Cider Press Hill

Adventures in cat sitting

I fully intended to post something yesterday, related to Earth Day, but life got in the way. By the time I was able to peruse the nets for the amazing quantity of “green” articles and earth day related stuff, I was too pooped to frame a coherent response. I’ll get to that later today, I think. But what took it out me yesterday was a missing cat—one of those I’m supposed to be cat sitting this week. Doesn’t it figure?

When I arrived at my cat sitting destination, the landlord was inside replacing the bathtub. There were boxes and plywood all over the place and a new bathtub propped up in a corner of the living room. And, there was a huge gaping hole in the bathroom floor. As it turned out, when the landlord started tearing things apart, he discovered some floor rot, so he ripped the entire floor out and went off to get some plywood sub-flooring. While he was gone, a cat disappeared.

As I walked in the front door, the landlord poked his head around the kitchen door and said, “I’ve lost a cat.” He was terribly worried. He didn’t know for sure whether the cat escaped out the front door while he was dragging the lumber in or what.

Oh boy.

First I looked under every stick of furniture in case the kitty was hiding. She wasn’t. We both spent considerable time outside wandering around the house calling “here kitty kitty kitty.” I knew that was a waste of effort because this was the cat who is terrified of anyone who isn’t family. The idea of the cat coming when she was called was laughable. But we thought we might be able to catch her if we could spot her. But no such luck. No kitty outside anywhere.

We came back inside and I was in the process of burying my head in my hands wondering how I was going to explain this when I heard a long, mournful “meooooow.” It wasn’t Starbuck who said it. But Starbuck was helpful. He trotted into the bathroom and peered down into the gaping hole in the floor. Of course! The scared kitty crawled down into the basement to get away from all the frightening noise and commotion.

Well, we were two relieved people.

The landlord showed me how to get into the basement and then handed a flashlight down through the gaping hole in the floor. I found the kitty easily enough, but getting her out of her hidey-hole was another matter. After spending the better part of an hour chasing the cat around and trying to haul her out of her various hiding spots (I have the scratches to show for it!), the landlord went out to his truck and fetched an old blanket. He tossed it down to me and I captured the cat. She is now, undoubtedly, permanently psychologically scarred. But I got her. And dragged the hissing, growling, writhing bundle of cat back upstairs and deposited her in a room with a door.

I waited while the landlord put the new sub-floor down. Once that hole in the floor was plugged, I opened the door to let the cat out. She came rocketing out and made a beeline for the bathroom. She was a little confused to find her escape hatch gone. She wheeled around and dived under the sofa where she was safe from all the upset. I imagine she is still there. I’ll check later. Starbuck, being the calm soul that he is, just sat in the middle of the living room floor with a bemused expression. I gave him extra scritches for being the hero, though.

As you might imagine, I’m rethinking this idea of cat-sitting. It’s exhausting. Not to mention that Abbie is mightily miffed that I reek of another cat. She gives that look as if to say, “Mama, how could you?!”

Posted on 04/23/08 at 12:57 PM
 




Linkmeister

I’ve pet-sat a few times.  The sense of responsibility for somebody else’s animals (animals whose agenda doesn’t remotely coincide with one’s own) can be overwhelming.

United States   Posted by Linkmeister on 04/23/08  at  01:33 PM





pablo

I’ve never liked cats. There just aren’t any good recipes for them. (Have I said this before?)

United States   Posted by pablo on 04/23/08  at  08:40 PM





Kate

Why Pablo. I’m shocked. Just shocked. ;) And no you haven’t mentioned that before. I think you secretly like cats. I remember you telling about an itty bitty kitten you wanted to rescue once. Softy!

Linkmeister, it is a big responsibility. I don’t mind that so much, but losing someone’s cat is kind of hair raising. I wasn’t expecting that.

Miss Kitty was still under the sofa when I went over today. I feel so sorry for her. The landlord is still working, though he wasn’t there when I arrived. He has his tools all over, the bathroom door off its hinges and leaned up against the wall where Miss Kitty’s food dish is. And he had a bunch of stuff heaped in front of the entrance to the covered kitty potty. Someone had left a deposit on the floor for me. I moved the landlord’s stuff from around the cat box and cleaned up.

I don’t think Miss Kitty has eaten a bite since her mother left. I moved the door to make it a little easier for her to find her dish. From her perspective, this wasn’t the best week for the landlord to be turning her house upside down. Starbuck, on the other hand, has eaten a great deal and he’s placid in the midst of chaos. But he was lonely. He wanted hugs and cuddles and scritches. I love that cat.

United States   Posted by Kate on 04/23/08  at  09:23 PM





Cyn

I was chuckling reading this.  I guess this means you probably would not want to come down here to cat sit Dusty when we go (hopefully) back to Hawaii for 3 weeks?  No, I didn’t think so.......;) Not sure what I will do with her, hopefully son #2 will be around and can deal.  Oh well, will cross that bridge when I get to it. 

She, by the way, has figured out how to open the screen on the slider in the family room to come back in the house.  For about 3 days I thought I was losing my mind cause she would be out and then I would turn around and she was in.  I was sure I had closed the screen, but.........  Anyway, I was on the computer this morning and heard a noise, looked up and the screen was sliding open, just enough for her to squeeze through.  Little brat!!  She did it three more times this morning before I left for work--I guess just to show me she could.  Now, if she could learn to open it to go out.........well, maybe that isn’t such a great idea!!

United States   Posted by Cyn on 04/24/08  at  10:31 AM





Kate

Oh, I really shouldn’t laugh, Cyn, but I can picture Dusty doing that. I’ve watched Abbie try from the inside. My slider screen has a lock on it, so she can’t pry it open. Thank Goodness! As it is, I have to be so careful when I open the screen. She can bolt out the door so fast she’s just a blur. She managed to get out a couple of days ago, but the wind was blowing and it ruffled her fur. She bolted right straight back into the house.

United States   Posted by Kate on 04/24/08  at  02:23 PM





annie

Oh!  A good ending to that story.  My last cat snuck out when the front door was left opened, and I have never seen her again.  That was 2 years ago.  She was my love too. She was still quite young, and had never been allowed outside.

United States   Posted by annie on 04/24/08  at  04:19 PM





cyn

Annie, that is too bad.  I am sure you were devastated…

Well, Kate, you can laugh even more.  I am!!  Apparently she practiced her new skill all day long--Joe said she was so proud of herself she kept doing it.  But, we figured she would never ever be able to open from the inside and go out as the door is configured differently on the inside!  WRONG!!  I had her in for the night (or so I thought) and after an hour I went looking cause she was too quiet--she is never quiet.  Screen door was open, no cat!  She was outside playing, having a ball, chasing moths, trying to catch a mole and all sorts of things.  I waited til dark, then whistled for her.  She came--did a walk by - and kept on going.  BRAT!  So, I went to get her treats cause she will do anything for a treat (I have her trained, I get a kiss, she gets treats!!).  She came close to the door, I put one treat inside, little monkey laid on her side, stretched her paw full length, flipped the treat onto the deck, ate it and ran.  I was laughing like crazy--finally around 9:30, she came in, ate and collapsed on her spot on the couch!  I wouldn’t mind so much if it weren’t for the coyotes, the fox, the fisher cat and lord knows what else.....

United States   Posted by cyn on 04/24/08  at  09:34 PM





Kate

Oh Annie, I’m so sorry to hear that. You’ve had a really rough couple of years. ((((hugs))))

Cyn, you have a very smart little cat. I love the bit about her reaching her paw in the door to snag her treat.  LOL  You are going to have to get a baby latch for that door. I’d be scared of the coyotes and fisher cats, too. I think the fisher cats, especially.

I think I’ve not trained Abbie well enough. She couldn’t care less about treats. And she doesn’t like people food. And kisses? Eh. Only on her terms. And yet, she is the sweetest, most affectionate little cat...when she’s in the mood. smile

United States   Posted by Kate on 04/24/08  at  10:21 PM





cyn

Treats seem to be the highlight of Dusty’s day--that and escaping........it is about 6:30AM right now (I have to work in the city today) and she is beside herself cause the slider is not open so she can open the screen and leave.  But the neighbors cat was treed by a coyote last year about this time in the AM so I don’t let her out before 8.  Why 8?  I dunno, I have it in my head that all the wild critters go home by then!! 

Anyway, back to treats.  SHe is smart and has all these things she does - when I come home from work, assuming she is in the house, she races from wherever (sounds like a herd of horses--and she is little) and meets me at the door.  Stop number 1 and I have to fuss over her, rub her belly whatever.  Stop number 2 is the runner in the hall, repeat stop number 1.  Stop 3 is the rug by the sink, repeat again, stop 4 is her climbing thingy - I have no clue what it is called, has a platform on it.  She hops up there, that is when I get my kiss on the cheek (or sometimes she is really bratty and bites my chin!) and then she gets her treats!!  It is a riot to see her.  I say I have her trained, but it is obviously the other way around!!  And on that note. I need to dry my hair and get out of here!!  Happy Saturday.

United States   Posted by cyn on 04/26/08  at  05:55 AM





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