I work for the local housing department in a pretty run down area so needless to say come accross some poor pets in not great surroundings - mostly dogs I should say and it wouldn't be the first time I have had to call SSPCA - not that it ever does much good!!
Anyway I have a tenant I have known quite well who has a history of getting animals and then passing them on when something goes wrong - eg they soil somewhere in the house etc. I have managed to convince her not to have dogs but she still has had cats - and often not with the cleanest litter trays but they are fed well and she does her best with toys and scratch post etc.
Anyway she has had a cat for the last 8 months that is just gorgeous, long haired, laid back, well behaved and very gentle and no issues. She does seem very atatched to the cat however I know this can change so I had said if she ever needed a home for the cat I would take her - as given her nature I was worried she would end up in a house with the many staffies that seem to come as par of the course in the area along with six kids and a tormented cat!!
Well today the call came - can you take my cat?
My boyfriend is overseas until Sunday (and refuses a third cat!), have only just started volunteering with cat protection so a bit early to call on them for advice and the thought of boyf coming home to a cat in the spare room was breaking me out in a cold sweat.
She had moved into temporary accomodation and the wardens had come out and saw the cat and said it had to go - they were making calls to take it there and then - hence the call to me!! This was the situation for a couple of hours and I was working out the logisstics of moving her to mine and dealing with the atomic reaction from boyf when he got back!! lol!!
However thanks to some lovely diplomacy on behalf of one of my collegues we have spoke to the other department and they have agreed to overlook puss! The senior went back out to speak to tenant and she just sent me a delighted text (to my work mobile!) to say that she is being allowed to keep her and my wee panic is over. Not all housing staff are bad bizzums...they do have a heart sometimes lol!!
I do think it is only a matter of time until I end up having a mini rescue on my hands though - so far encouraging people about pet care has worked - it won't always though.
Anyway I now have one happy tenant and a happy cat that gets to stay with its family where it seems perfectly happy.
