The day a tenant's cat changed how I check a pit

Back in 2015, I used to just do a quick flashlight sweep of an elevator pit before hopping down. That changed after a job at a high-rise in Denver. I shined my light, saw nothing, and dropped in only to land right next to a very startled, very large orange cat that had been sleeping behind a guide rail. The building manager said it was a 'resident' named Marmalade who snuck in through a faulty access door. Now, I always do a full perimeter check and make a little noise first. I even keep a can of tuna in my truck just in case. Anyone else have a pit turn into a wildlife encounter?

3 comments

3 Comments

olivia_rivera881mo ago

My old foreman in Phoenix had a rule about checking pits for snakes. He said to tap the edge with your boot first because a rattler's buzz sounds way different than an echo. Saved my butt once when a big diamondback was curled up under some old rags. That noise-first habit is a lifesaver, for sure. Honestly, your tuna can idea is pretty smart for the non-venomous surprises.

richard_dixon1mo ago

Forget wildlife, I always worry about finding a homeless person down there. A guy in my old building used to sleep in the boiler room pit for the heat.

the_wesley1mo ago

Man, I gotta disagree. That tuna can is just gonna attract MORE critters. You find a stray cat, you're basically setting up a diner for every raccoon in the city next time.