Archive through November 06, 2002
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TV ClubHouse: Archives: Cats (ARCHIVE): Archive through November 06, 2002

Halfunit

Tuesday, October 29, 2002 - 03:55 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Just,

I have 3 declawed kitties who were declawed before I got them, so I've never been through the process. I never knew about laser declawing until your post so I did some web snooping and found these links:

Pet Dr

Long Beach Animal Hospital

Description and List of Laser Vets

Healthy Pet - Debate and Choices

I would check out message boards on pet web pages to talk to pet owners who have actually had this procedure done and get their views before I believe what I read on a vet's webpage. I'm not saying laser is bad, I would just want to hear from "satisfied customers" first.

Meggieprice

Tuesday, October 29, 2002 - 07:51 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Hi everyone- I have wanted to come to this thread for a long time but wanted to read the whole thing first. Today I have...crying for the lost babies of Moon and Lobster, laughing at the antics of most all of the rest, and just feeling joy for the love here. I am so happy to have the company of all of you who know the love of these wonderful beings. I have five cats- Albert(Mr. Pinks) the 14 1/2 year old orange tabby codger, Callie the demented half wild 6 year old calico, George (always called Puddin' for georgie porgy puddin pie) the three year old lovie of a gray tabby, Toby, about 1 1/2 or so -sleek and black and formerly outside, and Rosie- Miss Rosie,cutie pie, a little over one and an orange tabbie female- rare, and she knows it! I also feed a registered feral cat colony on my property currently 5-7 cats, all neutered and living out their days here. The colony was once out of control but my dh got it in hand, trapping and neutering.

How I wish I had had this thread last year- I lost three beloved cats in one year- one, Snerkels, to heart disease( Lobster, he died in my arms at the vet), then MIss Maggie- she got suddenly ill and died at the vet that night-still dont know exactly why, and Bittan, a most wonderful old coot with the biggest heart- who died of kidney disease.I will never forget them and the joy they brough to me.

One lovely magical thing that happened around all that is that they day Bittan was euthanized a sweet little boy from outside, who for some reason had stopped acting at all feral towards me as soon as he was neutered, just walked in the door! All I can think is that he knew there was an opening...He never left- that is our Toby. He was scared of my husband and son at first but as the months have passed is becoming more and more at ease with all. He is a sweetheart with a little chirpy call unlike any I have heard.

OK, I have to stop rambling- it just feels so good to be with you all and to open up about my little loves. One more story-most of you know I was laid up for most of the summer with disc problems. Well, my Puddin' always knew when I was hurting the most. He is the peacekeeper of the family- if I am calling out with a raised voice, which is often as our house has really bad voice carrying acoustics, he will run in anxiously to make sure no one is mad at each other! During my worst pain he would burrow down under the covers and strop on my nightgown, purring and snuggling with me. He has a big sleek otter like body and it was pain relief like no other.

Enough! Hugs all round to my fellow kitkat lovers.

Justme

Tuesday, October 29, 2002 - 08:45 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thanks Half! From what I've read so far it still appears to be pretty painful. I will take your suggestion and see if I can locate someone who will honestly share their personal experience.

Curiouscat

Wednesday, October 30, 2002 - 04:18 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Welcome to the Cats thread, Meggieprice :) I found the General Discussion area just after BB3. It's wonderful how you and your husband are taking care of feral cats and giving a loving home to your five fur babies. I'm sorry about your losses. Are you feeling better now with your disk problems?

}}}Cyber hugs and catnip to you and your kitties{{{

Boodles

Saturday, November 02, 2002 - 11:36 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Meggie, I should have known you were a cat person since I enjoy talking to you so much in the chats.

I have 2 cats. a black one with gold eyes named Shalimar, and a cream and grey with blue eyes named Jasmine. They are litter mates (I think Momma had more than one suiter) and they are about 12 years old now.

They are being good right now, both curled up asleep next to my chair. They must know I'm talking about them and being on their best behavior. Usually they're doing their best to get between me and the keyboard. LOL

Twinkie

Sunday, November 03, 2002 - 12:11 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Update on Squirt: He has stopped peeing outside the litterbox. Don't know why! But it sure makes mommy and daddy very happy! BTW he's the smaller one in my profile.

Babyruth

Monday, November 04, 2002 - 07:06 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Update on Jessie:

Last week's labwork shows her overactive thyroid gland is back with a vengeance, so she is scheduled to have it surgically removed on Wednesday, 11/6. (She is no longer a good candidate for tapazole). According to the doc, they use a anesthetic gas that's not metabolized in the liver or kidneys, so it's safe for her kidneys. It's a fairly simple surgery, and I'll pick her up the same day I drop her off.

Although her kidneys will no longer benefit from the extra boost of perfusion from the overactive thyroid, the overall damage done (continued weightloss, heart damage)by the thryoid would be far worse. Doc says she will not need thyroid supplements afterwards (which surprised me)...cats don't need them, he says.

Anyway, if anyone here has had a cat undergo this surgery, how did your cat do? Anything else I should know? Thanks in advance to any and all responses.

Julieboo

Monday, November 04, 2002 - 10:20 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Cat questions:

What is a good brand of catnip?

What are your cats' favorite toys?

What are/were your kittens favorite toys?

Thanks!

Bob2112

Monday, November 04, 2002 - 12:03 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Bob Hiya J.Bo!

I have always liked that ball with the little bell in it.
Played with one of those hour after hour after hour.

Unfortunately, I have never owned a cat.

Sia

Monday, November 04, 2002 - 12:06 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Julie, home-grown catnip is really good stuff, but I've never been able to grow it successfully indoors; my cats have always gobbled it up as soon as it breaks through the dirt. When I was a teen-ager, though, we had a big patch of it in our front yard, and whenever our housecat slipped outside, she could always be found ROLLING in that patch of catnip. It was hilarious!! rollingkitty

My cat's favorite thing to play with is a ring from a plastic milk jug. She plays "fetch with it, and this is a game she invented all by herself. She just needs me to throw it for her and she brings it right back. She also loves toy mice made of real rabbit fur and jumps in the air for them when I swing one on the end of a piece of string.

My cat used to do an "assisted" back-flip onto the bed, but we haven't done that in a few years; she's 17 now and I treat her with the dignity she is due!!

Moondance

Monday, November 04, 2002 - 12:55 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Much love to Jessie, Babyruth

I am sorry I can't be much help.

Twinkie

Monday, November 04, 2002 - 01:48 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Julie, our cats love any kind of catnip! If they just smell it or roll around in it they get crazy, but it they eat it they get sleepy. Their favorite toys are any kind of ribbon or the feather on a stick. One of hubby's shoelaces broke so he tied the broken one to the whole one from the other shoe and now Squirt just loves to drag that around. There have been times we have found all of their toys on our bed! Oh and they also like to play fetch kitty with the ball with the bell in it. When they were babies they loved the ball in the ring that they can't get out.

Weinermr

Monday, November 04, 2002 - 03:19 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Good luck with Jessie, BR. I'm sure it will go fine, and Jessie will be a happier cat when it is all done. {{{{Babyruth}}}}

Scootersmom

Monday, November 04, 2002 - 03:28 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Babyruth, sorry I can't help with any information, but wanted to let you know that I'm thinking of you and Jessie.

Ummm...Bob? do you want some of Sia's homegrown catnip sent your way? (just asking)smile

Halfunit

Monday, November 04, 2002 - 04:57 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Hugs to all the kitties going through medical procedures!! ( I myself am on day one of a five day regimen of going to the hospital for antibiotics administered through an iv, but that's a whole different story - better me than the cats!! )

As for catnip, mine don't care what brand, but they really like homegrown. If it's already dried, I have to keep it in the oven to prevent them from opening cupboards or drawers to get to it. If I grow it myself indoors, it has to be on top of the fridge.

The kids have their own toybox. They enjoy stuffed mice, and the mouse that hangs from a string that you attach to your door opening. Their FAVORITE toys however are hair scrunchies and a string from a hooded sweatshirt that has been pulled out. It has fringed ends and knots and they love it.

I won't buy the feathers on the fishing pole type toy as I had one of my cats swallow the feathers and string until I found her and had to pull the whole ensemble out (gross). Not trying to scare you, just my experience with one particular cat!

Meggieprice

Monday, November 04, 2002 - 05:08 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Babyruth- sending love and positive prayers to you and Jessie.

Seems like our kittens could make anything into a toy! Bags, a puff of dust, a sock, a crumpled paper.

Our cats love the rods with feathery toys on the end of them. They also like the little pillows that have catnip in them.

Rosie, the youngest, is by far the funniest about her toys. She will find and drag one of the feather toys with her onto the bed and play with it before her nap. It is so funny to see her dragging the long rod up and knowing she is using it sort of like a nap time bottle. She also likes an orange whiffle ball that she trots around with, firmly in her mouth, looking very important. Then she bats it around until it inevitably gets lost under something. My husband eventually roots it out and it starts all over again. We're giving her a bag of them for Christmas.

Lobster

Monday, November 04, 2002 - 06:37 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Babyruth, sending warm thoughts to you and Jessie!

Julieboo, Cosmic Catnip seems to be the preferred catnip amongst the five cats I've had experience with. Hartz is basically just the stems and seeds ground up, and isn't very potent. None of them liked it.

Lightning's favorite toy is any crinkly piece of paper rolled up in a ball. If it makes noise, he likes it. For awhile his favorite was a McDonald's breakfast burrito wrapper. Made a good sized ball, and just enough crinkly noise. LOL

Thunder's favorite toys are rabbit fur balls. He absolutely loves the black furry spiders with the red pipe cleaner legs. He's destroyed two already. I did find another one downstairs that used to belong to my brother's cats, and so far he's been gentle with this one.

Pamy

Monday, November 04, 2002 - 06:50 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Babyruth...sending you and Jessie good healing thoughts! All the warm wishes and thoughts here really work! My pumpkin pie is back to his old mean self, harassing all the female cats!! You would never know that he has just 3 legs

Moondance

Monday, November 04, 2002 - 07:02 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Yeah Pumpkin!

My Angelkitty Sasha who crossed over in September had 3 paws and got around great!

Here is Samson ... he got a check up since his surgery (tumor on his tongue) and he is doing super ... gained weight and as you can see he is up to his tiger ways in the patio jungle!

1

Pamy

Tuesday, November 05, 2002 - 11:26 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Oh Moonie your baby is so cute, I just wanna cuddle with him, glad to hear he is back to his old self!!

Lobster

Tuesday, November 05, 2002 - 05:22 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Moon, he's such a pretty boy! I'm happy that he's doing well.

Pamy, glad to hear that Pumpkin's still got it with the ladies! LOL

Babyruth

Wednesday, November 06, 2002 - 04:13 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thank you Meggie, Pamy, Moonie, Half-Unit, Lobster, Weiner and Scootersmom and everyone who sent good wishes to Jessie.

She is home now and doing well after her surgery today. Her sutures will dissolve on their own, so there is no need to return. Her thyroid gland was about twice normal size (they showed it to me). So far, she is groggy and tired but purring. Kind of achy and tender, too.
I hope she will gradually regain some of the weight she's lost...vet said it will take a few weeks to get some momentum.
Thanks again for all the sweet thoughts!!

Misslibra

Wednesday, November 06, 2002 - 04:20 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Samson is a cute guy. :) I have asked this question over and over again, but no one have been able to tell me a good way of keep my cat out of the Christmas tree. Last year I got a small table top size tree. But I want to put my big tree up this year. Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.:)

Babyruth

Wednesday, November 06, 2002 - 04:24 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Hi MissLibra! I just missed you last night at your Granholm partying thread! Whee!

I have given up with the idea of a tree with cats. We have a huge Norfolk Island Pine (actually a tropical indoor plant) that lives in the house year-round, so we lightly decorate that, plus bring in fresh greens and put them on the mantle, for fragrance.
But, I would like a traditional tree, so if you are able to get an answer, I will use it!

Misslibra

Wednesday, November 06, 2002 - 04:28 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thanks Babyruth and YAY!! Granholm!:)