So last week my cat, Maxbane, went out for his evening stroll around my garden and never came back. I’ve searched high and low, notified every service/website I can think of, and put up about 120 LOST CAT posters. I could have reasoned he was exploring Halifax, or stuck in a nearby shed. I could have simply, albeit anxiously, waited for him to be found. But everyone I talk to takes one look at his picture and assumes that he was– get this– stolen.
Stolen?
Who the hell knowingly steals people’s pets! I’m appalled so many people are comfortable with the suggestion. I’ve never actually known anyone who’s intentionally stolen a cat. It’s disgusting. I’ve put hundreds of dollars into this creature. He’s been my constant companion and source of relaxation, laughter and consolation. To think that anyone would ever be so selfish and inconsiderate as to rob me of my cat has left me crying in rage. It doesn’t matter how adorable or friendly an animal is. People bond with their pets. Stealing a pet is hitting on a married man, except it’s not risqué or “oh-you-bad-girl!”. It’s evil.
If you find a pet, take it to the SPCA. They won’t kill it, honey. They’ll probably just find its owner. And if they don’t? THEN YOU CAN KEEP IT.
—Maxbane’s Actual, Real, Entitled and Infuriated Owner
This article appears in Jul 30 – Aug 5, 2009.
Cat Stealers…LOL… Maybe during your cats evening stroll it got hit by a car picked up and tossed in a green bin. If you were so worried about your cat maybe you should of kept the damn thing inside where it belongs. Cats are house pets or farm animals. Not outdoor things waiting for someone to put garbage out so they can ruffle through it and make a damn mess;. I’m a cat owner myself. I own 2 and they both stay inside 24/7 therefor i never have to worry about the cats getting hit by cars, ruffling through garbage or getting into scraps with all the other wild cats without homes. If you let your cat outside for strolls then it is your fault your cat did not come home. SUCK IT UP PRINCESS! And if you ever get another cat maybe you might keep a tighter grip on it. They do sell leashes for cats out there.
Cat Lover Myself….
well I wouldn’t be so cruel and insensitive as gohabsgo here but, “honey” yes, if you find your cat and you love your cat you’ll keep it inside. Too many things can go wrong. But you never know, my cat took off once and didn’t return for 13 days and in that time he was nowhere to be found. He’s beautiful, a long-hair, and I thought maybe somebody stole him too, however fucked up that is.
Good luck. I hope the kitty comes home safe.
Outdoor cats get hit by cars, hurt by other cats, and yes, sometimes stolen by neighbours. If you don’t want those things to happen, keep your cat inside. If you can’t/won’t do that, accept that any of the above may happen and don’t bitch about it.
what a sin. I have seen your posters and I do actually look. If I see a black cat I have been a second look. I can only imagin your hurt, I have two cats and love them they are my kids. I do hope you find your kitty or s/he comes home.
Will keep looking too
I have your cat. The water’s just about boiling now and it should make a good lunch.
Kidding, kidding…
While I agree that cats should be kept inside or brought out on a leash, this still sucks OP. A few years ago, I went on vacation for a week. During that time, my cat busted out the screen of a window and got out. My roommate was beside herself, calling the SPCA, going to all of our neighbours asking them to keep a look out. After a month, I pretty much gave up. 3 months after the little bugger got out, he showed up at my friend’s place, 3 doors down from my house. I know this doesn’t happen all the time, but, kay’s came back, mine came back…there’s always hope. Good luck!!
Something that important to you should be protected. I’m sorry you lost your cat, but I can guarantee you if you get another one and let it run the city it will get lost/stolen or hurt as well. Learn a lesson from this, as much as it sucks, it’s your irresponsibility that caused this.
Also, FYI, the SPCA won’t take cats right now. They’re full, and if they do have room there’s a fee of 25 bucks to drop off the animal. It isn’t their responsibility to look after your pet because you weren’t responsible enough to keep it safely inside.
I know you’re sad you lost your pet and I know I sound harsh, but this could have been prevented and you need to accept that most of the responsibility for your cat being missing lies squarely on your shoulders.
I hope you get her back.
Check with the Chinese restaurants OP 🙂
Hey nevermind. Try keeping your ignorant and racist so called jokes to yourself. Comments like your’s show how narrow minded and ignorant you are. Please crawl back under your rock.
AGREED! Never mind nevermind, OP.
Either hit by a car or a meal for a raccoon or some other wildlife. That’s what happens when you allow a pet roam free. There be all sorts of dangers out there. And who knows it might have even had a heart attack or something and died naturally.
Keep your cat indoors! Why is it Okay for a cat to wonder around the city but not okay for any dog or any house animal. I have seen two cats get run over this year because people just let them run loose. Keep your cat indoors or put it on a leash and tie it to something. That may sound stupid but it works. My Grandmother ties the leash to the clothes line and it can run back and forth all it wants, and its never got run over or attacked or stolen.
Keep your cats indoors, or take them outside on a leash. Otherwise, if your cat never comes home (stolen or otherwise), it is your fault. Or if it comes home with feline leukemia because it got into a fight with another outdoor infected cat, it’s your fault. Sorry, it’s harsh, but true.
That being said, I hope your cat comes home safe. I have 2 cats myself and if anything ever happened to them I would be beyond upset.
Also, what kind of sick lowlife would steal another person’s pet?
i saw a beautiful black cat on my way home the other evening… he was very friendly, wearing a collar/red tag, and seemed like he might be lost. i wanted to help him out, but it was late and i’ve already taken in a stray/lost kitten.
nm all these bitchy cat haters, OB… what does your cat look like?
What’s with ‘nm all these bitchy cat haters, OB… ‘, tech? We’re bitchy because we sympathize that her cat has disappeared, yet point out the irresponsibility of letting a cat outside to roam free?
sorry, you’re right, shoe_chick… i just skimmed over the bitches, some of which seemed harsh and insensitive toward the OB. those of us with (indoor) cats know how much kitty likes to get outside for some air and munch on the grass (which is good for their digestive system). i take my cat outside on a harness, although he has gotten out the window on several occasions (the little bugger learned how to open the window!), and i’ve come home to find him sitting outside, waiting for me. i live on a busy street, so it’s kinda scary to think about him getting out into traffic.
While I agree that it’s wise to keep cats indoors, that doesn’t mean the OP should be kicked in the stomach when she just lost her cat, guys.
I have two cats. My male cat is VERY handsome and VERY social/personable. He loves people and quite honestly, I wouldn’t even let him out in the hallway of my building because someone would take him, no ifs ands or buts about it. Hell, I’d steal him if he wasn’t mine 😛 (j/k) I have friends and relatives who keep telling me “if you ever need to find a home for him, I’ll take him”….some cats just have that special charm, OP, and seems as though your cat does. I had a cat once who was a miserable little shit. I had no worries that anyone would take him because he was a huge asshole. He was tiny, but the hugest asshole I’ve ever met. Human or feline. Fucking cat.
Anyway, I can sympathize with you, OP. I’ve lost cats I was VERY attached to for one reason or another (illness, and one got hit by a car when he got outside accidently) and it’s HORRIBLE. I can’t imagine how crushed I’d be if anything happened to my current kitties 🙁 I hope you find Maxbane soon!!!
No worries, tech…I know how these threads can get lol. It is scary to realize how much cats can do and what they figure out. My favorite was when he was able to get into my cupboards, even though they were magnetized!
pk, I wish mine had been charming. He was the devil’s spawn, I swear. He hated women (myself included) and would manipulate you into petting him and scratching his head, then he’d wrap his paws around your arm and latch onto you with his teeth. He kept me on my toes, that’s for sure!
Shoe, when he was “manipulating you to pet him” he was probably trying to get you to do something else. Some cats will show you affection to get your attention, but usually to remind you that they are hungry or want to play or you are in their spot or something. When you don’t catch on that they need something because you are too busy returning the affection, they get frustrated and bite you. You can gage their frustration level by how fast their tail starts wagging as you pet them. If you get up instead of petting them, they will probably run towards whatever it is they want (probably food). Well, that’s my cat anyway, as near as I can figure him out.
The best way to get bit from my cat is to not rub her up hard enough. She gets frustrated. The kitties like it rough! haha
I know, Miles. I tried all of it. When I’d get up to see if he needed to be fed, he’d sit on the couch, looking at me, with that little head tilt lol. He loved to play, but that normally involved using my arm (or leg) as a tooth strengthener! I grew up with several cats throughout my life, and this one was the oddest, by far. He definitely made my life interesting!
….and some cats are just jerks. 😛
I find the ones that aren’t socialized well as a kitten (taken from mom too early, pet shop raised) can be much more unpredictable. we had one once that was bat shit crazy. We “rescued” it from some crackhead neighbour who left mom and the kittens outside in the middle of winter. I think the kitten suffered for it. Man was that cat messed up. The thing was wound so tight, it would hiss at any other living thing and run away….even house plants.
@ miles that sounds just like my moms cat! He was found left in a apt. He’s not a normal cat tho. He’s thick and pure muscle. Its like petting a pitbull!
I’ve lucked out with both my cat and dog. They’re both big babies! My cat doesn’t care what you do to it. I think its cuz he grew up with 2 dogs and a toddler. He’s pretty tolerant. I would never let him outside tho. To many risks for me.
In driving into Halifax by the Dartmouth route & over the bridge(s) or going around the Basin. I’ve also been down the Waverly road from Enfeild to Dartmouth twice in the past month…& I’ve seen more than 5 dead cats ( & one dog) on the side of the road.
Chances are pretty good that your missing cat is road kill.
haha More… everytime you make a comment – ned flanders from the simpsons pops into my head. weird huh? and your avi even looks like flanders.
coincidence, i think not… you ARE indeed ned flanders, i’m convinced of it. but why have you come here?? what harm have we caused thee, to deserveth the wrath of such an insensitive troll, as yourself? just curious…
Tech-coffeeshop , when one travels the highways and back roads on a daily basis, you see road kill all the time. Usually its porky’s or racoons, the occassional deer or coyote. But when you start seeing dead cats on different routes much more often it stands out. I don’t actually know if this is because of an increase in car/cat encounters, or if the persons who clean these up are either laid off or on vacation…I just mentioned how many more dead cats I’ve been seeing lately.
Sheesh, why are you picking on the messenger ? I know I didn’t personally run over any small furry creatures lately, I just happen to be seeing more of them ,than is usual 😉
as for insensitive…if it was a baby I would be filled with outrage…its a cat, that they obviously cared very little for, or it never would be out running the roads at night. Lazy pet owners, nah there isn’t any part of me that has compassion for them.
Maxbane is the most amazing name ever…that just makes your loss fifty times worse. My sympathies.