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Howdy there. My name is Mike, and I'm a cataholic. In the past, I've brought in all sorts of strays, and my townhouse is positively bursting with catrogen. Anyway, I had an issue over the weekend. I like to go for walks when I can, as I've had health issues (died!, temporarily), and like to try to keep active and healthy. Yet, there's a giant mass of forsythia near the back of my townhouses, and on my weekend walk I heard the unmistakable sound of kitten. You know, that "mew mew mew" noise that makes you cry. I looked, and there was a small pit in the dirt, and this tiny almost-white kitten was in it, looking around and crying. It's all white, except it has a grey tail and a grey power button on it's back. I scooped it up and scurried inside, and he seems to be getting along. He sleeps with either me or the dogs (pugs), and the second you pick him up he feels like a vibrator, because he seems happy. However, in talking to friends, I've learned that apparently sometimes momma cats leave their babies in the dirt under bushes while they catch food, and I've been accused of stealing kittens from momma cats. Is this true? I can't stand the thought of it. Should I return it? He seems so happy here  Anyway, here he is: (I think his sad eyes indicate dehydration, but he's drinking well and going to my rocket-boobed vet tomorrow)  Thanks for your help!
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May 7, 2015 04:30
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| # ? Apr 18, 2024 03:52 |
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That kitten will live a much happier and longer life with you than it ever would as a stray. He's a little young, but definitely not too young to be away from mom, and you have plenty of kitten-tolerant cats to help socialize him. (how dare you not post photos of them on your antique furniture this is an outrage) Sorry to hear you having more health problems
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May 7, 2015 04:36
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Kerfuffle posted:
poo poo happens! I'm alive, that's all that matters. Anyway, yes, the other cats (I don't even know the count at this point!) seem to like him. My most recent girl, Karate Slut, seemed at first to be very upset, but now they're playing like old friends. My PI claim-to-fame Chalmers does a whole lot of ear-cleaning on him, because he's a wise old man. However, his ears are chock full of mites, so I've been putting Tresaderm 7.5 mg in both ears daily, which makes him surprisingly angry. He claws me for hours after that. Last night he woke me at 3am to let me know just how angry he was. My taint will probably never be the same. I just want to know if momma cats really dig holes under bushes to hide their babies while the hunt. I've taken in, and observed, lots of strays. However, I've never observed that behavior. Not to say it doesn't happen, but mostly I see mommas strutting around while their babies lie wherever. I just can't bear the thought of stealing a baby away from Momma. I can only imagine her sad cries when she saw that he was gone. Also, is it normal for kittens to smack at EVERYTHING?
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May 7, 2015 04:49
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Kerfuffle posted:(how dare you not post photos of them on your antique furniture this is an outrage) Girl, there is a marathon of Facts of Life on Logo, I don't have time for that poo poo! Believe me, it's all fabulous and very baroque.
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May 7, 2015 04:53
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Oh ugh yeah, ear drops are very unpleasant. I don't know of a single animal that tolerates those well, humans included. But the clawing and smacking you're getting is just normal kitten stuff. Kittens are rambunctious and little punks that get away with everything because they're adorable. Mom cats do leave their kittens behind in places, but sometimes they don't come back for them. There's no way to tell. The fact that kitty was meowing from its hidey hole probably meant it was pretty hungry, he doesn't look the healthiest in that photo, so you did the right thing regardless. 
Kerfuffle fucked around with this message at 05:09 on May 7, 2015 |
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May 7, 2015 04:58
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Kerfuffle posted:but definitely not too young to be away from mom, He keeps trying to suckle from my oldest pug Buffy, who has droopy boobs from having litters (I was young and didn't know better, and I can't stop apologizing), and nustling up to her to sleep. I bought some little boxes of cat milk to give him, but he's much more interested in water and wet food. He seems happy, but I suppose we'll see at the vet tomorrow. Also, kittens can seem to fit in the damnedest spaces. I'm constantly looking for him.
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May 7, 2015 05:01
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If kitbutt really was just a momentarily unattended feral kitten, you've probably done him a good turn anyway taking him in. Ear mites are no fun. Good to see you're not currently dead!
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May 7, 2015 19:01
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How is catbutt? What did rocketboobs say?
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May 10, 2015 14:09
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criscodisco posted:I looked, and there was a small pit in the dirt, and this tiny almost-white kitten was in it, looking around and crying. It's all white, except it has a grey tail and a grey power button on it's back. 
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May 10, 2015 21:38
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Suspect Bucket posted:How is catbutt? What did rocketboobs say? Oh heck, I'm sorry to leave you hanging. To be honest, I completely forgot that I posted here asking for advice. Anyway, rocketboobs said that he looks good, if a little dehydrated. He didn't require IV fluids, but just to make sure that he's drinking at home, which he is. Oddly, he wouldn't drink at first, until he saw my old lady pug Buffy do it, and then he ran right over and drank out of the bowl with her, and has been making return visits. I've never seen a kitten so disinterested in what the other cats are doing, but so very interested in what the dogs are doing (especially Buffy). She also said that his testicles hasn't descended yet, so it's too young to neuter, but I'll get on that as soon as I notice his little sac is anything but a sad and empty flap. I will take lots of pictures tomorrow when I have more time, and post pics. He's also the only cat I have that seems to like sleeping under the blankets with me. I don't know if it's because he's so small and he's cold (I like a chilly house), or what, but he loves running under the blanket and kneading my legs all night. The other cats are happy to sit on your throat while you sleep, but he's the only one who really gets covered up. Again, maybe because he's seen Buffy do it? Rocketboobs also de-wormed, give first immunizations and did a FIV test, and everything went OK. I am having a little trouble with litterbox training, but I think that might come with time, and also it might be an issue that the boxes are upstairs and it takes him a good 10 minutes to make it up the steps. When I do my shopping this weekend, I'll pick up another box and put it downstairs for him. He's also really getting around like crazy. The first few days, he's just slowly walk around, and after about 10 minutes of that he'd sit down and cry incessantly, until I ran over and picked him up, at which point he'd purr like crazy and shove his face into mine. Is it possible for kittens to have abandonment issues? Anyway, now he's running around and exploring and trying to jump around like a mad man. I say "trying to" jump because he usually face-plants into whatever he's trying to jump over to. He also likes to climb up my back while I scream in pain, and sit on my shoulder like a parrot and purr. I think I got a daddy's boy here. I've been looking around on my walks for his mom, but I haven't seen any strays around here that are white. I know that she wouldn't necessarily be, but it's at least something to look for. Any advice on keeping kittens from chewing wires? He is a fan of electrical plugs, headphone wires, and basically anything that moves when he smacks it. Today I had a plumber here putting in a wet bar for me and thankfully the poor guy was a cat fan, because he totally put up with Alaska going through all his tools and jumping into any parts box that was emptied (and clawing the guys plumber's buttcrack when it made it's inevitable appearance). As I type, he's in the dog bed passed out with his surrogate momma Buffy, his face pressed firmly into her belly. Thanks guys for the help! criscodisco fucked around with this message at 02:14 on May 15, 2015 |
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May 15, 2015 02:10
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criscodisco posted:
He's a helper cat! A snuggler too. Sounds like he misses mama, but I still say you did the right thing. As for the wires, rub them down with the worst tasting bar soap you have. You want an old school man soap, like Irish Spring. He'll get the hint.
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May 15, 2015 02:28
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Suspect Bucket posted:As for the wires, rub them down with the worst tasting bar soap you have. You want an old school man soap, like Irish Spring. He'll get the hint. Irish Spring? I'm not running a YMCA here. (mental note: run a YMCA here) I have some french bar soap made with white moss and violets, would that work? Also some Dr. Bronner's, which smells overwhelmingly of peppermint.
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May 15, 2015 02:34
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criscodisco posted:Irish Spring? I'm not running a YMCA here. (mental note: run a YMCA here) No, you want it to taste and smell AWFUL. Moss and violets will taste inoffensive at best. And he might LIKE the mint. You want something made with rancid industrial fats and nerve gas. So yeah, Irish Spring.
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May 15, 2015 02:36
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The things I do for these cats, I swear. It'd be nice if, even once, they showed the slightest hint of appreciation.
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May 15, 2015 02:41
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Crisco? What we had to do when our tiny little one was in that stage was to go to the local Lowe's and get wire covers...like plastic corrugated tubes that you slide the wires in. The bitter apple etc seemed to be more of an attractant for him (weirdo) and that was the only thing that we found that kept us from finding fried Finn when we got home from work.
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May 15, 2015 05:14
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That's probably a pretty good idea Salmon. I had a bunch of those things I bought a few years back at Ikea, but I don't know where they've gone to. Also, I simply hate the idea of filling my home with such tacky crap. I totally understand the need for such things, but I also have a house full of very old furniture and fabulous tchotchkes, that I'd rather keep looking wonderful. Won't a rational discussion work just the same? When he's not smacking my lips for talking, he seems reasonable.
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May 15, 2015 05:32
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My mother rescued an almost identical feral kitten in the late 80's and it was the cat I grew up with. He was the best cat ever and more like a dog as he would come when you called him and snuggle up and just loved people and other animals. Every other cat my mother has ever gotten has been a spiteful little hitler so I think when you find a white with black spots kitten in the forest it is clearly a gift from the kitten fairy.
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May 15, 2015 13:42
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Crisco! Sorry to hear about your medical troubles, but it's nice to see a post from you again! I can offer a bit of advice on the wire-chewing front... I had a kitten who loved to chew wires and it was so bad that I lost a few electronics due to him. Not only does it suck to lose electronics like that, but it's also obviously not the safest thing for a kitten to do! I love him, but what a moron this cat was. Anyway, here's my advice: Buy BitterApple http://www.bitterapple.com/ and put it all over your wires. It comes in a spray and a stick thing. You might wanna buy both! Admittedly, BitterApple worked but didn't help so much for very thin wires. What I ended up doing was taping and covering EVERY BIT of exposed wire I had. For my desktop computer, I got a big tupperware box and shoved all of the exposed wire under the desk in it and cut holes for the wires to go in and out from. And, I tapped the wire from my keyboard, monitor and mouse to the desk. And when I wasn't using the computer, I put a cloth over any remaining exposed wire. Admittedly, it looked awful, but my cat was so into wires I didn't want him hurting himself (or destroying my computer). He thankfully outgrew the wire-chewing phase after a year. Also, more pictures, please please. Edit: just saw someone else suggested BitterApple too. Welp, I agree! Apple Jax fucked around with this message at 15:29 on May 15, 2015 |
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May 15, 2015 15:27
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Well, apparently my cats all had a secret meeting this morning about how not to be photogenic. I think they hold their meetings in the Harry Potter room under the stairs. At least, that's where I always find a cat when I'm looking for it. Anyway, they all decided that they were, in no uncertain terms, not to pose for any pictures. In fact, they did nothing but smack my lens and give me the stinkeye. But here's what I did get, even though they suck: Here he is eating a dead plant that I really need to throw in the trash, but they all enjoy eating it:  Trying to figure out what the hell the camera is:  A closer shot:  Him and his new best friend, Karate Slut:  Karate Slut looking at the camera. She has a rather large black spot on her iris, and it usually makes her left pupil look huge, so every time I look at her I'm pretty sure she's had a brain aneurysm. When it's bright and her pupils shrink down, you can see that it's just a spot on her iris. Anyone have a cat with one of these? Rocketboobs says it's normal, but it still alarms me:  My fat slug of a cat Supernintendo Chalmers, who is having none of this photo session: 
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May 16, 2015 01:03
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Where's Spaghetti? 
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May 16, 2015 03:02
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Spaghetti doesn't approve of the new intakes, so he hides under the beds upstairs. He occasionally peeks out and expresses his disinterest. He's not mean, but he doesn't like what's been happening around here lately.
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May 16, 2015 05:07
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I'm glad you're doing better, Crisco! The original tale of Super Nintendo Chalmers is still one of my favorite things. And now there's a new addition
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May 19, 2015 20:09
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How did Karate Slut get such an evocative (provocative) name?
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May 19, 2015 23:35
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Writer Cath posted:How did Karate Slut get such an evocative (provocative) name? No big story, Frank on 30 Rock had it on his hat one episode, and it made me laugh. Speaking of Karate Slut, a friend told me that calicos are notorious oddballs. Is there any truth to that? She's the goofiest cat I've ever met, and hands-down refuses to ever take no for an answer.
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May 19, 2015 23:45
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I swear calicos and torties suffer from multiple personality disorder - like each color is a different personality and it makes them super crazy
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May 20, 2015 04:22
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My buddy's tortie is a street rescue and she is the biggest love ball ever. You look at her and she starts purring. She's just ridiculous and wonderful and I love that sausage of a cat.
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May 21, 2015 03:38
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| # ? Apr 18, 2024 03:52 |
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criscodisco posted:No big story, Frank on 30 Rock had it on his hat one episode, and it made me laugh. pandaid posted:I swear calicos and torties suffer from multiple personality disorder - like each color is a different personality and it makes them super crazy Writer Cath posted:My buddy's tortie is a street rescue and she is the biggest love ball ever. You look at her and she starts purring. She's just ridiculous and wonderful and I love that sausage of a cat. We always referred to our tortie Mona as having mega cattitude, but our vet summed it best by saying she had the classic Tortietude, which according to him was several levels higher than normal cattitude lol She was a sweet kitty but dear god...she had a 'tude like you would not believe. "No" was NOT in her vocabulary. In her last weeks...she and I had an epic battle over a fried chicken wing. She stole it and was not going to give it up. She was determined that I was not going to take her prize away from her I was not going to let her have it whole since it was cooked...I would have torn the meat off for her if she wanted it. Oh I wish we had video...it was one of the funniest things I have ever seen. Friggin cat in my arms, holding on to that chicken wing for dear life and screaming/growling like a demented banshee with the chicken wing in her jaws while me and my husband were both trying to gently remove the chicken wing from her. She was so pissed that we had the nerve and audacity to try to take it away. She passed away not long after from cancer, but we think that was her showing us that she was STILL in charge and she carried the 'tude to the end. We still laugh about our kitchen cat and her goddamn chicken wing lol
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Jun 3, 2015 21:43
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