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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Or are these women just ... argg??

301 replies

Rosieeo · 10/12/2011 23:09

My cat is up a very tall, thin tree behind our house and has been there for three days now. She's 14 and very timid.

We realised she was missing after 24 hours (she is often out overnight) and went looking for her. She wasn't hard to find but will not come down. We've tried food, water, pusspusspussing. She just sits there and mews. So I rang the RSPCA who said that cats up trees normally come down within five days and that they wouldn't call the firemen till then. I mentioned the cold and they said that they'd send someone to assess but not to worry. A woman came out and said to keep encouraging her but that she would come down and if she didn't they would arrange something. Not to try to get to her. Fair enough, I thought.

Fast forward 24 hours and a woman from around the corner and her two friends come to the door. Is that my cat and what's going on? So I explain. They wanted to know why we hadn't tried to get her down. I explained. They asked why I hadn't put ladders up to get her. I'm eight months pregnant, which I thought might speak for itself. So I started to get annoyed, told them to leave it and shut the door.

This morning I went out to the cat and she's 10 foot higher than she was before. Perched in the branches where she was the night before is a bowl, I presume of food.

Midday, the women come round again. All of them. Why haven't I got the cat out of the tree? I pointed out that they had actually forced her further up the tree. Well at least we tried, they said, why haven't I called 999? Because it's not an emergency and costs 500 quid. Wouldn't it be worth it? They ask. Hmm. I told them not to knock again and to leave it to us and the RSPCA. And at this rate the bloody firemen.

As they were leaving, one of them said (very loudly and deliberately) "I feel sorry for her baby if that's how she treats her cat."

Am I being unreasonable to feel somewhat aggrieved?

OP posts:
hmc · 10/12/2011 23:43

Sure Rosie - in the rarefied mn climate people forget that for some money is tight......but try some of the other suggestions put forward?

squeakytoy · 10/12/2011 23:43

You seem to be ignoring all the reasonable suggestions that havent involved any money. Hmm

1Catherine1 · 10/12/2011 23:43

She is 8 months pregnant... I can understand that she possibly doesn't have £500 spare.

Unfortunately she has fallen into the old trap of believing that the RSPCA actually give a shit. They don't. You might want to get advice from a charity that actually cares but perhaps that is all they will be able to offer you. I agree that perhaps contacting a local tree surgeon who might do it for a lot less than £500. Plenty of advice here but in all honestly it only repeats what others have already said.

LalasMama · 10/12/2011 23:43

Where in the country are you? my DP works for a construction company and there are employees all over the country at the moment. If you are near a job he will arrange for one of the boys to get up a ladder for you

tabulahrasa · 10/12/2011 23:44

if it's not a very wide tree (just working off the spindly part here) could you cut it down? If you could cut through enough to pull it down slowly, obviously not just chop it so it falls

WhoopsyLa · 10/12/2011 23:44

tabuleh when I was 8 months pregnant I was massive, in pain and could barely stand up...not everyone is fit and lively during pregnancy you know!

WhoopsyLa · 10/12/2011 23:45

Ooh LalasMama might be aboe to help OP!

Ghoulwithadragontattoo · 10/12/2011 23:45

As to your question the women are interfering and should leave you alone. I think it's fair enough to pop round and make sure you know she's there and you have it in hand but beyond that they should accept you're following RSPCA advice. There might be ways to get her down quicker but I think what you're doing is fine too.

WorraLiberty · 10/12/2011 23:45

The cherry picker suggestion didn't mention money....

Can you appeal to a loal construction companu to lend their cherry picker? Tel them you wll call the local press and they will get free publicity and also put it on the net...make it viral. DO IT! Please...poor puss

WhoopsyLa · 10/12/2011 23:46

ANy rsie I said to ask for a cherry picker for free in return for publicity! They il do it if yo sell it...tell them you'll have the press round...and film it for youtube and name the company.

ZacharyQuack · 10/12/2011 23:46

Well the interfering women seem to have access to a ladder that can get within 10 feet of the cat. Swallow your pride and ask them for help.

1Catherine1 · 10/12/2011 23:47

Now.... actually... for the less sympathetic side of me. You have a cat, you have a responsibility. When I was told my cat might have cancer and the op to investigate was £300, I didn't exactly have it - but I found it. I was 20 weeks pregnant. When she had post op complications and was hospitalized for a week and the costs escalated to over £600, I definitely didn't have it but had a sympathetic vet and I paid by installments. My point being ofc - you will have to find some money rather than leave your cat to die in the tree...

lisad123 · 10/12/2011 23:48

I wouldn't leave her up there any longer, and think you need to get some more help. Call local window cleaner, tree cutter or builder, someone with a long ladder. If you grab by back of the neck they go limp and easy to carry.
My two are always out and about climbing trees and can often by found on extension roof trying to get into bath room Confused but I'm sure they have never got stuck in the trees in the woods at the back of the house!

WorraLiberty · 10/12/2011 23:49

The RSPCA are suggesting a 14 year old cat stays up a tree for 5 days too bloody terrified to try to get down, during a cold December and people think it's ok to follow that stupid advice?

Why? Because they're the RSPCA??

Common sense tells me that advice is cruel and are they going to say anything other than 'sorry for you loss', if the cat dies? Hmm

Original poster
Rosieeo · 10/12/2011 23:49

The RSPCA said they would arrange the emergency services after five days. I will ring them again in the morning, as I have done every day.

I'm not on Facebook and I'm not prepared to put people (who are not accustomed to climbing ladders) in danger for my cat.

I'm in North Yorkshire and will start ringing round places if she's not down tomorrow.

I'm not ignoring suggestions.

OP posts:
tabulahrasa · 10/12/2011 23:51

Whoopsy, I had SPD, I'd still have made it up a few feet of ladder to see if the cat would come down for me...given that it's more likely to come down for its owner. It would have hurt and I'd have paid for it even more later on like.

Obviously trying to get up 30 feet would be ridiculous - I just think 3 days is a long time is all.

My cat didn't eat for 6 days a few weeks ago, she lost nearly a third of her bodyweight, 3 days with no food and either little or no water would worry me.

squeakytoy · 10/12/2011 23:51

Are you not listening.. the RSPCA are shite.. useless... money grabbing...

There are loads of other animal rescue charities that would help, that would come and have a go at this, and wouldnt charge you.

I am starting to think these women may have a point. Sorry, but if this was my beloved 14 year old cat, I would have had this sorted out as soon as I knew she was stuck up a tree.. :(

lisad123 · 10/12/2011 23:51

Please can you let us know what area you are in?? Someone here might be able to help

WhoopsyLa · 10/12/2011 23:56

I agree with squeaky I know you are pregnant but you seem a bit lazy. People are offerin to help and you are not even following that up...look at the lady up thread who said her husband might help with his cnstruction team!

Original poster
Rosieeo · 10/12/2011 23:56

I'm in North Yorkshire.

So the RSPCA are crap and have lied to me, is that what you're saying Squeakytoy? Apart from that I'm uncaring and that I should have done anything to get my cat out of a tree.

OP posts:
Original poster
Rosieeo · 10/12/2011 23:57

:) at lazy. Thanks for that.

OP posts:
squeakytoy · 10/12/2011 23:58

So the RSPCA are crap and have lied to me, is that what you're saying Squeakytoy? Apart from that I'm uncaring and that I should have done anything to get my cat out of a tree

Yes, that is exactly what I am saying.

Original poster
Rosieeo · 10/12/2011 23:59

:o Fair enough

OP posts:
WhoopsyLa · 11/12/2011 00:00

So why aren't you following the offers of help up? The lady up thread offered to ask her DH.

squeakytoy · 11/12/2011 00:00

You dont really seem to give a shit about your cat at all. :(