Sorry Sicy, U2Kitten, etc....

[Liesje]

I'm serious- don't worry so much about that. I have been scratched HUNDREDS of times in my life, and I have never, ever had that. You can keep a squirt bottle of hand sanitizer around just in case and clean the scratch immediately with it. I've honestly never had any problem with cat scratches.

I've never got Cat Scratch (since I've never had a cat), but I have had it with my guinea pigs before. They scratch you by accident since they have charp claws, you get scratch lines that turn a deeper red and last for a few weeks. I don't mind Beckham's scratches, but the fact that he's totally oblivious to me, thus not knowing to try not to scratch, and making me bleed right by my eye is enough for me to keep him out at night until he's old enough to settle down. Also, if I leave him in, he wakes me up at 2am and 5am every night (and it takes him at LEAST 10 times being scooped up and set on the ground to get the picture) which I can't have when I've got to be up before 7 to walk to work everyday.

 

[Liesje]

So, I'm trying to find a vet....but there's hundreds in the yellow pages! How do I pick? Call the closest five and then take the cheapest one?

 

[biff]

U2Kitten's right about cat scratches. I've never had a problem with them, and have been scratched many times. It's cat BITES that are the big problem, because they are deep puncture wounds, hard to clean.. I once got a very serious case of blood poisoning from a cat bite. (A neighbour's cat attacked my cat, who was sitting on a leash on my patio, minding his own business. I tried to pull them apart, and the other cat bit me, hard. I was aware of it at the time, but didn't do as much as I should have to clean it out, as I was so freaked out about my cat. He almost lost his eye. There was blood everywhere, and the inner eyelid was hanging out. It was weeks before it got better. My awful neighbours, whom I still don't like, could not have been less concerned.)
As to finding a vet, see if any in your area have web sites and check them out. Many do now. Also, if there are any nearby, just walk in and check the place out. If it's run down and smelly, even if it's the cheapest, I would give it a pass. There really can be a big difference in the level of care your pet receives.
Maybe you could ask friends or co-workers to recommmend one (or tell you which to avoid).

 

[Sicy]

Also, if I leave him in, he wakes me up at 2am and 5am every night (and it takes him at LEAST 10 times being scooped up and set on the ground to get the picture)

This is what kittens do. They dont know better. They like to play in the middle of the night. Perhaps you should have gotten an older cat.

What is there for him to do locked up in the hall all night? Do you have plenty of toys for him to play with?

Maybe you can re-arrange your room so that he can still get to the window but that the bed is not right under it. I did this in my room. I bought a window perch for them and moved the dresser under the window instead of the bed, because the cats would run and jump on the bed to the window etc all night long. Yeah, imagine having TWO of them running around on you in the middle of the night

 

[Sicy]

Reality: Feral cats are generally healthy. The incidence of disease is no higher than among owned cats. Feral cats shun human contact, especially with unfamiliar people. Tehy aren't interested in interacting with you or your children.

All of the 6 ferals that we got trapped and spayed tested negative for any diseases They all look really healthy. It's sad to see the ones that are not so healthy.

 

[Liesje]

This is what kittens do. They dont know better. They like to play in the middle of the night. Perhaps you should have gotten an older cat.

What is there for him to do locked up in the hall all night? Do you have plenty of toys for him to play with?

Oh yeah, he's got SO many toys (and yet, he prefers a wad of paper or his own tail). I play with him for a least an hour when I get home. Right now he's sprawled on the floor panting from the good chase he just had. He does fetch his ball toys, but usually he stops bringing them to me and would rather bat them around himself than wait for me to pick it up and toss it.

I understand him wanting to play and scratch, but I can't have deep bleeding scratches on my face every night. I can't exactly move where the window is or expect the cat to stop jumping up there. He's got multiple litter boxes and food/water dishes throughout the house so he's needing nothing. People in my house come and go all night so he gets all the love and attention he needs. Besides, I don't want an old lazy cat! I love playing with my little guy and tiring him out so he settles on my lap and purrs

That's horrible about your cat, biff! I can relate, the cats in my neighborhood routinely attacked my guinea pigs (who have NO way of fighting back) who were always in their pen in OUR yard. I had a love-hate relationship with those cats. They were beautiful and friendly, but killed tons of birds (one time I found two injured birds in my yard in one day, both attacked by my neighbors kitten), faught all night long, encouraged the skunk to spray, and terrorized the pets of the people who actually took care of their animals.

 

[Liesje]

Maybe you can re-arrange your room so that he can still get to the window but that the bed is not right under it. I did this in my room.

oh I wish, but I swear I would die of heat if I moved my bed away from the window! I've got too much shtuff in here to move around (my room is basically an apartment).

 

[Sicy]

Oh yeah, he's got SO many toys (and yet, he prefers a wad of paper or his own tail).

Aint that the truth. Saki's new thing is Qtips He will try to dig them out of the garbage then he bats them around, plays fetch with them and brings them on the bed in the middle of the night lol. We wake up and find toys and other various items on the bed all the time. All the money I spend on toys and he likes the home made ones better.

Right now he's sprawled on the floor panting from the good chase he just had.

I'm glad you give him plenty of play time. Just one thing though if he starts panting, stop playing with him and let him calm down. Cats are not supposed to pant.. not like dogs.

For a long time when Saki was just a kitten, we would try to play with him really hard right before bed.. in hopes that he'd be tired and crash out hehe. Of course, bright and early at 5am there he was again, jumping all over the bed

He's calmed down now a bit.. he's a year old now, still crazy but a lot calmer.

 

[Liesje]

Aint that the truth. Saki's new thing is Qtips He will try to dig them out of the garbage then he bats them around, plays fetch with them and brings them on the bed in the middle of the night lol.

Yes, Beckham had one of those between his front paws and was batting it with his back feet looking at me like "what?". Today he came into my room with a kleenex wad. I guess he figured out how to tip the trash can.

I'm glad you give him plenty of play time. Just one thing though if he starts panting, stop playing with him and let him calm down. Cats are not supposed to pant.. not like dogs.

Yeah, I gave him some cold water and he slurped it up. He gets WAY too excited about the feather toy and it's so hot and humid right now.

For a long time when Saki was just a kitten, we would try to play with him really hard right before bed.. in hopes that he'd be tired and crash out hehe. Of course, bright and early at 5am there he was again, jumping all over the bed

The first few nights, Beckham was good and slept the entire night exactly where I put him. Now, he plays with the extra blankets (which is fine since he's entertaining himself) but then he gets all mellow and purrs and tries to lick me EVERYWHERE and won't give up. He also does the little kitty massage and meows non-stop. He was seriously giving me hickies on my neck. He acts like he's still trying to nurse and likes to lick/suck my fingers and toes. It's kinda odd since when I picked him out, he was already seperated from his mother and had been for at least two weeks.

 

[Sicy]

he gets all mellow and purrs and tries to lick me EVERYWHERE and won't give up. He also does the little kitty massage and meows non-stop. He was seriously giving me hickies on my neck. He acts like he's still trying to nurse and likes to lick/suck my fingers and toes. It's kinda odd since when I picked him out, he was already seperated from his mother and had been for at least two weeks.

That is soooo cute about the purring and licking. Sometimes if kittens arent weaned properly they do try to suckle their humans He should grow out of that hopefully.

I love when they do the kitty massage. Saki does it on my neck when he's purring and licking my earlobe

 

[Liesje]

Wellp, Beckham survived his first road trip. On the way there, he got out before we even go outside of our city and I had to hold him tight until we could stop. Then he meowed until Chicago (3. 5 hrs), but on the way home only meowed for 10 minutes. Oh, and he apparently HATES dogs

 

[Sicy]

Eh... cats are not good 'travellers'.

They do much better left at home in their own environment.

 

[Liesje]

oh he did really well on the second try. He was eating, drinking, using the litter, sleeping, and playing once he realized we were not all going to die in the car. He had a blast a Phil's house b/c I let him chase the dogs toys in the big open basement and he could finally play without gasping from the heat and humidity. He's starting to figure out that home = me. He moved around a lot before I even got him so he adjusts instantly and is completely unphased or just hyper and excited for a new play space. By the end he wasn't threatened by the dog and they ate treats out of the same hand (since the first night he growled at the dog and the dog started shaking and wouldn't even look at the cat, lol).

 

[Sicy]

That's cool. Mine go nuts when I just take them to the vet.. and that's only 10 min away. They do this pitiful meow that's like a yeowl like someone's killing them

Usually the cats are the ones that beat up on the dogs.. heh.

 

[Liesje]

Beckham got his head stuck in a chair last night. I was just about to leave for a walk and he was sitting on the chair, poking his head through the bars staring at my chicken and then when he tried to back up, his head was stuck. He freaked out and was pulling on it so hard so I quick grabbed his face, twisted it sideways, and forced it back through. Naughty kitty!

 

[kellyahern]

That's cool. Mine go nuts when I just take them to the vet.. and that's only 10 min away. They do this pitiful meow that's like a yeowl like someone's killing them

mine too . . . it's an ordeal just trying to get her into the cat carrier, she runs and hides when it's time to go

 

[ylimeU2]

One of mine doesn't care. He likes the cat carrier for some reason, even if it takes him to the vet. Although, on the other side, if I try to take Trewpie anywhere, you would think I was trying to kill him. Poor thing. I feel horrible whenever I have to take him anywhere.

 

[Sherry Darling]

Now THIS is a cutie pie

Meet my baby Rosalita (yes, for the Bruce song).

If anglefire is poopy, here's the link

http://www.angelfire.com/poetry/duckworth/rosie1.jpg



SD

 

[Liesje]

On Friday I'm going away for two weeks and I'm already having seperation anxiety. I want my kitty to come along!

 

[Liesje]

Isn't it cute how they sleep the same way?

The 'go-away-we-are-sleeping' face

 

[Liesje]

And now, the amazing adventures of....Computer Kitty!!!

 

[Liesje]

And finally, I was going in for a cute close up shot when I was attacked....

 

[ylimeU2]

On Friday I'm going away for two weeks and I'm already having seperation anxiety. I want my kitty to come along!

It's so hard to leave them behind. I miss mine so badly whenever I go anywhere.

 

[ylimeU2]

And finally, I was going in for a cute close up shot when I was attacked....

All things considered, this is a great pic! All the pictures are good. He has beautiful eyes, befitting for how adorable he is.

 

[Liesje]

He has beautiful eyes, befitting for how adorable he is.

His eyes are really dark blue and gold, but the flash turns them green.

I'm considering taking him with on vacation. I took him to Iowa for three days and that's an 8 hr drive each way. My upcoming vacation is for two weeks but it's only 1.5 hr drive each way. I just have to think of where to keep him so he doesn't get let out by accident.

Today was one of his best days yet. He got a cute new collar (I took the bell off since it annoys the hell out of both of us) and he's getting used to his kitty harness so we go outside in the grass for a while and he chases flies. Now all he needs is his rabies shot and a microchip.