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Cat Club - September
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Message 1.Â
Posted by Rusters (U11225963) on Tuesday, 1st September 2009
Welcome everyone to the September Mustardland Cat Club.
This is a forum for people to talk about cats, to share information, and to seek and give advice and support.* It’s been a great help to me over the past few years, I hope it will be to any newcomers too.
If you need a fast response to a problem, you might prefer to start your own thread: entitle it "Cat Emergency" and it will attract attention more quickly, although most of the regular visitors to this club check in on a daily basis.*
These are the links to other Village Hall Cat threads:
Feral/Stray Cats: F2693944?thread=6216800
Good Food for Cats: F2693944?thread=6733162
Pucci's Feline Diabetes: F2693944?thread=3603152&skip=0&show=20 This thread is now closed and for reference only. It is a wonderful resource for those with diabetic cats.
The Cat Club Rota thread: F2693944?thread=6184953. Volunteers to open a month always welcome.
Cats should look here: F2693944?thread=6241663 Cats' Ceilidh, which in Thorkjell's words, is "Intelligent feline speech, elegant dancing and gourmet food. Hard Katts and Pashmina Pussies welcome. Humans are welcome, but only if they're house-trained and well-behaved.......strictly no canines!"
Here's the link to last month's thread if you want to reread or check something.
F2693944?thread=6805554
This is a link to a 24 hour veterinary telephone helpline which some of us have used and can recommend:
*Please note that any advice given here is not a substitute for veterinary care. If you have worries about your cat's health, do please seek professional advice.
***
This has taken me several goes to post, thanks to the unsolicited help of Big Alice. She is obviously missing dear old Marfums, and won't leave me alone these days.
All is well here, though it is going to be a busy month, vetwise. There are several routine vet checkups/dentals in the pipleine, and a few follow-up investigations: Babes' problematic eyes (trust her to have separate eye conditions in each eye); Pompom's IBD (she's doing well, so hope she doesn't need another scan); and Maudie's congenital cardiomyopathy (ditto).
Love to all ML cats (well to all cats really), healing vibes to the sick, and come home vibes to the missing.
BTW, over the months I have read a few posts in the Cat Club from people apologising for "barging in" to the Club, or for disappearing and reappearing "out of the blue"; also people in general threads asking how they can join the various ML Club.
I was equally unsure when I first joined ML, so I'd like to reassure everyone that the Clubs are for everyone - regulars, occasional dippers and those who have a one-off query; also, that all you have to do to join a Club is to post in it.
Rusty -
Message 2
Posted by Small boy in third row (U2247664) on Tuesday, 1st September 2009
Tue, 01 Sep 2009 09:28 GMT, in reply to Rusters in message 1
Thanks Rusters, just bookmarking. -
Message 3
Posted by greensparklybejewelledone (U2283175) on Tuesday, 1st September 2009
Tue, 01 Sep 2009 10:11 GMT, in reply to Rachel in message 2
Thanks Rusty. Good luck with all your routine vet visits this month - hope all pass their MOTs with flying colours if not nippy new engines (you can take a metaphor too far, you know. - Ed.)
gj
x -
Message 4
Posted by Carol Tregorran (U8943346) on Tuesday, 1st September 2009
<<(you can take a metaphor too far, you know. - Ed.)>>
Oh, I don't know about that... & following on from gj's post...
I have two kittens & one katten that have formula
1 engines - they use my living room & kitchen as a race track & they love their pit stops. Jenson Button & Lewis Hamilton eat your hearts out. -
Message 5
Posted by Bractondefeated (U3173859) on Tuesday, 1st September 2009
Thanks Rusty. (The name of one of our cats, btw. When she died we buried her in the garden and Bractonjunior, whose speical cat she wsa, bought a stone bench to place next to her grave so he could sit and remember her. Ever since, its been Rusty's bench and the current cats love sitting there!)
Anyway just popping in to say no news of Gabriel We've cancelled our holiday because we couldnt bear to go away wondering even though Bracton junior would have poppedin twice a day. And anyway, if Gabriel did come back, what would BJun do? Fine welcome home it would be to promptly take him to the cattery to join his brothers and sisters! But B Jun doesnt live with us any more so leaving him at home with 2 visits a day wouldnt have been a good idea either. Mind you,on the money we've saved on the holiday (not required to pay for any of the cancelled bookings) we're going to eat out every night for the next 2 weeks during our stayathomecation!
Bracton -
Message 6
Posted by catwomyn (U1485618) on Tuesday, 1st September 2009
Hi CT, are you fostering the kittens?
My ginger pair are doing fine, very lively, and the little one's snuffliness is improving. I am going to have to somehow anchor their litter tray in the cage though, as they keep moving it (via high jinks) and the litter gets in their food dishes - yukkity yuk
Cat x -
Message 7
Posted by BasiainBrooklyn (U505001) on Tuesday, 1st September 2009
Just a quickie, thanks for opening Rusty, and I begin the month Angel-less as she hasn't come home this morning and I have to go to the studio, and I normally keep them inside when I'm shooting all day, but if she comes home to a closed up house, I worry that that will freak her out so I'm going against what I normally do to entice her home. Pain in the bum.
Love to all, Bx -
Message 8
Posted by laReine-Astrid (U10636638) on Tuesday, 1st September 2009
Thanks for opening up Rusty, and hope all goes well for the crowd this month.
And Angel and Gabriel (yes, it's for real), get your furry b*ms back home.
I'm off tomorrow for a week, so my two will be staying with someone. Never tried her before, but she comes well recommended. -
Message 9
Posted by Bractondefeated (U3173859) on Tuesday, 1st September 2009
Yes, weird that Angel and Gabriel are both missing. Anyone here who has a cat with a specially Angelic name, keep a careful eye on them.
Good vibes from Notts for Angel, Basis
Bracton -
Message 10
Posted by Jo Bo (U1485540) on Tuesday, 1st September 2009
Just bookmarking quickly - September already, what happened to summer? At least we have had a summer down here, although I suspect quite a few of you haven't had such good weather this year.
Hope everyone's furries are keeping well, best wishes to those with health problems, and come home vibes to Gabriel. Bash, so sorry about Matty, but I suppose your rescue work exposes you to an awful lot of heartache. You do a wonderful job, don't blame yourself, you can only do so much.
Oh, and Cat, I want those gorgeous kittens...I just love gingers. Sadly I suspect my lot wouldn't appreciate them as much.
Jo x
(and Herbie, Freddie, Hattie and Susie) -
Message 11
Posted by Rusters (U11225963) on Tuesday, 1st September 2009
Rusty's a perfect name for a ginge, Bracton. Dunno how we came to miss that one out so far. Am assuming your Rusty was ginger, though females are not as common as males.
I don't blame your for cancelling your holiday under the circumstances, though I wouldn't be surprised if you have had the odd sideways glances by non-animal people.
I think it is a brilliant idea to treat yourself to lovely meals out. We could never get away together, because of all the cats, and kept promising ourselves we would spend our holidays at home in London, but acting as tourists - river trips, theatre, nice meals out.
Bash, hope Angel is home when you get back (bit hazy about timing). It's not the first time she has been a dirty stop-out (where does that expression come from anyway?) irrc, and if I am right it shows that she knows her way round.
muchado, hope your boy who had the bladder op and was having diarrhoea is doing better now. Have been thinking about him.
Rusty -
Message 12
Posted by Eliza Bennet (U2508760) on Tuesday, 1st September 2009
Milly and Des say hello and also Come Ö÷²¥´óÐã! to Angel and Gabriel. Des was a bit worried about leaving the house but Milly has reassured him that there was never - as far as anyone knows - an Angel Desmond, so that's all right.
-
Message 13
Posted by muchado27 (U14070206) on Tuesday, 1st September 2009
hi to rusters, we are just back from the vet as cat was in for check up , he is doing relly well, diarrhoea has stopped , he is tolerating the cone/collar he has to wear to stop him getting at stitches. He's not to keen on the urinary diet food they,ve given him and he is to stay on it until result back on what the wee stones were. Stitches out on Monday. Other cat not liking him at the moment, something to do with the cone/collar he is wearing, lots of growling going on.
So all in all things seem good, apart form my bank balance that is. However I wouldn't have it any other way.
Best wishes Much. -
Message 14
Posted by supertillypops (U7654482) on Tuesday, 1st September 2009
Happy September, everyone. Positive vibes for Gabriel and Angel.
stp -
Message 15
Posted by oldbloke2 (U2285767) on Tuesday, 1st September 2009
I am a very infrequent poster here. We have a cat but I am not a cat lover. I have to look after Cat though.
1. Cat food. Cat clearly prefers a certain type of food which cost 0.59 euros per packet - 100 gramms. I find that exorbitantly expensive - a few weeks ago it only cost 39 cents - and I refuse to pay it. I give Cat a packet which costs about 25 cents. But Cat moans and only eats that food when hunge gets the better of Cat. At the moment Cat gets through 3 or four packets a day! I don't want to be cruel to Cat but OTOH 3 times 59 cents is a lot of money in a month. And Cat doesn't starve.
Will Cat eventually get used to the cheap grub and stop moaning at every meal time?
2. Cat is very mixed up in the head and needs cat litter in one of those box things. Cat toilets we call them in Germany. I'm paying around 20 euros a month for the stuff. Is that normal? It's a more expensive brand but makes life easier for me. -
Message 16
Posted by Rusters (U11225963) on Tuesday, 1st September 2009
So glad he's doing well, muchado. Cats really do hate those protective collars, don't they, and so do their house mates. You can get much more acceptable (to cats) designs now, and I wish vets would provide them, even if they charged something for them.
Worth looking out for one of the better designs if animals are going to be in them for any length of time, but probably not if only needed for 10 days or so.
Doesn't really surprise me that your boy doesn't like his special food. I hope your vet is enlightened enough to realise that cats *must* eat and if they aren't eating, or not enough to keep their strength up, then they should have the next best thing acceptable to vet, cat (most important) and you (exc. mark).
My William put his foot down and we tweak his usual diet instead (a little water added to his meals, for instance), on the advice of my vet.
What tweaks to his normal diet your cat might need to make it comparable to his "special" diet depends on what the analysis shows up. After that, if you want any ideas to run past your vet, give me a shout.
Hope the dratted collar can be removed soon.
Rusty -
Message 17
Posted by Rusters (U11225963) on Tuesday, 1st September 2009
oldbloke, even if you are not a cat lover you are obviously a conscientious cat carer. Say to yourself that your mission, should you choose to accept it* (and I am sure you do) is to ensure your cat is as healthy and happy as you can make him.
Thing is, cheaper cat food is usually of much lower quality - less meat and more carbohydrate (grains, cereals, vegetables). What meat there is tends to be "by-products or digest" or similar, meaning it is more difficult to digest and of lower value than proper meat. As for carbohydrates, cats neither need them nor do well on them, and they can cause, sooner or later, serious health problems. Because it can be "later" rather than sooner, people, even some vets, don't necessarily connect the ill-health with the diet.
The other thing about better quality food is that usually you don't have to feed so much to nourish the cat - indeed cats on better diets often don't feel the need to eat so much. That makes it slightly less expensive, all told.
Anyway, if he is taking his time to eat the less favoured food, and perhaps you are having to throw some away - which makes it more expensive, all told.
Does it give feeding amounts guidelines on the packaging? Wouldn't surprise me if the guidelines on the cheaper brand suggest feeding larger amounts.
I really would go with your cat's tastes and what is probably his instincts towards better fare. In fact, there is no good reason to suppose he will get used to the cheaper stuff - why would he if he senses it is doing him less good?
(I assume you are giving wet food, btw? So much better for health, and avoids almost entirely the risk of bladder problems, obesity and diabetes.)
As for litter trays and litter, the more expensive the litter (usually) the more effective it tends to be. Cheaper litter (and using too litte of it in the box) can be counter-productive and lead to the cat making his own, less desirable (to humans) arrangements.
Cheaper litter tends to be harder on the paws and, even more importantly, less absorbant. Nothing worse than peeing on your own feet as the litter can't take the liquid, or trying to use the tray second time around and stepping into a quagmire.
Rusty
*(Thanks to Mission Impossible!) -
Message 18
Posted by Mitch (U8863023) on Tuesday, 1st September 2009
Just bookmarking for September. We were on holiday for the last couple of weeks, Willow and Sox survived being looked after by my god daughter. Managed to get fleas so that caused a bit of a panic. But all well now.
Love to all poorlies and come home vibes to Angel and Gabriel.
Mitch x -
Message 19
Posted by Roots (U2273958) on Tuesday, 1st September 2009
Thanks for opening Rusty, and echo what you said about not having to 'join' Cat Club. I'd hate for a passer by to feel unable to post a comment or query, thinking we're a sort of closed shop.
Harking back to last month's thread, I think the prickle strips work, in that we've not had visitors in the garden recently, but we'll see what happens when the kits go outside.
Bracton, totally understand about you cancelling your holiday. All paws and fingers still crossed for you here.
Kits are being very silly tonight, charging about and doing their baby elephant impressions, which they do so much better now that they're so big. Water all over the kitchen floor so I'll have to do a quick mop up before going to bed. Lucy looks very comfortable on DD's new bed and doesn't need to be disturbed.
Love to all, Roots. -
Message 20
Posted by BasiainBrooklyn (U505001) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
< I refuse to pay it.>
Well aren't you the big man OB? Wondered where you'd got to .Lording it over your cat, eh? God, if I heard someone who wanted to adopt from me say that, I'd show them the door.
Look at it this way. What happens very often is that the more miserly you are with the quality of what you feed your cat, the higher the vet bills willbe when it gets sick from all the garbage you've been feeding it.
How much difference to your life is 20 cents, or whatever it is you're being a Scrooge about, going to make? Honestly. A pint? A bottle of wine? A taxi fare? A meal out? Not even.
The reason your poor cat is eating more of this crep is because there's so much less nutritional value in rubbish food so they eat more, becasue their bodies tell them to.
They are smarter than you are by the sounds of it. Get wise.
Still no Angel,
A very unhappy Basia -
Message 21
Posted by Bractondefeated (U3173859) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
So many vibes to you Basia. You know that I can say with absolute confidence that I know exactly what you're going through.
Rusty - our Rusty was a rust coloured tabby (I dont know the technical name) as opposed to the silver sort.
Ive posted before about dil who when first married to Bracton jun wasnt a cat person but is now totally won over by the 2 they have. Well, my jaw dropped the other night when she casually said to her parents within my hearing that shed have a hundred if she had the space!!!! What's the saying about there's none so fervent as the converted! Its a great long term relief because we couldnt bear to be without cats but we're both pushing 60 and are starting to think that kittens might outlive us but at least now we know theyd have a good home with son and dil, specially as hes an only one so will inherit our house etc.
Good luck to all those involved with vets
Bracton -
Message 22
Posted by Rusters (U11225963) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
Bash, it is seven hours now since you posted, and am strongly visualising Angel back home by now.
ANGEL - oh ANGELLLLLLL.
Wow, what a wonderful dil, Bracton, and a relief to know that if it comes to it, your cats will have a good home.
A colleague of mine was not particularly keen on animals, especially cats, and couldn't see why I cared so much. One day a sick stray turned up in her garden and that was that - instant love. When he died some years later she had to take a couple of days leave as she couldn't face going out.
Rusty -
Message 23
Posted by laReine-Astrid (U10636638) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
Astrid and Billy boy are safely ensconced in their lodgings for a week. got a whole little room to themselves, with loads of interesting things to explore. The lady who's looking after them seems to be the French equivalent of our own dear Rusty - she has 20 cats, many of them being all the ones that the rescue group found impossible to place.
Lovely lady, it's so great to know they're in such capable hands.
I'm off for a week, will keep everything crossed for Angel.
Love to all -
Message 24
Posted by Rusters (U11225963) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
Weight off your mind then, laRA. I'm so glad. (Would love to meet this lady, think we might find we have a lot in common! - Oops!)
Have a good holiday.
Rusty -
Message 25
Posted by catwomyn (U1485618) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
um, I may need you good folks to speak to me sternly here.
Should I be discouraging Girl kitten from licking me? She even tried to suckle my neck/chest area last night for a bit. Thankfully hasn't left any embarrassing marks. But my vet ex-flatmate told me off for letting Little Cat do that when she was a kitten, said she had to learn to be a grown up cat.
Girl kitten is very very licky, she licks my face, nose, mouth, ears, fingers... and purrs and paddles whilst doing so.
I don't want her to be emotionally retarded or anything but it's quite cute...
Cat x -
Message 26
Posted by greensparklybejewelledone (U2283175) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:15 GMT, in reply to catwomyn in message 25
Aw cat that's so cute. I don't know, Pucci was a suckler even into his days as Elder Statesman, though he did give up sucking jumpers and was only interested in my fingers. I don't know if it would do her any harm, but I suppose she should become less attached. Eventually. Perhaps not right now.
OB I agree with Bash that cheap food is very likely only storing up problems for the future (as with people, actually). Cats are obligate carnivores and *need* a high level of protein in their diet - they digest their own muscle proteein if they don't get it in food - and cheap food has less protein per gram than better food, therefore they will *need* to eat more of it just to get enough protein. As well as this, if it's not easily digestible it won't be, er, digested properly, and that leads to poor nutrition uptake too. One sign of this is very stinky poo - if that sounds familiar it's because the food isnt' being digested properly. This, naturally enough, is not good for them. You'd be amazed how many people believe that very stinky, slightly (or even very) soft poo is normal in cats. It ain't so! Not what you want to hear, but shelling out for better food pays dividents in the end.
Bash honey, thinking of you and sending big COME HOME NOW vibes to Angel. And to Gabriel of course.
gj
x -
Message 27
Posted by Rusters (U11225963) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
Oooh, I dunno, Cat. Did your vet say why cats/kittens should be discouraged form licking and suckling?
I mean, if it is done out of stress or boredom (displacement activity) I can see why that should be addressed, but this is a baby doing baby things, which she might/might not grow out of.
I suppose I can also see that it isn't fair to let her do it now if her adopters are likely to object - she won't know why it is suddently forbidden.
Better to lick/suckle willing humans (no nipping though) than to do it to herself (and risk sore/raw bits) or to fabric like wool, which can cause irritation and internal blockages. It is also rather sad when a cat devours your one and only cashmere jumper (sniff).
Anyway, what did the vet suggest you do to gently discourage Little Cat without inadvertantly creating more worrying activity?
Rusty -
Message 28
Posted by catwomyn (U1485618) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
Rusters, my flatmate said that Little Cat should learn that I am not Mummy, and that she would not get milk from me. She said it would infantilise her forever.
i just thought it was sweet.
it's more the potential adopters thing, that worries me really.
Cat x -
Message 29
Posted by Rusters (U11225963) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
Thing is, though, that pets are apparently naturally infantalised to some extent, according to behaviour counsellors: both sexually (if neutered) and by having their human "mum" provide food, protection, grooming..... just as real mum did when they were actual babies.
Mind you, some of my lot give me old-fashioned looks over their pinz-nez the way a Victorian granny would.
Yes, would worry about little girl's rude rejection if she started on her new humans. Sweet girl, though.
How's her bro now?
Rusty -
Message 30
Posted by catwomyn (U1485618) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
Hi Roots, little boy is still littler than she is, but his weight has gone up to 850g (as of yesterday morning). That's 250g up on last Thursday, so I'll weigh him again tomorrow to see how much he put on over the week. He will sit still nicely in an ice cream tub on the scales, as long as he's a bit sleepy.
He's still snuffly and sneezy, I clean his little nose for him, and he's still on the antibiotics, too, for good measure. But he's impproving. I thought I had got his ear mites sorted, but cleaned his ears again this morning after letting it lapse for only 1 day, and loads of muck still came out. I hate ear mites.
Cat x -
Message 31
Posted by Rusters (U11225963) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
Are they old enough to be given Stronghold spot-on. It's primarily for flea-control, but also deals with earmites and, presumably, the effects last a month (as for fleas) so one application would kill all stages of the mite (takes them three weeks from egg to adult I think).
Would still have to give ear drops of some sort to get rid of the gunge, though. (Can't remembe if I've said this before, but it could be at least partly catarrh causing the dirty ears.)
I remember reading that one reason ear mites seem difficult to get rid of is because people are advised to give up too soon. One needs to give the drops for a month - not necessarily every day after the first week or so, but often enough to zap the new boggers as they hatch.
He's coming along apace, weightwise, bless him.
Hope he doesn't become a chronially snuffly cat; manageable but a bit of a shame.
Rusty -
Message 32
Posted by BasiainBrooklyn (U505001) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
< my flatmate said that Little Cat should learn that I am not Mummy, and that she would not get milk from me. She said it would infantilise her forever.>
Oh Cat, I think that's projecting human attributes on animals, seriously. Some kittens just get removed, for whatever reason, from mum too early and never get over loving paddling and suckling. Cuthbert had a favourite cashmere sweater, and in fact the first time I realised that he and Valentine had adopted me, was when a friend was staying and we were sitting in the garden and he snuggled in her lap and started suckling on her jumper. Aw. They just moved into my garden and then apartment, with Grilly's and Wally's permission. God, I knew nuuuurthing then. Anyway, the only way I learned to curb the suckling on me was to provide a cashmere sweater. Plenty of cheap cast offs in the Salvation Army stores here, and all kittens love them.
Still no Angel. I went looking for her three times last night, and found Cloudy, Hinckley and Valentine, but no Angel. I've found where they hang out, a safe from traffic courtyard where a little black cat lives. She is sibling to the two blackones Maria and I found one day who turned out to be siblings from the same dumped litter, and no=umber three was never caught. She is teeny, and when I approached, she hissed at me, but I wasn't convinced, so I spoke gently to her and she sort of ran away but came back really quickly. I offered her dry food (I was shaking the tin to attract Angel, not that she ever gets any, but she knows the sound) but she wasn't interested. So I sat on the tree stump and we became snuggle friends. She's precious.
I came back on visit number three (visit number two involved squeezing through various fences looking for Angel and the wet food was hi-jacked by the tough guy Valentine has had fights with) and she ate the wet food hungrily, and I realised that someone has been feeding her as there was a little station set up. She's black black and chic and skittish and tiny so she's Coco.
I found Hinckley and Cloudy quite neat Coco's spot, so I've no idea if Angel made it to there, but I looked everywhere. What I'm most worried about is the fact that she has had kidney issues and if she's not getting water, it could really endanger her health, and that she has had a fright and scooted off to another block. Plus of course, she doesn't have a collar on. Everyone else does but Angel, hers came off. And she's not chipped, because it never occurred to me last time she was in to ask. Agh. So if she's not back tonight, I am printing posters. She is so shy of strangers, it's not like she's going to go marching up to anyone and shout for food.
I hate waking up and not having her snuggled next to me on the bed. Her absence is so huge.
LaReine, have a lovely time, I'm so pleased for you that Billy and Astrid are in such good hands.
Bx -
Message 33
Posted by Portia Antrobus (U1486085) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
tried to suckle my neck/chest areaÂ
Yup - that was Benjie too, Cat. I must admit I didn't think to mention his Dracula tendencies when I rehomed him - s'pose I thought he would just stop. I realised that he hadn't, though, when an email from his new mum described nim as "relentlessly affectionate". I knew exactly what she meant............
Come home vibes for Angel and Gabriel. -
Message 34
Posted by catwomyn (U1485618) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
Thinking of you Basia
Come home Angel. Now please.
Cat x -
Message 35
Posted by Rusters (U11225963) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
Ah, sud it, Bash, sorry that Angel isn't home yet. If she is that shy she will probably feel safer wending her way home in the dark, so if not last night, then tonight, while she holes up now.
Welcome, little Coco (such an apt name for a chic little black thing). It's nice to know that your lot have somewhere fairly private and safe to congregate too.
Will keep checking back here for news of Angel.
Rusty -
Message 36
Posted by BasiainBrooklyn (U505001) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
Just heard from Maria re little Coco. Apparently she is being looked after by Debbie,a woman whose house backs onto my garden, who adopted two more siblings from that same litter excl mk. Maria is taking Coco to the spay and neuter van on Saturday, and she has been defead and dewormed....I wondered why her coat was so shiny and soft. Apparently Debbie sits with her every night having her ciggie. Debbie has the ciggie,not Coco. Debbie lost her 30 something year old son to drugs two years ago
ANGEL IS BACK!!!!!
OH MY GOD SHE JUST STROLLED IN, CALM AS A CUCUMBER.
(Obviously I just got up to feed her)
She looked happy, rolled over as she does when she's playing, and waited for her food. Wolfed it down, then I cornered her and put Cuthbert's old collar on her with her name tag. Which I should have done as soon as hers fell off. I have at least two spares in supply at all times. God,won't let that happen again. For all I knew she may have turned up when I was at work this time yesterday, but at least I know she doesn't have a problem with coming home in daylight hours.
Thank you so much for the good vibes, but a piece of me hurts for Gabriel, as it does for all MIA ML cats...Ellie May's Storm was never found. Oh gosh, I hate the emotional roller coaster but I signed up for this, fully cognaissant of its pitfalls.
SO relieved, can get on with my day now.
I hope they'll all be home when I comeback tonight, but the collar thing just makes me feel better.
Basia x -
Message 37
Posted by Dougals Servant (U7470526) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:10 GMT, in reply to Basia in message 36
Basia
That's wonderful. Good news about Coco and Angel is Ö÷²¥´óÐã!
D's S -
Message 38
Posted by Rusters (U11225963) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
That is just the best news, about Angel, Basia. The fact that little Coco is being cared for and off to be spayed soon is just the icing on the cake.
Rusty -
Message 39
Posted by Eliza Bennet (U2508760) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
So glad Angel is back, Bash, but yes, we remember the MIA cats too.
I hope Debbie gains some sort of peace with her cats, after the loss of her son. Lucky Coco.
Not quite sure how Des could have been stopped from suckling behaviour. He sucked Milly's to start with until she rebelled when they were about 4 mths and then he sucked his own. Am I really supposed to stop him from sucking his own toes? And why? It is both an expression and a cause of happiness for him.
Anyway, he's Special. -
Message 40
Posted by AelM (U3803556) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
Catwomyn, I find that really sweet
Our two oldest used to chew my hair and dribble all over my neck when they were tiny kittens, but they stopped as they got older. Well, the chewing anyway - they still dribble when they go all soft. I never discouraged them, nor did my OH, and they grew out of it. -
Message 41
Posted by AelM (U3803556) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
Oh Basia, I've just seen the rest of the page - I'm so glad Angel has come back. It is so worrying when they go missing, I'm bad enough if B isn't seen for 2 or 3 hours let alone over night.
I'm still sending vibes for Gabriel to come home, you just never know with cats. We've had one go missing for 3 months, and we'd completely given up hope for him when he just wandered in as if he'd been away for an afternoon. -
Message 42
Posted by oldbloke2 (U2285767) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
Thanks for the advice on food and litter, Rusters.
The big problem though is the "petting" - stroking units we call it in Germany. This has become solely my responsibility as Son (cat's person) is away for 4 weeks. Cat now expects me to stroke her. Normally she won't give me the time of day. She even sits on the sofa next to me on her blanket. I don't mind so much actually scratching behind her ears while she digs her nails into the blanket and purrs luxuriusly. What gets me is that she turns her back to me with her tail perpendicular.
I am not a particulrly busy person but I do resent spending time tickling Cat's ears and having to gaze down her back passage while doing so. I've tried shielding my eyes from the sight but this makes it difficult to watch TV at the same time and is, I thnk, degrading for a human being. To be honest I feel I'm being exploited. -
Message 43
Posted by BasiainBrooklyn (U505001) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
You must have meant honoured OB, easy mistake. -
Message 44
Posted by Rusters (U11225963) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
'Tis indeed an honour, ob. He wouldn't do it if he didn't trust you. Of course, if it bothers you that much, you could always return the favour!
Rusty
P.S. Love the idea of stroking units. -
Message 45
Posted by superjan3 (U6523409) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
So glad Angel is home Basia.
I took Megan to the vets for her jabs last week. The vet said she was in very good shape for a 13 year old - I must be doing something right.
She's now asleep after a hard days eating, prowling (and more sleeping in-between).
I caught part of Front Row - there's a two parter on ITV with Joanna Lumley about cats starting Sunday.
Best wishes to all.
Jan and Megan. -
Message 46
Posted by oldbloke2 (U2285767) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
Cat is a she, Rusters, although her name is Vincent. A long story.
Seriously, I don't want to be cruel, even by neglect (I gave her the expensive grub today), but somehow Vincent is too much for me. Do cats adapt to new circumstances?
Son will be back in 3 weeks so we'll both, me and Cat, have to make do until then. -
Message 47
Posted by Rusters (U11225963) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
Good old Megan, Jan. Nice when vets reassure/confirm one's old girls and boys are in good shape. Sorry to hear she has had such a hard day though (exc. mark).
Didn't hear Front Row (might LA), but read about Joanna Lumley's cat programmes. Am a bit dubious about them - I gather she interviews someone who dresses up cats in clothes s/he has made him/herself; also someone who runs a "spectacularly" unsuccessful cat circus.
I trust JL (as much as I trust anyone) not to make fun of the cats' plights, but not so sure of the programme makers; we all know what sleight of hand editing can do.
Will probably watch it, if only between my fingers.
ob, I *knew* there was something about the cat, but couldn't quite remember....
Re cats adapting to new circumstances. I think it depends on the cat to some extent, but on the whole cats are creatures of habit, and only like change if they are the ones to instigate it. If Vincent needs reassurance, I really would give it to her in whatever way helps her, even though you aren't a cat person.
I'm not a human person, and especially not a child person, but if I was in a position of caring for a baby or toddler (please, no), I would put up with being dribbled on, or having sticky little fingers making a mess of my things.
When all is said and done if we can provide comfort for a creature, human or otherwise, who needs it, then that's what we should do.
Rusty -
Message 48
Posted by Mitch (U8863023) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
Bash,
So pleased about Angel. Still thinking about Gabriel.
Mitch x -
Message 49
Posted by Roots (U2273958) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
Basia, so thrilled Angel is home, and noticed you allowed yourself an excess of excl marks, most understandable in the circs.
Still keeping everything crossed for Gabriel.
Cat, I'm not convinced that the dribbling, sucking thing is so bad, whatever your vet may advise. My two are six months old now, and were weaned at the same time. Pickle is really dribbly and sucking at everything, whereas Brandy, when he's feeling affectionate tends to nip, but never dribbles or sucks. I'm not that keen on either behaviour, but really don't think it has much to do with when they were weaned or on how grown up they are. My first Siamese, Sula, didn't leave her mum until 12 weeks. She never dribbled, but was always a wool sucker and wrecked many a favourite jumper.
The kits are a bit confused tonight, having been fed early, and not being allowed to return to their dishes to finish up the last bits. They don't know yet that they're going to bed without milk and biscuits. Lucy will probably think she's died and gone to heaven tomorrow when the house will be kitten free for a few hours. -
Message 50
Posted by Mitch (U8863023) on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009
Is it their op tomorrow Roots.
Will you get them back tomorrow night.
Mitch x
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