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Mizinvanccouver
Member
02-22-2003
| Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 1:44 pm
Saxy--Your Sandy and Mocha are nice looking dogs. They look so happy and loved; which I'm sure they are. Are you going to ask your neighbor if it's their cat? Let us know what they say. If it is their cat, it's pretty neglected. Poor kitty.
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 3:23 pm
Aww, Hypermom, I hope it's not her kidneys, hon. She is such a sweet-looking pretty kitty (in the pic you posted in your folder)! Please let us know what the vet says.
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 3:26 pm
Saxy, I mistakenly left a message for Serate--telling her what a cutie her dh is. She let me know I was commenting about YOUR dh (brain got twisted, sorry!) Anyway, just wanted to let you enjoy the compliment (for your taste, dear)! Ha. Good luck with the stray/neighbor's cat. You were so kind-hearted to feed it. I'll be interested to find out whose it is, if anyone's and what happens to her. I'm betting your dogs would not take kindly to a feline addition to the family--right?
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Goddessatlaw
Member
07-19-2002
| Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 5:33 pm
Saxy, I bet if you pressed your hands around that poor kitty's ribs he/she is skin and bones underneath all that fur. Poor kitty doesn't look like anyone has loved it in its life until you. Even if it is the neighbor's kitty, I hope you can keep feeding him/her, because I don't think anyone else is.
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Hypermom
Member
08-13-2001
| Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 6:14 pm
Thank you, HP. I just called to see how she's doing. The assistant said she was done with her IV for the night and was in her arms purring. The vet will read the x-ray in the morning and call us to let us know.
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 6:29 pm
Awww, good to know she isn't frantic, isn't it? Hope you get good news tomorrow. Hon. I'll be thinking of you both.
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Saxywildcat
Member
05-30-2005
| Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 8:01 pm
DH said the kitty was back on our porch tonight. even scratching at the door. He noticed that it has no voice either. I should have bought some cat food tonight, but I didn't! I will get some on my lunch break tomorrow. I don't know if I will try a bath right away, but I will at least try to brush it some next time it comes up to me. We very well may have a new outside pet! I really don't think these two dogs would take to the feline. And I don't know that I want to try to see if it's litter box trained or not!
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Goddessatlaw
Member
07-19-2002
| Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 8:15 pm
Saxy, I doubt you can brush out the mats in kitty's hair, it looks like it's going to need to be cut out or shaved. I may be wrong, though, I've never had a long-hair cat.
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 8:20 pm
I think that you can buy a de-matting comb that cuts through the mats? It takes a lot of time and patience to groom a cat that is badly matted. If you try, take your time with him and only do a little bit each day.
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Serate
Member
08-21-2001
| Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 8:23 pm
I guess I don't understand the meaning of "litter box trained". Every single cat we have had, either as a kitten or an adult coming into the household, used the litter box. Fuzzy, the momma above, peed on the couch a couple weeks ago and my brother bopped her butt and threw her outside and decided that she wasn't going to be an inside cat. Then he realized the our dad was in the bathtub and the door was shut ad she couldn't get to the box. He keeps her in a cage with the kittens for the most part, but she asks to get out and heads straight to the bathroom and uses the litter box, even tho he has a makeshift litter box in the cage. So she must remember getting in trouble for peeing on the couch. I guess I always figured as long as you showed the cat where the litter box was, and made sure the litter was clean, they would use the litter box. It's sweet of you to take care of it Saxy. One of my folks cats came to us in worse shape than yours. They named her Miss Kitty, picked over 60 ticks off of her, took her to the vet. She was yellow & white and they commented that yellow cats are usually male. The vet checked her out, gave her meds for a snotty nose and said if she got over her nose problem we could spay her but if not he'd rather not put her under. It took Miss Kitty 3 months to get over that nose then I called to make the appointment to get her spayed. Took her in, the vet's office called later and told us to think of a new name for Miss Kitty before we came and got her the next day because Miss Kitty was a mister! [They went ahead and neutered him]. Miss Kitty, now known as Ted, went from a scraggly skinny kitty to a fat and lazy tomcat. Ted doesn't have much of a voice either, not much, if any, comes out when he mews, and sometimes he chirps like a bird when he gets excited. As far as the bath goes, if you feel uncomfortable actually bathing it, but it lets you brush it, you can get wipes to get most of the smell and dirt out.
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Saxywildcat
Member
05-30-2005
| Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 8:31 pm
Thanks everyone, for all the suggestions. And thanks HP for the comment about DH! What kind of cat food is good? One that isn't too expensive? I know I can get something really cheap where I work, but will it have no nutritional value? I know that probably for this kitty, anything would be good, but still, any suggestions?
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 8:34 pm
I always thought that all cats were automatically litter trained. Then we got a kitten from a breeder. She was a sweetie. The breeder was a bit of an eccentric and she kept her cats in a large clean fully enclosed barn. All the cats had litter boxes but as it turned out, this little kitten wasn't familiar with the box at all. First thing she did was pee on our living room carpet. She then proceeded to happily pee everywhere. I nicknamed her our "pissycat". Thank goodness they were tiny pees. I was so shocked I could have fallen over. After considerable effort (we spent hours with her every night before going to bed) and a few days we got her trained. After we trained her she was very cute. She'd be upstairs in our bedroom and she'd get a funny expression on her face and then run as quick as she could to her box. You'll get all sorts of recomendations about cat food but I think our resident Vet (Dogdoc) recommended avoiding ones that have corn as the major ingredient.
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Goddessatlaw
Member
07-19-2002
| Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 8:43 pm
Saxy, K-Mart runs specials on canned cat food that makes them about 25 cents per can. I've always subscribed to hard food for kitties because it's better for their teeth, although underweight or malnourished kitties I give soft food to help them put on weight. Friskies or Whiskas are respectably nutritious foods for cats without being overly pricy, cats particularly like Whiskas for some reason. Walmart will generally have your best price on cat food, unless you want to buy in bulk at Sam's. Hartz flea/tick ointment that you rub between their shoulderblades once per month is great at keeping the pests at bay. Also, my city has a program that provides rabies and other shots/neutering for next to no cost. You might want to check with your local animal shelter to see whether your city has a similar program if you and DH decide to adopt lil' kitty. Sounds like lil' kitty has just about decided to adopt you, which will pretty much resolve the matter . Cats have a way of getting what they want.
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Mameblanche
Member
08-24-2002
| Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 8:48 pm
Saxy, I'd adopt the little one if I could... the pix got to me... We buy dry food/Science Diet only for our two girls. Best stuff on the market, I believe. If you really do want to adopt this outdoor kitty, why not do it right, and get her to a vet/groomer. It might cost ya, but it will be done right, bath, brushing and/or shaving, and claws clipped, (NOT declawed if its an outdoor cat, just trimmed) and the little one will have a checkup and shots too which should put your mind at ease. Anyhow you can call the SPCA/shelter, they will probably do a checkup and grooming far cheaper than a vet. Or take it to your vet... Consider it a onetime thing at the very least. Oh, and whatcha gonna call the little nipper? Do you have a name or do you want us to help with suggestions. I love coming up with names. And btw, I'm thinking that if it hangs around on the porch long enough, your doggies and this kitty might actually get used to each other. So if you eventually bring it indoors it won't be a big deal. (Litterbox and all.) GRIN. I think what you are doing is wonderful. Have you thought of putting up signs that you found a cat? You might want the shelter to know, in case the owner is frantic. The kitty could have been lost for quite a while, from loving and caring owners. Or neglected from bad ones. Dunno. But you are on the right track wanting to help this little sweetie. Keep us posted on little your little lovie.
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Saxywildcat
Member
05-30-2005
| Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 8:55 pm
I've seen this cat around quite a bit, always noticing how scraggly it looks. It just had never ventured up onto my porch until today. We are taking our pooches to be boarded this weekend while we take a trip to see my little half brother graduate from high school. I may ask Doc Johnson what he thinks and how much it would be to give the little thing a checkup. We can't afford too much for the kitty right now.
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Rosie
Member
11-12-2003
| Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 9:06 pm
Saxy, is there a no-kill shelter in your area? That way the kitty could get cleaned up, fed and possibly find a new home. Just a thought.
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Regee
Member
10-09-2005
| Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 9:09 pm
Saxy: I can help some with the food if you let me know where to send it to . Reg'ee
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Saxywildcat
Member
05-30-2005
| Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 9:41 pm
Reg'ee that is so sweet! We can certainly get the little guy some food, but not necessarily an expensive vet visit. I will just ask our vet on Friday what he thinks.
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Regee
Member
10-09-2005
| Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 10:01 pm
Okay but let me know somehow, since you can get food I can help with the vet, not much but some otay . I have to do this for someone NOW as my Auntie Lee just passed away last Wednesday night on her way to Cherokee, Iowa and she lived in Ft. Walton Beach, FL. She lived on the island, her's was the first house built in fact. She would go and she had ton's and ton's of stray's that the vacationer's would get there kids to keep them company and then just leave the babies when they left..... Sad but true! She had no children; well of the human kind; just the human fur babies. She has set up a fund for her babies now that she is gone they will be taken care of all there natural life. I am so so so happy you are doing this for that poor sweet baby, I hope there is some way you can keep it either in the garage or outside. She/He look's so sweet. Sorry I am rattling but she was my favorite aunt and I miss her so so much. Reg'ee
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Saxywildcat
Member
05-30-2005
| Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 10:32 pm
Well, DH and I just opened the front door to find our new little friend staring up at us from the doormat. I took out some more milk/cream since it wouldn't touch the water. I will get a small bag of some form of food tomorrow, just in case it chooses to not eat whatever I get. I may even call and ask my vet tomorrow what he would charge to look that cat over. The poor thing is going to need to be shaved I have decided after really petting it some more. The mats on its sides are so much I can't really feel much as far as ribs go, but its little backbone sticks out a lot. We brought the dogs old carrier around to the porch and put a towel in it so it can have a warm place to sleep. I'm sure it has another place since I've seen it around before, but who knows how warm it is. That way this little guy has a place to keep out of all the rain we've gotten lately too. It stinks to high heaven, that's for sure. Still can't tell if it's a he or she. I tried to look, but i am again, not familiar with cat anatomy. Reg'ee, that is very cool about your aunt. I will let you know what the vet says about taking a look at the little thing. I'm off to sleepy land. ciao all.
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Tabbyking
Member
03-11-2002
| Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 11:29 pm
a caution about whiskas and other 'cheaper' foods and male cats; our male cat almost died after eating whiskas for his first 18 months. he got a blocked ureter from the 'filler' or whatever in the whiskas. after 3 days at the vet's, a catheter and almost 1,000 dollars, he now eats only feline s/d dry food--i think it's from science diet; probably the same thing mameblanche uses. they don't even like any other foods except i occasionally give them the drained water when i open a can of tuna. an added bonus from this food, which we also have our younger male cat on since he was 6 weeks old, is that they each only do a small amount of number 2 each day! i was worried they were impacted until the vet told us there is so little 'garbage' in the food they eat, they don't have 'garbage' to excrete. over-all, it costs less than whiskas and other cat foods because they also eat less of it. maybe a cup each a day.
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Tabbyking
Member
03-11-2002
| Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 11:38 pm
saxy, have you turned the stray cat over? on the bottom is says, "male or female". at least that's what some kids think. i remember reading about a little kid telling her mom the cat they found was a girl. when her mama asked how she knew, she replied, "daddy turned it over. it says so on the bottom."
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Saxywildcat
Member
05-30-2005
| Thursday, May 11, 2006 - 6:52 am
Tabby, I tried turning it over (at least it lets me pick it up). The poor thing is so matted I couldn't see anything.. And I tried it in the dark too.. So, well.. Who knows. I'll eventually figure it out. It is so matted and dirty I feel so bad for it!
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Saxywildcat
Member
05-30-2005
| Thursday, May 11, 2006 - 7:30 am
I just gave my vets office a call. There are two options. An office call is $25, or getting it a distemper and rabies shot, it'll get looked over too, for $28. My vet's secretary said that the poor thing is probably just mostly hungry and has no where that feeds it on a daily basis. So, I will get some food today, and maybe a mat comb and we'll see what we can get started. I'll make a decision about taking it to the vet next week. As bad as it is to say it, I don't have the chance until next week. With teaching, working at Dillons and everything. Plus tomorrow evening I'm taking my two dogs to get boarded for the weekend while me and DH are gone. The main thing is to get it some food and make sure there's enough for it over the weekend!
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Thursday, May 11, 2006 - 7:34 am
My cats won't eat anything but Friskies and Fancy Feast. And only certain kinds of those. They do not like the Science Diet at all. They've gotten to where they only like Fancy Feast crunchers too. Cats can be very picky. Petsmart usually has the Friskies 4 for a dollar which works out well when you have 3 cats.
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