The Vent Part Quatre

[Kathryn41 3,205]

I am feeling upset and annoyed right now . I just got back from two fruitless hours of trying to find a lost cat. About 1 1/2 years ago a stray cat showed up on our property. I tried to find his owners but without success. Eventually, I had him neutered, vaccinated and he took to living on our front porch. I've been trying to find him a good home ever since. Last week I was contacted by someone whose cat had recently died and they were looking for another adult cat, not a kitten. The circumstances sounded great, so she came to see Smokey on Monday. It was instant rapport, and so she took him home.

I stopped in at her work place today to give her the rest of his medical records and found out he was missing. She got him home alright and brought him inside. I told her she should leave him inside for a few days before introducing him to the outdoors there so he would get used to this being his new home. She didn't do that. She brought him inside and then left the door to the back yard open so he could go in and out and explore. She also left the gate in the back yard open. He explored inside, then went outside - and went outside the gate. She called him and he came back (he comes when his name is called). She then went back inside and when she went out again a half hour later, she called him again - and he didn't come. She hasn't seen him since!! This was late Monday morning! She has put up signs in the neighbourhood, gone around calling him, and contacted her vet and such - but she didn't contact me.

I immediately drove to her place - about 15 miles from here - and spent 2 hours wandering around the neighbourhood and wooded areas calling his name. No success. I have no idea if he is still in the area or trying to find his way back 'home' here. There is a river and two major highways in between so his success at that is probably very limited. The home and yard and people would be a great home for him - and as I was exploring the area there are little streams around and lots of birds and squirrels and lots of shelter areas (there are stables and really nice homes with manicured yards and lots of trees and decks and patios and such) so I am not too worried about his safety or well-being at this time. His vaccinations are good to go for 3 years - but I am so annoyed that she didn't follow the instructions! He never had a chance to learn that this was his new home, and now I am sure he is thoroughly lost in the extensive woods that join the various properties together. He could be miles away by now . So, I am going to go back out early tomorrow morning when he is more likely to be awake and hunting or looking for food and see if I have any better luck finding him.

Grrr- why didn't she follow a simple direction? it was just common sense! poor Smokey - I hope he is ok. He is very sociable, people oriented and friendly. I hope he has found someplace where he is safe.

Edited July 1, 2010 by Kathryn41

[Ontarkie 14,221]

Hope he shows up safe and sound. I know when we moved down here I threatened the kids to make sure the cats didn't get out for that very reason.

[ashenflowers 5]

That would piss me off so much. I'm sorry Kathryn. I hope Smokey is found safe and happy soon!

[Hugglebuggles 60]

So sorry to hear that Kathryn Irresponsible pet owners are so frustrating!

We have a cat that hangs around our office building all the time. He wears a tag that says his name is George along with the phone number. Well the other day someone left the door open and he wandered inside. So my manager calls the number on the tag and this young girl (maybe 12, 13) comes in and takes George home. No thank you or anything. So on Thursday I went out to my car to leave for the day and he was laying in the parking lot under my back bumper. I kept trying to get him to leave but he wanted my attention... and then he wanted in my car! So I pick him up and call the number on the tag again. The woman answers and so rudely informs me that he's an outdoor cat and to leave him alone and he will find his way home. Fine. Then on Friday, I was driving back to the office after lunch and George was sitting in the middle of the road! I drove up to him and he just looks at me and doesn't even move. A couple seconds later he slowly makes his way to the sidewalk and runs off. I understand that a lot of people let their cats outside, but I work in a very high traffic area. There's lots of cars and lots of foot traffic. The area is a tourist spot so on any given day there may be a festival or parade or something that attracts huge groups of people. He can very easily be ran over, trampled, or taken by someone. I just don't understand why someone would let their cat wonder this streets in this kind of environment. And really, if you don't care where your cat is or where he goes, why would you put your number on his tag? People will call!!

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Poor George - it doesn't sound like his owners really understand where he goes during the day and at how much risk he is of getting hurt. I agree that having an indoor/outdoor cat is risky at best and if you have an environment that allows the cat that option, well and good - but a strictly outside cat in a hostile environment like that is probably going to have a short life span - or an expensive vet bill.

Well, no word on the Smokey front. I've spent several hours in the neighbourhood where he went missing, including going up and down a small stream that seems to provide a good habitat for a cat and didn't find him - although I did have to remove several ticks afterwards (and I was covered head to toe as well as having DEET on my skin and on my clothes) - they were only on for a maximum of a few hours but the bites really itch today . Working on the premise that he has maybe left that neighbourhood and is now trying to find his way back here, we've also checked a few spots that intersect roadways between here and there without success. There is a major creek that meanders back and forth and has several tributaries that run into it that he would have to cross, as well as several major roads and the Interstate about half a mile from here. There is a bridge that he could use to go under the Interstate which is almost in a direct line between here and there but I have no idea if he will be one of those cats who make an incredible journey or not. As the crow flies it is about 9 miles so physically, it is do-able. I am just keeping my fingers crossed and my hopes up that he might show up again on our doorstep one day. It has been so hard, though, and I feel so bad about this. The people who took him have put up big signs along the roadways near where he would come if he is coming here as well, so they are also helping - and feeling very bad that they didn't think things through properly about how to introduce him to his new home.

Anyway, keep Smokey in your prayers!

Edited July 4, 2010 by Kathryn41

[Flames9_RN 358]

Well lets hope that he has been taken in by a new caring family!!

[Kimbear 53]

Oh my Kathryn that sucks...i'd be soo upset. i remember when a storm blew open my door and one of my dogs got out..i was out looking for her for a whole day in the pouring rain..called in sick to do it too. boss that i was a moron cuz i was crying and upset about my dog. Ended up finding her hiding under a neighbours balcony sopping wet, a few blocks away.

Hopefully smokey is found, but i know the unknown is making it hurt. Some ppl are just stupid and do not think. i mean would you let your kid just walk out of the house with the gate open? i mean to me my pets are my kids, so i take care of them the same way almost.

[The_Dude 1,142]

My vent: My landlord. I'm moving at the end of August and I know that he's going to screw me on my security deposit. So i'm calling it "last month rent". He doesn't seem to be going for it though.

[Kimbear 53]

sigh..so i go to my landlord office, to find out about the extra 100$ deposit they made my husband pay only to find out they increased the price..and wrote it wrong on my lease...and then i find out my free month rent doesn't apply to my pets..and i find out i pay for my water...when water and heat were supposed to be included. so in the end i ended up paying 910$ deposit for what was suposed to be 600...all because of a new manager that took over and doesn't know her butt from her elbow..argh..

then i make my day worse by calling uscis..as it's been over a month and i have not gotten my bio notice yet..and i'm told we put in a request please call back in 45 days..i also changed my address with them same time. now i don't understand why they can't forward the info to DHS as well..

then i try and change my address online with my bank, only to be told i'm a non resident and can't...so now i have to go back in to my bank when it's open and i have the car to update my address.

people are just stupidly dumb today /sigh

My vent: My landlord. I'm moving at the end of August and I know that he's going to screw me on my security deposit. So i'm calling it "last month rent". He doesn't seem to be going for it though.

from what i hear around these parts, no one gets the security deposit back either which is why i'm upset and frustrated. grr stupid landlords. i miss my regie du logement in quebec

[lilacvioletiris 11]

UGH! Of course today would have to be one of the hottest days so far in Michigan and we would have to get our stuff out of the ABF moving truck today, because tomorrow we have appointments, oh, and the people who said they would help called in and said, oh, sorry, we have appointments the wife booked so I can't come! Thankfully a great friend with a pickup came to our rescue as we melted in the back of a semi trailer! At least the stuff is at our house now, but man oh man there is still so much to do before the wedding on Sunday!

[Colleens 40]

sigh..so i go to my landlord office, to find out about the extra 100$ deposit they made my husband pay only to find out they increased the price..and wrote it wrong on my lease...and then i find out my free month rent doesn't apply to my pets..and i find out i pay for my water...when water and heat were supposed to be included. so in the end i ended up paying 910$ deposit for what was suposed to be 600...all because of a new manager that took over and doesn't know her butt from her elbow..argh..

then i make my day worse by calling uscis..as it's been over a month and i have not gotten my bio notice yet..and i'm told we put in a request please call back in 45 days..i also changed my address with them same time. now i don't understand why they can't forward the info to DHS as well..

then i try and change my address online with my bank, only to be told i'm a non resident and can't...so now i have to go back in to my bank when it's open and i have the car to update my address.

people are just stupidly dumb today /sigh

from what i hear around these parts, no one gets the security deposit back either which is why i'm upset and frustrated. grr stupid landlords. i miss my regie du logement in quebec

I still didn't recieve my Bio appt letter either. I just got one saying my case had been transfered to CSC today. Hopefully the Bio appt letter comes soon....I am getting anxious to start getting some money coming in soon. I haven't had income since I was laid off in November and I am getting stressed out with money only going OUT of the bank account

[Danu 19]

So this is a bit of a belated vent but it still irritates me even though its been fixed.

Last week, on Canada Day, my computer died. To be more specific, our roommates cat ate through my iPhone cord and I didnt notice. I plugged it into my computer and then noticed the notches in the cord, and being dumb, fiddled with it. Suddenly, everything died. Like my computer was still on but wasnt getting power to the USB's, nothing going through the monitor. Long story short, my motherboard and memory both fried cuz of his stupid cat. This isnt the first time hes chewed through the phone cords, hes also eaten headset cords, speaker cords and much much more. The roomy is paying us 288 bucks, the cost of cheepish parts that would have gotten my computer up to date, and we forked out the rest to upgrade to what I wanted in my computer anyway, but I'm ticked off that it needed to be done now. I still haven't gotten a job and while my EI finally came in and he has been doing some OT, things are still tight. I also just really hate living with someone else. I can't really do the stuff I want to the apartment.

I applied for a job that I'm really really hoping I can get. They are apparently going to hire about 20 people so I'm praying I'm one of them. I'm so tired of feeling so much like I'm a burden and can't help out, and I'd love to start saving to move next year. Any prayers that can be spared for me for it would be greatly appriciated.

P.S Kathryn - I'm praying as well that Smokie returns safe and sound. I'm so sorry that the person who took him wasnt responsible enough to care for his safety.

[Kimbear 53]

awww steph..i know how ya feel. tell the roomy if he isn't around he has to put the cat in a cage or something to keep it from destroying stuff. that is uncalled for. even i had my dogs in cages at the in laws cuz lex would chew up cushions out of anger and spite, when we would go out.

oh new vent..went to get my d/l addy changed..ya they wont do it with just a lease..they want mail with my addy on it..like #######..i can't get anything in my new address till i have id. and they want d/l done in two weeks..so #######...how backwards is that.

i can't get my bank switched over to new addy without id in my new addy and i can't get my id in my new addy wihtout mail with my new addy...argh! why can't anything make sense...in canada, i went with my lease..and boom i get everyting switched..here they make it almost impossible.

[The_Dude 1,142]

Well, as it turns out, my landlord is as big of an ahole as I thought. After I gave him 60 days notice, he calls back and tells me I better make that 30. Our lease was up in October 09, and we've been living month to month terms since then. This ought to be interesting getting my security deposit back.

[Kimbear 53]

wow rob..what a total douche....i dont get why some ppl just have to be such a-holes....sorry to hear your being pushed out early