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#157155 - 03/11/04 08:52 PM Re: Prayers needed from cat lovers
Red Offline
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Red
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 345
New England
StLoco- I have Little Kitty, too, but female. Her brother is Mr. Whiskers. I felt silly naming her that but I had rec'd Mr. Whiskers as a gift and he was lonely as hell, so I went and picked out his sister and took her home. Mr. Whiskers had his name but this little calico was constantly referred to as the little kitty. After a while, it was too late to change it and that's who she ended up to be.

Someday when I finally grow up I am going to write children's books - the first one will be the Adventures of Mr. Whiskers and Little Kitty.

My other kitty, Harvey, who lived with my Mom and I before I got married passed on a few weeks ago. We thought we were dealing with arthritis and it turned out he had a very scary case of fast moving cancer. We didn't find out about the cancer until the night we put him down which made us very upset since he was suffering for several weeks. Harvey was my Mom's (she's in her 70s) saviour after I left to get married and her whole life revolved around him. She was devastated when we had to put him down. Anyway, my husband told a friend of mine that we were greiving over Harvey and she said she had the perfect cat for us. Turned out someone had abadoned this little 5 month old kitty on her road out in the country and she befriended it and fixed it all up, frostbite paws and earmites and everything else that can go wrong. This kitty is the same color as Harvey and looks like I would have imagined Harvey to look as a kitten (Harvey was an abadoned kitty, too, and we adopted him when he was an adult.) Mom really was not ready, but it seemed like fate. So, Mom (whose nickname is Tiger Lilly) now has a new companion, named Tiger Willy. It was fate how Willy found his way to us.

Willy, Mr. Whiskers and Little Kitty like to chew on cardboard boxes- is this normal kitty behavior? Is the cardboard bad for them?
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#157156 - 03/11/04 10:33 PM Re: Prayers needed from cat lovers
CRAatBOK Offline

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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,172
Further South than I wanna be.
I have never been able to bring myself to declaw my cats. Maybe it is because the have always been indoor/outdoor cats. I have only had one that clawed the furniture, and she was just a brat about everything. I trim Petie's claws mainly because he has this great habit of jumping from the floor to my shoulder and if he starts to slip OUCH. I wish I could train them to scratch my back for me.
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#157157 - 03/11/04 10:57 PM Re: Prayers needed from cat lovers
OkieOps Offline
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OkieOps
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 752
OK
Quote:

I wish I could train them to scratch my back for me.



Wow!! That would be wonderful. I think I'll start working on Lucky and Spanky tonight!

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#157158 - 03/12/04 02:13 PM Re: Prayers needed from cat lovers
Tiger Fan Offline
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Posts: 180
At night, Little Kitty will curl up on my pillow and knead my head. Since he doesn't have claws, it feels great. Especially after a long day at the office when your head is killing you.

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#157159 - 03/12/04 05:41 PM Re: Prayers needed from cat lovers
Tisa Offline
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Tisa
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 938
Do you know the way to ...
As you decide wheter or not to have your cat declawed, keep in mind it's the equivalent of cutting your fingers off at the first knuckle. (I'm obviously very against declawing.)

When a cat claws, it's also releasing a scent to mark it's territory. That's probably why the declawed cats will still attempt to scratch.

There are other options to keep your cat from scratching. The double-stick tape is one that has worked for me. The cat doesn't even think about clawing the couch anymore. Plus, she's got scratching posts all over the house to claw on. She always gets treats after I trim her nails, so she puts up with the weekly annoyance.

Another option is to put little plastic "nail-tips" on their claws. Your vet can install them, or you can do it yourself if the cat is amenable. They even come in colors, just like human fake nail tips. You can be color-coordinated with your cat!
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#157160 - 03/12/04 05:58 PM Re: Prayers needed from cat lovers
Brandy Osborne Offline
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 660
KY
red,
my cats love cardboard... i think they like the way their teeth sink into it... i've never heard anything about it beeing bad, but i suppose just like anything if they eat too much it could be bad.
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#157161 - 03/13/04 12:49 AM Re: Prayers needed from cat lovers
CRAatBOK Offline

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Joined: Mar 2004
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Further South than I wanna be.
My boys love the corrigated scratch thingys. They also love when I have card board boxes the can shred.

Am I the only one that gives into their crys to turn the water on in the sink so they can drink from it even though I just filled their water bowl?
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#157162 - 03/13/04 02:00 AM Re: Prayers needed from cat lovers
Kathleen O. Blanchard Offline

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Kathleen O. Blanchard
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I give in to their crys on everything. My daughter says they have me very well trained!
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#157163 - 03/19/04 07:42 PM Re: Prayers needed from cat lovers
HRH Dawnie Offline
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HRH Dawnie
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 7,353
Anchorage Alaska
Warning on the tendon thing. Apparently it's quite painful and though their claws can't come out, they do still grow and can cause significant deformaties if they're not regularly groomed by your vet. Mine says it's a bad idea and I didn't go with it.

I tried having little pearls put on their nails every two weeks which worked great. Basically they get a little drop of manicure stuff that makes their nails dull (little round ball) so they can't scratch. They also get trimed at the same time. More work for you, but more humane than declawing.

I did declaw my two boys and I'm so very sorry I did it. They will always be indoor cats (since they can't fight back) which is a draw back if we ever have a home with a yard. That isn't what bothered me. It was seeing the amount of pain they were in for a couple of weeks after the declawing (yes, it's like having your fingers all cut off at the end of the last joint). Their little fingers are as sensative as ours and it's a horribly painful thing to do. I'd never do it again. I still feel great regret I didn't research it more and find out how much it was going to hurt the little guys. A silly couch isn't worth that kind of pain...and I could have spent time training them instead of wacking them apart. (Can you tell I feel a bit of guilt here)
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#157164 - 03/19/04 11:13 PM Re: Prayers needed from cat lovers
CRAatBOK Offline

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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,172
Further South than I wanna be.
Dawn,
I am glad you expressed your regrets. I have never declawed although I have been tempted to. I just don't think I could live with myself if I did.

We had another emergency visit to the vet yesterday. Something bit Petoo's foot and it was swollen and he was running a temp of 105. We got it cleaned out, a shot and drops twice a day. He refused to get in the carrier and I didn't want to force him because I was afraid I would hurt his foot. So I wrapped him in a towel and took him in the car. He was a little afraid but for the most part behaved well. My car is now covered with orange tabby hair. Great with the gray interior. He is feeling fine today.
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#157165 - 03/20/04 01:55 AM Re: Prayers needed from cat lovers
HRH Dawnie Offline
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HRH Dawnie
Joined: Aug 2002
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Anchorage Alaska
I had a 30lb LONG haired kittie once who was orange and white. He didn't really enjoy car trips either but he was diabetic so we had to visit the vet quite often to check blood levels. My celica had a permanent orange sheen to the grey upholstry...I know how you feel
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#157166 - 03/31/04 09:58 AM Re: Prayers needed from cat lovers
SueBOLStaff Offline
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SueBOLStaff
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8
We have declawed all of our cats and have not had any problems. Ask your vet if he/she cuts off the first joint of the front toes, or if he/she goes up inside the end of the toe and removes the claw and the claw matrix. The second way is less traumatic and harmful to the cat. It doesn't affect their balance as much, doesn't hurt as much, doesn't bleed as much and doesn't cause lasting aftereffects as often. If your vet lops off the entire first toe joint, consider calling around to find a vet that does it the second way. And for those who said the cat's claws grew back after declawing, our vet said that can happen if he misses just a tiny part of the matrix -- the claw can regrow.

We have owned 50+ cats in our time and have had most of them declawed both front and back. (None of them ever go outside, with the exception of Gu, who really ought to have been named Houdini for his escape artist abilities. I'm sure it's really funny for the neighbors to watch all of us outside trying to catch him when he does get out!)

Anyway, both my 23-year-old son and I have scars from the back claws of cats who panicked and "took off" when they were in contact with us, so unless they're several years old when we acquire them, they get declawed both front and back. Back-foot declawing is harder on older cats than on kittens and young cats because the anatomy of the back feet is different.

We try to use newspaper in the boxes following declawing, but usually just end up with good ol' Special Kitty litter (Wal-Mart) or Tidy Cat. I have heard that you can run newspapers through your shredder, if you have one, and create soft litter that way. The main reasons for this are 1) not to irritate their tender paws after the declawing and therefore make them aversive to using the litter box, and 2) not to get particles of litter embedded in their declaw wounds.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

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#157167 - 03/31/04 08:02 PM Re: Prayers needed from cat lovers
Little Sister Offline
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 162
Iowa
I also have two declawed cats. Both were declawed as kittens. Our older one (now 11) only had her front ones out and within a few days she was fine. Our newer one (just about a year now) had all four declawed when he was 4 months old. The vet used laser surgery on him and also gave us some special kitty litter to use until he healed. The very next day he was acting as if nothing even happened to him - very resilient. Both are indoor cats. I would have a hard time declawing if they would be outdoor cats.

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#157168 - 04/05/04 09:51 PM Re: Prayers needed from cat lovers
Anonymous
Unregistered

Since we're all cat lovers, I have a weird question. Do pregnant cats get friendlier the closer they are to delivery? We have strays at work and one of them appears to be pregnant and (coincidentally) now lets us pet her, which she's never done before.

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#157169 - 04/05/04 10:44 PM Re: Prayers needed from cat lovers
CRAatBOK Offline

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Further South than I wanna be.
My stray (that made herself at home in my house) sure didn't. She was alway rubbing up against things tho. If she would have let me, I would have been glad to massage her.
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#157170 - 04/06/04 06:31 PM Re: Prayers needed from cat lovers
RandomName Offline
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,373
Austin, TX
Perhaps they do. There's this one stray cat in my neighborhood that got knocked up and then started lurking near my house, and when I came home she'd come bouncing over and demand to be petted. Which led to me feeding her. Now that she's evidently dropped her litter, she keeps her distance and just hides in the bushes, basically all, "Yeah, yeah, Jack--where's the chow?"

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#157171 - 04/07/04 02:04 PM Re: Prayers needed from cat lovers
Skittles Offline
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Skittles
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Posts: 13,965
TN

How Many Dogs Does It Take to Change A Light Bulb?

1. Golden Retriever: The sun is shining, the day is young, we've got our whole lives ahead of us, and you're inside worrying about a stupid light bulb?

2. Border Collie: Just one. And then I'll replace any wiring that's not up to code.

3. Dachshund: You know I can't reach that stupid lamp!

4. Rottweiler: Make me.

5. Boxer: Who cares? I can still play with my squeaky toys in the dark.

6. Lab: Oh, me, me!!!!! Pleeeeeeeeeze let me change the light bulb! Can I? Can I? Huh? Huh? Huh? Can I? Pleeeeeeeeeze, please, please, please!

7. German Shepherd: I'll change it as soon as I've led these people from the dark, check to make sure I haven't missed any, and make just one more perimeter patrol to see that no one has tried to take advantage of the situation.

8. JackRussellTerrier: I'll just pop it in while I'm bouncing off the walls and furniture.

9. Old English Sheep Dog: Light bulb? I'm sorry, but I don't see a light bulb?

10. Cocker Spaniel: Why change it? I can still  WEE WEE on the carpet in the dark.

11. Chihuahua: Yo quiero Taco Bulb.

12. Pointer: I see it, there it is, there it is, right there ...

13. Greyhound: It isn't moving. Who cares?

14. Australian Shepherd: First, I'll put all the light bulbs in a little circle ...

15. Poodle: I'll just blow in the Border Collie's ear and he'll do it. By the time he finishes rewiring the house, my nails will be dry.

The Cat's Answer: "Dogs do not change light bulbs. People change light bulbs. So, the real question is: How long will it be before I can expect some light, some dinner, and a massage?"

ALL OF WHICH PROVES, ONCE AGAIN, THAT WHILE DOGS HAVE MASTERS, CATS HAVE STAFF.


What is a Cat?

1. Cats do what they want.
2. They rarely listen to you.
3. They're totally unpredictable.
4. When you want to play, they want to be alone.
5. When you want to be alone, they want to play.
6. They expect you to cater to their every whim.
7. They're moody.
8. They leave hair everywhere.

CONCLUSION: They're tiny women in little fur coats.


What is a Dog?

1. Dogs spend all day sprawled on the most comfortable piece of furniture in the house. 2. They can hear a package of food opening half a block away, but don't hear you when you're in the same room. 3. They can look dumb and lovable all at the same time. 4. They growl when they are not happy. 5. When you want to play, they want to play. 6. When you want to be alone, they want to play. 7. They leave their toys everywhere. 8. They do disgusting things with their mouths and then try to give you a kiss.


CONCLUSION: They're tiny men in little fur coats.
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#157172 - 04/07/04 02:19 PM Re: Prayers needed from cat lovers
deppfan Offline
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All over the map.
A three snorter Skittles...I love it!
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#157173 - 04/07/04 03:42 PM Re: Prayers needed from cat lovers
RR Jen Offline
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RR Jen
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Running and riding everywhere ...
LOL!!! I needed that today.
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#157174 - 04/07/04 06:45 PM Re: Prayers needed from cat lovers
HRH Dawnie Offline
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HRH Dawnie
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Anchorage Alaska
LOL Skittles! Those were great!!!
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#157175 - 04/07/04 07:38 PM Re: Prayers needed from cat lovers
Brandy Osborne Offline
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Posts: 660
KY
and WAY too true!!!
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#157176 - 04/07/04 08:56 PM Re: Prayers needed from cat lovers
Nanwa Offline
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Nanwa
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,564
Clintonville, WI, USA
This was such a great thread to read! I am going thru "Kitty Withdrawal" right now. My husband and The Boyz are still in Florida, while I flew up for a week of work. I won;t get to see them until Saturday! WAH!

I have been calling Man of My Life and asking, "Can I talk to Kismet? Would you put the phone near Spunky?" I even leave messages for them on the answering machine. "Spunky, tell Michael I called." I must be nuts!
(But in a good way!)
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#157177 - 04/07/04 09:38 PM Re: Prayers needed from cat lovers
HRH Dawnie Offline
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HRH Dawnie
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 7,353
Anchorage Alaska
Nanwa darling....


MEOOOOWWWWWWW we miss you mommy!!!
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Dawn Coursey VP/CRA Queen

CRA Rating is in...Oh who cares...I'm home with the baby.

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#157178 - 04/08/04 01:37 PM Re: Prayers needed from cat lovers
Nanwa Offline
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Nanwa
Joined: Oct 2001
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Clintonville, WI, USA
I spoke to Man of My Life yesterday and told him I was in cat withdrawal. He said they were in "Nanwa withdrawal". Spunky won't leave my chair, and Kismet is sleeping in my laundry basket. I am having trouble sleeping without purring balls of fur nestled against the back of my head and legs. I look forward to reuniting with them Saturday.
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