# Hello, lone cat owner here...



## DianeElaine (Aug 22, 2015)

Hi, I was feeling a bit sad today about a situation that has reared it's head where I live. It pertains to my cat, Kira. It has made me sad and when I am feeling that way about things that I have no control over, situations I have to learn to live with, I tend to find a forum that makes me feel happier Since my feelings today are a bit low due to my being a cat owner I decided to join this Cat Forum. 

My cat, Kira has been a part of my life since August, 2013. She has a notched ear that the Humane Society gave her when they did a sweep of our small city. She was fixed then released. They actually didn't take her off the streets until a few months later when they caught her again. That time they put her up for adoption in their shelter. It is where I met her. 

She is very social. She and I live quiet lives but she is right at my door when someone rings the doorbell. Sometimes my friends want to hold her and she is a good girl through that. Kira is my first pet. At 59 it was about time that happened. 

I'm glad I found this forum. Actually, before I googled 'Cat Forums' I was not even sure I would find such a thing


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Hi Diane! Welcome aboard!
What is going on with Kira, that has you feeling sad??
I hope we can help...
Sharon


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## DianeElaine (Aug 22, 2015)

Hi, Sharon Thank you for the welcome. Well, it is a weird letter I received from the Management where I live. I've lived here 5 years and it is the first time I have gotten a letter from them personally. Any time we all hear from the Office is by a paper slipped under our doors about a policy change, maintenance coming to our apartments to check smoke detectors, things of this nature. This was a letter addressed to me. What it was about was a heads up about rules of owning our pets. 4 of 5 items I was aware of and of course as an owner just naturally is taken care of by any responsible pet owner. No more than 2 pets allowed per residence, pet owners must clean up after their pets and dispose of their waste responsibly, pets can not be left alone more than 1 day, pets must be kept on a leash, in a carrier and in their apartments. Then came the 5th one listed which alerted me to the reason I got the letter. Pets are not permitted in any apartment other than that of the pet owner . I did not know that rule. I'm not a rule breaker, I live here and am glad I am able to live here too. Doing something to jeopardize that would make no sense though others here do it. Each to their own but it always surprises me when others do things they know could get them kicked out of their homes. Soooo, why this has me sad is that I have always let my neighbor across the hall from me take Kira my cat for a visit. Kira loves to go over an visit with my friend Ann. She stays about an hour maybe a bit longer some times. Ann has MS. She is a dog lover but can't have the care of a pet anymore since she has some really bad days. My cat Kira is the first cat she has ever made friends with. This always makes me smile when I think of that because a hard core dog lover is mushy about my cat. Animals can soothe us just when we need it and I believe it is a good part of how their close relationship came about. 
 I'm saddened that I have to let Ann know I can't allow Kira to go and visit her inside her apartments anymore. Sad too at the knowledge that Ann tends to ask if she can have Kira over on the days that her ability to visit me and Kira at my place is beyond her. I am telling her tomorrow since I did not feel up to relaying this news the last few days. I still have to go to the office here sometime this week and let them know I had no idea this was not allowed but I will stop doing that.


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## DebS (Jun 14, 2015)

Hi there and welcome to the forum! I'm sorry you were feeling sad but glad that you found us here. It sounds like you and Kira are fortunate to have found one another.


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## NebraskaCat (Jan 15, 2013)

Aw that is sad. Does Ann have family or caregivers that could help get her into a wheelchair on her bad days so she could visit you and Kira? I know nothing about MS, really, so if that's a silly suggestion, I apologize.

Or perhaps a letter to the building management from Ann's physician stating that while she doesn't require a therapy animal, these infrequent visits from a feline friend help her remain positive despite her affliction.

Regardless, I can see why you're sad about this. I hope something can be resolved without any rules being broken.


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Diane,
I can understand why you feel sad...
I wonder if the policy is because management is afraid of any lawsuits, in case of an accident, or an animal maybe biting someone??
Perhaps you can get more information from them regarding this ruling?
Hopefully somehow, Ann and Kira can still visit each other...
Sharon


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## DianeElaine (Aug 22, 2015)

Good morning everyone 

Thanks for the welcome, Deb. I'm glad I found this forum too. Yes, Kira and I fit well together from the moment I saw her and I'm grateful we met. She put her paw out to her cage door at the shelter so of course I had to ask to hold her. That cemented our connection. Kira is such a sweet cat.
Hi Nebraska, questions are great, it is how we learn things. I have found this to be so anyways. Ann is the first person I've known personally who has MS. The big thing I have learned is it can be draining on so many levels for those afflicted with it. I am also thinking along the lines you have mentioned. Our Director here is a decent person. She is all business but that does not play out to her being on a power kick though. I've seen her around and about here over the years and she is gracious and kind to the people that live here. My thoughts this weekend have been about asking Robin ( our Director) if their could be a 'suspension of the rules' due to health issues. I'm game to ask that question and I feel a bit hopeful today. It beats feeling disheartened. If I don't ask? I would always wonder if this could've been something they might have considered.
Hi Sharon, I had to pay a pet fee where I live before I brought her home. $150.00. Several years ago it used to be $300.00 per pet. I was glad that fee had dropped by the time I adopted Kira . It well might be just about Ann's apartment not having the 'pet usage, damage' fee for her apartment like I do. IF that is the case, I would gladly pay to have her apartment covered too. If it is about the legalities you mentioned (which might well BE the reason) I guess I will that find out soon enough.


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## DebS (Jun 14, 2015)

Oh that situation sure sounds disheartening! I used to have a therapy dog who I brought on visits to a nursing home. Her visits sure did brighten the days of people who could not own pets.


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## Catlover Danielle (Jul 31, 2013)

Welcome Diane, I hope you find a way so that Kira & Ann can still have their visits. I'm happy you both have eachother, though! Thank you for adopting.


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## Jenny bf (Jul 13, 2013)

Welcome to CF. I really hope you can get a happy resolution to the visits. If not, just like Jeff suggested, maybe your friends doctor can "prescribe" the visits as a therapy. Please let us know how it goes.


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## Jetlaya67 (Sep 26, 2012)

Hi Diane, welcome to the forum. I really hope there is a happy ending to your situation. Checking with Ann's doctor to see if he will give a note to the management to allow Kira to visit is a great idea. You are awesome for helping Ann through her illness by sharing Kira with her.


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## Arianwen (Jun 3, 2012)

May it be worth speaking to the management? They may be compassionate to the circumstances.


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## eldercat (Jul 3, 2015)

I suspect it has to do with the pet fee. Usually pet fees are associated with repairs of damage caused by pets: cleaning, fleas, and other such problems. And that's per apartment, so your apartment is covered but Ann's is not. Good luck with this, you have your heart in the right place!  MS is a wicked wicked thing.


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## jking (Feb 22, 2014)

Hi Diane,

Welcome to the forum! 
I sure hope that something can be worked out so that Ann can continue to visit with Kira. Let us know what happens.

Judy


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Hi Diane,
Any news on this yet? Sure hoping something can be worked out with the management! 
Sharon


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## DianeElaine (Aug 22, 2015)

Good morning, everyone! Thank you all for the welcomes to the forum and the great input for avenues I could explore in maybe resolving this issue I was having. 

I am sorry I was not on for a bit to update but I've have had a run of company where usually my home is not that way. Four friends (at different times) who are all pet owners wanted to discuss the letter. Wow, here we all were with a letter addressed to us individually and we all thought it went out as a personal missive. So, that answered one thing for us all, thankfully. The rules were being spelled out for pet owners. not personally though. If pet owners are engaging in activities/habits that break the rules...please stop. That still left me with the knowledge there is one rule that I had been breaking. Yesterday I went to the Office here. I had my letter and wanted to discuss my situation. After explaining to our Director I was here to discuss the letter she said it was not directed to me , it went to all pet owners. I let her know that but I explained what I had been doing with Kira and Ann. Visitations Though, I quickly explained I was not aware that was a no-no. Robin said a few residents that moved into our buildings recently were walking around with their pets. One man was taking his cat to the laundry room, the Library and our game room. Another resident was walking his dog outside unleashed. The letter was a 'soft' reminder to all pet owners here about the rules, if that does not stop the rule breakers then they get a first official warning. 3 are allowed for the same infraction in a 12 month time. 4 times you get evicted. It seemed reasonable to me. 

Robin listened to me talk about what I had been doing with the Kira/Ann visits. I asked her if the rule I had been breaking was about the Pet damage fee not being applied to Anns place and she said yes. I then asked if I paid the fee to have it applied to Ann's apartment too would they allow the visitations to continue. She asked if my cat was an out of control pet. I said 'Not at all'. Robin then said that the dual fee I was willing to pay out is unnecessary unless someone, (in the future) ever complained to them about what we were doing, only then would the Office step in to discuss with me a resolution to that issue. 

I'm very happy about how this has worked out. Relieved too that I had not had the chance (ok, nerve) to let Ann know as yet that the visitations with Kira at her place had to stop. Happy dance!

Kira....


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

YAY!! For you and Kira, and Ann!
Happy Dance here as well, for how this all turned out!
Kira is Beautiful! 
Sharon


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## DianeElaine (Aug 22, 2015)

Thanks, Sharon. It DID turn out well, I agree. Even with her 'notched' ear I think that she is a beautiful cat too. I call that ear her badge of strength. She was caught, fixed, ear notched to tag her, 
released and picked up again after months on the street, then finally got a chance at a permanent home. I've always thought she had to be a tough little cookie to live through that.


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## NebraskaCat (Jan 15, 2013)

Is that Kira? Ohmygosh, I want her to be *my* therapy cat. She looks so sweet and cuddly.


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## DianeElaine (Aug 22, 2015)

Hi, Nebraska Yes, that is Kira. She like to cuddle though I never go hunt her down. When she wants to park herself on me she comes up to me, sit and stare until I pick her up. If there is a big barometric change happening Kira gets squirrely in the sense that she wants to be held often. Without exaggerating, I can honestly say she gets to be a bit of a heavy pick up by days end after doing that repeatedly. I'm glad she only is that needy on those days. 12lbs and she only wants to be hugged to my chest while resting her head on my left shoulder. I am getting her to finally be ok for short spurts holding her in both arms like a baby.


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## eldercat (Jul 3, 2015)

I am glad you have talked with Robin and found out what was going on. You might want to have permission in writing to bring Kira to Ann's apartment for visits as long as there is no troublesome behaviour. Always comforting to find out the bad news letter is not personal!


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## sbg (Aug 16, 2015)

That's a great pic of Kira, and I'm glad it was resolved successfully and happily for everyone!


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## jking (Feb 22, 2014)

Diane, 

That is great news! I'm so happy that Kira can continue to visit Ann. I love Kira's photo! She looks like a very laid back and gentle girl.

Judy


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