Conference misery::feline_v1

3033.0. "Breakout on the San Francisco Roof Tops" by SANFAN::FOSSATJU () Fri Nov 10 1989 17:31

    This incident happened a couple of months ago before I became a
    participant of this notes file.  I had been out on disability -
    double foot surgery when Stitch made a break for it.  I still had
    both of my feet bandaged and was wearing space shoes as well.  I
    was just beginning to do a reasonable imitation of walking.  We were
    also entertaining a house guest who was recovering from a bad accident
    - he had screws, etc. in his leg and he wasn't doing much better
    than I,
    
    So .. it was a warm summer nite - the back door to the previous
    deck, now the cat run was open and Pippin, Gino and Stitch were
    all up there enjoying the nite air.  This enclosure was supposed
    to be cat proof - like totally enclosed - right?  We were downstairs
    about 10:00 p.m. when Pippin + Gino run into the living room making
    sounds from the grave and lead us back up to the roof.
    
    Trouble - there is definitely a cat missing.  Pip and Gino are looking
    towards a roof top one city block down the street and another half
    block over to the left - and they are howling - loud.  I quiet them
    down and then I hear the distinct sound of Stitch - howling HIS
    head off but he is nowwhere to be seen.  So, we hobble down the
    stairs to get the high-power flash light, hobble back up and shine
    it in the direction of the howling - sure enough - there are two
    green eyes flashing back at me.
    
    HE HAD MADE A BREAK FOR IT!
    
    Now, we are two partially disabled people with a runaway cat on
    a roof top and no way to get to him in the dead of nite.  I don't
    even know wwho's property he's on.  The roofs are not fenced in
    and he can run from one to another - WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM.  The fire
    department would not come, nor the SPCA so it was up to us.  My
    husband was working late and wasn't expected until midnight so it
    was up to us to get this cat down.
    
    The house guest put on his support stocking and ortheopedic shoes
    - I re-enforced my bandages and grab a cat carrier with food and
    we walk down to where we think he might be and start ringing bells.
     Of course nobody would respond.  I finally remembered a lady who
    lived in the last building next to the garden where all the ferals
    live - we were in luck - she remembered me - let us in (busted up
    a dinner party with out of town guests who found the whole thing
    totally amusing (###@@@!!!) and led us out back to where we could
    get a view of the roof tops.  There he was running back and forth
    causing such a scene that all the ferals decided to join in down
    in the garden - there were cats running everywhere.  The neighbors
    in the building decided to see what was going on and tried to find
    a ladder - the ladders were all too short and the people in the
    top apartment (where there was a crawl space to the roof) weren't
    answering the door.  The lady's husband then drove up to his Deli
    and came back with an extension ladder - but that didn't work either
    because of the space between the wall and walkway - it would bow
    in the middle and you couldn't get to the top.
    
    By now Stitch has turned this into a game (I will kill him - I swear
    I will) looking over the side of the ladys roof and disappearing.
    I finally banged on the door of the upper apartment and one man
    did appear - not too concious but alive - Yes there was a space
    to get up there but it was small and a small person was needed -
    (I've got bad feet) so (come on Mr. if you stood side ways and stuck
    out your lips you would look like a zipper) Yes he would give it
    a try (nice way to get to know your neighbors) everyone else is
    looking on watching two cripples and a zipper trying to get this
    one small black and white possessed animal down - the ferals are
    having a great time of it - the zipper has finally made it up to
    the roof with food to entice and Stitch takes off to another roof
    top 4 buildings over.  The neighbors get bored and tired, the zipper
    comes down, I say thank you and me and the house guest limp off
    to the direction of home, walk up 33 stairs to my flat and wait
    for Richard to get home.
    
    Stitch is still down there howling his head off - by 12:00 Richard
    arrives and takes the matter in hand - he and the severely limping
    house guest go down 3 floors to the basement and come back up with
    a 12 foot ladder and go out on to the roof tops of San Francisco
    with a high power flashlight to rescue the "Cat from Hell"  People
    hear footsteps on their roofs and wonder if there is a second story
    team working their building - thank god they didn't shoot or call
    the cops!  They get down there lay the ladder between two buildings
    - 4 story drop to the pavement, and crawl across to the other side
    - there is another drop - Richard places the ladder over it and
    Stitch climbs up the ladder into Richards arms - now I can't look
    anymore because he's got to get the cat and the ladder back, the
    house guest stayed on the other side - well - they managed it -
    the cat came running back - the house guest crawled back and Richard
    walked (not a happy camper either)
    
    Stitch is back home safe after 3 hours of roof top escapades - he
    enters the deck area and rolls over at my feet and yawns.....
    
    This was an audition for "Cats" right?
    
    By the way we did find out how he got out - there was a small section
    of wire that wan't tacked down properly - he found it - crawled
    up the fence, hung on it and flipped himself over the top.
    
    - YOU SEE, HE SHOWED US JUST HOW HE DID IT THE VERY NEXT DAY -
    
    
    
    Giudi in S.F. (Pippin, Gino & STITCH Too!)
                 

    
    giudi...
    
    thanx to you and stitch (a.k.a. the cat from h*ll) for giving me my
    best laff in dayz.  had been feeling a bit down over the house-hunting
    situation, but your story had me rolling on the floor.
    
    glad the story had a happy, if somewhat harrowing, ending...
    
    diane, stella (also a h*llcat), and stanley (just a good ol' boy)
    

    Hey Diane - House Hunting should be E*A*S*Y!  Its the House-selling
    that's the touh part!  BTW - I know of a wonderful old colonial
    for sale in Braintree.  It already has a cat-deck off the second
    story and little cat holes in the doors off the kitchen and livingroom.
      Nancy DC

    
    nancy dc,
    
    the house soundz great;  it'z the *commute* to atlanta that would be a
    killer...     8-)
    
    diane, stanley & stella
    

    Boy, I really wasn't in a *good mood* this morning, but this one
    definitely put me in a *better frame of mind*.  Your SO is one heck of
    a person to do what they did.  You and your house-guest must also be
    commended for trying so hard.
    
    Wasn't wonderful that he showed you how he did his amazing break-out. 
    He was so *proud* of himself for figuring it out that he just had to
    show someone.
    
    I am still smiling while I am writing this.  Thanks for sharing.
    
    Sandi mom to THUNDER, LIGHTNING, STORM & DEJAVU too.
    
    

Di:

    You could transfer to San Francisco - lots of places for rent in
    my area - with great roof tops that can be converted ino cat runs.
    Besides, we need MORE FELINERS OUT THIS WAY!!
    
    
    Giudi in S.F. (Pippin, Gino & Stitch Too1)    

    All you need are a million dollars a month for rent.....
    

    =.6
    
    Not quite a million (rent does not include earthquake insurance)
    - but look at what you get for your money (when you find it....)
    all that excitement of living in the Bay Area while it's still the
    Pacific Coast
    
    (trying to be funny here - I am a native San Franciscan and it's
    not my FAULT!)
    
    
    GIUDI IN S.F. (+ CATS)

    
    not your *fault*????   arrrrrrgh! hissssssss!!!
    
    can i get a house with one of those fabulous european gourmet kitchenz? 
    then i can shake & bake...
    
    diane
    <ducking all thrown objectz>
    & stanley & stella (too cool to get involved in this one...)
    

    =8
    
    Sure, Kitchen to choice - but shake and bake - now who's fault is
    that?
    
    
    I definitely need some rest!  Pippin ran up a tree this morning
    at 5:00 a.m. and you know how it goes from there - and it's not
    down.  The other two weren't much help either.
    
    
    
    Giudi in SF (+ Cats)