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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:
MrsRhettButler · 11/12/2011 01:23

I just had my baby but if I was the op of this thread at 8 months pg I would have shouted and possibly cried by now.

BadDayAtTheOrifice · 11/12/2011 01:23

Just to add OP, I think that what that lady said about feeling sorry for your baby was way out of line. A right cheap shot.

WhoopsyLa · 11/12/2011 01:23

She came on....asked for advice...got it and then went "Oh I can't...oh it's not worth it...oh I don't want to" and so people got pissed off.

I did acknowledge her pregnancy and tell her that I was trying not to be harsh....but she has come over as hard hearted over this.

BadDayAtTheOrifice · 11/12/2011 01:26

I can't see where she wrote that. Could you point it out to me please?

lollopybear · 11/12/2011 01:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Moominsarescary · 11/12/2011 01:27

She didn't come on asking for advice

lollopybear · 11/12/2011 01:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MsCellophane · 11/12/2011 01:32

She took advice from the RSPCA, who many people would trust. Others know that the RSCPA aren't all they are made up to be but not everyone knows that

She doesn't have the money to pay the fire service

She has said she will call around tomorrow if the cat isn't down

She hasn't said she won't do anything. She said she wasn't willing to have someone risk their safety, which isn't unreasonable. She doesn't see the point of a facebook campaign, neither do I, If she hasn't already got one then no point making one tonight, she doesn't have a friends list to ask for help

What is she supposed to do tonight? Shimmy her large belly up a tree?

spiderslegs · 11/12/2011 02:19

YANBU - It's a cat, it's a tree - would all you naysayers like the OP to risk her life & the life of her baby for a cat?

30 feet's pretty high, it's a standard four storey building - hop up there yourself if you're so keen.

MrsRhettButler · 11/12/2011 02:39

Yes spiders, sadly they would....

PoppadumPreach · 11/12/2011 03:01

OMG - I am amazed at some of the "advice" the OP being given

OP you are being given a really hard time here.

It is a cat. Cats climb trees. Cats don't have to eat every day. Cats come down trees. You know fire service will come round after 5 days.

I love animals. I have a cat. But there are FAR, FAR more important things for emergency services to be dealing with.

OP I hope things resolve themselves but please ignore all the shite that is being flung at you on here. There are some profoundly stupid people giving you profoundly stupid advice.

BadDayAtTheOrifice · 11/12/2011 03:06

But Poppadum, don't you know a FB campaign can solve all the worlds evils? Grin

PoppadumPreach · 11/12/2011 03:11

Or perhaps we could write a song for the cat and upload to YouTube? It's BOUND to go viral......Wink

MrsRhettButler · 11/12/2011 03:15

Oooh, I'd love someone to clean my house...

BadDayAtTheOrifice · 11/12/2011 03:15

Get Gareth Malone in on it. Will be a success for sure!

ljny · 11/12/2011 04:05

Op, I think you're being perfectly reasonable and trying your best. I hope your cat comes down, or you're able to find help when you call around again. Good luck.

FellatioNelson · 11/12/2011 04:27

YANBU and this reminds me of a very stupid cat I once had, who got stuck on the roof of our row of terraced houses TWICE in one week. The fire brigade was called out both times - neither time by me. They got him down both times without complaint though, but it was a long-winded and complicated process involving about four firemen, half the residents of the street, and about an hour each time. However, I did feel embarrassed and was at pains to point out that it was not of my doing.

Of course had there been any kind of an emergency they would have left immediately - and rightly so.

HoneydragonAteCliffRichard · 11/12/2011 05:04

The op didn't refuse to use Fb she quite rightly wants to refrain from putting herself in a position where some random comes along to attempt to save her cat.

No, not everyone knows about the RsPCA practises. The op has to the entirety of her knowledge being following professional advice - would you take advice from someone calm and reasonable or would you take advice of a bunch of screechy inter erred telling you it was perfectly safe to climb a tree they haven't seen in a situation they can't fucking assess.

In answer to her op she is not be U. She sought advice. Those women have also done fa to help and they haven't called the fire brigade either.

In answer to her situation, she be better of reposting in pets for advice away from the AIBU permanent residents - where she will not have sensible advice lost within the frothing and demanded attempts to climb a ladder in the middle of the night.

Like Sarah said it's cold, the cat needs out the tree and the RSPCA are not ideal. Hopefully the op will get better help in the morning.

aldiwhore · 11/12/2011 05:12

After 14 years a cat knows how to get out of a tree, and if it doesn't it will try if its not comfy, or is hungry.

If the advice from the RSPCA is to leave her, its probably GOOD advice,.

Would I leave mybaby up a tree? No. Would I leave Granndad up a tree? Yes... for a reasonable amount of time. But that is irrelevant. This is a cat.

She may though have gone up there to die happy with a view. Prepare yourself for that. My old mousing, climbing supercat hid in full sight but beyond reach when she'd had enough of life. She came out of hiding 4 days before she popped her clogs, her hiding wasn't the cause of death, her cancer was, she just wanted it all to end in peace I think.

SanTEEClaus · 11/12/2011 05:33

FB is a totally idiotic suggestion. It will do nothing Unless she already has hundreds of friends to spread the word.

And someone's washing line is 40 feet up?!?! Then how do you hang the washing? I'd like to see that.

It's a bloody cat.

rowingdowntheriver · 11/12/2011 06:20

Isn't the issue with using a ladder to fetch the cat not so much the risk of falling, but the risk that the cat is chased further up the tree?

Seem's like those concerns were valid given the cat moved 10 foot further up the tree when the interfering women got involved.

rowingdowntheriver · 11/12/2011 06:24

And Grin at poppadom

hickerybobp · 11/12/2011 06:27

I've had experience with a cat stuck up a tree, I was told to leave him there and he would come down etc. There was a storm that night and he blew along the tree row to about 3 tree's down! he came down eventually though and was completely fine. I think you should listen to the RSPCA's advice with this, sending somebody who isnt equipped to deal with it up the tree after the cat will only lead to either the cat falling a consierable way and possibly injuring itself... or the poor person trying to rescue the cat being scatched to absolute ribbons by the distressed moggy. Wait till you can get the fireman to go up there, they have protective clothing!

runningwilde · 11/12/2011 06:37

Op - those three women are nasty bitches and you have had some typical nasty responses here too - ignore both

Let us know when your moggy comes down!

christmasbows · 11/12/2011 06:38

Grin at "Would I leave Granddad up a tree? Yes... for a reasonable amount of time."

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