 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussion GroupsGeneral TopicsCat AnecdotesHealth and BehaviorRescue CatKB.com Contact UsLink To UsSearch & Site Map |
Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / March 2007White kittys! (Long)
As I always do, if I'm near one of the big shelters in my area, I stop in to 'visit the inmates'. Today I stopped at The Humane Society (not my favorite by far; it's a kill shelter) and they had just gotten two white kittys. Both are male shorthairs. One is only 6 months old, but looked older to me; he will probably be a bigger cat. He was very playful; there were a couple of sparkly balls I rolled to him, and also one of those balls in the doughnut shaped enclosure, with slots so the kitty can bat it around. A very nice white kitty! The other one is 11 months old, and a real sweetheart. He's shorthaired, but has really puffy fur around his face, giving him the sweetest face. I took him out of his cage after giving him some scritches, and he immediately head butted my face, and started licking my nose! My (RB) Lucky was a real face licker, and I'd forgotten how much I like it. His name right now is 'Alan'. He was given up because of 'not enough time'. What the? You went out and got a kitten, and as soon as it gets big you don't have time for him? This cat is going to live up to 20 years; what the H*LL were you thinking? Cats are NOT disposable!!! Arghh!!! Alan let me rub his soft tummy, quite a bit, then gave me a gentle nip to tell me he's had enough. No claws: just a gentle nip. Good manners in that department! He did an upside downy head, too. Like I wasn't already smitten. He's got a turbo charged purr motor: very loud. I left to look at the other kittys, and when I came back, he was curled up with his head right near the door to his cage; looking asleep. I called his name, and he started purring immediately. That's when he did his upside downy head. He looks like my RB kitty Blizzard, and I'm afraid my queen of the house, Kenzie, (who's had the house to herself for the past 6 years) would not take kindly to bringing a young, active, white cat home with me :-( I'm sure she remembers the two years when my elderly, slow, gentle Blizzard was still here; Kenzie never, ever liked her one bit. For a long time, if Blizzard was in a doorway, Kenzie wouldn't go through. Finally, Kenzie figured she could jump over Blizzard. Poor Blizzard: she tried to make friends with Kenzie; she was so old; and deaf, but she would try to approach Kenzie. Kenzie just hissed at Blizzard, and ran away. I had tried to introduce them slowly, but while Kenzie knew Blizzard was behind a door, I'm not sure Blizzard did. When I first let them see each other, through a window screen in the door, Blizzard was very confused: she looked at Kenzie, and then looked at me, then meowed, and repeated this several times. Kenzie just hissed at Blizzard. I'd really, really like to bring Alan home with me. I'm pretty sure it would make Kenzie *very, very* unhappy, too. And that wouldn't be fair to Kenzie. She's such a good kitty, and makes no 'demands' (except for attention, and food, of course). She's so well behaved; not a single bad habit. She's never once jumped up on the kitchen counter, dining room table, my desk, or computer table. Poor kitty: I'll bet it took a lot of discipline to break her of those normal kitty habits. When she sleeps with me, she always sleeps on my right side, so I can put my right hand on her head, or under it. If she wakes up, I'm between her and the door, She actually walks down to the foot of the bed to go around me to get to the door, rather than step on me. I didn't teach her that! I don't think I'll sleep much tonight, thinking about poor Alan in his stainless steel cage. Sigh..... ~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Life without cats would be only marginally worth living." -TC, and the unmercifully, relentlessly, sweet calico kitty, Kenzie. How you behave towards cats here below determines your status in Heaven. - Robert Heinlein Life is very difficult. Once you understand that, life becomes easier. -Buddha What about a trial visit? While it would be tough on you if it didn't work out, really no one would be worse off for the wear than they are right now. And you never know. Kenzie might be smitten as well. Jo > As I always do, if I'm near one of the big shelters in my area, I stop > in to 'visit the inmates'. [quoted text clipped - 81 lines] > Life is very difficult. Once you understand that, life becomes easier. > -Buddha >What about a trial visit? While it would be tough on you if it didn't work >out, really no one would be worse off for the wear than they are right now. >And you never know. Kenzie might be smitten as well. > >Jo That would be nice. BUT: that's another thing I don't like about the Humane Society here: they won't allow trial visits. ALL of the no kill shelters do, but not the "Humane" Society :-( I wouldn't even mind losing the adoption fee: but if I had Alan at home, I'd become attached to him quickly, and would't want to give him up. And if I did, I'd have to find a home for him myself, as I'd be very picky about where he wound up. We're coming up on kitten season in North America, and it becomes hard to adopt out adults. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Life without cats would be only marginally worth living." -TC, and the unmercifully, relentlessly, sweet calico kitty, Kenzie. How you behave towards cats here below determines your status in Heaven. - Robert Heinlein Life is very difficult. Once you understand that, life becomes easier. -Buddha > >What about a trial visit? While it would be tough on you if it didn't work > >out, really no one would be worse off for the wear than they are right now. [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > about where he wound up. We're coming up on kitten season in North > America, and it becomes hard to adopt out adults. So contact the shelter and say that you'll adopt him if no-one else does and his time is up. If you end up getting him anyway, stick with the idea that its a trial adoption, and if the trial adoption makes you, Kenzie and Alan so unbearably miserable that the only option is to re-home him, then re-home him. It would be no different to a trial, except that you would ensure that he ends up in a far better place than he currently is. And of course, you'd be down an adoption fee, but you have already said tha tyou wouldn't mind that. Yowie >> >What about a trial visit? While it would be tough on you if it didn't >work [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > >Yowie Alan will be adopted quickly: he's a gorgeous cat, providing you like white cats. I met a volunteer at the shelter who has been volunteering for more than 20 years. I talked to her for quite awhile; she said she always knows which cats will be adopted quickly. The one thing about this shelter that I really agree with: if they make it past the intake process, and upstairs to the adoption area, there is no time limit. I've seen some poor kittys who have been there for 6 months :-( ~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Life without cats would be only marginally worth living." -TC, and the unmercifully, relentlessly, sweet calico kitty, Kenzie. How you behave towards cats here below determines your status in Heaven. - Robert Heinlein Life is very difficult. Once you understand that, life becomes easier. -Buddha Sorry hadn't read this, Lee, sad for you > >What about a trial visit? While it would be tough on you if it didn't work > >out, really no one would be worse off for the wear than they are right now. [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > Life is very difficult. Once you understand that, life becomes easier. > -Buddha could you bring him home on a trial basis, even holly found a buddy, Lee, who's heart is breaking for you and the white kitty, but who understands the resident protection... We looked and looked until we got Chester... passed up several cats who would have been outstanding friends, just not at our house,... > As I always do, if I'm near one of the big shelters in my area, I stop > in to 'visit the inmates'. [quoted text clipped - 81 lines] > Life is very difficult. Once you understand that, life becomes easier. > -Buddha > As I always do, if I'm near one of the big shelters in my area, I stop > in to 'visit the inmates'. [quoted text clipped - 71 lines] > I don't think I'll sleep much tonight, thinking about poor Alan in his > stainless steel cage. Sigh..... Awww...Gadalf, please give it some serious thought. I swear, my cats are the prissiest little over-indulged crew around, and I've never brought in an "interloper" that they eventually didn't accept. I don't think there's any cat that can't eventually be integrated. Sure, they may not be best of buddies, but they'll tolerate each other and the hissing/spitting will stop. You're such a good catslave. It's a shame that you can't give the pretty white boy a home. Coincidentally, I went to the shelter today, too. I saw the most vocal little black kitten. He was a live wire, had just arrived, didn't like being in a cage and he was letting everybody know all about it. So cute. Sherry > > As I always do, if I'm near one of the big shelters in my area, I stop > > in to 'visit the inmates'. [quoted text clipped - 84 lines] > cute. > Sherry I've never had any problems introducing cats, and I've had a lot of experience with this. Sure they hiss and carry on at first, but that ends after a few days (at the least) or a few months (at the most). If you can provide a good home for the white kitty, than do adopt him. I'm certain that your current cat will accept the new cat, after some time. They may not be best friends, but they don't need to be in order to live together. I hope that both white kitties find great homes. Dewi Dewi > I'd really, really like to bring Alan home with me. I'm pretty sure it > would make Kenzie *very, very* unhappy, too. And that wouldn't be fair > to Kenzie. I just read something today about introducing a new cat. What I read didn't condone the gradual through a screen method that is talked about so much here (and which makes sense to me). It was more like this: First, have a good play session with your cat. Then have a friend (a stranger to your cat) bring in the new cat. Then ignore them. Don't pay attention to either cat. You and your friend sit and chat; don't watch the cats. There will be hissing, yes. Don't acknowledge it; act like it's not important. Have a cup of coffee or a glass of wine or something and sit and chat. Eventually when your cat figures out this cat isn't there to "steal your love" she will get curious about the newcomer. Once that happens, again not acting like it's a big deal, leave the room. Stay nearby in case things don't continue going well. But if they do go well, then a successful integration has begun. No prolonged separations or weeks of waiting. Obviously if there is a physical confrontation it was recommended a water spray in each of their faces to startle them apart so they can be separated. But what I read said it rarely goes down like that. Make sure you set up a "safe place" for the new cat to call its' own; a box turned on its side with some fresh comfy towels. Put the new cat in it to let it know this is its spot. This way the new cat won't immediately start trying to take over your cat's favourite bed or whatever. I'm sure I read this will happen later after they've gotten used to each other and they start a little friendly competition. > She's such a good kitty, and makes no 'demands' (except for attention, > and food, of course). She's so well behaved; not a single bad habit. > She's never once jumped up on the kitchen counter, dining room table, > my desk, or computer table. Poor kitty: I'll bet it took a lot of > discipline to break her of those normal kitty habits. She sounds like a sweetie. Persia is like that, too. Another thing I read (about the counter-top/table thing) is don't ever put a kitten on a table or counter. When you first get them and they are exploring but too small to jump up like that, don't be tempted. If they learn early on (very young kitten, 8-12 weeks) it's not a place you want them to be, chances are they won't do it. Not sure how true that is but I've never had a problem with Persia jumping up except when she wanted to drink from the running faucet. And once I got her the Drinkwell fountain that behavior ceased immediately. These tips came from a book called 'It's a Cat's Life' by Anitra Frazier with Norma Eckroate. Anitra is a professional animal groomer but apparently has been called on many times to help people out with their new cats, and not just kittens, with things other than bathing and grooming. Jill > > I'd really, really like to bring Alan home with me. I'm pretty sure it > > would make Kenzie *very, very* unhappy, too. And that wouldn't be fair [quoted text clipped - 47 lines] > > Jill That's an interesting method. It would work with my cats, as long as the interloper wasn't too aggressive. They've seen a lot of strange cats come & go so it's really no big deal to them after a day or two. Bosley was the only one who was hard integrate, and that was his fault, not theirs. He was just way combative toward them. Usually the "newbie" isn't so aggressive. I bet that's an interesting book. Sherry >>> I'd really, really like to bring Alan home with me. I'm pretty sure >>> it would make Kenzie *very, very* unhappy, too. And that wouldn't [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] > I bet that's an interesting book. > Sherry A very interesting book, covering everything from a pregnant stray that was taken in giving birth to when to decide it's time to let them go. Written in story form about cats Anitra has helped people deal with over the years. A friend mailed it to me. It's an older book, published in 1985. The back includes "recipes", if you will, for basic cat and kitten foods (natural stuff, no preservatives), food for pregnant kitties, food for lactating kitties. Some suggestions for dietary supplements and for getting a finicky cat (or a cat used to eating "junk food") to eat the good stuff. I'm not sure it's still being published but a used bookseller online (or a seller through Amazon.com) might have it. Jill >> These tips came from a book called 'It's a Cat's Life' by Anitra >> Frazier with Norma Eckroate. Anitra is a professional animal groomer [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > I bet that's an interesting book. > Sherry Pat's post about "finicity" reminded me, this book said do NOT feed your cats fish! It states the insoluable mineral salts it contains can cause bladder stones. Chicken, beef, vegetable mixtures but no fish. It further states that many vets will recommend hoomin (my word, not hers) tuna for pilling cats, etc. She insists this is a bad idea. If I didn't think I'd be breaking copyright laws (sigh, I would be) I'd post some of her natural cat food recipes. But if anyone is interested, email me and I'll type them up for you. Jill | Pat's post about "finicity" reminded me, this book said do NOT feed your | cats fish! It states the insoluable mineral salts it contains can cause | bladder stones. Chicken, beef, vegetable mixtures but no fish. It further | states that many vets will recommend hoomin (my word, not hers) tuna for | pilling cats, etc. She insists this is a bad idea. Maybe she's right, but I've been feeding fish to cats all my life (tuna has never been a big part of it but has been included perhaps 3% of the time) and have never had one get a bladder problem. All in all, they've probably had around 15% fish. No vet has ever cautioned me about feeding fish. So my experience doesn't bear out a fish taboo being valid, but feeding a higher proportion of fish, it might. >> Pat's post about "finicity" reminded me, this book said do NOT feed >> your cats fish! It states the insoluable mineral salts it contains [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > me about feeding fish. So my experience doesn't bear out a fish taboo > being valid, but feeding a higher proportion of fish, it might. True. I think some people feed their cats fish (at least the canned store-bought stuff) almost exclusively because they think cats = fish. But when you think about it, that logic is flawed. Cats may *like* fish, but have you ever seen a domestic house cat hanging around a stream, fishing? LOL Persia never really cared for fish. When she ate Fancy Feast as her weekly treat she much preferred chicken, beef or liver. When I prepare tilapia she ignores me, rather than trying to beg food from my plate. But, having said that, I did encourage her to eat the FF whitefish and salmon varieties, and she usually would even though they weren't her favourites. And she did develop bladder stones which resulted in a very expensive surgery. I'm not saying it was caused by the fish, mind you... probably a coincidence. Still, I found the information in this book to be different from many popular beliefs when it comes to cats. Would you like me to email you some of the natural cat food recipes that are in the appendix of this book? I'd be happy to type them up for you. Email me if you're interested :) Jill | Would you like me to email you some of the natural cat food recipes that are | in the appendix of this book? I'd be happy to type them up for you. Email | me if you're interested :) I don't want you to go to too much trouble... If you have a scanner you could use that instead... might be quicker. My scanner came with an OCR program that works fairly well in spite of being about 8 years old. Newer OCR software is light-years ahead of this and should be nearly flawless. >> Would you like me to email you some of the natural cat food recipes >> that are in the appendix of this book? I'd be happy to type them up [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > of being about 8 years old. Newer OCR software is light-years ahead > of this and should be nearly flawless. I just typed them up to send to DanM. Note: there are supplements to be created or added and veggies to be added to these daily recipes. It's all outlined there. I'll forward the info to you. Jill would appreciate it if you could send them along to me, Lee > >> Would you like me to email you some of the natural cat food recipes > >> that are in the appendix of this book? I'd be happy to type them up [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Jill | Pat wrote: | > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] | created or added and veggies to be added to these daily recipes. It's all | outlined there. I'll forward the info to you. I just noticed your post below saying that you had emailed the recipes. I did not receive that message. > True. I think some people feed their cats fish (at least the canned > store-bought stuff) almost exclusively because they think cats = fish. But > when you think about it, that logic is flawed. Cats may *like* fish, but > have you ever seen a domestic house cat hanging around a stream, fishing? > LOL Well yes, I have. Not by a stream but by the sea. :) Both Frank and Nikki used to be very interested in the very small fish that swam around in the shallow waters on the island. AFAIK, they never caught any of them, though. I vividly remember Frank sitting out on a stone in the water, intently staring down into the water and with his tail hanging into the water on the other side of the stone. We would also watch perch that swam around under the jetty (Frank and me together). Nikki used to come home wet from top to toe with her water vole catch. Maybe she didn't swim or dive for them, but she definitely stalked and caught them in the water.  SignatureMarina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki. Stories and pics at http://koti.welho.com/mkurten/ Pics at http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o185/frankiennikki/ http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/ http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki >Well yes, I have. Not by a stream but by the sea. :) Both Frank and >Nikki used to be very interested in the very small fish that swam around [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >Maybe she didn't swim or dive for them, but she definitely stalked and >caught them in the water. They must have really enjoyed their vacations. >True. I think some people feed their cats fish (at least the canned >store-bought stuff) almost exclusively because they think cats = fish. But >when you think about it, that logic is flawed. Cats may *like* fish, but >have you ever seen a domestic house cat hanging around a stream, fishing? Those cats you posted a video of that were given hugeormous fish to carry off probably need to see the vet immediately. ;) >>> These tips came from a book called 'It's a Cat's Life' by Anitra >>> Frazier with Norma Eckroate. Anitra is a professional animal groomer [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > them > up for you. Our vet has assured us the only thing wrong with feeding cats fish and particularly tuna, was in feeding them only one type of unsupplemented tuna that used to be popular catfood. As with us they need a varied balanced diet. In moderation. Jo > >>> These tips came from a book called 'It's a Cat's Life' by Anitra > >>> Frazier with Norma Eckroate. Anitra is a professional animal groomer [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > > Jo- Hide quoted text - I think the only thing wrong with feeding human-grade fish is like anything else. You run the risk that they like it so much they won't eat anything else. Our vet is really anti-fish-flavored cat food, esp. for cats with a history of urinary problems/crystal formation. IIRC the problem is a high ash/magnesium content, from the bones being ground up & used in the food. Fish-flavred-cat food is also blamed for increased risk of hyperthyroidism, but I can't recall right now the exact reason for it. "Sherry" <sriddles@aol.com> wrote in message > Our vet has assured us the only thing wrong with feeding cats fish and > particularly tuna, was in feeding them only one type of unsupplemented [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Jo- Hide quoted text - I think the only thing wrong with feeding human-grade fish is like anything else. You run the risk that they like it so much they won't eat anything else. Our vet is really anti-fish-flavored cat food, esp. for cats with a history of urinary problems/crystal formation. IIRC the problem is a high ash/magnesium content, from the bones being ground up & used in the food. That makes sense. And wouldn't apply to Jake's two indulgences. Almost every night, Charlie thaws a large cooked shrimp and minces it up for him. And when we can find it he gets a bit of ahi tuna, No bones in either one. Jo > "Sherry" <sridd...@aol.com> wrote in message > > Our vet has assured us the only thing wrong with feeding cats fish and [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > Jo DH fishes a lot, we end up with a lot of lake fish like striper, sand bass, crappie, catfish. Sometimes I throw a few filets in oven or just panbroil them for the cats. They *love* them. I amused myself googling this subject last night, and actually found one website with all that alarmist sh*t on it that I hate much much. It was full of bunk about mercury levels, the poor conditions of farmed fish, fish disease, fish parasites, yada yada as the reason no one should ever feed human-grade ffish to CATS, let alone fish cat food. I guess no matter what the subject, there's a wacko out there with a website. But all in all, I didn't find much reasonable data supporting cooked human-grade filets as an occasional treat would hurt them at all. Sherry Sherry >> "Sherry" <sridd...@aol.com> wrote in message > But all in all, I didn't find much reasonable data supporting cooked > human-grade filets as an occasional treat would hurt them at all. > > Sherry "Occasional treat" being the operative phrase. I think the author of the book was referring to people who served their cats tuna, whitefish, salmon and such as their main diet. Nothing else. No vitamins; no calcium. Nothing. Just fish. I can see where that might not offer the nutrients they need. I adore fish. I eat catfish, tilapia, flounder, sole, halibut, cod. But I don't feed Persia fish. That's because I don't feed her "people food". I didn't feed my dog Sampson "people food" and he lived nearly 18 years. Persia steals the occasional bit of cornbread but for the most part she's on her x/d diet. I printed out cat food the information I've emailed to some of you and intend to ask the vet about it. Persia is due for her shots and a check-up next month. I'll ask him then about this food. Most of it sounds very sensible. Jill Jill > >> "Sherry" <sridd...@aol.com> wrote in message > > But all in all, I didn't find much reasonable data supporting cooked [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > Jill I will *never* forget the stray wharf cats at Galveston. They hang out where the guys clean fish for the tourist fishermen, and they get all the raw fish they can eat. But they look *horrible*, the most sick- looking strays I've ever seen. There's nothing wrong with people-food treats. Chicken breast is really the fave (even over fish) here. | I just read something today about introducing a new cat. What I read didn't | condone the gradual through a screen method that is talked about so much [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] | spray in each of their faces to startle them apart so they can be separated. | But what I read said it rarely goes down like that. The method sounds very sensible to me, also. | She sounds like a sweetie. Persia is like that, too. Another thing I read | (about the counter-top/table thing) is don't ever put a kitten on a table or [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] | Persia jumping up except when she wanted to drink from the running faucet. | And once I got her the Drinkwell fountain that behavior ceased immediately. Counter-jumping might be controllable or might not, in my case four of the seven never even tried to get on any counters, but Tommy, Eli and Abelard do it all the time and always have, and they don't stop no matter what I do. Tommy is the worst, followed by Aby, and Eli only does it on rare occasions. | I don't think I'll sleep much tonight, thinking about poor Alan in his | stainless steel cage. Sigh..... I won't sleep much either, thinking about you thinking about poor Alan. You know, sometimes it's not that a cat "doesn't like other cats", there are cats that clash just like there are people who don't get along. It might be different with Alan than it was with Blizzard. You could give it a try... Well, Pearl and Sugar didn't don't care for each other much of the time, and yet they still like to play now. Sugar has always acted terrorized and yet, there she will be, sitting on the other side of a cushion that hides her from view, head cocked to one side, obviously hoping Pearl will come aruond it and "attack" her. Cat society is interesting. They do not need to be best buddies to be good for each other. Usually, boy girl pairings work out better in my experience. I wish you could take Alan in. > As I always do, if I'm near one of the big shelters in my area, I stop > in to 'visit the inmates'. [quoted text clipped - 81 lines] > Life is very difficult. Once you understand that, life becomes easier. > -Buddha > Well, Pearl and Sugar didn't don't care for each other much of the time, and > yet they still like to play now. Sugar has always acted terrorized and yet, [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > buddies to be good for each other. Usually, boy girl pairings work out > better in my experience. I wish you could take Alan in. I second everything Karen said. I, too, wish you could take Alan in. You are so obviously smitten with him, and he with you. SignatureMarina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki. Stories and pics at http://koti.welho.com/mkurten/ Pics at http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o185/frankiennikki/ http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/ http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki > As I always do, if I'm near one of the big shelters in my area, I stop > in to 'visit the inmates'. [quoted text clipped - 71 lines] > I don't think I'll sleep much tonight, thinking about poor Alan in his > stainless steel cage. Sigh..... You know what you need to do. Go and get them both to save their lives and try and find a home for the other one. Yes! Go and get the white kitties now! Tweed > I'd really, really like to bring Alan home with me. I'm pretty sure it > would make Kenzie *very, very* unhappy, too. And that wouldn't be fair [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > my desk, or computer table. Poor kitty: I'll bet it took a lot of > discipline to break her of those normal kitty habits. Just because Kenzie didn't like one cat doesn't mean she won't like another. Cats have personalities, too, and some just don't get along. If she's such a good cat, you need to introduce the new kitty so she can teach him good manners. Just my $.02. Chak SignatureNo tyranny is so irksome as petty tyranny: the officious demands of policemen, government clerks, and electromechanical gadgets. --Edward Abbey |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.