‘Cat-astrophe’: Man called 911 because neighbor didn’t clean her cat’s litter box

ATLANTA — Police in Atlanta, Georgia said they received a “purr-plexing” call earlier this month between two neighbors having a dispute over kitty litter.

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Atlanta Police Department said in a Facebook post that someone called 911 claiming that their neighbor did not clean their cat’s litter box. The police department also posted audio of the 911 call in the post.

“The cat got the house smelling bad, ma’am. And I’m saying something to her about it. She’s trying to burn incense in here and it’s not getting better. It’s getting worser, the smell,” the call said, according to WSB-TV.

Police reminded residents that 911 calls are meant for those with emergencies and smelly kitty litter isn’t one of them.

“While we understand that pet odors can be unpleasant, they’re NOT something to dial 9-1-1 for,” police said.

“When we have people who are having active seizures, when we have people who have been shot or stabbed, we have babies that have been impacted or some type of medical emergency, we can immediately respond to those calls because those calls take precedent over anything that’s not an emergency,” Atlanta’s executive director of E911 Desiree Arnold said, according to WSB-TV. Arnold said that 911 is meant for life-or-death scenarios.

Arnold said those with non-emergency issues can still call but instead of 911 call 311, WSB-TV reported.

Here are a few examples from police on when to call 311, if available in your area:

• When reporting noise complaints
• To report minor property damage
• Asking for city service information or community resources
• To report non-urgent suspicious activity

To find out if your region has 311 service, click here.

Here are a few examples from police on when to call 911:

• Medical emergencies
• Fires
• Crimes that are in progress
• A situation that requires police, fire or medical to be there immediately

Some of these instances can vary per city and area.

“While we appreciate the trust you place in our services, we kindly remind everyone that 911 is reserved for emergencies of a serious nature. Let’s maintain our sense of humor while keeping our priorities straight. Non-urgent matters are best resolved through friendly discussions, not emergency lines,” police said.

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