Is this frugal or stubborn?

**shoiji** · 07-23-2011, 10:05 AM

Was speaking to a friend. Could not understand that during the heatwave she did not leave the ac on while at work since she live on the second floor and has a cat.

The reason being she said she got home and it was so hot inside that she decided to turn the ac on. I keep trying to tell her that she needs to make sure it is cool enough for the cat. We haven't had a heatwave this bad in a long time. For some reason she thinks her cat is ok.

Realize it is her decision but the thing is she has hundreds of dollars in credit with the utility company because of cooling assistance that she gets every year. After speaking with her it came out she was worried about using up all the credits.

**Imarachne** · 07-23-2011, 10:09 AM

Our elderly neighbor doesn't have AC nor has she ever had it but everyone keeps telling me when I worry about her that she is used to it. I can't make anyone listen. I'm an older person myself and I used to love basking in the sun but now I can't. The temperature today with the heat index is supposed to be 110 !

**Spirit Deer** · 07-23-2011, 10:39 AM

My in-laws also stubbornly resisted using AC. In their case, they could afford it, so there was no real reason to suffer like they did.

I think being able to afford something you need and not buying it is the definition of being miserly, not being frugal.

If I lived where it was consistently very hot in the summer, I wouldn't consider not using AC if there was any way at all I could afford to. IMO, that would be like trying to get by up here in the winter with no heat. Sure, we'd survive, but our quality of life would be so low it wouldn't be worth any savings. It's also a health issue.

Oh, yeah, and we go on vacation and leave the AC on because our five cats stay home. It would be cruel to do otherwise, and we just figure it's a part of the cost of vacationing.

Poor kitty. I've never understood why people don't think animals feel pain or heat or cold or thirst and why they should just suffer. Even if your friend would have the AC on but at a higher temp than when she's home, it would help.

**Debbie-cat** · 07-23-2011, 10:49 AM

That's not being frugal...it is being stupid. Unless she has fans running to help the cat, she is neglecting it. I sure hope the cat survives the heat.

**annymoll** · 07-23-2011, 11:02 AM

We do not use air, although we have it and can afford it.I consider it a modern luxury. I have not acclimated myself to the cool, so I do not feel uncomfortable without it although sometimes, yes,it can be a bit uncozy.I sweat sometimes.I am thinner and in great health, so I am sure that makes a difference as well.What did people do without it so many years ago?I can still see Grandma, in her 80's, out in the garden with a long gray skirt, a bonnet , hose and shoes!Ugh!!!!!!!!!If the house is opened and they have water and fans then kitty will be okay.Ours head to the basement, or lay in the sunroom.

**fernykins** · 07-23-2011, 11:16 AM

I watch my neighbor shes in her mid 80's. Her son did put a window cooler in her kitchen but she wasn't using it. I had to goover and turn it on for her. The heat was making her sick. I don't do well in the heat or the cold. They both cause me to have breathing problems so I'll run them cause I don't like the hospital..
Fern

**krbshappy71** · 07-23-2011, 11:30 AM

You could suggest she purchase (or give her one) a digital thermometer so she can see how hot it gets for the cat. She may just not realize how hot it is, unless her apartment has a digital read-out that she can glance at. My parent's old house had a dial-thing that you could set the temp, but the dial didn't move on its own to show what temperature it actually was. So when it was hot, it just felt hot, but we didn't know how hot.

I have one in the hedgie room as they need higher heat than the other animals but can't get too hot, either. Here's an example one that I bought: Fluker's ® Digital Thermometer - Humidity Control - Reptile - PetSmart

Hope that link works. Anyhow it has large digital numbers. Perhaps in her mind its not as hot as it really is.

My dogs don't get the AC when I'm at work for the night shift, they get the windows and fans. They'll get it when I start back on days and am not home to gauge the temperature myself. We keep the house set to 82 and have a free-standing AC.

**dancemommy** · 07-23-2011, 12:01 PM

I understand wanting to save money, but to me AC is a necessity. The amount of money that we spend on AC in the summer is still less than we spend on heat in the winter and worth every penny.

**many houseapes** · 07-23-2011, 12:18 PM

Since she's on the second floor, she can leave her windows open (if they are not by the balcony(theives))...and leave alot of water for the cat.Even though animals can adapt better than we can to temperatures, she should at least have some airflow for the kitty.

**Dancing Lotus** · 07-23-2011, 05:04 PM

People complain my house is too hot, I will often get the chills. It's totally what you get used too.
I understand not wanting to keep the place chilled when she isn't home but she could set the A/C to something like 85 or so. It would be warm but the cat would not be in any danger.

**mauimagic** · 07-23-2011, 05:26 PM

Thoughtless and careless come to mind. While everyone may have their own take on this situation - for me the bottom line is that if we take on the responsibility of have personal pets, we ae also responsible for their health - at all times.

**lparker** · 07-24-2011, 10:25 AM

Anthropomorphism - giving human attributes to non-humans

Cats are desert animals and can stand temperatures way higher than I care to.

Why do cats lie in the sun? | Way of Cats blog
Heat Tolerance - VetInfo
Heat Stroke in Cats - VetInfo

That said - it depends on the cat - long-haired, old, young, sick cats generally have less heat tolerance than healthy short-haired cats.

**shoiji** · 07-24-2011, 02:41 PM

I guess what bothers me is the way she cares for her cat. The cat has NEVER been vaccinated. She will let the cat out on the second floor balcony unsupervised and would let a stange outside cat come and visit her cat. Which is fine I guess if your cat has all its shots. The other day she was talking about how much hair was coming off her cat. I asked if she used the mitt I gave her to brush her cat. She said she was not sure where it was. She also tells her cat not to get sick. Some things just do not make sense to me.

**Anna43** · 07-24-2011, 03:54 PM

Some people just should not own pets. If you cannot or will not care for it properly, get rid of it. I personally don't like pets in the house but when we had them I took care of them properly. I don't like abuse. I guess you could check with a vet as to how dangerous this is for the cat. It might be as the poster above said that the cat is fine.

**Persimmon Lace** · 07-24-2011, 04:00 PM

The cat is fine. It will find a cool spot and lay in/on it. We had a cat for years and did not have a/c and our cat laid in the tub. Good grief.

And if you think she should get rid of it, should she take it to a pound so it can be killed? It's her cat and it's really no one's business. The world would be a lot better off if we were half as worried about people instead of animals.