Big cat shot dead on east side

**poobert** · August-27-13, 03:18 PM

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...=2013308270060

Along with being just terribly sad, to me, this just screams every that is wrong with this region:

The authorities refused to get involved, inexplicably. We pay for an awful lot of things around here that don't actually appear to serve any purpose. Like the Detroit Police Department, Detroit Public Schools, and Michigan Legislature, to name a few.

The suburbanites who own the cat did not get it chipped or collared. I can tell you that my very conventional dog has both. If I owned something that could be mistaken for a wildcat, I'd probably get right on that. We have more than our fair share of freaking idiots around here.

The predictable reaction of a Detroiter is to shoot first, ask questions later. Like when someone gives you a dirty look. Like when someone disrespects you. Like with everything.

Then people explode about random nonsense about caring about an animal more than humans. I would feel bad about both, but I'm just too tired to care anymore.

I can't help but want to scream when people say they like living in this region because of how nice the people are. Guess they haven't had their pets blown away yet.

**Cliffy** · August-27-13, 03:36 PM

Wow, talk about a drama queen post.

**iheartthed** · August-27-13, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

The predictable reaction of a Detroiter is to shoot first, ask questions later. Like when someone gives you a dirty look. Like when someone disrespects you. Like with everything.

Why would you say that? That was clearly not the first reaction of the residents and you acknowledged that yourself. The residents reached out to Detroit animal control and the Humane Society but didn't get much of a response.

**txlady** · August-27-13, 03:48 PM

I noticed that this story actually hit yahoo news today, it's a shame the animal was killed at the same time after surviving so long on its own.

**poobert** · August-27-13, 03:58 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Why would you say that? That was clearly not the first reaction of the residents and you acknowledged that yourself. The residents reached out to Detroit animal control and the Humane Society but didn't get much of a response.

It seriously took less than a week before what was a large housecat to get shot and thrown in a garbage can. I guess because somebody called somebody first, it's okay.

Judging by the video, it's too bad they're not as quick with a lawnmower in that neighborhood.

**iheartthed** · August-27-13, 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

It seriously took less than a week before what was a large housecat to get shot and thrown in a garbage can. I guess because somebody called somebody first, it's okay.

Judging by the video, it's too bad they're not as quick with a lawnmower in that neighborhood.

So they're supposed to wait around a week for the zoologist to fly in and tell them what to do about something they suspect to be a wild animal? I really don't get this criticism. These people aren't living on the edge of the wilderness where you'd expect a bear or two to rummage through your garbage every now and then. They live in the middle of the city. It's pretty sad that nobody really GAF about them until this cat stumbled into their neighborhood. But when Fox 2 smelled another potential Youtube hit video featuring poor black people to mock, they swooped in as if they actually cared [[see: http://tinyurl.com/ald3yde, http://tinyurl.com/2b6orco, http://tinyurl.com/n2ygukc). Now that the cat's dead people seem to care more about that than they do about the fact that you can expect few protections of living in civilization if you happen to live in northeast Detroit.

**Jimaz** · August-27-13, 05:38 PM

Wikipedia's Savannah Cat article

**poobert** · August-27-13, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

So they're supposed to wait around a week for the zoologist to fly in and tell them what to do about something they suspect to be a wild animal? I really don't get this criticism. These people aren't living on the edge of the wilderness where you'd expect a bear or two to rummage through your garbage every now and then. They live in the middle of the city. It's pretty sad that nobody really GAF about them until this cat stumbled into their neighborhood. But when Fox 2 smelled another potential Youtube hit video featuring poor black people to mock, they swooped in as if they actually cared [[see: http://tinyurl.com/ald3yde, http://tinyurl.com/2b6orco, http://tinyurl.com/n2ygukc). Now that the cat's dead people seem to care more about that than they do about the fact that you can expect few protections of living in civilization if you happen to live in northeast Detroit.

Cry me a river. I live in northeast Detroit and don't go around shooting everything that moves.

Fortunately I find the playing field to be pretty level when it comes to finding idiots to mock around here: most of the population. Particularly when you head to the Downriviera!
http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/23...ate-man-claims

I'm colorblind. I hate everyone equally.

**Locke09** · August-27-13, 05:56 PM

During the week that this cat was being spotted, I don't recall anyone coming forward and saying, "Don't worry, that's just my harmless pet." No one knew for certain what it was until it was killed.

I'm actually more concerned about human beings taking wild animals and forcing them to mate with domesticated animals.

**Zacha341** · August-27-13, 06:11 PM

Yep, first response would have been dead cat the first day! Sad the cat got away from his owner. I have participated in a couple of animal rescues though I am not a pet owner. You gotta tag and chip your pets and do all you can to not let them get out...

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Why would you say that? That was clearly not the first reaction of the residents and you acknowledged that yourself. The residents reached out to Detroit animal control and the Humane Society but didn't get much of a response.

**Zacha341** · August-27-13, 06:12 PM

Yeah, I'm not feeling that particularly. The 'comment' section of the article is wild - from soup to nuts on the subject.

Originally Posted by Locke09

I'm actually more concerned about human beings taking wild animals and forcing them to mate with domesticated animals.

**sumas** · August-27-13, 06:20 PM

Oh Poobert, you make me sad. I am one of those folk who uniformly love my neighbors and my house. I CERTAINLY HAVE ISSUES WITH THE CITY/COUNTY but not my immediate neighborhood. Guess I am stupid according to your rules of life.

I feel bad about the cat, it looked pretty but it should have been contained. I adore cats and actually one lives on the third floor, very sure my neighbors would not appreciate my 3 dogs roaming.

Haven't seen a feral dog pack in ages, pretty sure a neighbor took them out. Frankly I don't care. No police, people do what is necessary, to protect its own. I can walk safely now.

I will say a prayer for you, hate is a very debilitating thing.

**Danny** · August-27-13, 07:14 PM

I once saw a white rat a size of a dog just behind my old northwest Detroit home back in 1991.

I once a saw a small green snake in Rouge Park on W. Warren Ave and Rouge Park Dr. in Detroit-Dearborn Heights border in 2008.

I even saw a pack of Reindeer on Pontchartrain Dr. between W. 7 Mile Rd. and Merill Plaissance Dr. in Palmer Park.

Detroit does have few exotic pets running loose in the ghettoes. There are racoons size of bears, skunks, even poisonous water snakes. If you see those creatures don't approach them, call animal control fast. [[ if they respond.)

**EastsideAl** · August-27-13, 07:17 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...=2013308270060

Along with being just terribly sad, to me, this just screams every that is wrong with this region

What screams everything that's wrong with this region to me is all of the folks who seem far more upset about some big-ass wild cat that in no way belongs in a city [[what kind of fool keeps a wild cat in an urban area?) than they are about the actual people who live in the neighborhood where this thing was running loose. But, of course, total indifference was the response these people [[I'm sorry, gotta get with the Freep comment-speak, "minorities", not people) received when they actually tried to get someone to deal with a large carnivore wandering their neighborhood. Disdain, derision, name-calling, and hate is the [[usual) response they got when one of them actually did something about the damn problem.

**sumas** · August-27-13, 08:08 PM

Animal control in the city isn't too bright. When my son was in preschool he got attacked by a squirrel on the playground. We had to take him to emergency. Other little ones got attacked too. The director called animal control and she got told they couldn't do anything because squirrels are an endangered species

Her husband went and shot the suckers, didn't bother me a bit. If agencies don't do their job citizens will.

**Lily** · August-27-13, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by sumas

Animal control in the city isn't too bright. When my son was in preschool he got attacked by a squirrel on the playground. We had to take him to emergency. Other little ones got attacked too. The director called animal control and she got told they couldn't do anything because squirrels are an endangered species

Her husband went and shot the suckers, didn't bother me a bit. If agencies don't do their job citizens will.

Endangered species, no way. If they are endangered we have hundreds in my neighborhood they can have. Large Red, and in the last few years more and more of the gray/black ones.

Even, as much of an animal lover as i am, my reaction would have been the same, if agencies weren't doing their job, someone had to do it. As cute as they may be, they carry rabies.

**sumas** · August-27-13, 10:06 PM

Originally Posted by Lily

Endangered species, no way. If they are endangered we have hundreds in my neighborhood they can have. Large Red, and in the last few years more and more of the gray/black ones.

Even, as much of an animal lover as i am, my reaction would have been the same, if agencies weren't doing their job, someone had to do it. As cute as they may be, they carry rabies.

That story is old my son is 33 now, but I still am amazed over the sheer ignorance. Maybe rats will be on their list next.

Yes in my college days Danny, we saw rats of amazing size by WSU. Huge suckers. The HOHo Inn rat was my favorite. I'd shoot those suckers too.

I love animals too but there is a limit to what is considered a pet.Like I said, pretty sure my neighbors would be pissed if my dogs roamed free. Esau the cat lives on the third floor cause she doesn't like dogs. Her preference.

**Lily** · August-27-13, 10:13 PM

Originally Posted by Jimaz

Wikipedia's Savannah Cat article

Thanks for the link. Too bad everyone involved wasn't aware of the history surrounding serval or the savannah. The person who caused this to happen however goes back to the breeder and/or owner. For 5 days this has been in the news and no one could own up? No one had the guts to stand up and "its mine, he got away, help me catch him". When i heard an interview on tv last night and a comment was made by resident to the effect of......after it eats all the rats, what will it go after next?, i knew then this cat would be dead within hours.

shame too, on the agencies that could have spoken out loudly and at least have made a serious attempt to avoid this ending.

Lily

**royce** · August-28-13, 02:03 AM

Originally Posted by poobert

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...=2013308270060

Along with being just terribly sad, to me, this just screams every that is wrong with this region:

The authorities refused to get involved, inexplicably. We pay for an awful lot of things around here that don't actually appear to serve any purpose. Like the Detroit Police Department, Detroit Public Schools, and Michigan Legislature, to name a few.

The suburbanites who own the cat did not get it chipped or collared. I can tell you that my very conventional dog has both. If I owned something that could be mistaken for a wildcat, I'd probably get right on that. We have more than our fair share of freaking idiots around here.

The predictable reaction of a Detroiter is to shoot first, ask questions later. Like when someone gives you a dirty look. Like when someone disrespects you. Like with everything.

Then people explode about random nonsense about caring about an animal more than humans. I would feel bad about both, but I'm just too tired to care anymore.

I can't help but want to scream when people say they like living in this region because of how nice the people are. Guess they haven't had their pets blown away yet.

Poobert, I feel you to a degree. When I saw the video of the cat darting around someone's car, I thought to myself, "That's just a big alley cat and people are over reacting." It saddens me that the cat was killed by someone in that neighborhood. However, I disagree with your statement that shooting the cat was a "predictable Detroiter" response. That's a stereotypical statement. As a Detroiter, shooting the cat would not have been my response. However, I'm an animal lover and I don't have small children to worry about getting attacked by a strange-looking animal. If the people in the neighborhood called animal control and the media, shooting the cat was not their first "response." They were patient but maybe not patient enough for you. I understand. It's too bad that the owners of the cat didn't "own" up to losing the cat. They are at fault for not doing more to protect the cat. Again, it's sad that the cat was killed.

**Zacha341** · August-28-13, 04:14 AM

^^^ My thoughts exactly.

**Zacha341** · August-28-13, 04:19 AM

LOL! Don't forget the water bugs and roaches big enough to wear a tuxedo and cast shadows around WSU! Been there, seen that.

I have had pets in the past. My hectic schedule precludes that now. I never forced my dogs and cats on people... put them away for guests not into animals or allergic. And I knew I had to keep my eyes on their whereabouts. Chipping a pet is a good idea too. Friends dog got away on the west side and ended up on the far east side [[where someone took him) but was recovered thanks to having a collar tag and micro chip.

Originally Posted by sumas

That story is old my son is 33 now, but I still am amazed over the sheer ignorance. Maybe rats will be on their list next.

Yes in my college days Danny, we saw rats of amazing size by WSU. Huge suckers. The HOHo Inn rat was my favorite. I'd shoot those suckers too.

**Sharnelle** · August-28-13, 07:19 AM

Wow, there's almost enough material here for a new Broadway play, updating the song from Golden Boy, "Don't Forget 127th Street":

"This neighborhood is classy,
We got rats as big as Lassie"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7AxSDEQg-k

**Hypestyles** · August-28-13, 08:30 AM

hopefully, more suburbanites will come to care about Detroiters being shot and dumped into garbage bins/fields.. we'll see..

**black gold man** · August-28-13, 09:51 AM

Were was the LOST CAT poster at. I am right in the cats prowl and learned about this on the news. My cat stopped going out at night for a few weeks he must have seen this cat because he go's out every night for 10 years. Did the owner report the missing cat to anyone. I looked online and didn't see lost big cat AD anywhere. A big 10 foot pole with a cat toy and some food was all that was needed . I wish I crossed path's with BIG CAT.

**Gistok** · August-28-13, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by poobert

Cry me a river. I live in northeast Detroit and don't go around shooting everything that moves.

Fortunately I find the playing field to be pretty level when it comes to finding idiots to mock around here: most of the population. Particularly when you head to the Downriviera!
http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/23...ate-man-claims

I'm colorblind. I hate everyone equally.

Good Lord... are you still here? Didn't you recently post that you were leaving this God forsaken area to go move to some utopia where things are not killed or suburbanites are to be respected?