I had some interesting searches on Google "feral" "psychopath" so now I am getting some very odd suggestions.
I think it was perfectly appropriate to get upset at the young neighbors (I have always seen children as a good thing but can't use the word in this instance) for torturing Cleo. I would think anyone would be upset, but I have heard all sorts of excuses and justifications that can be summed up in the saying "Kids will be kids".
It is not OK for a child to abuse an animal, ever. Every violent rapist started out abusing animals. Every one. I put that link up some time ago. Now I am sure most of us did things with bugs, slugs, etc. But a kitten? I don't get that. She was small, cute, and fearful. She was in no way aggressive. She stayed on my property, mainly under my chair on the porch.
But everyone is all bent out of shape I got upset. I NEVER EVEN SPOKE TO THEM. I didn't go on their property. I didn't (although I wanted to) even yell at their parents. All I did was call them names (feral, psychopath) in the blog while I worked on my primary mission which was rescuing Cleo. And I saved her. That is all.
But I am apparently a "bad guy" for getting angry on behalf of a defenseless animal. I will say it again: I got upset but I never interacted with them. Now I could understand someone getting alarmed if I went over there and screamed at the young neighbors. I did not do that. I didn't scream at them on my property, even though I would have had a right to, as I specifically banned them from my property 8 years ago. I didn't interact with them at all.
Again, for the millionth time, I simply worked on getting Cleo trapped, fixed, and in the house so she could live a happy life with us. And I did that.
I don't expect commendation for that (I think a couple of readers said nice things which I appreciate). I did the only thing I could do and live with myself.
The worst I heard - and took to heart, was the fact I could have worked faster. I tried too hard to get Cleo in the backyard before trapping her. I was wrong for that and God helped it to work out for her. But I did the right thing, got her, immediately got her fixed, and released her to recover in the house with her Mom and brother.
I don't regret any of that (save not catching Cleo sooner). But it seems everyone is so upset at me.
I have been upset at these neighbors PLENTY of times before, I have all kinds of posts ranting about them kicking the ball into my house all hours of the day and night, trespassing, trash-talking me while trespassing, late night drunken parties, no one cared then at all.
No one said I was a bad guy for complaining. Suddenly they are abusing a kitten and I'm the bad guy for complaining. I interacted with them back then = standing my ground. Not interacting = bad guy. I have brain damage but how does that make sense?
I remember one time we had already gone to bed and the lights were out. They were having a party and kicking the ball into the side of my house (NEVER get a zero property line house). It was about 11 PM when they rang the doorbell incessantly demanding I fetch their ball. I had been in bed, they wanted me to get up and go fetch their ball like a damned dog. I remembered they never played these games on the other fences in their yard and asked them flat out if they demanded their other neighbors "fetch".
"No," they said "We wait for them to throw it back".
"That's our deal now" I said and I went back to bed. They rang the bell a few more times but guess what? Once I wouldn't "play fetch" any more they stopped kicking the ball in my yard. I found it very rude I was supposed to get up from a sleep or drop everything I was doing to fetch the ball, all hours of the day and night, because the kids had already proven themselves untrustworthy in my yard.
Everyone thought that was reasonable - and I actually interacted with those young neighbors and even TOLD THEM NO.
But call someone an animal abuser in a blog and everyone goes bananas. Even though I never even spoke to them.
At the end of the day, what matters? Cleo is safe and was just licking Ron's hand as he gave her treats.
5 comments:
you are missing the point. It doesn’t seem like you get what people are actually bothered about.
No one wants to see an animal abused. I certainly don’t. Yes, I believe it happens. However I don’t believe you have sufficient evidence to say with 100% certainty that Cleo was being “tortured” and “stoned” as you never SAW it happen (stones in your yard and kids saying “get it get it” does not = torture) AND you never did anything about it. You never went out there to talk to the kids, the parents and the police. And you claim it was ongoing. ThT is the part we all have an issue with. And with all this insufficient evidence you have vilified your neighbors. Do you get it now? This isn’t the first time you have jumped to conclusions about a person or group of people based on some event or fact.
I don’t want to see Cleo or any cat abused and I’m glad you took her in but come on with the feral kids stoning her story. You have no proof. You make so many wild accusations about people it’s hard to believe you anymore. If it was true you would have reported it. Bipolar or not.
Hurting or abusing an animals is not kids being kids. Those that say it is are more than likely psychopaths or sadists themselves and are playing head games with you (and getting off on your reaction). So f-ck them and don't reply to such stupidity. There is nothing wrong with stating the facts about the children next door. People are born/taught to be what they are, nothing more, nothing less. Some are more empathetic than others naturally and others need to be taught empathy (which unfortunately it sounds like the father has not done due to his own mental defects).
Shame our society often times sides with the bullies rather than those that are bullied. I am not quite sure why this is the case but with human beings and their complex and weirdo tendencies you just don't know what kind of baggage and insanity they are bringing to the table. Those readers that believe ALL children are good are just ignorant as I said above. More than likely at least a couple of them have future careers in dog fighting since they lack empathy for something as tiny as a kitten.
I try to be a supportive person in comments. I don't always agree with you, and I am not a cat person, mega allergies from them. But, for you I think you did the right thing. You saw a defenseless animal, took care of it. I don't know why anyone would disagree with that, it's your home, your money spent on your way of life and your choice. I don't know why anyone else is upset..it is really none of their business. They also don't live in your neighborhood or walk in your shoes. I don't have your patience...I would have called the cops on your neighbors every time...they come on your property or kick the ball against your home. They make for very ugly neighbors...and I don't tolerate feral children well either. People do not respect property, or the civility of sleeping hours etc. You just keep living your life and God bless you today and always. JJ
Anonymous #1 must be a lawyer or a judge. Always trying to find a way to excuse people for their evil behavior. Heather is stating what she believes happened to Cleo. Sure she doesn't have 100% proof other than Cleo's reaction to the sound of those "innocent" children's voices and the rocks strewn about her front porch area.
Although the evidence is circumstantial and would not hold up in court nor would the police make a report without proof, one can assume that perhaps Cleo has had negative encounters with these children based on her physical reaction to them. Most kittens are curious by nature and learn fear from mistreatment.
And yes throwing rocks at an animal is a form of torture.
If you don't think it is then maybe you should cower helplessly in a corner while people pelt you with rocks and shout get it, get it over and over. It would not be a pleasant feeling.
And to clarify her neighbors are a-holes who have no boundaries or respect for other peoples property or enjoyment of their own property. Not to mention no respect for any animal since when they get a dog they leave it outside with no protection from the elements and pretty much ignore it.
And Heather has every right to make assumptions about a group or groups of people if she wants to. We all do it and many do it without even realizing it on a daily basis. The majority of people form opinions about people before they even say anything just based on looks alone. She has many interactions with these groups of people and based on that has made assumptions. Now not ALL people in these groups will fit this mold but Heather is smart enough to know that and gives credit when someone acts out of the normal character (she has come to expect).
"So many wild" what was it? "Accusations". Name a couple, I am laughing over this by the way. When I tell you totally implausible stories (that are true) about Ron you swallow them without a doubt but if I say a more plausible thing about a driver or a neighbor then I am "making things up".
So I shared this originally. It was turned around into a personal attack on me. It continued. It was turned into a personal attack on me because I wasn't getting Cleo out fast enough. I ended it. It was turned into a personal attack on me.
And my favorite, attacked because I DIDN'T go off on them. If I am right, and they are psychopaths, then confronting them gives them the response they wanted and gives them a sure fire way to upset me every time "Hurt her cats". Why would I give them that? Let them think I was thick, deaf, blind, and stupid.
Now, if I hadn't been able to get Cleo in the house for whatever reason I would have bought a security camera, documented the abuse, and gone straight to the animal cops for prosecution. They could have walked around with felony criminal records for that the rest of their lives and enjoyed what that brought them.
But it worked out better than that without a lot of physical harm to Cleo.
To the rest of you, thank you. I was UTTERLY baffled I wasn't getting support for something I had to do (defend Cleo) and doing it in a way that kept it classy (take the focus off them and put it onto her, get her safe and leave them to deal with the rest of the neighborhood). She is safe,t hat is what matters.
It is OK to get upset about animal abuse. You can quibble all you want but she was becoming much more fearful by the day and it was apparent at least one person was hurting her.
@ the Kids being kids comment I blocked her so I can't read anything she says. She followed me around a little making comments I couldn't read but when I ignored her she stopped.
I see one problem with parents: if they have "good" kids they tend to assume everyone does, that "all kids are wonderful, they just aren't understood" etc. That may be the case in a majority of cases but some people are just not born right. Or raised right, I will leave that debate to the experts.
It is my job to protect my cats from that people group. And one reason the cat cage is LOCKED so no one may enter or open the door. The cats are wise enough to come in when they hear the "little angels" next door, it is a conditioned behavior, hear the kids, come inside because they will be hassled.
And all of this you will notice I am not saying a thing, being confrontational, etc. The only harsh thing I have ever said online this year regarding the cats, that could have been read by #6: was a very angry comment on Nextdoor when Mama and the kittens showed up, I said the owner should get them fixed (joke's on me!) and take better care of them. I said if they were not fixed I would do it and find them new homes. But they weren't #6's cats, they were abandoned, and one reason I felt fine "keeping" them because no one ever came back and said "Hey you're talking about my cats".
Sorry if I am rambling today, pretty bad migraine last night/today.
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