kitty queen cat rescue has a few locations around pittsburgh!

also so glad you already know about black cat market. i got my baby from there and they are some of the nicest people + their partner rescue is the best!

i’m definitely one of the people who took everything you said literally, and i apologize about that! i’d like to believe most pittsburghers aren’t classist considering this city is famous for its working class history. most natives i know come from working class and still are, i personally just interpreted your original post incorrectly.

also, i refuse to believe there is a difference in “pole” vs “pool” vs “pull,” as well as “are” and “our.” everyone else in this country is wrong; they are all pronounced the same. no one can convince me otherwise.

i’d cringe every time i heard “ruining” being pronounced like “coin” but with a “r,” so i can’t blame you for being bothered by that. my uncle has a heavy pittsburgh accent, to the point where i can’t decipher what he says at times, but he doesn’t pronounce it like that.

the way she pronounces “of” seems normal to me. however, i saw that you said it is more of an “awv” sound and now i can’t stop think thinking it is pronounced with a british accent.

anyways, i do think it is weird to be bothered by a lot of this. i went to pitt main, and not many people who go to pitt are born and raised in the inner city, with family who never left the historic neighborhoods (aka heavy accents), and when they would make a point over how i spoke or what i said, i would feel embarrassed. then, i’d get pissed off thinking about how they aren’t even locals and telling a local how to speak (this is petty and i’m aware). if you understand what i’m saying, why does it matter if i pronounce the way i was taught? unless she’s asking you to help her pronounce it another way or the way she does is blatantly wrong, why bother trying to change it?

i don’t think this is pittsburgh related, but i pronounce pattern like “pat-ter-in.” it is supposed to be pronounced like “pat-tern,” yet no one tries to correct me because who cares?

i’m also curious as to why you are trying to “recover” from your accent? i’m assuming you teach in the city or one of the suburbs, so what is the point of “recovering?” i’m genuinely curious and not trying to be snarky here.

do you live on a side road or hill? right around where i live, one of my coworkers lives on a steep hill and almost never has their road cleared until they call the city about it. the plowers only go the routes specified by their foremen and (usually) will not do any streets besides those specified, unless they have time to do so. it is frustrating to live on one of those streets never cleared, but please direct your anger at those above them because the ones in the actual trucks are more of “yes men” than ones who make their own decisions. speak up about it to whoever does your roads and throw a fit! they’ll start prioritizing you if you annoy them enough to be honest.

also, i think it is the south-area (brookline, carrick, etc.) that do not have a specific division within their areas to prioritize their roads, so they have to wait until other divisions clear their emergency routes before they head over there. i could be wrong about this part or mixing it up with somewhere else, but if you live in these areas, it might also explain a delay in your road clearing! you have every right to lose your patience because i’d be pissed too, but 9/10 it isn’t the actual plowers fault but those above them.

if it is outside the city limits, the actual city of pittsburgh workers are not allowed to go there unless the municipality requested their help. each municipality probably has their own procedures and may have contracts with the city that might allow the city employees to help, but without some sort of legal “okay,” they can’t do anything. i do think most neighborhoods around pittsburgh have multiple entities to clear their roads though just as you said! i just only know the city rules and what family members have experienced :)