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Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / December 2007IMPORTANT: Please read.
Message: A friend of ours on another cat group just lost one of her kitties in a tragic accident. Her mom has written a message about what happened that she wants all kitty parents to read. This is serious!! PLEASE FORWARD TO EVERYONE WHO WILL HELP US GET THE WORD OUT! From Edith: A terrible thing has happened in our family. Please forward this message to anyone you now who has a cat, cares about animals, or who is in a position to spread this message further: My daughter's cat, Geordi, a gorgeous 10-pound, 16-month old female tortoiseshell cat suffocated to death on Friday, December 14, 2007 inside a pail/bucket (canister) of scoopable clumping cat litter. The container was fitted with a dangerously designed flip-top (hinged) lid. We can not fathom how Geordi got the lid open, but she did, and, being a curious little cat, in she went. We think that the next thing that happened was that another cat leaped onto the container to see what she was up to and in doing so caused the lid to seal tightly. The bucket is designed, evidently, to seal air tightly because this is clumping litter and must be kept moisture free. Ironically, this litter is promoted as being for "multiple cats." It might be safe enough in a single cat household but we think the fact that there were other cats present may have been the part that created the danger. Some cat litter pails are made with one-piece lids which remove entirely (like those on kitchen plasticware). This would be much safer. The lid on the bucket in which Geordi died, does not come off completely when the container is opened. Two-thirds of the lid flips open(hinged) and the litter is dipped or poured from that opening. The veterinarian examined Geordi and determined that she suffocated. The litter was inside her mouth, nose, and throat. Needless to say, this is a time of grief for all of us, but the only thing to do is try to make other pet owners aware of the danger. Please do these things: 1) Pass this message on immediately to all your animal-loving friends, whether they own cats or not, and ask them to pass this on. 2) Please note the design of all lids you presently have on scoopable litter canisters in your house. If they have this type of lid, GET THEM AWAY FROM YOUR CATS. Do NOT leave any of these canisters anywhere your cat can get into it. 3) Check your pet store and contact the manufacturer of any product with this design and request that a design change be made if this dangerous flip-type lid is on the bucket. I am not naming the brand as there may be more than one with this type of lid. You can check on this at the pet store. Any lid on ANY brand that has this design would be dangerous. 3) If you are a member of any Internet cat groups, please pass this message on to everyone in your group. 4) If you have any connection with media that might help us get the word out, please help us try to get this in print or on television news. The veterinarian that examined Geordi can confirm this story. I have contacted www.snopes.com to alert them that I am sending this message to as many people as I can reach. It is originating on Dec. 17, 2007 so it may take a while for the information to be posted on www.snopes.com. If you have any questions please contact me. Edith Kilgo Locust Grove, GA 30248 Thanks Helen M > Message: > A friend of ours on another cat group just lost one of her kitties [quoted text clipped - 79 lines] > Thanks > Helen M I read this on another group. So very sad :( It sounds like a tragic accident and one I would not have thought of. On Mon, 24 Dec 2007 02:41:15 -0800, leopardusweidii wrote: > Message: > A friend of ours on another cat group just lost one of her kitties in a > tragic accident. Her mom has written a message about what happened that > she wants all kitty parents to read. This is serious!! > > PLEASE FORWARD TO EVERYONE WHO WILL HELP US GET THE WORD OUT! Although I can't verify it, that message meets almost all the criteria for a hoax.  SignatureT.E.D. (tdavis@umr.edu) UMR becomes MST soon. > Although I can't verify it, that message meets almost all the criteria for > a hoax. And even if it is it's telling us what we already know-be alert to anything a cat could get trapped in or hurt by and keep it out of their way. I don't have houseplants nor do I react with delight if someone sends me flowers because they might be toxic. I make sure my cats aren't in the kitchen when there are hobs switched on or I am moving pans of boiling water. I check I can see both cats when using a washing machine. I have somehow discouraged both of them from trying to get into the fridge or the freezer. I don't have electrical cables where a cat can reach them. I don't leave chocolate, garlic or onions were they could be nibbled etc Lesley Slave of the Fabulous Furballs >> Although I can't verify it, that message meets almost all the criteria >> for [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > where a cat can reach them. I don't leave chocolate, garlic or onions > were they could be nibbled etc I don't know if the original post was a hoax. It seemed genuine to me. I was sad about it. My cats have to live their lives around me, not the reverse. I use my hob when they are in the kitchen and they have never tried to jump up on it to burn their feet. If they did, it would be a lesson learned. Neither do they try to get into the fridge or freezer (I would be more wary of this if they were kittens, of course.) I keep the door of my washing machine closed always. I never have chocolate available as I don't eat it. Garlic and onions I do have, but they usually go straight into what I am cooking. Even if I left them out on the worktop, would a kitty want to eat them? Mine would not dream of eating raw onions or raw garlic. They also know not to get beside the fire until it is *really* burning warm and the logs are settling nicely. Point is - they ain't stupid. ;-) Tweed On Dec 24, 3:53 pm, "Christina Websell" <spamf...@tinawebsell.wanadoo.co.uk> wrote: > >> Although I can't verify it, that message meets almost all the criteria > >> for [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > > - Show quoted text - I did seem genuine. But if that did happen, it would *have* to be an extremely heavy cat, who jumped down with a lot of momentum. Those tubs are hard to close tight enough to seal. Sherry On Dec 24, 3:53 pm, "Christina Websell" <spamf...@tinawebsell.wanadoo.co.uk> wrote: > "Lesley" <LMadi...@hhnt.nhs.uk> wrote in message > [quoted text clipped - 34 lines] > and the logs are settling nicely. > Point is - they ain't stupid. ;-) >I did seem genuine. But if that did happen, it would *have* to be an extremely heavy cat, who jumped down with a lot of momentum. Those tubs are hard to close tight enough to seal. I cannot make any sort of judgment whether post was true or not. I don't have a tub like that so I don't know without seeing it if a cat could suffocate in one or not, I get my litter in bags and I keep it in the porch out of the way of the cats. My gut feeling is this was genuine though. And tragic. Tweed Sherry On Dec 24, 6:08 pm, "Christina Websell" <spamf...@tinawebsell.wanadoo.co.uk> wrote: > On Dec 24, 3:53 pm, "Christina Websell" > [quoted text clipped - 54 lines] > > - Show quoted text - Off the original topic, but your remark about bags reminds me--I use clumping litter and just seethe everytime I throw away one of those plastic containers. I really wish they would put it in bags. We're filling up landfills needlessly with all that plastic. Sherry >Off the original topic, but your remark about bags reminds me--I use >clumping litter and just seethe everytime I throw away one of >those plastic containers. I really wish they would put it in bags. >We're filling up landfills needlessly with all that plastic. RECYCLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We use the empty bins for pet food..... rip the lids completely off and they become handy wastebaskets (if you're concerned about the looks, there's always contact paper/paint)... and we've used them as curbside recycling bins as well (the collection guys seem to love them as they have the handy-dandy handles) when our regular bin gets full. Without the lids, they also make excellent buckets - handy for washing your car... toting potting soil....or even as a planter itself (in full view of the neighbors, it will get you some funny looks)... Of course, with 12 cats, we use a LOT of litter, so there are some bins that get sent out for recycling as well. -- The ONE and ONLY lefthanded-pathetic-paranoid-psychotic-sarcastic-wiseass-ditzy former-blonde in Bloomington! (And proud of it, too)© email me at nalee1964 (at) insightbb (dot) com http://community.webshots.com/user/mgcmdjeep > >Off the original topic, but your remark about bags reminds me--I use > >clumping litter and just seethe everytime I throw away one of [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > in Bloomington! (And proud of it, too)© > email me at nalee1964 (at) insightbb (dot) comhttp://community.webshots.com/user/mgcmdjeep Well, yeah; but having five cats and using clumping litter for ten years, I've saturated the market for usefullness. I've even given some away on Freecycle. The only items we can take to the recycle center are paper and various metals. It really grates on me, because I am always mindful about what's going in the landfills. Sherry > Off the original topic, but your remark about bags reminds me--I use > clumping litter and just seethe everytime I throw away one of those > plastic containers. I really wish they would put it in bags. We're > filling up landfills needlessly with all that plastic. The tubs our litter comes in are marked <5>, which is recyclable in our area (granted, we're lucky that way) -- but they're so handy! We use them to hold other recyclables, as an intermediate step to the compost pile, etc etc -- they rarely actually get recycled. To be honest though the whole recycling thing is very odd. Like, you're not supposed to recycle lids, even if they have a number, because the number means something different. Same with medicine bottles. So I'm not sure if it's really the *same* 5. Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca >I cannot make any sort of judgment whether post was true or not. I don't >have a tub like that so I don't know without seeing it if a cat could >suffocate in one or not After I empty the tub I put the used litter in it, and it does seal airtght and keeps the smell in. I use the tidy cat that is in a bucket, checked the last three I had bought. Save the empties for a garage man that lives near me. None of the come off completely. When empty, the cats can run and jump on them and use them for kitchen surfing! >>I cannot make any sort of judgment whether post was true or not. I don't >>have a tub like that so I don't know without seeing it if a cat could >>suffocate in one or not > > After I empty the tub I put the used litter in it, and it does seal > airtght and keeps the smell in. > On Mon, 24 Dec 2007 02:41:15 -0800, leopardusweidii wrote: >> Message: >> A friend of ours on another cat group just lost one of her kitties in a >> tragic accident. Her mom has written a message about what happened that >> she wants all kitty parents to read. This is serious!! >> >> PLEASE FORWARD TO EVERYONE WHO WILL HELP US GET THE WORD OUT! > Although I can't verify it, that message meets almost all the criteria for > a hoax. I sure hope you are right!! "Please forward to everyone" is usually a sign of an email virus and hoax. Joyce > Message: > A friend of ours on another cat group just lost one of her kitties > in a tragic accident. Her mom has written a message about what > happened that she wants all kitty parents to read. This is serious!! Helen, Was this a friend of yours, or was that phrase in the message that was sent to you? If the former, then I believe it happened. But if the latter, than I'd have to agree with Ted, that this is a net hoax. Joyce > Helen, > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Joyce It was sent to my Feral Cats Group. As I understand it, the person who posted the message loosely knows the originator of the actual email message through rescue and they are not someone to forward spam/hoaxes or scare monger as they are a someone doesn't have a lot of time. I actually hope it's a hoax, but unfortunately, it's not the fist time I have heard of something like this accident happening. Helen M On Dec 24, 4:41 am, leoparduswei...@yahoo.co.uk wrote: > Message: > A friend of ours on another cat group just lost one of her kitties [quoted text clipped - 79 lines] > Thanks > Helen M The ridiculous part is asking the manufacturer to change the lid design. Once that lid is closed properly, there is NO WAY a cat, any cat, can open it. Period. Sherry > On Dec 24, 4:41 am, leoparduswei...@yahoo.co.uk wrote: >> Message: [quoted text clipped - 86 lines] > > Sherry Someone on another group mentioned that the litter they buy, the lid design *had* been changed recentlly to be take totally off. I don't know, it sounds like a genuine freak accident. Be interested to see how this turns out, but I don't totally discount it. > > On Dec 24, 4:41 am, leoparduswei...@yahoo.co.uk wrote: > >> Message: [quoted text clipped - 91 lines] > know, it sounds like a genuine freak accident. Be interested to see how > this turns out, but I don't totally discount it.- Hide quoted text - No, I don't discount it either. It could be a different brand than I buy, but it sounds like Tidy Cat. I went out and closed the lid firmly, then tried to open it. I just don't think a cat would be able to open it, once it's closed firmly. If it *did* happen, the lid must not have been closed all the way. Just in case, I think it would be wise to be sure it's closed tightly. Sherry Maybe the woman had closed the lid herself without thinking. I almost lost a ferret in a Eukanuba food tub when she'd jumped in when I wasn't looking and I closed the lid afterwards. The only reason I found her just in time was that 10 minutes later I had to put the ferrets in the cage because I had to go to work, couldn't find her, and then opened everything I'd had my hands on. She was on the verge of unconsciousness then. Nanny On Dec 24, 5:07 pm, Karen <kchup...@alltel.net> wrote: > > On Dec 24, 4:41 am, leoparduswei...@yahoo.co.uk wrote: > >> Message: [quoted text clipped - 92 lines] > know, it sounds like a genuine freak accident. Be interested to see how > this turns out, but I don't totally discount it.- Hide quoted text - No, I don't discount it either. It could be a different brand than I buy, but it sounds like Tidy Cat. I went out and closed the lid firmly, then tried to open it. I just don't think a cat would be able to open it, once it's closed firmly. If it *did* happen, the lid must not have been closed all the way. Just in case, I think it would be wise to be sure it's closed tightly. Sherry >Someone on another group mentioned that the litter they buy, the lid >design *had* been changed recentlly to be take totally off. I don't >know, it sounds like a genuine freak accident. Be interested to see how >this turns out, but I don't totally discount it. Yeah, if we're talking about Tidy Cat, the last couple 27 lb tubs I bought now have a lid that comes all the way off. At first I discounted it, but then I got to thinking. Spotty, Sammy, and now Furby all jump into the box and play around when I change the litter. They've never shown any real interest in the tub, but that doesn't mean there aren't cats that would. Still, like Sherry said, if the lid is closed tightly I don't see a cat opening it, but that doesn't mean much, as we know cats can sometimes surprise with their ingenuity and do things we can't understand how they manage. SignatureSteve Touchstone, faithful servant of Sammy, Little Bit, Spot, Princess and Furby with loving memories of Rocky (RB)
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