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Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / March 2005And I should let a WHAT in the house?
I wasn't all that happy with the gal at PetNot So Smart, and so wrote a message to describe it. Wel, after the very poor experience with the PestStupid people, then I go to dinner with friends. One friend of mine spent an hour or so telling me all the abuse the cats have dumped on him. From eating his food, drinking out of his glass, waking him at 6 AM, scratching his face, and jumping on counters and such. Cat litter stink. And then descriptions of kitty farts, and graphic descriptions of Kitty Turd Supreme. I spent the drive home remembering all the various problems I had with Ruffus. Mealworms in the catfood (lost a LOT of food to mealworms; many boxes of dry food, macaroni, and many boxes of breakfast cereal). Used to sit on my chest at night. Jumping on things. Knocking things off. On the counter. On the TV. On the copier. Knocking stuff off the surfaces. Defiant, on top of the copier while my back is turned and a blur of fur coming down off when I turn around. I'm quite seriously turned off about the concept of getting a cat.  SignatureChristopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus www.lds.org www.mormons.com > I wasn't all that happy with the gal at PetNot So Smart, and so wrote a > message to describe it. [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > I'm quite seriously turned off about the concept of getting a cat. Hmmm. Never had any trouble with worms at all. Not with 18+ cats through all my years. So I'm not sure at all what that has to do with cats. But yeah, some of this is par for the course and if that is a concern, you are probably right in thinking about not going down that road. As I understand, it was "indian mealworms" in cheap dry catfood. SignatureChristopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus www.lds.org www.mormons.com Hmmm. Never had any trouble with worms at all. Not with 18+ cats through all my years. So I'm not sure at all what that has to do with cats. But yeah, some of this is par for the course and if that is a concern, you are probably right in thinking about not going down that road. > As I understand, it was "indian mealworms" in cheap dry catfood. And that was the cat's fault how? Could have happened in a sack of flour, too. Signature-Kelly kelly at farringtons dot net "Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG > > As I understand, it was "indian mealworms" in cheap dry catfood. > > And that was the cat's fault how? Could have happened in a sack of flour, > too. I would have to buy smaller bags of food more often. No cat, no catfood. SignatureChristopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus www.lds.org www.mormons.com > As I understand, it was "indian mealworms" in cheap dry catfood. And that was the cat's fault how? Could have happened in a sack of flour, too. Signature-Kelly kelly at farringtons dot net "Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG Well, now there I have to disagree. That should read instead: No cheap catfood but a brand that is nutritious and healthy, no mealworms. As I said, I've had cats for 35 out of 40 years of my life and never had to contend with such. > No cat, no catfood. > > > As I understand, it was "indian mealworms" in cheap dry catfood. > > And that was the cat's fault how? Could have happened in a sack of flour, > too. >Well, now there I have to disagree. That should read instead: > >No cheap catfood but a brand that is nutritious and healthy, no mealworms. > >As I said, I've had cats for 35 out of 40 years of my life and never had to >contend with such. While I haven't ever had them in cat food, I have had them in flour, cornflakes, and instant potato flakes (all at the same time). I probably would have had them in the cat food as well, except for the fact that I didn't own a cat at the time. They will eat anything starchy, and, if you ever buy any food product that turns out to have had mealworm eggs laid on it, you will subsequently end up with the larvae hatching out in any starchy foodstuff that isn't in an airtight container. The adults are small, soft-bodied beetles. SignatureJohn F. Eldredge -- john@jfeldredge.com PGP key available from http://pgp.mit.edu "Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better than not to think at all." -- Hypatia of Alexandria Ohhhhh. I never buy cheap food. > As I understand, it was "indian mealworms" in cheap dry catfood. > > Hmmm. Never had any trouble with worms at all. Not with 18+ cats through all > my years. So I'm not sure at all what that has to do with cats. But yeah, > some of this is par for the course and if that is a concern, you are > probably right in thinking about not going down that road. > > I wasn't all that happy with the gal at PetNot So Smart, and so wrote a > > message to describe it. [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > > > I'm quite seriously turned off about the concept of getting a cat. I think you have reached a wise decision. It sounds as if neither you nor the cat would be very happy, together if you were to get one right now. Yes, there are drawbacks to cat ownership, such as those you list above. If all you can see in owning a cat is smelly litterboxes, getting scratched and bad behavior (Cats can be trained with consistent negative and positive reinforcement.) I'll only say I couldn't imagine my home without the companionship and comedy of having cats around, even when Nina turns my toilet paper into confetti. Unconditional love, and beautiful living creatures greeting me at the door when I come home from work, being two of the greatest assets. For me, that more than balances out the disadvantages. Melissa > > > I wasn't all that happy with the gal at PetNot So Smart, and so wrote a > > > message to describe it. [quoted text clipped - 37 lines] > > Melissa Beautifully put, Melissa. BTW, I have a toilet paper and paper towel shredder too! Brief addendum, I see I've got an incomplete sentece in my original post. I should have said "If all you can see in owning a cat is smelly litterboxes, getting scratched and bad behavior, then both you and the potential cat are better off without one another." I should rent Nina out to corporations who want to get rid of old documents. =o) She'd have so much fun! As I was putting out a new roll of TP in the bathroom today, I could see her little golden eyes light up. The remains of the old roll are scattered all around the bedroom. I'm going to have to do some serious cleaning this week. Melissa > I'll only say I couldn't imagine my home without the companionship and > comedy of having cats around, even when Nina turns my toilet paper into > confetti. Unconditional love, and beautiful living creatures greeting me at > the door when I come home from work, being two of the greatest assets. For > me, that more than balances out the disadvantages. I can't remember a time when I didn't have a pet, but I don't think it would have to be a cat. Even my fish and my hamsters cheered me up when I entered my dorm room in college. Hamsters have the upside of being furry, but they have a pernicious tendency to escape and get into things ... fish are beautiful, but especially in the swampy climate of Williamsburg (no A/C units in dorms without doctor's note), they seemed to succumb to the ick all too easily. I did love those bettas ... so beautiful, and I always kept them in a large aquarium. Couldn't stand to see them in those tiny globes they have at the store. Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca > Hmmm. Never had any trouble with worms at all. Not with 18+ cats > through all my years. So I'm not sure at all what that has to do > with cats. But yeah, some of this is par for the course and if > that is a concern, you are probably right in thinking about not > going down that road. Ugh, I have. With some grocery store dry food I bought for the strays. It took ages to get rid of them. I had to throw out a lot of food, too. SignatureCheryl the answer was pantry pest traps. From www.gardensalive.com They are big on "natural" products. But what is really strange is that the stuff I've bought from them actually works. Usually "natural" means "costs twice as much and doesn't work". SignatureChristopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus www.lds.org www.mormons.com On Mon 07 Mar 2005 12:04:21a, Karen wrote in rec.pets.cats.anecdotes (news:BE513CF3.649B3%kchuplis@alltel.net): > Hmmm. Never had any trouble with worms at all. Not with 18+ cats > through all my years. So I'm not sure at all what that has to do > with cats. But yeah, some of this is par for the course and if > that is a concern, you are probably right in thinking about not > going down that road. Ugh, I have. With some grocery store dry food I bought for the strays. It took ages to get rid of them. I had to throw out a lot of food, too. SignatureCheryl I'd say you and your friends are perfect candidates for not having cats. Joy > I wasn't all that happy with the gal at PetNot So Smart, and so wrote a > message to describe it. [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > I'm quite seriously turned off about the concept of getting a cat. > I'm quite seriously turned off about the concept of getting a cat. If you're concerned that having a cat will be too much work, you probably shouldn't get one. They're enough work that you want to be really sure about it. Kinda like having kids. Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca >> I'm quite seriously turned off about the concept of getting a cat. > >If you're concerned that having a cat will be too much work, you probably >shouldn't get one. They're enough work that you want to be really sure about >it. Kinda like having kids. I haven't personally found having cats to involve a lot of work. There's hardly a single aspect of my life that Betty hasn't influenced, but so far it's been all pros and no significant cons. Part of that may be that I didn't get Betty as a kitten, and she hasn't had any major illnesses. >>> I'm quite seriously turned off about the concept of getting a cat. >> [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > it's been all pros and no significant cons. Part of that may be that I > didn't get Betty as a kitten, and she hasn't had any major illnesses. I can't speak to illnesses (knock on wood), but I can speak to hoolikittens! Oscar tore down, beyond repair, every set of blinds in my apartment. I ended up having absolutely no privacy unless I hid in the bathroom, because all of my windows were wide open to the world. I couldn't have open containers of water (like vases) around, because she'd knock them over. The one time she didn't make it to the litter box, it STANK to high heaven and the smell never got out of that corner. I had to take down the fun christmas lights in my office because she was threatening to bite into them, not to mention worry about broken mini-lightbulbs. I'm still finding toothmarks in various electrical cords. She knocked anything light enough to be bapped off any surface more than two feet off the ground. She declared my computer desk (which I used constantly) her domain and hissed, bit and scratched at me when I removed her because my typing scared her and she would bite and scratch me for using the keyboard or mouse. She liked reaching up and clawing at holes just *slightly* taller than her stretched-out body, so that I had to rescue her from both my computer's vents and the A/C vent on the wall. .... man, do I miss having a kitten. But I think I'd have to rent an apartment again if I had one. Some place that doesn't mind ripping up all the carpets between tenants and has really cheap blinds. Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca One friend of mine spent an hour or so telling me all > the abuse the cats have dumped on him. From eating his food, drinking out of > his glass, waking him at 6 AM, scratching his face, and jumping on counters > and such. Used to > sit on my chest at night. Jumping on things. Knocking things off. On the > counter. On the TV. On the copier. Knocking stuff off the surfaces. Defiant, > on top of the copier while my back is turned and a blur of fur coming down > off when I turn around. See, if you aren't masochistic enough to find the feline abuse appealing, then you're probably not suited to having a cat. A lot of this sounds like typical feline behaviour. I've learned to like cats sitting on my chest at night, to laugh when they mess my neatly stacked piles of paperwork, and to gently remove Smokey from the scanner when his desire to be near me overcomes his knowledge that he's not allowed on the desk. If the idea is unappealing, then a cat is not right for you. --Fil, once again gently removing Smokey from the scanner >I wasn't all that happy with the gal at PetNot So Smart, and so wrote a >message to describe it. >I spent the drive home remembering all the various problems I had with >Ruffus. Mealworms in the catfood (lost a LOT of food to mealworms; many [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > >I'm quite seriously turned off about the concept of getting a cat. I had no idea that cats could be so much work... I've never had one before, and then we got two at once. One of the first things they did once we got them into the house was to break John's boat ornament and make me cry... they make messes, they run across your tummies and feet at 3am and wake you up, they pee in inappropriate places and demand gourmet kitty treats, they protest vigorously if you have to try to give them any medication... for a little while I wondered if I was cut out to be a meowmie because they kept making me cry... but I love them to bits and I wouldn't give them up for the world. (add sharpening their claws on your jeans to that list. I'm sitting here at the computer chair and I feel a 'prick prick prick prick' on my back - Silver's decided it's time to work on her claws and I'm sitting in her chosen chair... ouch) but last night she came and lay on my pillow behind my head and purred me to sleep... then she moved over next to me and when I woke up I had a kitty pillow of soft plushy silver fur. :) I'm sorry that the guys at Petsmart were jerks... don't let them put you off having a furbaby if you really want one. ~Karen aka Kajikit Crafts, cats, and chocolate - the three essentials of life http://www.kajikitscorner.com *remove 'nospam' to reply I'm sorry that your recent experience has left you so bitter. Please don't let your bad experiences with people ruin your memories of your pets. Remember the good times you had with your cats, too. Yes, pets have their foibles and they aren't easy but they don't judge you like people will, they don't lie to you or cheat you and they do give you unconditional love. thinking of you, Christine > >I wasn't all that happy with the gal at PetNot So Smart, and so wrote a > >message to describe it. [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > http://www.kajikitscorner.com > *remove 'nospam' to reply >> I wasn't all that happy with the gal at PetNot So Smart, and so wrote a >> message to describe it. [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > out to be a meowmie because they kept making me cry... but I love them > to bits and I wouldn't give them up for the world. Well, kittens, like babies are particularly a lot of work (although I never ever had problems with inappropriate peeing - did they have an infection? I find this highly unusual). And the main "break" I remember is Pearl jumping up on my laptop and snapping off the T key, which I had to order a replacement for. Other than demanding a lot of attention and being picky about food, I haven't found (especially with adults) anything that comes close to really annoying me. Certainly nothing like many of my coworkers (whom I really do like) and their behaviours. So I think they are pretty much a bargain. >> I had no idea that cats could be so much work... I've never had one >> before, and then we got two at once. One of the first things they did [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] >(whom I really do like) and their behaviours. So I think they are pretty >much a bargain. We bought them a covered litterbox... only Silver decided that she wouldn't use it! She'd wait till I took the cover off to scoop it and then she'd jump in and do her business... then a few days later she decided that I wasn't getting the message fast enough, so she looked for other places to go (ie, anything soft and absorbant-looking left lying on the floor...) I was very concerned about her health but the vet said she was fine. We went back to open litterboxes and the trouble stopped immediately. Scout's also trying to teach us a 'lesson'... we tried changing their catfood to a slightly cheaper version last week, and it took a few days to realise that she wasn't eating it! Silver is such a greedyguts that she was eating a double share, and Scout was only nibbling enough to keep from starving :( We got more Science Diet yesterday... ~Karen aka Kajikit Crafts, cats, and chocolate - the three essentials of life http://www.kajikitscorner.com *remove 'nospam' to reply > I had no idea that cats could be so much work... I've never had > one before, and then we got two at once. One of the first things [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > be a meowmie because they kept making me cry... but I love them > to bits and I wouldn't give them up for the world. Karen, they sure are a lot of work. Especially kittens. I'm like you, I took in two at once. I've never had kittens so young before; all of mine were adults, or near-adults when I took them in. These kittens have been/are a handful, but the most loving handfuls I've ever had the pleasure of watching grow up. Seeing them grow from tiny beings that were full of need and wanting nothing more than food, a warm place to sleep and toys to play with, to the kittens they are now - loving attention and snuggles, Scarlett and her obsession with having to be *on* me when she's not sleeping, and just plain watching them grow from scrawny little ones to long sleek still-kitten cats. Rhett teaching himself to play fetch. Watching them grow up is, to me, like watching kids mature. You can practically see them learning. I wouldn't trade it for anything. Not even my best sheer curtains. :) SignatureCheryl > Watching them grow up is, to me, like watching kids mature. You can > practically see them learning. I wouldn't trade it for anything. > Not even my best sheer curtains. :) This is how DP feels about the bitties. I was on military service so he was home, alone, with a pair of three-week-old infants that he'd found in a trash heap, who pipped and squee'ed and looked to him for every necessity of life--every three hours around the clock. Somehow he managed to write his masters' thesis and raise those bits into kittens and then into cats....and he says that in the end, waking up multiple times a night for bottle-and-cottonball duty was rewarded by the fact that those bitties still look to him as their "MomDad." --Fil > > Watching them grow up is, to me, like watching kids mature. You can > > practically see them learning. I wouldn't trade it for anything. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > --Fil Awwwwww. > > Watching them grow up is, to me, like watching kids mature. You can > > practically see them learning. I wouldn't trade it for anything. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > multiple times a night for bottle-and-cottonball duty was rewarded by > the fact that those bitties still look to him as their "MomDad." What a wonderful man! > What a wonderful man! Yes, that's why I started dating him...;) --Fil > > What a wonderful man! > > Yes, that's why I started dating him...;) > > --Fil As well you should have! Lucky you, lucky him. :) > This is how DP feels about the bitties. I was on military > service so he was home, alone, with a pair of three-week-old [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > night for bottle-and-cottonball duty was rewarded by the fact > that those bitties still look to him as their "MomDad." I have to echo Karen - awwwwwww But how can anyone help but love them and give them what they need? :) MomDad is a special guy. SignatureCheryl > This is how DP feels about the bitties. I was on military service so > he was home, alone, with a pair of three-week-old infants that he'd [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > multiple times a night for bottle-and-cottonball duty was rewarded by > the fact that those bitties still look to him as their "MomDad." I love the story of the bitties. SignatureMarina, Frank and Nikki marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/ and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki >I wasn't all that happy with the gal at PetNot So Smart, and so wrote a >message to describe it. [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > >I'm quite seriously turned off about the concept of getting a cat. You're right. What a pain in the @ss. Theresa Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com From eating his food, drinking out of > his glass, waking him at 6 AM, scratching his face, and jumping on counters > and such. Cat litter stink. And then descriptions of kitty farts, and > graphic descriptions of Kitty Turd Supreme./// Normal conditions of being owned by a cat. You need to be able to deal with those before you consider getting another cat into your life. To me, the advantages/pleasure far outweighs the "nasties". > Used to sit on my chest at night./// Now to me, that is a great priviledge. I consider that a BENEFIT of owning a cat. > Jumping on things. Knocking things off. On the > counter. On the TV. On the copier. Knocking stuff off the surfaces. Defiant, > on top of the copier while my back is turned and a blur of fur coming down > off when I turn around./// I like it. It reminds me I'm not the only one in the universe and that I'm the bottom of the pecking order! ;o) > I'm quite seriously turned off about the concept of getting a cat./// Then maybe you should rethink whether it is the pet for you. :o) Being owned by a cat is a wonderful priviledge, but also a very great responsibility. Helen M Might not be the right match for me, then. SignatureChristopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus www.lds.org www.mormons.com Stormin Mormon wrote: From eating his food, drinking out of > his glass, waking him at 6 AM, scratching his face, and jumping on counters > and such. Cat litter stink. And then descriptions of kitty farts, and > graphic descriptions of Kitty Turd Supreme./// Normal conditions of being owned by a cat. You need to be able to deal with those before you consider getting another cat into your life. To me, the advantages/pleasure far outweighs the "nasties". > Used to sit on my chest at night./// Now to me, that is a great priviledge. I consider that a BENEFIT of owning a cat. > Jumping on things. Knocking things off. On the > counter. On the TV. On the copier. Knocking stuff off the surfaces. Defiant, > on top of the copier while my back is turned and a blur of fur coming down > off when I turn around./// I like it. It reminds me I'm not the only one in the universe and that I'm the bottom of the pecking order! ;o) > I'm quite seriously turned off about the concept of getting a cat./// Then maybe you should rethink whether it is the pet for you. :o) Being owned by a cat is a wonderful priviledge, but also a very great responsibility. Helen M > Might not be the right match for me, then. > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > www.lds.org > www.mormons.com Maybe you should list the reasons you *think* you want a cat, and see if there is another pet that might be a better fit? -L.
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