Ridiculous and rather sad...

wookie130

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So, my husband and I were hanging out in our living room Wednesday night, and we heard a knock on the door. We answered it, and there was a neighbor of ours who lives in the back of our alley behind our house...he's a policeman, and he was just getting off duty. He seemed quite upset, and explained to us that his 1 year-old male tabby cat had been missing for over two days. Now, keep in mind, that here in Iowa this past week, we've had well below temps, both day and night. My son and his friend found this same cat wandering up the street last fall, and returned him to the policeman's home. The policeman said that he was an indoor/outdoor cat, and had a strange feeling that my son's friend had information on his cat's whereabouts...oddly enough, my son was over at this boy's house at that moment playing. So, we called the boy's house, and spoke with the boy, and our son, and the boy said he didn't know anything about this missing cat, and that he hadn't seen it. I have NO idea why this police officer thought this kid knew anything about it, but he was absloutely convinced. So, we gave the officer this kid's address, and he went over there to speak to the boy's mother. Well, she FREAKED OUT, and apparently started to cry, and was really intimidated. I called her, and apologized, and told her that I knew that her boy had nothing to do with this missing cat (which I firmly believe he has no idea about it), and I couldn't understand why the officer had this in his head. And, this cop proceeded to go door to door in our neighborhood looking for his cat, which was a good thing, but then later came back to our house, angry and INSISTANT that the boy knew where his cat was. I told the officer I talked to his mother, and neither she or the boy knew anything. Apparently when he went over to their house, he threatened to press charges against the boy and his mother, and even threatened my son, and told the kids that he would put them in a "line-up" and have them questioned. Ugh!!! I did ask the officer if the cat had a license, or was microchipped, and he said "No, we bought him a year ago at ________pet store. He usually only stays outside for an hour or two, and then comes inside, but he hasn't been home." This frustrated me to no end, as our city animal code states that any animal loose without a license and tags is considered to be at large, and the owner can be fined for permitting this to happen...and this is a law enforcement officer!

Well, we haven't heard anything more about the cat, so he either found the kitty, or gave up. Now, our son told us that the boy's mother is trying to press harassment charges against this police officer, and also included my and my husband's name on the form!
I know she doesn't have any grounds to do this, as I we only spoke to her that one time after the cop showed up at her house. Apparently, she chewed my son out, and is now angry at us for giving the cop her address, as she feels that we were just trying to get rid of him, and we wanted to blame her for something she didn't do...ugh. Drama!!!! Stupid!!!

I'm not worried about it or anything, but I do feel bad for the kitty. I told the cop, that in these low temperatures, chances are, the cat is hiding in someone's garage, under the hood of a car trying to keep warm, or hiding under a porch. The worst scenario is that this cat has gotten lost, and either froze to death, or is suffering from deadly frostbite. I told my husband that if we do spot the cat, there is NO WAY I'm returning him directly to the officer...I would much rather turn him in to the Humane Society, and then notify the cop that he's there. I think that that would be a better wake-up call for him than anything.

 

lsulover

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I just hope the kitty comes home.

I don't know why the police officer did what he did, maybe he was just so worried that he just wasn't thinking.

I think I might woulda done the same thing if I was that scared about my lost pet, I don't know. People do strange things sometimes.

I am sending come home prayers and hugs from Mississippi for the lost kitty.



Please keep us update on the kitty if you can.
 

lunasmom

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Wow I wonder what he said to the woman to make her freak and press charges.

Still in these temperatures NO ONE should be letting their cat out.
 
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wookie130

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I actually believe that the officer wasn't nearly as intimidating to the mother of this boy...she tends to over-react (obviously...pressing charges??? For what????) to things. She evened threatened to not allow my son to play with hers anymore, which makes absolutely no sense. Somehow, we are to blame for SOMETHING with this woman in this situation, we're just not sure what it is.
 

lsulover

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Originally Posted by wookie130

I actually believe that the officer wasn't nearly as intimidating to the mother of this boy...she tends to over-react (obviously...pressing charges??? For what????) to things. She evened threatened to not allow my son to play with hers anymore, which makes absolutely no sense. Somehow, we are to blame for SOMETHING with this woman in this situation, we're just not sure what it is.
Do you think that her son maybe knows something about the cat and is just afraid to tell someone, because the man is a cop?
 
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wookie130

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No. This boy was just here on Tuesday night, and while we were talking, and he was petting my kitties, he didn't mention anything to anyone about finding a cat, or anything to that nature. I know him well enough that if he knew something, or spotted the cat, he would have said something then.
 

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Our neighbor works for the FBI and our other neighbor's dog was barking and bothering him. He went to her house (a single woman) at eleven at night banging at her door and yelled at her for the dog barking. She talked to me about it and was pretty shook up to have a man at her door late at night yelling at her about her dog.
Now barking dogs and missing cats can make a person pretty upset. Law officers do make people nervous, since they represent authority, whether they are on or off duty. And sometimes they can act like they are always on duty, they have that commanding attitude. If anyone else came to someone's door making a fuss, people would call the police. That's tough to do when they ARE the police. Just my two cents.
Sorry you got involved with that women's lawsuit and I hope you get dropped out of it all.
~Rhonda
 

lsulover

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Originally Posted by wookie130

No. This boy was just here on Tuesday night, and while we were talking, and he was petting my kitties, he didn't mention anything to anyone about finding a cat, or anything to that nature. I know him well enough that if he knew something, or spotted the cat, he would have said something then.
I just hope and pray that everything works out and that the kitty comes back home soon. Please keep us updated on it.

I hope the boys are able to play together too, but I think if I were you, I would want them to play at my house. The other boys mother sounds a little kooky, she has already chewed out your son. I think I would just want them at my house.

How old are these boys anyways?
 
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wookie130

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They are both 13.

I think I do feel more comfortable with my son and his friend spending time at our house...mom's exaggerated reaction to the cop showing up at her house (and the fact that she thinks that this is some kind of harassment on our part, and on the part of the officer) is just plain wierd. My son told me that she called her sister while he was over there, and the sister even told her she was making a big deal out of nothing.


We've opted to just leave this situation alone entirely, and not get involved in any way...unless we see the cat, of course. I've never had any previous difficulties with this kid's mom, but I don't know her very well, in all honesty. The boys spend more time over here to begin with, or they are outside when the weather is warmer. I just hope she gets over it, and the cop finds his pet.
 

lsulover

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Originally Posted by wookie130

They are both 13.

I think I do feel more comfortable with my son and his friend spending time at our house...mom's exaggerated reaction to the cop showing up at her house (and the fact that she thinks that this is some kind of harassment on our part, and on the part of the officer) is just plain wierd. My son told me that she called her sister while he was over there, and the sister even told her she was making a big deal out of nothing.


We've opted to just leave this situation alone entirely, and not get involved in any way...unless we see the cat, of course. I've never had any previous difficulties with this kid's mom, but I don't know her very well, in all honesty. The boys spend more time over here to begin with, or they are outside when the weather is warmer. I just hope she gets over it, and the cop finds his pet.
Me too
 
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