Cats: They Own You

[felice]

4 hours ago, Prince of the North said:

The cat that lives very long while being allowed free roam outdoors is very much the exception.

That depends very much on where you live. There are no coyotes around here!

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

Just now, felice said:

That depends very much on where you live. There are no coyotes around here!

That's what they want you to think.

[Larry of the Lawn]

Coyotes only eat cats because they suck at catching birds, meanwhile cats are eating all the frigging birds.  Looney toons was years ahead of the lazy urban biologists on this one.

[Lizard Queen]

On 4/12/2019 at 8:28 AM, Ice Queen said:

One of mine is so fat that I'm thinking about buying her a dog harness and taking her for walks. I bought her an XL cat harness and it's too small!

 

I browsed cat harnesses on Amazon, and I think some of them didn't have a size large enough for my cat, sadly! I got him a dog harness from the store instead. He likes going on walks -- he just steps around sniffing stuff, lol. I like that he's getting some exercise and more mental stimulation.

[Prince of the North]

On 4/12/2019 at 4:48 PM, felice said:

That depends very much on where you live. There are no coyotes around here!

Well, yes, but cats that live outdoors or are allowed to freely roam outdoors have so much more to fear than coyotes alone (although that's a very legitimate concern).  Things like other predators, other cats, dogs, disease, people (some would happily harm cats), and most of all...traffic.  Unfortunately, the list is extensive.  It's hard out there for a cat!

[Jace, Extat]

Well if we're doing this then I'm not gonna miss an opportunity to display my pussy. 

This is Temujin.

https://imgflip.com/i/2yj857

 

[Ice Queen]

23 hours ago, Lizard Queen said:

 

I browsed cat harnesses on Amazon, and I think some of them didn't have a size large enough for my cat, sadly! I got him a dog harness from the store instead. He likes going on walks -- he just steps around sniffing stuff, lol. I like that he's getting some exercise and more mental stimulation.

That's awesome! I'm hoping I can get her outside without too much fuss. She's terrified of going out on the porch even if I'm holding her. But she desperately needs to lose a few pounds. She's still active and agile, but just like in people the effects will catch up with her as she gets older.

[litechick]

It's been a rough week.  I saw this thread and specifically decided not to contribute and not be a massive bummer but I've changed my mind.

For many years I have been a foster volunteer for my local shelter.  Usually it's a pretty good deal--bring home kitties who need...shelter--a place to heal and/or grow.  I keep them from 2 weeks to 2 months, dispense food, scoop poop, and provide belly rubs.  In return I get this, this, and this.

Six months ago I took in my first pregnant foster.  It was nice.  She was healthy and well cared for.  They told me she would give birth in a week or two but on night two I had my hand on her and could feel the contractions.  I woke the next morning to the sound of little kitten mews.  She had given birth under the head of my bed.  Four itsy bitsy black babies.  All was well.  They grew and prospered for the next 4 weeks.  I was just introducing them to food but when I took them in for a vet check and inoculations, the vet techs found a fungal growth on one kitten's toe.  End of story.  They had to run a culture which would take 10 days.  They would have to provide treatment, yada, yada, by the time the toe fungus was eradicated they would be old enough to adopt.  "Thanks, see ya!"  I felt totally bushwacked and I thought that sucked.

Then I volunteered to take in this little mommy.  She was so pretty and sweet.  I loved her instantly.  However, it was the deepest part of winter.  Temperatures plummeted to -25F and she was forced to stay at the shelter for a full week before I could get her home.  It's practically inevitable that cats in the shelter will catch a cold because it is so contagious and no facility with many cats can battle the germs entirely effectively.

With her poor little nose all stuffed up, she couldn't smell and therefore wouldn't eat.  I worried, I cajoled, I smeared gravy on her lips to try and coax her to eat.  I was unsuccessful.  I returned her to the shelter so she could receive better care--subcutaneous fluids, anti-vomit meds, etc.  Her treatment was beyond my capabilities.  The shelter kept me posted.  They let me know that they had to spay her--bye, bye kittens.  She recovered and found a home.  I swallowed the pain of my own helplessness and inadequacy.

Then I agreed to foster Lily.  It was practically spring, she had only been at the shelter for two days.  What could go wrong?

When I picked her up they told me she had 5-6 kittens brewing.  The biggest problem was that she was scared.  Really scared.  Wouldn't come near me for 3 days scared.  I played it cool.  I let her hide.  I made sure the food was fresh and the litter was clean and kept my distance.

The first day she let me close enough for head scratches was the first day I heard her sneeze.  Instant replay--can't smell, won't eat.  I was hoping she could recover before the birth.  On Saturday I managed to coax her into about a tablespoon of food. On Sunday I went to work feeling optimistic.

Upon my return, I found what looked to be a crime scene.  A kitten cry made me stop in my tracks and look around.  There was a kitten, alone and skeletal on my concrete floor.  I proceeded cautiously to find another some 5 feet away.  Then there was a placenta without a kitten, then there was a pool of blood.  No mom to be seen.

Two levels of consciousness--1) freaking the fuck out; 2) assessing the situation and making a plan to mitigate disaster.  Washcloths, towels.  I cozied up the sink and rounded up the helpless little bodies.  Four kittens were squirming and struggling to live.  One was already gone.

Once the four kittens were cleaned up and stabilized, I went searching for mom.  She was under the bed, her hind quarters covered in blood.  At least she trusted me enough at that point to let me pick her up, bring her to the sink, clean her and sooth her.  While I was washing away the blood, I heard another kitten cry.  One more baby had scooted under the bed among the dust bunnies.

I did what I could for them.  I made a bed with heating pad.  I got them clean and warm.  I tried to get mom to care for them but mom didn't have any milk and she still couldn't care for herself.

Stroking and cuddling and internet searches.  One kitten was stilled attached to the placenta, How to cut the umbilical cord?  One kitten was bleeding from the severed umbilical cord.  Luckily I had some kitten formula and a bottle with newborn nipple.  Newborns need to be fed every 2 hours and it took me an hour to try and coax some food into 5 kittens.  Only one or two could latch on and suck.  The others I tried to feed drop by drop.

At one day old, the first live birth died.  I struggled with the other four.  The shelter told me to confine them with mom and let nature take its course but mom was incapable and/or completely disinterested in caring for them.  I rescued one kitten when mom laid directly on top of it--no fucks to give. 

Today I struggled with lumpy formula.  It was like cement, I couldn't dissolve it into a smooth fluid.  The lumps were clogging the nipple. I finally discovered that I could filter it through a sterilized nylon stocking but it was too late.  By the time I got the remaining family to the vet techs, 2 more had died. 

I returned mom and kittens.  I returned/donated my fostering supplies.  Two of the kittens might still have a chance in capable hands. I feel confident that mom will recover.  She will be spayed and adopted.

My main source of support in this time of crisis is Kitten Lady.  She is a superhero whose super power is healing and nurturing kittens.  I cannot realistically hope to achieve her level of greatness.  She helped me be a better foster host and she gave me my only comfort in failure.

TL;DR:  My recent kitty cat trauma was not the result of a stray.  She was somebody's cat. Not homeless, just cast aside when her pesky uterus became an inconvenience.  Love kitties, be responsible toward them.  Don't kid yourself that it's OK to provide a home for a free kitten if you do not also spay/neuter.

If even that is too much reality, please enjoy these pictures.

One of the old board regulars once said, "if a dead kitten is your big problem in life, consider yourself lucky."  I have held on to those words for years, trying to keep it in perspective every time a foster breaks my heart.  I do not neglect to be grateful that this is my big problem but that doesn't stop the tears, ya know?

[Jace, Extat]

17 hours ago, litechick said:

It's been a rough week.  I saw this thread and specifically decided not to contribute and not be a massive bummer but I've changed my mind.

For many years I have been a foster volunteer for my local shelter.  Usually it's a pretty good deal--bring home kitties who need...shelter--a place to heal and/or grow.  I keep them from 2 weeks to 2 months, dispense food, scoop poop, and provide belly rubs.  In return I get this, this, and this.

Six months ago I took in my first pregnant foster.  It was nice.  She was healthy and well cared for.  They told me she would give birth in a week or two but on night two I had my hand on her and could feel the contractions.  I woke the next morning to the sound of little kitten mews.  She had given birth under the head of my bed.  Four itsy bitsy black babies.  All was well.  They grew and prospered for the next 4 weeks.  I was just introducing them to food but when I took them in for a vet check and inoculations, the vet techs found a fungal growth on one kitten's toe.  End of story.  They had to run a culture which would take 10 days.  They would have to provide treatment, yada, yada, by the time the toe fungus was eradicated they would be old enough to adopt.  "Thanks, see ya!"  I felt totally bushwacked and I thought that sucked.

Then I volunteered to take in this little mommy.  She was so pretty and sweet.  I loved her instantly.  However, it was the deepest part of winter.  Temperatures plummeted to -25F and she was forced to stay at the shelter for a full week before I could get her home.  It's practically inevitable that cats in the shelter will catch a cold because it is so contagious and no facility with many cats can battle the germs entirely effectively.

With her poor little nose all stuffed up, she couldn't smell and therefore wouldn't eat.  I worried, I cajoled, I smeared gravy on her lips to try and coax her to eat.  I was unsuccessful.  I returned her to the shelter so she could receive better care--subcutaneous fluids, anti-vomit meds, etc.  Her treatment was beyond my capabilities.  The shelter kept me posted.  They let me know that they had to spay her--bye, bye kittens.  She recovered and found a home.  I swallowed the pain of my own helplessness and inadequacy.

Then I agreed to foster Lily.  It was practically spring, she had only been at the shelter for two days.  What could go wrong?

When I picked her up they told me she had 5-6 kittens brewing.  The biggest problem was that she was scared.  Really scared.  Wouldn't come near me for 3 days scared.  I played it cool.  I let her hide.  I made sure the food was fresh and the litter was clean and kept my distance.

The first day she let me close enough for head scratches was the first day I heard her sneeze.  Instant replay--can't smell, won't eat.  I was hoping she could recover before the birth.  On Saturday I managed to coax her into about a tablespoon of food. On Sunday I went to work feeling optimistic.

Upon my return, I found what looked to be a crime scene.  A kitten cry made me stop in my tracks and look around.  There was a kitten, alone and skeletal on my concrete floor.  I proceeded cautiously to find another some 5 feet away.  Then there was a placenta without a kitten, then there was a pool of blood.  No mom to be seen.

Two levels of consciousness--1) freaking the fuck out; 2) assessing the situation and making a plan to mitigate disaster.  Washcloths, towels.  I cozied up the sink and rounded up the helpless little bodies.  Four kittens were squirming and struggling to live.  One was already gone.

Once the four kittens were cleaned up and stabilized, I went searching for mom.  She was under the bed, her hind quarters covered in blood.  At least she trusted me enough at that point to let me pick her up, bring her to the sink, clean her and sooth her.  While I was washing away the blood, I heard another kitten cry.  One more baby had scooted under the bed among the dust bunnies.

I did what I could for them.  I made a bed with heating pad.  I got them clean and warm.  I tried to get mom to care for them but mom didn't have any milk and she still couldn't care for herself.

Stroking and cuddling and internet searches.  One kitten was stilled attached to the placenta, How to cut the umbilical cord?  One kitten was bleeding from the severed umbilical cord.  Luckily I had some kitten formula and a bottle with newborn nipple.  Newborns need to be fed every 2 hours and it took me an hour to try and coax some food into 5 kittens.  Only one or two could latch on and suck.  The others I tried to feed drop by drop.

At one day old, the first live birth died.  I struggled with the other four.  The shelter told me to confine them with mom and let nature take its course but mom was incapable and/or completely disinterested in caring for them.  I rescued one kitten when mom laid directly on top of it--no fucks to give. 

Today I struggled with lumpy formula.  It was like cement, I couldn't dissolve it into a smooth fluid.  The lumps were clogging the nipple. I finally discovered that I could filter it through a sterilized nylon stocking but it was too late.  By the time I got the remaining family to the vet techs, 2 more had died. 

I returned mom and kittens.  I returned/donated my fostering supplies.  Two of the kittens might still have a chance in capable hands. I feel confident that mom will recover.  She will be spayed and adopted.

My main source of support in this time of crisis is Kitten Lady.  She is a superhero whose super power is healing and nurturing kittens.  I cannot realistically hope to achieve her level of greatness.  She helped me be a better foster host and she gave me my only comfort in failure.

TL;DR:  My recent kitty cat trauma was not the result of a stray.  She was somebody's cat. Not homeless, just cast aside when her pesky uterus became an inconvenience.  Love kitties, be responsible toward them.  Don't kid yourself that it's OK to provide a home for a free kitten if you do not also spay/neuter.

If even that is too much reality, please enjoy these pictures.

One of the old board regulars once said, "if a dead kitten is your big problem in life, consider yourself lucky."  I have held on to those words for years, trying to keep it in perspective every time a foster breaks my heart.  I do not neglect to be grateful that this is my big problem but that doesn't stop the tears, ya know?

One of the most fucked up things you learn when trying to take care of living things is that sometimes they're very fragile and you don't have what you need to fix them when they're broken.

I know it hurts.

[Martell Spy]

Anyone got any tips on advice on what to do about a cat that is scratching his wounds? Cat has a bad head wound. He was doing poorly, but he's recovered some since taking antibiotics. Acting more like himself. But he was bleeding yet again from the wound recently. Already tried the cone thing. He won't keep it on. 

[Aniel]

I haven't been here on the board for a long time. The cat in my profile pic, Sessan, was put down last February. She was three months from turning 14. She had been having trouble with arthritis for maybe a year or two, and even participated in a study on arthritis in cats. Anyway, she developed a thyroid issue, I don't remember exactly what. She was a fat cat since she was spayed - being overweight probably caused her arthritis - but with her issue she was rapidly losing weight and got really skinny instead. She was medicated but not getting any better. When my mom said that they would take her to be put down I requested to go with because when the time had come for our old dog, Katie, in August the previous year I had not been there and I regret that. Our other cat Pytte, Sessan's sister, is still going strong. She's coming downstairs way more nowadays, but she sleeps most of the day and doesn't like jumping over the gates we have to keep the dogs out of the kitchen/the upstairs.

Also in February last year, I got my first cat - that is, the first cat that is mine, I'm written as the owner. I was hesitant to look for a kitten so soon (we figured a kitten would be best, and the shelters did not adopt cats to households where the other cat was over 5), but I was convinced to by my fiancé. I wanted to get a cat I knew came from someplace serious but it quickly became apparent that a purebred was out of the question due to the price. Somehow we managed to find a litter of five whose mother, a Neva Masquerade (colourpoint Siberian basically) from a breeder, had been very naughty and managed to slip out of the house when she was in heat. Two days later we were driving like two hours away (which is far in Europe) to look at kittens. I was initially looking at the black tortoiseshell of the litter since I've always wanted one, but the other kittens put up a good fight. Well, one of them hated me from the get-go. Ironically it kind of looked like our Pytte. Then there was an orange one that my fiancé liked, and a silver and cream calico that was really playful. But the kitten that gave me the most trouble deciding was the silver-spotted tortoiseshell. Now, Sessan was also a tortie, though a brown one, and I was a bit doubtful since Snö, as she was called then, has a white face like Sessan and I didn't want to be just replacing her like that. But at the end I knew that since she stole my attention from the black tortie, it had to be her.

She has been the opposite of both Pytte and Sessan. First of all, her name is way less childish. I named her Katinka, because she's part Siberian, it's a punny name (cat = kat), and just like Katie it's a nickname for Katherine/Katharine. Which is also coincidentally the name of my favourite author. And the name ultimately (maybe) derives from Hecate, and I'm all about that Greek pantheon. I'll probably end up naming a black cat Nyx in the future...

Katinka is a cuddly cat. She comes up to me when I'm sitting in front of the computer and tries to crawl inside my shirt still, at one years old. She's social, vocal, she responds to her name (and Pytte's name, she starts looking for her if you say her name) and "come", and we've even taught her to sit, give paw, and to (sort of) sit pretty. She is really adept at using her paws, but somehow she can't figure out how to open doors. She eats everything. She sleeps in our bed at night until like 3 or 4 when she will start swatting my fiancé in the face (I don't wake up as easily) and we let her out of the room. Then when she hears that we're awake in the morning she'll start crying outside the door to be let in. She follows us around when she's awake and not playing - and sometimes when she is. If you make a sound she's never heard before she'll stare at you and run up to sniff your mouth. She's good when you trim her claws and lets you touch her paws all you like (I made sure to play lots with them when she was little). She has a funny way of laying down I haven't seen any other cat do. If you get a glass of water you can expect to share it with her. And for some reason she likes grooming my fiancé's armpit hair? And it affects her like it's catnip? She's a weird cat, but she is just so much cat. She also sometimes tries to play with the dog's tails, and is completely unafraid of them.

She also has a few similarities to Sessan. She lies down with her front paws crossed all regal-like, she bullies Pytte (well, she plays with her but Pytte is an unwilling participant). And of course, her pattern. Particularly her face. If reincarnation was real and could happen despite overlap I would say she was Sessan reincarnate, but Sessan with Siberian heritage and proper socialization from kittenhood. And despite her bullying of Pytte, they seem to have a solid relationship of grizzled old veteran and that annoying pest youngling, complete with occasionally sleeping near-ish each other, grooming the other, and they even shared a plate of tuna! Sessan would have never shared.

Anyway. I'm meant to be working on my NaNo project but I ended up writing about my cat. Have some pics!

 

[Daeron Vaith]

A cat thread (that wasn't here when I left the forum five years ago, something's do change here I guess...nice surprise)

I'm most likely the most hardcore cat enthusiast on this planet!! My little baby is THE BEST that ever happened to me. I love it when he lies down next to me for his daily padding, I love the sound of him purring, I love those golden eyes, I love his crazy cat moments... I could go on forever....

This year I'll get two new kittens..Thinking about giving them ASoIaF names.. we'll see....

 

[Daeron Vaith]

On 4/14/2019 at 3:01 AM, Prince of the North said:

Well, yes, but cats that live outdoors or are allowed to freely roam outdoors have so much more to fear than coyotes alone (although that's a very legitimate concern).  Things like other predators, other cats, dogs, disease, people (some would happily harm cats), and most of all...traffic.  Unfortunately, the list is extensive.  It's hard out there for a cat!

Unfortunately that is true. I don't believe in limiting the freedom of a cat, that's why my little baby can come and go as he pleases. But I'd be lying if I'd say that I do not worry. He loves roaming the hood.. I can see that. But yeah... I am concerned.. Mommy isn't always there to look out for him. He's a tough one though. Fast and smart, I sure hope that'll keep him outta trouble.

[Prince of the North]

59 minutes ago, Daeron Vaith said:

Unfortunately that is true. I don't believe in limiting the freedom of a cat, that's why my little baby can come and go as he pleases. But I'd be lying if I'd say that I do not worry. He loves roaming the hood.. I can see that. But yeah... I am concerned.. Mommy isn't always there to look out for him. He's a tough one though. Fast and smart, I sure hope that'll keep him outta trouble.

I hope so, too!  

[The Mother of The Others]

Whenever Lovey sees a new lifeform of any species, male or female, his 2 step response is the same:

* make the cute baby velosa raptor greeting sound from jurassic park

*  walk calmly around behind it and bite its neck.

Like the devil, he is known by many names, including "The Devil."    He supervises any and all housework and repairs, needs to physically occupy every square foot of the house on a regular basis, and if there's a cabinet he hasn't had access to recently he'll let you know.   Lately he starts meowing without a clear objective in mind.   The neighbors know us as the jovial weirdos who walk a cat on a leash and drive past them with puss roaming freely in the car.  (Wear a crotch guard).

 

On 4/17/2019 at 7:15 PM, Martell Spy said:

Already tried the cone thing. He won't keep it on. 

You have to model it for him first for a day or two.   When he sees how much fun you're having.....

[Martell Spy]

Quote

 

Q: Did the videos reveal any surprises?

A: Cats are seen as relatively lazy, especially compared to dogs. But we saw that when they were outside, they became superalert. They scanned their surroundings, sometimes for a half-hour or more on end. And even though cats are highly territorial, they didn’t always fight with other cats they encountered. Often, they just sat a couple of meters away from each other for up to a half an hour. They may have been sizing each other up. Sometimes they would engage in a greeting, briefly touching noses.

When they were in their homes, the cats spent a lot of time following their humans around. They liked to be in the same room. A lot of my students were surprised at how attached cats were to people.

 

Researchers strapped video cameras on 16 cats and let them do their thing. Here’s what they found

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/05/researchers-strapped-video-cameras-16-cats-and-let-them-do-their-thing-here-s-what-they

[A True Kaniggit]

The cat thread has been left in peace far too long. So I'll bring up two topics for discussion.

First: Belly rubs. I've heard a lot of cats hate them. But mine seem to love them. We have a game where I chase them around the house like a madman, but once I get them cornered they lay on their backs to enjoy a nice belly rub.

Second: Baths: Usually I let my cats clean themselves. But every now and then something happens that requires a more hands on approach. (as in the 3 y/o niece rubbing food into their fur) How are your cats at bathing? My two are usually fine. They'll struggle for a second when they realize what is happening (I sometimes get a minor scratch at this point), but once I have them in the water they just stand still until I finish scrubbing them clean. All in all not much of a problem.

[HexMachina]

Slightly disappointed this bump wasnt about the Cats trailer/nightmare. 

[all swedes are racist]

turtle, my own spoiled little princess, will tolerate or even enjoy belly rubs for a short while. but trying to bathe her, never gonna happen. had to do with when she was a tiny kitten, and if i tried now i’m not sure she’s let me survive the experience.

though i will say she was an amazingly good sport when we flew across the country. went through security on my shoulder like we was piloting a mecha 

[Larry of the Lawn]

1 hour ago, a good and nice guy said:

turtle, my own spoiled little princess, will tolerate or even enjoy belly rubs for a short while. but trying to bathe her, never gonna happen. had to do with when she was a tiny kitten, and if i tried now i’m not sure she’s let me survive the experience.

though i will say she was an amazingly good sport when we flew across the country. went through security on my shoulder like we was piloting a mecha 

Hi Turtle!!!!!! <3