Leaving cat in the catbox in the car while nipping to McDs for the toilet

[littlelady012]

Firstly...I would like to point out I did make a thread on here about a woman leaving her baby in a petrol station and going off to smoke and now the same has happened to me I can see I was wrong with what I said

Anyway...had to take the cat to the vet today for a booster vaccination. He is fine in the cat box and even sometimes sleeps in it at home. No fuss when I was driving, and he seemed to be settled just fine as I was getting out of the car.

I was BURSTING for the toilet. Parked about 100 meters away from Mcdonalds, nipped in for the toilet and brought a diet coke. Was gone 2/3 minutes?

Came back and there was a woman pulling on the door handle of my car. Asked her what her problem was and she screaming in my face about how she was going to ring the RSPCA for animal cruelty. I'm pretty sure if I wanted to abuse my cat I wouldn't lock him in a carrier and then strap it in on the front seat so it didn't topple over

I laughed in her face and told her I think the police would have more to say about the fact she was trying to break into my car.

More of a rant then anything, as I know she was completely out of her tree

What do you think...would you do it? If I was gone for a long time and it was a hot day I wouldn't of even thought about doing it...but its been about 10 degrees here and as I said I was gone maybe 2/3 minutes.

 

[loverguts]

I saw your thread...have to say i felt a bit sorry for you when i saw the bashing you got! Us new mums are highly emotional people, hehe.

Anyway, considering you were about to wee yourself and needed a drink - i don't see what the problem was!! Its not like you went on an hour long shopping spree in the baking heat and left your cat to suffer!

Obviously i would feel different about it if it was a baby alone in a car but i don't see the problem with leaving a pet for a few mins, thats just bizarre! And you are allowed to leave your pets for a reasonable amount of time as long as theres ventilation etc.

When i go for dog walks with my mum and sister we sometimes have to leave the dog in the car if we go and have a quick coffee at the cafe near the big woods we go to, if the weathers horrible we sit inside and cant take the dog in there, we've never had any complaints. In fact, the only time we ever got a complaint was once when it was busy and we were outside and someone told us the dog should be in the car while there were a lot of people around

 

[TheSmpsns]

That lady was nuts, however that being said. At the point that she was trying to get into your car, she didn't know how long the cat had been in there. Once you told her, she should have left it alone. It was not hot where you were, so 2-3 minutes is no harm. And what did she expect? for you to bring the cat into the bathroom with you?
I manage a veterinary hospital, and we see pets that are left in cars all the time. However none were for 2-3 minutes. I've done it for a couple minutes.

 

[dotcomfairy]

She would love me. I sometimes put the cat in the boot. I have to if all the kids are with as i cant put it anywhere else. Just be happy that you gave her some sort of entertainment for the day.

 

[staralfur]

I'm not familiar with cats at all, but people (including myself) leave their dogs in the car to run into stores all the time. Not sure why it'd be much different with a cat?

I do leave a window cracked for my pups even if it's not hot out, though. Maybe she was just concerned because she didn't know how long you'd be gone? Though I'm not sure anyone spends a substantial amount of time in McDonalds...

 

[Casey3]

If it was a hot summer day, then yes I'd freak out too but at 10 degrees for 2 minutes I don't think that's a problem. The thing is people don't know how long you're gone for and cars do heat up quickly in the summer time. If I see an animal in a car I panic and stay there til the owners come back too but unless she saw you pull up she wouldn't have known it was only 2 minutes and not 20.

I work at a pet store and I've had the odd owner ask if they could leave their cat or dog with me while they pop into the grocery store or into the mall for a pee on their way home from the vet... I'd rather watch them for 5 minutes than have them sitting in a car

 

[Bumblebee117]

I can just say that if you wouldn't love your cat you wouldn't take it to the vet!

you wouldn't believe it - last week I was in Austria and it was around 30C there every single day. My Oh, twins and I went to a store to get nappies etc. and parked car next to a people carrier, I just happen to look into it when I opened my baby's door an see a sleeping baby/toddler in it. the window was cracked but OMG! without an aircondition switched on for 10 minutes before we set off, I wouldn't even have put my babies in with us in the car!

Who leaves their kids in the car anyways? even in the winter? if they woke up seeing they are alone they'd freak out surely??

but don't worry, cats are different to babies!

 

[Natasha2605]

I suppose her intentions were good, she wasn't to know how long you'd been gone. You could have been gone for hours.

She did over react though! Quite obviously you care about your pets or else you wouldn't be taking them to the vets in the first place!

 

[lace&pearls]

Don't worry, as a fellow cat person I don't see any harm in leaving them for a couple of mins. When you gotta go you gotta go as they say! I suppose she was assuming the cat had been in there a while but she could have just listened to you explain instead of shouting at you... I'm also interested to know what she would have done if she's actually opened the door??? stolen your cat? some people are just busy bodies!

 

[loving_life]

I agree with pp's. The lady wasn't to know you hadn't been very long and wasn't to know you was taking kitty to vet but she should have backed off when you explained and apologised for her actions.
I'd also like to know what she planned to do if she got into the car. Crazy lady lol.

 

[Ozzieshunni]

I'm sorry but What an overreaction! If she were really worried, she could have come in and asked about it.

 

[.rollinn.]

lol i would have called the cops on her,for that reason trying to break into your car. The cat wasn't in any danger. Wouldn't have happened like that where i live.

 

[Annie77]

I don't like animals being left in cars if the window is not open very slightly. Even if it isn't a hot day, things can happen and the animal left for longer than intended. I saw a lady in A&E once having had a stroke in Asda. She was very concerned as she had left her dog in the car whilst she popped in for milk The dog was fine even though it was in car for 3 hours - if the window had been shut it could have ended less happy.
(and the lady recovered well too)

 

[Sunnie1984]

I have to agree

I think you have been visited by one crazy lady!

I agree that maybe rolling the window a crack is a good idea (in case you have a stroke in Asda etc) but I don't see the need for a hissy fit if its 10 degrees.

She certainly shouldn't have started shouting without at least asking you about it first!

 

[alaskagrown]

Perhaps she was one of those pscyhotic cat ladies (we have seen a few pop up on this forum, they do exist). If it were a dog or baby, she wouldn't bat an eyelash. But a cat?!?!? Can NOT be left in caaaaar!

 

[SophiasMummy]

Some people are weird in reality she was probably thinking about stealing your cat. Some woman went mad at me the other day because she tried to pet my dog and i told her he doesnt like strangers. She didnt listen and started walking towards him so he backed away and barked at her (hes nervous of strangers). At which point she started shouting at me that i was lieing and that my dog wanted her to pet him before i said that and that i was making him bark at her! Some people are just weird x

 

[Lucasmum]

Years ago we had a cat that would often sneak into the car and sleep under the passenger seat, more often than not we had to leave the windows open for her when she woke up at Asda, people were always more amused than anything


I did leave Lucas asleep in the car when I nipped to the cash point once, I could see the car it was locked and I was no longer than 2 mins, I could also see and hear the old lady screaming about a child locked in the car, when I got back she told me she was going to report me to SS, so I asked if she would like the direct number to my office, she soon shut up and moved on

Wonder if you got the same nosy cow I did lol

 

[amjon]

I don't see a problem with it. I've left the dogs in the car for an even longer time. Right now I probably wouldn't even for a couple minutes, but it's ungodly hot here (been nearly 100 or almost-F) most days. When it's cooler I've left them for up to an hour while I had to pop in somewhere. The standard I use is if I could sit in the car without AC for that long at the temperature it is without having a problem. I pretty much know how hot the car will get depending on the current temperature/ conditions.