| Author |
Message |
Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Monday, July 02, 2012 - 9:01 am 
I bought popcorn from the Popcorn Factory purposely so I could get a lovely gold tin to use for storing cat food. I figured if I had to store it someplace it would in something that didn't look so out of place! And back then, I had already figured out Costa was smarter than me, so I had to do something that he couldn't open. Even without opposable thumbs! 
Both cats were started with the clipping of the claws at an early age. I was patient, trained them with rewards, and while I know that hasn't always been their favorite thing to do, Kassie will follow me WHILE I CLICK THE CLIPPERS into the bathroom. She will squirm, but she gets special treats (not the regular treats she usually gets) before and after the clipping, and I can get all four paws clipped quickly. I never had a problem.
I'm not sure I would ever flush anything down the toilet, whether it's flushable or not. The biodegradable "Bags on Board" bags work just fine. I pasted a kitty sticker over the picture of the dog (so Costa wouldn't be offended) and keep the rolls right by the litter box. One bag a day works just fine and I don't have to worry about trying to recycle plastic bags that may or may not have holes in them.
I do agree that some cats may be difficult shelter cats, but again... if the humans do their research half the problems wouldn't be problems. Cats are living breathing animals, not showpieces. Those two sphynx kitties deserved their own toys and beds! No wonder they were attack kitties!
|
Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Monday, July 02, 2012 - 9:27 am
Early age is key, but of course many of the hardest case cats in shelters are brought in as adults, either from the street, as runaways or when people with no patience to train them have given up on them.
But nowadays there are some amazingly well loved older cats/dogs brought in when people lose their homes and move to "no pet" places..
But yes, best if possible to start trimming early. When I had labrador litters, we started in REALLY early, since their little nails were so sharp and that would save the moms some grief too. But it got them started being used to being handles.
Katniss was 11 months and wild when I got her. They had trimmed her up while she was under anesthetic being spayed, but next time was quite the ordeal!
|
Happymom
Member
01-20-2003
| Sunday, September 30, 2012 - 7:10 pm
Last night I saw an episode starring a 23 year old cat and a very emotional JAckson Galaxy. Bless that wonderful man.
23 year old Pump wasn't wanted by his owner's wife. And Pump was not even a problem cat. He just wanted her attention. Owner husband had lived with Pump for 12 years. After Jackson's visit, she said she wouldn't rehome him. 2 days after the ep originally aired, she did. I despise that that woman did that. At least Pump is alive and well and happy living with the woman's mother in law.
I read that the woman got so many hate posts on her business FB page that she had to shut it down. Wonderful Jackson posted online that the important thing is that Pump is happy with his new owner and we shouldn't judge her.
|
Reader234
Member
08-13-2000
| Sunday, September 30, 2012 - 8:46 pm
wow thank you for posting that happymom - I watch every now and again - esp when dd is around (she wants cats, I want her to realize the committment needed)
|
Lakecat
Member
10-01-2006
| Monday, October 01, 2012 - 5:23 am
The husband should have put his foot down,he must have no back bone at all.
|
Sadiesmom
Member
03-13-2002
| Monday, October 01, 2012 - 8:55 am
I have never really gotten along with cats, so I watch this show to find out the secrets to getting along with cats in case I visit another cat person. Even not as a cat person, when my mother died, I took in her cat for 6 months while I looked for a family to adopt the cat even thought it tortured and taunted my old lame non-aggressive dog. (it would walk in a room and go out of his way to walk over this 70 pound dog - always had to step on her, even if it was stepping on her head or tail or stomach)
I guess if you have a family member the cat knows it is not as bad as strangers. My brother married an allergic woman and "temporarily" left his cats with my Mom, but visited them twice a week - actually started visiting my mom more because his cats were there. They now have two dogs with hair not fur (non-allergic).
|
Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, October 02, 2012 - 12:14 am
Maybe we shouldn't judge that woman, but I do. How horrible! Wonder if she only went on the show to get publicity for her "business" and then got rid of Pump.
That is sort of like putting grandma or grandpa out on the ice..
If I was her husband it would eat away at me and I'd be leaving too.
I see so much volunteering at the shelter.. and really old cats are hard to place and so bewildered. Of course sometimes an owner dies or has to go into assisted living or one man adopted two cats and then the next week was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. But so many just seem to have heartless people. Like a 9 year old black cat.. they had four cats and he wasn't the favorite.. so they ditch him at that age? He was such a love. And one of the volunteers actually adopted him. But that isn't the norm.
|
Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, October 02, 2012 - 12:20 am
Jackson is so busy. He starts filming season 4 of the show in November, he did the audio version of his book, book tour and tonight I heard that he's also recording an album.
I was in a video conference with him today but there were some technical difficulties and then I had to leave to get down to the shelter to get some cat time in before a meeting there. (the first time they tried this the server crashed.. so many people, I guess)
|
Dawn
Member
07-24-2009
| Wednesday, October 03, 2012 - 11:35 am
i love this show. kinda wish i had seen it back when i had my 'problem' cat (whom i lost to kidney disease last oct).
i have 3 cats and one giant litter box. got it at petsmart for about $20. it's seriously massive. i also use fresh step cat litter, i like it so much better than tidy cats. i used tidy cats for years.
|
Lakecat
Member
10-01-2006
| Wednesday, October 03, 2012 - 11:46 am
I may have already endorsed this product upthread so forgive me if I repeat. I bought a litterbox by Tidycat exclusive to Pet Smart. It uses pellets and then has a drawer underneath with a sort of pee pad in it. The pellets need changing once a month and if you have ONE cat the pee pad like thing needs changing once a week. I highly reccomend it. No muss,no fuss. My cats took to it immediately. It cost $29 but the pellets and pee pads are seperate.I still have the traditional type of litterboxes too as I have 4 cats.
http://www.bing.com/shopping/tidy-cats-breeze-litter-box-system-tc-breeze-box-system/p/2DBA30C088863E465006?q=tidy+box+litter+box+uses+pellets&lpq=tidy%20box%20litter%20box%20uses%20pellets&FORM=HURE
|
Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Wednesday, October 03, 2012 - 7:08 pm
I have two of the ultimate scratching posts
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_2_8?url=search-alias%3Dpets&field-keywords=ultimate+cat+scratching+post&sprefix=Ultimate%2Cpets%2C354
Katniss LOVES them and can stretch all the way up.. she also climbs up them and heaves herself up to sit on top. We con't have the perch. I think Julip did get the perch and her cat isn't into the scratching part but likes sitting up there ;)
And of course DA BIRD
which is our current favorite toy..
Jackson uses one or both of Da Bird or the mouse cat catcher (we have those too) in most of the episodes.
I use scoop away, works fine for us.
My litter box (I have three which we used when I had the two cats who hated each other) is a Rubbermaid tub and I fill it pretty deep with litter so everything gets well buried, plus I tend to scoop often. But I like a litter box so a fairly big can can get in and not be hitting the sides.
|
Dawn
Member
07-24-2009
| Friday, October 05, 2012 - 6:47 am
i have Da Bird - it's AWESOME! i actually have 2 because i won one from friskies but was thinking about giving it to the animal shelter that I foster with.
the bad thing with Da Bird is that you have to put it away when you don't want to play with the cats with it, because they will tear it apart of it's just laying around lol
|
Dawn
Member
07-24-2009
| Friday, October 05, 2012 - 6:48 am
this is the litter box i have (this photo is not my litter box)
http://0.tqn.com/d/cats/1/0/C/1/4/PetmateGiantLitterBox.jpg
|
Dawn
Member
07-24-2009
| Friday, October 05, 2012 - 6:49 am
looks like in that photo those people also have the pellet one that lakecat posted about
|
Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Friday, October 05, 2012 - 11:02 am
Dawn, that looks to be pretty similar in size to my rubbermaid tub.. mine might be a tad deeper but really nice size and nice to have the place for the scooper too.
I donated 5 or 6 Da Birds to our shelter and I gather the cats were just WILD for them
My friend has a 7 year old Siamese she rescued early this year.. sad situation for the family.. they had raised her from a kitten but when their baby arrived he was wildly dangerously allergic. The people at national cats in newport beach said they actually saw the baby so the story was true. Anyway friend called at the right moment.. wanting a declawed cat..
Max, the cat, got a Da Bird a couple of weeks ago, liked it, but my friend left it out and Max didn't go for the feathers but chewed through the string.. that is knotted back but she still has it on a coffee table.
Katniss would have discovered that in a flash.
I have found that after a lot of use when Katniss does get a feather to pull out, she's happy but she doesn't eat it and it will lie around and not be of interest after that.
I have had to retie countless times and we are on bird # 3. I bought a 10 pack of new "birds" from Amazon, so we have a stockpile. I keep Da Bird and the Cat Catcher mouse (mice, have two) in the laundry room behind closed doors.
|
Happymom
Member
01-20-2003
| Saturday, October 06, 2012 - 11:21 am
Sea, thanks for posting about that scratching post. I just ordered it from Wayfair.com for $41.64 along with a few other cat toys to bring the total to over $69 for free shipping.
|
Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, October 06, 2012 - 2:33 pm
That is a good price.. I paid a bit more and also got free shipping..
Katniss loves hers.. I bought a second one for upstairs where she spends a lot of time in my room and I was lugging it upstairs unassembled and had the thought, what if she rejects this one? I opened the door and she FLUNG herself onto it with all four paws, claws out.. almost knocked me over.
|
Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, October 06, 2012 - 2:35 pm
Hmm I sized this down, but maybe because she is so black it doesn't go tiny?
|
Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, October 06, 2012 - 2:48 pm
I sure hope your ultimate scratcher is as well loved as Katniss' is.
|
Happymom
Member
01-20-2003
| Saturday, October 06, 2012 - 11:01 pm
Excellent pic of Katniss! I always like when you post her pics because she looks exactly like my DaVinci and I never get good pics of him. Even when he's in the sun, he'll look away!
LOL about her flinging herself onto it! My two guys will love it. They ruined the sisal part of their old tower. Their new one is all carpet. And their all carpet scratching post looks like it has hair now because it's been used so much.
Wayfair.com has an attachment for the top of the ultimate scratcher. It was about $14. It turns the top into a larger platform for perching etc. I thought about getting one for us, but thought it might be too small for our cats to use it much...post will go next to couch anyway, keeps them from scratching couch. After seeing Katniss on top of hers, and no platform, I kind of wish I'd ordered that platform attachment. I
How much does she weigh?
|
Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, October 07, 2012 - 12:06 am
About 6 weeks ago, she was 12lb 2oz at the vet.. she definitely hasn't lost weight since then.. (she was 6lb 8oz when I adopted her).
She has a substantial fluffybutt and she sits up there just fine.
If you do get the attachemnt, I hear it is best to use velcro for the cover, otherwise it slides. I don't have that attachment; she climbs right up with her claws on opposite sides and then pulls herself up on top.. good exercise. (she's STRONG, said the tech last time they did her nails). That she is.
She has scratched the heck out of this but the cloth holds up well.. the upstairs one looks much better, though she uses it too.
I also put small toys up there and she'll climb partway up and BAT the toy off, or snag it with a claw.
You can always order a platform later.. for sure only a little kitten could lie down on top. but she loves sitting up there ;)
Can't wait to hear what your guys think!
|
Happymom
Member
01-20-2003
| Saturday, November 03, 2012 - 4:19 pm
One of my guys just loves our new Ultimate Scratcher. I'm not sure about the other indoor cat though. I haven't seen him use it, but I did hear him use it once. I haven't actually seen him scratch much lately on anything.
|
Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, November 04, 2012 - 12:45 am
Katniss usually visits the downstairs one first thing when she comes downstairs and really goes at it. And I find nail sheddings there and near the upstairs one.
She hasn't climbed up on top lately. That I know of.
New favorite toy, the Nekofly series.. we have a couple of the bugs, but got the large Kittenator that is fur and sheLOVES it. Still loves Da Bird too.
She also gets some exercise chasing balls. She's a good goalie but not a retriever. She has a small soccer ball, ping pong balls, mini tennis balls and other balls with bells and such.
Glad at least one of yours loves it!!
|
Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Wednesday, March 06, 2013 - 10:03 pm
Is this show ever coming back? I miss it.
|
Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Thursday, March 07, 2013 - 8:08 pm
Yes, Jackson is filming, or has filmed, another season.
|
