Posted on 12/29/2005 6:03:25 AM PST by Jet Jaguar
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Locking yourself out of your car is bad enough, but Jeanna Stewart was even more embarrassed when the culprit was not her, but her cat. The Morgantown resident said she was getting a spare house key out her car's trunk on Monday when her cat Mork, one of three in the car, stepped on the automatic door lock. She couldn't unlock the door because she had left her car keys on the driver's seat. "He wouldn't unlock the door for me," Stewart said Tuesday. "He was standing there, saying why aren't you opening the door? I want to go inside." Stewart went into her house and called the Morgantown Fire Department for help. She said she was mainly concerned about freeing Mork and the other cats, Minday and Alex. "They rescued my three little kitties," Stewart said. "I didn't need a rescue for me, just for them."
(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...
"The Morgantown resident said she was getting a spare house key out her car's trunk on Monday when her cat Mork, one of three in the car, stepped on the automatic door lock."
I don't normally speak for God but I believe this is why He invented cat carriers. They're the only safe way for felines to travel.
Cat ownership is best left for those which have an IQ over 50.
Anyone who has a vehicle with auto locks should always keep an extra key in the wallet or hidden somewhere on the outside of the vehicle.
LOL! That'll teach those humans to leave me out in the car while they go inside to sleep in a cozy bed!
She was a clever cat! As soon as we got the battery recharged, we took her to a vet's to board until we could move into our house.
I have one big strong cat who simply refuses to get in a carrier until after we've arrived in the vet's parking lot. I'd be risking serious physical harm if I pushed the issue. He's a sweet kitty, and generally laid back, but for some reason the concept of a carrier causes him to go into a full blown panic. After we're at the vet's he's sufficiently confused about his situation that he reluctantly allows himself to be placed in the large carrier, which also houses his best kitty friend, who always goes to the vet with him for this reason. And what to do with young children? This scenario could be really dangerous if it involved a young child in on a hot day. These automatic locks have some built in dangers. I have a personal policy of NEVER setting down my keys inside the car. If I'm in the car, they are either in the ignition or on my hand, and if I'm out of the car, they are on the roof or hood or bumper.
Cats 1, Idiot Democratic Voter 0.
Cats: "ALL YOUR CAR ARE BELONG TO US."
1: Get a carrier intended for dogs - I also have a big cat, and I have to fight him to get him into the largest "cat" carrier I could find. A large dog carrier means no fight; I think that the issue is that he doesn't want to be stuffed in a little box that seriously violates his personal space.
2: This is why some automakers make an external keypad available as an option. I think it's a great idea, if you want one of their products.
Put kitty in a small room some time when he is relaxed and you are petting him. Put carrier in room too. Small room facilitates catching kitty without too much chasing and hiding, causing even more stress.
Put cat carrier on its end, with opening facing up. While kitty is standing, grab both back feet with one hand, and both front feet with the other. Lower kitty into carrier, rear end first.
With no available feet, kitty cannot stop the process. VERY quick and simple.
Oh, that's brilliant! No more stuffing them like turkeys going into an oven. Thanks for the tip.
Now, it's a snap. And no kitty stress.
I tried that with my kids. Works well.
Serves you right! LOL
"He's a sweet kitty, and generally laid back, but for some reason the concept of a carrier causes him to go into a full blown panic."
Oh, I know. There really are cats who are seriously traumatized by carriers. Apologies, I didn't handle that well. Didn't mean to offend you or anyone else in your situation. My beef is with folks who have cats they can crate but they choose not to 'cause they find it cute or amusing to let kitty cruise around without protection. Big difference there.
Some cats who dislike carriers will tolerate travel in open wire cages. Or "show cages" as the breeders call them. Just a thought.
I was just gonna say that!
I saw them loading cats this way on Animal Planet - I've used this method ever since - works great.
"Stewart went into her house and called the Morgantown Fire Department for help."
??
Am I the only one who has 800 keys for each vehicle *inside the house?*
OK, maybe exaggerating a little, but geeez, we have a couple of spares to everything stashed in the house.
My Jack Russell did it to me! My husband and I went across the Georgia state line to buy lottery tickets. While he was in the store getting the tickets and I was pumping gas, my JRT stepped on the door lock that is on the door handle of my truck. The keys were in the ignition. We tried to get him to do it again to unlock it but he wouldn't. He jumped on everything but the lock. Some of the locals that were pumping gas noticed what was going on and three of them pulled a tool called a "slim jim" out of their pickup trucks. LOL No need to call the cops to break into a vehicle in Georgia! :-)
My late Brittany Spaniel used to honk the horn if she thought I was in the store too long. Once I was in a small storefront talking with the cashier and saying that people should mind their children better, while a car horn was blaring right out front. He said, ummm, I don't think it's children--look! Sure enough, it was my dog!
Then I realized how many other times it had happened and I didn't know she was the one doing it.
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