Kitties in Florida

[cjsmith]

My fingers are crossed for Groveland, Florida, where a friend of mine lives in a trailer.

He's going to ride out the storm in a friend's basement, where there will be some sort of gathering of buddies. As for the trailer and its contents, I understand him to say that whatever happens is "fate". Personal possessions aren't meaningful to him.

Two kitties live in that trailer with him. I am worried about them.

Comments

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

I hope that the basement's relatively protected from high water, and that he brings the cats there with him. :/

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Indeed. I asked whether he was planning to bring them, and I don't yet have his reply.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

He's not bringing the cats. I don't have any polite words, except to say that his mind and his heart both work incredibly differently from mine.

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

Is it okay, then, that I offer good thoughts for the cats, but hope he stays safe, but gets very wet and uncomfortable?

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I'm with you, although I doubt he'd learn a thing from it. :-{

[sunnydale47.livejournal.com]

What is he doing with them then? Leaving them there to fend for themselves?

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

That's my understanding, yes.

[sunnydale47.livejournal.com]

After 9/11, my brother -- who lives in a rural area of northern Arkansas, far, far from anywhere a terrorist would have the slightest interest in -- kindly invited us to come and stay with him and my s-i-l any time we were endangered. At first I was relieved -- it felt good to think there was a safe place to go in the event of a chemical or radiological attack on DC. Then I realized: He and his wife are highly allergic to cats, and there's no way they could allow one into their apartment (which would cause them endless problems, as there's almost no way to eliminate the allergen once it gets into a place). I immediately wrote it off completely as a haven.

Later I thought about it and realized I could bring the cats with me and figure out what to do with them when I got there. If necessary, they could be left outside. Although they're declawed, and would be in danger of being attacked, it would be far less risky than if the circumstances were such that I wanted to evacuate. Or perhaps my brother knows someone who likes cats who would take them in temporarily.

However, I do not consider just leaving them alone to fend for themselves in a disaster situation an option.

I'm sorry, Ceej -- I know I'm preaching to the choir here. I just had to vent that.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I hear you. I agree.

In his defense, as of yesterday (or perhaps the day before) he couldn't get out. The roads were clogged and there's no gasoline to be had. Still, I don't know if he even ASKED about bringing the cats to the friend's house.
Hel-LO?

[patgreene.livejournal.com]

His friend has a basement? In Florida? Wow.

*keeping fingers crossed*

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I understand they're not quite as rare as basements in Sunnyvale, but close.

Thanks.

[joedecker.livejournal.com]

Rarer, at least in S. Florida. They'd be below the water table.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Then evidently Groveland isn't in South Florida, eh?

[joedecker.livejournal.com]

That's a 10-4, good buddy. (http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?ovi=1&zoom=2&mapdata=Qg5DZUlxQC8yr3Wx26NjI78dwbuhHFGQ5SR600MYqwRDiPtXbTptcwlRsWmZAD1VfS28deOqxhIpGPPTeWqvq5DVA40bu0bXRA%2fEockAvXvYdFf%2fUXa3bt%2fs9TaLXgM0BO6apzVsklGU5bxvtbytq4Yog%2bs3SFdPArpL525BZF77XEQe%2fD2Eq%2fgL6bfF8tZirNX84IeOjok2D91wF0DlR7TDwC6CCS8TrcgkiH6YC6NChVv9BIXzIc3ZHXsiS8aSJAy%2fDIpUMFeLM2IG1ERtbqEs481IaqRbEqiq0bYALqKSJJ3Jd3ay4PCB2TIulNDQGhcuJHDG2MKg2wBKIZerAw%3d%3d)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I had, in fact, looked it up. :-) Its elevation is 118 feet, which I tell you for your amusement.

[joedecker.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's definitely not Southern Florida then. This page (bottom) (http://www.ecotrail.com/mound_key.htm) lists the highest point in SW Florida as "Mound One", which we later find out reaches the stunning height of thirty-two feet above sea level. (http://www.ecotrail.com/mound_key_slideshow/)

In fact, that puts it above the 100' average elevation for the entire state. (http://www.florida-outdoors.com/enviro.htm)

St. Petersburg never gets above 61'. (http://www.stpete.org/ataglance.htm)

[tsjafo.livejournal.com]

Prayers and good thoughts on the way.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :)