[ms.gb]

oh laurenann....((((vibes for your kitty))))

[lucizoe]

Oh, no! ((laurenann))

I'm glad it sounds like she'll be all right. Suck suck suck suck suck about the price tag.

[kittenb]

Oh my god, how scary!
So the vet wants $1000 to observe her? Good luck. I hope everything works out fast.

[laurenann]

i had a kitty emergency last night! i was out on the deck with my boyfriend and a few friends. the kitties were just lounging around under our feet - they are allowed on the deck when we are out there. i feel bad keeping them inside all the time and they love chasing the bugs that come near the lights hanging out there. anyway, all of a sudden we hear these loud howley meows and see sharpie laying on the pavement three stories below. i flew downstairs and found her crunched up on all four crying and crying. i picked her up and she dug her claws into me, we took her upstairs and she jumped out of my arms and hid under the bed. we finally bribed her out with treats, and saw that he nose was bleeding. then she coughed and that was bloody so i took her to the animal hospital. i waited around there for a little while before they told me that she was too ferocious to do any testing on and that she'd need to be sedated and kept overnight. this mornings update was that she has no broken bones, no abdominal or chest injuries, and her heart looks okay. she is normally mean to the vets, but they said hissing and swatting could be a sign of a head injury. i'm waiting for them to call me back right now, because i want to take her home and observe her for signs of head injury here where she will be comfortable and not have anything to be mean about. i am also waiting to go over to talk with a financial officer because i totally cannot afford the $1000 estimate if she wasn't bleeding from her face i probably wouldn't have taken her, but what can you do? i am so anxious to bring her back home!

oh, and thanks for all the advice on wet food. geesh, two problem cats lately.

[kittenb]

I am a little worried about my cats this week. I don't have air conditioning (I don't like it and I get really good air circulation if I don't block the window it would be installed in) but it is really hot in Chicago this week. I have the windows open and the blinds pulled so any breeze will still get in, but do cats like heat? I have a lot of fresh water down and considered leaving some in the tub for coolness, but I was afraid one of them could drown while I was at work.

[doodlebug]

polly, that's hilarious!!!

Did anyone see the sleepy kitty song link mornington posted in Bizarro Websites?

[pollystyrene]

Glove-stealin' cat!

[girlygirlgag]

Whatever, Jake's fabulousness *totally* misunderstood!

*sashey shauntay, Jake!*

[ms.gb]

one of my classmate was looking thru a magazine and they had a photo of a sphynx (like my jake) but they had photoshopped tattoos all over it....looked so odd...it freaked out my classmates...but i think i freaked them out more when i declared loudly 'oh how cute! i have one of those!'

hmm....things to do

1. try not to ostracize self from classmates by talking about odd cat.

[littleredheadedg...]

Lucizoe,
You could try putting catnip on it or honeysuckle spray. Or go for the double whammy and do both. Even if they don't use the post at least they will be high as kites.

[lucizoe]

Mr.Luci clips the nails. They yowl and make a right fuss about it, but they are just big freaking babies; he's never hurt them once. I nicked the quick of one of my dog's claws once and she still lets me trim them; her memory must suck

Feeling magnanimous and full of kitty love I went out and spent a ridiculous amount of cash on a fancy scratching post cum playground for the boys and they won't go near it, naturally. I set it up, demonstrated the scratching post, made all sorts of encouraging gooey noises and Klyde walked over to a cardboard box and started loving that, while Jinx just looked at me disdainfully and presented his ass to my view before running off with a plastic tab from an apple juice container.

I'm hoping they just need to get used to it and they'll come around. I can't return it, it's really awesome, and it was expensive. Lesson learned, however. Next time I want to do something nice for them I'll just root through the garbage. Ingrates!

[luleey]

the friskies is probably ok--it might not have as much nutrition as science diet, purina, or iams though. but if you feed them good dry food it will probably balance out. maybe experiment and see what the cat prefers (if you have the time and $!) i tried several different brands with duke when we first got him and he was so small...he barely ate and you could see all his ribs. he finally settled on the purina pro-plan stuff, which has made him grow really fast and the vet was very pleased with his progress. he wasn't a fan of iams or friskies, but he might like more types when he gets older.

[mermaidgirl13]

Hey Laurenann, I think Friskies is pretty good, yeah. I use that and Nine Lives. I usually don't give my cats anything with gravy though. I mention that because you might want to do the same, at least at first. I think if you switch from an all-dry diet to including wet food, you don't want to give them diarrhea (which foods with gravy could do). Maybe also stay away from fish and liver at first too? Probably not as big a deal, but just a thought.

[laurenann]

we've had one of my cats since she was a kitten and my boyfriend clips her nails. i am glad she lets him do it because she scratches the couch and sometimes gets too excited when i play with her and scratches me. she is so good for my boyfriend! he holds her firmly on his lap and coos to her and then gives her lots of treats when the clipping is all done. when i try to do her nails she freaks out and i can't hold her down.

we adopted a cat from the mspca about a month ago and she won't let us clip her nails. but i have only seen her scratch the posts and mats we have for them and she keeps her claws in when we are playing or petting.

the new cat got spayed on monday and it was so different then when our old cat got spayed when she was a kitten! the incision is so small and there are no stitches on the outside. she was a little groggy for the rest of the day and then walked funny for a few days, but she seems fine now.

when she got spayed the vet said she is underweight and i should try to feed her wet food two or three times per day seperate from our other (fat and glutonous) cat. i picked up ten cans of friskies at stop and shop 'cause that is what my mom feeds her cat. is friskies okay food? i also feed them high quality dry food - that is all the old cat eats - and the new cat eats that too. so the friskies is just to help her gain weight - any thoughts?

[sixelacat]

No, they're strictly indoor kitties. I hadn't thought about them not being able to do their scratchin' when they're older (they're 5 or 6 now, I think). Hmmm, maybe I'll get some of those clippers. It'd be nice if they didn't poke holes in my leg when they're kneadin' dough!

[doodlebug]

sixel, do your cats go outside? If so, it's not really necessary. I think cats are usually pretty good at keeping their claws cared for, but I've always found it's harder for them when they get older, and pretty soon they're like Howard Hughes. So I just get them used to it young. Plus clipped kitties aren't as prickly when their on your lap!

That's funny about the cigs! Whenever I have friends over, if there is a joint lit up, or even if someone is rolling one, Georgie is right in there like a dirty shirt! He knows when people get mellow, he gets the best pettins! He's the second cat I've ever had who really likes to groove with tokers.

[sixelacat]

Okay, now I'm feeling kind of neglectful of my kitties. Does everyone clip their furbabies nails? I've never done mine. Do they really need it? They shed them on their scratching post (and sometimes doorposts-I'm never getting that security deposit back for this apt.!) and don't seem to have, I don't know, problems or anything. They don't scratch people or each other or anything....

Doodle, that's too funny about George! The only preferences my cats have shown is for/against smoking. One will give you seriously dirty looks for even taking a lighter out of your purse, and sit in the middle of the room with his back to you shooting you disgusted looks until your done with the cig. The other could care less and is more than happy to take the vacated lap. Silly political kitties!

[doodlebug]

Yay for getting nails clipped!

I think my furbabies are due again.

George is a very odd cat. Whenever I'm singing and playing my guitar, he does his usual disappearing routine - I'd take offense except that Carmella is all over me when I sing. Anyway. Georgie WILL come out of hiding...but only when I play Leonard Cohen or Johnny Cash songs! Isn't that the weirdest thing? Who knew cats had such preferences??

[luleey]

thanks for all the advice, i do so appreciate it!! my bf actually managed to trim duke's other front paw last night while he was napping on the sofa. he reported that duke squaked a little bit but otherwise didn't give him any trouble--i guess it's better to do it when he's not all riled up from playing.

I'm trying the neck scruff thing, as duke definitely does not respond well to being swatted, clapped loudly at, etc. it seems to just piss him off and make him more defensive. i'll probably try using the spray bottle too, bc it worked pretty well to get him to stop scratching the side of the matress--he pretty much avoids it now and scoots away if i catch him looking longly at it. he is very territorial about this one office chair we have, and will harass people that sit on it, but i don't really care about that as it's a really old ugly chair and hardly anyone uses it. i figure just let him have his throne, if that's what he wants! my parents' male cat also has an obsession with this one arm chair that he thinks is his property--the other cat never goes on it, and if he catches you trying to use it he hops up on the backrest and stalks around. maybe it's a guy thing!

[ms.gb]

last nite i sat on the floor, knees up, and put jake with his back against my legs, tummy side up...its not recommended for 'crazy kitties' but he's pretty mellow. this is the postion i put him in to clean his ears, his eyes and trim the claws on the back feet. or i just scoop him up and sit him in my lap and he sits there while i trim. the neck hold is good but hard if you have nails. and the towel idea is great but it takes two to hold. so grab a buddy and go for it.