Conference misery::feline_v1

    Lisa, Is this the disappearance of cats in Maine...or is this
    another case.  If you could provide specifics as to where this
    was happening...it would be appreciated.
    
    Sandy (and her love ones)
    

Lisa, where are the cats disappearing?  Is this in Mass. or elsewhere?
Mine are indoor only cats but I have friends and relatives who have 
both.

Pat

                     <<< Note 4077.0 by TJT01::ARMITAGE >>>
                   -< DISAPPEARING CATS: TAKE PRECAUTIONS! >-

    This is a warning for everyone and especially for Denise.
    
    I was watching the news the other night and they actually had a large
    segment on disappearing cats.  These disappearances are occurring in
    secluded areas and there is one street where 32 cats were missing in
    one week!!!!  It seems that there is a strange car driving around
    scoping out peoples houses and taking pictures of certain cats.  One
    woman on the news said she saw a car pull up to her house and take a
    couple of pictures of her and her cat out playing.  She went in the
    house for a few minutes and her cat was never seen again.  
    
    It may be a good idea to let your cats out and stay with them until
    they're done.  I have an indoor kitten and will never let her out of my
    site again when we go out to play.  The police are investigating these
    incidents.  I just pray that it isn't some sicko selling them for
    scientific reasons!  There has been a population boom for weasels and
    fox in the area and with lack of prey and territory they may be turning
    to domestics as a source of food(sad in both cases 8( ).  
    
    Anyway, I just thought I'd warn you all.  And Denise,  my heart goes
    out to you because I'd die if my Flirtaysha ever disappeared!  I'd keep
    the kitten if I were you.  It sounds like you two need each other very
    much right now.  The two grumpys will adjust as long as they get
    slightly more of your attention.  My roommate's older cat did nothing
    but moan and groan when Flirtaysha first came home. She had to have her
    eye operated on to remove a piece of litter that was causing her little
    eye to ulcerate.  She was only gone overnight but boy was the other cat
    upset.  Now when they're together they still have their moments but if
    they are seperated even by a door you can here their cries for miles.
    I guess it's true what they say- eventually "Love and Hate Go Hand in
    Hand"  even in the cat world.
    
    Lisa

    OOOOPPPPPS
    
    This was for lower Maine however if you look around there are many cat
    disappearing in this area (Nashua,NH).  I work for a pet store and
    we've had at least 10 people in the last week report that their cats
    were missing ( all purebreds ) and after checking with humane societies
    and road patrol (hit cats) it seems that these cats just vanished!  We
    are putting up signs in our store hoping that some of these
    disappearances will be solved.  I don't know if there is a connection
    but I'm not taking any chances!
    
    Lisa

      I saw something on this...and a local police officer was interviewed.
    He made a good point that MOST--not all--but MOST cats will NOT simply
    go up to someone who is a stranger, and they are NOT very easy to lure
    with food like a dog is. 
    
      One thing that DOES come to mind and was written up in a nature
    magazine a few years ago---and which I believe MAY fit this picture
    since according to the reports most of these cats have disappeared at
    NIGHT---is OWLS. Yes, OWLS... Snowy and Great Horned Owls are predators
    of domestic cats, and in Southern Maine they are fairly common. A cat
    is a fairly easy target...since they aren't as aware as a rabbit or
    other small wild animal. When I was a kid back in Minnesota my neighbor
    had a big tomcat that had been grabbed by a Great Horned Owl or a Snowy
    Owl (at least that is what they thought) and somehow was able to
    escape. You should have seen the terrible scars he had though, and he
    was VERY lucky to be alive after the attack.
    
      Of course, there always IS the possiblity of a kidnapper.. We had a
    dognapper working Central Mass last spring...
    
    JM

    
    There is another, rather unpleasant possibility.  Press next-note
    (keypad 2) if you don't want to read this. (Denise, I wouldn't 
    recommend you see this just now.)
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Here in the UK we have had spates of missing cats.  Nothing recently 
    but about a year or so ago many cats were going missing.  The thing is
    that cats are not just wanted for labs but for the *fur trade*.  It is
    not possible to buy cat fur garments in the UK but I believe it is
    possible in continental Europe.  They also use cat fur for things like 
    glove linings.   For a long time this was speculation on the part of 
    the RSPCA and the cat owning public; until a number of plastic garbage 
    bags were found in the Reading area that contained the bodies of cats 
    that had been skinned! I've not heard anything about this since then.  
    Hopefully the RSPCA are on top of it.
    
    Nevertheless, my 4 don't go out unsupervised. There are just too many 
    sick-os out there!
    
    Is it possible that there is a black market for cat pelts in the US?
    
    I hope not. :-(
    
    LaDonna

    .........This sounds like "cat-napping" (no pun intended)
    to me.   
    But, however, another thing I want to mention, is that
    besides OWLS, there are also REDTAIL HAWKS big enough
    to carry off kittens/cats.  When food is scarce.....
    
    L-

    Hi, 
      I think it is awful about kitties missing. I don't know how anyone
    could take an innocent cat. My cats are my kids. Each one with a
    different personality and they give so much love. 
      I live in Russell, Mass., between Springfield, Mass. and Pittsfield,
    Ma. I know the area is having trouble with bears. Bears have been going
    into people's homes and taking the refrigerator door right off and
    taking the food out. One bear just went into a restaurant and tore off
    the freezer door and took all the meat out and put it all over the
    floor. I have been stopping my car alot lately to let bears cross and
    mommy bears with little ones cross. But Pepe' wouldn't go near the woods
    that far. But again the next road is a transfer station, and I don't 
    know what animals visit that. I have seen foxes and a cougar near by
    too. 
      Also, I wanted to say that I have seen strange cars coming down my
    dead end street. And they go slow by the houses. I won't let any of my
    kitties out now. They are all house kitties, and they do like to go
    out. But they won't go out without me being present now. I have dogs on
    each side of my house who don't like kitties. But I checked where the
    dogs are too. 
      Thank you so much for warning us about kitties missing. I will take 
    heed to the warning. I can't understand why anyone would do anything
    to a cat. 
      Sincerely,
      Denise
                                      

    Wasn't going to put this in cos I don't think there are any other
    feliners in Great Shefford (UK), but while we're on the subject ...
    
    In the last 3 weeks at least 5 cats have gone missing in the village.
    Mostly moggies, but 1 pedigree british shorthair. I am extra careful!
    
    Lisa plus PR&F
    
    I'd love to get my hands on a catnapper - especially after a bad day at
    work.
    

    There is another unpleasant possibility.  Halloween is approaching
    and it is the high holilday for many satanic cults etc.  Animal
    sacrifices are performed.  
    
    I might as well put in our yearly warning to folks with outdoor
    kitties - KEEP YOUR CATS INSIDE FOR A FEW DAYS AROUND AND ON
    HALLOWEEN.  Even if satanic cults aren't a danger, what qualifies
    as a "trick" is often dangerous, painful and/or deadly to animals.
      Nancy DC

    I didn't want to say that because of Denise but it's true.  In my old
    town one of my neighbors found their cat "sacrificed" on their doorstep
    the morning after Halloween.  I wonder how those in a satanic cult
    would feel about being sacrificed themselves?  Sometimes I wish they'd
    sacrifice each other!  Pick on someone who can defend themselves
    instead of innocent little kittens and cats!
    
    Lisa

    You're right Nancy......Even though we live in a very quiet
    neighborhood, I still worry about this.  I have three black cats,
    and it's a chance I just won't take - I don't let them out for the
    entire month of October!  Really ticks them off too! ;-)  But,
    I'd rather they be annoyed and suffer a bit of cabin fever than risk
    the alternatives!  Then November rolls around, it gets cold and no
    one asks again until about March anyway!  
    
    
    Heather + Muffy,Oscar,Pandora (the three black ones!) + Cocoa
    (siamese!)

    Any ideas on helping to prevent cats being an "easy" target? 
    
    The police have advised people in the Reading UK area not to allow
    their cats out overnight, and I have also heard that you should not 
    put your cat's name on it's collar tag or disk (just your name, address
    and/or phone number is sufficient).
    Another precaution that I have heard of is not to call your cat "Puss",
    "Kitty" or any such name. After all, it is no good carefully omitting
    to put the cat's name on it's collar if it comes running every time
    someone yells "Pussycat!".
    
    Any other ideas?
           

>    The police have advised people in the Reading UK area not to allow
>    their cats out overnight, 

	I haven't heard this..............where is this from please?

>    and I have also heard that you should not 
>    put your cat's name on it's collar tag or disk (just your name, address
>    and/or phone number is sufficient).

	I just have the address and phone no., but why not the name too?

>    Another precaution that I have heard of is not to call your cat "Puss",
>    "Kitty" or any such name. After all, it is no good carefully omitting
>    to put the cat's name on it's collar if it comes running every time
>    someone yells "Pussycat!".
 
	Cats don't respond to names - well mine don't, they respond to the
	sound of my voice.   I could call "come on rover" and they'd be
	there.
	If I stand chatting to my neighbours, they appear at my feet.

	When I say "turn again Wellington, home is THAT way you brainless
	balls of fluff" when I'm walking to the pub, do they go home? - nope, 
	they continue to follow me.
	We then play the game of - "take them home, run out the front door and
	around the corner, before the cats get out of the catflap at the back of
	the house, and over the fence".

	The only time they stay where they are, is when I say "get away from 
	the car you stupid pair of moggies" they then roll on their backs under
	the car, and purr.
	 
        Names-fiddlesticks!  		:-)   

	Heather

    My information is from the Reading Chronicle a little while ago - in
    response to a number of cat-thefts, the police advised that owners
    should keep their cats indoors overnight. The report mentioned the
    furrier trade on the continent. It's true, I'm afraid, although I admit
    that I could hardly believe that Reading could be a target in this way.
    
    The advice about cat-collars etc comes, I think, from the Cat
    Protection League or some such organisation. Can't remember precisely.
    The reason that your cat's name should be omitted from the collar is so
    that anyone who might attempt to steal your cat cannot read it's name
    from the collar. Quite how they could do this, I'm not sure.
    
    Some cats are very friendly, unfortunately, and I've done it myself -
    said to a cat curled up on a wall "Hello Puss!" and the cat immediately
    looks my way and it doesn't take much to persuade him to come down and
    be fussed over.

    re: .13 - Not everyone's cats act like yours.
    

    re: fur trade - and this isn't the first time I've heard about cat
    fur coats in europe and Cats from the UK being skinned.  Unfortunately
    I've heard about it prior to this warning at least 2ce.
      N

    Regarding cats responding to their names.....
    
    All of my 3 do respond specifically to their names.  And, it's
    not just when being called in that "Come kitty" kind of voice.
    
    If I walk into a room and say, in a normal tone, "Melody" she 
    almost always looks around and says "Prrrrp".  (The kids think
    she is saying "Yes?")
    
    And, if I am in the next room and say "Hey ________________ (with
    whichever cat I want) the right cat comes to me probably 90+
    percent of the time.
    
    Of course, maybe my babies are just smart!   
    
    Barbara (Melody, Missy and Brittany)
    

    I know that all of my cats know their names and the kittens are
    learning.  Whether or not they answer is another story ;-)
    

    Ditto Ditto...they know there names....but do they come! ha!
    
    Sandy

    It is very important to the cat to know his/her name; that way he/she
    will know when to ignore the human.
    
    Deb

    
    Deb,
    
    You are so right, It's in the Cat's rule book somewhere.  Pg 113562
    paragraph 15, How to make your human look foolish in front of his/her
    friends.  :-)
    
    Feline Silly today,
    
    Sue & Panther & Spot, (Who know their names too, and will watch with
    great interest from their hiding places while I run around the house
    calling for them and trying to find them.  Sigh.  I must amewuse them
    to no end!)              

    How to make your hman look foolish......by Nippa Peluso
    
    	Do *the trick* over and over to perfection (especially for treats!)
        in privacy of own home.
    	
    	When asked in front of an audience, ignore human, no matter what
    	type of bribery (hmmmmmm, this might be a case for the FIRM) is
    	offered.
    
    
    RE:  Sue
    
    I can relate!  Nippa magicially disappears when I am rushing out the
    door.  She is not in this dimension....I swear.  and I'm sure she's
    getting a good laugh watching me look under every piece of furniture,
    in every nook and cranny......it's sooooo aggravating!
    
    The other side of this is when she is our carousing on nights w/ full
    moons, I could call and call, and she wont come.  If I listen very
    carefully, I can hear the jingle of her collar.....and find her sitting
    across the street in the brush, waiting fo rme to go away so she can 
    carry on like the hooligan she is......she such a brat!
    
    

>    My information is from the Reading Chronicle a little while ago

	That's a once-weekly paper - maybe I should start taking it.

>    It's true, I'm afraid, although I admit
>    that I could hardly believe that Reading could be a target in this way.
 
	It seems a bit OTT, when, if it were for the European market, I'd 
	assume places around the ferry-ports would be the main attraction.

>    The reason that your cat's name should be omitted from the collar is so
>    that anyone who might attempt to steal your cat cannot read it's name
>    from the collar. Quite how they could do this, I'm not sure.
 
	This seems strange, I mean, if they've managed to pick up the
	cat to read the collar, and they intend to skin it, what good's the 
	name - they've already got the cat!!!!!!!!!!!

>    Some cats are very friendly, unfortunately, and I've done it myself -
>    said to a cat curled up on a wall "Hello Puss!" and the cat immediately
>    looks my way and it doesn't take much to persuade him to come down and
>    be fussed over.

	I tend to agree that it depends on the moggie. My elder one would go to
	anyone at all, in the hope that he'd get picked up and petted,
	whereas the younger one would run from his own shadow.

	Most of the cats in the road where I live are very friendly, It takes
	me quite a long time to walk down the road!

	Thanks for the warning, I'll keep my eyes and ears open in my area.

	Heather

    Re. cats recognizing their name--I only have to mention the name of the
    infamous Chuckie Cheese to Miss Moffet and she will growl, and he's not 
    even in the house.
    
    
    Three and me