Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Shreveport, LA
Posts: 2947

Today I discovered that I had accidentially locked three of my cats in the shed for about 4 days. They must have followed me in there while I was storing some stuff and obviously I didn't notice them when I locked up. I have Alot of cats outside and one disappearing for a few days isn't to uncommon so I truthfully I didn't even think about it.

When I discovered them today I immediatly fed and watered them after letting them out. Afterward I was surprised to notice that they still acted like they always did, curling around my feet and wanting to be petted. I didn't seem to notice any bad feelings from them (or maybe they were just overjoyed that they were now free.)

I feel guilty for locking them up. I know I wouldn't be to happy about it if it happened to me. I just wonder if it's abuse if done unintentionally? Where are the lines drawn when it comes to determining things like that?

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Registered: Jul 2000
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quote:

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Originally posted by Tefl
. . . Where are the lines drawn when it comes to determining things like that?

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Beatrice, Nebraska
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According to the law these days intent doesn't mean shit. It's how the other party perceives the events.

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Registered: Jul 2000
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quote:

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Originally posted by SocialParasite
According to the law these days intent doesn't mean shit. It's how the other party perceives the events.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Beatrice, Nebraska
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Generally the laws that apply to things such as abuse, sexual harassment, and other crimes such as that. I don't have much experience with laws involving animals, but I doubt they are greatly different in the way they are applied.

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Registered: Aug 2001
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In the UK, you still have to know (or, at least, a 'reasonable person' would have known, which is the kicker, I guess) to be convicted of those offences. They are crimes of intent.

Last edited by Smug Git on 02-05-2004 at 09:57 AM

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Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Oakland-ish
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i imagine neglect falls under the heading of abuse. and though it wasn't intentional, you neglected your cats.

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: zanzibar
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How many cats do you have?

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Minneapolis, MN
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if it were dogs i'd say send you to the chair, but it was cats.

my ex-girlfriends dad has a farm, and i've spent alot of time there in the past. He has anywhere from 25-50 cats at any given time (depending on how many kittens there are). These cats live with no human help other than allowing them in the barns. No food, water, medicine, heat, anything, and they not only survive, they thrive. He must give away or drown 50 kittens/year.

So basically my point is cats are anti-social and independant. They depend on you for very little, if anything, so leaving you for a few days isnt uncommon or even abnormal. And having alot of cats, who could keep track of coming and going anyhow?

Not to pick on Inky but she's the only one who thought you were in the wrong so far (a sorta half wrong i guess): how did he neglect his cats if cats by nature don't allow you 'status reports' like a dog, or child, would. "I havn't seen rover for a few hours, where the fuck is he?" doesn't apply to cats, I don't see how any type of abuse or neglect label could be put on him for this.

P.S. Cats suck anyways

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Registered: Aug 2001
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I'd feel that I was to blame if I locked my cats into a shed, too.

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Registered: Oct 2000
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You're going to burn in hell.

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Registered: Aug 2001
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Surrounded by vengeful homosekshual cats.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Smug Git
Surrounded by vengeful homosekshual cats.

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Shreveport, LA
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I have about 10 cats outside. I say about because they come and go all the time so I'm not really sure. The thing is, I'm not too knocked out about having them. They just started showing up and the next thing I know the place is a flophouse for felines.

I guess Inky is right that it was neglect. I neglected to check the shed, not that I really looked for the animals to begin with. If they don't show up for the daily dumping of food out by the carport then piss on 'em.

While it's not one of those things that will ruin the world and send me to a hell surrounded by vengeful homosekshual cats, I do feel like shit in a way. Nothing deserves being starved and left without water for four days. Much less three of them.

They say curiousity killed the cat. Well, it about killed three of them. It's the cats fault. If they were not so damn nosy they wouldn't have gotten locked up on accident. Blame the cats.

Maybe I need to lock my sister's cat up in the shed. The damned thing is old as hell and crazy to boot. She insists that it stay inside and I am sick to death of it.

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Registered: Sep 2001
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So they weren't even your cats? The plot thickens.

You aren't an old biddie by any chance?

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Registered: Jan 2004
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We don't sweat over what we do to pigs, cows and chickens. All dogs and cats have to do is look cute.

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Registered: Mar 2002
Location: My Own Reality
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quote:

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Originally posted by plum
We don't sweat over what we do to pigs, cows and chickens. All dogs and cats have to do is look cute.

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Registered: Jan 2004
Location: Texas
Posts: 146

Some dumb asshole would probably turn something like that into an animal cruelty and you basically would have no proof. That is what is wrong with this world...accidents aren't allowed to happen anymore and people don't care that something like that truly affects the owner of the animals.

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Registered: Jan 2001
Location: library
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quote:

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Originally posted by MrBig
Pigs, cows and chickens aren't cute so we don't care about killing them.

Isn't that the theory behind babies? Make 'em cute so we aren't as quick to pitch 'em.

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Registered: Oct 2001
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babies always look like winston churchill or my brother-in-law.

cats are cool. you suck for leavin em in there.

but I have a dog. dogs are the best. he's chasin rabbits in his sleep right now and woofin it up and kickin his legs. how cool is that?

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Registered: Feb 2001
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quote:

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Originally posted by Dingle

So basically my point is cats are anti-social and independant. They depend on you for very little, if anything, so leaving you for a few days isnt uncommon or even abnormal. And having alot of cats, who could keep track of coming and going anyhow?

Not to pick on Inky but she's the only one who thought you were in the wrong so far (a sorta half wrong i guess): how did he neglect his cats if cats by nature don't allow you 'status reports' like a dog, or child, would. "I havn't seen rover for a few hours, where the fuck is he?" doesn't apply to cats, I don't see how any type of abuse or neglect label could be put on him for this.

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