Posted by IsoM on March 3, 2003, at 15:53:53
In reply to Life in kittyland » IsoM, posted by bozeman on March 2, 2003, at 23:28:16
I couldn't imagine life without cats. If there weren't cats, I'd have to find another pet that has a similar attitude & lifestyle. I do like dogs but they have to be BIG dogs & I don't want them on my bed. They're too smelly. My cats smell sweet when I bury my face in their fur. Completely diff feel to the fur too.
My Medusa has to sleep the same as your Wally does. The whiskers can tickle, can't they? I have to arrange her sometimes when she insists on sleeping on my chest. Cats have bony elbows & poke uncomfortably in some places. If I sleep on my side, she still tries to lie on top of me so I "roll" her next to me instead. Unlike your other kitties though, mine never hog the bed. I'm boss cat - when I stretch out, I expect them to adjust around me. I've occasionally stretched & shoved one off the bed, but they'll calmly get back on without being upset. (But then I've got a queen size bed to myself.)
I understand about stress & sickness. It's generally when I've been under MAJOR stress that I get sick. Last time was a little over 6 years ago - my marriage was breaking up & I got pneumonia. And I never get sick otherwise!
Make sure you've got your kitties protected against rabies - wolverine boy sounds UNHEALTHY.Three kitties - there's always one that feels left out, isn't there? I suppose my Medusa doesn't mind too much as she dislikes my other two. She can't understand why I tolerate them, let alone cuddle & feed them. And they can't figure why I ever let her in. Poor Sulley, (see? I spelled his name right this time) now HE needs another cat, even if you, Zorro, & Wally don't.
I can see clearly from your description a little Wally holding on tight, crying for you to take him home. It breaks my heart that so many kittens are abandoned or killed each year. I'm glad Wally found a good home with you & Zorro.
I can't offer any ideas on brushing Zorro. I've yet to have a cat that would let me brush him/her. They all regarded brushing as some strange torture & would attack the brush or comb each time they saw it in my hand. That, or either run & hide. ???? My two bean eating cats never cough up hairballs but because Medusa has CRF, I want to be careful with anything I give her. I'll check with the Yahoo CRF cat group I've just joined for some ideas.
I had to experiment with feeding Medusa at first to know how much I could get in her. By searching Google, I found that the stomach capacity of a cat is about 60 cc (ml). But they can hold up to 100-150 cc at one time. But if a cat isn't feeling well or hasn't had food in its stomach for a while, it's best to stick to the low end. So in the morning (after being empty all night), I only give her 50 cc of her watery slurry. A couple hours later, I feed her about 70-80 cc of a thicker mix. It's better for her to have modest amounts every few hours than a large amounts a couple times a day. It helps flush her kidneys more steadily. There's no way a CRF cat can drink enough to manage their kidneys. They wouldn't be thirsty enough. I give her all sorts of extras in her food including enzymes, & it's done her a lot of good. I feed my other two the same food I make for her but they do get other foods too which I don't give her. I love my kitties & treat them well. But then I did the same for my family. I consider it a duty & am glad to.
One day, while preparing a stew, I wish I had a video camera. It was mostly a veggie stew & Mozza (my boy) was sitting on the cupboard watching my every move. He doesn't just like beans but many other veggies too. While I dropped diff veggies in the crock pot, he'd bend his head to one side (like he does when he's trying to be sneaky) & slowly stretch a paw into the pot to scoop out a veggie. A sharp "unh-uh" & the paw would whip out while he look innocent. Finally, I gave him some mushrooms & zucchini to make him happy. Last time I made a batch of Medusa's food, I left the kitchen for a minute & came back to find he had ran off with the broccoli from the pot to eat & not the meat!
About the beans - why not try waggling them around like a toy & get them to play & bite them? It's how Morgana developed a taste for beans. It's funny as I read that one of the oldest cats who lived, loved green beans too. I'm hoping for a long life for at least two of mine.
poster:IsoM
thread:204873
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20030301/msgs/205563.html