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Conference misery::feline_v1

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

947.0. "HELP - KITTY NEEDS GOOD HOME" by USMRW4::THEIMANN () Mon Dec 07 1987 15:58

    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.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
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947.1HopkintonVAXWRK::DUDLEYMon Dec 07 1987 16:157
    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
947.2CIRCUS::KOLLINGKaren, Sweetie, Holly; in Calif.Mon Dec 07 1987 16:523
    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.
947.3BET HE'LL ADJUST!!!TPVAX3::ROBBINSMon Dec 07 1987 18:5914
    
    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
947.4bittersweet storyINK::KALLISRemember how ephemeral is Earth.Mon Dec 07 1987 19:3632
    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.
947.5KITTY HAS A HOME!USMRW4::THEIMANNTue Dec 08 1987 11:5617
    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
    
947.6CIRCUS::KOLLINGKaren, Sweetie, Holly; in Calif.Tue Dec 08 1987 16:323
    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?
947.7Why not adopt my Creampuff?PARITY::TILLSONIf it don't tilt, fergit it!Tue Dec 08 1987 16:368
    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
    
947.8TAKE HIM!! TAKE HIM!!!FIDDLE::HTAYLORFight malnutrition, GIMME CHOCOLATE!Tue Dec 08 1987 17:095
    Roberta,
     TAKE HIM!  He sounds like a real lover.  I'd take him if only Tabbatha
    and Silver would allow it.  
    
    Holly