/rant on

Persia didn't notice him/her otherwise I'd have had a cat doing the
bottle-brush tail and arched back while hissing on my hands.

A patchy orange & white kitty came up to the (open with screen on) window in
my office and peered inside.  Short haired but otherwise looking much like
Spotty the long-haired cat I captured and took to The House of Mews.  The
difference was, Spotty was straggly, matted and bony.  This cat looked
pretty well cared for.

I'm 99% sure this one is owned by the woman across the street from my
apartment complex.  She's the one who says she never lets her cats out, they
just "get out".  Yeah, right.  That's why I see them sitting in her front
yard all the time.  Because they just "get out".

I yelled "scat!" and it ran off before it could upset Persia.  I have NO
idea how I can get this woman to understand her cats running around loose
aren't safe.  Just yesterday evening I spotted a calico laying dead by the
roadside not a mile from my home.  It might have even been one of hers; I
really have no idea how many cats she has.  We aren't exactly on chatty
terms.

There are entirely too many cars and way too much traffic to let cats or
dogs run loose in this area.  10 years ago this area was considered "in the
country".  Not any more.  Tons of traffic, a lot of which come zooming
around the corner at breakneck speeds.  I can't tell you how many times I've
been nearly rear-ended while turning into my parking lot, the first entrance
right around the corner from the cross street.  People do not slow down!!
It's not SAFE to let your pets run loose around here!

I don't know how I'll ever get it in that woman's head.  I guess when she
keeps having to explain to her little girl why [whichever] cat didn't come
back home *maybe* something will click.  It's doubtful, but I can always
hope. (sigh)

Jill

/end rant