Advice
Urgent!!!! Cat I've been feeding since she was a tiny baby is stuck under my floorboard. No idea how to get her out or how she got there.
I've been feeding her through the small hole. I became concerned after not seeing her for two days because that was very unlike her. She usually stays under the house or on my porch with the other stray cats. I kept hearing faint cries here and there, and today, while I was looking out my back door, I felt the floor move slightly. I pulled back a piece of the flooring, and there she was, her little eyes staring up at me. I feel so helpless. She's such a sweet, beautiful cat, and I love her dearly. Who can I call to help rescue her?
UPDATE - I contacted animal control and a police officer was dispatched. I just got notified that animal control and the fire department both can't help me, as they need permission from management/ landlord to tear the board up. I'll have to wait until the morning to contact the landlord. For the people who keep saying maybe she's stuck. No shit she's stuck!!!! If she knew her way out, she would've come out already. I couldn't get the floorboards up myself, which is why help was contacted!!!!!
You might want to call your local fire department (on a non-emergency line) and see if they can help or if not, refer you to someone who could. Your local animal control may also help.
You need to call the fire department! Even tho you mean well by trying to feed him/her and give water its cruel and im sure the poor baby is so scared. Fire department has rescued animals in far more serious situations and they won't destroy your house trying to do it. Im sure your Landlord will understand. Please update so we know the poor kitty is out safe.
What's cruel? I'm feeding her and giving her water until I can get her out. Would you rather me not feed her or give her water? I'm the one keeping her alive!! I called both the fire department and animal control they both said they need permission to tear up the board because of the laws here.
Just a heads up that it severely depends on where you are what different agencies will do. I had a similar issue— the landlord installed a new washer dryer and never closed the wall and my sick cat hid in the space under the bathtub that was sharing the same water line as the washer.
I called the non emergency fire department, the vet, animal protective services, the landlord, and animal control. No one would do anything.
I got a friend to cut the wall after twelve hours of panic.
Saw your update. Either way you are going to need to pay for the damage. Idk if your security despot will cover it or if they’ll make you pay it up front (hence why I got my friends to help me out with the most expensive parts of taking out a chunk of wall).
Also get to the vet asap after you get her out. Despite you trying to hydrate her, she is going to be dehydrated. Depending on where you are right now temps are high and they only get higher with less ventilation under the crawl space.
Ive had some situations, as a renter, where they wanted owner permission... I literally just tell those people I own. "Can you come help me get my cat out?" "Are you the home owner?" "Yes."
I apologize for using the word cruel. I saw her paw and got overly emotional. You are doing a great job keeping her alive and I cannot imagine the stress and hearbreak that you must be feeling knowing shes there and you cannot get her out. You are doing the right thing by calling the fire department and following through with what needs to be done. I dont know where you live but I do know where I live our vets office carry this supplement that is made for sick cats that wont eat. Even though you are feeding her It has all the nutrients and hydration they need in one. Its something that I think may fit in there for her to lick. It comes in a tube. Again, I apologize and you are doing great. I hope you are able to get in touch with the landlord and they get permission and you are able to get her out soon. Please update and accept my apology.
This broke my heart. 💔 Please try calling a local animal rescue, animal control, or even the fire department if she's trapped under the house. They may have the equipment to help. Thank you for not giving up on her—she's lucky to have someone who cares so much. I really hope she's safe soon. ❤️
The stray cats go in and out of that crawl space all the time. If she knew how to get out, she would. There's an opening at the back of the house; I went in there and couldn't locate her.
My childhood home had a large open crawlspace until a racoon decided to die in a corner and it took us a couple of days to figure out where the smell was coming from. My dad closed it up pretty quickly after that. I recommend to anyone who will listen that crawlspaces should be closed with secure screens over the vents.
Same here, but a rotting possum, in crawlspace directly under my corner bedroom/ bed, during a Los Angeles summer. What a stench!
Put on a hooded Tyvek suit, 2-canister respirator, goggles, duct-taped-on kitchen gloves, plus boots.
(I didn't know the animal was fully dead at that point)
Had a spray bottle of bleach, and drenched the carcass from afar, then crawled close enough to hook it with a rake and drag/push it to the small door. Roommate bagged it and dragged it out.
I stayed awhile longer to drench the whole area with bleach.
Next month the roof then my ceiling leaked, and had to drill holes in the hardwood floor to drain the standing water. Not fun.
Had to call the Health Department on the landlord, twice.
Depends on your state and I could not get a vet, the landlord, the fire department, animal protective services, or animal control to do anything about it. This was in KS in the US. I had to get a friend to cut the wall open.
Yeah, the kitten had to get in somehow. Maybe there's a hole they can be hauled out from? I'd consider vertical holes, cos if it was horizontal, the kitten could have gotten out by itself
Check outside for vents along the bottom of the walls. Some foundations have a mesh vent to prevent moisture buildup. One may have ripped.
If you can't find an entrance, try calling a fire department (not 911, just the direct line) and they'll likely be willing to send someone out to cut a small hole to help it get out, which can be repaired later.
In the meantime provide water. Food is secondary to water.
Yes please call your landlord and let them know you're calling the fire department to help. Think of it this way, even if they're a horrible person who hates cats they would have to rip up the floor to remove a dead animal so might as well do it while the poor babe is alive. Either way they have to allow it to happen.
Obviously not trying to sound callous, I love cats more than anything. Just trying to provide logic to use on the landlord if they are difficult or not understanding about it
The fire department is trained to protect the structural integrity. If you rent, you'll have to work though this with your landlord or eat the cost of repairs.
Is there any screws in the threshold that can be removed to gain a little more space? If so, lower a strip of tough fabric and see if the cat can climb up.
I agree with everyone saying talk to rescues and maybe the fire department. Is there a particular reason you can't open the floor? With a kitten you could get away with a small section of the floor being cut away and it would be enough for her to get up and out. I see you are feeding her but she also needs water- too long without and it damages organs (not trying to scare you or be a jerk).
I went into the crawlspace and couldn't locate her. I called animal control; police were dispatched, and now I'm waiting on animal control and the fire department.
Unfortunately, they usually refuse to help. Has your landlord returned your call? I know this is difficult, but do you know a contractor or handyman? They might be able to cut your floor open. Or maybe there are local groups on Facebook or next door that do animal rescue?
A prybar or crowbar could likely flex that door threshold enough to allow the baby to get through. Wish I could lend a hand in person, but the fire department should get you sorted. Good on you for caring for this unfortunate creature. Best of luck and keep us posted.
You could always call your local fire department non emergency number. My local fire department would come out and rescue them if they are in immediate risk.
No worries- that person is being mean. I get how my comment can be read another way and for that I am sorry! But I doubled down on him to be compassionate and if he assumes that someone is doing such for attention to see that people need people and interaction. I mean he is choosing to be mean just to interact.... could instead post about cats. Would do his heart and soul a lot better.
You can choose to bring light into the world or darkness, my friend. That's your choice. I'm not offended by anything you're saying. Sorry for you though. It stinks to have such a poor attitude. Just brings misery.
You are very soothing thanks for that I do need to chill sometimes. I just want op to do something. That situation they described is ridiculous and stupid in my limited knowledge no way is that cat staying down there if it isn’t engagement bait.
Am I being paid for this engagement? Why TF would I care about engagement that isn't putting money in my pockets? It's good you admitted to having limited knowledge; it's clear as day.
But again you're doubling down on calling them stupid. It's not nice, probably not true and certainly not helpful. It doesn't do anything to help the cat. Infact if this person only had you to talk to they probably would get frozen and be unable to do anything because of their anxiety increasing at the harm caused by making them feel stupid and unworthy of support. The cat got stuck. I'm sure as they have been informed 40 times to just yank out a floor board they will do it.
Cat is probably even unstuck by now if they what a crowbar or pulled out some of the nails Holding it in. I dunno.
Chill though. Life is so short. We only get a brief time in this magical world.
Sometimes the way they got in doesn't let them get back out, but it could also be near the edge of a counter. Sometimes the kickplate is loose or absent and has enough space to wiggle in.
If that grey piece is a running board along the bottom of a wall you can use a knife along the edge to break the paint seal and then pry it loose to get the cat out, then it'll just nail back in place.
Post on your local community Facebook page, nextdoor, and subreddit about this. Someone may have the tools you need and would be willing to come over to help.
You're only going to have to cut a small section, hopefully. You could even try with a hand saw, like the small camping kind that folds. Cut a small block out, then glue in after maybe? If there's a threshold, try to unscrew and remove instead of cutting if it's in the way as it will be harder to patch up nicely.
Tear the floorboard up on your own. Why do you need a landlord or the fire dept to do it? It's not hard to put back. If you wanted to help this cat ASAP, you would've.
I can't get the floorboards up!!!!!!!! I tried for hours and also had other people help me. Obviously, I tried to do it myself before involving others. Use your brain, tf
It's not "obvious" that you did this. In the time you took to post this and bitch about how helpless everything is online you could've gotten tools and solved the problem.
•
u/AutoModerator 10h ago
Click here to read about our new feature!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.