That Darn Cat – Part II

Posted on by
3

Sergio’s stalking has continued. Recently, I was heading to the office when he appeared at the front door crying and pawing on the glass. I couldn’t open the door for fear of him getting into the house or Samantha getting out. I called John who was able to come over and chase him away by squirting him with the hose. These episodes have become routine.

I called Animal Control and the officer explained there was nothing they could do unless the cat hurt me, Samantha or did damage to the property. After another morning of his persistent pursuit of trying to get into the cottage, I called Animal Control again, asking what else was possible in the situation of a negligent owner letting an unneutered cat wander the neighborhood at all hours, trespassing and terrorizing. John installed motion-sensor cameras, which detected him on the roof at 1:00 am; another night, he woke me at 11:00 pm, yowling at the side door, then noisily prowled the yard for an hour.

Sergio at the side door during the day, which happens frequently. I’ve learned to block the French door so he can’t see inside.

The officer said the owner could be cited at this point, only the owner is unknown to me. Not helpful. He said the next time Sergio appears, rather than chasing him off, draw all drapes to prevent him from being able to see inside and Samantha from seeing out. He explained that the cat seems to need attention and negative attention is better than no attention. If we don’t offer interaction and ignore him, eventually he should stop stalking us. That was two weeks ago.

He was here in the rain a couple of days ago.

Yet, he’s not been abandoned. When his collar had a tag a couple months back, a neighbor found him in her courtyard late one night and managed to get the number off the tag (mentioned in Part I). I reached out to her for the number. I sent a text to the number from the tag explaining the situation and suggesting Sergio get neutered and be kept inside. A person named Margarita responded to my text with a voicemail, apologizing for what I was dealing with and understood my frustration, and said she would provide me with Sergio’s mom’s contact information so that we could discuss the matter. She explained that “we” just got Sergio neutered. I never received the contact information for Sergio’s so-called mom, and when I called back after another stressful episode, it seems my number has been blocked. I also texted, and never got a response.

I feel sorry for Sergio, yet I’m furious and frustrated with the situation; mostly at these irresponsible “owners.” My heart hurts when Samantha gets anxious and I worry for her health. I wish someone would just take him in. But I can’t rely on wishes.

 

Over the weekend I learned he’s been terrorizing a gal next door and her two cats. He’s ripped her screen—twice. I told her to call Animal Control about Cujo the cat.

To be continued…

That Darn Cat – Part I

Posted on by
14

A feline intruder has been appearing on the roof of the cottage over the past couple of months. The first time I saw the cat, it was looking down at Samantha who was in the “catio,” a small fenced-in patio on the side of the cottage. I whisked her inside and shooed the trespasser away with a few squirts from a water bottle. Samantha paced from room to room, expressing fear with a guttural growl. I learned from posts on Nextdoor that the cat was visiting other neighbors who were concerned the cat was lost. One neighbor had a visit from the cat who lingered in her courtyard into the early morning hours, yowling at her indoor cats. She was able to get the phone number off its collar tag and texted the number. The person who responded stated that “Sergio” was an indoor/outdoor cat. This cat’s owner seemed to be okay with him being outdoors. Excuse me, this neighborhood is within blocks of Laguna Canyon where coyotes reside and come down from the hills in search of their next meal. It really was not okay that this cat was roaming the neighborhood from dawn to beyond dusk. And it was not okay that he was rattling the nerves of my sensitive Samantha Jo.

John figured out that Sergio was getting onto the roof from the side of the cottage facing an above-grade walkway from which he could spring onto the roof. John installed bamboo fencing around the edge of that part of the roof. For a couple weeks we had no Sergio sightings. The relief we felt was palpable.

Then last Tuesday, I heard familiar cat cries coming from the roof. Sergio was back. I was baffled at how he found another point of access to the roof from which he pawed his way to the top of the lattice fence enclosing the catio. Samantha jumped onto my desk facing the windows of the catio and watched as Sergio leapt into the catio and sauntered over the pavers. She hissed and wailed, triggering a blood-curdling caterwaul from Serigo. I rushed out to the catio and squirted him with a water bottle. He scaled the fence landing in the front walkway. I ran into the front yard and opened the entry gate. He bolted through the open gate and ran up the street. Inside, Samantha was nervously darting from window to window. I sprayed a flower-essence based calming tincture throughout the cottage (Drama-Trauma by BlackWing Farms) and played ambient music. Soon enough, she became relaxed.

I wondered how this darn cat was once again able to get onto the roof. Then I recalled that Sergio’s collar no longer had a tag, and I wondered if he still had a home to return to.

I have stories of rescues that I will share as mentioned in my previous blog entry. This story needed to be told first. It’s been a journey. Stay tuned for the next chapter of That Darn Cat.

Christmas Eve Greetings

Posted on by
14

Merry Christmas, everyone! I’m finally slowing down after a hustling and bustling past few months. I’ve got the rest of the week off from the corporate day job and look forward to visiting friends and family; but like an overstimulated feline who retreats to their safe place (box, cozy corner of the closet, or atop baskets under the console) I’ll also be retreating to the sofa with my latest good read in hand.

In 2026, I’m going to be sharing fascinating feline stories told to me by colleagues and friends over the past year. I’ve discovered cat lovers in cohorts who I’d no idea were into cats, and I’m amazed at the passion and love they have for their felines. Wait until you hear about the attorney from the California Department of Real Estate who went to great efforts to rescue abandon kitties in a Target parking lot, and the studio cat of local kiln glass artist.

Stay tuned, and in the meantime, I leave you with some Christmas cheer in the below poem I wrote a couple of years a go…

Catmas Eve at The Cottage

T’was the night before Christmas and the cottage was bustling
With kitty cat cries and Cat Lady hustling,
Baking cookies, brewing tea and happily dancing,
As her kitty joined in, by joyfully prancing.

The twinkle lights hung in the garden with care,
As Cat Lady looked on hoping Santa Paws would soon be there.
When startled by a clatter that filled the room,
She turned to see her floof flitting around, zoomy, zoom, zoom!

The kitchen cupboard was open, catnip spilled all around,
Cat Lady laughed at the scene, while kitty rolled on the ground.
The ginger floof frolicked in catnip with glee,
With her teacup now dry, Cat Lady announced, “It’s time for whiskey!”

Cat Lady sipped her nightcap as she gazed at the moon,
Wondering if the arrival of Santa Paws would happen sometime soon.
Suddenly in the dark, outside the French door,
A sound so startling, kitty flew across the hardwood floor.

Cat Lady and kitty peered out the window seeking to see,
What caused such noise, oh my—could it be?
Then what they heard caused no doubt in their minds,
“Meowy Catmas to all!” rang out a voice boisterous and kind,
Then he was off in a flash, flying high up above,
Leaving the best gift of all, the presence of love.