h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I do, but it'd annoy the Moderators.

Well, I can only speak for myself (and unofficially, of course), but this mod is more annoyed by the situation than I possibly could be at any words used to describe it.

Lil, your landlady and her daughter are well beyond irresponsible. They're downright despicable. I hope what goes around comes back around and bites them both in their stupid arses. Sadly, I have to wonder if her property insurance company will cough up any monetary compensation, as she and her daughter didn't take normal - and expected - precautions to prevent feral animals from entering the premises. Even if they didn't have all those cats... what about wild animals, like possums or armadillos or whatever all else you have out there? Any critter could've gotten in through that unsecured cat flap. IDIOTS.

I'm not a person normally prone to rampant litigiousness, but do you could find an attorney without a retainer up front, and sue for the damages to your personal property? Although in this case your landlady was so grossly negligent, one would think she should be held liable, do you have renter's insurance, to at least cover the replacement cost of your personal belongings?

I hope you can find suitable housing soon, for both you and your cats. Please let me know if I can do anything to help.

Clearly I am so annoyed on your behalf, I have temporarily lost the ability to form coherent sentences.

"but do you could find" = "but do you think you could find"

After the weekend I'll be contacting the Legal Aid Society here in ABQ. They do pro bono work related to housing and can tell me whether I have a tort and how big it is and what color and all. Sorry, it's a serious matter, but my room mate kept me up most of the night with her "sundowner" delirium and agitation. Round about 3 a.m. she managed to hurt herself and she was taken out of the room and up to the nurses' station for constant observation. So I am pretty tired.

But I really need to talk to a lawyer before I talk to my landlady or house sitter. No, I didn't have insurance. I thought the worst that could happen was theft, and I was always at home. I think the landlady has the place insured, though.

Would your landlady be able to collect on it, though, since the damage was the result of a family member's negligence?

"Negligence" is such an inadequate word for what occurred here...