I tried to become a local hero by rescuing a cat. I failed comprehensively

[sl8]

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/apr/24/i-tried-to-become-a-local-hero-by-rescuing-a-cat-i-failed-comprehensively

I tried to become a local hero by rescuing a cat. I failed comprehensively

Arwa Mahdawi

I thought finding Karma – yes, that is the cat’s name – would make me beloved and cherished by my neighbourhood. Unfortunately, not so much

Wed 24 Apr 2024 06.00 EDT

Acouple of weeks ago I went to go see a woman about a cat. The woman was my neighbour (we’ll call her L) and she had lost her tabby, Karma. (That’s the cat’s name – I’m not saying L had it coming.) Karma had been gone for weeks and her family was distraught. The entire neighbourhood had been trying, without luck, to look for her.

And then, one day, when I was looking out of the window, I saw Karma peeking out from the dilapidated shed at the bottom of my garden, just a couple of doors down from her official home. I was thrilled. Not just because I’d get to reunite the pet with her family but – rather more selfishly – I thought this might elevate me to “local hero” status in my Philadelphia neighbourhood.

More specifically, I thought this might ingratiate me with the local ice-cream van man. There is no price list on the ice-cream van, you see: the guy charges whatever he feels like. People who have been in the area for a long time, including L, pay $1. Interlopers like me, however, pay a surcharge: the last time I got my kid a cone I was charged $6.50. I would have objected but I had a sugar-crazed toddler in tow and I figured that citing title 15, section 13 (discrimination in price, services or facilities) of the United States Code would do me no favours. Philadelphia is the birthplace of the country, after all; it’s not fond of uppity Englishwomen laying down the law.

Anyway, my discount ticket was in sight: off I trotted to L’s house to tell her that Karma was in my garden. Together we tried, and failed, to get Karma to go home. Alas, it seems as though the bloody cat, which was originally a street cat before L took her in, now wants to live outdoors. It divides its time between the alleyway and my garden – which it uses as a toilet. Every day I try to convince it, very politely, to leave. But the cat comes back the very next day. It looks as if I am stuck paying full price for ice-cream for the foreseeable. Karma really is a bitch.

[GreenWave]

1. Maybe wear a catnip sweater?

[kozar]

2. I adopted a cat, and

Had to pee,at 2am. My God!!
Did LilGlad scream, when I stepped on her tail,
Good cats, are always, right under, your foot.

Koz

[multigraincracker]

3. You are forgiven...

Now go and sin no more.

[Farmer-Rick]

4. My son got a new black kitten awhile back

They were outside and the kitty decided to climb a tree. The little thing got out on a branch crying to be rescued.

My son saw him and ran over to rescue the kitten. On the way, he tripped and fell. He sat up to rub his ankle. And here comes the kitten to inspect the injury.

[orangecrush]

5. Shared

[keopeli]

6. The 'favor' you've done is to the cat! The Karma you'll receive will be much bigger than cheap ice cream! Good job at

helping Karma live the life she wants to live! (Addressed to the author of the Guardian post.)

[Scruffy1]

7. Thanks for the story.

Brings me a nice smile early on a beautiful day in El Paso after a night of too much beer and guitars. Well I guess just too much beer. You really can't have too much music, but we tried. My neighbors cat seems to live at my house most of the time. I can't remember her real name but I call her the Black Panther. She mainly hangs around and plays hide and go seek and will often sneak in through a loose screen that is my 15 year old Felix's cat door. As soon as she spotted she will stop and "hide". Her idea of hiding is like last night when she was hiding behind my old Peugot road back or laying in tall grass with her tale up in the air. On hot days Felix and her nap on my son,s bed. She will only let me get within 3 feet before she hides. I miss her when she's not around. I think she has taken over Felix's olf job of being the neighborhood "supervisor" as Felix spends his day napping and begging for more cat treats. Old like me.

[multigraincracker]

8. Cats vs dogs that get loose.

Dogs take off and just run. The could end up miles from home.
Cats, usually stay close to where they live, within a block or so.
If you cat sneaks out and you haven’t found it in a few days, you can try this. Put the litter box on the porch. They will find it and use it.
I’m not in favor of owning outdoor cats. They kill lots of wild birds and can spread disease too. An intact male can get into a lot of trouble.

[Earth-shine]

9. We had an indoor-outdoor cat that went feral on us.

For two years, we'd let the cat out by day, and in for the night. It was very at home with us.

One day, it didn't come back.

Many weeks later, I spotted it outside. It wouldn't come to me.

I let my Mom know. She went out there, and caught that cat, dragging it back scratching and howling.

We kept it indoors for a few weeks. It turned back to our cat again -- the one we rescued from a shelter.

Then, back to in and out. Eventually, that beloved cat died of old age.