Author |
Message |
Taterheadtwo
Member
09-29-2005
| Sunday, November 20, 2005 - 7:42 am
well guys and gals, ack. i went and boughta small pack pipe cleaners, wound then tight into large coils and also around writing pen, worked great two days, then my middle cat who just eats and eats, learned how to gnaw a dn strenght the cleaners and i found she had almost ate half a one, had to pull it back out.. also this is not the first time, she will also east cord a re string, i have caught her several times when cord hanging out of her mouth, i have eaven found poop cover cord on the floor before,lol..she has eaten through telephone extension and treid to eat a section,draw strings off of cutains, i really have to watch her.. but i do thank you for the cat toy ideas,i have 3 large tufawear trays full of toys, sigh they care less about. as for baths i have heard both ways.. since my fatty cat doesnt groom herself as good as the others, i give her a bath every three months, also go ahead and do the other two, just like when i clip their nails every month, they know i mean bussiness and will truss me, they might look at me with sad eyes , but they dont seem to be tramuatized?? so all of you, does any one else ever give cats a bath?also i rub there backs bellies, and heads and sometimes i find a grain of litter are food, even lint form my towels on my chairs, they ahve scratching post, stands and carpets but they still like to scratch the furniture, sigh.. so i believe i am justy making sure they stay healthy and groomed?? if it wrong to bath them please explain why... i know growing up my grandmother always gave her cats fresh milk, i dont, i have heard enough and read that it cause diareeah too easy, and the parisites in milk harm the cats easier than humans???also dont give chocalate for same reason9 im mean i horde the chocalate for myself, bahahahaha,lol) have a great weekend everyone
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Shadoe
Member
11-04-2004
| Sunday, November 20, 2005 - 8:23 am
Tater, I am sorry to hear that one of your cats will actually try to eat the pipe cleaners! I hope the other cats still get to enjoy them. I don't know what to suggest now for fear that the one cat will just try to eat it. When I think of bathing my cats, I get scared. There is no way they would allow that to happen. It's a good thing that they are forever cleaning themselves and each other. All I have to worry about is the fur balls. As often as they allow me, I do brush them but I don't get much hair so they must be doing a pretty good job on their own. As for their nails, I can clip Shadoe's ok, but I have to wrap Booboo in a big towel with just her head and a paw out, and even then it is a HUGE battle. Booboo will frantically clean herself after I pat her as if I have soiled her fur. She eats only 2 kinds of dry food and drinks ONLY water. Booboo is a snotty tiny black cat who does not like much at all. Shadoe eats anything except their toys, thank goodness for that! If she sees you eating it, she wants some - just to try. The only thing she refuses to try is banana. Everything else is game with her. I am trying to think of some other items that don't cost much and your cat won't be able to eat. I suppose you could use a large paper bag or a cardboard box to start. Cats seem to like to attack things, so find some things they like and toss them into the bag or the box. Even empty toilet paper rolls may work. You can cut holes in them so the cats can look in at the toys.
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Eeyoreslament
Member
07-20-2003
| Sunday, November 20, 2005 - 8:33 am
Booboo sounds like ME when I was a teenager.
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Taterheadtwo
Member
09-29-2005
| Sunday, November 20, 2005 - 8:42 am
yes i have boxes with square holes cut out i bring them out of the clset for short period of times, the cats really like to explore when i change the floor plan are add are remove things they get used to, and like kids when i go out, they know im will bring back a toy for each, they come and sit and stare at me till i open and toss the toys, never see them happeir, for all of 10 minutes,lol, then its like you never do anything for us,lol. 2 of my cats always want to sniff my drink are food, but rarely will eat any.. only water, wont give them anything else, lol once thre fatty kept whineing to smell my drink( dr.peper) she messed up and toook a big toungue lap and jumped up 3 feet and ran around in circles for a couple of minutes, then plooped over,lol. then later she came and was clawing and nipping at my pants, saying why did you let me do that,lol, thet dwffinetly bring me many laughs. 
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Shadoe
Member
11-04-2004
| Sunday, November 20, 2005 - 8:54 am
Tater, I am suprised your cat even tried the Dr.Pepper - usually the bubbles in soft drinks will chase cats away. Booboo would have been like OMG, what is THAT? and she would run and hide. Shadoe would be like You're going to drink that? OK then I'll give it a try. I think you have some spoiled felines there - time for the boxes to be left out and the cats to be told to play or else. I should ship Booboo out to Eeyore's place; they are two peas in a pod for sure.
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Ophiliasgrandma
Member
09-04-2001
| Sunday, November 20, 2005 - 8:57 am
Seamonkey, Advantage, but I'd recommend going the 3 dose route (one a month). Most of the time there are so many residual flea eggs scattered around the house, that by the time the first dose has worn off, the newbies are hatched and ready to set up housekeeping on the nearest pet. The 3rd dose makes darn sure you've properly attended to complete eradication of those teeny monsters.
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Taterheadtwo
Member
09-29-2005
| Sunday, November 20, 2005 - 9:28 am
lol, i also let my cats dring form my water mug, either that are hear her whine,lol, the one ( the fatty) i call pooh bear becuase she poots,lol, she will get up on my computer desk , and go to my water mug, and she will actually stick her face down to where she can blow bubbles in the mug ( its clear plastic) and then stare ate the bubbles form the outside and try to paw at the outside of the cup at the bubbles, she also does the pawwing at dr,peper in a clear mug, only know she wont taste it no more,lol
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Taterheadtwo
Member
09-29-2005
| Sunday, November 20, 2005 - 9:33 am
one of my cats favorite games is to ( i have a sheet with a skirt under my bed matress, that almost goes to the floor) the cats will hide behind it and wait hours for another cat are me to walk by and grab for the foot. and they scamper away, hoping the other cat will chase her,lol my youngest can run like the wind, up walls, chairs, me, and the oldest can jump high 4 feet, but poor pooh bear is chunky and cant keep up are jump high anymore, i feel for her, but she wont diet, when i cut off her food, she just sits ther hours and whines, so i give back in, im fat and i just dont feel right forcing my cat to diet , if i cant do the same.
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Landi
Member
07-29-2002
| Sunday, November 20, 2005 - 9:44 am
pamy, not anymore, now you can buy advantage at petco! and its cheaper!
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Gina8642
Member
06-01-2001
| Sunday, November 20, 2005 - 10:25 am
Fleas!!! Fleas can get into your house on the bottoms of your shoes, so even indoor cats can occasionally get them. Advantage or other brands work great!! They really, really improved the anti-flea stuff in the last 10 years. No more flea dips, no more flea collars! Advantage just needs to be applied once a month during the warm months. It makes your kitty smell a little funny for a few weeks, but other than that, there are no ill-effects. If there are fleas in the house, make sure you wash everything you can that your cats sleep on at the same time you use the Advantage. That way there's less chance your kitty will just be reinfested. I was always taught to use the hottest water the item can handle (to increase the likelihood of killing all the eggs). Also, beware, when fleas lose one host, they may try to hop to another - you! Fleas usually choose one human to pick on and will leave all the others in the house alone. It happened to me as a teenager - pretty annoying!
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, November 20, 2005 - 10:55 am
Taterhead, yes indeed I've heard of Google and I did google but what you get from that can be a wild combination of advertizing, hype, great information and hoodoo.. and of course I called my vet this morning, but I wanted actual experience from people I know and trust here and sure enough, here are OG, Pamy, Landi giving info and reassurance. Uh, no, I'm not laughing and I know fleas are no laughing matter, having had many a battle with them over the years when I had dogs and lived in places where fleas prosper. Anyway, I certainly wouldn't shave either cat; I'd be in DEEP trouble with both of them for that. LOL, Vaca!! Well I found two before Angelina decided enough was enough and bit me.. I killed one flea, couldn't catch the second and saw flea poop, so I will be dealing with that. Vet recommended Frontline Plus which I will go and get as soon as I get off this box and get dressed.. Have other things to get last minute for my trip and then the cats will be treated. Shadoe.. I might be able to bathe Critter but Angelina .. not a chance! I never had much luck with flea collars in the past but I'll be doing whatever works, for sure. Pamy, my vet also said you have to get it at the vet.. I thought I'd seen it at Petco.. or at least one of them.. vet mentioned advantage and frontline but says frontline plus kills fleas AND eggs so I imagine I'll go for that.. says it is well tolerated even by older cats. Landi, lol.. I've been pretty much Pepsi free again but you never know .. I shudder to think of bombs and such again, used to have to do that, but the bombs didn't seem to last. In Santa Ana we had soil that just grew fleas, it seemed and I finally resorted to a service that came in and did the house and yard and that really worked. They didn't have frontline or advantage at that time and I haven't had a flea problem since then. So, I'm sounding panicked but so happy I found out in time.. it helped that Angelina had plopped herself on my lap (for once free of keyboard) and was happily being petted and I was just automatically riffling through her fur and the flea was so obvious on her white fur. Critter has been chewing off and on since Angelina arrived but the vet couldn't find any flea evidence, I couldn't and also my cat sitter, she even brought over a flea comb to check, but with her being all black it is harder, though I spend lots of time with her cuddled nearby and tend to check her often. Anyway, today they get treated! Shadoe, I love how cats adopt the newest "toy" and it often is totally free! Also I read some books about cats that opined that cats will groom themselves and they are putting their own scent all over so when you pet them and put your scent over theirs, sometimes they do what you describe and re-groom to cover your scent. Odd creatures; I really do love them.. Landi, I do look forward to seeing you and talking about fleas and more! OG, thanks, that is a good point and makes complete sense to me.. especially since we know that flea eggs can remain dormant for years and then be stimulated to hatch when someone walks on a rug or something. I'm about a quarter of the way through vaccuuming in my usual pre-trip ritual and will try to coordinate future vaccuming with possible future treatments. I must have brought the original flea in but I've had the front door open, with screen, lately when I'm doing laundry.. have to vent the dryer out that door thru the screen and Freddy, the neighbor cat sometimes hangs around there so he might have "donated". Thanks, Pamy!! I knew I'd get some reassurance from people dealing with fleas.. I'm so happy they HAVE this type of treatment now. Tater, that is too bad they tried to eat the pipecleaners.. my brother won't let his cat near one, but I've been lucky and my cats see them as toys.. I do get the really BIG craft type of pipe cleaner,but sounds like your cats are like my labs were and never met something they didn't want to swallow That cost me some $$ and one of our dogs a surgery when he ate a hunk of plastic with sharp points. I think it is just fine to bathe cats, if they will tolerate it. It also gives you the chance to go over each cat and head off mats before they get formed, seems like a good thing to me. I used to have a mug that I let Critter drink from.. she seemed to enjoy the idea of using "my" mug, so I put her water in it. But my cat sitter kind of freaked out and told me some stories of cats who got their heads caught in mugs so I went back to a water bowl. She also warned me about using plastic bowls, better to stick to glass or ceramic.. they can get kitty acne from plastic, I guess. LOL about the Dr Pepper.. seems like a good "cure". I'm going to give the Frontline plus a chance but I have NO problem buying stuff at Petco in the future I guess I just want to be sure of dosage and instructions this first time, specially since I'm about to leave town. The people at my Petco aren't always the most informative 
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, November 20, 2005 - 10:59 am
Gina. ACK.. yes, in the past, fleas always went for me, and I'm the only other being around.. so hopefully there are few and they will die. I'll warn my cat sitter of course. Ironically I had just finished washing the bedding before I found the flea, so I may be washing again tonight I don't need this because I have lots to do before flying out on Tuesday AM.. I didn't put most of Angelina's stuff back with her last night so hopefully that will be ok. Hmm well they also have Advantage, just the Frontline Plus sounded like a double threat to the fleas..
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Ophiliasgrandma
Member
09-04-2001
| Sunday, November 20, 2005 - 12:53 pm
I feed various neighbor's cats, plus one feral. I know they are 'donating' their flea eggs to the cause. I have carpet sample rugs outside the door on the patio where I feed them. Since Ophelia is an indoor-only girl, I know the flea eggs are coming in on my shoes. All this summer and now the fall, I am also using a flea spray on the outdoor rugs, but alas, the little boogers have thwarted my efforts. Ophie had a flea the other day...one more and she goes the Advantage route too.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, November 20, 2005 - 1:01 pm
I know what you mean, OG.. I might have waited (but I'm leaving town.. well.. that is morphing as we speak) but I found the flea, caught the flea, cut the flea in half and then looked down and saw.. another flea.. tried to get it but Angelina started to bite.. also saw flea poop so I'm convinced "they" are there. I've weighed Critter who came out 7lb, 7.2lb and 8 lb depending on how I was holding her.. for some reason she fights being held while I'm on the scale, no idea why since she likes being held.. Critter is inside only, as is Angelina. I feed no outside cats but Freddy is interested in the girls (Angelina hissed at him, too) and Coco, from the other side, goes through our patio on his way in and out.. he has to jump up on the fence from outside and then either drops down into my patio.. or leaps straight up onto my patio cover, crosses over, walks the fence between our places over to the top of the stairway up to their garage apt, then down the stairs to his back door. Coming the other way he comes down the stairs into my patio, crosses to the fence, jumps up and then out. He also likes to hang out here now and then, in my patio. I think these guys hatched out in our recent heat wave. I got a bite this morning 
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Taterheadtwo
Member
09-29-2005
| Sunday, November 20, 2005 - 2:12 pm
ok a poll who has the heaveist cat, my poohbear weighs 24 pounds, sigh, but she is stocky, her belly doesnt hang like some pics i have seen, so just how big is too big, my poohbear always chatters, grunts anyway, so when she grunts and can jump say 2 1/2 feet up to the shelf where im puting the food tray, she can jump and when she does like to run after the toy on a string she can scoot, and lol, when we play tug of war with something, she can hanker down clamp down on the carpet and give me a run for my money.so jow bad is it for a cat to be fat if they are still active, also she likes to hang around me most of the day, she doesnt sleep as much as the other 2?
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Halfunit
Moderator
09-02-2001
| Sunday, November 20, 2005 - 2:19 pm
My cat Kitty (RIP), was 21 pounds at her heaviest. Then she developed diabetes and had to have insulin shots twice a day and was put on a diet. Once we got her back down to 16 pounds or so, the need for insulin lessened. Now my new boy, he's going to be big as in bengal big. He's a Maine C00n and his daddy weighs 30 pounds. His paw is as big as the palm of my hand.
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Shadoe
Member
11-04-2004
| Sunday, November 20, 2005 - 3:48 pm
Booboo weighs maybe 4 or 5 lbs. She has always been small and skinny but I compare here to Eeyore - in good health and no excess body fat, being very particular about her food. Shadoe is half the age but weighs around 10lbs. I am not sure because she freaked when I put her on the scale - I had to coax her out with treats. She is one solid cat - shaped like a football with no fat that I can see. I am trying to introduce some healthy foods so when the vet gives me crap, I can put her on just the healthier foods. I know Maine Coone cats are a very large breed so I would not worry about the weight so much, but if Shadoe gets much heavier, we will be cracking down on her diet for sure. Once she can't get up on my 6ft bookshelves, it will be time I think.
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Hukdonreality
Member
09-29-2003
| Wednesday, November 23, 2005 - 6:46 am
I didn't take the time to read back to see if this has been posted before, but here's a cute cat site. Be sure to move your cursor around, and try waving it quickly across the cats eyes! http://www.broenink-art.nl/maukie2.swf
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Landi
Member
07-29-2002
| Wednesday, November 23, 2005 - 11:23 am
this was today's "Chicken Soup for the Soul" Volunteer of the Year By Edi dePencier Last spring, a very special volunteer in our charitable organization nearly lost his life to a reckless driver. Our relationship with this volunteer had begun long before with a chance visit. Like most visitors, he first entered our offices through the front door - what was unusual is that he walked in on four legs! Our charity is nestled in a residential community a block from the beach in the beautiful city of White Rock, British Columbia. We often leave the front doors open to catch a bit of the summer breeze blowing in from the ocean. One afternoon eleven years ago, an orange-and-white tabby cat appeared. He was so overweight that we thought "she" was pregnant. First, he stuck his head inside the door to see what was inside. When nobody chased him out, he walked past the counseling reception office, through the empty waiting room, then boldly marched up the stairs to the administration offices. He made friends with all the right people: our executive director, Martin; our volunteer coordinator, Valerie; and our executive secretary, Maureen. Valerie talked with the neighbors and discovered that our visitor's name was Tigger. A social worker who lived across the street from our office had taken him in when his family moved to another province. Lonely, he came into our building to be with people. One or two counselors thought it was unprofessional to have a cat in the building, but he had friends in high places. Martin received letters from counseling clients saying how comforting it was when Tigger jumped into their laps and curled up, purring. He was also a regular visitor to our playgroup for developmentally delayed infants. Some of these children said "kitty" as their first word. In light of his valuable service, Valerie formally added Tigger to our volunteer list. After a year, the social worker moved away, and Tigger moved in with a retired couple next-door to us. The gentleman passed away soon afterward, and his widow, Olive, told us that caring for Tigger helped her to cope with the loss. However, he did not forget about us. He continued his visits and brightened the day for many clients and staff, also creating a bond between Olive and many of our employees. Valerie gave Olive a special plaque with Tigger's picture and a bronze plate engraved with "Volunteer of the Year." Last spring, Tigger was hit by a car. A neighbor discovered his broken body, and he was rushed to the veterinarian. His injuries were terrible. The veterinarian held out little hope for Tigger's survival and advised that the kindest thing would be to let him go. Olive could not bear the thought of putting him down without trying to save him, so she told them to make every effort. Many of us went to visit him during the weeks that he was in the hospital. On my first visit, the receptionist led me into the back. The smell of antiseptics, medicine and animals hit me as soon as I walked through the door. Along two of the walls were several cages with animals in various states of distress. Tigger was lying on a metal table in the center of the room. Seated beside it, a veterinary assistant was giving him a shot of antibiotics and painkillers. She invited me to come closer. An IV tube protruded from his little paw. His face was a mess. His jaw, which had been broken in two places, was wired shut. He had a broken pelvis, and his hind legs were in casts. He looked so small and fragile. The assistant asked if I wanted to stay and feed him. Carefully, she placed him back in his cage, settling him down on a soft blanket. There was a dish of soft food in one corner of the cage. I picked up a small spoon, scooped up a tiny bit of the food and held it to his mouth. He could not lift his head, although he tried. He stuck his tongue out a little to get a taste. Intravenous feeding would be necessary for a while longer. For the first week, we did not know if he would make it, but, each time he had a visitor, his spirits seemed to lift. By the second week, we were very hopeful. By the third week, the veterinarian had to limit visits, saying, "We've never had a patient with so many visitors. It does seem to have made a difference, but he needs his rest." After a few weeks of recovery and careful observation, Tigger was able to go home. He was honored at our annual volunteer-recognition luncheon in April, and the local newspaper ran a story on him, complete with photos. Although Tigger no longer comes to the office, he will always have a very special place in our hearts. We are so delighted that we, his friends and colleagues, were able to give this little creature the will to live in return for the pleasure and service he's given so freely over the years.
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Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Wednesday, November 23, 2005 - 1:10 pm
Costa currently weights 15 lbs 4 oz. At his heaviest, he was around 19.5 lbs. That was about the time he was diagnosed with hypothyroid, and put on thyroid medications. He then gradually lost weight, and has stayed at his current weight -- give or take a few ounces -- for the past several years. He's a big cat, but he's got long legs and he's pretty svelte. Definite waistline on my little man. Kassiopeia, on the other hand, also weighs close to 15 lbs. However, she's more of the short and squat variety. She's still a bit pudgy, and could probably stand to lose another pound or two. But she's got that body type that seems to be just a bit chunkier than Costa. And she's got shorter legs. Landi, don't you hope that Tigger is now a home-bound cat (indoor only) and that's why he no longer visits? 
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Wednesday, November 23, 2005 - 5:19 pm
Reporting back, I did buy Frontline plus from my vet. Same dosage no matter the weight of the cat. I bought a "six-pack" which came with a free single application and it was about $62. I was at Petco last night and their prices seemed higher per unit (they didn't have six packs) and they didn't have Frontline Plus for cats. Anyway, they've been treated and I've pulled a couple more fleas off of Angelina. After I vaccuum that bag will go in the trash along with what ever it sucks up. And we will see. Yeah, I hope Tigger isn't out roaming the streets anymore. Poor thing, he may have been famous but he kept being "adopted" by people who weren't committed enough to take him when they moved 
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Landi
Member
07-29-2002
| Wednesday, November 23, 2005 - 5:46 pm
that was my thinking too. i wish all people would keep their kitties indoors and then there wouldn't have these kinds of tragedies.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Wednesday, November 23, 2005 - 6:30 pm
All that devotion after the poor thing was all shattered, tsk. However he did prove a point about how therapeutic animal visits can be.
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Watching2
Member
07-07-2001
| Saturday, November 26, 2005 - 5:15 pm
landi - I got all choked up reading about Tigger. I too hope he's not visiting because he's a strictly indoor kitty. We've kept ours in for the last 27 yrs - as soon as I knew better! When I was a kid, we had farm land behind us so the cats went out, but after losing a kitty at 7 yrs who could have lived to be an old man had he not been out having cat fights, I started keeping all my furbabies in. Sea - I hope you have success with the flea problem. Like I said, we never let our cats out and we got a couple of horrible infestations many years ago. One was bad enough that we ended up calling an exterminator. It was AWFUL!! We've had less problems since we had the dog, which surprises me because she does go out, but I also now have hardwood floors except in bedrooms and the basement so they could be one thing that helps. What I do is put the Frontline Plus on the dog and then sometimes, the kitty would get a bath. I almost lost my beloved now deceased Jade one time when I put an old flea dip on her. I thought it was fine since I used it on her previously. What I didn't know was that it could change over time. She had really bad neurological symptoms and I rushed her to the vet who was able to save her. After that, I would never put anything on her, just the dog. So far, I've been fortunate doing that with Misha, too. Fleas can be just horrendous and when I see one.. I go crazy! Oh, and I'm one of those people they love to bite even if no one else gets bit!
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Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Saturday, November 26, 2005 - 8:07 pm
Remember fleas have about a 2 week lifecycle. If you vacuum to vacuum up the eggs, do so again in 7 days and then in 14 days.
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