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Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / September 2007Shelter Visit - Report
Well, I went. And I met Sadie. She is just as pretty in person as I thought her picture. Though bigger (I don't think she is a size small anymore, more a medium). Beautiful eye color. And yes, feisty. Which reminds me I need to dress my worse wound soon :( Turns out she had a litter when she got there last year. She is a little older than her profile, they think more like two years. I believe she is suitable for my lifestyle in one way. She does slap any cat that gets near her so I can't see her exactly pining for kitty companionship and she spent a good time sitting in the sunbeam in front of window (I got windows with wide sills). Don't see her pining for people companionship either, I am sure she wouldn't wither and die when I go to work. She is her own cat. Don't know if I want to deal with the feistiness. Though she is only feisty if you go to her and like bother her. She definitely isn't the kind to attack you in your sleep or anything. But I don't think she would at all tolerate a nail clipping, for instance. I wouldn't be able to handle her alone at all I think and that is worrisome. The lady said she can do more than she did to me so I think I may have to pass on her :( I did meet shy Ava and am leaning toward her, don't know why really. She is definitely a size "small" and does have the odd head/ear posture as in her picture. Perhaps she is a little neurological. Very shy but will come up to you eventually. Take a step and she will poof but will be back after awhile. I petted her the most, spent the most time with her and of all the nips I got there hers were the shallowest :) I even got her purring at one point and it is a loud purr. Such a shy one, I think she is the most likely to spend at least a week under the bed or such. She could probably be restrained by one person for nail clipping, pilling, and might allow brushing. Quite possible she would come up in bed if cold. While Sadie swiped any cat that got close, Ava gets swiped by any cat that sees her. I don't think Ava would miss that kind of kitty companionship any and may even get a little more secure if she doesn't have to constantly worry who is going to have a shot at her. She is said to be faithful to her scratching post (but the lady wasn't sure which it was and there are several types there). Then there was a surprise for candidate, a white lap cat. Definitely lap fungus (and shoulder and face). Figure she would be also be the type that sleeps on your head. She is the largest of my cat candidates. Am touched by her friendliness and she was the only one that didn't bite or scratch me at all! Wow. I am not sure her hearing is good. But I think that is common with the white cats. I had a little squeeze of her paw to see if she was declawed (not), she pulled back but I think when drowzy claw clipping is possible. Another surprise, and then the one that gave me my first and most of bites and scratches (though not deepest, that would be Sadie's work). Charlotte. Can't believe she had five kittens and nursed two orphans. She is so small. A kind of medium hair b/w tux. Extremely friendly and her biting & scratching is the kittenish type but a lot of it. Paws you with claws out. Kind of touched by her friendliness and sooo pretty IMHO too though the biting/scratching thing might get old after awhile. She liked to bite the scratching platform thingy, I think she is just orally fixated :) So my candidates. This shelter anyway. Please feel free to share thoughts! But what I need advice on - the wound. It is a smallish blood blister and while I am sure it was Sadie's work, not sure if from fang or claw. I lean toward claw. Having had gotten bad infection (pasturella) from a cat bite that one other time I tried to adopt a kitty, am trying to figure if it is from fang or claw. I don't think any kind of bite could make a blood blister. Experience with such? I can't believe I had Shadow for almost eight years and never suffered anything worse than gouges in my thighs from her jumping off my lap. I guess the rest of the feline world consists of fang and claw. Ping Tak: as I thought, the shelter is nothing of the modern posh sort of yours. I have never been down that little gravel road by river in the decade or two in the area. It was just as I figured it would be :) But it was clean and didn't smell. Which is more than you can say probably for most homes around here lol. Sue, you don't know me but this is gramby. Lee has always said, and after three cats, I agree that cats adopt you, you don't adopt them. Did you feel that any of these choices said something like "take me to myonetruehome lady and make it quick?" > Well, I went. And I met Sadie. She is just as pretty in person as I > thought her picture. Though bigger (I don't think she is a size small [quoted text clipped - 78 lines] > was clean and didn't smell. Which is more than you can say probably for > most homes around here lol. > Sue, you don't know me but this is gramby. Lee has always said, and after > three cats, I agree that cats adopt you, you don't adopt them. Did you > feel that any of these choices said something like "take me to > myonetruehome lady and make it quick?" Honestly, I don't think any really did. But... If I met the white one (I would rather call her "White One" than Ghoulina, eek what a horrible name) as a stray, I think she's a type that would walk in and adopt me. I would keep her. If I met Ava as a stray, I would spend a week trying to get her to come to me and let me touch her. When/if she did I would keep her. How do you decide? In a perfect world, with a bigger place and more money I would take them both since I can't make up my mind. Although even lovebug white one had a swipe at poor little Ava. They say Ava gets along well with the other cats, well, that just means Ava doesn't hit them back and hasn't gone total hidey but they all like to take a swipe at her. I think Ava would be better off an only kitty. The White One seems able to hold her own (though wants a person!) but perhaps would want a person around more than me. I can't pick :( so maybe should keep looking? Plenty of kitties out there, I just don't know... Maybe one more visit and you stop looking and let the kitten decide ;) >> Sue, you don't know me but this is gramby. Lee has always said, and >> after [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > there, > I just don't know... >> Sue, you don't know me but this is gramby. Lee has always said, and after >> three cats, I agree that cats adopt you, you don't adopt them. Did you [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] >I can't pick :( so maybe should keep looking? Plenty of kitties out there, >I just don't know... So go back next week and look again... personally I wouldn't take any cat that bit/scratched the first time you met it - all three of ours were real little lovebugs when we adopted them and even though they can get rough they have NEVER drawn blood on us or on each other (accidental clawings don't count...) When you meet the right kitty they'll say 'I love you, I love you, I love you, please take me home with you and get me out of this horrible place NOW!!!!!!' Either they will say all of those nice things or "Look stoopid hooman this place sucks. I want some real food, a nice place to sleep and you look like an easy target. Easy to train and easy to love. Keep a good thought. >>> Sue, you don't know me but this is gramby. Lee has always said, and >>> after [quoted text clipped - 34 lines] > they'll say 'I love you, I love you, I love you, please take me home > with you and get me out of this horrible place NOW!!!!!!' > So go back next week and look again... personally I wouldn't take any > cat that bit/scratched the first time you met it - all three of ours [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > they'll say 'I love you, I love you, I love you, please take me home > with you and get me out of this horrible place NOW!!!!!!' For years I had the attitude about kitties (or dogs or any companion animal for that matter) with so many animals out there, being put to death for a lack of home, why should we tolerate bad temperment? But judging from the attitude over the years of shelter folk and the number of shelter kitties I have met with this "habit', this biting thing is considered, well, normal? Also, they are stressed, they are scared, whatever. But when Ava, shy as she is and me wanting her to like me, bit me, I gave her a little thump on the nose and said "no bite" and well, she didn't bite again. And she didn't run either and this is a scaredycat! Maybe it is like some people are with their children nowadays. Too permissive? No discipline? I have accepted that my Shadow who never bit is the exception rather than the rule :( >> So go back next week and look again... personally I wouldn't take any >> cat that bit/scratched the first time you met it - all three of ours [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > is > the exception rather than the rule :( I have never been bitten by any of my cats. Scratches have been accidental rather than deliberate. However, you were in a shelter, so you may have been seeing fear and intimidation. MaryL > I have never been bitten by any of my cats. Scratches have been accidental > rather than deliberate. However, you were in a shelter, so you may have > been seeing fear and intimidation. > > MaryL You are very lucky! Our most personable and loving cat is a biter. It was even in his paperwork at the shelter. He doesn't bite hard and they called it "play-biting," but he can unexpectedly give you a serious nip when he's getting petted. I think he's part crocodile. He's a gem though, and I wouldn't trade him for the world. Rhonda > You are very lucky! Our most personable and loving cat is a biter. It > was even in his paperwork at the shelter. He doesn't bite hard and they > called it "play-biting," but he can unexpectedly give you a serious nip > when he's getting petted. I think he's part crocodile. Caliban was a biter when I got him, but I've mostly taught him not to bite. He snatches at my hand sometimes, but he doesn't bite down like he did when he was younger. I just taught him by going limp and squealing every time he bit down, and then when he let go, I would turn my back and ignore him for a while. Then we'd continue playing.  SignatureMarina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki. >> You are very lucky! Our most personable and loving cat is a biter. It was >> even in his paperwork at the shelter. He doesn't bite hard and they [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > then when he let go, I would turn my back and ignore him for a while. Then > we'd continue playing. That is the primary reason I like to get a cat as a kitten. You get the chance to teach them things like that. Usually it is momma cats job and their siblings job, but not every kitten gets properly raised. Jo >> I have never been bitten by any of my cats. Scratches have been >> accidental rather than deliberate. However, you were in a shelter, so [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Rhonda I do watch for signs that a cat has "had enough," and I don't push it. Even petting can overstimulate a cat, and then it's time to stop. I also never dangle my hands in such a way that a cat is encouraged to attack the hand -- instead, I hold a toy *in* my hand for that kind of play. But, mostly, I opt for gentle petting, tossing toys, laser pointer, toys on the end of a pole, etc. (no "roughhousing" when in personal contact, which may lead to scratching and biting). MaryL >>> I have never been bitten by any of my cats. Scratches have been >>> accidental rather than deliberate. However, you were in a shelter, so [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > pole, etc. (no "roughhousing" when in personal contact, which may lead to > scratching and biting). It's good to be careful when dealing with an unfamiliar cat, but I do roughhouse Mir, because she loves it so much. She does get stimulated - that's how I know she loves it - and she does grab my hand, but she keeps her claws in. She even makes as if to bite my hand, but she never touches fang to skin. She is so incredibly gentle. But sometimes she just begs for me to manhandle her - she jumps up on my chair and hunks down with her ears back as if preparing herself for the impact. If I don't attack her when she does that, she looks very disappointed. SignatureMarina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki. >>>> I have never been bitten by any of my cats. Scratches have been >>>> accidental rather than deliberate. However, you were in a shelter, so [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > ears back as if preparing herself for the impact. If I don't attack her > when she does that, she looks very disappointed. From your description, I would say that you are following Mir's lead and doing what she enjoys. When I refer to overstimulating, I am thinking of people who get bitten or scratched -- and then they blame the cat for being aggressive and/or "mean," when the fault really lies with the person who fails to watch for signs that the cat does *not* like it. MaryL > From your description, I would say that you are following Mir's lead and > doing what she enjoys. When I refer to overstimulating, I am thinking of > people who get bitten or scratched -- and then they blame the cat for > being aggressive and/or "mean," when the fault really lies with the person > who fails to watch for signs that the cat does *not* like it. Well, the ones I call mean are the sudden ones with no cat language warning. These cats give no warning. No tail twitching. Or ears laying back. Or what I think a well-mannered cat would do, simply move away. I would not pursue a cat who has moved away from me. In the case of the declawed cat years ago, no warning whatsoever. He was in his basket and I went to stroke him to say goodbye while I filled out the papers. 15 minutes earlier he had been a total love bug. On my lap, purring, butting, the whole nine yards. He wasn't dozing, he wasn't cornered, I hadn't startled him. He just bit. Hard and did not want to let go. He was quite vicious with other cats which is why he was isolated and was a good fit for my home. He had been marked as good with children. I don't think so. I had been visiting other cats in between and they thought perhaps it was the smell of his enemies he was reacting to. I don't think so. The lady's reaction was odd, she kissed him on the head and asked him if he was alright after he bit me. He was fine. I wasn't. Sadie was pretty sudden too. She had let me get a pet in here and there in her wanderings inside and outside the shelter. She was laying on a garbage bag and I went to give her a good bye stroke. I think I did make contact. Then she did :( she didn't get anything in real deep but it was sudden. I don't think she is vicious at all. She is a dominant, that's obvious by her behavior with other cats. Her highness is to be admired by the peasants from a distance :) >> From your description, I would say that you are following Mir's lead and >> doing what she enjoys. When I refer to overstimulating, I am thinking of [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] > her behavior with other cats. Her highness is to be admired by the > peasants from a distance :) What you described as a reaction from a declawed cat is one of the unfortunate consequences of having cats declawed. One of their primary lines of defenses has been removed, and some of them will then revert to inappropriate behavior such as urinating outside the litter box or biting. This is not true of all declawed cats, of course -- my little Amber (declawed before I adopted her) was a little angel, and she compensated pretty well for her lack of claws, although she never had the same grace or agility as all of my clawed cats have had. However, there is a significantly higher proportion of declawed cats that do become biters or develop medical problems such as early onset of arthritis. MaryL > It's good to be careful when dealing with an unfamiliar cat, but I do > roughhouse Mir, because she loves it so much. She does get stimulated - [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > down with her ears back as if preparing herself for the impact. If I > don't attack her when she does that, she looks very disappointed. LOL! That's really cute. Roxy and even Licky enjoy that, too. And if they get enough of it, they just get up and trot off. No biting necessary. However, I have certainly been clawed in the process of playing, enough to draw blood. I'm sure in those cases that it's not a warning to stop playing. They just get excited and start swiping. Roxy is far more guilty of this than Licky. (Actually, if anyone's guilty, it's me, for not clipping her claws often enough!) Joyce > However, I have certainly been clawed in the process of playing, enough > to draw blood. I'm sure in those cases that it's not a warning to stop > playing. They just get excited and start swiping. Roxy is far more guilty > of this than Licky. (Actually, if anyone's guilty, it's me, for not > clipping her claws often enough!) That's what's so amazing about Mir. No matter how excited she gets and completely into the game, she just doesn't scratch. And I don't even clip her claws. The only time she scratches me is when she uses me as her stepladder. :P SignatureMarina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki. >>> I have never been bitten by any of my cats. Scratches have been >>> accidental rather than deliberate. However, you were in a shelter, [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > > MaryL The only time Persia ever scratched me (and boy did she ever!) was when I was half asleep and idly rubbing her tummy. It was dark so I couldn't see the signs that she'd had enough. She wrapped her front paws around my arm and bunny-kicked the hell out of me. But it was my fault. I couldn't see her "warning signs" in my drowsy state in the dark. I don't do that anymore :) Jill >>>I have never been bitten by any of my cats. Scratches have been >>>accidental rather than deliberate. However, you were in a shelter, so [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > I do watch for signs that a cat has "had enough," and I don't push it. Even > petting can overstimulate a cat, and then it's time to stop. Mary, yes, I know the signs and the "don't push it" stuff. That does work for most cats, but Bear is just a play-biter. He will sometimes even walk up to my bare feet and take a nip to announce his presence! He nailed the vets in the shelter several times before we took him home, that's why he had a note in his chart to be careful around him. I think it's just how he communicates. He also licks the other cats on the head then suddenly bites their ears. I just read that you've had 4 cats over your life. Time to double or triple up - ha! We seem to get them in clumps of about 4 at a time, and then another stray shows up... I probably shouldn't publish how many cats we've had in the last 20 years, even with all of them living to a good age, except our diabetic, pancreatitus cat who just lived to about age 12. I've loved having this many though, even though there's no room for me on the electric blanket. Rhonda >I have never been bitten by any of my cats. Scratches have been accidental >rather than deliberate. However, you were in a shelter, so you may have >been seeing fear and intimidation. Spotsie will "mouth" my fingers. The only time I ever was bitten was many years ago. My cat launched herself at the storm door toward my friend's Boston Terrier. I tried to scruff her so I could close the wooden door and she turned around and bit me on the hand. All the fight went out of her immediately and she acted very apologetic afterwards. The bite didn't amount to anything. Bud SignatureThe night is just the shadow of the Earth. > On Sat, 8 Sep 2007 19:57:02 -0500, "MaryL" >> I have never been bitten by any of my cats. Scratches have been accidental >> rather than deliberate. However, you were in a shelter, so you may have >> been seeing fear and intimidation. > Spotsie will "mouth" my fingers. Licky does this cute thing sometimes when I'm petting him, where he'll do this sort of play-bite. He doesn't hurt me at all, it's more like he's going through the motions of biting me. Actually, it's not that clear to me whether he's playing or expressing annoyance/anxiety, because soon after he does it, he backs off from me looking very nervous. If he is doing it out of some sudden anxiety, he is certainly the most gentle little cat about it! And the only reason it doesn't occur to me that he's having a real problem and isn't just playing, is because prior to that, he'd been meowing for my attention and then purring his butt off when I started petting him. He's so mercurial! Joyce > > On Sat, 8 Sep 2007 19:57:02 -0500, "MaryL" > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Joyce Yes, all of my cats have done that -- "mouthing" or play-bite. I always relax and gently remove my hand, but I also look for signs of overstimulation (which is a sign to "stop playing") when that happens. MaryL > Yes, all of my cats have done that -- "mouthing" or play-bite. I always > relax and gently remove my hand, but I also look for signs of > overstimulation (which is a sign to "stop playing") when that happens. Yes, I hear about the "overstimulation" biting kind of thing from pros like shelter people. But it is really amazing the number of cats I run into with a thing for that. Friends, they tell me don't go near that one, that one bites, etc. And when I was a kid, other friends seemed to all have beautiful cats that petting was a hazardous affair. It seems to be accepted you pet a cat, then they bite you to tell you they have had enough. We all know "belly trap" and Shadow was guilty of that, but hung on with all four clawed paws and then RAN like Hell. No bite. Claws were her weapon of choice and if ever there was a candidate for declawing it was her since she could do damage without trying. Just jumping down from your lap (or a chair) she had those rears out and inflicted a lot of damage (my legs and chair) but I could never declaw a cat. Just. Can't. And there is play biting of kittens or in the case of gentle moosh Shadow, her Daddy taught her the ridiculous game of "attack kitty". I guess it is a guy-thing. He would put his hand in front of her face and say "play attack kitty" and she did. She only mouthed him but he knew it was time to clip her claws when blood loss was greater than usual :) I never played that with her, except once when we were living alone and I wondered if she "missed" that game. I tried. She laid her ears back, gave a launch at the end but then jumped away. So she knew Mommy wasn't for that game :) I have never been so scared about bites of any animal until that one declawed cat. Dogs have nipped and so have horses, well one horse more than a nip, good chomp. Gotta admit, kittens are starting to look better all the time. But am trying to face and rationalize my fear. I don't know what was worse, the bite itself (wicked deep practically to bone) or the infection and it's treatment afterward. It was an awful experience. I think some cats get over stimulated when they see a potential human to take them, Chester was wonderful when I played with him, but when I left the first time he reached through the bars and grabbed my skirt with claws out and hung on for all his 11 pounds were worth, Lee > > So go back next week and look again... personally I wouldn't take any > > cat that bit/scratched the first time you met it - all three of ours [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > permissive? No discipline? I have accepted that my Shadow who never bit is > the exception rather than the rule :( >> Sue, you don't know me but this is gramby. Lee has always said, and >> after [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > there, > I just don't know... That's just it. There are many cats out there. No reason to take one you are not in love with. Because you will find one you are in love with. Or one that is so in love with you that it doesn't matter. (And take anything the shelters tell you about them with a grain of salt.) We probably looked a over a hundred cats before we found Molly. Perfectly good cats, most of them. But she was ours or we were hers. I always have to remind myself that bringing a new dog or cat into our home is a huge investment. And I'm not just talking about money. We try to take the time to do it right. Our next cat, if there is one will be an orange tabby girl. If Bast gives us any say in the matter. Jo > That's just it. There are many cats out there. No reason to take one you > are not in love with. Because you will find one you are in love with. Or > one that is so in love with you that it doesn't matter. > > (And take anything the shelters tell you about them with a grain of salt.) Oh, that I realize. Think used car salesman. Though I do absolutely listen when they tell me things along the line of suchandsuch is "feisty". Ouch :) > We probably looked a over a hundred cats before we found Molly. Perfectly > good cats, most of them. But she was ours or we were hers. wow, really? Now I won't feel so bad if I keep looking, almost. I keep hearing about the "cat that tells you they are for you" kind of thing. OOPS, I think I told that to Tak :) me guilty Did you go to a large shelter, several smaller ones? Over how long a period? OK, there I go with the data analyst in me again > I always have to remind myself that bringing a new dog or cat into our > home > is a huge investment. And I'm not just talking about money. We try to > take the time to do it right. Yeah, but feeling like Mr Spock trying to make this all logical and whatnot. I didn't feel a real "tug" to any cat there except for Ava. And invested so much time in sitting still, hand hanging down getting nipped like crazy by Charlotte ... and was rewarded that Ava would eventually come to me! well, the White One surprisingly charmed me. I try not to think I am shallow though I would totally look past her the way she looks and I have never been in to white cats...all that white hair, everywhere! But it was so nice to have a friendly sort amongst so many nippers and swatters in this new at world! She would like smooching :) smooching is good There are 3 other cats from their website that I didn't ask for so may go back tomorrow and ask. They were probably all there in the cat room, many hidey places and many cats just lounging and being cats. > Our next cat, if there is one will be an orange tabby girl. If Bast gives > us any say in the matter. Yeah, like I wanted a blue tux :) How much say do we really have in that matter? watch me come home with a great big white cat tomorrow LOL >> That's just it. There are many cats out there. No reason to take one >> you [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > Did you go to a large shelter, several smaller ones? Over how long a > period? OK, there I go with the data analyst in me again Charlie and I did it in one very long day. Three large shelters and at least half a dozen PetCo or Petsmart adoption centers. Probably drove 200 miles. What I liked was the cats were pretty much separated from each other most of the time (necessary to keep disease from spreading in the large shelters) and while you can go through the rooms and look at them all, they bring the ones you are interest in to you in a small family visiting room so you can interact with them individually. I've never had a cat bite unless I started it or the cat was ill. Not one of mine anyway. I'd be cautious of a grown cat that bit or put its claws out around strangers. But being in a room with a lot of other cats puts them at a real disadvantage. I had my mind made up pretty much what I wanted, and a lot of the cats we saw didn't fit the list. I needed a young adult girl cat with big ears and a long tail. Hopefully one that needed me back. So it took a while to fine who we were looking for. We went to the Petsmart where we got her three times that day. The rescue group that was bringing cats in was delayed. In fact we waited over a hour on the third visit pretty late in the day for them to get there. Someone was watching over her and over us. Jo > > We probably looked a over a hundred cats before we found Molly. Perfectly > > good cats, most of them. But she was ours or we were hers. > > wow, really? Now I won't feel so bad if I keep looking, almost. I keep > hearing about the "cat that tells you they are for you" kind of thing. > OOPS, I think I told that to Tak :) me guilty//// When I adopted Sir William (RB) I had gone to his foster home to play with a pretty 8 week old tabby girl kitten that I had alread booked. IIRC, he had already been returned back to the rescue group twice for biting different adopters. I literally saw him for about 2 minutes, and that was it, he had to come home with me. I can't even describe it as we looked at each other - It was like a meeting of minds. He was a big, battered, scruffy ginger and white middle aged street cat, rather than a delicate, gentile, happy-go-lucky tabby kitten.... He bit me once, and then turned into the most wonderful, amazing, loving lap fungus. I only had him for 6 months before he went to RB on 1 October 2000, but I still miss him every day. You'll know when Bast has picked your new owner. All of mine, I've kept for different reasons, I've fostered the best part of 70-80 cats now, but the ones that live here were picked by Bast to stay. Sounds flaky, but it's fact. :) Helen M > He bit me once, and then turned into the most wonderful, amazing, > loving lap fungus. I only had him for 6 months before he went to RB on > 1 October 2000, but I still miss him every day. What happened to the kitty? :( > You'll know when Bast has picked your new owner. All of mine, I've > kept for different reasons, I've fostered the best part of 70-80 cats > now, but the ones that live here were picked by Bast to stay. > > Sounds flaky, but it's fact. :) Going back to the shelter maybe today and will see if either of my favorites there remember me. Also will ask to see the 3 I forgot to ask about. I don't know. Waiting for one to say "me", right? > leoparduswei...@yahoo.co.uk wrote: > > He bit me once, and then turned into the most wonderful, amazing, > > loving lap fungus. I only had him for 6 months before he went to RB on > > 1 October 2000, but I still miss him every day. > > What happened to the kitty? :( He had horrendous ear infections when I got him that we couldn't completely cure although we stayed on top of with antibiotics and the vets cleaning out his ears once a week. Then in Sept 2000 he managed to break his ankle, we don't know how and he had major orthopedic surgery on the leg - he had an external fixator fitted. Two weeks into recovery, he started having fits and had what seemed like a stroke because he went blind and became paralysed down his left side. The vet thought that either the ear infections had flared up again causing menigitis, or that he'd had a stroke. There was absolutely nothing the vet could do so I had to make the very heartbreaking decision to send him to the bridge, but it broke my heart, quite literally. His original foster mum who hoodwinked me into taking him (Debbie Wilson who also posts on RPCA) was there when he went to the bridge too and I'm glad that she also had the chance to say goodbye as he was a very special cat. I desperately didn't want Sir William to go to RB, but Bast had other plans. 5 days later Pandora arrived as a "short term foster". She never left and in the last 7 years has travelled all over the world with me and her best friend HRFL Tiger. :) Helen M > He had horrendous ear infections when I got him that we couldn't > completely cure although we stayed on top of with antibiotics and the [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > thought that either the ear infections had flared up again causing > menigitis, or that he'd had a stroke. Maybe he had a blood clot from the surgery? That could have caused a stroke. Purrs for your heartbreak - it sounds traumatic! :( Joyce > Maybe he had a blood clot from the surgery? That could have caused a > stroke. > > Purrs for your heartbreak - it sounds traumatic! :( > > Joyce That's what we think probably happened, because the symptoms were exactly the same. It was traumatic & devestating at the time, but I'm glad that I made the decision to let him go to RB without loosing too much of his dignity. The vet suggested an MRI scan to see what was going on, and the money wasn't an object, but I wondered who I would have been keeping him alive for - certainly not for him as his prognosis for recovery and good quality of life was very poor. : ( Besides, Bast had other plans.... 5 days after Sir William went to RB, I was asked to look after a very traumatised 5 month old feral kitten who'd had a very rough deal....... She's still here 7 years later, and still a snotty madam, and I thank Bast every day for her...... sometimes. ;o) Helen M > He had horrendous ear infections when I got him that we couldn't > completely cure although we stayed on top of with antibiotics and the [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > Helen M Lots and lots of hugs for you, Helen, and Debbie, Polonca and Soncek > Lots and lots of hugs for you, Helen, and Debbie, Thank you, Polonca! Deb. Signaturehttp://www.scientific-art.com "He looked a fierce and quarrelsome cat, but claw he never would; He only bit the ones he loved, because they tasted good." S. Greenfield you might wait a week and go revisit the candidates, then you might know, if I could only have one of the candidates, I would probably pick the least adoptable that fit my criteria, good luck, Lee > > Sue, you don't know me but this is gramby. Lee has always said, and after > > three cats, I agree that cats adopt you, you don't adopt them. Did you [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > I can't pick :( so maybe should keep looking? Plenty of kitties out there, > I just don't know... If I get a vacancy (I can only have two because of the potential vets bills) I will wait to see if another lost soul arrives here for a year or so, and if not I will go to a shelter and adopt the shyest, most hissy ex-feral that hasn't much chance of being wanted. Eye or leg missing, not a problem. That's because I can offer a quiet home in a safe rural location with an in/out life if they want it, with the added bonus of a bit of hunting of small rats. shrews, voles etc. IMO this is an ideal life for a cat. Hey, sleep on the spare bed most of the day and then go outside to try and catch something and still get fed? Are you listening to this, Boyfriend? The American concept of keeping a cat inside all the time.. I know about why, the predators and the roads and all that. How many of you would wish that it was safe to be able to let your cats outside all the time? Tweed > you might wait a week and go revisit the candidates, then you might know, > if > I could only have one of the candidates, I would probably pick the least > adoptable that fit my criteria, good luck, Lee I would love to let mine out, and we did until: 1. the kittens shared the duties of bringing a live snake for us as a present. 2. Tiger had just arrived and wasn't neutered. 3. a child I can only describe as worse than the spawn of Jeffery Dommer moved in and his uncle, the parental unit, insisted he never did nuthin' wrung, ... so now they are in to stay unless/until we move elsewhere > If I get a vacancy (I can only have two because of the potential vets bills) > I will wait to see if another lost soul arrives here for a year or so, and [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > I could only have one of the candidates, I would probably pick the least > > adoptable that fit my criteria, good luck, Lee Christina Websell kirjoitti: <snip> > The American concept of keeping a cat inside all the time.. I know about > why, the predators and the roads and all that. How many of you would wish > that it was safe to be able to let your cats outside all the time? It's not limited to Americans. I keep the cats inside too, but then again I live on the fourth (or fifth, if you count the ground floor) floor, and dropping them down from the balcony's not an option... Besides, I live in the centre of a small town, and I wouldn't feel comfortable to let out the cats even if I did live on the ground floor. But my brother and his fiancée let their cat out. They live in a rural area, have always lived on the ground floor, be it in a "row-house" (= apartments side by side on ground level), or like now in their own house, so it's a bit different for them. SignatureChristine in Laitila, Finland christal63 (at) gmail (dot) com photos: http://s208.photobucket.com/albums/bb108/christal63/ photos: http://community.webshots.com/user/chkr63 > So my candidates. This shelter anyway. Please feel free to share thoughts! People often concentrate on cats that are pretty and cats that are loving -- both understandable. However, how about considering this: Which of these cats seem to be cats that *most need* your care and attention? That would probably not be your only criterion, but it is one that is often (usually) neglected and yet could provide you with the most loving of companions. MaryL > People often concentrate on cats that are pretty and cats that are loving > -- [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > MaryL I believe both my top two candidates qualify in that regard and it is making it hard to decide. Ghoulina is not quite pleasing to the eye. Her pic on the web is actually quite flattering and I think her in person appearance is why they gave her such an ugly name. Her lovableness I believe offsets all but I think it a handicap that might keep her from getting adopted. She also gives the "aura" of being older and possibly hard of hearing. That doesn't help her chances. Poor little Ava's scaredycatness is definitely a hindrance to adoptability. She is very pretty colored though I think a lot of people would find it common. She also does have the odd head/ear thing going on making her seem perhaps "damaged" and not sure if she is in some way neurologically impaired. I am not sure everybody would hurry to take her home either. She is very small which people would mistake for kitten. But she is much too reserved and shy. I am trying to be logical in that which kitty is best suited for the kind of lifestyle I have. If I were to follow my heart (well, I would need a helluva bank account) I would take all that needed a home! Real heart I would grab one of those kittens! Now, they SCREAM "take me home!" :) Being really logical, I think my kind of home would be most beneficial to Ava. She could blossom in a quiet household like mine. But it is hard to ignore how lovable the white one is. That was nice. It might be nice to have a warm something on my lap when I watch DVDs! I am not sure Ava would ever be the type to do laps. Neither was my Shadow for the most part. We survived without being in each other's faces :) I don't know *sigh* > Being really logical, I think my kind of home would be most beneficial to > Ava. She could blossom in a quiet household like mine. But it is hard to > ignore how lovable the white one is. That was nice. It might be nice to > have a warm something on my lap when I watch DVDs! I am not sure Ava would > ever be the type to do laps. Neither was my Shadow for the most part. We > survived without being in each other's faces :) I don't know *sigh* But once you get a cat home with you, and they settle in and relax, their personality is mostly likely going to change somewhat. Could turn out that Ava would become a lap cat once she realizes there are no other cats around to swat at her all the time. It seemed like she enjoyed your presence, even in the less-than-optimal environment of the shelter. I think it's great to be logical about it and choose a cat that you think will fit in best with how you live and what your home is like. But don't forget to listen to who *you* are drawn to, as well. Joyce > > People often concentrate on cats that are pretty and cats that are loving > > -- [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > > MaryL ...> Poor little Ava's scaredycatness is definitely a hindrance to adoptability. ...... I am not sure Ava would ever be the type to do laps. Neither was my Shadow for the most part. We > survived without being in each other's faces :) I don't know *sigh* There is no guarantee, but Ava very well could be your lap cat, but remain shy with others. When I trapped her, I thought I'd be lucky if I could even pet the formerly feral Rosie. But, now she's a real snuggler. We've had others warm up after we'd had them a while. Others were lap cats from the beginning. One cat was friendly, but not a lap cat, probably like your Shadow. Now, with the two we have, we are a couple of kitty time shares. Annie > There is no guarantee, but Ava very well could be your lap cat, but > remain shy with others. When I trapped her, I thought I'd be lucky if [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > a lap cat, probably like your Shadow. Now, with the two we have, we > are a couple of kitty time shares. Yes, Ava might warm up when she has a quiet little home of her own. She was probably feral, her mother and her got picked up as "strays" and her mother was quite shy too they say. Mama did get adopted and they tell me she eventually warmed up. Ava is sweet, but has a kind of sad bored look about the face. I think shy plain kitties get overlooked. That she was comfortable enough to nibble and butt my hand in such a short time is a good sign. The White One was apparently dumped off a pickup truck in a box either outside the shelter or Petsmart or something like that. She was definitely a housecat at some point and is not shy. Very friendly. But they think (think? err, think?) she is spayed. Either she had litter box issues, tore up the place or maybe they just wanted to throw her away when she lost her kittenish ways. Sadly, too many people like that. Wish I could take them both :) Am going to go seem them in a little while and will bring a donation of something. > People often concentrate on cats that are pretty and cats that are loving > > both understandable. However, how about considering this: Which of these > cats seem to be cats that *most need* your care and attention? That would > probably not be your only criterion, but it is one that is often (usually) > neglected and yet could provide you with the most loving of companions. When I got my first two I chose ones that were not that friendly. Kitty was a stray that was the unfriendliest cat I ever seen and pregnant with kittens. One day she went in garage and stayed. She had her kittens couple days later and I have kept her since. She has never tryed to get out since then which has been 11 years ago. She is a loving cat AS LONG AS I DO NOT TRY TO HOLD HER MORE THEN A COUPLE MINUTES. One time I tryed to do her nails and she peed on me and bite me. I ended up in hospital for two days with infection. But she loves to set by me and be petted and she is the only one that sleeps with me. When the younger 4 and 5 year olds bug her (She is like 15 years) she runs to me and set between my feet until I walk her back to the bedroom which she claimed as hers. Right now she is setting at my feet as I am at the 'puter and the other 3 younger ones are encircling her trying to get at her to bug her I guess because she likes to be left alone and keep to herself being older. My second one Margie I got when she was about 3 months at Humane Society as company for Kitty. I liked her because she was a calico and shy. When I picked her up she clawed me something crazy trying to get away. I told the lady right then that I wanted her (The cat!!). Now she meows at me whenever I go bye and ignore her or if she can reach me she will swat at me to get my attention. At night she will set on night stand and hit me with her paw until I wake up and she get on the pillow and we "Snuzzle" a bit. She does this 2 / 3 times a night. First time she ever did this I almost had a heart attack because I thought someone was in the house!! The second two (Sam and Rascal) were strays that needed help and once I got them fixed and their problems fixed I was to attached to get rid of them. Sam had a bad hernia on his stomach and Rascal was really sick. None of them are really lap cats but none of them will let me out of their sight either except at night when I go to bed then they set in the bedroom until I am in bed and the light goes out then they all go find their favorite places to sleep. Next morning as soon as they here me they are all in the bedroom again waiting for me to get up and feed them. Sorry this is so long. Did not intend it to be. Got carried away here. My babies http://users.ameritech.net/lestark/ > Sorry this is so long. Did not intend it to be. Got carried away > here. But it was great to read - thanks! > My babies > http://users.ameritech.net/lestark/ They're all adorable. I love the mustache & goatee on Rascal - she looks like a villain from an Errol Flynn movie. :) Joyce >Poor little Ava's scaredycatness is definitely a hindrance to adoptability. >She is very pretty colored though I think a lot of people would find it [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >is very small which people would mistake for kitten. But she is much too >reserved and shy. Ava looked like she has a slight weakness on her left side, poor little thing. On Sep 8, 7:58 pm, "MaryL" <stanco...@yahoo.comTAKE-OUT-THE-LITTER> wrote: > > So my candidates. This shelter anyway. Please feel free to share thoughts! > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > probably not be your only criterion, but it is one that is often (usually) > neglected and yet could provide you with the most loving of companions. My friend __ has picked two husbands so far by how much _they_ needed _her_ This has not worked well. Since cats are much better than men, your suggestion might still work. Will in New Haven -- > MaryL >Experience with such? I can't believe I had Shadow for almost >eight years and never suffered anything worse than gouges in my thighs from >her jumping off my lap. I guess the rest of the feline world consists of >fang and claw. I handled a lot of cats the last few times I was at the shelter, and I've never been bitten there. I was pretty cautious getting to know each cat though. But each of my current ones like to get an occasional taste of me. :) Dot will groom and nip your hand. I get Buster to bite me by holding him upside-down and vigorously massaging his chest and tummy. His mouth opens so wide like a shark's, and it looks so funny having a kitty face attached to your arm. :) It doesn't hurt, but I give them the obligatory "Ouch!" of course. >Ping Tak: as I thought, the shelter is nothing of the modern posh sort of >yours. I have never been down that little gravel road by river in the >decade or two in the area. It was just as I figured it would be :) But it >was clean and didn't smell. Which is more than you can say probably for >most homes around here lol. That shelter was actually more like a shack back when I got Betty. :) They had a renovation a couple of years back, but in terms of taking care of and homing cats, it was just as good back then. I'm so glad that you're now looking. Whether it's Ava or Ghoulina, I'm sure it'll be a wonderful loving companion. I hope you will not mind me asking this, Sue, are you German? It's just that you write English in a similar way my German friend Nüle used to. Just interested, that's all. Tweed > Well, I went. And I met Sadie. She is just as pretty in person as I > thought her picture. Though bigger (I don't think she is a size small [quoted text clipped - 78 lines] > was clean and didn't smell. Which is more than you can say probably for > most homes around here lol. > I hope you will not mind me asking this, Sue, are you German? It's just > that you write English in a similar way my German friend Nüle used to. > Just interested, that's all. > > Tweed I am half German descent but a third generation American, native US English speaker. As a matter of fact, I am hopeless in learning other languages except for programming languages. Maybe my writing style is influenced by genes :) >> I hope you will not mind me asking this, Sue, are you German? It's just >> that you write English in a similar way my German friend N?le used to. >> Just interested, that's all. > I am half German descent but a third generation American, native US English > speaker. As a matter of fact, I am hopeless in learning other languages > except for programming languages. Maybe my writing style is influenced by > genes :) Or perhaps by code? :) Joyce Sue, you have to do what feels best for you, but I always am grateful for the people who adopt cats that others pass by. Some of the shy cats have a hard time finding homes because other cats are so friendly, even to strangers. Good luck! Sounds like any of them would be lucky to live with you. Rhonda After reading some of the responses here about searching for a cat, I realize once again how fortunate I have been because I have *never* gone through that process in my entire life. I have also been fortunate that my cats have had long lives, so I only have four "selection" experiences to relate over a span of 45 years. My first cat was feral. I wanted a cat and simply accepted the first cat that my neighbor and I were able to trap. I was young and foolish (meaning, I knew absolutely nothing about feral cats). If I had known then what I know now, I would have known that it is *not* a good idea to take on a feral cat as your very first indoor cat. I was also lucky because Raucher became an absolutely wonderful companion. It took at least two years before I would say that we were "bonded," but he eventually was completely trusting and would let me do anything that was needed (including medication and nail trimming) -- something that I later learned was pretty unusual for former ferals. However, I would have missed out on one of the best experiences of my life if I had been "wiser" and had known not to adopt a feral under those circumstances. During the first couple of years, there were occasions when he would "attack" my ankles. Just the quick movement of walking by would be enough to cause that. He never broke any skin -- thus, my earlier response -- but it was enough that I knew he was becoming agitated. I would put him in the bedroom for about 15 minutes, and that was all that was needed. He was approximately 8 months old when we trapped him, and he lived to be almost 20 years old. I still don't have a picture of him in my albums, but this reminds me that I should scan some of his pictures and post them online. He was regal and magnificent -- full of mats and debris when I first trapped him, but gorgeous when I eventually saw what he "really" looked like after good food and care. Amber, my second cat (her picture is in the Rainbow Bridge album), had been declawed before I adopted her. She was "owned" by people who claimed to love her -- and probably did, in their view of love -- but they permitted their toddler to pull her around by the tail and did nothing to intervene. They were lucky that Amber never bit him! Instead, she would go into hiding as far under furniture as she could get, and they didn't understand why she stayed away from the family so much. They were expecting a second child, lived in a mobile home, and didn't have "room" for Amber any more. So, they were looking for someone to adopt Amber and were going to put her outdoors if they could not find someone -- outdoors, despite the fact that she was declawed! I had been without a cat for two or three months after Raucher's death, and this happened at just the time when I had decided that I "needed" to get another cat. I was warned when I went to visit that Amber was very shy and it would take some time for her to come out and see me. Instead, she jumped into my lap as soon as I sat down! I thought at that time that they were just trying to entice me to adopt by claiming that this was such an unusual event, but I couldn't bear the thought of her being put outdoors. So, I took her home with me that very day and soon learned that they had actually been telling the truth! She was my little angel, dear and sweet and loving, but it was quite some time before she wanted to be around other people. Blood work at age 13 showed early signs of liver/renal failure,. CRF showed its ugly head, and I went on a campaign of trying to give her the best care possible. She lived for another 3 years (while the original estimate that been for "no more than 3 months"), and it was devastating when I lost her. I eventually had to make the heart-rending decision of euthanasia for both Raucher and Amber, but I know it was the right decision for them. Then came Holly and Duffy, and I have already told their stories many times on this group. Holly was about 6 months old when I adopted her 12 years ago. Duffy was estimated to be 3-5 years when I adopted him in 2003. Each of them had personalities that are distinctly different from my previous two cats, and each is irreplaceable. In fact, one thing I did avoid was any attempt to find a cat that "looked like" my previous cats. Cats cannot be replaced; we can only go forward and adopt a new cat with his or her own personality. I think people sometimes make the mistake of trying to find a cat that looks like a beloved cat they have lost, and then they are disappointed when it isn't at all the same type of animal. My "point" with this very long message is that I simply "accepted" each of my cats rather than looking for specific characteristics. Actually, that wasn't quite true of Holly because my two previous cats had had medium-long fur and were so wonderful that I planned to get another cat with long or medium-long fur. Well, Holly was available on the day I went looking, she did not have long fur, and the rest of the story is that the length of fur doesn't matter at all! You certainly would not want to adopt a cat if you are afraid of the cat or nervous around it, but I am not at all sure that we should "shop" for a cat in the same way that we shop for an article of clothing. Their personalities will change as they adapt to live with you, in much the same way that children's personalities develop over time. MaryL Photos: >'o'< Duffy: http://tinyurl.com/cslwf Holly: http://tinyurl.com/9t68o Duffy and Holly together: http://tinyurl.com/8b47e Rainbow bridge (Amber): http://tinyurl.com/a5tpn > Then there was a surprise for candidate, a white lap cat. Definitely lap > fungus (and shoulder and face). Figure she would be also be the type that > sleeps on your head. She is the largest of my cat candidates. Am touched > by her friendliness and she was the only one that didn't bite or scratch me > at all! Wow. I am not sure her hearing is good. But I think that is > common with the white cats. IIRC, that's only BLUE-EYED white cats - and mostly the males! (Also not all of those - if there's prominent Siamese ancestry, their hearing will be fine, even if their eyes are blue.)
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