| Title: | Meower Power is Valuing Differences |
| Notice: | FELINE_V1 is moving 1/11/94 5pm PST to MISERY |
| Moderator: | MISERY::VANZUYLEN_RO |
| Created: | Sun Feb 09 1986 |
| Last Modified: | Tue Jan 11 1994 |
| Last Successful Update: | Fri Jun 06 1997 |
| Number of topics: | 5089 |
| Total number of notes: | 60366 |
As a cat (and all animal lover, but especially cats), I am an avid
reader of this conference. I currently live in a large apartment
complex in Ashland, MA. A lot of people have cats as pets, even
though we are not supposed to, and when they move, will abandon
them (this absolutely infuriates me!!). Last night, I noticed a
beautiful long-haired white cat asleep on the second floor landing
as my fiance and I were going out to dinner. When we returned,
he wasn't there, so I assumed he had gotten out and the owners let
him back in. My fiance had to go back out to the car for something
and saw the cat waiting outside the building. Feeling bad for it,
my fiance brought the cat upstairs and invited it in for food (I
always buy cat food when I shop just in case - good thing the
cabinet was stocked). After he ate, he wandered around for awhile
and then went to the door and cried to get out. We let him back
out into the hall and propped open the main door with newspapers
so he could go in and out as he pleased. I kept checking on him
until bedtime - by then he was asleep again on the landing. I left
a cup of milk next to him in case he got hungry during the night
and felt better knowing he had a warm place to sleep. The next
morning, the cat was still there (with more food next to him - at
least I know there are some caring people living in my building).
I saw the cleaning lady on my way out to the car, and asked her
if she knew who owned the cat. The story she told me almost tore
my heart out.
Apparently, two people in the building across my ours used to own
the cat (and a black one as well). When they moved, they left the
cats in the apartment (jerks!!!). These poor kitties were in there
a whole month until they were found (the smell led the maintenance
people to find them). How they survived, no one knows. The black
cat was completely wild and afraid of people when found and bolted
out the door. He still wanders around the complex and people leave
food out for him, but he refuses to come to anyone and runs away
when approached. The white cat still "lives" in the complex, as
the cleaning lady told me that many people are caring for him (but
not in the way a cat really needs to be cared for). The Humane
Society was contacted numerous times, but never came to the complex
to get the cats. I would love to keep the white kitty myself; however,
I don't know if he would be happy being an apartment cat. Although
he followed me back into my apartment several times last night when
I went to check on him, after awhile, he went back to the door and
cried to get out again. I would love to find a permanent home for
the cat before taking the more drastic option of bringing him to
the humane society (if it resorted to that, I would probably keep
him and train him to be an indoor cat). According to the cleaning
lady, he is a neutered male. He is also extremely gentle and
affectionate and wonderful with children (he follows the kids in
the complex everywhere and they love to play with him).
If anyone out there has any suggestions or knows someone who wants
a beautiful long-haired white cat, please contact me. I can be
reached at DTN 268-3592. As I am a new employee to Westboro, I
do not have an account yet and am currently using my managers.
I will check this conference periodically for any replies.
Thanks for "listening."
Roberta Waxman
| T.R | Title | User | Personal Name | Date | Lines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 947.1 | Hopkinton | VAXWRK::DUDLEY | Mon Dec 07 1987 13:15 | 7 | |
Contact the Hopkinton Humane Society yourself. It's right next
door to Ashland, so it shouldn't be too much for you to bring the
cat to them. I used to be a member, and at that time, they did
not euthanize any animals. I don't know if they've changed their
policies since then.
Donna
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| 947.2 | CIRCUS::KOLLING | Karen, Sweetie, Holly; in Calif. | Mon Dec 07 1987 13:52 | 3 | |
The cat may very well adapt to being an indoor cat. When I changed
my first puss from outdoors to indoors, it took about two weeks
for him to adjust, then he seemed to be quite happy indoors.
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| 947.3 | BET HE'LL ADJUST!!! | TPVAX3::ROBBINS | Mon Dec 07 1987 15:59 | 14 | |
Oh God that's so so sad.... If I were the owners of that apartment
complex I'd bring cruelty charges against whomever was there....
2 counts of it!!!!!!!!! But now if you can have a cat and are willing
to have one why don't you give the cat a month's trial period of
becoming your indoor kitty? I have strong feeling that if you never
waiver on allowing the cat to go outside that in a month he will
become accustomed to the change. And if he still isn't in a month
then you can renew the search for a home. It's better then where
he is (I feel so bad for the black one!) and if you want him I'd
say don't be afraid it won't work out just try it.....
KIM
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| 947.4 | bittersweet story | INK::KALLIS | Remember how ephemeral is Earth. | Mon Dec 07 1987 16:36 | 32 |
Re .3 (Kim):
I concur: he'll probably adjust.
re subject:
One thing that tempts me to flame enough to melt neutronium is the
sort of person who "adopts" a cat while at a place but abandons
it when moving. The worst of the lot are those who come to a place
for some months (summer folk) and then leave their "pets" when they
move.
Although I live in Massachusetts, I'm a Life Member of the Pinnelas
Coyunty (Florida) Humane Society. When my wife and I were down
there last week, I decided to visit the shelter. There I saw a
very nice Morris-type orange tiger (male) bsitting in a cage. Her
was a "stray," he was well-fed, and he was sitting practically in
shock. I petted him through the bars, and it took seemingly forever
before he responded, rubbing his chin against my finmger. Then,
he let out a single, plaintive "Mew!" -- a little like a big kitten
-- and went back into his shell.
Except for our two (who wouldn't have tolerated another cat right),
I was ready to adopt the poor guy.
He was never claimed by his owners (the staff told me they can tell
an abandoned one); I'm happy to say that he was placed in a loving
home.
I hope his life from now on will heal his deep hurt.
Steve Kallis, Jr.
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| 947.5 | KITTY HAS A HOME! | USMRW4::THEIMANN | Tue Dec 08 1987 08:56 | 17 | |
Hi, it's me, Roberta, the author of this note.
Last night after work I went out and bought a litter box and food,
but when I got home, the kitty was nowhere to be found. Come to
find out this morning, the cleaning lady ran over to my car and
told me that the kitty was adopted last night into a good home.
Seems there was someone in the next building who saw the cat around
the complex and when told about it's plight, immediately took it
in.
I'm just glad the story had a happy ending and that the cat won't
be roaming out in the cold this winter.
Thanks for all the great replies.
/Roberta
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| 947.6 | CIRCUS::KOLLING | Karen, Sweetie, Holly; in Calif. | Tue Dec 08 1987 13:32 | 3 | |
Well, now that you have the litter box and food, Roberta, it seems
clear that you'll have to get a puss to go with them..... How about
one from the local shelter?
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| 947.7 | Why not adopt my Creampuff? | PARITY::TILLSON | If it don't tilt, fergit it! | Tue Dec 08 1987 13:36 | 8 |
Roberta! I have the cat for you! Honest! I have a large grey
longhair that is so mellow and loving that he will just knock your
sox off. See the last entry in the adoption note; my puss really
needs a home. I can't keep him and I don't want him to go to s
shelter if I can help it.
Rita
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| 947.8 | TAKE HIM!! TAKE HIM!!! | FIDDLE::HTAYLOR | Fight malnutrition, GIMME CHOCOLATE! | Tue Dec 08 1987 14:09 | 5 |
Roberta,
TAKE HIM! He sounds like a real lover. I'd take him if only Tabbatha
and Silver would allow it.
Holly
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