Bye-bye kitty
(Aug. 16, 2007) The guy in front of me at airport security in Arcata wasn’t sure what to do with his cat. “Do I put her through?” he asked, eyeing the x-ray machine nervously.
“No,” the TSA representative said. “Wait until the last possible minute, then take her out of the carrier. Walk through the metal detector with her, then put her back.”
This was a risky plan. Cats employ a fight-and-flight response when thrust into an unfamiliar situation. First the cat attacks whoever is holding it, no matter how long that person has been its sole source of comfort and sustenance, then it runs. There was a clear path to the airport entrance, and the doors were open. It was one of those moments when heightened airport security seemed to carry more risks than benefits. The cat lovers in line braced themselves for a possible chase.
The guy got through screening with his wild-eyed tabby clutched to his chest, and he stuffed her quickly back into the carrier. Once we were settled on the plane, I asked him how the cat was holding up.
“OK, I guess,” he said. “She’s never flown before.”
“Is this a one-way trip, or is she flying back, too?” I asked.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I’m taking her to my parents’ house. I can’t find a rental in Arcata that takes cats.”
What? No cats?
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ONE Comments
Comment / By Jennifer Raymond / Jan. 4, 1:30 a.m.
I am a property manager in Arcata, and I allow cats. It is my experience that a responsible pet owner is generally a responsible tenant. I require that the cats be spayed/neutered and vaccinated, and that they be kept indoors, as the rentals I manage are near a fairly busy street. I’ve found that this policy results in responsible, long-term tenants, and I heartily recommend it to other landlords.