Pets And Other Animals

[Guest MrsS]

Talking about skunks on the joke thread led to a discussion of pets and tended to de-rail that topic.

As I said before I love cats - I have two, 'er well perhaps the two cats in this home have me- - -

I consider myself Cat-Owned. I am allowed to live in this house as long as I provide food, water, clean litter, fresh made beds and plenty of room to stretch and sleep on said bed.

When they (Fred & Ethel, my cats) want attention, they reach up and "nick" us on the behind as we sit in our chairs. Then they give us the 'What are you hollaring about' look when we jump and holler.

Ethel has never really meowed since I rescued her when she was a very wee kitten. Even with my hearing aid turned up to full volumn, and using the water from a can of tuna to entice her to talk, the meow is more appropriate for a 4oz dying kitten rather than a 12 lb. full grown, built like a 'brick - - - -house' cat!

I have watched Ethel and Fred interact a lot - they do not use verbal communication at all. They look at each other and I really believe that they communicate telepathically. They will be standing next to each other looking at me, never moving their eyes from me, they will nod their heads towards each other, then separate, then attack the toy I have been dangling in front of me, from either side.

When I bring something different into the house - say a foot stool - and place it in the living room. They both will come from the bedroom and then stop when they see it. Ethel will nudge Fred, then look at the stool. Fred will look at Ethel, then at the stool, then he will sit down and look at her. She will nudge him with her head again, and finally she will pat him with a paw. She will then back up a bit, sit down and wait.

Fred will then venture forth and "sneak" up on the stool. He will be as low to the ground as he can get and still walk. When he gets close enough so that he can hit the stool, but still back off and run in safety - that is what he does. He whacks the stool and jumps back. When nothing happens, he whacks it a real good one and does NOT jump back. Finally he will jump on top of the stool and look at Ethel. That is her cue that all is safe and she will come and knock Fred off the stool and get on it herself.

She has done this to Fred from the very beginning. She has him go and "test the waters" for her. Let the runt of a brother get killed, not Royal Ethel.

Fred is the adventurous one. Ethel is aloof and extremely skittish. I have nick named Fred: The Fabulous, Fearless (compared to sister- he is fearless), Farting(when he was tiny every step he took he farted - you picked him up to snuggle, he farted),Flip-Flopping (this he does rather than circle and lay down), Fuzzy-nutted (he is neutered), Feline Fred <<drum roll please>> Aaaaaannd His Sister - <arm outstretched pointing to her> Ethel.

I love my cats - I love being Cat Owned - I can always count on Fred snuggling up to me in his I am a Kitten attitude when I have the blues.

PS - they will both be 5 years old this Halloween!

[sgallan]

I have two big dogs age 7 and 8. One a Shephard/Chow mix that is an escape hound. The other a Goldie that is typical golden.... sweet as can be. My girlfriend has 2 and 3 year old boys, and they are all over her, and she takes take it and seems to like the attention. I have two cats.... Wolfie is an attack kitty. Wolfie needed a "Toy", so now we have a 12 week old kitten that is Wolfie's toy, so I named it Toy. We also have a Desert Tortise - born and in captivity so legal to have - named Lightning, and two Beta fish..... Harry and Ron. I used to have a Tarantula named Icky, but he died after 12 years. I want a Rattlesnake but the kid is dead set against it, and everybody seems to agree with her (sigh).

[Dr T]

My son (notice "I" was not in that) owns a cat. She and my son adopted each other. We had to evalculte our home one day because of a fire and my son saw that his cat (Magic) had kittens. We gave them away and kept the cat. Her name is Magic because as my son chose her name he said, "Dad, I'm going to name her Magic because her coming into my life was magical."

[Maureen]

My family and I have two cats – Buffy and Ptolemy (Toe-la-may), which we also shorten to Toley.

Buffy is 4 years old and adopted from the SPCA. As far as we know she was a “street” cat. She’s mostly black with little bits of white on her face, tummy and feet (medium hair length); she’s about 7 pounds. She’s not the typical cat that likes to rub up against your leg as she walks by; she instead likes to hang over my left shoulder. She’s very cautious and suspicious when it comes to living in the house; anything like a sock lying on the floor could really be the “enemy”. But when it comes to the great outdoors; she’s in her comfort zone. She walks across the street like she owns it; she fears nothing when she’s outside. She loves the outdoors so much that she drives us crazy when she wants to go outside but the weather is bad and she won’t take “no” for an answer. Or she’s outside but she wants human company to frolic and play with her. When she wants cuddles it’s either “up” for of course the left shoulder or she does what we call the “flop and roll” and we rub her back or she beats-up our hand (which helps to keep her claws clipped).

Ptolemy is 3 years old also adopted from the SPCA (we had Buffy about 3 weeks). He was 2 months old at the time and weighed 2.5 pounds and now he weighs 22 pounds. Although he is tall and big-boned, it would probably be best if he only weighed 18 pounds. He is longhaired and all black with a very handsome face. He’s like the Mike Tyson of kitties, big but with a high-pitched voice. He likes to eat; he thinks about food all the time; and lets me know about it around six in the morning. He hates loud noises and is just the opposite of Buffy when it comes to going outside, he’s our scaredy-cat. He likes to play with small toys (baby pound puppies) and small balls. He plays his own game of fetch; if he wants attention and he finds a ball, he’ll pick it up in his mouth and bounce it on the kitchen floor; sometimes at 2 in the morning. And on many occasions we’ve found balls in our shoes. He also likes to show off his handsome tummy! This past summer we had Toley groomed with a bath and shaved from neck to bum (due to mats). Once he was totally dry he thought he was the most handsome fella the world had ever seen.

The two cats together sometimes get along (which is so nice to see) but most of the time they play-fight. Toley can’t figure out that he’s 3times bigger than Buffy and should be gentler but he’s more determined to play rough. Buffy likes to take part on occasion with the running and see-if-you-can-catch-me games but most of the time the sounds are of hissing and screeching so we try and stop the antics. Sometimes they clean each other or sleep together but it’s rare. Maybe they’ll mellow as they get older.

M.

[Guest MrsS]

My least favorite pet - are birds. My mother had a Java Temple bird when I was in high school. It was never let out of its cage, and during the summer, Mom hung the cage out on the protected front porch. I don't remember how or why she got it - but she really liked it. I can't even remember what she called it.

My best friend has parrots- 4 of them - big ones. They have their own room in the house and they are loose- somewhat - in there. When I visit, she makes sure they are in the room. I don't mind looking in on them from the outside window - but I just can not go into the room.

I like birds outside - doing their thing and leaving me alone. I am afraid of birds that fly around the house and attack your head, ears and eyes.

Growing up we always had a dog. There were years we had no pets, but when we did have a furry pet it was a dog. Mom did not like cats - thus if we wanted a furry sibling, it had to be a dog.

Shortly after I moved to the Oregon Coast and was married, I took pity on a puppy. The people who owned the mother and pups were extremely challenged when it came to caring for pets - they were challenged when it came to caring for themselves and their children too. It is not against the law to take animals from people - conning them out of the animals for the betterment of the animals sakes. BUT the law really does get down on you for taking children away from their parents - even when parents are as bad and as challenged as these two were. Thus I was only able to save the dogs.

The mother dog lived along with two of her 12 pups. I kept one pup, whom I named Mandy, and found really good homes for Mom and the other pup who I had named Brandy.

Mandy got pregnant. That happens when you don't take them in to get "fixed" before they go into heat. She had 11 pups. We didn't give those pups away until they were about 5 months old. We made sure they were water dogs (could swim in the bay and lake), they had gotten Salmon poisoning and had been cured. That is a great attribute in a fishing town in giving them away. Gave three away to fishermen, and they were great ocean going dogs.

We found homes for all of the pups and then three months later someone stole a pregnant Mandy! Two days later I went to visit the guy who had taken two of the pups. I had heard that he was very neglectful of them - tied them up without providing shelter, or water. They were confined to a very small space and were wallowing in their own waste.

It was true -so I took them away from him. These two had the longest fur of all the pups and were the two smallest of the litter. They looked like german shepard/collie mixes. Mandy's mother was a pedigree gordon setter and her father was a german shepard/st. bernard mix. Both of those dogs were the most gentle of dogs I had ever been around. They both loved and tolerated children too. Mandy inherited their dispositions.

I kept the larger of the two and named her Lady. The smaller one I found a better home for.

Lady was a bit of a Hussy, like her mother. She got pregnant before I could get her to the Vet. Unfortunately all of her pups died about three days after they were born. I took her in and had her spayed.

Lady was the best friend I had. I talked to her just like I would to any human. No baby talk - I really hate that. No adult should ever talk baby talk unless they are mentally challenged and don't know any better! I helped her Mother birth her, and I was with her 13 years later when I had to have her put down. She was so ill, and there was no cure. Her hips had no muscle or flesh and she was in terrible pain. In her prime she weighed 65 lbs. At her death she weighed barely 30.

She never got up on the sofa or the bed, even though I tried my darndest to get her to. She consoled my when I was beaten by my ex. I would shut her in the closet or push her out the door so he wouldn't beat on her too. Same with the cats I had. I would literally toss them outside to keep them from harm.

When I wasn't home, Lady would not let anyone near the house. Yes, she was outside while I was at work or gone from the house. We had a covered porch and she would lay on her rug, "protecting" and "guarding" the house.

One day, a friend of my then husband needed to go get the lawnmower from us, I was at work, husband was off somewhere - so I told the guy to just go to the house. The mower was on the porch - go get it.

Well he came back about 45 minutes later, with the seat of his pants gone, and part of the leg of his jeans torn - he was ticked and afraid. Lady was all wiggles and eager whimpers when he drove up the driveway. She went out and greeted him when he got out of the car. Then when he neared the porch she charged ahead of him, got to the top of the steps (there were 5 of them), her hackles were up, she was growling and baring her teeth.

He told her to get away from him, and he took a swing at her. She went down one step - growling even louder and showing even more teeth. By now, the fur around her head, neck and chest were standing straight out. He cursed at her, balled up his right hand and pulled back to punch her. She dove at him hitting him in the chest with all of her pent up energy and 65 lbs of Guard Dog and knocked him to the ground on his bum.

Now- by this time he really should have scooted on his bum back to his car, crawled in and driven off. But he didn't. He jumped up and started looking for a stick or weapon to beat her with. She attacked him as soon as he turned his back to her. She attacked him/bit into his bum - clothing is all she got a hold of mind you - and ripped out a goodly chunk. THAT is when he started running for his car. She took a chunk out of his pants leg too.

He was so upset, he even dropped his drawers so the customers could see if she had taken any flesh off of him - (I worked in the busiest restaurant in town!) All he needed to do was stand still - there was no fabric there - she even got his skivvies! It was easy to see that there wasn't a scratch-bite-scrape or mark there. Sure was lily white though!

Yep, Lady was the best Guard Dog ever. She wouldn't let anyone near the car when we -she and I- were in it. When I went grocery shopping I took her along. My car couldn't lock and I didn't want any one stealing my groceries and purchases. No one could get up the porch steps at home either. They could come in the yard and she would play and welcome them - but they could not get near or into the house, unless I was there to welcome them.

She wouldn't take food from anyone either. Even when the vet had her on prednisone. She would take pebbles that little children offered her, then turn her head and spit them out. But she couldn't be bribed with food - thus she couldn't be poisoned either.

She also loved the kittens I kept bringing home. When she got tired of being attacked she would put her entire mouth over them, drop them directly under her and start grooming them. She had the gentlest and softest mouth. She used her Setter lips to take food from you and to pick up the Kitty Babies with.

It took me years to discover that the racoons in the woods next to our home were killing off the cats. Rotten, stinking, no good for nothing critters. I learned how to kill them quietly and dispose of their worthless carcasses! Sling shot with home made arrow heads. I got real good at killing them in one shot - right in the head! I totally loathe those animals. Back then it was real easy to get Hot Lime. I lived on 10 acres - had lots of private property at my disposal!

[Dr T]

We've had three dogs since we've been married. Two dead (one ate a mushroom-coma, eventually died) another hit by a truck, started barking non-stop then found dead on the porch one morning and a third was stolen. Too much money put into those dogs, hospitals, meds, etc. My wife became pregnant and I was scared- "We can't even care for our pets why do we think we can handle children?" I'm done paying for pets! They will not be mine. I will not feed, walk, pay for hurt animals (beyond normal shots/basic care)

Dr. T

[pushka]

Mrs S. your story is so touching...what a lovely dog! I'm sorry to hear of the racoons killing cats...I suppose we don't really have that problem where I live, too urbanised.

Well, my family has always been a cat family. My mum used to kidnap strays and keep them in the outdoor loo at her mum's house...old fashioned UK terraced property. Eventually my grandma would find them, of course!

My earliest recollection of our family cats, is Tommy. A big, black cat. I was 3 at the time he died...I recall just watching him in our back hall (a little room, quiet) sleeping...he just never woke up...quite old.

After Tommy we acquired a whippet/greyhound lurcher dog. My dad got him off some men he went drinking with. He used to go hunting rabbits every weekend, so the dog was his hunter companion. We called him Blackie. My mum recalls the first night they got him. My dad was working nights and the poor doggy missed his previous home, he howled all night till my mum dropped him back off at the lads' house. Eventually we had to return him to them after keeping him for a year or two. He once scratched my nose cos I was being a typical kid...teasing him.

At 6, I remember our next cat, Kibbie. We managed to keep her for 3 or 4 years until one day she disappeared. I was very upset when a friend from school insisted she'd seen her dead body at the side of the road..I still don't know if that was true or not, just extremely upsetting at the time.

Before getting another cat my family purchased a pole cat from another of my dad's friends...yet another companion for hunting. He was an albino and we called him Snowy. We built a run for him in the garden and he lived in a hutch in the shed outside. Unfortunately one morning my dad found him dead in the hutch...frozen!!

Following that experience, we decided to go back to cats and we adopted Sooty, a 8 weeks old kitten that the caretaker of my secondary school was giving away. I was 12 at the time and Sooty was mine...officially! We used to spend almost every moment together. He crawled up inside my long nightdress and rested on my chin. I fed him yoghurt and tried to teach him to speak English!! He used to sleep inside my bed with me, and he always managed to avoid being neutered. He was a fighting cat and used to scare the neighbourhood dogs. He wasn't big though, just tough. When I was 24 we had to have him put to sleep as he was very ill with kidney trouble. We believe he may have acquired the feline version of Hiv. I was so sad.

When I married, my husband wouldn't allow me to keep cats as he was a dog lover. We inherited Spike, the son of his family dog Shandy. Spike was part springer spaniel. He was black and white and adorable. He was very, very gentle but guarded our house with his bark alone. He was great when both children came along, pinching their left over food in exchange for them riding on his back, and he used to just lie in the middle of the road and make drivers wait to pass him. Everyone on the street knew Spike. Again, at 14 years old he became ill..his back legs couldn't support him any longer and he became incontinent, so he was put to sleep too. My husband, myself and both children mourned his passing.

So...onto my 'single' years again. Within 2 months of leaving my husband I was given a 6 months old male cat. All white with just a sprinkling of black on top of his head. We called him Smudge. He was a little rascal, hiding under the bed and attacking our feet in the morning, sleeping on our heads and darting out at us from behind the Xmas tree!!! He stayed with us for 2 years, but when we moved house..just around the corner, he chose to live with our ex neighbour instead of moving with us.

In 2002 we got Pushka...of the picture...a dark tortie with attitude. She has been very loyal. She was tiny when we got her, only 5 weeks old and needed feeding milk thru a syringe. Now she's so elegant and full of herself. She is definitely the boss around our house and on the streets too. She just about tolerates Kitty, our little white and tabby cat of 15 months old (who nearly weighs as much as Pushka already, Pushka being 9lbs), but wasn't nearly so tolerant of our previous kitten Diamond, who we took care of for nearly a year. Unfortunately Diamond was snatched outside of the sweetshop near my house when I was in there one day. All our cats have a habit of following us. We've had to stop Kitty from doing this, as we're so afraid of losing her.

[Guest MrsS]

Pushka - I know how pets own the street and neighborhood they live in. Lady laid out in the middle of the street too at one house we lived in. I would get phone calls at the restaurant telling me she was in the way. What did they want me to do? Drive home and tell her not to?? Right! As soon as I left she would be right back out there.

When we moved out to the ten acres, I was concerned about her visiting the various neighbors. They had cattle, goats, and one even had a few sheep. Now if she was caught "chasing" them, then these people had every right to shoot her.

I didn't want her going off the property, nor did I want their dogs coming on to mine. Lady was neat and tidy - she pottied out in the woods off the beaten paths - which was wonderful because she and I took day trips and walked all over the property and out back onto the the adjoining 500 acres owned by Weyerhyser, and I truly hate stepping into poo. I hate stepping in neighboring dogs poo worse.

After watching educational tv, and numerous nature shows - I came to the conclusion that I was the Alpha Dog - I did all the disciplining, feeding, cuddling etc. I was boss. Alpha animals mark their territory and by and large the children of these Alpha's stay with-in the territory boundaries.

Well, being a human female- it posed a problem how to 'mark' my territory. I couldn't do like husband did with his outdoor plumbing and do it on a tree or whatever! So every time I went potty at home - I collected all the urine for a few days and put it into a disposable jug. Then when Lady and I went on walks, I would pour a line of my saved urine at our property boundaries, telling Lady that inside here was Our Property, she could go as far as here. OUT there was No No land, bad doggie to go outside that line. She would sniff at the line then add her own urine and then look at me. Good Girl, Lady - this is OUR property.

We lived out there for 9 years. The neighbors never saw her off our property. She would lay at the very entrance of our 1/4 mile long driveway - but never past the line I had made with urine across the driveway.

The reason Lady was on Prednisone was because at the age of two she got lead poisoning. Shut down her kidneys. My then husband worked at the landfill (dump) and he took her there to work with him so she could play with the dump dog.

She got into the tainted water and foods. Dogs get food poisoning just like we do- and they die from it quicker than we do because humans don't generally pay close enough attention to their dogs to see that they are feeling off- ill.

Anyway I rushed her to the vet when she was staggering around and and retching. He did his thing and brought her through. Took a year of intensive diet and medications, weekly trips to him to do blood counts. $2,000 + later she made it through. As a result she had to be on prednisone, and a high carbohydrate low protein diet for the rest of her life. She thrived and she and I bonded like nothing else. We communicated on a different level. Like Fred and Ethel do - I didn't even have to look at Lady to 'hear' her, or know that she was communicating to me. About 5 years before she died - I took her to a different Vet. He did the blood count thing, plus a thorough checkup - we even got the records from the first Vet.

He concluded that Lady no longer needed to be on the Prednisone. That in fact she had been on it too long and possibly it was what was doing harm to her heart. We slowly took her off of it. She wasn't taking that large of a dose daily as it was - and most times I was only remembering to give her the pill every other day.

Within 6 months we had her off them, and 6 months later her count went up by 10 marks- which was good. She also lost about 8 lbs, which was even better. It was getting hard to get her into the back of the pickup- she was too heavy for me to hoist her up and she was too chunky to hoist her own petard up!

When she was 13, and couldn't go up or down the 3 steps outside to potty, and she was incontinent and when I realized that she had no meat or muscle on her hind end at all - I took her to the Vet and he told me that she needed to go. That she was waiting for me to come to grips with letting her go back home to Father.

I couldn't do it until I made sure she had a real coffin and that WE had picked out a spot in the 10 acres for her to rest. That took us three days to do. Then I took her back to the Vet and with her laying in my lap in his Good Bye room she went home to Father.

The Vet backed my pickup to his front door and we carried my baby and put her to rest in her new bed. Then husband dug her grave and put her to rest.

I don't care what anyone says - what the church may or may not teach - I truly hope that all of my pets will be with me when I pass on. I loved them with every once of my being here on earth, I enjoyed their antics, was piqued and angered by their naughtyness's and mourned their passing - I want so much to be with them in the eternities.

[Palerider]

We have 2 female cats.....they are named Bailey and Pebbles.......Pebbles is a people cat.....she will follow me everywhere I go in this house....when I come home from work she is in the window waiting for me.....she then runs to the door as i walk in from the garage to meet me. Keep in mind I never really liked Cats until these 2 came into my life.

[sunny_surfer]

Well all we have in our family are fishes, we used to have a turtle which we got when i was about 12,but it died...we also had to perakeets one male and one female, but they died after the female got pregnant which she left this world during birth. my hope is when i move out to get a nice golden retriever

[Traveler]

I have both honor and respect for animals. I believe I understand much of their nature. I have worked with, trained and owned pets. I do not believe in forcing pets to behave like humans or toucher animals with human nature and I do not believe in treating animals against their "nature".

I believe some human have serious issues when they relate to "pets" better than other humans. I also do not understand why any human person would allow an animal in their charge to abuse a human child. I will not accept "love" of a cat, dog or somehing else to take president over protection of a child from the natural instincts of animals. I believe such actions be be insane and I believe society needs to (and must) take steps to protect other people from such nut cases.

The Traveler

[Blessed]

I have a black lab/Austrailain shephard. Her name is Cookie because her markings reminded her previous owner of an oreo. I adopted her from a yup'ik eskimo village on the western part of the Alaskan coast. I was visiting the village and staying with a lady who had Cookie. She was such a smart adn loving fog that I made the remark "if you ever get rid of this dog let me know and I will take her."

In the village they began to randomly shooting dogs because the dog population was getting to big and my friend was worried she was going to come home to a dead dog.

So I took her and our family has loved her ever since.

[karrie91]

I have a very beautiful daughter dog...I call her my daughter because she acts more human than a dog. She is a 1 year old sharpie/pit bull mix in black with one white marking on her front called Daisy.

Everyone told me I was crazy as Pits are mean nasty horrible creatures and I send then as I say now, its not the dog its how the owner expects it to ask.

But if she has a bad dream she crawls into my bed inbetween me and my husband till shes at the top with her head on the pillow and the rest of her covered just like a child. She hugs by putting her front legs on your shoulder and rest her head at your neck, if she hears you cry or yell out she immediately tries to hug you. (Expect for my husband, she looks at him like hes a wuss.) She watches TV with us and likes music. She plays soccer and football with the kids in the park, only thing is we have to convince her to drop the ball.

She's even scared of the dark, but we have learned that this is no longer a problem as she now knows that the lamp in the spare bedroom is a touch light and she has been known to turn it on. If we leave her alone she will also turn on the TV. Doesnt matter what channel, so we have learnt to leave the remote on the couch.

But the funniest thing that happens with her which is just like a child is, if she doesnt like what one of us says she goes to the other. For example she had an allergic reaction 2 weeks ago and her mouth became swollen. Michael petted her and told her she was going to be OK, she let him fix her with the medicine and then came and crawled into my lap and cried. It was just like Daddy fix me, now Mommy I NEED YOU! MIchael just laughed for hours as my legs fell asleep.

She really is adorable, sleeps in(yes in) a bed, sits like a human on the couch and likes soda pops. (we live in AZ so one day thats all Michael had so he gave her some out walking, for a week she deliberately knocked over cans and glasses to get more). She knows what Dairy Queen is and every staff member knows her by name there and she more than hangs out of the window when we get there and will get in the car just to go.

Pets Im not keen on (sorry MrsS) cats, their too independant and I would worry too much about them if they went outside and they arent that cuddly. My snake was more cuddly than my Grans cat.

[Maureen]

Pets Im not keen on (sorry MrsS) cats, their too independant and I would worry too much about them if they went outside and they arent that cuddly. My snake was more cuddly than my Grans cat.

You should never generalize someone else's pet. Some are more cuddly than others, but cats have their own way of showing affection for their humans. Remember, no matter what, pets are people too.

M.

[Guest MrsS]

Remember, no matter what, pets are people too. M.

Yes they most definitely are!

Pets Im not keen on (sorry MrsS) cats, their too independant and I would worry too much about them if they went outside and they arent that cuddly. My snake was more cuddly than my Grans cat.

Generally speaking cats are very independent, though my oldest brother has had several cats that were totally dependent on him for everything except going potty.

I also had a Maine Coon mixed breed cat - Missy aka Messy - who was dependent on me for companionship, discipline and to feed her. Her mother and siblings were road kill, my first husband rescued her as he watched the pickup truck speed off after it had deliberately ran over the box of cats that the PU owners had placed in the parking lot of a road side rest area. She was approximately 3 weeks old. Because of the racoons eating all of the cats and kittens in my area of the woods, I would not let Missy outside. She was the most affectionate cat I have ever had. She groomed me - cat spit on hair is 1,000 better than any over the counter spiking gel.

She even jumped in the sink when she needed her bum washed - I had made cat sized wash cloths from old hand towels just for this. And when she was hot, or infested with fleas - she would jump into the full bathtub before I could get in. Finally got a wise Vet who told me to cease with the over the counter drug (big box) store flea killing stuff and go to the Tack Store and get a tube of Advantage for Large Dogs. Then put just one to two drops on Missy and rub in good. One tube lasted two years! It is the same exact stuff that is in the tube for cats only in a much larger dosage. One tube cost me $11.00 and lasted two years. For a cat that weighed 15lbs. the tube cost 11.00 and was just one dose. Tell me where I went wrong! 24 doses divided into $11.00 = $0.46 a dose compared to $11.00 a dose. I saved $253.00!

If you live on a busy city street with lots of car traffic, then no- don't let your cat outside. They really don't need to be outside at all. They are perfectly happy and content to live their entire lives indoors. As long as all of their needs are met. Food, clean litter, fresh water, companionship, and a serene environment.

While my dog was still alive, my cats were not stalked and killed by the racoons. They died of natural causes, like old age. They were all indoor/outdoor cats. Once they graduated to going outside - after the spaying/neutering - and after I worked them into going potty outside - then the litter box in th house was elimated and they pottied outdoors exclusively.

All of my cats had their own unique personalities. They all were snugglers and cuddlers. Shortly after Missy was spayed she absolutely hated to have me hold her upside down and snuggle my face in her stomach and give her raspberries there. I had to hold her paws with both hands as she laid on the sofa, bed or back of the easy chair. She would growl at me, and when I turned her loose she would back off and give me a 'Spit and Hiss'. Just like a kitten would do to it's mother when it had had enough of the cleaning. I would gently cuff her one to let her know I am Alpha Cat and I won't take that insolence.

After a few months she would tolerate it, then she got to like it. It was my way of Loving her. No way was I going to "lick" her fur i.e. groom her, which is how Momma shows her affection to Baby.

I have been around cats that are very aloof, or mean or even nasty. They go out of their way to be a pain in the bum. Poop in your shoes, shred the sheets, take swipes at your ankles with all claws exposed. When there are small children in the house - these cats need to be removed and adopted out to people who have the same exact attitude!

I love dogs nearly as much as I do cats. It is just that dogs require a lot more work than cats do. Had I started Fred and Ethel going for rides in the car when they were little, taking them on trips with us now would be a breeze. BUT by having the two of them they play with each other, entertain each other, pester each other and can be left alone for up to two weeks. I have three litter pans, and a gravity-on-demand dry food dish that is for dogs, holds enough food for a month. I also have a gravity feed-on-demand water dish. This only holds enough water for one week. I would have to get another one or get one that holds 5 gallons of water, like for a large dog. Fred and Ethel have never climbed up on anything except the sofa - nor have they even gotten up on the table or kitchen counter to get at food that has been left there. Not even for the tuna water that I forgot and left out last night!!! That is Ethels absolute favorite - now I know why she kept jumping on me during the night. She wanted her tuna water put down where she could get it.

Animals know when you do or do not like them, and they willing return your attitude right back at you. Every animal has its own level of intelligence and personality. Take your time to find out what your pet is like, sit and watch them - they sit and watch you!!

[pushka]

My 2 cats couldn't be more different than each other.

Pushka is very aloof...very mean tempered too...she falls out with us, then takes it out on Kitty. She has never had a large appetite, is part siamese so has typical oriental features and is long and slender, we call her our SuperModel cat!

Kitty, on the other hand, is cheerful, affectionate...to the point of licking your nose and forehead! and is a greedy little so and so who's always taking the chance to pinch Pushka's food even when her own food is sitting in front of her.

I hate it when cats reach the age where they don't want to cuddle up in bed with you anymore...Kitty used to sleep on my head, and yes Mrs. S. I got the full grooming with the tongue session every night! Now she sleeps at the foot of the bed, until my alarm rings when she suddenly crawls up onto my chest and meows and nudges me till I get up to feed her!!

Pushka still comes to me to sleep on my knee, when she's in the mood, but you just can't trust her to let you stroke her for very long before she turns her head and gives you the hiss and spit treatment, or trys to take a chunk out of your hand..lol.

[Outshined]

2 cats, 2 dogs, 2 guinea pigs, 1 hamster. 1 dog with 3 puppies in my front yard; she's a stray, but my wife just had to take care of the pups since the shelter was going to euthanize them all. *sigh*