Ship of Fools: Cats

Thread: Cats Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.

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Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :

Tell me about your cats.

I would love to get one, I have had three - two as a child and one years ago when I was newly married. I'm a little put off by shredded furniture. But at the same time it would be good for our Guide Dog pups to get used to a cat.

[Smile]

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :

Georgie-Porgy fat'n'fluffy walked into my house and decided she wanted to live here. I thought she belonged to someone so I kept pushing her out and she kept coming back. Patch, my other female
cat hated her, but Sam was willing to share a bed. The next day Sam wandered off and died.

I leafleted the neighbourhood to try to find her owner and a woman answered saying she had rescued her from up a tree, but the cat left when
two Alsatian puppies moved into the house. she said could keep her = so I did and named her after George Bush, because she invaded whether she was wanted of not.

Georgie is one of those fluffy cats with a rotund body, small ears and short legs. A lot of cats here ran away during the quakes, but Georgie is a cat who knows where her foodbowl is and stayed safe.

She is free to come and go as she pleases and I notice she gets more cuddly as the weather gets colder [Biased]

. She doesn't scratch furniture, but does "knead" any suitcase or backpack in range. before curling up and sleeping on them.

I've never had a dog, but my brother had both and poor Raz (Rhodesian ridgeback X Rotweiller) was regularly attacked by the cats.

Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :

Robbie (17yrs old) and Truffles (12yrs old) are cat numbers 6 & 7 - they all arrived (rather than me going to get one) and have lived to a good age, apart from Rocket who vanished aged around 5yrs. Robbie is very laid back and takes everything (apart from over enthusiastic dogs and toddlers) on his stride, whereas Truffles is very, very set in her ways. She will sit on your lap but only between 9pm and 10pm, and insists on a fuss at around 8am. They both tolerate calm-ish dogs that they know, and if you get a cat to familiarise the pups with then I think it would work best if you get a kitten who will grow used to them and train the pups in his/her own way. Is there a risk that if a pup learns from your cat that they can be friendly, the pup might get a shock when faced with a hissing one? Maybe you need one of each !

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :

Mama Cat lives in my back yard. She was dumped at my house just over ten years ago, very pregnant. Daughter-Unit sat on the front stoop, called her over and Mama Cat jumped in D-U's lap.

I made a kittening box and put it in D-U's old playhouse (no door), but she didn't like it there. April 30, I found her lying in a fire ant bed, looking like she was laboring. Those kittens would have been killed by the ants, and their mama must have been getting bitten, too. I grabbed the box, put it in my bathroom, put Mama in it and she had her kittens there May 1.

There were five, four boys, and one calico female that was born dead. My mom took two, and D-U took two a few years later. They still have one each, because Mom and D-U each lost one this past year. [Tear]

Snickerdoodle had lung cancer, and Bubba may have had the same thing.

Mama Cat is still here, and loves on me whenever I'm outside. She's very sweet, but doesn't want to live in the house!

Posted by Macrina (# 8807) on :

We have a 17 year old ward cat at work called Tigger of whom I am deeply fond.

She's an old bird now and finding it harder to jump up and swipe files off our desks. She's also had a thyroid problem which had been making her very sick but we clubbed together and irradiated her and now she's feeling better.

She knows exactly when the shift changes occur and will always be there to follow the oncoming nurse around and meow until she's fed. She will also con the patients into thinking she's starving and sit right under their tables when meals are served meowing to the point of driving them mad. She's not quiet either and can easily be heard from the far end of our ward.

She has a bad habit on night shift of parking herself right at the top of the patient corridor and yowling until she gets more food or we have to put her outside. She loves tummy rubs and until recently she used to be able to get people to turn the tap on for her to drink from the spare sink with only a look. Now she's too old for that so we have retrained her to drink from a water bowl.

We have diagnosed her as a Narcissistic Personality Disorder and I have occasionally dropped her into handover to check the nursing students we have are paying attention.

Posted by sharkshooter (# 1589) on :

[Devil]

Where's that BBQ sauce recipe?

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

I have no cats. However, there are several in my road. There's a white bruiser who spends most of his time looking for other cats to fight and ignores all humans. There's a sulky long-haired cat who spends her days sitting on top of the dustbins scowling at people. Sometimes she will say hello. There are two young terrified black and white cats who will eye me nervously then bolt if I come any closer, though one is starting to get used to me.

I've lived on this road for years and most of the cats have been friendly to the point where they walk me home or even try to come in, so not sure what's going on here with the recent crop. Territory wars, possibly, as there seem to be more cats than usual around, probably about seven, who seem to spend their time staring at each other with twitching tails and arched backs, and chasing each other under parked cars and out again before turning into whirling balls of yowling, flying fur.

It's got to the stage where if one of the local cats is being unexpectedly friendly, I've discovered it usually turns out to have an audience of another cat nearby it's showing off to. I hope they resolve this, the local cats used to add a bit of cheer and companionship to the walk home.

Posted by Nenya (# 16427) on :

I was brought up with cats and would dearly love to have one again, but no one else in the family likes cats and the son in law has allergies so I don't think it's very likely.

When I was born we had a lovely Seal point Siamese and she has an important place in some of my childhood memories. She was beautifully natured and apparently devoted to me when I was a baby. After her we had a brother and sister chocolate point Siamese pair - they were a bit scatty temperamentally and the girl only really ever went to my mum but the boy was a sweetheart and I was heartbroken when he died. My dad built a big run for them in the garden, off the conservatory, so they had the best of indoors and outdoors life. Then my mum had a series of cats who came along out of the blue and adopted her, they were great comfort and company for her in her later years.

Our neighbours had a cat who was displaced when they got a dog and basically lived outside. [Frown]

I would have given her a home but she was very nervous and wouldn't come near us. A few years back we were followed home by a beautiful Siamese who seemed to want to make his home with us; I had high hopes but on making inquiries we discovered he was well known for going home with people for a few days, and he had loving people that he had to go back to.

Let us know what you decide about having one, Boogie. [Smile]

Posted by Tree Bee (# 4033) on :

As a child we always had one or two cats. The best pussy cat in the universe was Snowball , a white cat with a black tail with a beautiful calm demeanour. She was shot by the boys next door when I was 14. 😪
Mr Bee was a dog person and said he was allergic to cats but when Lily-boy adopted us, just like Huia's cat did, he fell hook line and sinker for him. Lily was a pretty, street wise, long haired tom who liked to swipe the neighbouring dogs on the nose through the wire fence.
Lily helped Mr Bee through a breakdown. When he died we got Lucy, a brindle tortoiseshell from Cats Protection. Lucy was very vocal, an indoor cat who loved a lap and often pinned me to the couch, " I can't answer the door/ phone, I have a cat on my lap".
Lucy died in the cattery while we were on holiday in 2012 and we have been cat less since then. I do miss them but it gives us more freedom.

Posted by Nenya (# 16427) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Tree Bee:
Lily helped Mr Bee through a breakdown.

Indeed; my friend's mother was depressed to the point of being in bed all day until a tiny, bedraggled, half starved kitten came mewing to the door one Sunday morning when the rest of the family were at church. They came home to find mother dressed and having been down the road for cat food, cat bed and litter tray. To be fair, I also know people for whom dogs have done similar.

I agree about the freedom. Not having pets means we can be out for the day without worrying about needing to be back, and go away without having to think about pet care. I do miss them very much, though.

Posted by Nicolemr (# 28) on :

I have three cats, Bjorn, who is a very large tuxedo cat, Spyder, a medium sized grey and white, and Sybil, a small tuxedo.

Bjorn and Spyder get along very well, and cuddle together and lick each other off. Sybil on the other hand was my mother's cat before she died and is used to being an only cat. She does not get along well with the other two I'm afraid.

Posted by St. Gwladys (# 14504) on :

For the first time in 31 years of cat ownership, we have two kittens. Annie is 8 months, Solomon is 4 months. Both are Abyssinians, Annie is a usual, Solomon is a silver, both from the same breeder. Solomon is definitely the dominant, poor Annie gives way to him. They seem to spend a lot of their time play fighting, and so have become the Skitkits.

Posted by balaam (# 4543) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Boogie:
I'm a little put off by shredded furniture.

A doormat positioned vertically is more enticing to a cat than a sofa. This should reduce most, but not all, damage.

Posted by balaam (# 4543) on :

quote:
Originally posted by sharkshooter:

Where's that BBQ sauce recipe?

And spoil the delicate flavour? 'Tis heresy I tell you.

Posted by Cathscats (# 17827) on :

The cat I grew up with was a real furniture shedder, but that was before scratching posts were invented. My two cats don't shred anything but they love to scratch their posts, which is just fine.

We got them together, rescue cats, mother and daughter (and there was a son but he is now chasing wool in the kittenish hereafter). The shelter people said , "Have a kitten or two with the young mother, they will be company for her." They could not have been more wrong. As soon as they were weaned the mother, then still less than a year old, turned against them and now, six years later, daily greets her daughter with a hiss and a cuff. But individually they are bot lovely cats, of vastly different personality, and I wouldn't be without either of them.

Posted by Sister Influenza (# 15557) on :

We have 2 identical black cats, brother and sister called Jasper and Cocoa.They were 2 in March and we have had them since they were 7 weeks old. Jasper is the world's most chilled out cat, loves to flop on your knee and get his tummy tickled. One day a large salt cellar fell on to him off the kitchen table, he just looked at it, gave it a sniff and walked off. Cocoa is a quirky girl, doesn't like being picked up, she wriggles miaows and purrs at the same time. She will only eat out of the food bowl on the left, if Jasper gets to it first she will not go and eat even if the other bowl has food in it! They love play fighting and often we find a mass of moving black fur on the carpet as they roll around the floor.

We also have a dog, black lab called Seamus. He came as a puppy when the cats were 8 months old. It took quite a while for the cats to get used to the dog (and forgive us) but we made sure they had somewhere they could go away from Seamus and they came round in their own time. The cats love the dog now, there is a bit of a battle for rights to the dog's basket between Seamus and Cocoa!

Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :

We have three cats, a blond, an orange, and a black, all middle-aged now. Each cat has selected a member of the family to attach to; mine is Tobey, the blond Scottish Fold. He will sit on my desk and purr steadily for hours.
Tiger the orange cat loves my son, and will sleep on his knees while the kid watches TV. Little Black follows my husband around begging for food.

Posted by Porridge (# 15405) on :

When I moved into new digs last January, it soon became apparent that the suite I rented came not only with a bath, walk-in closet, and access to a deck, but also was equipped with a cat, left behind by the previous occupants. (How do people do this?!)

For reasons I can't guess at, they named her BMW. I am trying to re-name her, and could use your help.

She is a small calico, with large white bib, golden eyes, and tail-free. Born that way or became that way through mishap? I dunno.

She has various endearing habits, like gently patting your chin with one paw when she wishes to be talked to, or patting a hand, wrist, or arm when she wants to be stroked or held.

Somewhat less endearing is her tendency to climb one's leg as if one were a tree when she wants to get onto a shoulder for an more aerial view.
I wear slacks full-time now, as my lower extremities look like pincushions.

I have bought/given her an assortment of toys (a plastic ball with a bell inside, a crinkle-sack, a ball of yarn, and a catnip mouse), all of which lie ignored.

Suggestions for a more suitable name or more interesting toys welcomed.

Posted by balaam (# 4543) on :

Porridge, Beamer is easier to pronounce, and means exactly the same.

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :

Shortly after my parents moved to their present home, the big housing bubble burst. A lot of their neighbors lost their homes, and left. Unfortunately, a large number of cats were left behind.

They found their individual ways to Mom and Dad's. I'm sure there is a catly version of hobo signs pointing to their house!

Mom, being a forever animal lover, started feeding them. She and Dad would trap them, and get them spayed and neutered through a local program which tries to eliminate the proliferation of neighborhood cats.

They now have about eight cats that live inside their (spotless) home, and about fifteen that live outside. The kitties are pampered, fed, and doctored as necessary. They will live out their lives being well taken care of and loved by my folks.

Posted by Stercus Tauri (# 16668) on :

Long cat history around here, every one with a different personality. Hercules was the smallest, weakest kitten ever seen and grew to be the village terrorist. Pontiac (born on the back seat of a friend's car) was the ultimate laid back cat, would sleep on radiators and then sort of melt and slide off, but he strayed and was much missed. Then there has been a series of big aircraft piston engines (you really have to be into it) Merlin, Griffon, Leonides. Leonides, the sweetest natured of all cats, strayed into our lives and slept with me all day for a couple of months when I was sick. Not long after I was up and about again, he strayed away. Someone said he was a cat with a mission that he had accomplished and set off in search of another. I hope so.

Posted by jacobsen (# 14998) on :

quote:
Originally posted by balaam:

quote:
Originally posted by Boogie:
I'm a little put off by shredded furniture.
A doormat positioned vertically is more enticing to a cat than a sofa. This should reduce most, but not all, damage.

I have faux leather i.e. plastic - club armchairs, which I protect with fabric throws. My cats scratch the rugs, which is fine provided they leave the fitted carpet underneath intact.

Porridge, could your cat be a Manx? - they don't have tails.

Posted by BessLane (# 15176) on :

I've got 4 currently living in the house, and two porch cats. Squeak is a fat, lazy, bossy, bed-snuggle machine. Ransom is plotting to knock me off because my husband should be her mate, but she still climbs up into my lap when he's asleep. Rascal is scared of almost everything and makes a great early warning system and Rowdy knocks stuff off the walls, is an active snuggle monster and likes to be up as high as he can. Porch cat Lemmie really wants to come inside and BD just wants to be left alone.

Cats are like dogs, like birds, like humans Each has their own personality, along with all the quirks that come with being an individual.

I've got all mutt cats now, and they are, for my money, the best kind...hardy, mostly good natured, and long-lived. If you are looking at a purebred, I would highly recommend a Cornish Rex. A bit pricey (but I'm sure there are rescue groups around that you could get one from) They are smart, usually fearless, low-shed, and very social. We raised Cornish Rex when I was growing up and they had NO issues with the stray do we rescued.

(but if you want a couple of very charming, matching orange male mutt cats, I can try to figure out how to ship Rascal and Rowdy to you [Biased]

)

Posted by Hilda of Whitby (# 7341) on :

Mr. Hilda and I have owned several cats in the course of our life together. Our current feline companions are Bella and Robert. We got both of them from the pound a couple of years apart.

Bella is a gray and white dilute tabby--she is very pretty. She has one eye and is missing a back foot. Her eye was horribly infected when she came to the pound and had to be removed, and it looks like her missing back foot might have gotten caught in a trap at some point. These disabilities do not stop her from racing up and down the stairs, playing, and enjoying life. Her personality is so big it needs its own zip code. She is very affectionate--will hop up on any available lap, and gives kisses galore. Due, I think, to her horrendous pre-adoption life, she can also be unpredictable, so we pay close attention to her body language. She goes absolutely nuts when we bring out the laser toy. She will eat anything you put in front of her--none of that "finicky" nonsense for her. She's a great cat.

Robert is an orange tabby. He is a very handsome boy and we think he must have some Siamese somewhere in his background because sometimes he will. not. shut. up. He is friendly but reserved and is not really a lap cat. It's a big deal when he does decide to hop on a lap. However, he does like to be in the same room with us when we watch TV or read, and he and Bella sleep on the end of our bed. He is not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he has a very nice disposition. He comes when he is called, just like a dog. He loves to be brushed and petted and purrs a lot. He and Bella get along pretty well--they chase each other around and only rarely does it devolve into fisticuffs. Both of them have been wonderful additions to our family.

Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :

I have found that my Scottish Fold is far the most affectionate cat I have ever owned. I theorize that deliberately-bred cats are selected for amiableness. The various mutts I have owned were fare more aloof.
He is lying beside me as I type this, and has been purring steadily for an hour or so.

Posted by Fredegund (# 17952) on :

I was originally a dog person, until I met DH's (or fiance as then was) cat. Since then we've run a charity to neuter, feed and rehome ferals, tamed and kept feral kittens, and fostered for Cats Protection. Lothar 1 is brilliant with ferals, and happily slept on the floor next to their pen.
Never kept cats and dogs together, but mother's then dog (stretched terrier) got on wonderfully with our initial 4, and subsequently the next batch, after we lost them all to feline leukaemia, in the days before the vaccine. They would queue up to wash her ears.
We currently have 3 unrelated cats - domestic jellicle, black and white ex-feral, and our Great White, Arthur, who is a domestic cream point of uncertain temper. Who wouldn't be; broke both his front legs in a road accident, lost most of his tail on barbed wire. They co-exist fairly well, and while they loathe adult dogs, I'm sure they'd train a puppy beautifully.

And while we're recommending pedigrees - have a look at Birmans. We used to show, pre-leukaemia. The most beautiful eyes, and temperament.

Off to have a quiet wail for Amenophis the blue Birman.

Posted by Porridge (# 15405) on :

quote:
Originally posted by balaam:
Porridge, Beamer is easier to pronounce, and means exactly the same.

Very true, but as the cat isn’t going to pronounce it either way, and as my objection to her moniker has to do with naming a small, beguiling mammal after a luxury driving machine, this doesn’t actually solve my problem.

quote:
Originally posted by jacobsen:

Porridge, could your cat be a Manx? - they don't have tails.

I wondered about this, but actually I’ve misled people. This cat does have a stub – 1 to 1 and ½ inches of tail -- which is active in expressing her mood. That, plus the nature of the family who own this place now, and the part of said family which moved away leaving her behind, lead me to suspect there was once a tail. There’s no way, of course, to confirm this.

Posted by ExclamationMark (# 14715) on :

We have Macavity - a 20 year old Tortoiseshell (swirls and circles not brindled). She's very tame and loves to sit on laps. She waits for my 85 y/o father who lives with us to go down to the greenhouse, calling him to open the doors. She walks down with him and settles in her box for the day if it's warm.

She's the last of a litter of 3 - all strays but I've had cats now continuously for over 50 years. My first one followed me home as a child and it's gone from there. My dad had cats for over 75 years until his last one died. Always found that with patince and love they respond many times over

Posted by lilBuddha (# 14333) on :

quote:
Originally posted by sharkshooter:

Where's that BBQ sauce recipe?

I came here to complain of the duplication of the recipe thread, only to be sadly disappointed.

Posted by balaam (# 4543) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Porridge:

quote:
Originally posted by balaam:
Porridge, Beamer is easier to pronounce, and means exactly the same.
Very true, but as the cat isn’t going to pronounce it either way, and as my objection to her moniker has to do with naming a small, beguiling mammal after a luxury driving machine, this doesn’t actually solve my problem.

quote:
Originally posted by jacobsen:

Porridge, could your cat be a Manx? - they don't have tails.
I wondered about this, but actually I’ve misled people. This cat does have a stub – 1 to 1 and ½ inches of tail -- which is active in expressing her mood. That, plus the nature of the family who own this place now, and the part of said family which moved away leaving her behind, lead me to suspect there was once a tail. There’s no way, of course, to confirm this.

Many Manx are stubby tailed. They don't win prizes at shows though. You may have one.

Manx stubby.

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

They're also often quite friendly and affectionate. Maybe some of the info here may strike a chord?

Then again, it could just be a cat with a tragic past.

[ 02. June 2015, 18:11: Message edited by: Ariel ]

Posted by Garasu (# 17152) on :

Surely the main reason for having a cat is that you're likely to be infected with the toxoplasma parasite, which will make you braver and sexier?

If somewhat more untidy.

Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :

I thought the purpose of getting infected was to make you more apt to be eaten by a cat? We need Campbellite in reverse...

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :

It's strange how Cats and Allergies show up together on the index page. Or is it?

Posted by Porridge (# 15405) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
They're also often quite friendly and affectionate. Maybe some of the info here may strike a chord?

Then again, it could just be a cat with a tragic past.

Friendly & affectionate: check
Rounded eyes, body, head: check
Tail stub: check
Intelligent: er. Has figured out my daily routine and knows precisely when it's OK to climb on lap and tease for attention: possible smarts. Totally flummoxed by the door on her catbox: maybe not a genius.

Perhaps she's a sub-Manx.

Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :

Scared here. I resemble that description.

Maybe I'm a sub-Manx?

[Razz]

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

And then there's that well-known feline with extraordinary powers, Supermanx.

[ 03. June 2015, 21:59: Message edited by: Firenze ]

Posted by Porridge (# 15405) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Lamb Chopped:
Scared here. I resemble that description.

Maybe I'm a sub-Manx?

You have a tail stub? And use a catbox?

Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :

No, but the round bit is quite accurate.

I'll have to check on the tail stub.

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :

Of course, cats very selflessly give dogs the great pleasure of chasing them - they're not totally bad.

Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :

We had a dog which rather ritualistically chased the cat during the daytime. At night they slept in the same basket.

There was also the day we left the larder door open. The cat was on a high shelf, shoving things down to the dog below.

[ 04. June 2015, 06:08: Message edited by: Baptist Trainfan ]

Posted by Dormouse (# 5954) on :

Here is a link to a blog post of mine entitled "Cats I have Known" - it tells of all our cats from Tuppence when I was young through to the latest addition, Bibendum.

Enjoy!

Posted by Angel Wrestler (# 13673) on :

My favorite was an oddly-colored not-quite-calico and not-quite-tortoise-shell cat our then- 5-yr-old daughter named Rofy. She came to us as a skinny kitten so hungry that she staggered. No one knew where she came from, but it she showed up as we were moving in to a new home in a new neighborhood. We thought Little Angel #1 would enjoy the pet so we let her keep it.

The cat's fur was worn off her feet (they looked like little squirrel feet) and most was off her ears. We thought it was malnutrition, but then, after LA 1 slept with her and had her as a nearly-constant companion (one of my favorite pictures is one I caught when they were both asleep in LA's bed, a sound-asleep LA's arm around a sound-asleep cat) for a few weeks, she got ringworm!

We got the cat treated, we got treated, LA had to have intensive treatment because she got 3 ringworms right on the top of her head and they turned into something called a carrion when the didn't heal with us using the ointment....

In any case, LA went off to school and Rofy, with a simultaneously sweet and bad-ass personality bonded with me, with my office being at home.

We moved again and after she got oriented to her new surroundings, no small animal was safe in our house. She even found a way to patrol the A/C vents (once getting stuck in the slats that opened on the ceiling. She kept meowing and I couldn't find her and then I saw her arm sticking through the slats. I called a neighbor and we managed to pull her through the slats. She shook and said, "mrow," and walked away. I think that meant "thanks" and "I'm too embarrassed to to stick around and I want to go pout").

We'd occasionally hear her fight if she was out at night and we'd find all kinds of fur on the ground in the morning, but Rofy was always unscathed.

It was a church parsonage that connected to the church and Rofy patrolled it all and even the congregants and AA members who used the church befriended her.

When LA #2 was born, Rofy would bunk with her in the bassinet - baby on top, Rofy on the shelf below that I never used.

One November day, I let her out for her morning patrol and she never returned and we never found her body.

I do love our current little tuxedo cat, but Rofy was amazing. And she'd sit in your lap and get under the bed covers. Pebbs, the current one, is not a lap cat or a cuddle cat, though she is very affectionate.

Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :

I'm more of a dog person, but when I was living in Mozambique there were 19 cats living in my garden at one point.

Posted by Nicolemr (# 28) on :

*sigh* My cats are making my apartment search more difficult... so many wonderful looking places are no pets allowed. [Waterworks]

Posted by balaam (# 4543) on :

I was feeling tired this afternoon and in need of a nap. How is it that a double bed, large enough for two adult humans will only fit one cat.

Marmalade, the ginger offender, is wilder than the average cat, having been brought up under bush for the first few months of life, but we have done our best to domesticate her, though she still treats moths, spiders beetles and grasshoppers as dietary supplements.

Posted by sharkshooter (# 1589) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
... There's a sulky long-haired cat who spends her days sitting on top of the dustbins scowling at people. Sometimes she will say hello. There are two young terrified black and white cats who will eye me nervously then bolt if I come any closer, though one is starting to get used to me.

I've lived on this road for years and most of the cats have been friendly to the point where they walk me home or even try to come in, so not sure what's going on here with the recent crop. ...

Ariel, are you feeling well? Whatever has happened to you?

This is the Ariel I remember:

quote:
Ariel
Shipmate
Member # 58

Posted 21 February 2002 13:03

I hate cats.

Cats - in Hell, where they belong.

Posted by ChaliceGirl (# 13656) on :

I have 4 cats, all rescues. All female, all indoor. They are fun and affectionate. It costs a little more with food and litter but it's worth it. 2 of them are 11 years old, one is 7 and one is 5.

As if I don't get enough cats in my life, I volunteer with a cat rescue group and play and care for 8 to 10 cats twice a month while they are on display in a pet store. I love it!

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

quote:
Originally posted by sharkshooter:
Ariel, are you feeling well? Whatever has happened to you?

This is the Ariel I remember:

quote:
Ariel
Shipmate
Member # 58

Posted 21 February 2002 13:03

I hate cats.

Yes, that was years ago. There's a certain kind of person who's obsessed with cats to the point where they're treated pretty much like a human love object. They're spoilt rotten, given human names, human luxury food and consulted on major decisions. It was a group of several cat-obsessives that put me off at the time. I've no objections to most cats, provided they aren't either stupidly spoilt or malicious.

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :

sharkshooter - never mind cats, you are an elephant!!

Posted by Porridge (# 15405) on :

quote:
Originally posted by balaam:
I was feeling tired this afternoon and in need of a nap. How is it that a double bed, large enough for two adult humans will only fit one cat.

Indeed.

I awoke this morning at 5 a.m. to find myself teetering on the brink of a double bed about to crash to the floor.

The rest of the bed was somehow fully occupied by a cat weighing roughly 6 pounds.

It's a gift. I guess.

Posted by daisydaisy (# 12167) on :

Neighbour came around yesterday with a bag if cat crunch wondering if my cats will eat it because his won't. Said cat is now scoffing it in my kitchen [Big Grin]

Posted by Badger Lady (# 13453) on :

We have two cats. We got them from a local rescue Their mum was a domestic cat who was abandoned and found in a box in the street having just given birth. We got them a 8 weeks and they are currently teenagers at 9 months.

They are obviously the best, more beautiful cats in the history of all domesticated animals.

Best of all, one of them loves nothing better than to go under an upturned cardboard box and then walk / shuffle it around the floor. The other then prods/chases/leaps on the box.

Badger Gent has (yet unrealised) plans to turn said box into a dalek. We are just working out a plan to make it lightweight enough.

Posted by daisymay (# 1480) on :

i always used to have cats, but not now. And my sister and her husband have 2 cats now - very beautiful they are, femail.

Posted by Porridge (# 15405) on :

quote:
Originally posted by daisydaisy:
Neighbour came around yesterday with a bag if cat crunch wondering if my cats will eat it because his won't. Said cat is now scoffing it in my kitchen

Your neighbor needs to up his cat game. It’s probably not the crunch his cat was rejecting, but his temerity in Making A Change. I just moved my cat’s feeding area by about 3 feet, and now she’s gone on strike.

quote:
Originally posted by Badger Lady:

Badger Gent has (yet unrealised) plans to turn said box into a dalek. We are just working out a plan to make it lightweight enough.

Post pix when accomplished!

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :

quote:
Originally posted by daisydaisy:
Neighbour came around yesterday with a bag if cat crunch wondering if my cats will eat it because his won't. Said cat is now scoffing it in my kitchen

One of my church friends brought me packets of moist cat food in the hopes that Mama Cat would eat it. MC was so pleased! I'm glad that there are friends who share rather than throw unwanted food into the garbage!

Young Visitor Cat (a stripey yellow male) lives across the street. He has his own food from his people. Yet he wants to share MC's dry food every morning. What pitiful little squeaky meows he makes trying to ingratiate himself to me. [Roll Eyes]

Yeah, I'm an easy mark.

Posted by not entirely me (# 17637) on :

My cat is also a tiny thing who manages to take up a whole double bed in some bizarre magical feat.
She also seems a tad bulimic. Any advice for a cat with puking tendencies who is otherwise fine and is a healthy size and suitably energetic?

Posted by balaam (# 4543) on :

quote:
Originally posted by not entirely me:
She also seems a tad bulimic. Any advice for a cat with puking tendencies who is otherwise fine and is a healthy size and suitably energetic?

Ours used to overeat and puke. Smaller portions more often was the only thing that worked.

Posted by Porridge (# 15405) on :

She also might be eating too fast. Try putting an inedible object in her dish, so she has to work around it; that'll keep her from gobbling, if she does.

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :

quote:
Originally posted by not entirely me:

She also seems a tad bulimic. Any advice for a cat with puking tendencies who is otherwise fine and is a healthy size and suitably energetic?

You can get slow feeder cat bowls I know that they work for dogs [Smile]

Posted by not entirely me (# 17637) on :

Thanks for the suggestions. I've been trying smaller portions but will look into the anti-gulping options.

Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :

We came home today and found our orange cat lying comatose on the walk. When we brushed off the flies we saw that he was not yet dead, and so hauled him off to the vet. A urinary blockage is the diagnosis. This is going to be expensive.

Posted by Nicolemr (# 28) on :

Brenda Clough, one of my cats had that some years ago. Yes, it was expensive, but worth it to have him back. About $2000.

Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :

We had just gotten home from work, and I think he knew that there was no point in tottering out into view until then. My husband looked out and there he was on the walk. He must have known that he needed human help (ooh, down to my 9th life) and was able to drag himself out to where he could get it.
The vets have intubated him (draining the bladder) and shaved off much of his fur! The flies were laying eggs in his flesh, apparently anticipating his speedy demise. The vet has dug all the larvae out, oogh. Clearly worth $2000.

Posted by St. Gwladys (# 14504) on :

For the first time ever, we have two kittens, both Abyssinians, from the same breeder. Annie is a usual (Ginger brown) now 8 months, and Solomon is a usual silver (Looks black but is actually white with a black top coat) and is 5 months. They stampede around tha house and play fight, but then curl up together. They are both very agile and take delight in balancing on stair hand rails or window bars.

Posted by Beethoven (# 114) on :

Brenda Clough - I hope he makes a speedy recovery; it's horrible when the furries are poorly [Frown]

Cats 1&2 seem to be adjusting to life with the new puppy. This time they're not going to be fooled by the initial small size - since she was already cat-sized when we brought her home - so are making sure they establish their superiority right from the start...

Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :

Poor Tiger is still immured at the vet. His bladder is only slowly improving, and they won't let him out until he quits peeing blood. If he isn't better tomorrow he will get an ultrasound, to see if Something Else Isn't Going On. There is a huge tradition in this country of animals falling desperately ill over national holidays (so as to maximize vet bills) and Tiger is keeping up the practice.

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :

quote:
Originally posted by St. Gwladys:
For the first time ever, we have two kittens, both Abyssinians, from the same breeder. Annie is a usual (Ginger brown) now 8 months, and Solomon is a usual silver (Looks black but is actually white with a black top coat) and is 5 months.

Now I am very jealous!

I have, reluctantly, decided not to get a cat. We are having new furniture soon and I dare not risk it.

Posted by St Everild (# 3626) on :

We have 2 boy cats, Jai (the beautiful) and Bibi (his not quite so beautiful but far more intelligent brother). They are both Korats, (and ancient cat breed originating in Thailand - think "traditional siamese" in body shape, with a silvery grey coat and extraordinary green eyes) and Jai has been Best of Breed at the Supreme Cat Show on two occasions, so someone else thinks he is beautiful too!

Previous cats have been the siblings Cleo and Minou also Korats. They lived to a good old age, Cleo being 18 and Minou being 19yrs and 4 months old when they left. I miss Min, she was defiantly My Cat and would sit on me at every opportunity, invited or not. And she would sleep as close to me as she could...nice on a chilly night, less so on a hot sticky night. The girls got used to the boys as soon as they realised that kitten food was really rather nice....putting on a bit of weight at the time but it was worth it to see a heap of sleeping cats.

Before them, we had Catkin, a pretty little black and white cat who came to us as a 5 - 6 week old kitten from a market stall. She was our first cat, and, looking back, we didn't really understand cats very well. She was joined by Jehoshaphat, who had been abandoned near where I was working. He was a big lad, weighing 14 lbs at his heaviest, and he loved people. He was a black cat with green eyes, and is still referred to as "The Late Lamented". Catkin & Josh lived to somewhwhere between 15 - 16

We have a little white box upstairs, with 4 small tubes inside containing the ashes of Catkin and Josh, Cleo & Min. Whichever one of us dies first gets to have the cat's ashes buried with them.

I love my cats and cannot imagine life without a cat - preferably two, and four is even better! (Two kittens from the same litter to keep each other company and terrorise the senior cats...then, when there is only one senior cat left, there are hopefully three cats who know and like each other enough to be friendly and companionable together.)

Posted by St. Gwladys (# 14504) on :

The lady who bred one of our previous cats, Jasper, bred Korats as well as Abys. She now breeds chihuauas and Korats and has two young females which are doing quite well on the show bench in the south west of England - I don't know how far she is travelling to show them.

Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :

My cat Tiger is still immured at the vet. His urine is still tinged with blood, but if he can pass it without benefit of catheter I am going to plead to bring him home. We are having a national holiday, and if I don't liberate him this evening he will have to stay there until Monday. Not only would he intensely dislike this. Boarding him costs me $200 a day, which is more than it would cost me to house him in the best hotel in town.

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