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[#] Wed Jul 22 2015 19:31:39 UTC from wizard of aahz

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Raising kittens to be social is a full-time job - they need to be
handled by a variety of people, for hours a day, before they're too
old.


Yes. They need to have their ears turned inside out lots and lots as well as their paws and claws played with.. Also useful to rub them along the ceiling to dust and clear cobwebs..

I have traumatized cats. I know.

[#] Wed Jul 22 2015 19:40:28 UTC from LoanShark

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Lulz... and yet, somehow you still have your eyeballs intact.

[#] Wed Jul 22 2015 22:41:54 UTC from zooer

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He is a very social cat to humans, not one to run and hide and likes to be with people and strangers. He likes
other cats. He doesn't have a problem with the puppy in the house, although I am sure he would rather not have
the dog there.
He did have a problem with the dog coming over to see me.

[#] Thu Jul 23 2015 01:14:58 UTC from fleeb

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Heh... "I have traumatized cats."

Given what you've written, I can read that sentence in two ways, both of which probably work.

[#] Thu Jul 23 2015 01:15:16 UTC from fleeb

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("traumatized", the verb, or the adjective)

[#] Thu Jul 23 2015 01:35:30 UTC from wizard of aahz

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fleeb - it was meant that way. <GRIN>

The cat doesn't mind the dog tooooo much. It's just that when the dog tries to pick the cat up by the scruff of her neck and carry her that she gets irritated.


It's not the picking up and carry. It's the drool and slobber on the back of her nexk where she can't really reach to groom that causes the problems.

[#] Thu Jul 23 2015 17:20:40 UTC from fleeb

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Heh... that's kind of neat.

[#] Thu Jul 23 2015 19:35:56 UTC from LoanShark

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well as their paws and claws played with.. Also useful to rub them
along the ceiling to dust and clear cobwebs..

The two hind legs are like a handle for a back-scratcher. I think.

[#] Mon Jul 27 2015 01:19:49 UTC from wizard of aahz

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Ginny is curled up in my lap right now. I keep turning her ears inside out. She's irritated about it, but too lazy to get up and do anything about it.

[#] Mon Jul 27 2015 15:51:32 UTC from IGnatius T Foobar

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Good strategy is to adopt adult cats that are known to be friendly.


Been there, done that, will do it again. Even a well-handled kitten may not necessarily end up with a marshmallow temperament, part of it is just their nature. Our kitten (now a 1.5 yo cat) has been "love mauled" from day one, and he doesn't scratch or bite, he's very social and doesn't hide much, but he also doesn't like being picked up and he's not a lap cat.

We had better results when the shelter worker asked us "do you want to meet the mushiest loviest cats we have?" and we accepted them even though they seemed kind of mangy at the time. One of them is still with us and even though he doesn't like to be picked up either, he's all for jumping in bed with us and getting his belly rubbed.

[#] Tue Jul 28 2015 00:40:14 UTC from zooer

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Yeah my cat doesn't like to be picked up either. He doesn't squirm or fight to get away but the tail will start
to snap and he will look at the ground. He is social, and will walk up to almost anyone.

[#] Tue Jul 28 2015 09:41:14 UTC from vince-q

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Remember - even the "loviest" cats are cats. And ALL cats accept humans on their own terms. Period.

[#] Tue Jul 28 2015 20:54:08 UTC from zooer

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Well I had to take the cat to the vet, and I thought it was best to leave him there over night. It took me
a few days to figure out what the problem was.

He used to be an outdoor cat. We have a garden that is fenced in and there is a grass area on all sides. I
would put in him the garden area to let him enjoy the summer months.

Because he is overweight the vet suggested switching to wet food instead of the dry. I always mixed the wet
food with a little water.

For July 4th weekend we went away, but we couldn't get our pet sitter. The cat always had a gravity fed dry cat
food dish before the wet food so I put some food in that and we were gone for four days and three nights. After
we got back the cat seemed to favor the dry food, which I thought was a little odd but that is okay. He drank
more water because he wasn't getting it in his wet food. Over the July forth weekend
my sister picked up a
puppy. The cat and puppy met the following weekend and they put up with each other. It is a puppy so it wants
to explore the world, but she is very timid. I happened to pick up some bulk dog treat samples, nothing much
but if I broke it up the cat enjoyed it as well.

My sister said her dog was throwing up and had diarrhea during the week, Saturday my cat was throwing up and had
diarrhea. I thought it was related and I wondered if it was the treats. Monday I was cleaning out the litter
box, instead of using the usual grocery bags I used one of the clear produce bags to throw it out. I tossed the
bag out the back door onto the garage floor to take to the garbage can. When I picked up the bag later I
noticed there was a lot of red in the bag, I was unsure what was going on. I usually don't see the clumps of
waste because it is in a non-transparent grocery
bag. I am also in the process of switching litter. I didn't
know if it was something leftover in the bag, something in the litter, something in the poop or nothing unusual.
I broke up all the pieces of clumped litter in the bag and could find nothing more. My mother had some blood
test kits so I figured I would get one to be sure. I found out she had recently thrown them away. Last night
while thinking about everything I thought about how their are chives in the garden and cats can't have onions.
This morning I saw some more red poop so I called the doctor.

After tests the cat is fine, his sugar levels are slightly elevated but that can come from stress. The cat
doesn't like car rides and he has been sick. The doctor said that was inconclusive for diabetes but it is
something to watch. Over all he seems to be good but probably has an infection and/or sick from the chives,
and
he was dehydrated. The doctor said I could bring him home but there is no way for me to get a cat to drink. He
also said he could stay overnight and he should be able to go home tomorrow once they get an IV and some
anti-biotic in him.

So he is spending the night at the vet. I will get him tomorrow along with his meds. Hopefully he will be
feeling better and not too pissed off I left him at the vet.

It is very odd and you don't realize how much of your life they are a part of until they are not there. I could
have the door open and not worry about him running out. I didn't have to open the window for him to allow him
to sniff outdoors. I didn't have to feed him this evening. I will probably get to sleep in in the morning. I
didn't have anyone to scratch when I got home.

[#] Fri Aug 14 2015 02:36:43 UTC from IGnatius T Foobar

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So it's been a bit of time since that post ... how's the cat doing?

 



[#] Fri Aug 14 2015 15:35:24 UTC from zooer

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Thanks for asking. He finished up the anti-biotic and seemed to be doing better but his diarrhea continued and
he started getting sluggish again. I took him back to the vet, they ran some more tests, gave his some more
meds. They said keep an eye on him and if things don't get better bring him in for a sonogram to check for
stomach or intestine problems. He is eating some but not his usual amount, still drinking water so that is
good, but he isn't himself. It is strange, he hides behind things which he never did before. He wants to be
alone which is unusual. However all of a sudden he will come out and be social and friendly again, almost like
himself but he moves slower. Maybe he just needs a longer treatment of anti-biotic.

I am not sure if it was the chives in the garden or something else. He does have FIV and any sickness could do
him in. He is about 12-14, maybe 15.
(I met him 10 years ago last month in July) I don't know what to think
because I can't tell, he is a cat.

He is a very sweet easy going cat, tolerates me shoving meds in him and putting a vitamin goo on his paws. Even
though he is sick he is still friendly.

The vet I take him to is suppose to be a very good vet but it is 20 minutes away and the cat always gets very
nervous in the car. There are much closer vets, and there are cat only vets but for various reasons we chose
this one. There is a vet that has a mobile unit but I am not sure if this would be a good change.

[#] Sun Aug 23 2015 16:07:39 UTC from IGnatius T Foobar

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This sounds expensive.  A couple of years ago we went down a similar road, and over $3,000 later the stupid cat died anyway.



[#] Sun Aug 23 2015 20:47:08 UTC from zooer

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I am wondering if it has something to do with my sister's new puppy. He tolerated the other dog, but he doesn't
like this puppy. The puppy is very shy but always happy. When the puppy sees me its tailing is wagging at
100mps and the whole rear end shakes. A cat slitching its tail means it is angry. A dog wagging its tail means
it is excited. Maybe the cat things the dog is very angry. The cat seems to be more upset when the dog is
here.

[#] Thu Aug 27 2015 21:52:08 UTC from zooer

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Well we took him for a sonogram today. They had to shave his belly to get the best reading. As a result, I
have seen male cat nipples. Not many outside the veterinarian field can say that.

The sonogram reviled he does have a growth in his intestines and lymph node problems. This would explain his
new eating habits and why he has suddenly decided to go into hiding and then come out as if everything is fine.
He was never one to hide before.

We are going to call Cornell for a consultation, with his age, the FIV and the growth we will have to see what
they have to say. Everyone says what a very nice relaxed and friendly cat he is. The doctors and staff at the
vets say he is just such a wonderfully behaved cat for all the things they have done recently. We don't want to
give up on him yet but we will see.

[#] Fri Aug 28 2015 18:20:21 UTC from IGnatius T Foobar

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So sorry to hear that. It's a lot like what we went through a couple of years ago, such a sweet and gentle cat, but I regret having spent so much on diagnostics that ultimately didn't prolong his life.

[#] Sat Aug 29 2015 02:34:22 UTC from zooer

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Yeah, I am trying to accept it. I really don't think he has much longer. When he wants he is just as loving
and friendly as ever, then he gets up, walks away and hides behind some furnature. I just don't want him
in pain. I might have to request a different vet, one that does house calls. This poor cat hates car rides and
I don't want to upset him for his last hours.

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