Posted on 08/26/2006 12:02:16 PM PDT by freedom44
Correction - they got rid of the cat, they did not put it to sleep.
You've accused others of making false claims and here you are guilty of it yourself. Please show me where it states that the cat was "digging up the neighbors garden". It says the cat was using the garden as it's litter box, which in no way corresponds to "digging it up".
This lady would have had to been sitting in her window day and night to catch this cat crapping in her garden or else the cat is very extraordinary and leaves it's initials carved in it's excrement, otherwise how would she know it was specifically this cat and not some stray in the neighborhood. We have lots of cats in our neighborhood and I've NEVER witnessed one in the act of crapping. Of course, I do have a life, though.
Again, the boy was MEOWING. MEOWING - for pete's sake that's harassment? Do you not see how ridiculous this sounds - she calls the police because a kid is meowing at her?
When I was little there was an alcoholic who lived right across the street who meowed at us kids when we walked by. This was an old guy meowing at little girls. My mom or dad would never have called the police about it, and that's much worse.
It would be interesting to hear the opinion of other neighbors about these characters.
To the teenager, though, the cat is dead to him.
I am a foster home for the Great Lakes Bengal Rescue ( http://www.greatlakesbengalrescue.com ) . To see someone getting rid of a cat because of something like this just irks me no end. To see people defending a male teenager acting in this manner shocks me to no end.
14 is old enough to know better than to act like this. Such behavior would be understandable in a 6 y.o.
FWIW, I don't think I've even seen a stray cat in my neighborhood. People here keep their cats indoors.
I believe I made my point. That to actually witness a cat crapping you'd have to be sitting and staring at the spot for hours and doing nothing else. They're very stealthy that way.
Come on - do you honestly believe that a kid meowing is cause to alert the police? You don't think that's an overreaction?
I have 5 furbabies of my own. All cats dig a hole to go potty. Sometimes it's as if they are trying to dig to China. ANYONE who has a cat knows they dig holes then cover it so "predators" don't know they've been there.
This lady would have had to been sitting in her window day and night to catch this cat crapping in her garden or else the cat is very extraordinary and leaves it's initials carved in it's excrement, otherwise how would she know it was specifically this cat and not some stray in the neighborhood. We have lots of cats in our neighborhood and I've NEVER witnessed one in the act of crapping. Of course, I do have a life, though.
This says whose cat it was: The boy's mother said the family got rid of their cat after Carasia complained to police that it used her flower garden as a litter box.. Apparently, all parties involved knew whose cat it was.
Again, this womans yard belongs to her not the neighbors. She has a right to expect her yard to be left alone. That's called "property rights".
The kid is harrasing the old lady because his parents got rid of his cat instead of keeping it indoors. The 78 yr old just wants her garden left alone and for the brat to leave her alone. Isn't that her right?
Yup. Too bad his parents weren't a little wiser. Kinda makes you wonder why they over-reacted like that. Maybe more to the story? This has been going on for awhile? The kid kept letting the cat out just to irk the 78 yr old? There's more to this I think.
How many meows does it take to make a misdemeanor?
Jeannette District Judge Joseph R. DeMarchis will make that determination in 90 days.
He heard testimony Tuesday in the case of a city teenager who allegedly said "meow" repeatedly to a neighbor.
Michael Loughner, 14, of 108 Harrison Ave., was charged with harassment by Jeannette police after a July 23 incident.
Alexandria Carasia, 78, of 106 Harrison Ave., said that was the day she finally called police.
"I've had to put up with this for three years," Carasia said. "As I walk by, I see Michael and his mother. He got on the porch and hid behind the bamboo screen and starts meowing. If I don't make this stop now, they're going to keep doing this to me. I shouldn't have to worry about walking out of the house and being harassed by this young kid.
"Every time he sees me, he meows," Carasia testified.
Her son, Ken, said he walked her home that day because she was worried about going past Loughner again.
Loughner also recalled the July 23 exchange, saying he went to hold his dog so it wouldn't leave the yard. He said he's only made the noise to Carasia twice, once being that day.
"She was walking through and she kept looking at us," he testified. "I grabbed the dog so it wouldn't leave the yard. When I put my head down, I meowed."
"As she walked in front of the house, nothing was said," added Sally Loughner, Michael's mother. "He stepped off the porch to make sure the dog didn't get out. As he reached down and got the dog, he said, 'Meow.'
"She said, 'Do you want me to call the cops again?' I said, 'Go ahead, he hasn't done anything wrong.' "
The two neighbors allegedly have a history of disputes.
Sally Loughner said the family cat was finally sent to live with her parents "to keep peace in the neighborhood."
Defense attorney David Martin Jr. sought to have the case dropped before calling any witnesses.
"This should never have been filed," Martin said. "This is not something that police should be wasting their time with or wasting the court's time."
Martin contends Carasia should have just ignored Loughner.
Police Sgt. Donald Johnston felt the charge was warranted.
"He engaged in a conduct repeatedly that serves no legitimate purpose," Johnston said. "I don't feel the victim should have to go through her golden ages being harassed by the defendant."
misdemeanor meowing? mais non! call the viking kitties!!
Our situation has been easier than yours. I've never seen nor smelled a skunk in the nearly 15 years we've been here, and it seems as if all the roaming cats in the 'hood belong to older couples with grown kids. I can certainly understand your hesitation about trapping a child's pet. It is sad that the parents of said child don't realize (or maybe just don't care) that they are setting their child up to face a potentially tragic situation. A cat chasing down a squirrel or chipmunk is not going to look both ways when crossing the street. A beloved pet turned into roadkill is a trauma that no child should have to endure, especially considering that it is so easily avoided. Why can't people understand that??!
And again you bring up a red herring. They got rid of the cat so it is no longer bothering her garden. We are now talking about a kid saying meow to her. Apparently, you don't believe calling the police because someone says meow to someone is an overreaction.
The boy's mother said the family got rid of their cat after Carasia complained to police that it used her flower garden as a litter box.. Apparently, all parties involved knew whose cat it was.
No, it is not that apparent. They got rid of the cat because the neighbor complained and SAID it was their cat (probably called the police about that, too), not that they knew for a fact it was their cat. It seems to me the family owning the cat is making all the concessions here and nothing satisfies this bitter old lady. Sounds like she's not happy unless she's bitching about something, which is why, as before, I would like to know the opinion of other neighbors.
It sounds to me like you have a personal problem with the elderly. Try reading the full article in post 88. The brat been harasssing the elderly neighbor for THREE YEARS. His grandparents have his cat so it's not as if it's out of his life with strangers.
And again you bring up a red herring. They got rid of the cat so it is no longer bothering her garden. We are now talking about a kid saying meow to her.
Yup. The 78 yr old can't even go out in her yard without the brat meowing so it's NOT a red herring. She has a right to use her yard without being harassed.
Apparently, you don't believe calling the police because someone says meow to someone is an overreaction.
No I don't think calling the police after 3 years of harassment is overreaction. And the full article states that it's harassment carried out in front of his parents.
No, it is not that apparent. They got rid of the cat because the neighbor complained and SAID it was their cat (probably called the police about that, too), not that they knew for a fact it was their cat.
The Loughners gave the cat to the grandparents so I believe that's admission enough that it was their cat. It IS apparent to everyone else except those who dislike the elderly.
We'll have to agree to disagree on this one. I believe this elderly woman is a royal PIA and I'm glad she's not my neighbor. I also think this kid has got mental problems, but I don't think his actions rise to the level of getting the courts involved.
We all have people that we don't get along with, young and old, but I don't believe anyone has a "right" not to be harassed by someone that doesn't like you. Those that are older and wiser should act it.
And yet you back this kids "right" to mock and frighten this old lady for 3 years.
I believe this elderly woman is a royal PIA and I'm glad she's not my neighbor.
What in the complete article in post 88 would lead you to that conclusion?
I also think this kid has got mental problems, but I don't think his actions rise to the level of getting the courts involved.
3 years of mocking and frightening (Her son, Ken, said he walked her home that day because she was worried about going past Loughner again) an elderly woman certainly calls into question his upbringing since it was done in the presence of his parents. ("As she walked in front of the house, nothing was said," added Sally Loughner, Michael's mother. "He stepped off the porch to make sure the dog didn't get out. As he reached down and got the dog, he said, 'Meow.') ("As I walk by, I see Michael and his mother. He got on the porch and hid behind the bamboo screen and starts meowing.
I don't believe anyone has a "right" not to be harassed by someone that doesn't like you.
Can you explain to me these peoples "right" to frighten and mock an elderly neighbor? Can you explain how that's not legally harassment?
I guess the "law" doesn't agree with you.
Meowing teenager taken to court
Pittsburgh-area police have gone to court to back a 78-year-old woman's complaint of harassment by a teenaged neighbor she claims always meows at her.
I am appalled that Freepers would believe that civility and manners are optional conservative values.
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