Hi everyone

I just found your site and am thankful there's a forum attached.

My cat's name is Cleopatra--either Cleo or Clee for short. She adopted me around the first of December. She was living in the empty apartment next door to mine. The new folks moved in and found her hiding in their oven! They came over to borrow my phone--they wanted to call the fire dept to come get the cat out of their stove! We coaxed her out using a can of tuna (mine). She decided then if she couldn't hang out in that apartment, she'd just come live with me.

She was a scrawny thing then, but between me and the vet we've got her looking pretty good now. And, yes, of course she'd spayed now too. Our best guess is she's about 9 months old now.

I look forward to reading everyone's comments here. This is my first cat, so I'm sure I'll come up with questions for everyone.

Welcome to the site Cheryl! It's funny how sometimes they decide to adopt us instead of the other way around. Just goes to show who is really in charge!

Probably don't need to say this, but remember around here there is no such thing as a dumb question. All of us had our first cat and tons of questions at one time or another. There are so many "experts" on this board, from breeders to rescue/feral workers, and of course, those of us who just have our cats but will help with anything we can.

Hope to see you posting often!

Thanks everyone! By the way, it's suddenly summer here--it's been cool and damp up until Monday, now it's hot and humid. I had to go off today with the windows mostly shut because it's supposed to rain. I left Cleo with a bowl of icecubes (she loves them) and made sure her water bowl was full also. I left a fan on too. Is there anything else I can do in that situation? I left what windows open that normally don't get rained into. I'm beginning to wonder if I'm not going to have to break down and buy an a/c for the cat.

I've got pictures to post too--I just have to figure out how this works.

Hi, Cheryl. Oh are you in for it!! Your life will never be the same again. There's no cat lover like a new cat lover--unless it's a reformed cat hater. They love their cats even more, if that's possible. What your kitty didn't tell you is that they like it warm. The less you know, the more power she has over you. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if she staked out your apartment and hid next door on purpose. She was in that stove practising her "poor me; I'm homeless and sad" look. Well, it worked, didn't it? Now you're one of us! Welcome.

Jeanie--I've been saying that since she moved in, that hiding out next door was a ruse until I left my door open long enough for her to get in.

I'm glad to hear they like it warm, as I'm on the top floor of a 3 floor walkup and don't have a/c. I don't like a/c at all (I'm sitting in my office right now wearing a sweater and about to go outside to warm up). It just seemed so stuffy in my apartment when I left, it worried me a little. I guess keeping some air moving and making sure she has plenty of water is about it, huh?

Cheryl, I don't have any blood either, but for your own sake, please get a used or inexpensive window air conditioner! Third floor? No air? It will be unbearable in summer. A fan would keep the air moving now, but I'm as worried about you as I am about your cat!

I've lived there for three years without it. The deal here in Chicago is if it gets too hot, the electricity goes off and stays off until it cools down. So getting a window a/c would only mean I'd have one less window I can open.

Please be sure your screens are secure if she's going to be in an empty apartment with the windows open all day. And I mean SECURE. You'd be amazed at what cats can pop through!

I wonder if the fire department would have come out? Are your neighbors ditzy, or are they just afraid of cats? Or maybe they don't know the difference between fire control and animal control! Whatever, I'm glad the story had a happy ending!

I already thought of that. First time I opened a window when she was there, she decided she really needed to lean on the screen. I bought those adjustable screens so now there's two layers of stuff between her and outside. Since the windows hold the adjustable screens in place, they seem less likely to pop out.

I don't know what they were thinking. They were probably exhausted--this was about 10 at night--and the woman was pregnant at the time too. They're really nice people, they just didn't want to deal with a kitten hiding out in their oven that night.

You are both too young, I think, to know that the fire department was the traditional kitty rescue 8! I don't know how that got started, probably because cats get stuck in trees and the fire department has the equipment to rescue them. Now, in larger cities there is an animal rescue, but in smaller towns, many people would probably think of calling the fire dept. The animal control people would probably have taken the animal to the pound, if they came at all. Because that was the way it was in my childhood, their call to the fire dept. didn't seem strange to me at all.

Jeanie, I'm 45 years old. Maybe it's because I've always lived in the city I'm used to having an animal control department. I don't know where this couple moved from, so maybe the fire dept was what they would call where they used to live.

I think they were just exhausted that night, and the (pregnant) woman didn't look like she was feeling too good either. They've had the baby since and they're really great neighbors.

Cheryl, I don't think the fire department does that sort of thing any more; I'm not sure. But they must, if that young couple thought of calling them. What I don't understand is that the kitten was in the oven, right? So what equipment did they need? (other than protection for their hands in case the kitten scratched them.)
Occasionally, on the Animal Channel, when there's a real need for help for an animal, everyone gets involved, EMTs, fire dept., animal rescue, and private citizens, but I would assume one would have to call the police dept. if there was no animal rescue. Some years ago someone hit a racoon and left it wounded on the side of the road. We called the police and they said it was not their job. The officer who answered said they wouldn't risk rabies. Well, duh---We went out with a shovel to help it off the road, but it was gone. We didn't want to have the poor thing suffer. I don't know it it lived.

Originally posted by Jeanie G.
Cheryl, I don't think the fire department does that sort of thing any more; I'm not sure. But they must, if that young couple thought of calling them. What I don't understand is that the kitten was in the oven, right? So what equipment did they need?

Click to expand...

Well, I used a broom, gardening gloves and a can of tuna.

:LOL: Yeah, all the "specialized equipment!" Well, it worked! And I'm happy it did.