I thought we'd start a thread telling about little things we do to protect
our cats. I was reading the thread "What is the worst thing you ever done to
your furbabies?" and realised that people do little things that are so
important and we often don;t think about, and can save their lifes, and
possibly your flat. I may go overboard myself, but I went into a wierd crazy
panic after my QT died(run over) and just can;t afford to loose another
beloved pets. My cats are, since QT died, indoor cats.
This is what I do:
-Keep their dry food dish always full in case I something happens to us, so
they'll have a few days in case nobody notice we are gone! :) Cats really
don;t eat more then they need to, unlike dogs.
-Keep the tap in the bathtab always dripping for the same above reason, so
they have water too.
-Installed the smoke alarm so my neighbours/us can hear it and hopefully
someone would save them if we're not in
-Leave the TV on on firewarks knight so they'd assume it's only a TV noise
and not be scared
-Leave all the doors of all the rooms and all the cupboards open a little
in case someone is in and we don't notice
-Moved all the glass items to where they can;t possibly reach or get i/onto
-Boxed all audio tapes
-Never light a candle on the surfice cats can reach, and goes without
saying, never leave the candle burning if leaving the flat
-Keep your bins closed so cats cannot get in and eat something they
shouldn;t.
-I had them all microshipped, in case they do manage to get out free.
Please add your little suggestions/advices/notes/quirks here.
Gee
XMar - 14 Jan 2004 17:31 GMT
I actually have safetly latches on mine where I keep the cleaning supplies
> -Leave all the doors of all the rooms and all the cupboards open a little
> in case someone is in and we don't notice
Sherry - 14 Jan 2004 18:15 GMT
Either cut the loop on the mini-blind cords or tie them up. Frank almost hanged
himself once that way.
Don't leave rubber bands around. Bootsie tries to eat them. Also I have to be
careful while sewing, she is attracted to the pins.
I almost forgot, this one's a biggie. Honk the horn before you start your car.
Your own cats are probably safe in the house, but neighbohood strays will get
under the hood especially in winteer for warmth.
That's all I can think of right now.
Sherry
XMar - 14 Jan 2004 21:18 GMT
OH I KNOW THIS ONE TOO WELL...
My oldest Blues, swallowed a sewing needle (she was attracted to the tread)
Abdominal surgery :-(
Fortunately I had it figured out with in minuests she swallowed it. And
fortunately it didnt perforate her stomach or esophagus
Also I have to be
> careful while sewing, she is attracted to the pins.
>
> Sherry
Sherry - 14 Jan 2004 21:55 GMT
>OH I KNOW THIS ONE TOO WELL...
>My oldest Blues, swallowed a sewing needle (she was attracted to the tread)
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>Fortunately I had it figured out with in minuests she swallowed it. And
>fortunately it didnt perforate her stomach or esophagus
Oh, Lordy. You lived one of my worst nightmares witth my cat. I'm glad it
didn't cause major damage and she survived okay.
Sherry
> Also I have to be
>> careful while sewing, she is attracted to the pins.
>>
>> Sherry
XMar - 14 Jan 2004 22:09 GMT
Sherry is was a nightmare...Just remembering it brings tears to my eyes
And it wasnt like I left the sewing needle laying around....I had been
using it, and is my habit I stuck it into my pants that I was wearing
(so it was close at hand) while I did something else...
While I wasnt looking she managed to pull it from my pants and swallow it...
That is why I knew so quickly she had swallowed it....
I felt SO guilty!!!!
Its not like I was being neglegent. Quite the opposite. ANd yet even
then she swallowed it
Yes she survived. But it was scary. And stomach surgery isnt like a
spaying. Much much more serious.
>>OH I KNOW THIS ONE TOO WELL...
>>My oldest Blues, swallowed a sewing needle (she was attracted to the tread)
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>>>
>>>Sherry
M.C. Mullen - 15 Jan 2004 10:24 GMT
| Sherry is was a nightmare...Just remembering it brings tears to my eyes
|
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
|
| While I wasnt looking she managed to pull it from my pants and swallow it...
Reading this under shock while cooking my pots have boiled over now!
| That is why I knew so quickly she had swallowed it....
|
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
| Yes she survived. But it was scary. And stomach surgery isnt like a
| spaying. Much much more serious.
These things *do* happen, but I understand the feeling. It's like when my
dog ran onto the motorway (another dog chased her) - from one exit to the
next one and I and another man behind her, all in the opposite direction,
and silly dog decided to stay in between the lanes rather than using the
hard shoulder, but she and I and the two cars that touched each other all
survived. It was a nightmare and one of the five worst experiences of my
life, still is.
Carola
a - 15 Jan 2004 02:22 GMT
I lost one of mine that way. She was laying on the engine, paniked when my father
started the engine and got run over when he started moving. She was a very cute and
afectionate white angora cat.
Sherry nous apporta ses lumieres ainsi en ce 2004/01/14 13:15... :
> I almost forgot, this one's a biggie. Honk the horn before you start your car.
> Your own cats are probably safe in the house, but neighbohood strays will get
> under the hood especially in winteer for warmth.
> That's all I can think of right now.
>
> Sherry
Sherry - 15 Jan 2004 04:24 GMT
>I lost one of mine that way. She was laying on the engine, paniked when my
>father
>started the engine and got run over when he started moving. She was a very
>cute and
>afectionate white angora cat.
How tragic. I bet your dad felt awful.
I also learned the hard way, but I was lucky and Jacky didn't jump out until I
stopped the car next.
M.C. Mullen - 15 Jan 2004 10:28 GMT
| >I lost one of mine that way. She was laying on the engine, paniked when my
| >father
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
| I also learned the hard way, but I was lucky and Jacky didn't jump out until I
| stopped the car next.
The other day I saw the cat disappear under the car when I had to go to an
important meeting. I looked, called, opened the engine - no cat. After half
an hour I spotted him in the neighbour's garden :-)
I was late for the meeting of course :-( and could not say why ...
Pets!!
Carola
MaryL - 14 Jan 2004 18:32 GMT
> I thought we'd start a thread telling about little things we do to protect
> our cats.
>
> Please add your little suggestions/advices/notes/quirks here.
>
> Gee
Here a few of mine:
**Carry an identification card with the names of my cats and phone numbers
where someone can be contacted to care for them in the event of an emergency
(and leave a key with the first person on the list)
**Place rubber bands around my wrist as soon as I open any package
containing them; that way, I won't forget to get them out of harm's way
**Never leave string or cord where my cats can reach it unless I am
monitoring their play; remove other dangerous attractants such as ribbon,
toys with bells or other items that could be ingested, etc.
**Remove sharp objects from areas where the cats may leap or play
(particularly important for Duffy, who is blind)
**Remain where I can watch the door whenever repairs are being made to make
sure that whoever is working in the house *tightly* closes the door when
going in and out (they will often casually push the door, leaving it partly
open)
MaryL
M.C. Mullen - 15 Jan 2004 10:16 GMT
| -Leave the TV on on firewarks knight so they'd assume it's only a TV noise
| and not be scared
This is a good one!
But I must say that I don't leave neither telly nor electric radio on
anymore if I'm not in for a longer period since a flat nearby has caught
fire because of a TV.
| -Boxed all audio tapes
... and toilet rolls with Micky :-)
Thanks for the inputs!
Carola
Gee - 16 Jan 2004 05:02 GMT
> | -Leave the TV on on firewarks knight so they'd assume it's only a TV noise
> | and not be scared
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> anymore if I'm not in for a longer period since a flat nearby has caught
> fire because of a TV.
That's a valid point, I don;t usually leave my TV/monitor on for the same
scare reason, only on firewarks night if I'm not in.
Wanted to mantion that monitors are quite dangerous as well, especially
since cats love to sleap on them. I was working away one night when suddenly
my monitor started smoking! I was like oh sh## !!! I quickly switched it off
and unplugged. Smoke stopped soon after, and goes without saying it never
worked again. But had I not been at home, God knows what could;ve happened,
so since then I always make sure monitor is off when I'm not working!! And
also I don;t allow cats on it anymore (or top of TV/VCR/AMP for that matter
which they love as they are worm.
Gee
---MIKE--- - 19 Jan 2004 00:23 GMT
After flossing my teeth, I carefully put the used floss in a jar and put
the cap on. Dental floss can be one of the most dangerous things for a
cat to eat.
-MIKE