Geez... You post a first time query then post again within 45 minutes
condemning those you seek answers from.  Yup - I reckon you gave fair
opportunity for on topic, accurate responses huh?

Regarding your first post - assume that when someone says the cat is 13
years old, they are talking about real time years. That is an advanced but
not geriatric age. Have you had this cat to a vet for a general checkup and
evaluation yet? That would be a good place to start.
Regarding hairballs, get some Petromalt or Laxatone. Cats generally like
these products and they would be a good aid in dealing with the hair
swallowed by a cat with medium length fur. Even shorthairs can experience
hairball issues so giving a bit of help in a cat with longer fur would be
advisable.

Hey, not so fast!  II just posted an reply to your queestions about your new
cat, for example!

Cathy

Poor Diana. Luckily, this is the ONLY newsgroup that is likely to offend her
delicate sensibilities.

         > I won't be visiting this NG again, or any time soon; I was
looking for
         > info on pets, and not a bunch of inter-group rocks being thrown
at other
         > people posting here.

 ** Hi Diana.  I'm sorry you feel this way; but I do agree with Rob and
 Cathy, and hope you just didn't happen to see maybe 3 or 4 threads that
did
 get cross-posted; absolutely don't belong here, and had nothing to do with
 cat care at all.  I myself am new here, but I kept an open mind when I
 started, realizing that this is a public newsgroup where anything and
 everything are bound to get posted ... even by cat haters.  :-o  Everyone
 here have been so helpful to me and there are several people who, if you
 take a closer look, are regular long-time posters.  And if those people
are
 whom you mean to be clickish maybe by saying "inter-group", then it can't
be
 helped that they will rib at one another from time to time, considering
how
 they have known one another for a long while now and are, in essence,
 family.  That said ...

         > realize that this is a NG regarding pets and pet-care, and not a
         > convenient place to vent all your "Gee, I'm having a bad hair
day
         > trivia.

 ** I've never heard Laura complain about her hair.  =D

 ** I hope you feel better after giving this ng some time of reviewing.  As
 for the question of 13 years of age for Charlie, I have been told that dog
 years are equal to 7 human years, whereas cats are more equal to 5 human
 years.  Diet, at this point in your cat's life, plays a huge factor in the
 quality of his life in order to stave off any illnesses incidental to
aging.
 My cat's new vet has emphasized to me how the kidneys are the most
important
 organ worth watching out and caring for now that my cat is a geriatric.
 Barring any special needs and complications, he said that my 12-year old
 Siamese can eat anything he wants, but because he also has developed a
 gastric problem as a complication from a botched ear flush procedure
(which
 is why I've changed vets), I've discovered, through this ng, a ton of
 information on cat foods, including analyses on ingredients and content.
 Specific to your cat, you may want to check out this URL as well and hope
it
 helps, not just his hairball needs but his intestinal health overall:

     http://cats.about.com/cs/catfood/a/reading_labels_p.htm

 ** Here's a great site, too, for new cat owners:

     http://www.ovma.org/pets/cat_handbook.shtml

It isn't fair to judge the entire group by a couple of days' recent posts.
There are many knowledgeable regular posters here, and many who only post
occasionally. There are people who will research and send lengthy e-mails just
to try to help someone. Apparently you haven't visited the other groups. This
group is Cornell University compared to alt.cats.

Sherry

circa Mon, 28 Jun 2004 14:19:51 -0700, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav,
Diana (dianakahn@webtv.net) said,

Ah, then I'm so glad I bothered to answer your question and dig up
some links for you. Not.

Laura

There are lots of very informative and helpful postings in this newsgroup
(in contrast to some groups where flaming is the norm).  You already got 3
suggestions to your question, not one of which was a rant or venting.

'bye then.

(...)

So, your contribution to improving the group is to leave it?

Anyway, we don't have bad hair days here. Didn't anyone tell you about
the standard group haircut? Bonces are buzzed with yer standard grade
0. Luvvly.

S.