Cats: They Own You

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

18 minutes ago, A Horse Named Stranger said:

I don'T really dig pits as a breed. Just not my cup of tea aesthetically. But yeah, problem is usually at the other end of the leash. And the breed is probably nicer than its rep. Same with Rotties. Lovely breed, just not exactly beginner dogs, who pack a lot of power and are a danger in the hands of idiots.

They're big sweethearts too. People just have skewed perceptions of certain breeds that don't consider the owner. I think it applies to most pets, but I swear no owner can prevent their cats from attacking their feet when they're either watching TV or working on their computer. Literally just eliminate that one thing and I'd be more pro-cat. 

[A Horse Named Stranger]

Uff, I am trying to (and failing) to tread a fine line here. Ah, well, here goes nothing. Point is. Cats have claws (as much as dogs have teeth). If you don't like the possibility of your cat scratching your furniture, then a few questions are in order (at least imo), of why you want to own a cat. I mean this is really a where the convenience bit comes in.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

7 minutes ago, Chataya de Fleury said:

My cats have never attacked my feet. They gravitate to the lap. Mine are much more lazy than playful. 

To be clear, never owned a cat myself (though Norm was kind of my adopted cat as I'd sit him for my grandparents), yet I've embraced all my GFs' cats, but I swear they are the long lost gods of Egyptian cock blocking.

[Fury Resurrected]

39 minutes ago, A Horse Named Stranger said:

Uff, I am trying to (and failing) to tread a fine line here. Ah, well, here goes nothing. Point is. Cats have claws (as much as dogs have teeth). If you don't like the possibility of your cat scratching your furniture, then a few questions are in order (at least imo), of why you want to own a cat. I mean this is really a where the convenience bit comes in.

She already explained she had to for her housing. So that leaves the conundrum of is it better to have two less cats housed or two more cats declawed? I think we can all agree that two less cats housed isn’t the optimal answer. And yes, you can rehome them- but homes willing to take cats (especially two) are still better used taking cats off the streets or out of shelters. While I wouldn’t declaw for my convenience, I would if I didn’t have a choice to keep my housing and my cats, because my cats are already rescues with high needs. And I know Chats very well and she is an *excellent* pet parent, one of very few people I know who I’d entrust to care for my beloved cats if something happened to me.

[QuietColours]

Both of our cats are harness trained. One absolutely loves being out on her leash, the other isn't so sure about the big place without a roof. We try to walk the one who likes being outside regularly--the enrichment makes a big difference in her quality of life. We even have a stroller for taking her a couple blocks over to the park where she can really explore (the stroller goes over much better than the car).

On one occasion when I was walking her home, she was late for lunch and letting me know from in the stroller. We had a conversation about it, as one will. "Yes, I know you're hungry. We're going home now. I can't feed you here, the food's at home." We passed an extremely high guy and I'm pretty sure something broke when he realized I was walking a cat.

I am well aware this makes us the neighborhood crazy people. I'm okay with that; it makes her happy.

[litechick]

On 3/29/2021 at 10:40 AM, Fury Resurrected said:

-microchip your cat in case it somehow does escape

--and keep it current.  My local shelter threatened to abolish chipping and tracking because people didn't update the information, and so it was functionally useless.

[DireWolfSpirit]

I just became aware of that microchipping pets from a Scandinavian tv series. They had a murder victim whose pet (that refused to leave the victims side) had the chip implanted and it helped them quickly figure out who the victim was.

Who does this pet own kind of thing I guess lol.

[Lady Winter Rose]

So, at the restaurant I started going, I often see one cat. Today there were three cats. I felt at unease seeing two of the cats just staring at me so I gave them piece of fried fish, and then realizing there are three cats. I felt bad at giving them fried fish, so I gave them small piece an then I see another cat, and it just brakes my heart seeing them being on street.

So, did I do wrong? Should I just stop giving them food or going there? I admit last two times I gave one cat generous amounts of cooked lamb, so three cats there is definitely a sign I should stop, but I have soft spot for feeding animals.

 

fried fish was with breadcrumbs

[Lady Winter Rose]

I can't find are fried breadcrumbs poisonous for cats. that's why I ask.

[Xray the Enforcer]

Not poisonous, but probably not the most healthy thing you can give them. However -- if there was a lot of garlic or onions in the recipe, that's not great. Alliums (garlic, onions, shallots, etc) are poisonous to cats, although it takes more than trace amounts of it. I found one reference that mentions that, in cats, at least 5g allium per kilogram of body weight as the threshold for poisoning, and usually much higher. 

[Lady Winter Rose]

2 hours ago, Xray the Enforcer said:

Not poisonous, but probably not the most healthy thing you can give them. However -- if there was a lot of garlic or onions in the recipe, that's not great. Alliums (garlic, onions, shallots, etc) are poisonous to cats, although it takes more than trace amounts of it. I found one reference that mentions that, in cats, at least 5g allium per kilogram of body weight as the threshold for poisoning, and usually much higher. 

 

oh, there probably were not onions or similar in fish. thank you.

[Fury Resurrected]

It should be fine and better than whatever they’re getting on the street. Poor babies

[Fury Resurrected]

5 hours ago, Chataya de Fleury said:

Unless they’re in old town Istanbul. The kabob vendors throw the leftovers to the street cats at the end of the day. And there are public cat shelters - not like “animal shelters” in the US, but many little houses for street cats, built for about 10 cats at a time - in Istanbul, as well as many, many people and businesses that put out cat food or milk for the street cats. Even the Four Seasons, not like local hotels or 3 star.

I visited Hagia Sophia (a Mosque that was converted to a Christian Orthodox Church, converted to a museum), and there was a *Turkish armed guard presence* and a *velvet rope* condoning off...not priceless artifacts, but a mother cat and her litter of kittens. There were fewer armed guards at Topkapi palace around the former emperor’s literal *basket full of emeralds*. 

Apparently, cats are very well taken care of in Islamic cultures. A cat once sat on the Prophet’s robe, and when the call to prayer came, he cut off his robe rather than disturb the sleeping cat. It is also tradition in Islam that whoever harms a cat must build a mosque, which is like building a cathedral. 

This is also why when some dude shot AT a feral cat (didn’t actually shoot it) in Dubai for running all over his sports car and leaving paw prints, he got serious death threats from random people and had to leave the country. (As well he should have).

Now, to be a street dog in the Middle East? Totally different story.

This is *almost* enough reverence for cats

[litechick]

I sympathize with the Prophet.  More than once I have needed to get up and go about my day but, "Can't....move...kitty...on...stomach."

In the broader sense of feeding strays:

It is a kind act to offer food to a stray cat.  I would never discourage that.  The next step of compassion and love is to offer spay/neuter surgery to reduce the population.  Stray, unsterilized cats have large numbers of kittens and most of them die young.

Even through a well funded and well regulated shelter I have seen too damn many kittens die.

Cats don't have to live with people but people who care for cats should help them by preventing overpopulation.  OK, yes, I sound like Bob Barker.  I'm OK with that.

[A Horse Named Stranger]

On 4/3/2021 at 12:27 AM, Chataya de Fleury said:

I visited Hagia Sophia (a Mosque that was converted to a Christian Orthodox Church, converted to a museum), and there was a *Turkish armed guard presence* and a *velvet rope* condoning off...not priceless artifacts, but a mother cat and her litter of kittens. There were fewer armed guards at Topkapi palace around the former emperor’s literal *basket full of emeralds*. 

You got your history a bit backwards there.

It was a Christian (Orthodox) Church, that was converted to a Mosque after the city was conquered by the Turks/Ottoman empire. Ataturk (founder of modern day Turkey) just turned it into a museum. Erdogan current Turkish strongman and religious nutjob, has reconverted it into a mosque (despite a lot of protests) rather recently, not sure whether it was in 2019 or in 2020.

[DireWolfSpirit]

Eta: deleted

[DireWolfSpirit]

Why we love cats n kitts

And what a neat-o doggie.

[SpaceChampion]

 

[Castellan]

I have an old cat that was always active and an outdoor cat but we have been keeping her in at night since she had some kind of incident one night. She wasn't hurt but clearly something had frightened and exhausted her. Anyway, last night she got out for a couple of hours early on because I forgot to close everything, came in looking very alert and excited for a bit of food and rest, then acted so keen I broke the rules and let her out again. I noticed what an amazing full moon it was and that it was perfectly still and not that cold. Anyway, today I read it was what is called a supermoon and is supposed to look pinkish or red. The cat certainly thought it was a super moon. Of all the nights in about a year of staying in she managed to persuade me that that night was something special.

[litechick]

I am currently hosting 3 foster kitties--mom +2 kittens.  The kittens were born here and are currently 7 weeks old.

Mom is In Heat.  I wish I could soothe her without giving her some P.  She is getting surgery next week to alleviate her suffering but for the next 5 days she is all mine.

All I can think is "please God, let me not have ever been so nakedly needy and horny as she is right now."

Mom is a kitty cat 10/10.  No cat could be more perfect, playful, affectionate, neat, and considerate.  But Damn!  I am embarrassed for her.