For Cat Lovers Only XI - Post Pics, Ask Questions, Comments, Etc.

[Sicy]

does anyone else find this cute? Especially when they get surprised and their tails puff up...

lmao.. just last night Zoey came running around the corner and scared the shit out of Saki, he must have jumped up 3 feet straight up in the air and his tail was so puffed up like a Halloween cat

 

[RedRocksU2]

I'm thinking on getting a kitten.
I would have to get this "shot" everyone tells me about, for my allergies.

 

[mad1]

Im allergic to my cats, so yes, get it.

your nose/face should benefit.

 

[RedRocksU2]

any info on this shot?

 

[mad1]

if you are asking me if I have info because I got a shot, no I didnt get a shot so no I cannot give you any info unless you are now asking for anyone to give you info.

thanks.

good luck.

 

[Sicy]

I'm thinking on getting a kitten.
I would have to get this "shot" everyone tells me about, for my allergies.

Arent you a dog person.

 

[RedRocksU2]

Yeah, but the kiddies keep on asking for one.

 

[Sicy]

Well I want a million dollars! We cant always get what we want

 

[RedRocksU2]

Try telling them that.

 

[Liesje]

Carlos, I know someone who works in an animal shelter and has cats and she's allergic to cats. I'm not sure what exactly she does to manage it but I know she's said it's possible to have cats even with an allergy, but it depends on how severe the allergy is (I have some friends who can't even come over to my house because their faces swell up).

 

[RedRocksU2]

Thanks Lies, well from what I hear, the saliva is what causes the allergies? So as long as I do not touch them and then touch my face, i'll be ok.

 

[Liesje]

Yes, it's the saliva, not the fur, but since cats lick themselves way more than dogs, people tend to be more allergic to cats and the saliva can be on the fur. I think having a good vacuum also helps a LOT. If you aren't sure how you will react you might be able to volunteer to foster a cat for a shelter. Most programs give fosters the option to adopt the animal if they want to keep it, but if you are too allergic then it's not like you've already adopted or purchased a cat and have to get rid of it.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

Thanks Lies, well from what I hear, the saliva is what causes the allergies? So as long as I do not touch them and then touch my face, i'll be ok.

this is sort of true but the major factor of allergies occurs because the saliva dries and particles get into the air. Depending on how sensitive you are, just walking into a room with a cat can set it off.

 

[kellyahern]

Kelly, what a bummer!!!!! I'd be turning back around and going to Ireland!

To cheer you up, here is a picture of Jack (whom we've been calling "Catatouille," since any time I'm cooking, he comes in and sits on the breakfast bar to watch -- I seriously think he wants to cook! )

One of his lazier moments:

^

 

[MsPurrl]

They sure know how to get comfy, don't they?

 

[swandiver]

Hooker cats!!

Jack would be too expensive to have many customers. That's just how he rolls.

 

[Lila64]

all the kitties are sooooooo !!!

Sorry about the computer kelly

 

[anitram]

About cat allergies - like Lies says, it depends on how allergic you are. If it's severe, you should not get a cat. Period. If it's mild, you should still have cat-free rooms in your house. The cat should never, ever be allowed in your bedroom, and especially your bed. You should probably keep it off the couches as well if you sit on them a lot (good luck with that).

I'm really not a proponent of people with allergies living with a cat or dog that they are allergic to. Be reasonable - do you think it is good for your body to be in a constant state of allergic reaction? Your IgE production is amped up continuously, which has other implications as well.

 

[kafrun]

Speaking of cat allergies.. I used to be really allergic. Asthma attacks and all. Over the years it got slightly less, but I still couldn't be around them, even with meds. After having a few boyfriends with catslol: ) and volunteering with them at the Humane Society, I just got used to them. Now I take non-drowsy otc meds and I'm absolutely fine with my boy. Wouldn't know I had allergies at all.

 

[sue4u2]

I resisted getting a cat for about 6 years because I was afraid it would make my existing allergies worse. But when I found myself with five felines, I found it didn't make them worse, not better..but not worth depriving myself of their company.

Something else I wanted to discuss is Bela. It seems she is becoming more and more reclusive. She runs from me and I've never even so much as raised my voice at her. Never had too. It's always Max, Jack and Lovey running rampant and knocking things over.
I try to keep her in my room with me to help her feel safe, but soon she want's out only to hide away in the back bedroom. I know she's scared of Lovey and she feels defenseless because of her missing paw, but I can't figure out why she seems to be pulling away from me. Most of the time Lovey is wanting to play, not fight but Bela turns it into a spit, scream and run fest. Even when I try to pet or pick her up she runs from me -like she's scared. It's breaking my heart.
I'm just at a loss as to what to do??

 

[VintagePunk]

Awww, that's so sad, Sue! Maybe others that have more experience can offer a better answer, but I know with my gang, they can seem as moody as people sometimes. I try to spend time with each of them every day, petting or snuggling with them, but some days some of them are just not receptive to it, sometimes for several days running. Then suddenly, the one that's rebuffing me will jump up on my lap craving attention, and then will practically cling to me for days after. They're odd little creatures.

With Kitty, she sometimes makes herself scarce during the day, going off by herself, but when the kittens are put away for the night, she's all over me, and usually sleeps with me. I think that she must get tired of the kittens being around her all the time, and that when she goes into reclusive mode, she's avoiding them more than avoiding me.

You almost make it sound like it's a fear thing with Bela, though. How long has she been behaving this way? I think what I would do is, try not to force the issue by picking her up or keeping her in a room with you if she doesn't want to be there, but instead, put the kittens in another room and then try to coax Bela by offering her treats, or tempting her with a favourite toy, and then if she comes to you, spend some quality time with just her, even if it's just for a few minutes at a time.

Good luck!

Oh, I've been meaning to ask you, do you keep in touch with the girl who took the other kitten? Rosie, wasn't it? Have you heard how she's doing?

 

[sue4u2]

Good luck!

Oh, I've been meaning to ask you, do you keep in touch with the girl who took the other kitten? Rosie, wasn't it? Have you heard how she's doing?

Thanks, VP. I'll be working on getting more alone time with Bela this weekend.
Rose is fine. I saw her 2 weeks ago and she is trim and fit, but long and petite like Bela and Max. What amazes me is she acted just like Bela, which could be because she doesn't know me any longer, but she had that skiddish (sp) behavior of both Bela and Max. Jack is the only one that is outgoing and fearless - not at all like the rest of his family.
There was something going on when I came home from work at 6:30 and Hope, the girl that Rose lives with, was outside and crying. The police were there along with the apartment manager, parents, etc - so I didn't stop.
I'm going over tomorrow and see if everything is ok and to ck on Rose.

ETS: as for how long it's been going on - Bela just started running from me in the last couple of weeks. I'm still wondering what happened. Unless she thinks when I chase Jack or Lovey out of the room, she thinks I'm directing it at her. Maybe I should watch my tone. Bela may be the only one listening. Jack and Max just laugh at me.

 

[Sicy]

Sue do you think its Lovey? She was fine until you brought Lovey in right? Lovey is spayed right? Maybe you can let Lovey out during the day and then bring her back in at night, at least so you can have some alone time with Bela? And always speak soft to her and approach her calmly and quietly, and maybe just sit in the same room as her and talk to her quietly. It's almost as if she's showing feral behavior.. so this is how I deal with feral cats. That's really weird and very sad. I hope she will come around.

 

[MsPurrl]

Sue, that is so sad! I hope that Bela will get better. My cousin (who has six cats) had Cirrus (a puffy Maine Coon) and Eclipse (a sleek black cat), both females, before she got Riley (a striped tabby) and three Siamese rescue cats. After she got Riley and the meezers, Eclipse became very reclusive, never coming out of the bedroom--Sharon even had to put a litter box in there. When her son went off to college, he took Eclipse with him, and I think she got over it. Too many cats for the poor little girl to deal with?

I don't know--hope she'll get better.

 

[sue4u2]

Sue do you think its Lovey? She was fine until you brought Lovey in right? Lovey is spayed right? Maybe you can let Lovey out during the day and then bring her back in at night, at least so you can have some alone time with Bela? And always speak soft to her and approach her calmly and quietly, and maybe just sit in the same room as her and talk to her quietly. It's almost as if she's showing feral behavior.. so this is how I deal with feral cats. That's really weird and very sad. I hope she will come around.

I know what you mean, she does act more feral than she did when I first got her.
Lovey goes out almost every day and sometimes I can't find her when I go to bed so she'll stay out till early morning. Which I worry all night about.
I'm pretty sure it's part Lovey, but they have actually been locked in the room, accidentally, all day and when I came home Lovey was on one side of the bed and Bela the other, Max in between and Jack out by himself. They were probably chasing each other and knocked the door shut.

I don't want to lock Bela up by herself but I've wondered if Lovey isn't terrorizing her during the day. She doesn't when I'm here all day but I have had to get onto Lovey for going back there and starting trouble - on occasion, but it's not an everyday thing.
I go back there all the time and talk to her and try to pet her. She will let me when I have food with me but most times she hides under a nightstand, or behind the bed.
Anyway, I'm working on it. Thanks for the advice.

 

[sue4u2]

Too many cats for the poor little girl to deal with?

I think this is something too. Because Bela will come up front sometimes when Lovey is outside. But as soon as Max and Jack start chasing each other and jumping from table to furniture, Bela takes off for the bedroom.
Maybe it's all a bit much for her at times and like most moms she needs to be alone. I know she plays with the kittens, but she just looks so lonely sometimes peeking around the wall down the hallway and just watching.

 

[MsPurrl]

I think this is something too. Because Bela will come up front sometimes when Lovey is outside. But as soon as Max and Jack start chasing each other and jumping from table to furniture, Bela takes off for the bedroom.
Maybe it's all a bit much for her at times and like most moms she needs to be alone. I know she plays with the kittens, but she just looks so lonely sometimes peeking around the wall down the hallway and just watching.

Awwwww . . . that just breaks my heart!

 

[arw]

ok so I've lived with my sister's cat, Lily, for about 6 months now. Within about 2 weeks of being here, Lily completely disowned my sister and her boyfriend for me. She's been my shadow ever since. I don't ever feed her or clean her litter unless they are out of town, which has only been twice. About a month ago she started to hit me with her front paws, then it turned into claws, and now she's using teeth. She's broken skin twice in a week. She has the run of my room just like she always has since I've been here. Nothing has changed in her little world recently to make her do this. She doesn't purr at all anymore, she never wants to be by my sister (but she doesn't try to claw or bite her) and now she tries to beat me up every chance she gets. I don't know what to do with her. My sister says that Lily is trying to show me who is boss, but 6 months later? How do I get this little cat to stop clawing and biting me? I almost killed her (no not really) this morning with the violent way I was woken up. This is the 1st cat in my life so I don't know if this behavior is normal. She's not acting out in any other way other than on me and also ignoring her mommy.

 

[VintagePunk]

I think this is something too. Because Bela will come up front sometimes when Lovey is outside. But as soon as Max and Jack start chasing each other and jumping from table to furniture, Bela takes off for the bedroom.
Maybe it's all a bit much for her at times and like most moms she needs to be alone. I know she plays with the kittens, but she just looks so lonely sometimes peeking around the wall down the hallway and just watching.

This behaviour sounds a lot like Kitty. She will try to come and sit with us during the day or in the evening, but before long, at least one of the kittens will be there, pestering her, and while she doesn't exactly run away, she does get up pretty quickly and leave, and goes to find some other more solitary spot. She plays with them sometimes, romping and chasing them, and she grooms them and lets them groom her sometimes, but her tolerance for them has vastly decreased from the time when she was on active mom duty 24/7. (Actually, right now, she's sleeping beside me on the couch, and Abby was snuggled up with her sleeping till a minute ago when Zoey jumped into the picture. Now Zoey and Abby are licking each other and her, and she just opened her eyes with an annoyed look. )

The difference from your situation is that while she's on her own a lot more now, I've never gotten the sense it's out of fear. With her, it's more annoyance with the kitten. She never hides from us, and when the kittens are away for the night, she's back to her usual affectionate self with us.

If only she could talk, and let you know what's wrong. Bela

 

[VintagePunk]

ok so I've lived with my sister's cat, Lily, for about 6 months now. Within about 2 weeks of being here, Lily completely disowned my sister and her boyfriend for me. She's been my shadow ever since. I don't ever feed her or clean her litter unless they are out of town, which has only been twice. About a month ago she started to hit me with her front paws, then it turned into claws, and now she's using teeth. She's broken skin twice in a week. She has the run of my room just like she always has since I've been here. Nothing has changed in her little world recently to make her do this. She doesn't purr at all anymore, she never wants to be by my sister (but she doesn't try to claw or bite her) and now she tries to beat me up every chance she gets. I don't know what to do with her. My sister says that Lily is trying to show me who is boss, but 6 months later? How do I get this little cat to stop clawing and biting me? I almost killed her (no not really) this morning with the violent way I was woken up. This is the 1st cat in my life so I don't know if this behavior is normal. She's not acting out in any other way other than on me and also ignoring her mommy.

I don't know how to explain the lack of purring and her ignoring your sister, but as for the clawing and biting, do you get the sense that she's doing it aggressively, or that she's playing with you? From what you've described, it sounds more like playing to me, especially given the way you say she's bonded with you. You say she's broken skin, but you don't say if it was from biting or clawing. If it's just minor and from clawing, I'd guess it's more rough play than aggression. When cats give playful bites, it's generally not hard enough to break skin.

What do you do when she does this to you, and what do you do to try to make her stop? One thing to keep in mind to prevent this with cats is that you should never play with them in a way that makes them think your hands or fingers are toys - human hands are only for petting and affection. If she claws or bites, say "NO!" in a sharp, stern voice, and push her away from you. Pushing them away is advised, because if you pull away from her, then the sudden movement could make her attack further. Then, ignore her for a few minutes. That lets her know that if she does that, she loses your attention for a while.