Am I justified here?

[DJFyrewolf36]

Ok, a little background:

My ex roomate has a cat that is constantly getting beat up by the other cats and by idiot people that don't like her. She isn't getting much food because of the other cats and has developed *Although I've never seen it* a peeing problem. She isn't paid attention to nearly as much as the other two cats in the house and is CONSTANTLY being thrown outside. *she isn't declawed I don't think, thank God* This cat basically became mine when I was living there *because me and the hubby were the only people that gave her attention* and now since I've managed to figure out the pet clause on the lease in my apartment, I'm ready to house a kitty, specifically that kitty. Squirt is a runt cat, a maine coon but she can't be any hevier than ten pounds. That is awfully small isn't it? She also drools unitentionaly, I think due to brain damage. She has ear mites I know for sure and a possible Urinary infection. Sigh, I know that adopting this cat is going to cost me an arm and a leg. However I think its well worth it to get her out of that horrid situation and into a home where she can be loved. No one at the house she is at now even likes Squirt. My ex roomates kids pick on her, the other cats pick on her, the lady herself ignores her...grrrrrrr. Of course they say that Squirt pees all over EVERYTHING *she never ONCE peed on any of mine or Johns *my hubby* things though, the other cats did...in front of us!* and her drooling makes it so no one wants to pet her. Good greif its CAT DROOL it isnt going to kill you. And even if Squirt has a peeing problem Im more than willing to take her to a vet to see if its a urinary tract issue or something.
:mad: :mad: :mad:

What it comes down to is two questions. 1 am I justified in being really POed at these people? and 2 am I justified in basically going in and comendeering the cat? I am going to ask nicely first and if the lady is being stubborn about it I think I might stage it so the cat just "wanders off". She is always being let outside, and that IS a hevily populated neighborhood with lots of dogs...
And if the Squirt goes missing I know that these people really won't care. They'll boo hoo about it for maybe an hour and then just move on. *Squirt has run off before, I was worried sick but would anyone look for her? nooooo of course not. * Now if it was one of thier other two cats they would have a huge fit. Ugh :mad:

[nibblets]

I think Squirt needs you tremendously and yes you should be PO'd at these people! If you bring little Squirt into your home I bet you she will thrive on the good care you will give her.
Catnap her...whatever it takes...she needs a good home.
Good Luck!

[PayItForward]

Take her asap, I'm sure she'll stop weeing when she gets proper love & care.


Drooling could be a sign of dental problems, ask your vet to check this when you adopt her :D

[DJFyrewolf36]

Thats a good idea PIF, thank you! I recall though that when she was born she wasn't breathing...but she pulled though! Could that have stunted her growth and caused the drooling issue too?

And Nibblets, if the lady doesn't cooperate, I AM going to catnap Squirt :p

[Denyce]

YES....JUSTIFIED! Congratulations early on your new kitty.:D

[ramanth]

Take Squirt!!! :) and YES you are justified in being mad at those people.

[Randi]

Poor kitti(es)! :( It sounds as if these people don't have a clue about cats. :mad: Yes, you should definately take that kitty, she'll be far better off in your home. You should also have her checked at the vets, UTI can be a serious matter, and she definately needs to be treated for the earmites!!

If you can get any leaflets about cats care, I think it's a good idea to give them to these people. Or print some articles from the net.

Best of luck with her! :)

[Maresche]

You should definitely take Squirt home with you. Those people should not have her; they are not worthy of a cat, let alone one as special as her.

A word of caution though if you ask to take her and then she disappears if they say no. They sound like they aren't the brightest of bulbs, but even a dimwit can put two and two together and trace it back to you. That could cause a host of legal issues that no one wants to deal with.

May I suggest, if they owner is initially reluctant, to offer her money to buy the cat from her. I agree you shouldn't have to buy her but the law is what it is and the money might be the encouragement she needs.

I wish you the best of luck in this endeavor and hope to see pics of Squirt relaxing in your home in the near future.

[catnapper]

You're justifiably angry! Don't even bother to ask... take her! How are they to know its you who took her? Will they ever come to your new home and visit? If you never plan on sharing anything with these people again, just leave her out one night, and scoop her up on your way to the car.

From what you've said, those people are vicious and might say no just to be mean! And then they'd think its funny!

That is so wonderful that you to decided to keep her and make a happy home for her!

[DJFyrewolf36]

You know Maresche, that is a good thing to concider. Hopefully the roumor I heard was true in that they are planing to take her to the shelter anyway :rolleyes: if they take her to the shelter after saying no to me though, Im going to be reeeeeeallly ticked off...although at least if Im paying the shelter an adoption fee it will go to help other kittes and puppies instead of lining an idiots pocket.

[Maresche]

Oh, if they are planning to take her to a shelter anyway, I agree with Catnapper, just take Squirt. The fools will probably consider it a blessing and it will be, for Squirt.

[Catsnclay]

Originally posted by DJFyrewolf36
You know Maresche, that is a good thing to concider. Hopefully the roumor I heard was true in that they are planing to take her to the shelter anyway :rolleyes: if they take her to the shelter after saying no to me though, Im going to be reeeeeeallly ticked off...although at least if Im paying the shelter an adoption fee it will go to help other kittes and puppies instead of lining an idiots pocket.

Sounds like these people are not too bright to begin with. Although they do sound mean and devious. My guess is if you ask to take the cat, they are going to be mean and say "no". I'm kind a leaning towards the cat-nap theory. Just make sure they don't see you :eek:

Good luck, and post some pictures when its all done and over with.

[RedHedd]

I agree with almost everyone here -- take her! A mini-coon, eh? She sounds cute and will probably turn into a lovely cat with the proper care. Do keep us posted on your progress and pics if/when you can.

[kimlovescats]

Go for it ... before it's too late for Squirt!:(

[CatMama78]

Take Squirt, and give her your love quickly. Poor thing needs you ASAP it sounds like. :( You will be doing this cat a huge favor and giving her the loving home she deserves. Oh and you have every right to be angry with this family.:mad:

[lizzielou742]

Get that kitty out of there!! Do it however you can, ASAP! Good for your for rescuing that poor baby kitty!! PLEASE keep us updated and we want PICS too!!

As for the lady - WHO CARES if she gets mad. ;)

[sirrahbed]

Please be cautious and keep us up to date! I think it is wonderful that you are willing to take on this little girl and I know she will blossom under your care! Can't wait to see pictures of her!!

[carole]

PLEASE TAKE THE CAT NOW!!! before its too late, those horrible, horrible, horrible people, how can anyone dislike one cat over another, MORONS.. I think it is simply wonderful of you to consider taking the kitty , it sure seems like a case of no love, and neglect, no kitty will thrive in that situation, it will be a huge blessing if you get kitty. GOOD LUCK!!!

[rg_girlca]

I agree with everyone here. You have to get little Squirt out of that horrible situation she is in, NOW
It broke my heart reading how she is being treated. These idiots should be charged with animal cruelty.
I hope and pray that her condition can be easily treated with the proper medication and with the care and love, that I know she will finally have with such caring people as yourselves, that she flourishes into a beautiful lady.

Thank you for helping Squirt.
Good luck and keep us posted.

[jazzcat]

I hope you can get her and the sooner the better!!!!!

[moosmom]

I would be FURIOUS at these a$$holes. They don't deserve the love of this precious little thing. And yes, I wouldn't wait, I'd pick the cat up and take her home. If they ask if you've seen it, tell them yes you found it dead on the side of the road and buried it. PERIOD, end of discussion.

The next thing you need to do is get this cat to a vet. It's OVBIOUS that she has a urinary tract infection and ear mites due to neglect. I think once she gets a clean bill of health, she'll be MUCH better off at your house where she can get the love and care she so deserves.

As one sneaker company says, "JUST DO IT!!!"

Please keep us posted on her progress.

[QueenScoopalot]

I also wouldn't waste my breath by telling these a**es! Just take Squirt and don't look back. Some people may claim they're taking a cat to a shelter, and then when they find it's a shelter that may euthanise her, then the next thing they'd probably do is take her for a ride and dump her. Is she a full bred Maine Coon? If so then the drooling could also be from a condition callled "liver shunt" where the blood vessels don't connect properly to & from the liver and a cat will be small. Drooling can be a sign of that or dental problems. Just do a magic act like I've done and make Squirt go POOF! ;)

[NKBurlington]

I wouldn't even ask. I'd just take her. Those people obviously don't have a clue. Poor kitty! My heart is breaking for her.

Please let us know what happens.

[miese Katze]

I just wanted to put this suggestion out there....
If you believe they would say no to just giving the cat away, maybe you could ask if you could just "borrow" her for a week. Maybe that you just found out that cats are allowed at your place, but before getting your own you'd like to see how it works out/if you like it, etc. Chances are, at the end of the week if you told them how fabulous the cat was and how you really want that cat, it might be easier to get the cat from them. They might see how nice it is not having the cat, etc. Or perhaps they will have forgotten the cat by then.

Again, just a suggestion....

[Karen]

Takehertakehertakehertakehertakehertakehertakeher ...

You are justified in being angry.

Squirt needs you.

Squirt needs veterinary care.

They need neither an explanation nor to be paid for Squirt. Keep wandering by until you see her outside some day, cat-nap her, then send them a note saying you were in the nieghborhood, saw her outside (again) and were worried about her fate. End of story.

I doubt they will ask for her back.

And you will then have a sweet little kitty whom I bet will just love you to pieces once she is well again and realizes what a good situation she's gotten herself into.

[guster girl]

And, I could be totally off here, but, is possession of something considered ownership with a lot of things? How could they prove she was theirs if you had her at your apartment with a license and rabies tags? Again, I may be completely wrong about that law, but, it seems like I'd heard someone say that.....

[Lady's Human]

Lucas, a former pet of the day and now a resident at the RB, was a rescue with a similar history. He was living in a house with 10 other cats, and pretty much lived in the bathroom of the house. He didn't get anough food, his coat was dull and greasy, in general he was a mess, Health-wise. My girlfriend at the time (now wife) had a cat who needed a playmate (The death of his playmate is how we started dating, but that's another story entirely) and the woman who had Lucas offered him to Jen as a solution to everyone's problems.

When we first got Lucas home, he was a handful. He hissed at Pippen, didn't come out, showing all the signs of a cat who besides being in a new home, was never treated rght in the home he came from. After about three days of him hiding or attacking anything that came near him out of fear, I decided to deal with it.....I found him, dragged him out of his hiding place, (lost some flesh off my arm in the process) and held him in his "comfy towel" in my lap while I scritched him. After about a week of this, he started to realize the not everyone in the world was his enemy. He started playing with Pippen, not fighting with him, and basically had a great life until we had to put him to sleep because of cancer. Rescuing a cat from a bad place is worth it, and has great rewards (even for someone like me, who is mildly allegic to felines). Of the three cats we have had, lucas became the most "normal " cat of the three, despite his rough start.

[NoahsMommy]

If you don't do it, I will!!! Get Squirt the heck out of there...and while you're at it, call animal control and report the neglect. Poor thing.... :(

You're doing a very kind thing for Squirt. Please update us on how she's doing. Somehow, I think her health and attitude will change 150% in your care.

[catcrazylady]

TAKE THE CAT!!! Do not ask permission and do not look back!!! She is in desperate need of vet care not to mention the love and attention she also needs. How horrible for this little girl.

PLEASE HELP HER !

[catmandu]

Please take her , by any meand possible , before that Poor Cat , sffers , anymore , and Ten Pounds is very small , for A Maine Coon , and please keep us informed. I bet that that Cat , will do well , with TLC , and A Furr Ever Home!

[DJFyrewolf36]

We have figured out a way to get Squirt *this feels like a really bad spy film*

The hubby has to go work on this ladys house on thursday. He has hired a pair of cabnet-maker friends to help him put up this stupid pan rack that will NEVER be quite right because the house is literally falling apart, but since these people are professionals he hopes that they can somewhat satisfy her. Anyway, what we're going to do is let the cat outside while John and his buddies are packing the tools into the car. When one of his friends is out having a smoke, he *the friend* is going to nab the cat and put her in a box in the car *A well ventalated, rather BIG box so that Squirt can move around* and then stack a few things on top *me and John have some things over there, its the perfect cover*. Then they'll just drive off. The lady will notice the cat missing probibly the next morning when she goes to feed them BUT the cat could have gotten out lots of times between when she goes to work and when she feeds them when she gets off of work. They'll be looking around and probibly make a phone call to us seeing if we saw her. Of course they are going to say that they didn't see her at all *lucky for us, she is scared of power tools so it IS plausable that she would be avoiding the work zone* and to try calling the shelter. These people don't EVER come over *and if they asked, I'd tell them no*. And if for some reason they INSISTED I could always put Squirt in my room until they left. I hate having to resort to stealing to do this BUT of course some idiots leave no recourse. This cat isn't geting the proper care and love she needs. Frankly these people don't need pets. I posted a thread in general a while back about my mice breeding issue. I got a pair of mice from this lady and it turns out the mom mouse was pregnant *the lady told me they were both female, pfft* She DID have snakes for a time but when feeding them got too much of a hassle she let them go outside! :eek: These were wild caught snakes but they had been in captive care for all of thier adult lives and probibly didn't know how to hunt in the wild. This is the lady who has lost by her own admission 20 cats in the last four years. *Run aways mostly* so her losing another cat probibly wont send off any warnings to anybody. John says she told him on several ocasions that she should just let all of the cats go because cleaning up after them was too much work. This lady also made me get rid of my dog. *The dog did do her business in the house once, new territory and all but nothing a little carpet cleaner and a vacum can't fix.* But I had a choce, boot the dog out the door or have her locked in a kennel outside. I took the dog over to my parents, at least THEY can take care of her. Then again this is the SAME person that told me "Rats have fur, therefore they can be out in the garage with no heat at all. Keep the rat out in the garage or get rid of it if that is unaceptable." At least she relented when Cleo got a resporatory infection *the hubby yelled at her for it and she finaly let me take the rat inside* She tried to tell me that keeping an undertank heater for my lizard was costing too much and that the lizard would just have to live with being cold. I got my electricity bill reciently. I paid a whopping $45. This is with three computers running 24/7, a satalite tv system, a speaker system that if turned up too loud will blow out the windows, a microwave that runs ALL the time and an idiot roomate that leaves all the blinkin lights on. Ok? I fail to see how an undertank heater is costing soooo much.

I'm ranting but Dang it, some people have a lot of nerve. Thats why I'm stepping in and taking matters up a notch. She professes to be sooo rightous *she prays, literally if she looses the TV remote* but the way she treats her animals and her children is appaling at least to me. I don't care if she finds out and gets mad. If she wants to play hardball she really decided to tangle with the WRONG set of people. :mad:

Maybe if she gets too obnoxious, I'll post her phone number and YOU guys can call her lol.

*To update, Squirt is a maine coon MIX *I had said she was a full maine coon before* however her littermates are both really big cats. She is about half the size of the next smallest cat in that bunch, so she IS the litter runt*

[Maresche]

This sounds like most excellent plan. Please let us know how it turns out.:D

[DJFyrewolf36]

One....more....day

Dang it I miss my kitty :(

[NKBurlington]

You're not "stealing" the cat you're "rescuing" him from a life of misery and abuse :)

[DJFyrewolf36]

This is true...

I just wish this cat was taken care of from day one but noooo. Gosh there are sure some people Id like to swat with a fly swater. Sigh...at least I can save one animal but I wish I could do more for all the other abuse cases like Squirt-kins *dang it another nickname doh :D*

Well, I can say I'm saving the world one cat at a time :D

[rg_girlca]

It's funny that you nicknamed this kitty Squirt-kins because I took in a little girl kitty that I thought was about 6-7 months old and found out from the vet that she was actually over 1 year.
She was such a tiny little thing weighing only 6 pounds.

I called her, Squirty-bums.:)

Good luck with your plan, it sounds like a goody and like NK said, "You are not stealing her" but to me, you are saving her life.

[leslie flenner]

How did it go!? Do you have Squirt? Dying to know! Of course your plan is great and I wish you luck! Hang in there!

[DJFyrewolf36]

Sigh...

Looks like Im going to have to kidnap Squirt another day. The lady is being uber annoying and insists that we go there when she is there but since I WORK *hello, duh* when she plans on being home we can't get over there.

This is anoying. I am planning on adopting another kitty from the shelter *Squirt is used to having a friend, I'm hoping that the new kitty will be just as receptive* and I think I'll go by the shelter today to see who's all there. If the right kitty is there, believe me Im going to take him/her. I'm still going to hold out for Squirt though, no matter how long it takes. Even if I move to another STATE before I get Squirt, I WILL get her out of that situation. Dang stupid people. :( I just hope she doesnt get out and get hurt before I have the chance to get there and get her.

[catnapper]

Good luck! Getting another kitty is good too! That way, when they call asking if you've got her, you can say, "Sorry, we adopted a cat fom a shelter." :)

Please keep us updated on how everythign goes! This poor little girl needs you!

[stacwase]

Those people are acting coldhearted and mean!

There is one way that you could take the cat without causing any problems. You could say "Hey - I'm taking this cat to the vet. I really think something is wrong with her."

Take her to the vet, and then call her "owners" with the estimate. Then when the hem and haw about the cost, say "Well - maybe I can come up with the $. If I do, can she come and live with me?"

If you "catnap" her they would probably find out later and cause problems, you know?

You know - even if it is her who is having the "peeing problem" it may resolve as soon as you bring her home with you even if it wasn't caused by a urinary tract infection.

Good for you, for doing this! You are her guardian angel.

[DJFyrewolf36]

Pfft, I know if anyone is going to take that cat to the vet, it will be me! I don't even think she has shots yet :( they were born at the ladys house so far as I know. I'm going to play it by ear and HOPE that she is safe until I can figure out a way to get her out. Pray for the Squirt kitty?

[lizzielou742]

Oh, I hope you can rescue her soon! I can't stand thinking about her living in the situations you described...I feel bad for the other kitties that live there too. This stinks!! :(

[leslie flenner]

The last cat I was involved with "stealiing" was a situation where she (cat) could be and was lured closer and closer to the car with mackerel and when she got close enough, I was able to scruff her and put her in the car fast (while i sat in passenger seat, leaned down while she ate just outside the open car door and got her). The view from the "owners" (if one wants to call them that) was blocked by trees and a fence. Is there anyway you can manage something like that? Use someone else's car, have them drive while you are low in the seat and not seen from the house? Just a thought!

[QueenScoopalot]

Originally posted by leslie flenner
The last cat I was involved with "stealiing" was a situation where she (cat) could be and was lured closer and closer to the car with mackerel and when she got close enough, I was able to scruff her and put her in the car fast (while i sat in passenger seat, leaned down while she ate just outside the open car door and got her). The view from the "owners" (if one wants to call them that) was blocked by trees and a fence. Is there anyway you can manage something like that? Use someone else's car, have them drive while you are low in the seat and not seen from the house? Just a thought! And to add to the tale of thievery...Babette went to a foster home where a few weeks later she produced SEVEN all black kittens. One died shortly after, but the others thrived and have all been adopted including the very animated and sweet mama. Please don't wait any longer.

[catmandu]

That is obviously the beast thing for Squirt , to get out of that Hell Hole!Yopu are doing the rightthing andThe Found catrsare hoping that you succeed!

[DJFyrewolf36]

This lady is REALLY mad at us now. John couldn't get over there yesterday because his mom needed his help with her car. *I mean what takes priority, his mom or this dumb ungrateful lady* Now she is super pissed off :(. Hopefully she will let us go get the rest of our things, then I can grab the cat too! *big box, lots of shuffle and a few of my friends is all I need*. She won't even notice, she is THAT scatterbrained. And if she asks, "well the cat must have run off while someone left the door open. Lots of people do that...YOU even do that. You'll find her, she always comes back ;)"

[leslie flenner]

Did you all make it over there today or make a plan on when you can? keep us posted!

[DJFyrewolf36]

The hubby is going over there next week and Squirt is coming home!!