Why I dive for Cats and you should too!
It was a cold and crisp fall day. The sky was bright blue and the deciduos trees were vibrant with various shades of orange and red. The ground was slightly frozen and I knew soon the leaves would all be gone, and winter would inevitably be here.
As I prepared for my open house, I made a mental note of how good I looked in my brand new Ann Klien suit. I carefully pulled on my new Nordstrom hose, and the heels I only wear when I want to make a first impression. I made my open house checklist: Professional attire: check, Signs for schlepping: check, sign in book: check, flyers and cards :check, 16oz double Starbucks latte to avoid caffiene withdrawels in the 3 hours,: check.
I was looking forward to meeting some fresh new prospects as I rounded the corner of this distinguished neighborhood.
As always, I arrived 15 minutes early to greet my seller as they were leaving. She was hurried, but pleasant. She said, “ I only have one thing to tell you: DON’T LET THE CAT GET OUTSIDE OR YOU ARE FIRED”.
Alrighty then…
Your royal highness Sophie was “ locked” in the laundry room with all of her earthly needs met and there was a large note on the door. “ DO NOT OPEN THIS DOOR OR LET THE CAT OUT!” It was quite the feline executive suite I might add, including a kitty climbing gym, food, water, and a nice soft beddy bye.
As the open house guests began to pour in, I enjoyed meeting several new people and showing them the many features of this high end home. One guest was a neighbor who happened to leave me her phone number because she had relatives moving to town.
As I meandered through the house, I landed in the living room with a particularly slick looking couple asking probing questions about the house. There were a half dozen people coming and going. As we were looking through the large picture windows observing the newly landscaped front yard, I noticed- in horror-… her majesty frolicking in the grass. In mid sentence, I said…” EXCUSE ME, I have a little issue to address…ummm… BRB!”
At first I went to the laundry room, and you guessed it: DOOR WIDE OPEN NO KITTY.
Bounding through the front door nearly trampling the innocent newcomers who must have noted the crazed look on my face, I lunged after the cat and was flat on my stomach on the grass.( The ground was cold and hard, but the grass was still green enough to stain my new skirt.) She sensed my on coming nervous breakdown, and scampered off into the bushes bordering the neighbors house.
I quite literally DOVE into the bushes, while several open house lookers were gazing out the front window at me. With my derriere in mid air, I attempted to grasp the cat while the bush put a semi permanent scar across my left cheek bone, and my pewter hose were now accented with shades of brown on both knees. Although I am a church going Christian, I do recall mumbling a few four letter words, and none of them were "meow".
She ran. I now had a much more serious problem. I ran into the house and called the neighbor.
Umm…can you bring a search party over and help me find the missing cat? I am really in a bind, and you see I have people roaming around wondering if I am a nutcase and I need to catch this cat or I am in big trouble. She said she and her two boys would be right over. With the open house onlookers still wondering what was going on, we began to run around the yard yelling “ Here kitty kitty…”
A stroke of genius flashed into my mind…TUNA!
I ran into the kitchen with my semi bloody, muddy new look- and began to search the cupboards for tuna.
BINGO. Now I need to find the can opener. Rifling through the drawers, more people were coming and going, and the slick couple were still admiring the slate fireplace.
Breathless, I ran back outside with the tuna - nearly trampling the next set of open house lookers. Wordless- the neighbor boy pointed to the picture windows, and gawking at us from inside the house, were the slicks, a few others, and… you guessed it…the cat.
You have GOT to be kidding me.
The neighbor said…"Oh, yes- there is a dead ringer for miss Sophie in the neighborhood. Her suitor, who often admires her from afar." Those words “ dead ringer” took on a new meaning as I had a momentary lapse of sanity and visualized myself ringing the royal neck of the great Sophie.
Crisis averted.
With what I am not sure is humility or humiliation, I went back into the house, now smelling of the tuna that was dripping down my arms because I did not have time to drain it. How attractive I must have looked and smelled while apologizing to the slicks. (oh duh toilet albacore...a new fragrance?)
I put the cat back in the laundry room and put a CHAIR in front of the door. At that point I am sure the open house guests wondered if I was the one who should be locked in there!
Pulling myself together, I continued greeting people as if nothing happened.
You see, there are many hazards of this business and it never ceases to amaze me what is around the corner. It is actually one thing that endears me to real estate. I am never bored.
I truly care about what is important to my clients- and yes- I dive for cats and so should YOU!
(PS YES this is a true story!)
BethAnn Long ~ Spokane Realtor- Coldwell Banker Tomlinson South Inc.
509-362-4607
...there's no place like your home!
Absolutely purrfect story.
wow, that was a great Post thank you fror sharing
BethAnn...The trials of open house"war-fare", we have indoor cats too ours must stay indoors as the creatures who roam our property eat cats. It is always a battle when we are having a get together to close them in and put a note on the door. An open door is the same as a jail break for our feline friends.
BethAnn,
Reminds me of a winter night years ago. I was showing a young single lady homes. The showing instructions said "don't let the cat out". Little did I know there was a half wall right beside the front door. As soon as I cracked the door to see if I could see the cat she was gone. It was cold and dark and it took us about 20 minutes to find her and get her back inside. Thankfully my client had a way with cats because the cat wouldn't let me get within 20' of her.
It's a lucky day when you can catch a stranger's cat!
you know, on a different network, in a different universe, this might have been a slightly different story. (I hope Sardi doesn't find it).
What a great story and glad you can share/laugh at things like this!
BethAnn:
Thank you so much for making my day, got my Monday morning off with a smile. I think you have a great life lesson in your story though. We must sometimes go to extremes to meet our clients needs. Congrats on a job well done!
BethAnn.... what a funny story... it brings back memories of a similar incident I had with a cat too while showing a property! She bolted out the front door. Luckily my clients and I were able to caputre her and return her to the house! But it took us 15 minutes to catch her!
Who ever said our job was dull??
I got a call one night that the cats (multiple cat household) were on the front lawn of my listing... agent left the front door of the house open. Key was in the electronic lockbox... it was too late for her SUPERKEY to work so I had to run.... neighbors corraled the kitties....
I lost the listing.
Great story.
BethAnn,
Oh my! That is the funniest open house story I think I have ever read here in the Rain! You were one determined lady!
Best story of the day!!! I would have been fired. The Magic Tuna works for (my wife's) kitties! Great photo too. Thanks for the grin.
Beth Ann: That's funny! You made me laugh. Congratulations on your feature. We're off to Priest Lake the week after next! Take care.
Such a great post!!!!!!
When we first moved here I put someone elses cat in our house before I noticed that now there were two black cats in the living room...and they seem to hate each other. Well, there you go. At least you didn't get fired!
When we first moved here I put someone elses cat in our house before I noticed that now there were two black cats in the living room...and they seem to hate each other. Well, there you go. At least you didn't get fired!
:) Great story. Thanks for sharing. I now know others have tough days too!
Sounds like you kept your word to protect the cat and your job! Thank you for posting!
Karen
BethAnn, Oh my! As a cat owner for many years I recognize this plight....but not in a suit and at an open house. Very funny story!
Now that is one very good reason not to take a listing where the cat has to stay in the house! I love dogs. Cats? Not so much. Very funny story, thank you for the laugh!
Great story, I could picture you frantic look on your face. The visitors to your Open House walked away with a great story....as did YOU.
Thanks for sharing and making laugh out loud in the office on a Monday morning! Been there done that...minus the p-hose of course! :-)
Awesome story - thanks for a Monday morning laugh out loud moment!! Since I'm a cat lover, I always am fearful of just such a disaster - so far I've only had to sweet talk one escaped indoor only kitty - & luckily no diving (or tuna) was required... I'm pretty sure that none of your open house crowd will forget you!! :)
This is hilarious. What a great way to start off the week! It's a secret fear of mine that I'll spend a day chasing an escape artist kitty through the city.
Great story...brings back memories of more than one episode of an "escapee" in my real estate career. Keep laughing..
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO COMMENTED! I was pleasantly surprised to wake up this morning to a GOLD STAR! That always makes my day, and so do all of my Active Rain friends!
As a cat lover I was just imagining how on earth you were going to get her majesty back! I have cats that always sneak out any open door and they know you are out to get them. So I am glad she has a double next door-you could have been on cat patrol for a long long time. Hope the house sold!
I hope this house sold! A colleague of mine, many years ago, was showing a listing and the instructions were "don't let the cat out". The agent and buyers went outside into the backyard, and when returning to the house, a cat was sitting OUTSIDE next to the door. The agent scooped up the cat and put it in the house. When the owner came home, they had TWO cats! The one sitting by the door was merely a visitor! Sellers should cage their animals during showings, it should not be our responsibility to watch over them. I don't recall that paragraph in the listing contract!
The picture of the Cat is HILARIOUS!!!!
Maybe you should make that your new tagline. Since 1/2 of the pet owners are cat people, you could probably tap into a whole new market. Great story, and I'm sorry about your outfit ;-(
YES THE HOUSE $OLD!
Queen cat! CCCCooooolllll!
I think perhaps sellers are asking a bit much when they say "Don't let the cat out." Cats are slippery creatures and don't often like strangers. As for putting them in a room with a closed door... that's fine if you had only one open house visitor at a time and could accompany them through the house. Otherwise, it's just a temptation. People just "have" to see what's behind that closed door!
Responsible cat owners need to have a cage on hand for open houses - or a room with a locked door.
Great Story! Your writing skills make reading your blog a pleasure. Anyway I did an open house where the owners wanted the cats to stay inside and the entire time I was fetching them up from outside and bringing them back in only to have one or both back outside the moment my back was turned. What's funny is that some of the visitors stood there with the door wide opened and watched them walk out then didn't help me gather them up, but just watched me out in the yard trying to catch them! That was even with a notice on the door not to let out the cat. Oh, here's another funny part to that, by the end of the open house the one cat curled up by the door and fell asleep and I kid you not wouldn't move no matter who came in or how many, and the other jumped on a bed and whent to sleep. I think to the cats it was a huge game; pets can be kind of like little kids. Now I have a cat and her name is Peach (she's a peach color kitty...I've been told she's rare) and she's strictly indoors but I think I would get a little cat cage from the pet store if I were having my house open and put her in that because now I understand from another viewpoint just how much extra stress and responsibility this puts on the person holding your house open, plus the visitors see you dashing around this way and that and probably think you've lost all control over the house and so there goes your prospects! Fabulous blog entry; 5 stars!
Priceless - absolutely priceless! Thanks for sharing!