Archive through February 07, 2002

The ClubHouse: Archives: CATS!: Archive through February 07, 2002

Moondance

Tuesday, February 05, 2002 - 11:40 pm Click here to edit this post
I love G!

Julieboo... I am home... now a few questions... are all your kitties fixed? (pockets picked)

How many others do you have... what are their ages ... tell me a little about their personalities

I think once the new one gets adjusted and feels a bit more secure things will be better... kitties adjust pretty well... don't worry (they pick up on that btw) it will all work out... when I know more about your situation, I can give you better advice and detail towards your household:)

Julieboo

Wednesday, February 06, 2002 - 07:43 am Click here to edit this post
Thanks, guys, for your responses so far. I am a new poster here, though I have been lurking for months...

Anyways, Frosty is the new cat. He is almost 3 yrs. old. He is neutered and declawed. He came from a family who treated him very well. He was friendly there and would greet people at the door, play, etc.

I have a 9-1/2 yr. old female (spayed & declawed) cat. I've had her since she was a few weeks old. She's very friendly.

I also have a 2 year old who loves animals too much! He loves to pet and hug too hard, but we are working with him to have "nice hands".

I guess my first concern is that this supposedly friendly cat is currently quite the scaredy cat. He is currently in the spare bedroom with his food, water & litter box. He won't come out from under the bed. He hisses if I try to play with him at all.

Do you need anymore info? All advice is greatly appreciated....

Moondance

Wednesday, February 06, 2002 - 08:01 am Click here to edit this post
Julie ... give Frosty some time... I won't go into it but please NEVER declaw another cat ... this really effects their quality of life ... think of your finger nails removed ... it also effects their personality because it is a natural and necessary need for a cat to claw for so many reasons...

So this brings me to Frosty's adjustment ... it will take longer than a cat with claws ... this is their protection (if they use them or not, they know they are their for security) Just have patience ... don't force playing ... get down to his level under the bed and just talk with him ... so he knows your voice and associates it with the calmness of the spare room ... wait to introduce your son ... kids mean well but they are so rough sometimes. Let him come to you and come out on his terms ... he will, just be consistent with the soothing voice and visits. Cats are more secure when they have a place for themselves so you have done the right thing by giving him his own room... it will happen just keep his world calm and quiet for now:)

It is so traumatic to have cats declawed. It effects them in so many different ways... Sure they claw things but that is what training is all about... I have 10 and nothing in my house is ever clawed, just the scratching posts!

Julieboo

Wednesday, February 06, 2002 - 08:29 am Click here to edit this post
Thanks Moondance. I guess I will just wait til he's ready to be sociable.

Julieboo

Wednesday, February 06, 2002 - 08:34 am Click here to edit this post
...and I plan to wait a long time to introduce my son. He would "love" Frosty way too much. He loves my female cat too much and I can't believe she puts up with it. If I'm on a chair, holding my son, the cat will actually jump on us, knowing that my son will "hug" her. She just is so social. If I were her, I think I'd steer clear of the 2 yr. old.

By the way, why is there no mouse flavored cat food?

Moondance

Wednesday, February 06, 2002 - 12:42 pm Click here to edit this post
But there is flavored catnip bubbles! & a laser light ... two of my kitties favorites.

Frosty will come around... keep up the visitations!:) It would good too if your son would lay on the floor next to the bed where Frosty is and talk to him so that intro down the line wil be smoother.

Julieboo

Wednesday, February 06, 2002 - 12:50 pm Click here to edit this post
Where can I get a laser light? That might help coax him out when he's ready.... (and where did you ever see catnip bubbles? Is it like a bottle of bubbles with a wand?)

Moondance

Wednesday, February 06, 2002 - 12:58 pm Click here to edit this post
Yes, just like regular wand bubbles but it is flavored... treats with your visits would be great... he may not eat them when you are there but he will ass. it with you... you can get healthy ones and the bubbles and the laser light at any pet store... Pet co... not sure what area you live in...hold on I can give you some links.

Moondance

Wednesday, February 06, 2002 - 01:02 pm Click here to edit this post
Laser Light
Just make sure the laser is not directed in anyones eyes... especially the cats:)

Catnip Bubbles

Julieboo

Wednesday, February 06, 2002 - 01:09 pm Click here to edit this post
Thnaks, Moon. You are the cat's meow!!!

Neko

Wednesday, February 06, 2002 - 01:36 pm Click here to edit this post
cat
Cats rock!

Moondance

Wednesday, February 06, 2002 - 01:41 pm Click here to edit this post
Doggies Drool
Kitties Rule!

Juju2bigdog

Wednesday, February 06, 2002 - 03:59 pm Click here to edit this post
Wha...?

Jbean

Wednesday, February 06, 2002 - 04:21 pm Click here to edit this post
hi guys! going back to declawing of cats, and moon saying not to declaw them. i agree, when my macy was little i thought about having this done to her because my mom's cats ruined her furniture from them scratching it. but i did some research on the internet on it, and it is kind of inhumane treatment. SOOOO, i have a little tip for everyone. if you have a kitten, start trimming their claws at a young age, so they will learn this as a routine. it is very easy to do, and macy actually enjoys it. she purrs while i trim down her nails (probably because she knows she will get a treat for her good behavior), and it keeps her from scratching things, and from hurting me while she is playing. that is part of why cats scratch stuff because they need to shed the outer layer of their claws, so they scratch stuff so they will shed off the outer layer.

another thing that i could suggest is called softpaws. i don't know if any of you have ever heard of this, but they are like fake nails for kitties! you can even get them in different colors like red, blue and purple. they come with a kit to put on your cat's claws with glue. i got these for macy when she was a kitten, but i have found that she is not a scratcher, because i keep her claws trimmed. here is a link to the softpaws website, in case anyone is interested, it really is a cool product. i almost wish i needed some so macy could have purple nails! anyway, here's the link:


www.softpaws.com


ps.....sorry i got on a soapbox, i feel kind-of strongly about declawing like moon.

pps....good luck w/ frosty, julieboo

Moondance

Wednesday, February 06, 2002 - 04:23 pm Click here to edit this post
I knew I loved you Jbean!!!

Thank you!

Jbean

Wednesday, February 06, 2002 - 04:24 pm Click here to edit this post
moon, i have a question for you too. are any of your kitties toilet trained? just wondering. i would love if macy would do this, but i tried getting a little kit to train her with about a year ago, and all that happened was a big fat mess of litter all over my bathroom? what are your thoughts on toilet training cats? you seem to be the foremost authority on them here! thanks! :)

Moondance

Wednesday, February 06, 2002 - 04:35 pm Click here to edit this post
OMG... my Exboyfriend toilet trained the two kitties I rescued for him while we were dating (mind you when we first started dating, he was HIGHLY hahaha allergic to cats hahahaha)

He had no problems with it and they used the toliet... they do like the litter box because it is just natural for them to dig but they go right in front of company LOL

The book he used (one of my million cat books LOL)

How to toilet Train your Cat
21 days to a litter free home
by Paul Kunkel

Jbean

Wednesday, February 06, 2002 - 06:47 pm Click here to edit this post
thanks moon, may have to check it out

Misslibra

Wednesday, February 06, 2002 - 07:42 pm Click here to edit this post
Juju Doggies are nice. Grooch's little Rocky is just the cutest thing, but they do drool. And Cats rule!!

I'm making a list for Tasha, one lazer light and one, nah better make that two catnip bubbles, and one book "How to toilet train your cat".

Now if I get this book and teach her to use the toilet, and she leaves the toilet seat up, we are going to have some problems. :)

Moondance

Wednesday, February 06, 2002 - 07:52 pm Click here to edit this post
LOL... miss seeing you around MsL! :)

Juju2bigdog

Wednesday, February 06, 2002 - 09:12 pm Click here to edit this post
<drools>

Weinermr

Thursday, February 07, 2002 - 02:03 am Click here to edit this post
DO NOT DECLAW CATS

I just had to get that off my chest.

Grooch

Thursday, February 07, 2002 - 06:39 am Click here to edit this post
My dog does not drool. Humph!

Neko

Thursday, February 07, 2002 - 11:57 am Click here to edit this post
Neither does mine..

Goatgirl

Thursday, February 07, 2002 - 02:51 pm Click here to edit this post
I used to have a little black cat named Olive who drooled up a storm whenever anyone held her and petted her. One of my meaner friends nicknamed her Druella.

Even though some kitties drool I agree that kitties rule!

My current kitty is toiled trained. I adopted her from the shelter when she was 3 years old and after she had been living with me for a few months, one day I was in the bathroom at the sink and she came in and just hopped up on the toilet. Does that book on how to toilet train a cat include any ideas on training them to flush?

Jbean I also use a claw trimmer. My cat likes it and thinks she's so pretty after, like she's had a manicure.

Catnip bubbles?? Cool! I will have to get some!