OT Attention Cat People
I have 5. All are someone's throw away. They don't especially get along all that way. Nobody likes Zoe and she likes nobody. I can only imagine the trauma in her pre-dumpster weeks. The others don't have that kind of trauma. They're just cats.
The difference between the ones I've had since the 80's and the ones I had before that is that these are all indoors. I'm not scraping another piece of my soul out of the road. At first, they don't like it, but shortly, they feel secure inside. By keeping our environment treated, we have no fleas, so we have no worms.
Vet bills plunged when we stopped having parasites and injuries. We spay and neuter first, ask questions later. In fact, 2 neutered males were very close to being spayed. One was unconscious, shaved and yellow! WHEW! They called and said, "We can't spay Samantha" and that's all. I thought they'd found something awful. But they were so busy LOL, that they just didn't leave the message that we'd be calling her just plain SAM. Well. He was found at the elementary school and they said "she abandoned her kittens", so our vet never double checked, he was older. Too old to have just had kittens and where were they, anyway? They figured him to be over 10 then. He lived another many years with us, til his, retirement.
You don't need TV if you get a pair of kittens. You don't need anything. Most of mine came in one at a time, but the last two came in together, tho they are not related. Nothing can be as much fun as watching kittens as they learn and roll around being adorable.
Even my 8 yr old, Priscilla, still makes a specialty of being cute. She can still melt us to helpless puddles.
The only con I see is making arrangements in the event your cats(s) outlive you. We did mention it in our wills. In case. But of course, it was written generically, about any pets we have.
My cats:
Zoe, appx 13
Priscilla, 8
JJ, 7.5
Bo & Kay are both 4, but two weeks apart
Dogs:
Barney, roughly a border collie, 4
Lucy, roughly a blonde Scotty, much older. We've had her for 2 yrs, they had her 2, she was considered to be 4, so that'd make her a minimum of 8. Who knows? She'll be here til the day she retires and will delight and frustrate us that long, too. No matter. I am the center of her universe. Nobody makes you feel like that!
I am the center of Priscilla's universe, too, but shhh, cats don't like you to KNOW that stuff.
The difference between the ones I've had since the 80's and the ones I had before that is that these are all indoors. I'm not scraping another piece of my soul out of the road. At first, they don't like it, but shortly, they feel secure inside. By keeping our environment treated, we have no fleas, so we have no worms.
Vet bills plunged when we stopped having parasites and injuries. We spay and neuter first, ask questions later. In fact, 2 neutered males were very close to being spayed. One was unconscious, shaved and yellow! WHEW! They called and said, "We can't spay Samantha" and that's all. I thought they'd found something awful. But they were so busy LOL, that they just didn't leave the message that we'd be calling her just plain SAM. Well. He was found at the elementary school and they said "she abandoned her kittens", so our vet never double checked, he was older. Too old to have just had kittens and where were they, anyway? They figured him to be over 10 then. He lived another many years with us, til his, retirement.
You don't need TV if you get a pair of kittens. You don't need anything. Most of mine came in one at a time, but the last two came in together, tho they are not related. Nothing can be as much fun as watching kittens as they learn and roll around being adorable.
Even my 8 yr old, Priscilla, still makes a specialty of being cute. She can still melt us to helpless puddles.
The only con I see is making arrangements in the event your cats(s) outlive you. We did mention it in our wills. In case. But of course, it was written generically, about any pets we have.
My cats:
Zoe, appx 13
Priscilla, 8
JJ, 7.5
Bo & Kay are both 4, but two weeks apart
Dogs:
Barney, roughly a border collie, 4
Lucy, roughly a blonde Scotty, much older. We've had her for 2 yrs, they had her 2, she was considered to be 4, so that'd make her a minimum of 8. Who knows? She'll be here til the day she retires and will delight and frustrate us that long, too. No matter. I am the center of her universe. Nobody makes you feel like that!
I am the center of Priscilla's universe, too, but shhh, cats don't like you to KNOW that stuff.
Michelle
RNY, distal, 10/5/94
P.S. My year + long absence has NOTHING to do with my WLS, or my type of WLS. See my profile.
BTW, because I am a business and open to the public, I have Litter Maids. 2. People are surprised that I have cats.
Although these are around $100, it is SO worth it. The one in the high traffic area has been replaced many times since 2000. It's been stepped on, kicked, things dropped on it. They're not built to be heavy duty! The OTHER one in the BR has only been replaced once, and even then, I think it was an oddball break, not a wearing out.
You still have to dump the lil bins every day, but rarely do we actually scoop. The lil bins dump nicely into the bags you get in the produce dept, so they're very thin, not so much junk in the landfills.
Although these are around $100, it is SO worth it. The one in the high traffic area has been replaced many times since 2000. It's been stepped on, kicked, things dropped on it. They're not built to be heavy duty! The OTHER one in the BR has only been replaced once, and even then, I think it was an oddball break, not a wearing out.
You still have to dump the lil bins every day, but rarely do we actually scoop. The lil bins dump nicely into the bags you get in the produce dept, so they're very thin, not so much junk in the landfills.
Michelle
RNY, distal, 10/5/94
P.S. My year + long absence has NOTHING to do with my WLS, or my type of WLS. See my profile.
I don't have cats but my sister does. She has 2 females.One is older.
But anywho, The older one taught herself to use the potty. She was always wanting to go in the bathroom with everyone to see what was going on. My sister actually got it on video sound and all.
Now the younger one had started using the potty also. So she doesn't have to have a litter box anymore. I say they are 2 very smart Kitties.
Sis says, if they would only learn to flush.
Teresa
But anywho, The older one taught herself to use the potty. She was always wanting to go in the bathroom with everyone to see what was going on. My sister actually got it on video sound and all.
Now the younger one had started using the potty also. So she doesn't have to have a litter box anymore. I say they are 2 very smart Kitties.Sis says, if they would only learn to flush.
Teresa
Very cute and heartwarming stories everyone. I'm getting the impression I should take in this cat. I live alone and would dearly love to have a pet (or two). Doesn't sound like any of you are sorry you adopted your kitties. This is a cute little calico. Typical markings with white legs and underside and distinct orange and black patches on her face, back and tail. But potty trained? That sounds too good to be true. How did your sister do it?
Barbara D.
Barbara, she didn't have to do anything. They just tought themselves. That's what's so amazing about it. They jus****ch people go to the bathroom and just figured it out. They are smart ones. Most cats are. They think they're people too. So they did what the people did. It was really by accident that my sister found out that they were using the potty. She thought it was the grandchildren at first, not flushing. She kept asking them who didn't flush? Then when they had gone home she heard something in the bathroom and it was Stinker sitting on the potty. She couldn't believe it. Then from time to time she would catch both of them in there and one of them had gone and tinkled, so she knew for sure that they were using the potty. Then after that was when she got the video. She has it on her myspace blog. So cats can do amazing things when you least expect it. She treats them like her babies so they think they are human. Good luck with your new kitty.
Teresa
Teresa
Barb:
I have 2 cats, Scooter and Nettie, 13 and 12, male and female. I had a third, Diva, until she decided she liked pooping outside the box and went back to the cat shelter, where she will live out her days (she was a sweetie and I really miss her ... but it's like she's dead now ... although I know she's still alive).
I had a self-scooper box until Scooter got scared of it and wouldn't use it (he's very neurotic). Now I'm the scooper. I have three boxes, all hooded, and use unscented litter because I'm allergic. I also scoop with a mask on because of the dust and I'm the only one cleaning them. Ask anyone who's been in my little condo and they'll tell you they can't tell there's a cat here with the smell. And I'm no Mrs. Clean as far as housekeeping goes.
Cats are great companions. Scooter has been a great comfort to me in my recuperation from knee surgery ... whenever I'm in pain, he knows it and comes and purrs for me. Before I had my cats (Kittle and Cinnamon before them), I had nothing to come home to. I was alone and it didn't matter if I stayed out late or took two-week vacations or whatever. Now, I really want to come home and see my babies. They give me a reason to go home. They're my family. I can't think of any cons.
I have 2 cats, Scooter and Nettie, 13 and 12, male and female. I had a third, Diva, until she decided she liked pooping outside the box and went back to the cat shelter, where she will live out her days (she was a sweetie and I really miss her ... but it's like she's dead now ... although I know she's still alive).
I had a self-scooper box until Scooter got scared of it and wouldn't use it (he's very neurotic). Now I'm the scooper. I have three boxes, all hooded, and use unscented litter because I'm allergic. I also scoop with a mask on because of the dust and I'm the only one cleaning them. Ask anyone who's been in my little condo and they'll tell you they can't tell there's a cat here with the smell. And I'm no Mrs. Clean as far as housekeeping goes.
Cats are great companions. Scooter has been a great comfort to me in my recuperation from knee surgery ... whenever I'm in pain, he knows it and comes and purrs for me. Before I had my cats (Kittle and Cinnamon before them), I had nothing to come home to. I was alone and it didn't matter if I stayed out late or took two-week vacations or whatever. Now, I really want to come home and see my babies. They give me a reason to go home. They're my family. I can't think of any cons.
All these wonderful stories! Nancy you are so lucky to have so much space. Well, I have a lot to think about. Especially if I should tell my landlord first or after. She said no more pets in the building when I moved in but everone else has either cats or small dogs. I really don't think she'd say anything if I had a cat. I'll be sure to let everyone know how this turns out. I'll make a decision by the end of the week. Thanks everyone.
Barbara D.
Oh I love my kitty. I raised, trained and groomed ****er Spaniels for years then moved to a place " No Pets" after my last ****er died. This kitty was dropped in my lap and I have had her about 6 years. So easy to take care of, lots of hugs purrs and unconditional love. Ican leave her 2-3 days when I have to be out of town. I would highly recommend a cat. The gal who left her with me got her at the Douglas Co Humane Society, last time I was in there in Dec .they had so many cats they were going at a good price..
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