# What would you have done about cat left in garage?



## Arianwen (Jun 3, 2012)

I had a phone call this afternoon from "my" shelter about a cat that had been missing since Thursday being found in a garage local to me. The owner of the garage is away on holiday - no family could be contacted.

I reacted but others may have handled it differently.

Over to you.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

I'm not sure what you're asking.


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## Marmoset (Feb 18, 2014)

Not enough info to go on. Was this someone's cat that got out and was trapped in a stranger's garage without the property owners knowledge?


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## Arianwen (Jun 3, 2012)

Sorry - I was being faintly tongue in cheek knowing that whatever our other disagreements may be, we are all united on cat welfare. 

I had a phone call (via the shelter) about a cat that had been missing since Thursday that had been heard crying in a neighbour's garage. The neighbours were away from home -the neighbours of the cat not of me - their papers had been cancelled long term - and their family couldn't be contacted. The RSPCA (thing SPCA in the USA) could not be reached and the local police said it wasn't their responsibility. This left the cat - a much loved pet - to die of dehydration or starvation before the garage owners could return.

Hope that now gives enough detail. Every effort was made to contact relatives (failed) and neighbours in a Neighbourhood watch system were notified.).


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

I would help the owners break into the garage and stand by while they arranged to fix any damaged caused. (Broken windows/locks etc).


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## Mochas Mommy (Dec 9, 2013)

I agree with Krissy....and the owners should be thankful as I am sure no one wants to come home from holiday to see/smell what would be left in their garage. Maybe even have the window replacement guy there already and video the entire thing from break window to rescue cat to fix window. But kitty needs rescuing!


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## zuma (Nov 5, 2009)

I agree. Break in, rescue the cat and fix the damage after.

We actually were in a very similar situation. When I was maybe 10 or so our indoor/outdoor cat went missing and after almost 5 days of searching and thinking we could hear her meowing when walking down the street and calling, my mom figured out that she was trapped in the basement a few houses down. The neighbors were on vacation and pre cell phone times, there was no way to reach them. So my dad and a friend broke a window, we got the Gipsy to the vet asap and arranged for a temporary fix until the owners were back to replace the window. I wouldn't hesitate to do the same thing today in the same situation. The neighbors weren't really upset either, I doubt anyone wants to come home to a dead cat in their basement/garage.


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## cat owner again (Dec 14, 2012)

Arianwen - did I miss what did really happen to free the cat?


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## Deidre (Feb 14, 2014)

Agree with the others, break in then fix the damage later.


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

I also vote for a "Controlled" breaking in, to save the cat, and offer to fix or repair any damages!


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## Marmoset (Feb 18, 2014)

I'd still need more details lol. If the cat got IN after the people had already left on vacation then I'd look for how it got in to determine whether or not it was truly trapped or if it could get out on its own. I'd put out food and do the whole rigmarole. 

If it was my garage and some animal (whether feral or at large) was trapped I'd want someone to get the it out safely. I wouldn't want to pay for damage but I sure wouldn't care if an owner broke a window or lock whatever (and then fixed it) to save their pet - or at least to put in food/ water. I certainly wouldn't want to come back from a nice relaxing vacation to a dead cat in the garage- I'd feel horribly guilty because either I trapped it or I left the garage in a state where animals could come in but not get out.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I'm not sure what the point of this thread is. Can't tell if the cat lived or died.



> This left the cat - a much loved pet - to die of dehydration or starvation before the garage owners could return.


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Agree Marie! 
Arianwen...Please let us know now, how this was resolved! 
Is the cat OK now??


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## Arianwen (Jun 3, 2012)

Sorry - haven't been on since yesterday (in my time zone) and wanted opinions first. 

The cat is home and fine - I had a report on him this morning. 

He was locked in before the garage owners went away but not discovered until later when his owner who was looking for hi for a few days heard him crying.

A window was broken but behind it was a metal sheet nailed to the frame so the entire frame had to be prised out. Behind that was a shelf but it was possibly for us to move some tools to make enough room for the cat the get out and back to his very happy owner.

The owner had someone come last night to do an emergency repair and when the garage owner comes back she is paying for a replacement frame and window.

The main thing is that the cat is alright.


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## Arianwen (Jun 3, 2012)

The owner of the garage is home. I saw the cat owner last night and he (garage owner - this is getting convoluted) was actually pleased that someone had got the cat out.


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

I'm pretty sure most of us would have put kitty's well-being first and figured out a way to get the kitty out - ideally with as little mess as possible, but with a big mess if necessary. 

If I were the garage owner, I probably wouldn't be too pleased to come home to broken glass everywhere, but if all cleaning up and repairing were taken care of, I'd be perfectly ok with it, especially if it was to free a trapped animal. No harm, no foul. I'd hope that most people would react that way. 

I'm glad kitty is ok!


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## BotanyBlack (Apr 6, 2011)

yep most of us would! As long as the person at least cleaned up the mess and blocked the window so other cats couldn't get trapped... Hmm... maybe I will just put a cat door on my garage just in case..

Now my neighbor on the other hand.. He would probably have you arrested for trespassing, Vandalism and B&E if you saved the cat. If you didn't he would have you Fined for littering and report you to the HOA for a wandering animal.... unless he could figure out something else to add to the list. 

I just keep telling myself.. one day I will have a privacy fence.. or he will die of old age...


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## Arianwen (Jun 3, 2012)

Don't envy you, Botany. My neighbour is normally lovely.


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

BB,
I would tell him, I'm counter suing then for cruelty to animals!
Some people just want to make you pull your hair out...altho' I think it would be much more satisfying, to pull theirs out!


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