for, Mr. Brown?"
    
    To save the cat (and the play) many solutions were considered. 
    This height was obviously too great for a ladder. Food would not
    entice it down.  
    
    Desperation.
    
    First solution:  We took a bow and a flu-flu (rubber-tipped arrow)
    with string attached.  Proceeded to shoot the flu-flu over the branch
    (after several tries).  With someone on each end of the string we
    gently shook the branch.  No result.  We vigorously shook the branch.
    Cat held on desperately, swaying back and forth.  String broke.
    Several reattempts were no more successful.  Pieces of the tree
    cascaded down, but no cat.
    
    Second solution: We started shooting the cat with the flu-flus,
    spurred on by Mr. Brown in the background, clutching the .22.  Gently
    at first, not drawing back much on the bow, then with increasing
    tension (as Mr. Brown would attempt to step forward and aim the rifle
    at the cat).  Through every direct hit the cat held on, meowing
    with increased vigor.  Eventually we had lost all the flu-flus in
    the woods. 
    
    Third solution: Camp director happens by, showing parents around
    the camp.  Spots various camp staff standing around tree with bows
    in hand, string all over the place, many branches on ground. 
    
    "What's going on here?"
    
    "We're trying to get this cat out of the tree before Mr. Brown kills
    it!"
    
    Silence, considering the matter.  Parents in the background, clearly
    puzzled. (What kind of a camp is this?)
    
    "Scott, run down to the cabin and get me my 30.06."
    
    Scott returns.  Camp director takes aim.  
    
    BLAM! (a miss)
    
    BLAM! (very surprised cat, still clinging to branch which is no
    longer connected to tree, sails down, makes a good landing, and
    scrambles away).
    
    -Jim-
                                    

    I realy enjoyed this story ! It's about time someone wrote a fun
    story that dosent end with a dead cat, maybe there is a message
    here in reference to problems with cat's. They don't always have
    to be killed or hurt to solve your problem with them.
    On that note I love birds also if you have a cat problem in 
    reference to birds have you tried belling the cats? most owners
    will agree to haveing them wear bells if you wont hurt their cat.
    Also my parents cat was being bothered by some neighbors cats she is
    geting old and cant defend her teritory any more my parents drove
    them off with the hose and sprinklers, cats are smart they caught
    on quikly and dont bother her any more. Also for a profetional bird
    owner if you really want to keep the cats away shooting them may
    not work there are always more cats have you tried putting scent
    of dogs arround your birds cages? it can be perchased at local 
    pet stores for less than the cost of bullets and it would be much
    more efective.     
    
                               Sincerely,Dr.Adams
     

    Well, the reason I related this story was that it was brought to
    mind by the recent "discussion" of cat-shooters.  I believe there
    is always an alternative to killing someone's cat.  In this case
    all of the proposed solutions to getting the cat out of the tree
    had failed.  It took a fresh viewpoint (and direct action) to end
    the crisis.  I might add that, up until the time when the cat came
    sailing out of the tree (looking like Rocky the Flying Squirrel),
    no one knew that the Camp Director was aiming at the branch and
    not the cat. 
    
    -Jim-
    

    re .1
    Maybe this could be the answer to the English woman with the problem
    with her neighbors birds. Either dog secent around the cages,
    or if anywhere near a zoo get some lion scat or pee - it has been
    known to work wonders!!