Family is trying to kill me!

Specialties Private Duty

Published

My patient's family has 2 cats. They don't behave at all - not sure if cats ever behave. Anyway, I have been at work for a little over an hour and the have blown an air horn at them at least 5 times - my heart just about stops every time! Good grief!

Those are some great ideas. I'll casually mention them the next time the cats "behavior" is mentioned. I would just like the air horn to disappear. :)

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Specializes in Psych.

We had a cat that began hopping on kitchen counters during the night. My mom solved it by applying a light coating of Crisco to the counters before going to bed. We heard a crash in the night and that was the end of the cat jumping up there. We followed up for a few days with a sprinkling of baking soda on the counters and there were no paw prints ever again.

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Specializes in Transitional Nursing.

Yeah....These people have no business whatsoever owning animals.

I don't know much about private duty....but I would think it would be reasonable to ask them to maybe not blow the horn while you're there. I mean, really. It can't be good for your patient, either. An AIRHORN? Seriously?! That can damage your hearing!!

Poor kittys!

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We had a cat that began hopping on kitchen counters during the night. My mom solved it by applying a light coating of Crisco to the counters before going to bed. We heard a crash in the night and that was the end of the cat jumping up there. We followed up for a few days with a sprinkling of baking soda on the counters and there were no paw prints ever again.

I would hate to have to clean that mess up! Lol

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Yeah....These people have no business whatsoever owning animals.

I don't know much about private duty....but I would think it would be reasonable to ask them to maybe not blow the horn while you're there. I mean, really. It can't be good for your patient, either. An AIRHORN? Seriously?! That can damage your hearing!!

Poor kittys!

I agree. I told them that it scared me half to death the first time it happened. Dad just laughed. Didn't stop him. They don't do it in the same room as me and the patient so I guess they think if shouldn't bother me.

I'm sooooo tempted to blow it in the middle of the night and just claim to be helping train the cats!

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Specializes in Pediatric.

I agree. I told them that it scared me half to death the first time it happened. Dad just laughed. Didn't stop him. They don't do it in the same room as me and the patient so I guess they think if shouldn't bother me.

I'm sooooo tempted to blow it in the middle of the night and just claim to be helping train the cats!

DO ITTT! Some of these people are a few fries short of a Happy Meal.. And I say that with all the love, compassion, and respect in the world.

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Specializes in Pediatric.

PS every time I see the title to this thread I crack up! It takes me aback and then I remember what it's about.

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Well, I am a cat person and I can tell you that declawing is about the worst damn thing you can do to a cat. It leads to other behavior problems. Now that it's done, however, you can't go back and fix it.

Not wanting them IN the kitchen or entryway is insane. Cats, as already mentioned, are incredibly curious creatures. Mine are in the kitchen all the time waiting for me to drop something. They do not go on counters or on the dining room table. That was accomplished by saying NO and taking them off immediately.

Using an air horn is abusive to you, the child and the cats. Honestly, these people don't need cats. The agency needs to intervene and say that an air horn used IN a home is not acceptable while an agency nurse is present. Certainly someone could report the situation to the humane society.

I would definitely document his heart rate increases and the circumstances surrounding it so you (or whatever day nurse goes to appointments) can address it with the PCP.

I disagree with your statement about declawing. I have four happy indoor cats who are also declawed. No weird behaviours at all. My veterinarian is a wonderful man, kept each cat over night following the procedure, gave them something for pain, and the next day when I picked each one up, they were happy and quite comfortable jumping up and down from their usual heights. Negligible post-op discomfort (they all behaved normally), no bleeding, and all of them are happy cats.

The rest of your comment however is absolutely true and I agree with every word.

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One of my cats is declawed (we got her that way after her old owners abused her). She's really my moms cat. Poor thing, when she jumps on my moms bed, half the time she can get a grip and just falls off. Who said cats were graceful ;)

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Specializes in Transitional Nursing.

Declawing a cat is one of the most inhumane things you can do. It leaves them defenseless if they ever get out, for one and it is a painful surgery for two. This is my opinion I'm not saying people who declaw are bad people but please do research before you do this. Cats were not meant to have their claws surgically removed. It is like us getting our fingernails ripped out......

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

No a pet-owner, and definitely not a cat person BUT if you don't want a cat with claws- DON'T GET A CAT to begin with!!

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Specializes in Transitional Nursing.
No a pet-owner, and definitely not a cat person BUT if you don't want a cat with claws- DON'T GET A CAT to begin with!!

Yes!! An alternative would also be to adopt a De-clawed shelter cat.

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