Shop cat?

[Straysmommy]

But surely your husband isn't in the offices every day of the year, then the cat will be alone on some days or weeks... Still, it's a lot better than not having a home.

[Whaler]

pretty girl (my avatar) is a shop cat. she is a former feral that was in the colony that i have behind my work.

when i decided to try and socialize her i did it at work for two reasons; first, at the time my morriss was at home and was about 19 years old with failing health, so trying to do it there was not an option. secondly, i figured that since i spend 65 or more hours a week at work socializing her would be easier there since i would be with her much more than if she were at home.

now, morriss passed last december so i could have brought pretty girl home but she stays at work. this way she is with me much more than if she were at home and since she is very bonded with me i felt that was crucial. also, since my colony is there it allows me to multitask when we are closed, i can be with pretty girl and then just walk out the back door to check on all of the ferals. on the one day that we are closed or on holidays i come to work to feed the colony and then stay with pretty girl for as many hours as possible.

pretty girl has become a quasi celebrity with our customers. she will not let any of them get too close but she likes to see what is going on.

[aniela]

Originally Posted by Arianwen

He KILLED stray cats before? I'd have killed him!

Yes... but we have a lot of strays (some vicious) dropped off where I work. He just decided killing the strays was easier than calling animal control.

I do what I can when I see one that comes along. So far we had a well-trained pitbull show up which one of the shop techs adopted, the kitten that I took to the shelter, and then there were a few vicious dogs we had to run off the property.

[Whaler]

Originally Posted by aniela

Yes... but we have a lot of strays (some vicious) dropped off where I work. He just decided killing the strays was easier than calling animal control.

intentionally killing a cat is a criminal offense in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, regardless of ownership. anti-cruelty laws apply to all cats—companion, abandoned, lost, and feral.

i hope someone called the police on this criminal, but i bet not. after all, there are "a lot of strays"

[aniela]

Originally Posted by Whaler

intentionally killing a cat is a criminal offense in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, regardless of ownership. anti-cruelty laws apply to all cats—companion, abandoned, lost, and feral.

i hope someone called the police on this criminal, but i bet not. after all, there are "a lot of strays"

I have not witnessed anything or heard about anything since being employed there. I have told him that it is animal abuse and is punishable. I have also made it known I am willing to take cats to the shelter. I would take dogs to the shelter but I only own a cat crate.

[Mitts & Tess]

there are several businesses I know of that have cats that live at the shop. I think its a win win situation.

someone Ive met feels his kitten sealed the deal on several jobs people wanted him to do. The kittens showed up and charmed the customers! People even stop by the say hi to the kitties. There are two of the kittens so that helps when the shop is closed.

[builder]

We also have animals dropped off at work. My boss used to take them home to his horse ranch where he had at least 30 cats. He claimed that they kept the rattlesnakes away and they all worked for their living. He retired and moved his whole ranch to New Mexico along with all the cats.
Now the dropped off cats are there only a short while before the coyotes get them. I stumbled upon a den of coyotes nearby and there was evidence that they were feeding on cats.

[tghsmith]

Welcome to Shopcat.com its not an uncommon thing,

[jadis]

I am reviving this thread because a shop cat may have found my husband. I was talking to one of his employees tonight and he said when he leaves at night (later than my husband) there is a big black cat that is outside. I asked him if it was feral and he said no, it comes right up like it wants to be let in. I brought a litterbox over and told him to let it in if he can, so we'll see. It is in a strip center on a busy road, so it definitely isn't safe outside, and if it doesn't work out I can probably adopt it out through the rescue I work with.

[Straysmommy]

Awww jadis, thank you so much for caring for this cat. Sounds like an intelligent cat who knows who to choose!