Cat People's topics - tribe.net

ever build an outdoor cat enclosure?

janeO — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 08:34:25 GMT

I saw an add once for a large outdoor cat enclosure
that allowed the cat to go outside at will,
yet was safe from harmful encounters with other animals.
Made out of bird net, high loose walls.

I would appreciate success stories, advice.

posted in Cat People - 8 replies

Need To VENT!!!

Smelly — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:45:10 GMT

I posted this ad on Craig's List yesterday for an outside dog house for the street babies:

Wanted: Outside Dog House

"Looking for a dog house that would be suitable to around a Lab or Golden size dog. It would be for the four street city cats we have in our back yard that we take care of for the yuck winter months ahead. Willing to pay a reasonable fee, but would prefer to have one donated from the kindness of you heart if anyone would like to as these were stray street cats that we started feeding, fixing and vaccinating and, of course fell in love with."

Then today I go on CL and see this post, this is what has me so pissed:

Regarding Outside Dog House:

"If YOU fell in LOVE with these cats, you WOULDN"T want them outside all year long, ESPECIALLY in the Winter months !!!! Yes, they are animals, and alot of people think that OH yes, they are FINE!! DO you really think they are HAPPY? And what is the point in you even having them,? What kind of enjoyment are you getting out of having those poor cats out in your yard? Give them GOOD HOMES!!!!!"

Well, I immediately sent an email reply back, as any of you know that have been to our place, these cats are very well taken care of and are very happy for outside street cats, oh the nerve of some uneducated people. Ugh!!!

Here is my email to this asshole:

"First off, what are YOU doing for the feral outside street/stray cats in your area? How many do you have in your home and how many are you feeding, getting fixed and vaccinated outside? I have two house cats in our one bedroom apt. that are our "kids". That is all I am allowed in my apt. with renting and I will NEVER be an animal hoarder either. That is never fair to any animal. However, our landlord is fine with us taking care of these street cats and them living quite happily in our yard and if we move we will be trapping these cats and taking them to a new place if that would happen.

I have gotten numerous barn cats and street cats fixed, vaccinated and have placed the friendly ones in good homes or have homed them with myself over the years.

These cats are VERY happy outside, they were feral when I started feeding them and over time they have become semi-feral. I still can not pet any of the four of them, but they do not run from me any more and wait and "talk" to me and two will sniff my finger when I feed them their wet food every evening but that is it and just an FYI they have access to dry food and fresh water 24/7.

I am a huge advocate of TNR (Trap/Neuter/Release) in case you are unaware of what that means.

I have given these cats a safe, happy and healthy home be it outside, if you were to see them you would see this for yourself. They play, clean each other, sleep soundly in the grass on warm and sunny days and are quite content. If my boyfriend and I hadn't started feeding them they would more than likely be scrounging for food and be skinny and diseased because no one else would have begun feeding and caring about them. With the care we have been and are giving them, they are all of a good and healthy weight and disease free.

Who are you to judge me and tell me I do not care about these animals? You just sound like an uneducated individual on the care of feral cats.

Please go to www.alleycat.org to learn more about feral cats and their caretakers.

Again, please tell me what you are doing for the all the homeless, starving and helpless cats in your area.

And, just this past Labor Day, I had two kittens about 5 weeks old (way too young to be taken from mommy yet) dumped on me that the neighbors tried to say they found these "wild, feral street kittens" when it was quite obvious they were raised in a house and someone was just too lazy to get mommy fixed or find good homes for these babies on a Sunday and you know what? I had found them both a great home by the next afternoon that Monday, so don't give me your spiel about giving these cats good homes. Again, you are very wrong about me.

I really do not appreciate your post at all when I am doing the best I can for these cats and with them living outside.

You are a fool! I am a very caring, loving and responsible pet owner, so do NOT judge me.

Sincerely,

Melody"

I am just floored by this, everyone KNOWS I am a "crazy cat lady" and take such good care of our fur babies....but on the positive I had several emails for free dog houses and one even just said "I don't have a dog house for you but thank you for doing this and taking care of these cats, may God continue to bless you"!

posted in Cat People - 8 replies

Polly, Methimazole, and Lasix

jeau — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:56:43 GMT

Hello fellow cat lovers...

My dear sweet "Pretty Polly" passed away on Columbus Day, and I am just now able to write about it. We are heartbroken, and also feeling a bit guilty. We took our kitty "Holstein" to the vet in April and learned that she has a tumor in her sinuses. We spent $2,000 between dental work, a CT scan, and ongoing meds. This was immediately after my hubby lost his job, and people thought we were crazy to spend our every penny on our kitty (especially since we're both unemployed). But I figure you cat lovers probably understand, and many of you would also go to great lengths to help your feline.

So when we then learned that Polly needed to see a cardiologist, right after Holstein's procedures, we didn't have a dime, and figured we'd get her there as soon as we could. Well, she ran out of time before we could do anything. She was having trouble breathing, and we took her to the vet on Columbus Day. She was in critical congestive heart failure and had a heart attack as soon as we got home. There wasn't a thing we could do, although we did pay for a procedure to remove fluid from around her lungs, which obviously wasn't enough of a help. I wish we could've spent that $328 a few months ago, and maybe it would've had more of an effect. *Sigh*

I feel like we favored one child over another, but we did everything we could possibly do. We buried her in the yard that evening. Since we had recently moved to this house, we hadn't yet re-installed our garden pond. So we dug another hole for the pond liner, and now we have Polly's Pond to remind us of her, and make us smile as we remember all her goofy and sweet idiosyncrasies. Now the other kitties like to go out and sit by the pond, and I imagine that they are remembering Polly. I will say, the house sure is quiet without her...she was the squawkiest cat I've ever known! I've been told that this was due to the thyroid condition that she also had, but I prefer to think that it was just her personality. She was also a self-petting cat, if she found our hand sitting idle. She will be missed. Today it is Dia de los Muertos, and we will honor her with our "ofrenda" when the sun goes down.

So I am sure that there are many others out there who are having trouble affording veterinary care. If your kitty takes Methimazole or Lasix, please send me a message privately. I might be able to lend a hand. A small help anyway. :)

posted in Cat People - 4 replies

Why does my cat put his ball in this water dish?

Imajica — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:33:00 GMT

I have heard that @ times this can be a territorial thing. That doesn't appear to be the case here. Sometimes while playing fetch he will take it to his dish, drop it in & bring it to me to throw again.

Once he dropped it in there & left it, that sounds kinda territorial.

Maybe its a water fetish thing, since I still have to spray him on a semi daily basis.

posted in Cat People - 1 reply

lonely kitten

jared — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:45:27 GMT

I had two kittens and unfortunately i had to get rid of one of them. the kitten who remained was always friendly and acted fine. now that he is the only kitten here he is overly needy and will not get out of my face. he jumps on my computer when i am trying to type. he wakes me up several times a night by jumping on me and purring loudly.
can i expect this behavior to last forever or will he settle down or do i have to get a second kitten again?

posted in Cat People - 2 replies

Dryer Sheets??

Luna — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 02:01:40 GMT

So this started a couple of weeks ago, I think, but I just noticed it this morning.

When I do the laundry, I bring it in (ours is by the garage) and I take the basket, put it on the couch and start folding. I ALWAYS put the dryer sheets in the garbage in the kitchen (it's a bin with no lid). Anyway I did a load of laundry yesterday morning and today when I woke up, the dryer sheets were all in our hallway and one of my kitties was like cuddled up to it!!

I'd noticed the dryer sheets before around the house, but I figured it was just me forgetting to put them in the garbage, but NOW I know it was my kitty!!

Are dryer sheets bad for them, do you think? I guess if they are then I'll have to put them in a separate bag or something.

posted in Cat People - 6 replies

vaccines?

Brother Daniel — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 01:44:58 GMT

hi, guys. new to cat ownership (its been about twenty four hours) and had a few questions. a friend of mines cat had a little and now that im settled into my new place i took a kitten off her hands. ive taken care of most things she needs but im doing some research about vaccines and its a little overwhelming. i know she needs shots asap but it looks like there are about a hundred different ones to get. i know distemper and rabies are huge ones but i dont know which else she needs. fact is, im on a bit of a budget (one hell of a budget, actually) and need to prioritize. does anyone have any recommendations or any resources i could tap? ive heard there are services for people who need help affording animal care. ive looked around for info online but it hasnt brought much clarity. any help is appreciate, thanks.

posted in Cat People - 4 replies

Flea allergies?

DeLana — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 07:01:35 GMT

So, my brothers dog gave my kitties fleas. The dog is in & out all the time & my brother is lazy about bathing him. Anyway, I know they have fleas. But, now, they have scabs & bald spots from scratching, sores, the whole lot. I think it's flea allergies. I've tried drug store stuff, then frontline...made the fur loss worse! And they are still crazy-bothered by fleas. I flea bombed tonight but I'm still finding fleas. Please help me help my girls until I can get them to a vet!! My older cat sits in the basement all day everyday except to eat drink & use the litter box. And she absolutely hates the dog btw!! So what can I do?

posted in Cat People - 7 replies

Charlie Cat URGENT Needs Foster/Home

joyful_grrl — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:55:26 GMT

PLEASE CROSSPOST

Charlie is a 2 year-old little kitty in the West LA shelter who has been redlisted since 9/2/09.
Sadly, she has only a few days to be saved or she will be euthanized.

Shelter notes say she is "unpredictable," which is why she is on the euth list. They said she can be sweet but she can also be scared and hiss. Poor little girl is probably terrified.

She is a beautiful medium-longish (fluffy) hair black cat with big green eyes. She is spayed.

There is a $200 donation towards her rescue (contact for info: "Elise Duran" <efdrescue@gmail.com> OR Cyndi Zacko cdzacko@hotmail.com ).

Charlie's impound# is A1047009
You can call West LA directly at 213-485-0494/0496/0497

posted in Cat People - 0 replies

does your cat let you nap?

Luna — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 05:00:26 GMT

...cause mine doesn't. She does this thing where she'll come up to my face and purr like crazy, then she'll try to gently paw my mouth or my nose.. sometimes she'll even do it in the middle of the night. After a few minutes she usually just falls asleep by my face.

posted in Cat People - 6 replies

this is new...

MisterLovegrove — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 23:47:29 GMT

Spooky, my two year old black Meezer mix has developed the odd new habit of crying at the catnip mouse as she beats up on it. She plays quite vigorously with it, but makes the most hilariously pathetic sounding cries as she bats it around and tosses it into the air. Anybody else ever see anything like this? Tonya makes a whispery "rarr!-rarr-rrowr" sound at the mouse when she's "killing" it and little Butterscotch and Snowflake both make little low rumbling growls as they play with the mouse (esp Snowflake, who gives the growly OM NOM NOM MRRROWR NOM noises while she works over her mouse)...only Spooky seems to sound as though she's apologizing to the toy mouse for the beating she is laying upon it.

posted in Cat People - 11 replies

Best Friends

kittyboo — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 20:21:54 GMT

I volunteered with the cats at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary yesterday.

posted in Cat People - 3 replies

Does your cat fetch?

piercer — Sat, 17 Jan 2004 17:29:11 GMT

OK, this is so weird, I have a cat who will chase and retrieve a ball, here's the weird part, "Puss" looks just like the cat of the day (on opening page) AND the only ball he will retrieve is the rainbow ball like the one in todays cat's mouth! Who's cat is that?, does he fetch too?, I think I have his twin brother!

posted in Cat People - 35 replies

LOL Cats!!

Luna — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:15:14 GMT

Who else is a HUGE fan of this site?!! The captions are always SO purrrfect!!

http://icanhascheezburger.com/

posted in Cat People - 4 replies

matty hair on cats

Luna — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 18:43:17 GMT

does anyone know what the cause of matty hair is on cats? One of my cats just started getting these little clumps of hair towards the back, and it's really weird. She's a shorthair cat. I try to comb them out, but they keep coming back. Is it cause she's getting older? (she's 8 years old)

posted in Cat People - 2 replies

Problem with a 5 year old indoor kitteh

kashmir — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 19:07:35 GMT

We have a 5 year old cat, MaryJane. For the first couple of years of her life she was pretty sheltered and kept herself pretty much in our bedroom. At about 1 month old ( I found her and took care of her from 2 days old) she lost her back toes and half her tail. She has no back claws, they are stumps and even her front claws are stunted, but still there, at least 2 on one paw and 3 on the other. The vet said it was because the cord was probably wrapped around her lower feet and tail in the womb. They just turned black and fell off by themselves eventually. No problem since she is an indoor only kitty, that is, until we got another small female, GoGo. The rest of the kitties pretty much leave MaryJane alone, they are males and aside from the youngest hellion, the males leave her be. When we found GoGo last year we knew it would cause problems, but we had no idea to what extent. MaryJane is completely afraid of GoGo, even though GoGo is smaller. GoGo stalks MJ and pounces on her, especially when MJ is using the cat box, this has led to MJ NOT using the cat box at all. She's now made it a habit of using the kitchen table as her personal toilet. We've tried escorting her to and from the cat box, but obviously we are not home 24/7, and she's completely stopped using it on her own. I'm at my wits end. Does anyone have any suggestions? At this point I am honestly thinking she may be better off somewhere else, I hate to say it, but I just can't handle it anymore. Please let me know what you think.

posted in Cat People - 7 replies

cat having a kind of seizure when sleeping?

alxindia — Thu, 26 Jan 2006 11:34:28 GMT

has anyone got any experience with this?

out of the blue, all of a sudden, over the last two days or so, my cat has been having these sort of convulsive fits when she's sleeping (not when she's awake). it's a little scary, as she twitches and seems to flinch the way they do when they're dreaming, but then it gets much much more severe and dramatic, sometimes it wakes her up in the process (since her body's being jostled around).

I looked online and found some information about kitty epilepsy, which seems possible, and I'm taking her to the vet tomorrow, but the epilepsy descriptions I read seem to involve, also, frothing at the mouth or the kitty peeing as part of the seizure. these aren't part of her symptoms -- she just starts twitching like crazy, and more and more dramatically, when she's asleep.

help!

has anyone got any experience with this?

Alx

posted in Cat People - 18 replies

clawing...>^.^<

dark_frostus — Tue, 12 May 2009 21:28:26 GMT

I have a small problem with my new cat Harry. All my previous cats have been declawed, but Harry still has his claws. He has started clawing door frames, even though I have scratching post he does use. Any suggestions?

posted in Cat People - 18 replies

piglet

Takara Nanashi — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:12:16 GMT

we have a tabby cat that will go up to a cardboard box or magazine and rip pieces off and even eats some it. he also likes plastic wrappers from cheese or snack cakes. he is 41/2 has done this most of his life. i dont know what to do to stop this, should i be worried about his health? my other 2 dont do anything like this. could he be doing this because he was taken away from his mom too early?

posted in Cat People - 7 replies

my kitty is acting like he's gonna die!

emily — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 00:23:29 GMT

last evening my kitty "Boo!" was lying on the couch and let out meows like I've never heard. Upon investigation, I found he doesn't want to move, he doesn't want to eat, he can't get comfortable, and he vomits (especially at times when I forced water down him). I got this kitty because, after someone dumped him, he came to my back door and begged to live with me. I have applied for SSI, but until I'm approved, I make $339 a month. Even if any of that was left over from the payment on the first of January, I have no money until Feb. 1st. I feared something like this would happen. That's why I never went out and got an animal...because I can't afford to take care of it right if sickness should happen. I am praying someone out there has some ideas. He's the sweetest kitty.

posted in Cat People - 5 replies

Pet food recall

WindSparrow — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 23:06:21 GMT

We seem to have another large pet food recall going on. I found it here: http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ENFORCE/2009/ENF01098.html which is a huge page, and you have to scroll down to the end. I CC&Ped the pet food list to my lj here: http://windsparrow.livejournal.co/174577.html for easier reading.

posted in Cat People - 21 replies

kind of a crazy cat question...

Samantha — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 23:37:50 GMT

So I know this sounds kind of insane, but bear with me...

I have two female cats, Tonks (who is spayed) and Molly (who has an appointment to be spayed in about a month). A few weeks ago, a male stray "adopted" use and has decided that he wants to live in our house. He's been staying on the patio, but he keeps trying to come into the house. I just assumed he wasn't neutered, and I've been working on the transition of moving him into the house with the girls.

I don't want kittens, so I am very careful when I bring him inside. However, he wants nothing to do with Molly, even when she was going through her first heat recently. He is not aggressive at all, but he avoids Molly as much as possible. He has no problem with Tonks; in fact, he's very submissive to Tonks, who is the boss of our household. He hasn't shown the first sign of aggression, he doesn't even show his claws when he's playing, and hasn't so much as bared his teeth at any of us. I've had no problem with him spraying, and he is content to just lie in my lap for hours being petted.

So that long explanation leads to this question: Is it possible that he has been neutered, but still shows the appearance of testicles? He has short hair, and his scrotum is clearly visible. I'd like to be able to move him into the house as soon as possible.

Any help would be appreciated! :)

posted in Cat People - 7 replies

Teeth Cleaning

SkylarkingSLP — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 20:08:45 GMT

So, I was expecting it sooner ot later...the vet suggested my 15 year old Clio should have a cleaning. I am apprehensive because of the fear of putting her under anesthesia at her age. Has anyone here either had this done or heard about this with an older cat? What were the outcomes? Should I be worried?

posted in Cat People - 17 replies

If you live in California, read this

MsPurity — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:23:48 GMT

The Governor wants to add an additional tax to take your animal to the vet. This will also affect shelters and rescue organizations and can have severe detrimental affects on companion animals. Vet services are expensive enough and adding this tax will make it much harder for some people to afford to take proper care of their pets.

This affects ALL vet services, not just meds & other items purchased from a vet. This means dogs, cats, horses, birds, reptiles, rabbits, etc. If it's a pet & goes to a vet, there will be a tax. Right now, services are not taxed, only goods. So you currently don't pay a tax at the vet unless you purchase meds, food, supplies, etc. This will mean an automatic 9% increase on all vet visits.

Please send this on to the people you know who could be affected. Thanks.

If anyone out there is against a 9% tax on veterinary SERVICES
(not talking about purchases here) and has not yet acted, please do
so. I absolutely hate phone stuff, but I did it and it only takes a
minute or two even if you get a busy signal at first and have to
redial a few times. Here's all you have to do:

In Less Than One Minute:

Please protest this tax by calling our Governor in Sacramento. The
number is to an automated survey at the governor's office. The call
is not free, unless your cell covers all calls, but it It will take less than a minute and will cost very little.

Dial: 1-916-445-2841

The numbers to press in response to the questions are: 1 - 5 - 1 -
2 (i.e., 1 = for English; 5 = to transfer to veterinary tax
proposal; 1 = to choose to comment on the veterinary tax proposal;
and 2 = to oppose the tax.) This menu has NOT changed although the first message you get when you call says that the menu has changed; it did, it changed to these steps.

Take a moment and take action NOW. Please ask your friends to do the
same.

posted in Cat People - 3 replies

thank you....>^.^<

dark_frostus — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 05:47:28 GMT

I wanted to thank everyone for their support helping me deal with the passing of my furry companion Charlotte....hugs to all.
I recently went to a local shelter to look at cats. The first cat to greet me was Harry, a big friendly tabby. While I looked around and petted various cats, Harry continued to follow me. Not seeing a collar on him with info, I went out and asked about him. The girl who let me in knew right away who I was asking about. Harry had been rescued back in 2006, briefly had a home with a family with children, but wasn't a fit. He was favorite of everyone there, but unfortunately was never adopted. I went back in and he once again came up to me. Right then I decided to adopt him. I filled out the papers and paid the fee. I told them I would pick him up first thing in the morning. He's still adjusting a bit to things being a bit different in a home as opposed to a room with 20 to 30 cats. He is certainly a sweet cat, a little bigger at 14.5# than I've been used in a long while. He enjoys laying in the living room window, on the pc desk, or on one of the armchairs when I in the living room. I hope everyone enjoys the pics I've posted of him. Thanks again everyone....>^.^<

posted in Cat People - 11 replies

Weird things cats eat

lokifreign — Sat, 12 Jun 2004 03:13:04 GMT

I had a cat that desired only corn and lettuce. She was a runt, and she talked a lot.

posted in Cat People - 91 replies

Bringing outdoor cats indoors

suezette — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 20:59:59 GMT

I've been caring for 7 outdoor cats for just under 2 years. The first litter is approximately 2 years old and there are 3 of them. The second litter is just over a year old and there are also 3 of them. Those 6 have the same mother. Then there is 1 who the vet says is over a year old that has been coming around for the last 2 months. All are spayed and neutered.

Recently a neighbor complained and called animal control. At that point, we talked to him and asked for about 10 days to get the house in order, ie cat door from house to the back porch and then hubby built a covered "cat walk" that covers a fairly large area. While he was building the cat walk, I brought the food in so they would get use to going in and out. That wasn't a problem as they caught on quickly and liked being in the house.

Now that the cat walk is done, they are totally locked up but have the access to the outside but not free roaming. It's been 3 days.

5 of the 7 seem to be doing fairly well. There are times when they complain and want to go out but overall doing well. 1 is very aggressive and from 4:30am to around 10am prowls and howls and generally disrupts the others. He has the access to the outside but doesn't seem to like the cat walk (and it's fairly large area.) The other cat really isn't too bad but he cry to go out. I've had the Feliway in the house for almost a week now.

Another problem is they all seem to use the litter boxes but one of them is peeing and pooping in the house at night while we are asleep. I think, but can't be positive, that I know which one it is. Why would he use the litter box during the day and do his duty on the carpets at night?

I know this one involves lots of patience but I'm hoping I can get some good advice on how to proceed with them. Like how long can it take for them to become use to being indoors and help with the litter box problems.

I really can't bear to take them to the Humane Society as it's not a no kill facility and if I let them out then the neighbor will just trap them and call animal control who will take them to the Humane Society.

All advice is appreciated!
Thanks so much!
Suezette

posted in Cat People - 5 replies

good nite sweet sweet charlotte

dark_frostus — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:52:29 GMT

Yesterday I had to put my beloved cat Charlotte to sleep. She has been my constant companion who made me smile when I was sad or lonely. She woke me up every morning and purred me to sleep every nite. Why is it when you lose a pet it is like losing a child. Your heart is ripped out and handed back to you with a statement like " It's only a cat. It's not a person." If that's true, why does it hurt so much? She had a personality just like a person, and when she spoke to me it was just like a person. Tapping me on the elbow..."hey it's time for bed....get off the computer" or " hey it's morning...turn off the alarm and feed me" or before the key is even put in the door "hey it's about time you got home...I love you and missed you...give me some lovin'..." RIP my sweet Charlotte... >^.^<

posted in Cat People - 14 replies

Very jealous Somali! HELP!

Donna — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 21:14:41 GMT

I have 4 cats, the oldest being Maggie at 12 yrs old, Tinkle, 7 yrs, pure white and deaf, Chloe, a silver Somali at 2 1/2 yrs, and Basil, Chloes son at 1 yr. Chloe is very jealous, and beats up my other cats whenever I give them any attention. I only need to talk to the others and she attacks! No matter what, I can't get her to stop. I have asked around and everyone has told me to get rid of her, but I can't do that! She's a part of the family! Does anyone have any ideas on how to stop her jealousy, without giving her away?

posted in Cat People - 0 replies

Cat sanctuary

Yul — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:01:47 GMT

http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/11-1-2003-47146.asp

posted in Cat People - 1 reply

Needy Kitty

okohme — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 18:50:08 GMT

One of my cats, Jelli Bean, has recently become very needy. She was actually pretty aloof prior to this behaviour. When I'd go to pet her she'd pull away with a bit of an offended look on her face. Today, I was walking upstairs to get my phone from my room and Jelli ran up the tairs and stood on a step in front of me and meowed. I pet her but kept going. Then as I was walking down the hall she RAN after me and leapt up onto the railing right in front of me, meowing some more. So I started petting ehr and lvong on her and she was mewing and purring and such. She's been like this a lot recently, actually. She was pretty sweet when she was very young, but over the last six months or so, she's been kind of a snott for the most part. We DID get a new kitten. He was a poor little waif hiding in the bushes, what else could I do..? Anyway, I can pretty fairly figure out that Jelli is feeling left out, discarded, unloved, insecure, etc, etc. My question is, is there anyhting specific to do, besides just love on her more, to show her that I love her and she's still my kitty friend and assure her that she's not being "replaced"? I'm really worried about this because I DO know how she feels. I had a little brother who pretty much dominated the time an attention of my father and left me with some pretty significant emotional issues. I don't want my litle Jelli to feel the same way.

posted in Cat People - 0 replies

Help with needy cat

Wed, 22 Feb 2006 04:04:39 GMT

I am so frustrated with my cat, Bam. He is soooo needy. Him and his brother are indoor only so they spend the days hanging out and when I get home Bam starts in with the meowing. He has to follow me everywhere, from room to room. He'll poke his nose in if I'm in the bathroom, he meows outside the door while I shower, he's on the counter when I start cooking, he's sitting next to me on his cat tree staring me down when I'm on the computer, he's got to see what I'm eating and steal a bite if he can, at night he follows me to bed and flops over me, purring and rubbing and trying to get some attention. Then he'll go out in the living room and start meowing at the top of his lungs. He'll do that 2-3 times during the night (that I know of, maybe I sleep through a few bouts), then as soon as my alarm goes off he jumps on the bed and starts purring, meowing and rubbing to get attention.

The thing that really is anoying though is the weekends. I get up M-F at 5 a.m. so on the weekends he starts in at around 5:30 and won't let up. I've tried getting up and feeding him and going back to bed - he just continues to meow until I'm fully up. I've tried closing the door to the bedroom but he just scratches at it and meows incensently. I just want to sleep til 7 or 8 some Saturday, but short of kicking him outside (which would not be a good idea in my neighborhood) I don't know what I can do with this cat.

It's so sad too because he looks and sounds so pitiful, like "Mom, just love me!!!!!" I've just never had such a dependent cat before.

posted in Cat People - 28 replies

New kitty won't eat

Jenna Brooke — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 15:26:07 GMT

We fell in love with a calico kitten at the pound Sunday. Of course we had to adopt her. According to pound policy, she had to be fixed before we could take her home. She was spayed on Tuesday afternoon, and we welcomed her home that evening. She was pretty nervous to say the least...pound, vet, surgery, new home, etc. She rested all of Tues. evening and most of Wed. My concern is she hasn't eaten since she's been here. We've tried dry food, wet food, milk...she did eat a little cheese a few minutes ago. She finally drank quite a bit of water last night. There are two other kitties in the house, and one has been sniffing and hissing at her under the door of the room we've been keeping her in. I think she may be nervous about her new home, but I really wish she'd eat. She purrs quite a bit and she's fairly active now...we're letting her explore the house a little bit. Any ideas or suggestions?

posted in Cat People - 7 replies

Careful with those collars

SeamourMcGroyne — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 03:22:34 GMT

Just wanted to pass along something that happened so no one else winds up with a real tragedy on their hands.

I just adopted a 5 month old kitten, and got him his first collar and tag this past weekend. I choose an elastic-y one with a safety clasp. Naturally the little guy doesn't like it so has been finding ways to get himself out of it. Now, yesterday he managed to get it up over his chin and between his jaws like a bridle, where it got stuck. He's still tiny so there wasn't enough tension to make the clasp pop open on its own. I wasn't home but my renter was - he heard the gagging and saw him up on his hind legs falling over backwards fighting it so got it off him. We don't think it was choking him, and maybe he'd have gotten out of it on his own, but I'm going to get him another non-stretchy one until he gets bigger. One that doesn't expand.

I'm new at raising cats, so maybe this was common knowledge I missed (although I had a seasoned cat veteran with me when I bought it), but wanted to share this so no one else has to have a similar ordeal.

Happy holidays!

posted in Cat People - 3 replies

new dog psychodrama: help!

Scout — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:54:59 GMT

Hi all.
I have two fat, happy, friendly indoor cats I got as kittens nine years ago. Four weeks ago, we (boyfriend & I) got a small 10-pound 1-year-old dog from the pound. He's a mixed breed, fixed, and surprisingly calm and happy. My male cat Jerry has adjusted just great--he talks to the dog, initiates chase games and naps in the dog's vicinity no problem. My female cat Faith is just peeved. She spends all her time on the top of the kitchen cabinets, watching the proceedings below (the kitchen & living areas are all open). She'll come down to a table to eat and roll around a bit with her toys (& quickly use the litter box) but she doesn't seem to have a life anymore. She cries at night that she can no longer come to the couch and hang out on my lap. If she gets on the floor to come to me, the dog rushes to her: he just wants to play, but it freaks her out and she retreats to high ground.

I miss Faith's personality and the pleasure of seeing her playing free and happy. Jerry came around, so I'm holding out hope. Any advice as to how I might return my household to cuddling harmony?

posted in Cat People - 4 replies

stretchy legs?

kawakib — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:41:08 GMT

There's this cat hanging around courtesy of our neighbors indiscriminate breeding, and he is always walking around strectching his back legs, like constantly. Does this mean anything in terms of health? We don't want to adopt him, but he is outside our house a lot & is very affectionate so I've been petting him.

posted in Cat People - 3 replies

Cat Wars

Lord of the Zodiac — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:21:50 GMT

Prior to Water Wars (2010) and Uranus in Cetus, we am launching cat wars. The cats under the command of a HQ in Alexandria, Egypt, will attack the unfaithful. we have already cursed the evil from Latvia to Suisse. Florida is our base after Andrew. The cats ||:||| will kill all. Jupiter Saturn directions will not help. Your cat will kill you. Cats will kill enough population in order to stop total extermination due to various civil wars. Cats especially kill Latvians, that is Wendi, that are also infiltrated into KKK. Those cats are Sirian, mostly, nothing to do with Gog or Putin and Magog's northern post in Syria. The Lady of Megiddo has been mailed on this respect. http://lulu.com/astrology

The standard Alexandrian horoscope incudes the water horse and cat. Now is the time of the cat.

posted in Cat People - 6 replies

Dancing with Cats .....

~J~ — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:15:15 GMT

The World of Dancing Cats

http://www.monpa.com/dwc/world.html

Dance Tips from cat dancers:

"Remember that dancing with your cat is all about an energy exchange. You're going to be giving your energy as well as receiving it from the cat so you'll need to relax and unblock the pathways. You'll need patience and a willingness to let your awareness unfold."
Peggy Monterpin, Vancouver.

"One of the great barriers to dancing effectively with your cat, is allowing your thoughts and prejudices to interfere. I find ten minutes of deep purring completely stops skeptical thoughts by connecting me with my feline spirit within."
Warren Leckie, New York.

"When you start, don't crowd your cat. Sit near it, but don't try to get its attention. Just be with it. Try to feel your being next to its being. Focus on it softly."
Jane Mander, Berkerly, California.

posted in Cat People - 0 replies

New kitten with Old cat... Need advise :o)

Summer — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:00:19 GMT

I have had my 3 year old spayed female shelter cat ever since she was 10 weeks old. She is not very social when people come to visit me. If she isn't comfortable and people try to put their hands in her face, she will snap at you. She has actually biten people. She is very moody and not 100% friendly. She gets annoyed easily. Otherwise, she is very loving to me. She can be sweet to other people if they are patient with her. I live alone and just moved from a small apartment to a 2 story house. I have been there for about a month now and my 3 year old seems to have adjusted well.

SO............I decided to ruin this happy home and get a 10 week old kitten from the shelter. I was volunteering there and just feel in love. The kitten is a neutered male. As soon as I brought him home 4 days ago, I have kept him confined in a 2nd bedroom. The vet says I have to for 2 - 3 weeks. He has ear mites and might be getting a cold.

My 3 year old female has been very curious and I have caught her sitting in front of the kitten's door and just watching it. She has hissed a few times when she catches a glimpse of him. When I go into the room, my 3 yr old just sits there in front of the door and tries to look under. I opened the door a crack to say hello to her and she hissed at me. When I come out of the room, she is super sweet to me and doesnt seem too bothered. I have kept her routine up and try to give her even extra attention. I want this to be a happy union.

How do I know if she will accept this kitten and not kill him? She has biten people before and can be very moody. I'm so scared to upset her. We have been friends for 3 years now. :o) I have read to put a towel with the kitten's scent under her food dishes so she associates his scent with something pleasurable like eating. I just want to be safe and not sorry. Are there warning signs?

posted in Cat People - 11 replies

Need help

Mellissa — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:44:19 GMT

I have a 6 month old female cat who isn't spayed yet...we have an appt for her to be next month. My problem is that suddenly my kitty has taken to urinating on odd things like my children's beds and my own bed but she doesn't urinate on clothes that are on top of the dryer nor does she on rugs around the house. Just the beds. Any ideas on why? And any ideas on how to stop this? I love this kitty and I don't want to re-home my baby but the smell of cat urine on my kids' bed irritates and it isn't fair to the kiddos

posted in Cat People - 5 replies

Domestic (cat) Violence

MisterLovegrove — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 23:16:24 GMT

Any advice would be helpful. here is the situation: Tonya, my spayed 5-1/2 year old cat seems to take extreme offense to the sound of Spooky, my as yet un-spayed 15 month old who has gone back in to heat while i await another Spay voucher. The sound of the caterwauling immediately provokes Tonya to pounce on Spooky or to have a prolonged howl-and-growl which brings out Shadow, my 8 year old spayed girl, who has gone from being the sweetest, most docile kitty in the universe to being a nasty, opportunistic cheap shot artist who turns the situation into a three way brawl (complete with flying fur and copious use of the water pistol from me) by pouncing on whichever of the other two girls is closest to her. I can usually shoo Shadow away if i can persuade her away before a fight breaks out, but Tonya is more insistently hostile at times and i have had to go to some lengths to restrain her so as to minimize the amount of harm she and Spooky will inflict on each other and on my stuff. Meanwhile, when the tensions begin to mount, Spooky's kittens all scatter to safe territory away from the drama (The top of the DVD rack, the top of the kitchen shelf, inside the entertainment center behind the DVD player, in the bath-tub, in a desk drawer)

posted in Cat People - 1 reply

additional weirdness

MisterLovegrove — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 23:23:07 GMT

Tonya, the aforementioned troublemaker in my previous topic, recently took it upon herself to play surrogate mother to Spooky's kittens now that they are (or should be) weaned off of Spooky. She will lie there and let the kittens try to nurse off of her and will complain over the extent to which they are chewing up her nipples, but beyond the mews of discomfort, she does nothing to interfere with them, sometimes even holding them in place with a paw and grooming them while they latch on and start gnawing. I am beginning to believe in the concept of pet psychiatry

posted in Cat People - 2 replies

Reminder!

Smelly — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:57:29 GMT

It's that time of year, keep all your black babies inside for the next few days!

posted in Cat People - 5 replies

seizures?

sinamuscarina — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 15:17:42 GMT

Hello,
a week ago i witnessed my 14 year old cat having a seizure. blood tests were made, nothing that hints towards anything like organ failure and stuff.
What other researches should i make?
does it make sense to put my cat on medication ? How often should seizures come to put him on this Phenobarbitol?
Anyone have experience with seizures? do they come more often later in time?
I watched him now for a week, he did not seem to have any. at least not during the days where i stayed at home. He has lost weight though so i assume that this was not the first seizure.
Help would be appreciated,
thanks sina

posted in Cat People - 3 replies

How do I domesticate a young feral cat ?

norman finkel — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 20:37:18 GMT

Dear Friends:

I need some help---or at least some helpful suggestions. My wife, Eadie, and I feed about 12 feral cats daily and have been doing so for some three years. About a year ago we solicited the help of an organization called Forgotten Cats to help us implement a TNR program. In July they came through and we were able to TNR almost all of the cats and kittens in the feral cat colony. One cat, actually a kitten, was returned to us sick. We were given medicine for him and instructions re his care.

Shadow, our name for our all black feral kitten, is probably 2 months old at this time. We've kept him in the den for about three weeks now. He takes his medicine in the food we provide and uses the litter box. After hiding for the first week or so he's gradually shown himself. He's now playful but very skittish. He'll come out and keep me company as I sit at the computer but so far that's as far as he'll go. Oh yes, he occasionally comes within a foot of me before darting off.

I've decided to adopt him. How do I go about getting him to move from his "friendly" but stand offish behavior to the point I can pet him and introduce him into our household? By the way, we do have a 6 year old Siamese cat.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Norm

posted in Cat People - 12 replies

One eats more than the other

Liz — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:17:22 GMT

I've recently noticed that my younger cat is getting a little pudgy and the older one getting a little thinner. My husband and I always see the black one (the pudgy one), Lucy, eating a lot. The other, Beatrice does eat but we think Lucy is eating a lot more. They share one of those food dispensers and now I want to go back to just putting out separate bowls again. We got the dispenser for when we went out of town and for it to be easier on the cat sitter. Beatrice isn't behaving differently and I know cats hide their pain and sickness more than dogs. Lucy is a year old and is still kind of a baby.

Comments, suggestions, questions?

thanks,
-Liz

posted in Cat People - 2 replies

cowboys herding cats

Muldoon — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 03:59:51 GMT

I dont know if anyone has seen this, just saw it myself just a minute ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk7yqlTMvp8

posted in Cat People - 6 replies

In serious need of information

Kristin — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:33:43 GMT

I have a nine year old cat...recently she started getting small bumps under her chin. Now, as of two days ago, she has a large lump just under her mouth. I fear it is a tumor and am wondering if anyone knows how much a biopsy would be at the vet. If anyone has experiences with and pricing information, please let me know. I am just trying to get an idea before we go to the vet appointment.

Thanks in advance...any information is greatly appreciated!

posted in Cat People - 9 replies

ummmm.eeeewwwww

MisterLovegrove — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:08:08 GMT

So here is the story: As of just over a month ago, i took in a young unspayed female (who, as it turns out, had just gotten knocked up by the wily neighborhood tomcat) My other two cats,spayed females Tonya and Shadow, have each responded very differently toward her. Spooky (the new cat) is very similar in terms of personality to Tonya, my little drama-queen/diva...as a result, they seem to enjoy antagonizing each other...this weekend, their ongoing game of cat-and--well, also-cat, took on a rather gross turn as each managed to startle the other while pooping, resulting in me having to take the squirt gun to the attacker and give a quick spot wash to the victim's tail, butt and hind legs...thankfully they've only done it once, but, knowing those two, i can easily see it happening again

posted in Cat People - 4 replies

cat pulling out her fur

Petal — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 01:02:01 GMT

My cat is pulling out bits of fur with her teeth. I did more research online, but cannot really find anything helpful. She seems to be doing fine, but has created a bald spot on her back (about a quarter size). She does not seem stressed or anything, she eat wells, plays and sleeps normally. Nothing has changed in her surroundings either. The skin does not look irritated and I do give her the treatment for fleas every month since she is indoor/outdoor.
Has anyone ever dealt with this? Has it something to do with the hot weather (I am in the bay area - we are having a "heatwave")? Or do I need to take her to the vet?
When she grooms herself she always uses her teeth a little bit, but never pulled out this much hair.
Any advise?
Thanks!!

posted in Cat People - 11 replies

Help! 2 year old ferals need to go to the vet.

Oakley-Gal — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 22:36:26 GMT

I just adopted 2, two year old ferals from ARF. They were brought to ARF when they were 4 months old and have been there ever since...with the exception of one adopter who ended up returning them. They didn't call them feral but, trust me, that is what they are. At any rate, I need to get them to the vet but without being able to pick them up, how do I get them there? Any ideas?

Thanks,
Debbie

posted in Cat People - 8 replies

Very worried, please help.

Erin — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 04:57:01 GMT

Last week, I found a stray kitten (about 3 months old), with an old festering wound on her arm. We took her in, had the vet stitch her up, and the wound seems to be fine.

However, since then, she has had horrible diarrhea, she is emaciated and will not eat.

We have taken her to the vet 4 times so far, she has been wormed, and given anti-diarrheal medicine. She passed some dead worms, which makes me think worms are gone. But she still has diarrhea, and is very sluggish. Last night she passed something black, which may have been blood.

I have been force feeding her through a syringe (kitten chow, blended with water into a liquid).

Also, I live in South Korea, which doesn't have many options as far as cat food goes. I consider myself lucky that I was able to find some dry kitten chow.

I'm so worried about this poor baby. The vet doesn't seem to be much help. Can anyone offer me any suggestions?

posted in Cat People - 7 replies

new kitten, cold shoulder

Darcy — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:00:00 GMT

We got a new kitten about a week and a half ago, and following the slow introduction she seemed to be hitting it off with our older kitten (about 10 months, we've had her for about a month). Though the kittens seem to be more or less getting along, our relationship with the older kitten is not the same. She used to run to the door to greet us when we came home and would basically follow us around all day. Now she pretty much stays to herself and will not purr when I pet her. We have been doing our absolute best to make the older cat feel loved and try and give her as much attention and play time as before. The new cats have only been integrated about 4 days so I am hoping against hope that she is still unsettled and will return to her old lovable ways because I can't bear the thought that our incredibly sweet and loving kitten doesn't want anything to do with us anymore...Can anyone offer advice or reassurance?

posted in Cat People - 2 replies

Play Trivia, Feed Cats and Dogs

briarroseTHESCAVENGERMYSTIC — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 01:56:18 GMT

This little girl's site is doing a whole lot of good:

http://www.freekibble.com/

posted in Cat People - 1 reply

indoor to outdoor?

winterbamboo — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 20:06:38 GMT

My partner just moved from an apartment to house. Yogi, our love cat, is an indoor cat. He's almost two, neutered and has his claws. Since moving into the house he is dying to get outside. I think he should be allowed to. However, there are lots of cats around and the house is on a bike lane/residential street. My partner doesn't want him to go outdoors, but already he's had to go great lengths to keep him inside. What to do?

winterbamboo

posted in Cat People - 16 replies

how do i do it?

MisterLovegrove — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:27:46 GMT

I'm planning on buying a Feliway diffuser so that i can (at least temporarily) rescue the little stray half-Meezer that has been lurking around the back courtyard of my apartment complex. It's a given that i will need to use one because Tonya tends to be very anti-social to feline guests (as evinced by the Fluffy debacle of last October) so my question is this: when using Feliway, what are the steps involved in making the eventual introduction

also, will i need to keep refilling or if the arrangement becomes permanent, will familiarity eventually replace contempt?

(When i got Tonya as a 14 week old kitten, I got Shadow 3 weeks later and though Shadow was full-grown, Tonya terrorized her for a good six weeks until she realized that she was big enough to put the cute little hellbeast back in her place...something Tonya remembers even though she is now a good deal bigger than Shadow)

posted in Cat People - 2 replies

no meow

hooppatherNatalie — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 21:15:57 GMT

I rescued two kittens from under a barn and have been taming them for the past three weeks. They are about 8 weeks old now. I have never heard either meow, but they both purr great. One tries to meow but nothing comes out. Ever heard of that?
thanks

posted in Cat People - 8 replies

12 yr old persian with mystery brain tumor? in need of holistic expertise....

desi — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 05:47:48 GMT

I have had Hellena for about four years now, she has been through alot of moves, we came to where wee live now about a year ago and I started letting her outside for the first time in her life. She loves it. We have a morning routine to where she goes out and sniffs around (she never goes to far) but seemed to like playing with the gophers in the yard. I was told to not let her out but couldnt help it....one night a year ago, I had the notion to come home early because she had some puffyness in her actual eye ball, it became cloudy, we took her in to the vet and got atropine drops..........the vet failed to remember to offer a cone collar on her and she ended up scratching it out...came home to her eyes ruptured and hanging out....of course it was Sunday and took her to emergency....1500$$$$$$ dollars later we had her eye removed.....the previous owner told me that it was a related bunny disease that she must have picked up from gophers....and that it is related to her throat because every time she swallows it seems like something is stuck in her throat.....the lady is a friend of mine and seems to have a tendency to stretch reality....I had a couple different opinions......I was told that she has an inner tumor and it has spread to the other eye it seems. She bumps into the walls and such and seems like she is blind in the good eye...she has goood days and bad days....lately she ahs been hideing in my bedroom faceing the wall and constantly purring( I have heard that they do that to heal themselves......... she also has been haveing some shakeing....I am not sure if it is arthritis or what or if she is in pain of some sort? it is so hard to predict what she is experiencing and i FEEL HELPESS BECAUSE LACK OF MONEY...i REALLY CANT SPEND ALOT MORE MONEY ON HER....I almost became evicted because I spent my rent money on her opperation.....what I am getting down to is that I have sort of given up on what it could be.....the vets just shrugged theire shoulders, and quiet frankly, I dont really trust them....i know that there has to be some kind of answer. I would like to come across a holistic vet of some kind or Persian speacialist.......someone who knows the breed that can take a look at her in Santa Cruz Calif. seems that this city would be crawling with people that are knowledgable to this sort of thing or that can just give me an honest answer.....I have heard of suppliments or herbs that I can give her to slow down the growth of the tumor and so fourth...I dont want to give her something that will hurt her worse.......she also had difficulties with dermatitis.....she is the sweetest kitty in the world....it is such a shame for her to be sick and sad all the time....it effects me...or is she taking on my hardship????????????????? i dont know, i am clueless.....dont know what to do.....wassant aware of how sensitive Persians are....I feel ike it is my fault for letting her outside but I dont beleive in keeping them indoors....it isant natural....

please help.....

posted in Cat People - 3 replies

Cats in your Will?

CatherinetheGreat — Fri, 16 May 2008 17:25:36 GMT

Has anybody put their cats in their will or otherwise arranged for their care after you (as owner/guardian) may pass away? I was actually asked this question in a form to complete for cat adoption. I have not completed a will, but I just assumed that my family or friends would step in if I shuffled off this mortal coil. I realize this is a wee bit morbid, but I'm just curious if I'm being negligent in this aspect compared to most other cat people.

posted in Cat People - 5 replies

one drippy eye?

alxindia — Sat, 24 May 2008 23:23:43 GMT

halp!

my little boy's had an off-again-on-again drippy eye -- as if he's got a cold, clear mucus comes out sometimes, not every day, never the other eye..... and no sneezing or other symptoms of any respiratory or other problem like that.

I keep an eye on it but wonder if anyone's had this? it just comes and goes - has over months -- doesn't seem to have a particular pattern (ie, cold or allergies or what-have-you).

suggestions, pweez!

Alx

posted in Cat People - 0 replies

just lost mycat,kind of freaky thing...

Judith — Tue, 13 May 2008 08:23:48 GMT

this was a weird one. please say a little prayer or ring a bell or chant the Shingyo or whatever you do when a being departs... Willow, my half-tailed tortoise-shell cat,cat was only 3 or 4 years old,and we had her almost a year. she was healthy and happy, except for being allergic to many kinds of food,manifested as chronic loose bowels, her only symptom. she had good weight and a beautiful coat.I had her and my other cat on a fancy low-allergen dry cat food that you can only get through the vet. switched to the venison formula just a day or two ago, because they were out of the rabbit one at the vet's and the duck one didn't work as to preventing the runny stuff.

so Lia had fallen asleep on my bed and I was reading. Willow and my other cat, Muffin,were sitting on the bed with me.she;d been running around getting into usual cat trouble, like chasing the other cat and knocking things over and spilling Lia's juice. around 11:40 or so,I heard a strange sort of squeaky, baking noise, twice. I looked up and Willow was lying next to the litter box,kind of limp.I thought she was still breathing but wasn't sure. I called the vet (there's one she's seen about a mile or so away with 24 hour emergency service) and bundled her into the car (unfortunately I was parked a few blocks away) pretty sure she was gone by the time I got there...walked in doors at the vet around midnight, and no heartbeat.

the vet on call was busy with other animals,but the tech took a look in Willow's mouth and said it looked like my hypothesis, an anaphylactoid allergic reaction that closed off her breathing, made sense...her throat was blocked so you couldn't see the trachea. I talked with this young vet tech for a bit and held my cat to say goodbye, and left her off to be cremated.

I don't know what else she could have gotten into...no toxic plants in the house, nothing different than the stuff she's usually around...I'll see if the veterinary doctor has time to have an opinion on it but it looks like the allergies just went nuts so fast she didn't know what hit her. maybe an epinephrine shot would have saved her but I don't usually keep epi-pens around. and i had no idea anything like this was about to happen, and i suspect neither did she.

whew...wheel of karma takes some interesting turns. my grandma used to say she wasn't coming back as a person, she was going to come back as my cat because they had it good...don't think this was the one if such a thing is really literally true, but who knows?

posted in Cat People - 8 replies

Cat video for engineers and normal people

Alyssum — Thu, 15 May 2008 01:05:19 GMT

I hope you find this as funny as I did. Right on!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHXBL6bzAR4

posted in Cat People - 3 replies

My neutered cat...

Kelly — Fri, 09 May 2008 18:30:19 GMT

This may seem like a really dumb question but I am looking for an answer.... My cat is 3 years old, and he is neutered, but sometimes he "humps" things and sometimes he leaves a horrible odor. Why is this? And how do I get him to stop!?

posted in Cat People - 6 replies

Webkitties (X-post)

feiruz_al-bnefsagia — Sat, 10 May 2008 03:07:24 GMT

Pay to watch cats online.

No really!

http://tinyurl.com/6pjjy2

posted in Cat People - 2 replies

The littlest Kitten

Deborah — Fri, 02 May 2008 15:55:52 GMT

I am very familiar with taking care of and raising cats of all kind, but yesterday ran into a problem I'm unsure of. One of the strays I've been taking to find a home for had a single kitten. Yesterday she brought it to my porch an won't take it back now.
I brought him to the vet and she said he's five weeks old. It is very underweight, and though it does drink milk from a bowl, it's not alot. I tried him on science diet moist kitten food (1/4 teaspoon) which he ate, but about 2 hours later was shitting and puking at the same time. His poop is liquid and though I try to wipe him, he screams bloody murder when I do, as if I was trying to kill him. in a sense, he's almost always got poop on him and I'm afraid to bath him too often so he won't get sick.
Can anyone give me any tips on taking care of my new little wafe. I really intend to keep this one as I feel a male in the house may help the dispute between the two alpha females.

posted in Cat People - 28 replies

Beijing killing cats for the Olympics

nicole_c — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 21:18:04 GMT

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=528694&in_page_id=1811

posted in Cat People - 30 replies

Hair loss from flea preventative

Samantha — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 13:52:30 GMT

I just started my cats on either Frontline or Advantage (it's not handy right now) & one of the cats has lost a patch of hair right where I applied it about 3 days ago. Has anyone ever had this happen with a flea preventative?

posted in Cat People - 10 replies

when nature calls...

Stephanie — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:24:57 GMT

hey all, I have a problem. Clara is supposed to get her annual at the vet on Saturday and they want me to bring in a stool sample, less than 12 hours old. The problem is, she doesn't use a litterbox since she has a cat door; she just goes outside. Any ideas? or am I just going to have to subject her to them "collecting the sample" at the vet (that sounds terrifying!)

posted in Cat People - 5 replies

I have terrified my baby

NNM~ — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:26:28 GMT

My cat and I were sleeping very nicely together. The other morning I turned over, and flung my arm with some force and 'nailed' my poor cat with my thumbnail. He flew out of a deep sleep in terror and was looking shocky for about 20 minutes. Now, he hates the bedroom and won't come in it at all. Whenwe try to go to sleep, he sits outside the door crying. I have taken to sleeping on a futon in the living room to promote peace. I did get him in the bedroom for two nights and he never settled down really was on high alert til he puked from anxiety. poor guy. He is about 15 years old and just had surgery for jaw abcess too. I dont think I hit him in the face at all, I think it was his back area, he was curled up with his back to me.

I was worried that I had done major damage, like hit a kidney, but he has been okay with eating sleeping moving around and pee/pooing, so I think I hit him hard in a tender sensitive spot. He doesn't blame ME, he seems to behave like he was attacked by another animal and it is still in the bedroom :(

Any recommendations? I'm going to get the feliway plug ins for the room and hallway tonight.

Someone recomended putting his food and litter box in there to force him in regularly.

posted in Cat People - 6 replies

Cat won't stop chewing on her leg - Need Advice

Summer — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 20:36:10 GMT

My cat, Suki, has been excessively grooming her leg since it was shaved for her leg surgery back in June 2006. I have been going through the trials of determining if it is food allergies, flea allergies, etc. I have come to the point that I almost think it is just a habit now.

But anyways, besides all that, how do I get her to stop chewing on her leg in the meantime? It gets to the point that it looks raw and you see blood spots. Is there a spray/lotion? I have Bitter Yuck spray. Does that work?

I would love for her to stop so then her fur can actually grow back there. Please help :o(

posted in Cat People - 32 replies

Faulty wiring!

Samantha — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 06:18:30 GMT

I have a Bengal who is crazy, like most Bengals from what I hear. He's very sweet but super hyper & just very weird. Ever since we moved in August, he hisses whenever anyone but my roommate or I comes in to the house. He doesn't seem in attack mode; he's often purring & rubbing up against my legs when he does it, doesn't "puff up", and he'll sometimes even hiss at me when I come into the room if a stranger is over. My friends call him "the mean one" which breaks my heart because he's actually very sweet but he gives off the wrong impression. It seems like he's got some wires crossed. He never did this before we moved and the other kitty just goes right up to everyone.

What's his problem, ya think?

posted in Cat People - 5 replies

HCM

Stephanie — Sun, 27 Mar 2005 23:31:47 GMT

One of my kitties, Bijou, was just diagnosed with a severe heart murmer and Hypertrophic CardioMyopathy. She's now on 2 heart meds and baby aspirin plus metamusil and laxative to control constipation (the reason I broght her to the vet and how we found the heart disease). It seems to have come on really quickly - she lost 1lb over the past 3 months and just started having symptoms.

Has anyone had any experience with this kind of heart disease? The vet won't give any info on prognosis, probably because it varies by case and cat... I'm in a bit of shock. Any advice or experiences with this would be appreciated - thanks!!

posted in Cat People - 1 reply

Pet Insurance...is it worth it?

Beth — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:50:11 GMT

I am debating on insuring my new kitten. I have senior animals also, and I realize that it's not cost-effective for me to insure them because it seems there are so many exclusions, such as "pre-existing conditions" and "congenital or hereditary defects or diseases".

However, I don't know if there'd be much of a cost savings for me to get a policy for the new kitten---insurance covers neutering and microchipping, which I have already had done, and I'm not sure if routine care is worth $21.95/month as opposed to paying out of pocket. He stays in the house, so I'm not anticipating any accidents or major illnesses any time soon(although, yes, of course anything can happen).

I'm torn, as I recently had to put down two of my elderly pets, and the vet bills up to and including their euthanasia have been enormous. I'm wondering if insuring them way back would have helped.

Of those of you that insure your pets, do you find it useful? What provider do you use? I've only looked into PetFirst so far, because that's who the microchip company offers. Are your premiums high?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

posted in Cat People - 13 replies

The CocoNelly video - fun!

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:00:36 GMT

4 minutes -- great dancing too, hehehehe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1vkjOvD-zs

posted in Cat People - 2 replies

India to spend $13.15M to protect tigers (X-posted)

feiruz_al-bnefsagia — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 19:33:58 GMT

From Yahoo News: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080301/ap_on_sc/india_disappearing_tigers

The Indian government plans to spend more than $13 million establishing a special ranger force to protect the country's endangered tigers, following pressure from international conservationists to save the wild cats.

The funding proposed Friday by Finance Minister P. Chidambaram follows the announcement just weeks ago of a $153 million program to create new tiger reserves, underscoring renewed efforts by India's government to protect the big cats.

New estimates suggest India's wild tiger population has dropped from nearly 3,600 five years ago to about 1,411, the government-run Tiger Project said last month.

"The number 1,411 should ring the alarm bells ... The tiger is under grave threat," Chidambaram told Parliament during his budget presentation for 2008-2009.

Chidambaram said the National Tiger Conservation Authority would be granted about $13.15 million to "raise, arm and deploy" a Tiger Protection Force. While the budget is just a proposal at this stage, Parliament is widely expected to pass it without opposition later this month.

Conservationists welcomed the government's proposal, saying a new force would need to be specially trained and armed to protect tigers from poachers.

"They are finally addressing a very important problem — poaching," Belinda Wright, director of the Wildlife Protection Society of India, said Saturday. "I would imagine that much of the existing system would be improved by the injection of the funds."

The Tiger Project plans to create eight new reserves to protect the tigers, covering an area of more than 11,900 square miles at a cost about $153 million. Private groups will contribute extra funding.

Some 250 villages, or an estimated 200,000 people, will be relocated under the plan. The government has promised each relocated family about $25,600.

The population of tigers in Asia is estimated at around 3,500 today compared to nearly 5,000 in 1997, according to Wright.

Unless the government drastically improves enforcement steps against poachers and illegal wildlife traders, the number of tigers will continue to dwindle, Wright said.

posted in Cat People - 1 reply

Cat advice

WayneR — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 00:23:19 GMT

I'm looking for advice for a sick cat. I have cat who's almost 12 years old and has had a sinus infection for several months. I made two trips to the vet who tried 2 different types of anti-biotics, which were not effective. The cat now has what appears to be an abcess on his head, his nose is swollen and he sneezes a lot.

I have a very low-paying temp job and cannot afford a vet bill at this point. Are there any organizations that will pay for any kind of treatment? I've researched a few but they all seem to need a vet bill, which they may help pay for. I don't know what it would cost since I can't afford the bill to begin with, so I would need assistance before bringing him to the vet.

I'm also thinking that it might be time to put him down. He's still active, still eating the same amount of food and doesn't seem to be suffering but I'm not sure if I should wait until he is suffering. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

posted in Cat People - 7 replies

Sleep deprivation! Please help!

anjuli — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 19:27:40 GMT

Hi,

My beloved adopted feline friends used to have the bedroom to themselves while settling in, but
we finally started sleeping in there about 4 weeks ago. The cats love us being in there, and
I often wake up with one or both of them snuggled up to my legs, BUT the kitten hasn't yet
figured out that I prefer to sleep beyond 5.30 a.m!!!

Just as soon as it starts to get light she
runs up to my ear and lets out a loud meow and nudges me gently with a paw. Or pulls at the carpet.
If that doesn't work she reaches under the quilt and nudges somewhat less gently with claws!
Several times she's brought her favourite 'fetching' toy and pushed it right in to my hand
and wailed til I throw it for her. (Beware, kittens can get addicted to 'fetch' it seems!)
(see
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMwjrp_VLG4
to see her in action!!)

I love her dearly, but am getting seriously sleep deprived and wonder if anyone has a solution?
She's a very vocal kitten so I think shutting her out of the bedroom won't work and so far she's
thwarted my attempts at blacking out the window (hoping delayed dawn might work?) by
pulling the curtains back/off.

I don't wish to shout at her or shoo her away too much as I don't want her to be put off coming for
cuddles, and she still jumps on her mum regularly despite being unceremoniously thrown off
and growled at quite often...and she's so smart she's figured out that she can reach us by
burrowing under the quilt, so playing 'dead' is not a great option!

any ideas?? The bags under my eyes are growing bags of their own!!

posted in Cat People - 19 replies

eye want new home with new cat and maybe a boy buddy

RAFAGA — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 02:22:55 GMT

.. for this poz gay artist

posted in Cat People - 1 reply

Changing my cat's food to Wellness Complete Health Salmon - Opinions??

Summer — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:22:04 GMT

After having my cat on a hypo-allergenic food for the last 11 weeks and realizing she doesn't have food allergies, I did some research to find a really good dry food to switch her to. I decided to buy Welness Complete Health Salmon today. It seems to have really great ingredients. I haven't officially started switching her over yet.. I wanted to get everyone's opinion on it.

Does anyone have any opinions on this food??

posted in Cat People - 9 replies

Chew Toys?

MsPurity — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:27:15 GMT

Do they make chew toys for cats like they do for dogs? My cats LOVE to chew on random things, so I was thinking that if I could find chew toys they might enjoy them.

posted in Cat People - 3 replies

Advice for Moving Cross- Country?

persephone — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:23:33 GMT

Hi... I Just joined this tribe, and am looking for a little advice for my little friends:

We are tentatively planning to move this August (of all months) - Oakland to NYC area. The people portion will be driving, but we know this wont work for the 2 kitties involved. They are pretty nervous travelers in general - the boy tends to puke, pee, poop, and then foam at the mouth when all his other reserves are exhausted- on 20 min car rides to the vet. SO we are obviously a little concerned as to how to get him and his sister across country in one piece..

Does anyone have advice on this? Are there companies that specialize in this sort of thing, any with personal references? We will probably need some sedation from the vet... right now the biggest logistical concern is transportation. Has anyone brought cats on a plane ride? (I refuse to check them, they must come in as carry on... can they really go 6 hrs without littler box breaks?) Help!

We welcome any and all feedback, we adore these guys..

Thank you in advance for your thoughts!

posted in Cat People - 7 replies

more poisand food?!

michael — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 22:48:40 GMT

Hi everyone ben a tuff year ya might remember me from this time last yr. when my two 12yr olds died from tanted meniu foods cat food . Well we.ve ben using Purina One dry cat food and it,s happening again . I've ben feeding it to them 2 months and sudenly the other day thy all stuck they,r nosess up and today little Dino is showing ALL the symptums that Salomie and Lilboy whent threw exactly 1 year ago
I,ve looked around and no ones talking about it yet . So this is just a heads up , I Hope all is well out there in Cat People world .
Mike and Tim

posted in Cat People - 2 replies

A Pet Perk

feiruz_al-bnefsagia — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 15:16:16 GMT

From Third Age http://tinyurl.com/2djn3j

Have you ever had a bad day where you cannot seem to find an outlet for your frustration? Well, according to the American Heart Association, researchers at the University of New York at Buffalo and the University of Pennsylvania have found that spending time with your fellow house pets can greatly reduce your stress and blood pressure from the exhausting workday. But, exactly what types of house pets are we talking about?

1. Cats, for one thing. Felines are absolutely essential for reducing blood pressure, stress, and the likelihood of developing heart disease within humans. The relaxing purr that we receive from a cat as it curls up in our laps has a calming effect on our brains, which in turn calms our heart and lungs, reducing our heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate.

2. Man's best friend, the dog, ranks next. Even though dogs are typically more noisy and energetic with their greetings than cats as you stroll through the front door, their active, bouncy personality triggers a playful consciousness within our brains. This sensation, like many others, throws our minds focus off the negative side effects of the day, therefore banishing the stress, reducing blood pressure, and reducing the likelihood of us contracting heart disease.

3. Finally, fish rank third among the stress-relieving pets. And when we talk about fish, I mean any type of fish that you can possibly have as a pet. But how do fish calm the human brain in a time of utter madness and frustration? Surprisingly, just their daily activity of swimming back and forth within their tank relieves anxiety and stress. This is because watching fish swim in circles produces an effect on the brain similar to a tranquilizer, almost putting it under hypnosis. This effect causes the brain, heart, and lungs to relax into a state of serenity.

Finally, any other domesticated animal serving as a pet can also greatly reduce anxiety, stress, blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, and the risk for developing heart disease. Although not mentioned in this list, just having a pet in company is the secret to a healthy heart and mind. Just remember this famous quote by Immanuel Kant and keep it in mind: "We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."

posted in Cat People - 0 replies

collar keeps coming off my cat

Heather — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 02:14:44 GMT

I have bought about 4 collars in 6 months for my 2-year old cat.

I put it on, he comes home later that day without it. He is microchipped; he would very unhappy inside all the time, and I'm afraid to get a collar that doesn't break away. Any suggestions for good collars that are safe but last longer than a day?

posted in Cat People - 2 replies

Aww Just Neutered My Baby!!! Help

saraharmonylove — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 22:56:37 GMT

Awww, I just neutered my ball of love Teddy who is 4 1/2 months old. I am so sad to see him running around the house right now with the cone. He is having a lot of trouble jumping and coordinating. He keeps trying to take off his cone. I let him have it off but he keeps trying to lick the area......... Awwww, it's just so sad!

posted in Cat People - 13 replies

Temporarily traumatised cat

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 18:00:00 GMT

I have two cats and I happend to see these beautiful cat collars while at the dollar store and decided to buy just one at first to see how well they are made because in the past I have had some troubles with them. This one is made well and staying on. The sad part is, my cat is hiding and won't come out because there is a bell on it . When he runs the other cat chases him. I hope to find him and so I can remove the bell.

posted in Cat People - 12 replies

Need a Vet

Wayfarer1 — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 20:31:11 GMT

Hi, I live in Los Angeles County, in the San Fernando Valley. I need a recommendation for a good Vet. My cat's fine, but we're going to be doing some traveling, (I was inspired by persephone's post. (That's a great and magical name- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persephone ))

I'm great full for the reminder from Domina. States have rules, especially about bringing in wild and crazed feral beasts like my Clover.

Thanks, Way

posted in Cat People - 2 replies

Ear trouble

hooppatherNatalie — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 20:42:14 GMT

So my 9 year old male cat, Luigi, has the oddest thing going on. His right ear is meticulously clean and his left ear is dirty and bothering him. It doesn't smell funny at all, but he shakes his head a good deal. Ever heard of that?

posted in Cat People - 6 replies

someone sent me this....too funny

hooppatherNatalie — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 22:54:43 GMT

Dog Diary vs. Cat Diary

DOG DIARY

8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite!
9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite!
9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite!
10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite!
11:00 am - Went to the vet. Bummer.
12:00 pm - Lunch! My favorite!
1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite!
5:00 pm - Milk bones! My favorite!
7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite!
8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with people! My favorite!
11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite!

CAT DIARY

Day 983 of my captivity.

My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects.
They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash
or some sort of dry nuggets.

Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I
nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength.
The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape.

In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.

Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet.
I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly
demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made
condescending comments about what a "good little hunter" I am. Bastards!

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was
placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event . However, I could
hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due
to the power of " allergies." I must learn what this means, and how to use
it to my advantage..

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my
tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this
again tomorrow - but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches.
The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to
be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.

The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicate with the
guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors
have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is
safe -- For now.

posted in Cat People - 0 replies

More than 100 cats rescued from Olympics site

feiruz_al-bnefsagia — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 18:54:41 GMT

From Reuters via Yahoo News: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080208/od_nm/london_cats_dc

More than 160 feral cats and kittens have been rescued from the site of the London 2012 Olympics as demolition work continues at a pace.

A local animal charity has been allowed access to the site to ensure the safety of the cats that have taken refuge in the various industrial buildings that are being bulldozed.

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) said Friday that 168 animals had been discovered and were now in the care of the Celia Hammond Animal Trust.

The ODA, which has also re-housed newts, frogs and fish from the east London site, said demolition work was expected to be completed in March with construction on the main venues beginning later this year.

posted in Cat People - 1 reply

Does my cat miss me when Im at work?

ginagrandi — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 01:17:52 GMT

I am worried about my overly social interactive baby!

he lovessssssssssssssss to play and is a play monster!

but I am working 10 hours a day, and then I come home and have to play with him for an hour because he is so excited I am home and will meow at me constantly unless I play chase with him for a little while.

I am worried that during the day he is lonley, and bored. When I am home, he follows me everywhere, and everywhere I am, he is....

i got a ton of bird seed, and now have a huge amount of birds coming around the back yard so he has eye candy during the day....

I am wondering if I should get another cat to keep him company.....

So does anyone have .02 about this? Or is he fine??

I do have roomies who play with him and talk to him too, but I am just worried he is unhappy and then I can't keep my whole life about playing with the cat when I get home from work.

thoughts?

G

posted in Cat People - 14 replies

Help! Mystery Illness !

superamanda — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 03:09:37 GMT

My one and half year old, 17 pound, Himalayan Persian neutered male cat, always active and healthy, started acting extremely lethargic and sleeping heavily about three days ago.

He is still drinking water, eating small amounts of food and using the litter box normally. Walking is normal, it's just as if everything is slowed.

We took him into he vet's emergency room yesterday when his eyes looked unresponsive during one of his mega naps. Ironically in the car both ways and being examined he was very alert and like his usual self.
The Vet determined he had no throat, colon, bladder blockages and that his eyes/pupils seemed fine. He was running a temperature though. Unable to afford blood work we are waiting a few days to see if he gets better before breaking the bank. It's baffling because he is NOT vomiting, no bowel issues and his pupils are fine.
He is swallowing more then usual like one would with strep throat. Mainly his complete lethargy has us very concerned. Please help with any possible ideas as to what it could be. We are not sure what could have dulled is usually responsivenesses.

posted in Cat People - 11 replies

I Wonder If She'll Remember Me

lloydg — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 05:53:37 GMT

I was divorced in 2007 and due to my own fault I was forced to hit the road with only a few belongings and my cat, Juneau. I drove from Michigan to Connecticut to stay with my sister and attempt to stand on my own feet. Juneau had to be converted to an outdoor/indoor cat instead of just indoor because of the living arrangements.

She did very well and stayed with me in my room each night. She did get fleas really bad, and I was unable to afford Advantage or Frontline for some time. I gave her flea baths with the cheap stuff to help alleviate it some. When I got a job I finally got her some Frontline and it was so awesome to see the fleas clear up so fast and the kitty was comfortable again. I was only there for two months when I lost my job right after taking out a loan a car. The stress on my sister was too much for me to stay any longer so I packed up as much as I could fit in my Jetta and headed for Portland, OR where I had more family. Somewhere in Indiana, I decided to return to the military. I needed security to accomplish my goals of paying people back and getting on my own two feet.

I started making phone calls for Juneau, as she whined in the passenger seat next to me. The only one in a position to take her was my sister in Bellingham, WA. So after arriving in Portland, she stayed with me at another sister's house for a few days before we all met for ANOTHER sister's birthday lunch in SW Washington. I headed north with my sister and Juneau and stayed a few days to help her get settled in before I left her alone.

She is a one owner cat. I guess because when my ex-wife and I got her I was home all day with her myself. She's bitchy with other people sometimes, but eventually she settles down if they aren't too pushy. She has settled down a lot as she got older, but is still very rambunctious. I was worried she was be too annoying for my sister and her family (including one cat) but apparently she is adjusting well.

Before I shipped out for Korea, I drove up one last time to visit in Bellingham. Juneau hadn't seen me in a month and I got in very late at night. I walked into the bedroom downstairs and she was on the bed. I startled her and her eyes got real big, looking sleepy. But immediately she stood up and came over to me wanting to give me lovin. I layed down on the bed and petted her and she purred for probably at least 45 minutes straight. She flopped against me with her head propped against my hip and looked so content.

Now I am in Korea for 1 year. I have to get promoted while I am here so that when I return to the US I will not have to live in barracks (where cats aren't allowed). I have no idea where I will be stationed, but hopefully I can take leave in Washington and bring her and my car to my new duty station. But I wonder how much she will remember me? How good is a cat's memory? I have heard they only have short-term memory in most cases, but that cannot be totally true, or you'd have to keep teaching them things like toilet training. Will she remember things we did? The long trips together? Hehe. Or will she just sense that "He=Good for me"? or "He=Dad"?

posted in Cat People - 4 replies

Grieving

amethyst_goddess — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 19:46:06 GMT

My friend's cat just died this morning. She was 19 years old and not in good shape. Does anyone know of where there might be like a pet support group? Or something to that effect. It's hitting her very hard.

posted in Cat People - 13 replies

Limping

sf_fireball — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:11:08 GMT

My cat was limping yesterday. It was pretty bad and she wouldn't even put her paw on the floor. She was still limping this morning but it didn't seem quite so bad. She's an indoor cat and there were no obvious cuts. She was letting me touch her leg and run my hands down it so I'm guessing it's not broken. I've made an appointment with the vet but I'm wondering if I'm jumping the gun since she seems to be getting better. She's 14 so obviously I'm playing worst case scenario in my head.
Anyone have any thoughts.

Thanks.

posted in Cat People - 12 replies

Rescuing cats from shelters

Lola — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 15:17:14 GMT

I wanted to let everyone know that I am a strong advocate of rescuing cats from shelters. We recently got a kitten-3 months ago. She became very sick about 2 days after we got her with a virus that is common to shelters in this area. We nursed her back to health and now she is robust and a real joy to have. She is a beautiful gray color that gives her coat a blue sheen to it. I am so glad that we found her and she had a chance to live. I implore anyone that is able to adopt form shelters. Be responsible and have your animal spayed or neutered. There are a lot of wonderful kitties out there that just need a chance.

posted in Cat People - 3 replies

Crazy Cat Lady...

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 03:30:53 GMT

I confess....it's me.

I went out of town for 2 days (typical for my job) and I left a heater on in the bedroom so the cats would stay warm. My mom mentioned to me that they DO have fur coats for a reason, but I did it anyway.

I truly am a crazy cat lady...and I LIKE IT!

posted in Cat People - 13 replies

Meowww.... I mean hello...

Sebastian — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 12:56:30 GMT

Meowwww..... I mean hello, lol! I have a very friendly American Short Tail Tom cat. I've had him for a while and I've been trying to gently discipline him. I know that cats are natural climbers and they get into mischief. I have a bookcase that isn't anchored onto the wall, and I've successfully broken him out of climbing onto it, (That's all I need to come home to, an injured cat and broken dvds) I've also successfully broken him out of getting onto my computer desk, and kicking my keyboard onto the floor.

Of course, this is after coming home the next day from being out all night, from New Year's Eve. Why am I saying all of this, instead of asking a question, I just thought I'd share. I've seen the thread where it either asks or states about adapting cat behavior.

I am very territorial when it comes to seating, either on my couch, or any other place in my apartment, I'm also very protective of my friends. When I do yoga, I do cat pose real good, and it feels sooo good on my back, and when it comes to cleanliness, I'm very particular, and I take my time. There was also a thread about cat farts, roflol!

Who says a cat doesn't fart?! I was lying in bed one evening and I smelled this sudden gagging odor. Now, I know that it didn't come from me, so I said outloud to my cat, "You stink!!" When I return the smell, lol, I say to him, "Now you know how I feel" He then gives me a dirty look. He's been eating wet food and hard food combined, and he's pretty healthy.

I feed him Purina - Indoor Formula and he seems to be doing well. Very soon, I'm going to have to have him neutered.... oh boy.

Thanks for letting me share that bit of hair ball, lol!

posted in Cat People - 5 replies

A little treat for us doting kitty parents

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 23:42:59 GMT

Jeremiah posted this elsewhere, too funny and so true!

To be posted VERY LOW on the refrigerator door - nose height.

Dear Dogs and Cats,

The dishes with the paw print are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Please note, placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Beating me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run.

I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort. Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.

For the last time, there is not a secret exit from the bathroom. If by some miracle I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge and try to pull the door open. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years -- canine or feline attendance is not required.

The proper order is kiss me, then go smell the other dog or cat's butt. I cannot stress this enough!

To pacify you, my dear pets, I have posted the following message on our front door:

To All Non-Pet Owners Who Visit & Like to Complain About Our Pets:

1. They live here. You don't.
2. If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. (That's why they call it "fur"niture.)
3. I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.
4. To you, it's an animal. To me, he/she is an adopted son/daughter who is short, hairy, walks on all fours and doesn't speak clearly.

Remember: In many ways, dogs and cats are better than kids because they:

1. Eat less
2. Don't ask for money all the time
3. Are easier to train
4. Normally come when called
5. Never ask to drive the car
6. Don't hang out with drug-using friends
7. Don't smoke or drink
8. Don't have to buy the latest fashions
9. Don't want to wear your clothes
10. Don't need a "gazillion" dollars for college.

And finally,
11. If they get pregnant, you can sell their children.

posted in Cat People - 2 replies

Cat Breath

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 03:19:48 GMT

So I have this Russian Blue, Victoria ... she's at least 16, possibly as old as 19. It's been several years since I've had her teeth cleaned, within the last few months I've noticed a bit of cat breath and a little bleeding around the gums. Thing that concerns me is her appetite has decreased in the last few weeks. We're visiting the vet this week .... might be time for some kitty dental, hopefully nothing too serious.

What should I be doing for routine teeth maintenance?

Thanx!!

posted in Cat People - 11 replies