Big Badger House (aka Noisy Lodger) HE'S GONE!

spirit

Hmnn, well one of them has had too much to drink in the bar and possibly brought a bed-guest home with them :eek:

Badger_Lady

Okay, so it's all kicked off.

Last night I came to Glastonbury (those who know me know that this is my big holiday every year, which I enjoy as an Oxfam volunteer). I rocked up in my campervan, went to staff briefings and put my head down full of excitement for the days to come.

Except this morning I woke to a long text message from BigBruvLodger:

Badger be fair i thought you where going 2 get some cat food before u went i came down this morning more !!!! 2 clear up, i like to come home and chill after work BigGunsLodger oviously aint interested in taking half with me i.e feeding it ect, something needs 2 be sorted to be honest i dont want the responsibility dont mind a couple of days but not most of the time. sorry to moan but ilike children u have clean up after it, feed it love it .and they get under your feet , dont want kids either at the mo :

Now, given that I offered long ago to hand Tufter's care tobthe elderly neighbours, set the auto-feeder etc and was repeatedly told by BigBruv "No, don't be daft - I don't mind watching him", and tgat for the last fur weeks when I was working in London he did just that, deducting any food costs from his rent (and apparently paying much more for food than I ever did), this was quite unexpected.

In fact, I kind of burst into tears because I was helpless - I had just arrived on a muddy campsite with no escape for a week, and suddenly all I wanted was to see my little furball and give him a squeeze.

So the text message argument got a little heated and I told the lodger I'd rather he left than the cat. After all, not only has Tufter been my constant companion since I adopted him 8 years ago, bur he's also an old man who loves his home and would undergo huge stress if forced to leave. At his age, it could kill him.

So BigBruv said ge would start looking for places, saying he 'doesn't need this agro' and I've taken that to be his 1 month notice.

I phoned the old neighbour who's bedn round to collect Tufter, and as soon as I get home I'll advertise the room 'for cat lovers only'.

Tufter is not difficult to look after. He has two needs: Felix cat food and access to his cat flap. If you neglect to feed him, he'll ask for food, and if you trap him indoors he'll do his business in a corner - I think that's pretty normal for cats.

Let's hope BigBruv's new home will give him less aggro! Fingers crossed his next landlady will give him the house to himself all week too, but with no trade offs at all!

Lisey_Loo

Sorry but that bloke is an idiot!!! :mad:

It`s a cat!!!! Like you say they don`t need a huge amount of care, what`s his problem???

He can hit the road...pronto!!

Hope you`re feeling a bit better now BL, there`s nothing worse than being away from home & not being able to deal with a situation.

Try & enjoy Glasto & don`t let him spoil it for you...

BitterAndTwisted

He's a tosspot for doing this to you. The very least he could have done is to have discussed it with you face-to-face like a normal adult would and then you could have made arrangements with the neighbour before you'd gone. So, he's a cowardly tosspot as well. Sod him!

Badger_Lady

Thanks guys!

I've downloaded the Spareroom iPhone app and sent some messages to people on there, so let's see how it goes.

Unfortunately I can't seem to calm down :-( I've gone to bed early 'cos I have to go to work at 4am, but I'm still reeling

Work will clear it from my mind! The important thing is that Tufter's got willing foster parents for the week, that !!!!!!'s on his way out, and I'm in a campervan at Glastonbury festival! Come on!

x

Sensible_Jess

Aaah, hugs to you B-L - at least Tufters is being looked after now - don't let the row spoil your break.

If I may offer a word in BigBruv's defence (please don't hate me - read this in a day or so), looking after someone else's pet full time is different to just putting down food at the right time when the owner's not there for the weekend.
I'm speaking as a cat lover (and owner) myself. Even the most independant of cats will start seeking a bit of affection from the humans who surround him if his regular cuddler isn't about for a bit.

Sounds like BigBruv can't cope with being needed!!

I'm sure Tufters will be getting royal treatment from your neighbour though:)

(But agree that sending you a text was not the mature way of BigBruv discussing this with you)

S-J

Badger_Lady

No hatred, S-J

I've now contacted a local cat-sitting service. It does sound a bit daft though: "hello, yes, could I please pay you £7 a day to open one of those packets on the shelf there? Yes, yes there are two people in the house every day but they rather object to doing it you see".

The fact is that I'm not going to remOve Tufter from his home at this late stage of his life. So if BigBruv really can't stand sharing a huge three-storey house with an elderly cat he used to be dotty about, then it's best he leave.

Tufter would be coming to London with me if he were young and adaptable enough, and of course if the guardianship programme allowed it! I wouldn't have so readily made the move to London if BigBruv hadn't been so insistant about taking the cat on for weekdays.

Tufter doesn't love going to the neighbours, sadly... He cowers behind the sofa while they chainsmoke all day. And he tries to run home so they keep him locked in with a litter tray. But they do love him.

Badger_Lady

Just got a new unsolicited message

Badger you go about cryng well this whole affair has done my head in im just a !!!!in temamt 2 u , wel i may drink but i dont like being taken the !!!! out off ile find another place , im so !!!!ed off i feel well used and you need to grow up one day tou will be a tenant and canttbexpress your feelings , well i aint that desperate im moving on thx for trying 2 make me look the bad guy to Neighbour

I'm not going to reply... He obviously has had a drink and anything I said would just prompt more abuse

top_drawer_2

Lol its a real pity you are too far away from me as I would very much like a cat to love and an elderly one would be exactly the things as he wouldnt be interested in catching my guinea pigs. Also that your too far away for me to consider moving as I rent and would love having a house to myself all week. He sounds a right numpty.
TD

Badger_Lady

Well I never did reply to that last message but I did get another, more sober, one this morning:

Hi Badger look i dont like falling out with anyone or hurting peoples feelings, but i also got feelings to, anyway not just through that episode there are other reasons but i will be moving out as i said in case you want to advertise the room thats al ,

This time I did reply:

Thanks BigBruvLodger. It's OK, I just wish we could have spoken properly instead of the sudden explosion. I'm always willing to make changes for you - it's just sometimes difficult to tell whether you want a change or whether you're just having a moan. I've got someone lined up to view on Monday, and a cat sitter can stop in to feed Tufter while you serve your notice. I think that's pretty positive action from someone at Glastonbury! x

He just said "cool x".

I have got someone lined up for Monday. He's having to claim benefits but is the same age and has the same hobbies as BigGunsLodger, plus he has a white fluffy cat that his mum's keeping hold of (because she loves it) so he's happy to transfer his feline affections to Tufter.

And the local cat sitter is coming for a consultation. Each visit is £8 plus petrol so it's not a cheap option!