SO, WHAT IS A CAT?

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Thomo
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Re: SO, WHAT IS A CAT?

Post by Thomo »

Mabel has been resident indoors for over two weeks now, and is settling in very well. The aggressive tendencies that she displayed earlier are dissipating rapidly. Izzy stayed in all night last Wednesday, the first time for a month, he missed Thursday night, but on Friday due to the wifes late finish at work, ie 10 pm, we didnt go to bed until 12.30 am Saturday, he turned up at that time and stayed again, and he was in bed by 10.30 last night. I have two pics that I will post shortly, these are to be made into Christmas Cards and will be hand delivered to the two cats previous owners!!!

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Re: SO, WHAT IS A CAT?

Post by Gloria »

""I have two pics that I will post shortly, these are to be made into Christmas Cards and will be hand delivered to the two cats previous owners!!!""

Do be careful Thomo, they (previous owners) might not appreciate those.
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Re: SO, WHAT IS A CAT?

Post by Stanley »

Let sleeping cats lie.....
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Re: SO, WHAT IS A CAT?

Post by Thomo »

The idea of sending cards such as this, is to serve as a reminder that what they have done is illegal "Abandoning an Animal". If I wanted to be really nasty I could include a bill for rehabilitation and welfare plus a threat of action with the appropriate authorities.
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Re: SO, WHAT IS A CAT?

Post by Pluggy »

I'm with Stanley & Gloria. Enjoy your cats, but don't taunt their previous keepers. I took on a neighbours cat this year, for whom I very soon paid vets fees for surgery and soon after that destruction, because they couldn't do anything for him. I swallowed it.

This is our present moggie : Smudge. Got her as a kitten "Free to good home" in an ad in a pet shop window in 2008.

I wish I had as easy a life, and we don't ask about the scratches on the leather sofa......

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Re: SO, WHAT IS A CAT?

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If either Mabel's or Izzy's past owners had had the guts to say that they no longer wanted them, that would have been the end of it. Both have my contact details and one only lives 200 yards away, a phone call and a "sorry" would have been enough. I cannot be bothered to send cards to complete tossers, even if it did cross my mind, and nothing, repeat nothing, is going to make me give up on these two. Mabel is doing very well and is at present in the back room in her bed, Izzy, who stayed again last night is asleep on the settee, the physical and mental condition of both is greatly improved, to me this is the best Christmas present I could wish for, and like the others they "will" be having turkey next Tuesday. It makes me very angry when in these days of a "throw away" society, people include animals in their do not need list, and just put them out to fend for themselves.
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Re: SO, WHAT IS A CAT?

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Here's a picture of Wilson who sadly passed away a few of years ago from cancer

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We had just moved to Oklahoma after spending years moving around California and living in multitudes of apartments. We bought a house with lots of open space around so we decided to get a kitten.
On a trip to Wal Mart we spotted the local humane society having a promotion in the parking lot and decided to have a peek.
There were no kittens, mainly puppies and dogs and this one older cat who was in a cage off to one side. No one was looking at him but he sat there alone and a little aloof.
We went and did our shopping and returned home but later in the evening we both mentioned that perhaps it would be a good idea to give a more mature cat a chance because everyone wants kittens.
Of course, the aloof ginger tom we had spotted had been on both our minds.

So I went to the Humane Society the next day and "sprung him" He was a neutered indoor cat and to my horror I was told that his previous owner had had him de-clawed. This awful process not only takes away a cats means of protecting itself it also affects the way that the cat walks because they walk on their toes. This caused Wilson to have a shuffling gait and obvious back problems.
After he'd settled in, my wife started leaving the front door open when she sat on the patio at the front of the house and slowly Wilson began to venture outside. First onto the patio and eventually onto the lawn. He had obviously never been let outside before and was very suspicious of even walking on the grass.

In time he got to enjoy his little walks in the garden (always supervised of course) and loved spending sunny afternoons soaking up a few rays of sunshine.

The top of my car became a firm favourite too

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Even grumpy little Alvin made time for old Wilson

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I miss him dearly even now but am so glad that we decided to give him a chance, get him out of that cage and let him enjoy a little of the outside world that he'd never had the chance to see before.
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Re: SO, WHAT IS A CAT?

Post by minimiller »

Just wondering

Does anyone else have a cat that has a thing about carrots?

Our cat Tommy goes crazy for them and will try to get any peelings or carrot tops out of the bin given half a chance.

We have started cutting open the bags which the carrots come in once they are empty and Tommy has a great time.

Here's a short video (if the link works)

http://imageshack.us/clip/my-videos/607 ... vnqpu.mp4/
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Re: SO, WHAT IS A CAT?

Post by Gloria »

What a lovely tale Mick. And no, our cats have never had a fad for carrots. Dogs and horses have though.
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Re: SO, WHAT IS A CAT?

Post by Wendyf »

I did have a cat once who was crazy for sultanas & raisins. The same one couldn't resist the smell of bleach, I always had to shut her out of rooms where I had used it or she would be rubbing it on all over. In fact one of my current ladies, Tinky 2, is also drawn to bleach.
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Re: SO, WHAT IS A CAT?

Post by PanBiker »

Both our cats are attracted to bleach and our ginger female tabby Primrose "tents" when anyone is eating toast. She all but jumps on the plate until you give her a corner.
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Re: SO, WHAT IS A CAT?

Post by Stanley »

Jack has a thing about soap.... I once knew a Labrador that was addicted to cucumber. When Doc visited yesterday he noted that my lodger cat was curled up in his box under the bench, it's definitely his preferred port in a storm. Nice!
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Re: SO, WHAT IS A CAT?

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Things are beginning to shape up well in respect of Mabel and Izzy. Mabel has remembered how to play and Izzy has spent his third consecutive night in, he was never far away yesterday and came in at 8.30 last night, wet through, he did not go out again until 9 this morning. He is so well behaved and is no trouble at all, he also loves to play and with Mabel being so much younger than our original cats, he has a companion. Fingers are crossed that this progress will continue.
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Re: SO, WHAT IS A CAT?

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Our cat goes daft with CDs or DVDs in drives. When I burn them it jumps up on my desk and then sits listening to the noise and pounces on the tray when it ejects. It plays with the printer as well, but nothing like CDs. It jumps up on a stool next to the worktop expecting tuna every time we use the tin opener, it rapidly loses interest if it turns out to be a tin of pineapple or something.
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Re: SO, WHAT IS A CAT?

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Alvin learned how to open cupboard doors a while ago. This comes in handy for searching out those hidden Christmas prezzies :laugh5:

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He's now progressed to doors............................ :surprised:
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Re: SO, WHAT IS A CAT?

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The lodger cat is now a permanent feature in the box under the bench as soon as bad weather hits. Seventh heaven I reckon.....
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Re: SO, WHAT IS A CAT?

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There you are Stanley, you have been chosen. In one hours time, it will be 13 years since my Daughter and I went and collected our little Evie from a bad situation, and it has taken almost that amount of time for her to regain her trust in people, an hour later, my Daughter and my wife went and collected an unwanted Lucy, the one we lost earlier in this year. Mabel is growing in confidence and Izzy stayed again last night, curled up on the bed by my feet. He has now started using the temp bed in the outside utility room if he doesn't come in, slowly we are getting there. Tomorrow there will be turkey for all and wrapping paper to play with, a small price to pay for the affection that these small animals give freely to us.
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Re: SO, WHAT IS A CAT?

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When I return from grocery shopping my cat gets up on the kitchen benches and checks out everything I have bought, if I have bought her a treat she will find it. Ages ago I started a routine where by when I had been out of the home for hours and returned home I would give her a tiny bowl of her 'special biscuits', but having been mainly home for a while now, she now demands these biscuits even if have only been out to bring in the washing or collect the mail etc... Oh dear. I think all cats are opportunists. :grin:
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Re: SO, WHAT IS A CAT?

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Having spent Sunday night on the bed, Izzy went out at 8.30 am Monday, he came in 6 times during the day, wet through on 3 of them, he plays with running water and raindrops in puddles. At midnight I checked around outside to see if he was about, and I found him fast asleep, warm and dry in the temporary bed in the o/s utility room, a bit like my own private nativity, I am a happy man.
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Re: SO, WHAT IS A CAT?

Post by minimiller »

Poor Oscar is at the vet and will be there until Saturday :-(

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He was fine on Christmas day, running around having fun with the wrapping paper and ribbons but yesterday he seemed very quiet.
I was out in the garden before going to bed last night and watched him trying to do his business. Obviously, nothing was happening. He was the same this morning, squatting in the litter tray, trying without success.
So, I took him straight round to the vet and have been told he has Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease and cannot empty his bladder. This can be fatal within 72 hours. Our vet has sedated him and put a catheter on him.

Obviously we are both very worried and hope that he comes through OK. I'm just so glad that I was watching him and caught it as soon as I did.

This problem has most certainly occurred from his diet, he eats too much dried food and turns his nose up at wet food, which he is offered fresh twice a day. Not drinking enough water can make things worse but I know this isn't the case with him, he's always having a drink and likes to dip his paw in the dish and lick it off. I think he drinks more that the other two put together.
It's strange, this was a pretty wild cat when he turned up but has now become a home boy. I've let him get away with eating to much "pop and crisps".

So, there will have to be a change in his eating habits, I've been too soft and let him get his own way.

But, between now and Saturday I'll worry.............................
Mick
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Re: SO, WHAT IS A CAT?

Post by Cathy »

Oh dear, I do hope Oscar is better very soon. One Christmas my cat decided to eat some gold tinsel, luckily it came out the other end, but I had to help her a bit as she was trailing some and she didn't realise it. (The things we do for our pets, haha)
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Re: SO, WHAT IS A CAT?

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Good luck to you and Oscar Mini. "The things we do for our animals" Very true, but they are worth every penny and hours spent on their care. Yesterday I saw a report from the RSPCA about the number of small furry animals that have been abandoned since Christmas, they have attended over 360 incidents in the past four days, the worst was a pair of baby rabbits tied up in a carrier bag and put out with the rubbish at a house in Glasgow. In almost all cases the new young owners had tired of them, and what they had to do in the way of care, no doubt a side effect of modern technology and its influence on the young. 360 is a lot, and they are only the ones that the RSPCA were aware of, sickening!! Here at home, it is now four weeks since we moved Mabel into the back room, and the change in her behaviour indicates that she is now ready for the final phase. The back room is also the dining room/office/store room, she has all she needs in there and at night we close the door so that there are no night time confrontations, it will not belong now before full integration takes place, she is currently fast asleep on one of the settees in the lounge. Izzy has just entered the second phase and is now using the o/s utility room if not in the house at night, it is clear that he has never had a litter tray so this morning I have installed a new one in there along with a new food dish for a few biscuits, and a water dish, he is using the temporary bed vacated by Mabel. It is also clear that Izzy was "put out at night" a practise that I find offensive. He is only about 20 months old and his extremely good behaviour has probably more to do with is mother rather than his previous owners. At the foot of our bed at my side, there is a small blanket which is often used by one of our cats at night, that is where Izzy is right now. Cleanliness and compassion are not expensive but work wonders on animals, food dishes are cleaned before every meal and I recall many houses that I have worked in where fresh food was put into dishes that were filthy. Litter trays are cleared of waste as soon as they are used, and regularly washed and replenished, we buy good quality non clumping litter in bulk. One change that I will be making tomorrow is the replacement of the Saturday tuna treat with fresh cod. We found out by accident two and a half years ago that tuna has a a bad effect on a small number of cats if given occasionally over time, it was this that caused the death of our beloved Jethro in 2009, the symptoms are lethargy about 24 hours after the animal has eaten tuna, our oldest cat Ellie, who is also Jethro's sister exhibited this last Sunday, so tuna will now only be given maybe once every two months, this may not be fair on the other cats who love it, but it has to be so.
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Re: SO, WHAT IS A CAT?

Post by Cathy »

One of my previous cats used to love sardine oil, it's great for their coats.
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Re: SO, WHAT IS A CAT?

Post by Stanley »

The occasional tin of pilchards is good for Jack as well.
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Re: SO, WHAT IS A CAT?

Post by minimiller »

Oscar came home Saturday afternoon.

He was very slow moving around and ended up sleeping under our bed for the rest of the day and on top of it with us all night.
Sunday he seemed a little livelier and better again today.
He seems to be moving around easier and was playing with the laser light and a bit of string with me but I'm taking it easy with him to start with.
He's had to go onto a special diet and clearly doesn't like it ONE BIT! But, he's been nibbling some and made a bit more of an effort this morning.

Litter tray activities are under constant observation.

Fingers are crossed.
Mick
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