What just happened.

[Julie]

Hi, I was putting out the garbage when 3 young people came to the door. They asked if I'd seen a (particular) cat and I had to say no, but then one of them who, to me looked about 16 and began to cry, said the cat was her son's 'therapy' cat, and that her son had apnea... the cat would wake him when he had an event. I asked if he was on Cpap, and she said no, and that "the surgery didn't help". (my comment here). I told her the surgery was usually crap (well, didn't say it that way) and she should see another doctor (not that he could reverse things unfortunately). But I also gave her the e-add for the forum, so I hope she writes in. Maybe she can get some useful advice!

[JimP]

I'm sure its the suspicious nature in me but that sounds too much like people trying to find a home to rob.

The last time a group came through our neighborhood doing this door to door canvasing, the sheriff that them on the hood of his patrol car within 20 minutes.

Did you know these people?

[Julie]

What are you talking about?

It was just someone who lives nearby walking up the street, probably saw my own cat in the doorway when I opened it to take out the garbage, and decided to ask if I'd seen their cat. Where do YOU live that you're so suspicious of people? This is the most benign place and the people very nice, and there's such a pathetic lack of crime it's not funny. Maybe someone has one drink too many once in a while... the extent of what goes on here. Plus I'm in Canada, and no one has guns here except for (licensed) hunting and people don't rob each other daily... once in a long while maybe.

Wow, I feel sorry for you!

[LSAT]

What are you talking about?

It was just someone who lives nearby walking up the street, probably saw my own cat in the doorway when I opened it to take out the garbage, and decided to ask if I'd seen their cat. Where do YOU live that you're so suspicious of people? This is the most benign place and the people very nice, and there's such a pathetic lack of crime it's not funny. Maybe someone has one drink too many once in a while... the extent of what goes on here. Plus I'm in Canada, and no one has guns here except for (licensed) hunting and people don't rob each other daily... once in a long while maybe.

Wow, I feel sorry for you!

Julie... ...Wake up!...This happens all the time. This was on the news today....You don't need a gun.
http://news.yahoo.com/video/woman-track ... 06681.html

[palerider]

Julie... ...Wake up!...This happens all the time. This was on the news today....You don't need a gun.

did you consider, even for a moment, that maybe, just maybe, julie knows her neighborhood better than you do?

[JimP]

Julie's original post didn't mentioned whether she knew them or not.

I presumed (big mistake) that by not mentioning that she knew them that they were strangers.

My bad.

[herefishy]

Julie is very fortunate to live in a peaceful neighborhood and have no need of the suspicions that we in the states have had to develop. Don't think it has anything to do with guns, just meanness.

[Julie]

Thank you PR - I am quite awake. Did you ever consider that there could be a country where people do NOT walk around with loaded guns, looking for trouble and causing more? You're so entrenched in your cops and robbers way of life down there you've forgotten (or never known) anything different. It's beyond sad. And what's happening there with cops vs people you enslaved and have treated like crap ever since is terrible. You have a country that's terrific in so many ways, but until you get out of your mindsets you'll never know what it is to be free, not afraid of your shadows or neighbours or think in a war mentality.

And no I don't know those kids (they were so young compared to me ), but I had no reason to think anything bad about them... just felt sorry for the one with the lost cat and sad kid. Strangers here are friends we don't yet know, not potential criminals! And I live in a city, not some backwoods little town.

[LSAT]

Julie... ...Wake up!...This happens all the time. This was on the news today....You don't need a gun.

did you consider, even for a moment, that maybe, just maybe, julie knows her neighborhood better than you do?

The people that do this are NOT from the neighborhood.

[palerider]

And no I don't know those kids (they were so young compared to me ), but I had no reason to think anything bad about them... just felt sorry for the one with the lost cat and sad kid. Strangers here are friends we don't yet know, not potential criminals! And I live in a city, not some backwoods little town.

I think the knee jerk reactions missed the interesting point that you raised...

the cat was her son's 'therapy' cat, and that her son had apnea... the cat would wake him when he had an event.

I hope they take your advice and get a cpap, it's a lot better than being pawed by a cat all night long... it might cut down on apneas, but it'll fracture the hell outta your sleep!

[jnk...]

Although it may be possible for a cat to wake someone during an apnea--especially when the person's gasping is particularly irritating to the cat--I personally would not consider there to be any such thing as a medically-accepted concept of a trained therapy cat for apnea until I read about it somewhere particularly reputable. So I assume the kids were saying that the cat is a cat that helps the kid relax and that the cat also happens to sometimes wake him during some apneas.

[palerider]

Although it may be possible for a cat to wake someone during an apnea--especially when the person's gasping is particularly irritating to the cat--I personally would not consider there to be any such thing as a medically-accepted concept of a trained therapy cat for apnea until I read about it somewhere particularly reputable. So I assume the kids were saying that the cat is a cat that helps the kid relax and that the cat also happens to sometimes wake him during some apneas.

I, much like Julie, I imagine, find it interesting that the discussion went into OSA... as opposed to just some kind of generic "oh, we're looking for a cat"

[jnk...]

TheraKitty--For when
there's a breathing paws
in REM!

Trade in your CPAP for C-CAT,
so you can catch gasps
as only a cat can!

CALL NOW!!!

(Sorry, Julie. You know I can't help it.)

[Guest]

Although it may be possible for a cat to wake someone during an apnea--especially when the person's gasping is particularly irritating to the cat--I personally would not consider there to be any such thing as a medically-accepted concept of a trained therapy cat for apnea until I read about it somewhere particularly reputable.

could that be because you live in the states where cats are afraid?
on another note what kind of service animal would run away, well unless it was being abused

[Julie]

A little OT, but maybe not... I had a cataract removed 2 yrs ago, with what I consider to be 'mixed' results, and to this day, my cat comes over and (closely) checks out my eye all the time. He knows/knew something wasn't right. Plus he sleeps beside me at night and never messes with my mask or anything. But then he's Supercat, so I don't expect anything less.

Look, somehow that other cat got out... happens to lots of us once in a while (they're fast!), and while he may not have been a trained, registered, licensed ( ) Therapy cat, he obviously was acting like a good, aware, sensitive friend to that child, so they'd like to have him back. Don't complicate it.