Dear Cat

[smilingcat]

Dear Lulu,

We know you are smart but you are still a CAT. "C", "A", "T" CAT. We never taught you to use people toilet but my partner spied on you squatting on the toilet seat and peed into the toilet. I don't know how you figured it out but you did.

then it occurred to us that you might be the culprit for pee smell around the toilet. You seem to have missed on few occasions. Yuck!

Both of us would prefer that you stick with your litter box. Or if you continue to use people toilet, to please pee in the toilet not on it. And BTW, it would be nice if you could flush it when you are done.

Thank you,

Your proud mama.

[jessmarimba]

One of mine is more than happy to flush but will not use. Skunk is fascinated by watching things go down the hole and now knows what makes that happen. I have to leave the lid shut to keep her away.

(Also, pretty sure dumdum plays in the toilet if I leave it open, based on the mess I've found.)

[7rider]

So Paris likes to drink from the bathroom faucet.
And the cats sleep on our bed at night.
Around 3:15 this morning, Paris decides he's thirsty.
So rather than walking down the hallway to his waterbowl, pounces on yours truly. Literally. All 13 pounds of him. I must have felt him walking up the bed, because I opened my bleary eyes just in time to see a black blob coming down on me from a height of about 18". :eek:
I lay there for about a minute. Shock. Confused. Finally, I decide, "Well, I'm awake. I may as well do what I do every time I wake up at 3 in the morning." So I go to the bathroom, and there is Paris, sitting on the sink, waiting for me.
Purrrrrrr.....A purr, a prance, and a paw at the sink bowl. Awww...Isn't he just so cute. Not. :mad:

Hmmm...it was sort of this (http://www.simonscat.com/Films/Cat-Man-Do/)last night.

[Biciclista]

Dear Cars
I will really miss you while DH and I are in hawaii. My DS will take good care of you.

xx
your fur mom.. well not really furry...but it's the thought that counts.

[feral1]

Dear Cars
I will really miss you while DH and I are in hawaii. My DS will take good care of you.

xx
your fur mom.. well not really furry...but it's the thought that counts.

I'm just guessing here but you meant cats right :D

[marni]

So Paris likes to drink from the bathroom faucet.
And the cats sleep on our bed at night.
Around 3:15 this morning, Paris decides he's thirsty.
So rather than walking down the hallway to his waterbowl, pounces on yours truly. Literally. All 13 pounds of him. I must have felt him walking up the bed, because I opened my bleary eyes just in time to see a black blob coming down on me from a height of about 18". :eek:
I lay there for about a minute. Shock. Confused. Finally, I decide, "Well, I'm awake. I may as well do what I do every time I wake up at 3 in the morning." So I go to the bathroom, and there is Paris, sitting on the sink, waiting for me.
Purrrrrrr.....A purr, a prance, and a paw at the sink bowl. Awww...Isn't he just so cute. Not. :mad:

Hmmm...it was sort of this (http://www.simonscat.com/Films/Cat-Man-Do/)last night.

both of my cats love to drink from the bathroom faucet, but their methods of waking us is completely different. Tux (the 18 pound maine coone) head butts me with his forehead,usually aiming for my cheekbones or chin, repeatedly and not gently, purring like a maniac all the time. Ike the little (5 pound full grown) rescue kitty who sleeps curled around my head, digs her claws in slightly and starts madly grooming my hair, focusing on the areas where there is not much hair or on my upper forehead. She grooms until it is too painful to stand, at which point I get up, wander in to use the toilet after turning on the water to a trickle in both sinks. By this time both dogs are awake and decide they need to go out- the whole process usually takes about half an hour although lately the cats have been sleeping in to almost 5 am before the circus games begin. It's a good thing that I can always fall asleep after .

I love them all dearly but from time to time a feel a strong temptation to teach them to fly.

marni

[lph]

Heheh. Lyra doesn't mess around with trying to be cute anymore. She miaows quietly and hopefully outside the bedroom door, and if we're stupid enough to let her in, she just walks around on top of us until we give up and get up. 5 1/2 kgs of cat on pointy little paws and a blank stare.

[Norse]

Dearest Little Lucy:

Whatever you ate (string, lint, mouse, plant leaves, something you found on the floor that looked interesting...) that caused you to throw-up violently, and stop eating and caused us many trips to the vet, very large vet bills and worrying that we were going to lose you until you finally, right before surgery was scheduled today, eliminated what was stuck inside you, um... please don't do that again.

Your loving, and with much less $, moms.

14147

[bmccasland]

Dear Chloe,
come over here and read the post about Lucy. You have lots of toys, why did you need to grab the pastry brush from the drain rack. Good thing I got it away from you before you decided to chew on it.

We don't need to go see Dr. C. Trust me on this.


signed,
The lady who provides you a nice warm house and kibble



Norse - glad to hear Lucy is feeling better.
Lucy - just ask her for catnip. Trust me on this.

[Norse]

Thanks BMC. Lucy update: last night, a shoelace appeared from her behind; called vet who said it should now be safe to gently pull it out as her system was emptied; out came an approximate 15" long shoelace. :eek: Yes, little Lucy ate a shoelace sometime last week and this caused all her problems. Today, she is once again our food fiend kitty, running all over the house and looking for more things to put in her mouth.

[bmccasland]

Thanks BMC. Lucy update: last night, a shoelace appeared from her behind; called vet who said it should now be safe to gently pull it out as her system was emptied; out came an approximate 15" long shoelace. :eek: Yes, little Lucy ate a shoelace sometime last week and this caused all her problems. Today, she is once again our food fiend kitty, running all over the house and looking for more things to put in her mouth.

:eek:

Dear Lucy,
STOP IT! Norse is a nice Mom, she will see to it that you get plenty of food so you don't need to eat rediculous things like shoe strings. I'm glad you passed the long shoe string, but dearheart it could have killed you. If you're bored while she's a work, then maybe you should show her the ads for pet toys. :cool:

sign me, a friend and Mom of a couple of kitties

[indysteel]

Wow, Norse. I'm glad Lucy's okay. I've had my fair share of kitty stress, so I really feel for you.

[Norse]

Thanks for the positive thoughts! Lucy looks and acts like she is completely back to normal, thank goodness. We, of course have been showering her with attention, much to the consternation of Athena cat and Katy dog. But as we tell them, "we love you all equally." :)

Looking back, we have now almost lost 4 pets unexpectedly at a relatively younger age: my last dog had a tumor the size of a softball in his intestines; Katy had liver failure - after which the vet told us she had not expected her to make it; Isis kitty had some form of an awful virus; and now little Lucy Loo. All recovered and thrived. Now if we can just keep Lucy more interested in the cat giant basket of toys and less interested in string, plants, drapery cords.... :rolleyes:

[VeganBikeChick]

Dear Cat,

Why must you only want to knead on my lap when I'm wearing tights? Shredded tights are not in fashion!!

Signed,

Your exasperated owner

[skhill]

Dear Joe the confused,

Well, you're living up to your epithet again. The way the dog was sprawled on the couch last night, her nipples were in clear sight. Very tempting for a cat who still likes to suckle, I'm sure. But she's a dog, and you are a cat. What's more, she's a dog who's not interested in letting you nurse. As you found out. Next time, why not stick to Moses? At least he's a fellow cat, and seems to enjoy having you suckle.

[malkin]

Dear Cats:

I agree that the new hand knotted wool rug is nicer than the pine pellets in your boxes. At least the rug was nicer until you peed all over it. But no, I am not going to switch the contents of your box.

Get over it.

PS, you still crack me up!

[Biciclista]

Dear Malkin
you might have a problem. In my days of fostering cats, we found a couple kitties who absolutely would NOT use the pine pellets. They will do anything to avoid touching the things with their tiny toes. Most cats are not so picky.
good luck.

[malkin]

Thanks for the good wishes.
They have used the pine pellets flawlessly for 2 months and 8 months and before that at the shelter before we got them.

We are doing some remodeling and I think they don't like the commotion. I hardly blame them. I don't like it either.

Oh--and I meant that I wouldn't switch their box to hand knotted wool rug yarn. If they insist, I'll switch to some other kind of litter. ;)

Right now they are in jail (confined). The gray older one is contrite, and the little red one is completely clueless.

[Reesha]

Dear Joe the confused,


Best cat name ever!!!!

I hope you call him the full thing sometimes :D

[lph]

Dear Cat,

No, I have not forgotten that you tried to remove my hand at the wrist ten minutes ago, when you got a bit carried away with the whole hiding-behind-the-computer-screen game. So you can just give up on curling around and being all purry and cute just because you suddenly found out you're hungry.

[skhill]

Dear girl cat,
I'm really sorry that the dry food bowl went empty over the night. But did you really have to let me know about it at 4:18 am? Couldn't it have waited until I got up at 5?

Dear boy cat,
Congratulations! After a decade of hard work, you've finally got me trained. Proof: when I was washing dishes last night and you came up and yowled at me, I stopped what I was doing and gave you a kitty treat. Didn't even think about it, just responded to your stimulus in the way you desired. Good job!

[marni]

dear miss ike,

do you have any idea how hard it is to warp a loom when you are loving on me and wandering through the warp? I love you dearly but you make it a bit difficult.

PS I have to admit that your 2 AM hair stylings are getting pretty wild but digging the claws in to immobilize me is a bit too much.

marni

[skhill]

Dear cats

The National Weather Service really should put y'all on the payroll. When the tornado warning siren went off yesterday, I knew there was no reason to be worried, because you were all hanging out in the living room with me. If there were any real danger, you'd have been taking cover in the bathroom closet. Sure enough, you were right-- the warning was canceled in just 5 minutes.

[bmccasland]

Dear cats

The National Weather Service really should put y'all on the payroll. When the tornado warning siren went off yesterday, I knew there was no reason to be worried, because you were all hanging out in the living room with me. If there were any real danger, you'd have been taking cover in the bathroom closet. Sure enough, you were right-- the warning was canceled in just 5 minutes.

Glad you didn't get hit by yesterday's tornadoes! It missed my uncle's house by 2 blocks. Let's hear it for "weather cats." :D

Reminds me of when I rode out a hurricane and realized that all my furry beasts were under the bed, together.

[bmccasland]

Dear Chloe,
The carnations in the vase are mine, I say MINE, to enjoy. They are not your new toys. If you really want to decorate with flowers, maybe I should hire you out to the florist across the street.

[Roadtrip]

Dear Mister Kitty,

I thank you for sharing your catch with me, I already have enough, tho thanks to you l will forever lo twice now when your playing with your you mice.

Signed,
The evil one who took your prize

[lph]

Dear Cat,

I'm very happy to see you're back to being Queen of The Universe, nonchalant mistress of all you survey, and snotty guardian of the entire block. But do you have to be such a drama queen? Your loyal and loving servants get quite worried when you spend an entire day looking unhappy and upset, just because you had to go through the ordeal of coming home again.

I know you had a fine and spoiled time spending three days at my in-laws, and you're obviously at home here, and the car drive between takes all of twenty minutes, so what IS all the moping about? I was ready to take you to the vet, until I remembered you're a flaming hypochondriac.

[bmccasland]

LPH - did you bribe Her Highness with some nice tasty salmon or herring? Perchance her welcome home dinner wasn't up to royal standings? :D

[lph]

Fawf, salmon is for other cats. She liked a little snack of goats cheese (her morning usual, and the only thing she will sit up on her hind feet for) but otherwise she was ignoring her food, starting, and running around like a worried kitten. Very strange!

[marni]

try some duck- it usually melts the bipolar cats pissy moods.

good for dogs also.

marni

[winddance]

Dear Orion,

Like many of your species, you are lactose intolerant. STAY AWAY FROM THE YOGURT. And what kind of cat drinks CHAI?

I do not wish to see any of these back on the floor in 30 minutes.

Now please eat your nice wet food instead of staring at it wishing it were drenched in dairy products.

Love,
Your favorite cushion and singing partner

[Bethany1]

Dear Bandit,

I'm sorry you have a UTI. The vet took care of you today so maybe it's good thing you peed all over my cycling clothes so I'd notice something was wrong. It still took four washings to get it all out so I'm not happy. Vet said your bladder is the size of a grapefruit. I feel so bad.


Dear Vet,

Are you sure you aren't getting paid to push prescription cat food? Or is it your only source of income besides what you charge for visits? Not sure I buy into this idea as you want me to feed my cat a couple of cans a day.


I know there was a discussion about canned vs dry, but how do you afford canned cat food when it's .75 to 1.50 a can and you need several a day?

[Biciclista]

Bethany, you don't have to buy that kind of cat food. But you do need to wean cat off dry food. Or he will continue to have problems. I feed my cats raw meat and canned cat food now for their health and comfort.

[indysteel]

Bethany, you don't have to buy that kind of cat food. But you do need to wean cat off dry food. Or he will continue to have problems. I feed my cats raw meat and canned cat food now for their health and comfort.

+1. There are some past threads on this subject that are worth reading. I also found this (http://binkyspage.tripod.com/CanFoodNew.html) chart to be helpful. When we switched to canned foods, I bought a variety of brands and flavors, primarly focusing on the carb and protein content (I look for low carb and high protein). As you can see from the chart, some of the brands we tend to think of as premium (like Science Diet and Hills, which is what vets often push) do not offer a good carb/protein ratio. So, while they are better than dry food in terms of moisture content, they are still less than ideal.

For better or for worse, one of my cats had a distinct adversion to some of the premiums brands of canned food. He mostly prefers Friskies. There are some varieties of Friskies that offer a good carb/protein ratio, so that's what he gets. We also have additional water bowls out now than we once had, and he seems to be drinking more from them. So far, so good. He hasn't had any additonal urinary issues since we made the switch.

My point in sharing that is that if Friskies or another cheaper brand fits your budget better, then look into what flavors or varieties are best for your cat and go from there. Also do what you can to encourage more water consumption by putting out multiple water bowls and/or using a water fountain. My cats didn't care for the latter, but they show a marked preference for the water dishes that are in private areas away from where they are served food. You can also add a bit of water to the canned food to make a bit of a gravy. Every little bit of extra water you get into them helps.

In the end and IME, treating chronic UTIs and/or kidney disease ends up costing more--financially and emotionally--than dry food. I lost a cat to chronic kidney failure, after feeding her a dry diet her whole life. I wish I could go back and undo that.

[Biciclista]

In the end and IME, treating chronic UTIs and/or kidney disease ends up costing more--financially and emotionally--than dry food. I lost a cat to chronic kidney failure, after feeding her a dry diet her whole life. I wish I could go back and undo that.

wow, what an angle. no kidding. and watching your cat be in pain ... horrible

[indysteel]

wow, what an angle. no kidding. and watching your cat be in pain ... horrible

Perhaps I stated this inartfully. What I meant is that I would have gladly paid more for canned food to spare my cat and myself the pain of CKF.

[smilingcat]

Yes, we also have a cat with chronic UTI and Urinary tract blockage problem. He has been to emergency on three occasions so far. First two times, his bladder was ready to rupture and he would have died.

We now keep a very close eye on him and watch for signs for urinary related distress: trying to pee out of the box and nothing. Peeing in inappropriate places but just small amount drop or two sometimes maybe teaspoon worth of pee. I also check the litter box to make sure he is peeing. Usually the volume is much bigger than the other cats so I know its him. If I don't find big clump of litter from pee or he does any of the above, we get ready to take him to the emergency.

Definitely no dry food for your cat!! Strictly wet food. We also thin down his food with water about one and half teaspoon of water per feeding. It should be soft paste. It's not so watered down that he would suffer from loss of minerals in his system.

We also buy whole chicken on sale around 99cents a pound and boil the whole chicken. We add pieces of cooked chicken to their food. At 99cents a pound, its cheaper than premium canned cat food. We feed Wellness brand. And the broth/stock is skimmed of fat and we give it to the cat with urinary tract problem.

-------------
getting rid of pee smell.

use hydrogen peroxide mixed with baking soda. Test the fabric to make sure it doesn't bleach or change the color first. We use it around the house and it does breakdown the urea. Even the cats can't smell the pee afterwards.
www.remove-cat-urine.com

[indysteel]

I'd also suggest having your vet show you how to palpate your cat's bladder. It is possible to check it yourself to see if it is full. But there are other issues that dehydration can cause short of a UTI or obstruction, constipation being one of them and, obviously, chronic dehydration can lead to kidney failure. Finally, I'd note that you should determine, if you haven't already, if your cat has any crystals in his urine and, if so, their type. This could necessitate other changes to his diet.

[Biciclista]

oh yeah, i used to do that constantly. But have not had any issues since we turned dry cat food from a staple to an occasional treat.

[Bethany1]

Thanks for all the help. I do give both of my cats canned food, just not every day. Probably once or twice a week. Favorites seem to be Fancy Feast and anything with fish or chicken of some other brands. Tuna fish out of the can when I make sandwiches is a big hit as well.

Absolute no-no favorite for both cats is chocolate milk. If my kids don't put the glass away, one is dipping its paws in to drink out of it.

It never hit me as a UTI as he has been using the litter box.

And yes, I'd rather put the money into canned food than a huge vet bill.

[Biciclista]

good luck
dry cat food is also known in some circles as kitty crack. they put something in it that makes it SO appealing. I look forward to the day that i have a cat who never had dry cat food. :cool:


Thanks for all the help. I do give both of my cats canned food, just not every day. Probably once or twice a week. Favorites seem to be Fancy Feast and anything with fish or chicken of some other brands. Tuna fish out of the can when I make sandwiches is a big hit as well.

Absolute no-no favorite for both cats is chocolate milk. If my kids don't put the glass away, one is dipping its paws in to drink out of it.

It never hit me as a UTI as he has been using the litter box.

And yes, I'd rather put the money into canned food than a huge vet bill.

[indysteel]

I've admittedly had trouble totally weening mine off dry food entirely. One cat will only eat a small amount of canned at a time, even without access to any other food. The other cat will inhale any food he leaves behind so I have to supervise every meal. Well, there's only so many times a day that I can give him wet food and only so much of it that he'll eat, so we end up leaving a high protein dry food out for them as well. He is drinking a decent amount of water these days, too. It's not perfect, but it's arguably going to have to do. The vet is happy with his labs and appearance. Thankfully, our younger cat poses no problem. She lives for canned food.

[winddance]

Just as a side note about the high-protein, I was switching my cats over from another premium dry to EVO canned only when the Orange One developed pancreatitis. I used to be somewhat of a food snob and got preachy about the benefits of a more natural, appropriate diet for my cats. In DOGS, it is common to have a high- or different-fat/pancreatitis correlation, but not so much in cats. I was told the causes of feline pancreatitis are not really understood. Still, after episode #2, the vet recommended we try a low fat diet, which has kept him out of the hospital for pancreatitis. I used a premium, low-fat food (combination wet/dry.) After he had a urinary tract blockage on said food, we had to switch him again to a food that addressed both issues. The vet mentioned they were starting to see more pancreatitis, particularly in dogs, as people switch to these super premium diets.

Now that my cat is the third most expensive thing I own, I put my reservations aside and decided I don't care what he eats as long as he's eating it, thriving, and not racking up vet bills. I picked the "better" (read: not Hills/Science Diet) of the market available prescription foods. We did work out a, "this actually has food in it" non-prescription wet food to augment the prescription dry food. He refused the prescription wet, as he thought it contained aliens, and doesn't eat any wet food consistently.

So....I'm just saying. I get it. My cats are family, I fed them as family, and took them to the doctor as family. This "step down" in food quality was a big deal for me. But it's working, so I am not going to complain and am just going to be happy my beloved kitty is still here and trying to get into my fridge so he can eat all my yogurt.

I also agree that various water bowls tucked away across the house are preferred and more heavily used. I left some out after his blockage and they proved so popular with my two that they all but abandoned the fountain. I do think they're both drinking more.

Whatever works!

[smilingcat]

How odd that as we are reading and replying to this thread, my problem cat started do the trying to pee here there but nothing kind of thing yesterday morning. Still was doing it around noon so off he went to the vet.

They managed to get urine sample, his bladder wasn't full. Went over his history with the new regular vet. Came home with some pain med to make him relax so he would pee.

Sure enough after 30 minutes or so he went and seems to be fine now. His urine sample came back normal. No crystal everything was normal. So we must be doing something right with his diet. We water down his food so its bit soupy. This forces him to drink more water.

The vet suspect that he may have had a small kidney stone that his body was passing. Pain meds helped him with the pain, relaxed him and he peed it out. Today he is acting normal. All is well except my pocket book. :rolleyes:

[Blueberry]

Dear Kitties:

Please behave yourselves while the house is on the market - please!

We are boarding you for a week in a kitty palace for the initial market push (seriously, I found the vet with the big room you can stay in instead of a cage), and then you are coming home. We have a very well thought out showing plan for you for your safety. Please don't be mad at us for it!

Please don't eat the realtor's staging stuff. Please don't destroy the house otherwise. We really need to sell the house so we can move on with our lives - please don't sabotage it!

Your loving owners.

[indysteel]

Good luck, Blueberry! I'm jealous that you have a kitty palace to use. What a great option.

[smilingcat]

two of our cats white and grey is Twiggy and grey long hair is Lover Boy aka Sammy. Dog is the protector of cats named Cody.

[smilingcat]

Morgan cat is a rag doll. Bit spoiled and managed to get Cody to be his personal groomer. This happens more often than you might think. Almost every day. :o

[Chile Pepper]

Dear LuLu,

If you wish to join in my yoga practice, we need to clarify a few things. First, it's called downward-facing DOG. Dogs don't have claws, so this pose does not involve clawing at the yoga mat. Second, when my hands are resting in a mudra on my thighs, they are not available to pet you. Third, if you tickle me with your tail while I am in triangle pose, I am likely to fall on top of you and crush you. Finally, we usually chant om before and after practice, as opposed to chanting meow throughout the practice. You are, however, welcome to purr during meditation.

Namaste,
The woman who ought to seek inner peace in the feel of your fur on her fingertips

[indysteel]

Dear Izzy, you are one spoiled kitty. Because we know you love boxes, we have indulged you by leaving four of them out so that you can play in them. They are overtaking the house. But because we love you and think you're the cutest thing ever, my guess is they're not going anywhere. I particularly love when you get in the smallest of the boxes. It's perfectly Izzy sized. It's especially cute that you like to be carried around in said box. For all the things you squirm away from, the mere fact that you like to be carried in and on things is endlessly amusing to your humans.

But I'm telling you: Four boxes is my limit! Don't go asking for me.

Signed,

Your adoring Mother

[Owlie]

Dear LuLu,

If you wish to join in my yoga practice, we need to clarify a few things. First, it's called downward-facing DOG. Dogs don't have claws, so this pose does not involve clawing at the yoga mat. Second, when my hands are resting in a mudra on my thighs, they are not available to pet you. Third, if you tickle me with your tail while I am in triangle pose, I am likely to fall on top of you and crush you. Finally, we usually chant om before and after practice, as opposed to chanting meow throughout the practice. You are, however, welcome to purr during meditation.

Namaste,
The woman who ought to seek inner peace in the feel of your fur on her fingertips

That's cute and funny! DBF's mom went through several stages of trying to work out around His Royal Highness. First she did what she wanted, but his Catness decided that she wasn't doing anything useful and was therefore available for treat retrieval. Then she tried shutting him in her bedroom, but that didn't work because he doesn't like closed doors and would complain loudly. Then she tried giving the cat the run of the house and shutting herself in the bedroom. That didn't work either, for the same reason. So she gave up and started going to the gym.

[Thorn]

Dear Izzy, you are one spoiled kitty. Because we know you love boxes, we have indulged you by leaving four of them out so that you can play in them. They are overtaking the house. But because we love you and think you're the cutest thing ever, my guess is they're not going anywhere. I particularly love when you get in the smallest of the boxes. It's perfectly Izzy sized. It's especially cute that you like to be carried around in said box. For all the things you squirm away from, the mere fact that you like to be carried in and on things is endlessly amusing to your humans.



<chuckle /> We have more boxes lying around the house than a shipping and packaging firm. Whenever I go into a "that's it!", the looks I get from the girl cat would make you think I was killing her best friend.

There is a video somewhere on the web on how to measure the volume of your cat....looks like with your perfectly Izzy sized box, you have successfully determined the volume of said Izzy.....

[bmccasland]

Chloe - your penchant for biting things has gone a bit too far. You did not need to bite my e-notebook's power cord. I'm glad you didn't get shocked, but I had plans for the money I got to spend replacing it.

[lph]

Dear Cat,

we are so so sorry you got into a fight and got bit (again). We know you are suffering and are attempting to redeem the situation with tidbits, gentle speech and fluffy blankets left around on floor level. We no longer think you are about to die, just because you do, but we will endeavour to treat you with utmost sympathy and tenderness until you feel up to ruling the world again tomorrow.

(We have the cat version of the guy with a Man Cold:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbmbMSrsZVQ )

[skhill]

Dear long-haired cat,

Don't look at me like that-- Mother Nature has control over the temperature, not me. But I understand; I'd be grumpy too if it was nearly 80F outside and I hadn't shed my winter coat yet.

[marni]

Dear long-haired cat,

Don't look at me like that-- Mother Nature has control over the temperature, not me. But I understand; I'd be grumpy too if it was nearly 80F outside and I hadn't shed my winter coat yet.

Our big Maine Coon kitty spends about 11 months out of the year pretending to be an animal skinf fur rug on the tile floor under the ceiling fan. Since he is double coated and doesn't really have a winter coat per se, we have been known to trim back his belly and exploding armpit hair to a somewhat shorter length to facilitate more contact with the tiles. He usually forgives us after a week or so.

marni

[chincitop]

Dear evil communal house cat,

I have grown to love you, despite your ornery nature, and my fear that one day you will cuddle me at night and I will wake up sans a kidney. But if you EVER go straight from licking your manhood to licking my face again, I will be forced to kill you.

Love,

notmykink

[Wahine]

Dear evil communal house cat,

I have grown to love you, despite your ornery nature, and my fear that one day you will cuddle me at night and I will wake up sans a kidney. But if you EVER go straight from licking your manhood to licking my face again, I will be forced to kill you.

Love,

notmykink

ROTFLMAO

I lived with a communal house cat like that once.

[chincitop]

Yeah, he's pretty much the root of all evil. He's been in that house for 6 years and his original owners aren't even there anymore. he's just been passed down through roommates. He hated EVERYONE for 5 years until last year, I was laying in my bed and he all the sudden stepped onto my chest and started purring. My friend was over and walked by & was like "Omg he's gonna steal your soul."

Ever since then, he's been periodically creepily affectionate, but is still otherwise mean and ornery, even to me, who is his "favorite"

[Bethany1]

Dear Bandit and Buttons,

You have been neutered and spayed. Why are you two going at it? She's driving me nuts with the creepy meowing and her butt up in the air all day long. He's driving me nuts by running around the house at high speed and mounting her when he's up to it.

This is the start of day two. I'm about ready to stuff both of you in different rooms and ignore the pleas.

Apparently the doc missed something or your instincts have figured it out. At least I don't have to worry about kittens. I hope he isn't hurting her as he's 10lbs and she's about 5-6.


The Mom

[skhill]

Dear Bandit and Buttons,

You have been neutered and spayed. Why are you two going at it? She's driving me nuts with the creepy meowing and her butt up in the air all day long. He's driving me nuts by running around the house at high speed and mounting her when he's up to it.



SHHH! you're giving Moses ideas. Actually, it's most likely the neighborhood semi-ferals who sometimes use our porch as the honeymoon suite that get his motor running... Mica is quite tolerant, she just lays there looking bored, most of the time...

[indysteel]

Dear Izzy and Henry: Stop with the shedding. I realize that we skipped spring, but do you have to lose all your fur at once? I can't keep up, and when the late afternoon hits the wood floors just right, I nearly have a heart attack at the accumulation of fur. It's everywhere and I just vacuumed and brushed you!

[katluvr]

Dear evil communal house cat,

I have grown to love you, despite your ornery nature, and my fear that one day you will cuddle me at night and I will wake up sans a kidney. But if you EVER go straight from licking your manhood to licking my face again, I will be forced to kill you.

Love,

notmykink

OMG...I think that is the funniest thing I have read in a long time...definitely a LMFAO moment!

K

[Brandi]

Dear cat,
Could you not throw up in the silverware drawer?
Dear husband, could you not leave the drawer's open?

[indysteel]

Dear Henry, I love that when you "escape" to an area of the house where you're not really supposed to be, you don't use it as an opportunity to be a stinker like your sister. Rather, you find the softest thing in the room on which to cuddle and sit there like a good boy until we find you. You're the sweetest boy ever. I love you.

[azfiddle]

Dear Rory-

You know we are always telling you to get off the table or squirting you with water when you don't listen.

What ever possessed you to crawl under the tablecloth? (The pictures are out of order, and he was on the far side of the table from the camera before he came out from underneath.

[Catrin]

Dear Rory-

You know we are always telling you to get off the table or squirting you with water when you don't listen.

What ever possessed you to crawl under the tablecloth? (The pictures are out of order, and he was on the far side of the table from the camera before he came out from underneath.

ROFL, he didn't want to get wet when you squirted him :D

[snapdragen]

Dear Rory-

You know we are always telling you to get off the table or squirting you with water when you don't listen.

What ever possessed you to crawl under the tablecloth? (The pictures are out of order, and he was on the far side of the table from the camera before he came out from underneath.

Smart kitty!!

[Maye]

Dear Rio De Janeiro (cat's full name :-)),
Why you keep waking me up with a long, creepy mooooaaaaah every morning??!! What do you want from me?
Sincerely,
Sleepy Head

[marni]

he or she is playing with your mind .

Alternatively he/she could be implying that if you don't get up and feed them, right now this very instant, you will die.

Tuxs' favorite wake up routine is position his head against my face so that his bounteous whiskers go right up my nose. His alternative is to sit on the corner of my pillow in library lion position and just stare, and not with lovingly squinted eyes either.

marni

marni

[indysteel]

Dear Izzy: Now we know that you and your brother love to drink out of the big measuring cup, so we got you your own because the more water you drink the better. But the fact that you see this one as something to play in does not bode well for its longevity. Mommy did not like cleaning up water all over the floor this morning or trying to dry you off while you attacked me. And I really didn't like having to throw the water outside because you left a spider cricket in it. You're a pistol; you know that?

[snapdragen]

Dear Izzy: Now we know that you and your brother love to drink out of the big measuring cup, so we got you your own because the more water you drink the better. But the fact that you see this one as something to play in does not bode well for its longevity. Mommy did not like cleaning up water all over the floor this morning or trying to dry you off while you attacked me. And I really didn't like having to throw the water outside because you left a spider cricket in it. You're a pistol; you know that?

Izzy: But mom, it was a really cool game!

[Maye]

he or she is playing with your mind .

Alternatively he/she could be implying that if you don't get up and feed them, right now this very instant, you will die.

Tuxs' favorite wake up routine is position his head against my face so that his bounteous whiskers go right up my nose. His alternative is to sit on the corner of my pillow in library lion position and just stare, and not with lovingly squinted eyes either.

marni

marni

Marni, just thinking about your cats whiskers inside the nose, makes my nose itch!

Oh the stare! yes, they are saying: wake up now or you will die, LOL.

[Catrin]

Dear Izzy: Now we know that you and your brother love to drink out of the big measuring cup, so we got you your own because the more water you drink the better. But the fact that you see this one as something to play in does not bode well for its longevity. Mommy did not like cleaning up water all over the floor this morning or trying to dry you off while you attacked me. And I really didn't like having to throw the water outside because you left a spider cricket in it. You're a pistol; you know that?

She just wants to keep you entertained :)

[indysteel]

She just wants to keep you entertained :)

And she's very good at that. There's never a dull day with Izzy in the house.

[marni]

we have a fountain on the breakfast bar that the cats drink out of between bouts of flinging water from it, the sink, the toilet, and the dogs water dish.

They were obviously otters or water sprites in a former life.

[lph]

Dear Lyra,

yes, we know it's hunting season again. We know you love it. And I'm totally fine, actually, with you catching mice and bringing them indoors, as long as you kill them quickly and either eat them completely or not at all.

But do you have to do all this right outside our bedroom door? You have the whole house! We're sleeping! We're not coming out to watch!

[skhill]

Dear Mica,

You know I've been trying to both train the dog to not chase or harass you and convince you to stand up to her. All that work, when all you needed was some catnip. Under the influence, you are fearless!

So, was all this just a plot to ensure a daily dose of catnip?

Love, your supplier

[pll]

Since I do not have a cat... allow me to share another video clip that had me laughing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q34z5dCmC4M

"Cat articulates his existence". Except for the narrator lacking a real French accent, it is perfect.

[marni]

this is our Mane Coon to the letter, including the markings! Tux's hell mate twin is alive and well. What a hoot!

marni

[lph]

Since I do not have a cat... allow me to share another video clip that had me laughing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q34z5dCmC4M

"Cat articulates his existence". Except for the narrator lacking a real French accent, it is perfect.

That was hilarious! :D

Poked around and found this one too. A standoff between a cat and a deer ten times it's size:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihuMK1wagJQ&feature=related

[Maye]

Since I do not have a cat... allow me to share another video clip that had me laughing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q34z5dCmC4M

"Cat articulates his existence". Except for the narrator lacking a real French accent, it is perfect.

So funny!! But poor French kittie!

[Norse]

Dear Lucy:

I know that you like to help mommy with her work-outs, but laying on my back when I am trying to do the plank position is just not very helpful.

[Breella]

Dear Fat Cat,

I'm sorry I scared you earlier today. Pouncing on me while I'm cleaning is a bad idea, I didn't mean to scream.

Sincerely the lady on the floor.

[katluvr]

Dear Cats,
All of you that joined me on the bed when you hear the sound of the very upset cat on the video I was watching. It was just a video and not of your siblings re being tortured!

Sincerely you momma whom must be so bored she is watching cat videos on You Tube!

[owlice]

Dear Big Cat,

I don't know whether it was you or the tall child Henri le chat noir was channeling, but he's clearly got one or both of you pegged.

The woman who feeds you

[Brandi]

Dear cat,
It is ok when someone comes to our door. You don't have to get so upset.
WARNING..if you have pet's around while listening to this they might react. Bo when he heard himself on this video freaked out agian then got his sister;s all worked up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0CTAsveZiU&feature=plcp

[skhill]

Dear cats,
What's the earliest I can give you dinner and have it still count as dinner, not a super-special late afternoon treat, to be followed by a demand for dinner?

Dear girl cat,
Thankfully, you don't produce hair balls often. Was the yowling that accompanied the event due to your surprise? Were you proud of the size of the hair ball? Or were you not feeling well and wanting some comforting?

[lph]

Dear cats,
What's the earliest I can give you dinner and have it still count as dinner, not a super-special late afternoon treat, to be followed by a demand for dinner?


Hee-hee :D

Lyra was so pleased today because I woke her up from a lovely late afternoon nap, when she was still in an excellent forgiving mood, by saying those magic four words: "Do you want food?"

[Brandi]

Dear cat,
why do I feel so nervous taking you to the vet for a teeth cleaning? Your the one that has to have it done and all you want from me right now is food. But you can't have any. I hope you forgive me for this.
Love,
Mom
I promise tonight big ol plate of wet food!

[Maye]

Dear Rio De Janeiro:
In our supremacy battles, who wins all the time? The human or the beast? Every time I look directly into your blue/gray marble size eyes for more than 30 seconds you always end up showing your belly to mama. Purrr-ender to me!

PS: Granted, sometimes you don't even pay attention to me ;)

[Artista]

Dear Zia,

Surprise love bites while you're purring and cuddling with me may be acceptable in your culture, but it's considered pretty rude where I come from.

[countrygirl]

Dear cat,

Please stop punching me in the face while Im sleeping with your claws casually hanging out, I will be able to adore and pet you much more efficiently tomorrow if you will just let me sleep. Or is this about the new dog? It's been 3 years, it's time to forgive!!!

[owlice]

Dear Big Cat,

I don't know what your new fascination with the piano keys is about, but please stop trying to bite them when I'm doing scales to rehab the hand/arm; sometimes you miss and get me instead. Bad enough I have to deal with your huge furriness on my lap when I sit down to do this; we don't need to add cleaning blood off the piano to the mix.

Thank you.

Love,
The woman who feeds you

[Owlie]

Dear cat:
What exactly is so interesting about the (not-running) ceiling fan? Also, what's so awesome about the bathroom that you go running in there when I turn my back?

And just so you know, I do bathe, and it is possible to be clean without being covered in cat spit.

[Jiffer]

Dear Kitty Pie,

I'll turn on the kitchen and bath faucet for you to drink from forever and always. Why you won't drink from a dish or bowl I don't know, but if fresh running water is what you require, fresh running water is what you will get.

You are amazing and perfect and the most bestest kitty ever and I LOVE YOU WAY TOO MUCH!!!!

Mommy

[Owlie]

Dear cat:

I left you alone for 20 minutes so that I could get dinner. That is not the same thing as abandoning you in the box by the side of the highway. So stop acting like I betrayed your trust. Goodness knows what Monday will look like...:rolleyes:

[skhill]

Dear outside kitty,

I'm really sorry I didn't see you there until my dog lunged and cornered you. Glad you know how to take care of yourself-- Stella walked away with bloody nose and forehead. I'm afraid you didn't cure her of going after cats, but I'll keep a closer eye on her.

[Owlie]

Dear cat:

A couple of things:
1) Thank you so much for sticking your paws in my cereal this morning. I assure you that it's perfectly safe for me to eat, but it is not kitty food. You're lactose-intolerant, and there's a reason I feed you low-grain food. You should also note that I don't stick my hands in your food while you're eating, and at least wash them!

2) The reason I keep accidentally kicking you is that you somehow manage to get underfoot. While it's sweet that you like following me around, it would be rather nice if you could stay more than six inches from me. Also, please stop hanging out in the bathroom doorway when the lights are out. A black kitty in a dark room is an accident waiting to happen!

Love,
Me.

[chatnoire]

Dear cat,
It is ok when someone comes to our door. You don't have to get so upset.
WARNING..if you have pet's around while listening to this they might react. Bo when he heard himself on this video freaked out agian then got his sister;s all worked up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0CTAsveZiU&feature=plcp

My dog was VERY surprised by this video. Her ears were practically on top of her head.

---

Dear sweet, beloved, ancient black kitten,

I fed you 3 different kinds of food today. I'm even going to feed you one more time before I go to bed. Can tonight be the night that you sleep all the way through, rather than punching me at 3 am because you are hungry? I'm trying, I really am, but it's hard to determine what food you like when it changes on a daily basis....

All my love, and more,
your mommy

[IBrakeforPastry]

Dear Sweet Kitty,

Thank you - again - for bringing me breakfast in bed. I noticed how carefully you carried today's offering so as not to leave any blood on the quilt. But alas, your delicate handling resulted in breakfast scurrying away as soon as you dropped him.

It is now 6 hours later and you keep vigil in my room. And of course, you choose the weekend I was planning on painting the other room, so all the stuff from that room, is in my room, creating no shortage of hiding places. I'm off to work now. I'm guessing you'll still be there when I get home tonight. No mouse parts in the bed, please.

I still love you,
The woman who does just fine with cereal. And coffee. Don't forget the coffee ;)

[malkin]

Dear Catkin,

I am very glad you can operate your legs now, unlike when we brought you home and you were completely splayed and could hardly walk, let alone run or even think about jumping. However, it is not necessary to jump on top of everything. Candle sticks are not cat toys, and items on 6' high shelves are there to be out of the way, not to be seen as a challenge for you to overcome.

And please just forget about sneaking out to climb Whitney, Kilamanjaro, or Everest--by the time you got there you would be old enough not to care anymore.

[bmccasland]

Dear Chloe and Calypso,
Thank you for returning my sunglass. Leaving them by the front door was a nice touch. I've been wondering where I lost them.

Now if you would please return my Mardi Gras reading glass? I know they're fun and sparkly, but I need them more than you do. :rolleyes:

[chatnoire]

Dear Chloe and Calypso,
Thank you for returning my sunglass. Leaving them by the front door was a nice touch. I've been wondering where I lost them.

Now if you would please return my Mardi Gras reading glass? I know they're fun and sparkly, but I need them more than you do. :rolleyes:

Your cats steal your glasses?!?:eek: That's kind of awesome. :)

[jessmarimba]

Dear dummycat:

I love it when I walk into a room and the paper bag in the corner is purring.

P.S. Even if I was deaf and couldn't hear you, your tail is sticking out.

[Reesha]

Dear cat,

Please stop yowling to go outside at 4:45 am-- the first sign of light-- so you can just hide in the hostas by the front door. You are learning that if you take me to the brink of sanity each morning, you will get what you want. I would like you to learn to operate the door yourself. Good luck with that, cat.

love,
Sleepless in St. Louis

[malkin]

Your cats steal your glasses?!?:eek: That's kind of awesome. :)

Mine do too.
Awesome in theory maybe, but in practice it is just another way to lose my glasses.

[bmccasland]

Dear Chloe and Calypso,
Now if you would please return my Mardi Gras reading glass? I know they're fun and sparkly, but I need them more than you do. :rolleyes:


Mine do too.
Awesome in theory maybe, but in practice it is just another way to lose my glasses.

Found the Mardi Gras glasses, after I stepped on them with my work boots on. :o
The cats are innocent. This time.

Was wearing them perched on the top of my head while gardening. I swear I looked everywhere, including the area around the gardening project. But I found them yesterday while mowing. Glasses are ruined.

Will have to write the needlework shop in New Orleans to see if they still have them and can send me a replacement pair.

[nuliajuk]

Dear Taffy
The weather is EXACTLY THE SAME out the back door as it is out the front. Same monsoon-like rain, same howling winds. And it's no good looking up at me and wailing indignantly about it - I'm not tall enough to turn off those taps.
Regards
Food2
(p.s. - Food1 isn't tall enough either)

[marni]

Dear Taffy
The weather is EXACTLY THE SAME out the back door as it is out the front. Same monsoon-like rain, same howling winds. And it's no good looking up at me and wailing indignantly about it - I'm not tall enough to turn off those taps.
Regards
Food2
(p.s. - Food1 isn't tall enough either)

read R.A.Heinleins "the door into summer" an oldy but a goody with a most interesting cat character who is sure that the next door he goes to and wails at will be the door into summer. Needless to say, it isn't , in a very Heileinish sort of way.

[indysteel]

Dear Itty Bitty Kitty: You sure gave us a fright last night. When I first brought you home following oral surgery, you seemed to be relatively fine. So when you started walking backwards into things and generally seeming kind of disoriented, we freaked out. It seems now like it must have been the lingers effects of sedation, but for a time I thought you'd had a stroke or something. We sure hope you're on the mind. And please try not to fracture your other canine tooth, okay? It's no fun getting a tooth pulled.

[Owlie]

Dear kitty:
Did you kill that piece of paper all by yourself? Good! But you don't need to bring me the remains. There are bits of it everywhere.

Mommy, who is grateful that there aren't mice in here.

[VeganBikeChick]

Dear Laverne & Shirley,

Please, please, please get along. And learn how to use the Breeze litterbox while you're at it. It's really not that difficult. You must be tired by now of using the old stinky box that I refuse to clean.

[owlice]

Dear Big Cat,

I dislike being bitten in the head more than you like being fed; kindly wrap your fuzzy feline brain around that before trying to pull that trick again. Thank you.

Your Food Source

[skhill]

Dear girl cat,

I was going to be pissed about you waking me up at 4 AM. But you know, it was a good thing. I was able to run 4 miles and take the dog for a good long walk before 7:30 am (and before the temperature started to rise). But please, don't do it again tomorrow. 5 is plenty early.

[Owlie]

Dear cat:
Please note that yoga time is not your "practice amateur hairdressing skills" time. I know you mean well (I'm not completely covered in cat spit! Unclean!), but you have pointy ends and I dislike having my scalp clawed.

[malkin]

Dear Txukka,

From now on, I will put you in the bathroom before I start to clean the budgie cage. Mitchell seems ok, but he really did not like to be in your mouth.

[Owlie]

Cat:
For the millionth time, the pee goes in the box. Not next to it. Stop being lazy and actually walk all the way into the box when you pee. "Most of me is in the box. Eh," doesn't cut it.

Mommy, who is going to make you clean your own bathroom.

[skhill]

Cat:
For the millionth time, the pee goes in the box. Not next to it. Stop being lazy and actually walk all the way into the box when you pee. "Most of me is in the box. Eh," doesn't cut it.

Mommy, who is going to make you clean your own bathroom.

Mica, that goes for you too. All 4 paws may be in the box, but if your rear is hanging over the edge, we'll have a problem. The covered box isn't an option, as your housemate was too big to turn around in it...

[Norse]

Mica, that goes for you too. All 4 paws may be in the box, but if your rear is hanging over the edge, we'll have a problem. The covered box isn't an option, as your housemate was too big to turn around in it...

You too Athena cat. Kindly stop lifting up your rear while in the box and spraying your pee on the side of the box and over the top of the box. Sheesh, we even bought the jumbo size and still you get it over the top!

[skhill]

Dear cats,
That weird noise last night was hail. It was loud on the metal roof for sure, but it wasn't a machine gun aimed at the house. I've never seen you guys freak out like that!

Dear brother's cat,
Your daddies would really appreciate it if you'd learn how to climb stairs. The stand at bottom/top and yowl for a ride isn't going to work for you for long. Just watch the other cat; he spent his first few years in a house with stairs and he knows what to do.

[malkin]

Dear Txukka

Now that I know how much you like them, next time I find a silverfish, I will call you before I smash it. Sorry you had to pick the bits of it out of the rug and the bottom of my shoe, although you sure seemed to be having fun.

[pll]

Dear Txukka

Now that I know how much you like them, next time I find a silverfish, I will call you before I smash it. Sorry you had to pick the bits of it out of the rug and the bottom of my shoe, although you sure seemed to be having fun.

eeewww. I never knew how those things were called. I googled "sliverfish" and now I know.

[smilingcat]

dear kitties in my household,

Your mom tried to find a rescue dog to keep company with your survivng dog. He does groom most of you with his tongue bath. He loves all of you but he has been lonely after our eldest dog passed away few month ago.

I'm sorry your mom made a terrible mistake and all of you have been living in absolute fear of the new dog.

I am really sorry Casey. I'm sorry the new dog almost killed you on three occasions in span of less than 7 days. both of your moms were horrified to see the dog attack you. I'm more than relieved that you didn't get hurt.

Your mom was gone most of the day today and the dog has been returned to the rescue group. So all of you can now come out.

It's safe. The big bad dog is gone. and I hope all of you can forgive me for the bad judgement.

Love mom

[kajero]

I know you didn't like the new litter box Don bought you, but did you really have to use the guest room carpet to poop on and my beautiful quilt to pee on for two weeks? You just knew I don't check that downstairs room very often, didn't you? Then again maybe you were trying to tell us something when you would go downstairs and howl.

I hope you will return to using your old litter box.

[lph]

Oh dear, kajero... :(:rolleyes:

Dear cat,

gee, you really are smart. We were wondering why you didn't come over to brag about the big dead magpie, but just hunkered down there and stared at it. Unfortunately the magpie was even smarter - and fast. It's probably sitting in a tree right now telling tall tales to all its gabby friends about how it fooled the cat by playing dead. Sorry about that.

[katluvr]

You too Athena cat. Kindly stop lifting up your rear while in the box and spraying your pee on the side of the box and over the top of the box. Sheesh, we even bought the jumbo size and still you get it over the top!

Norse,

We had this problem when brought a new female into the house (well now she lives in the garage). Then our mail cat started standing to pee and spray. We had to resort to covered boxes. Works well now!

K

[nuliajuk]

Dear Taffy
It's great that your former human slave got you accustomed to a harness and lead, really it is. I enjoy taking the occasional walk around the street with you. Note the word "occasional". Honestly, I'd have gotten a dog if I wanted to be out for hours at a time, two or three times a day. Please, please, give me a rest.
And stop climbing the fence in the back yard to run along the tops of all the townhouse fences. Their yards aren't any more interesting than ours, I promise. I realize that you are part-Siamese and very athletic, but at age 12 you should at least be behaving like an adult cat and not the worlds' oldest kitten.

[skhill]

Dear Mica,
Sorry the dog chased you yesterday. We both thought she'd given up on that sort of thing. Remember, there's something you can do to stop this: imitate your buddy Moses and get aggressive. When the dog is looking frisky, get in her face growling and snarling and don't hesitate to use those claws. She's a smart dog, and will understand that you are not to be trifled with.

[lauraelmore1033]

Dear cat,
you are the closest thing to a grandchild that I'm gonna get, looks like. Thanks for playing along.
Grammy loooooves you sooooo much!

[smilingcat]

Dear cat,
you are the closest thing to a grandchild that I'm gonna get, looks like. Thanks for playing along.
Grammy loooooves you sooooo much!

:D:D:D LOL!!! Yes I feel the same way with my kitties.

[indysteel]

Dear Itty Bitty Kitty: A hernia? Really? I sure hope the vet is right that it's closed and that you aren't in any danger. Please don't get sick while we're on vacation. I'll give you more toys if you cooperate. Sound like a plan?

[Biciclista]

umbilical hernia? your cat is probably fine. I have had more than one cat like that. Just don't let him get too fat!

[indysteel]

umbilical hernia? your cat is probably fine. I have had more than one cat like that. Just don't let him get too fat!

It likely happened when she was spayed. She was another stray who found us, Mimi. She was impossible to keep quiet post-op, and she probably didn't heal properly. The vet thinks it's now closed and she did a fine needle aspiration to verify that there were no intestinal cells. So, it appears that it's just fat tissue involved and short of her reopening it, she should be fine. There's no sign that it's bothering her.

Just a tiny bit of back story, Mimi, since you're a cat person. We spayed her in May with the idea we'd care for her outside until we could find a home. Then it got blazin' hot, and she wasn't doing well. So we brought her inside. Then we decided we'd try to integrate her into cat household. She went back to the vet for a more comprehensive check up. She had an ear infection, mites and a chipped tooth which soon abscessed and was extracted.

We eventually got her straightened out and began the integration process. It hasn't gone well. She's not overly aggressive, but our other female can't stand her. We've tried nearly every trick in the book. So, we're back to trying to find her a suitable home. It's not easy. Plus, I adore her. She's about the spunkiest, funniest cat I've ever met. When we realized last night that she might have a hernia, I could see my husband mentally packing his bags. He's nearing the end of his rope, but I'm the various avenues I've tried thus far haven't yielded a home. :(

[Biciclista]

indy, I wish i had some great words for you about your little cat. Maybe you could make her a shelter outside that is good for cold and hot? but honestly, sounds like she likes to be indoors and that isn't working well either. It has taken a few years but now my #2 cat and #3 cat have finally come to a truce. I make sure #3 cat does NOT trespass on the part of the bed #2 prefers, I really treat her like she is beneath the other cat, she accepts that (to me; unfair!) treatment, and they are actually getting along now. no love, but the screaming, carrying on and hissy fits are gone. So TIME? I'm sorry about your husband's short rope. My husband (who brought home #3) was amazingly oblivious to all the rancor caused by the new cat.

[Owlie]

Dear Isis,
Why did you have to wake me up this morning by trying to stick all four sets of claws into my scalp? What does that accomplish other than a pissed-off human and a scared kitty?

Also, stop eating cardboard. It's not good for your digestive system. You don't think wet cat food is actually food, and yet you think cardboard is food?
And for the record, I'm clipping your claws, not trying to cut off your toes. You don't need to wail like that. Besides, you get treats afterward! Aren't treats great?

Mom

[skhill]

Dear Mica,

Thanks for letting me sleep in an extra half-hour this morning. And thanks for quietly curling up with me while I was flopped out on the couch feeling miserable. You've been a good, understanding kitty for a human who seems to have gotten the flu very early.

[bmccasland]

Dear Chloe,
You have lots of lovely toys, some of them are even stuffed with catmint, therefore please refrain from picking out things from the compost bowl on the kitchen counter, such as broccoli ends or melon rinds, to play with. Yes, I know I should take the contents of the bowl out to the actual compost bin every day, but I don't. That doesn't make them your toys. Further, please quit picking off the flower buds from the plant in the kitchen window - they aren't your toys either. Tonight I'll look for the plastic easter eggs that you love to roll - did you push them to where you can't reach again?

[lph]

Dear Cat,
you are such a sweetheart sometimes. I wish you weren't such a hypochondriac and I wish you wouldn't think you were dying on a Sunday morning when a vet visit costs a fortune, but still - thanks for purring and smiling at us all the time while we're poking you to find out why you feel ill, and thanks for lapping up your antibiotics as if it actually tastes good. I've forgiven you the two dead birds last week and the rat under the couch.

[limewave]

Dear kitties,

I have been such a bad mama. All I've been seeing is the collecting cat fuzz on the furniture and floors, the puke and hair balls, the small scratches on the furniture and the $500 vet bill to take all 3 of you in for an appointment! And then I learned that one of you has cancer and kidney failure :( I have no words now, just an ache in my heart. I can't even imagine going through with the recommended step. But I have seen for awhile now how uncomfortable you've been and that saddens me as well.
Can we just snuzzle all afternoon? I'll gently brush your fur and I'll even let you snot all over me with your wet nose.

Love you all,
Mama

[skhill]

Dear cats,

I'm very sorry I let the dry food bowl get empty. But was it really necessary to wake me at 4:30 am to demand a refill? You know perfectly well that I get up at 5, and give you breakfast first thing. I needed that half-hour!

[Owlie]

Dear cat,

Please stop eating things you find lying around like toilet paper (WHY?) or your toys. You don't appear to have suffered any major consequences yet (apart from orange, feathery poop), but there's a first time for everything. You get expensive food and treats. What is so interesting or tasty about toilet paper, anyway? The toys I can understand. ("Kitty hunt toy! Kitty kill toy! Kitty eat toy!") :rolleyes:

[VeganBikeChick]

My cats are into destroying my cork coasters. I bought a replacement package because I thought those would stay intact, and yet they managed to destroy the second package too.

[pll]

My cats are into destroying my cork coasters. I bought a replacement package because I thought those would stay intact, and yet they managed to destroy the second package too.

I will suggest felt coasters. Far more effective than any other type -- they catch any dripping (like condensation form an icy drink), and probably not as exciting to feline claws or taste buds.

[Owlie]

I will suggest felt coasters. Far more effective than any other type -- they catch any dripping (like condensation form an icy drink), and probably not as exciting to feline claws or taste buds.

Isis couldn't care less about cork. She would absolutely destroy felt ones, though.

[lph]

Dear Cat,

I'm very glad you're a bit more happy in the new house, and I'm thrilled that you know your way outside now. But no, you still don't have a cat door, and you're not getting it back quite yet. So unless you want to be locked in the kitchen again all night (and no, you can not break your way out through a regular size door with 2 kitty paws, claws or not), you'd better shut up. We're not getting up at 5 in the morning to let you out to romp in the snow.

PS. Even though it's cute, hiding under the bed when we go to bed doesn't help either. You're terrible at hiding and we can hear you.

[Eden]

My cats are into destroying my cork coasters. I bought a replacement package because I thought those would stay intact, and yet they managed to destroy the second package too.

I bought a pack of cork hot pads (like coasters, but a whole lot bigger) - they all ended up being cat toys.... my male cat loves, loves, loves to use them as scratchers. They are kind of messy though...

[Brandi]

Dear cat,
Why do you leave poop nuggets all over the house? Your box is cleaned every day. Don't make me shave you!

[kajero]

Dear Cat
You are so strange. You go downstairs and howl, pathetic howling at best, and after 1 minute or so of howling :confused:, you come back upstairs. And as near I can tell you only do this once a day if you do it all. I wish you would tell me what your problem is because you sound so forlorn.

[nuliajuk]

Dear cat. Yes, it's still winter. Actually, if you follow the old joke about seasons in Saskatchewan, it's Almost Winter. Winter is still to come, followed by Still Winter, followed by Road Repairs. No good going to both doors several times a day, it's still -20 ºC with snow everywhere. And you know how you hate to get your paws cold and wet.
Relax. It will be Road Repairs before you know it, and you can drag me all over the neighbourhood again.

[lph]

Dear cat. Yes, it's still winter. Actually, if you follow the old joke about seasons in Saskatchewan, it's Almost Winter. Winter is still to come, followed by Still Winter, followed by Road Repairs. No good going to both doors several times a day, it's still -20 ºC with snow everywhere.

Aw :-)

We'ved had down to -15 C for almost two weeks now, and it has made it a lot easier having an outdoor cat in a new house. Not much need to worry about her getting lost... after three minutes her butt is cold and she's mewling to be let in again :-D

[IBrakeforPastry]

Aw :-)

We'ved had down to -15 C for almost two weeks now, and it has made it a lot easier having an outdoor cat in a new house. Not much need to worry about her getting lost... after three minutes her butt is cold and she's mewling to be let in again :-D

I almost went to Oslo last week for a long weekend (long story). I knew it would be chilly, and dark, and I guess it's best I didn't go. Someday...
(and congrats on the new house!)

[lph]

Wow! But I think you can be glad you didn't. It was bitterly cold, and there was hardly any snow to lighten things up so it's like scurrying around inside a black plastic bag. (Now however, we have loads and loads of snow, and the temperature is above freezing so it's all soaking sopping wet. Woop-de-doo.)

Come in June and I'll show you around by bike :-)

[IBrakeforPastry]

Careful, I take people up on offers like that! I don't have any vacation time in June this year, though. One week in May and one in July. I'm still trying to arrange a trip to include Bergen as well. I even looked at a fjord cruise but there was no time in Oslo :( I haven't given up yet! Norway's been on my list for years.

[IBrakeforPastry]

Where are you flying from? Icelandair has some good fares. Turkish Air and Aeroflot have great fares, if you want to fly 5 hours out of your way (and if you want to fly on Turkish or Aeroflot :eek:).

You're selling your Synapse? I just got mine in October and I'm having doubts about my choice. Mine's aluminum though. I put it on the trainer, hoping I'll get used to it. But that Surly Pacer is calling me.....

[IBrakeforPastry]

I almost booked a trip to Savannah for this winter. I could have returned with a nice souvenir ;) But, alas, 53 is too big for me, and I think I'm going to Florida instead. Thanks, though!

[VeganBikeChick]

Dear Laverne,

I'm sorry that when my guy stays over you are kicked out of the bedroom. But that is absolutely no excuse for pooping outside the litterbox. You don't realize how good you have it.

Signed,

Someone who will not be getting you Xmas treats this year

[smilingcat]

Dear Lulu,

I know you are very private kitty. The vet you saw yesterday says that she needs your poop sample. I have been keeping an eye on you all day and you have not pooped at all. How much longer can you hold out? I don't have to see you while you are doing your thing. I just need to know when you are going so I can wait and collect the needed sample. And no I can't substitute poop from any of the other kitties.

If you don't corporate, I will have to take drastic action and place you in a large dog kennel with a litterbox.

Your mom is not very pleased. Mom is also very concerned about your health.

love,

mom

[indysteel]

Dear Itty Bitty Kitty,

Well, we may have found a new home for you little girl, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I really don't want to rehome you, although I know it could be for the best as your current living situation in our house isn't ideal. But you're so special to me; it will hurt to say goodbye. Granted, your potential adoptive parents have other pets, so it remains to be seen whether you'll be suitable for them. You can always come back to us. We will lovem, you nutty little cat.

[Swan]

Dear stray ginger,
I know it was below freezing last night and that you were grateful for a warm place to sleep and a free meal... but you didn't have to thank me by finding a way to spray my bike seat and the sofa. I have to sit on that, you know! :(

[Owlie]

Dear Cat:
Why do you hate the things on the counter in the bathroom so much? Are you trying to tell me to clean up? Leave them alone!
Also, stop trying to get into the shower with me. It's weird.

[lph]

Dear Cat,

well lucky you. Your servants finally installed the woodstove you ordered ages ago. Merry Christmas :-)

[smilingcat]

Dear lulu,

First the good news about your poop sample. After being isolated in dog kennel for over 28 hours, you finally pooped and you were immediately released from your isolation.

Second good news is that your poop sample is free of any bugs. So no deworming for you.

The bad news? Well we don't understand why you are so hungry all of sudden. (we do have an idea but that will be TMI)

and MEEEE---OOWWW meowy Christmas ;)

love mom,

[tangentgirl]

Dear Kitties - holy crap, I have cats! How'd that happen?

Dear Hidey Cat - hamburger buns? Really? What kind of cat eats hamburger buns? I'll look for the puke from the plastic bag today, I'm sure it's coming. In the meantime, keep being adorable, and I'll overlook everything. Damnitt.

[IBrakeforPastry]

Dear Kitties - holy crap, I have cats! How'd that happen?

Dear Hidey Cat - hamburger buns? Really? What kind of cat eats hamburger buns? I'll look for the puke from the plastic bag today, I'm sure it's coming. In the meantime, keep being adorable, and I'll overlook everything. Damnitt.

Funny how that happens, isn't it? Enjoy your (apparently new) fur family!

[skhill]

Dear neighborhood cat,
I don't mind you hanging out on my front porch when it's raining or snowing. However, the cats who live in this house mind, the dog who lives here really minds, and I don't like the way they all carry on when you are curled up relaxing on the bench. So do you mind going elsewhere? The next two houses to the west both have nice porches, and all the residents are humans.

[indysteel]

Dear Kitties - holy crap, I have cats! How'd that happen?

Dear Hidey Cat - hamburger buns? Really? What kind of cat eats hamburger buns? I'll look for the puke from the plastic bag today, I'm sure it's coming. In the meantime, keep being adorable, and I'll overlook everything. Damnitt.

Two of the five cats I've had liked to eat bread. A fourth likes to lick the plastic bags it often comes in and the fifth likes celery. There's no accounting for their fixations.

[Owlie]

Dear Kitties - holy crap, I have cats! How'd that happen?

Dear Hidey Cat - hamburger buns? Really? What kind of cat eats hamburger buns? I'll look for the puke from the plastic bag today, I'm sure it's coming. In the meantime, keep being adorable, and I'll overlook everything. Damnitt.

Mine likes canned tuna, but also canned pumpkin and oil-and-vinegar salad dressing. At least the tuna makes sense! Cat are weird.

Dear cat:
Please stop waking me at 4am to either lick every bit of exposed skin you can find or pounce on my toes/head/whatever. It's really irritating. Do it again and I'm banning you from the bedroom.

[malkin]

One of mine will get anything from the counter in a plastic bag.

Dear Cats:
Helping with the dental floss is a good job for you. Helping with contact lenses--not so much.

[skhill]

Dear Moses,

You are such a great alpha cat! Sure, you're fond of the perks (bossing everyone around at meal times, first dibs on laps, not having to bury what you've left in the litter box). But you are also good at looking out for your underlings and keeping order. When the dog was getting too frisky with the youngest cat, you stomped in and said in your kitty language "keep it cool folks. Break it up now. I don't want any trouble here." And everyone listened... It's too bad youngest cat isn't more grateful!

[kajero]

Dear Ransom,

When you were given to me as a newborn I wanted a cuddly cat. But now at 9 years old you are too cuddly. Everytime I sit down you have to be on my lap. If you are not on my lap you are laying up against me so I can't hardly move. When I go to bed you have to get in get right into my face before you lay down. And when I brush you away, you whine and and whine. When I am sitting at my computer room desk, you put your front paws on my thigh, whine, and won't leave until I pick you up and hold you. It is very had to work with a cat on your lap.

If I shut doors to keep you out you scratch and whine until I open it. It is very distracting.

Despite all this I still love you. I guess you must be making up for the other cat who barely lets us near him!

[lph]

Dear Cat,

I don't have the nerves for this. But I'm onto you now.

We don't have a cat flap yet, so Lyra's usual routine goes like this. Sleep all day, hang out with us in the afternoon, get fed in the evening, go out for the night. In the early morning she'll jump in our bedroom window, get let into the rest of the house, take a nap, and wake us up to get breakfast if we're not up by five minutes past the usual time. She will occasionally miss coming back for breakfast, but we will then be met after work by an indignant cat pawing at the garden door wondering why the h*** she's hungry and outside.

So when she hadn't turned up by breakfast time yesterday I wasn't too worried. It was a cold and wet day so we figured she was napping somewhere dry. But when she still hadn't turned up by the afternoon, and dh had been home all day without seeing her we started getting worried. We started calling and searching for her, going much further than I have ever seen her go, somewhat hampered by the fact that we live next door to a large absolutely no-entry army camp. The completely overgrown swathe of land just outside our garden and just inside their fence is her favourite hunting ground. The guard at the gate was polite and amused when a distraught woman with straggly hair turned up in the evening looking for her cat but was not about to let me inside.

I was mostly worried about a fox getting her. We live right up against the woods, hardly any traffic, but she's territorial and would quite probably try to defend her space against a fox, or even a badger. And she has come home wide-eyed and very jumpy before, as though she'd been in a showdown with some animal.

By nightfall I was a total mess, and dreading having to tell my son that Lyra was gone. Left a window open and slept fitfully, starting at the smallest noise in the house. After getting up to check the first two sounds and finding nothing I decided not to get up any more as it was just too disappointing. Besides, I expected that if she did come in it would be with loud demands for food and company.

Got up this morning with a very heavy heart, hoping against hope that she would meet me in the hall as usual, but no.

But a few minutes later a calm and nonchalant cat comes wandering down the hall from my son's bedroom where she has been quietly sleeping as if nothing had happened and the past day never existed.

Why do they DO this to us??

[nuliajuk]

Dear cat
When we visited with the nice lady down the street whose dog you get on well with, we weren't expecting her neighbour to have her three cats all outside. Good thing you were on the leash because the language you were using suggested you wanted to take on all three. Bad idea. You don't have a full set of teeth and every one of them is bigger than you. So stop trying to drag us back down there EVERY time we take you out. Get over it!!!

[Blueberry]

Dear Cat:

You 2 brothers can behave - why can't you? Dragging off my husband's favorite sweater and trying to eat it is not endearing you to him (and you're officially his cat!). What is it with wool - not yarn - anything wool! You can't stop eating it.

Confused,

Your mom

[VeganBikeChick]

Dear Laverne,

I'm so sorry I stepped on your tail this morning while you were underfoot. I'm glad I had your immediate forgiveness by you rubbing up against me immediately - wish people were like you!

[aponi]

I'm so glad you got to sleep in this morning when I got up at 5:30 to go for a run. You're right, there's no sense in all of us having to be out in the heat and humidity.

[skhill]

Dear Joe,

Maybe you should take a hint from how the dog snaps at you whenever you mess with her chew toys, and just not do it. Remember, she is 4 times your size!

[Boudicca]

Dear Cat

Kibble is dead already. You do not need to bat it out of the kibble dish and chase it all round the kitchen floor.

Also litter belongs in the tray, not scratched out onto the bathroom floor.

Thank you

[marni]

dear Tux

the water is already in the water dish. Excavation in the water dish will not increase the amount or create a flow and once it is all over the floor it evaporates before I can refill the dish. Stop digging already.

[skhill]

dear cats,

I'm sorry the dry food bowl ran empty overnight. But since you waited until 4 a.m. to tell me, couldn't you have waited another hour? You know I get up at 5, and give you breakfast before even starting the coffee. And to be frank, all of you could stand to miss an occasional meal anyway.

[indysteel]

dear Tux

the water is already in the water dish. Excavation in the water dish will not increase the amount or create a flow and once it is all over the floor it evaporates before I can refill the dish. Stop digging already.

LOL. One of our cats likes to put bugs that she catches and certain "illicit" toys, e.g, my ponytail holders that she hunts from my gym bag, into her water dish only to then splash all the water out of the bowl in an effort to retrieve it. Fun to watch, but bad for our hardwood floors!

[Helene2013]

Dear cats!!!

Do you have to start a loud racing game across the whole upper floor and jumping everywhere at 11pm (I know you guys are noctural ... but still) when we are in bed trying to sleep before getting up at 4am! Wouldn't you prefer to do those games before we go to bed so we can sleep peacefully!

This way of doing drives the dog insane downstairs and she will bark like crazy, which drives us crazy in return with all that commotion.

Do you have to step on the blind dog sleeping near us on the floor on his carpet and startle him so he growls and snaps in the air because he got caught off guard! Which again wakes me up with heart pounding and almost leads me to put you 2 in the garage for the night!!! And then I can't no longer fall back asleep!

And when WE humans have to wake up, you are snoring and nothing can move you. Argggh!

Your master living in YOUR house but who pays the mortgage!

[katluvr]

Dear Cats,
(Specifically Snow & Andi). I am sorry I had to take you to the vet today. It was hard for me, too. Last time I went was to pick up your brother's things after he died. But I try to be a good mommy and it was time for your annual. Snow, thanks for presenting us with a stool sample in her carrier. Andi, you are the sweetest, easy going, friendly, dog-cat at home, but you are possessed by a growling, spitting, Tasmanian devil at the vet. Seriously it will be sedatives next time! Also, next time can you present your stool sample on the way to the vet and not on the way home?

Love your loving but exhausted mommy

P.S. Do you think the two black and white kittens would be welcomed in our home? Of course then there were be 7 fur babies and we would definitely be considered hoarders!

[marni]

LOL. One of our cats likes to put bugs that she catches and certain "illicit" toys, e.g, my ponytail holders that she hunts from my gym bag, into her water dish only to then splash all the water out of the bowl in an effort to retrieve it. Fun to watch, but bad for our hardwood floors!

fortunately we have tile, but the bottom of the refrigerator may rust out. And why does the digging always start at 2:00 AM? why because he is an ADD, Bi-Polar. projectile shedding Maine Coon , that's why.

he's anut, but we love him, despite slip slidding to the coffee machine in the morning.

[lph]

Dear Lyra,

I don't know why you're suddenly being such a floppy purry love bug all over me because you still regularly bite my son (granted, he can be brash and annoying) but I still appreciate it.

Maybe it's because you got your cat door back and can go in and out whenever your royal highness pleases instead of looking mournfully at us.
You're welcome. Please don't start dragging prey in. At least not the live ones, and please please don't hide them under the couch. I'm out of the habit of checking every other day.

[kajero]

Dear Cougar & Ransom
Why do you sleep all day and stay awake all night? You look so peaceful sleeping in the sun right now. How can you be such brats at 1:00 a.m.? I have so much trouble falling asleep and then after I do, you seem to need to pounce on me. I do love you, but can't you just be a little more considerate?

[Owlie]

Sounds about right. Crazy O'Clock lasts between 11:00 pm and 1:00 am, human time.

When I first got Isis, she wanted to play fetch at 4am.

[kajero]

Dear Ransom,

More than anything I wanted to go bike riding today. It is sunny and warm. It is nearing the end of September and I don't know how many good riding days are left. But as I made the bed this morning, I found your most recent "throw-up" on the queen size quilted bedspread. I thought we had gotten past that stage of your life. Now I have to spend the afternoon at the local Laundromat! :mad:

When we went on vacation, my brother came over, gave you a treat, and cleaned the kitty litter every day. You never threw up that whole two weeks we were gone. If you did, I never found it. So now you are back to your old habits. I read somewhere it could be because we are stressing you out. Well, my brother does not want to adopt you so you can be around less stress, so please try to be more considerate. If you must throw up, please do it on the bathroom floor where it is easy to clean up. Thank you.

[Owlie]

Dearest kitty,
Why have you taken to lurking behind my chair? I know we don't have the arrangement we had in the old place, so that you could sit in "your" chair and keep an eye on me, but surely you must realize that behind a rolling chair is not a good place to sit.

The human.

[spokewench]

Sounds like kitty needs one of those soft roll up beds near you so he can watch!

[kajero]

Dear Ransom & Cougar

My SO keeps telling me I snore. I can't convince him that it is you, Ransom. You snore so loudly that sometimes I can't get to sleep. And if I finally do get to sleep, sometimes your snoring will even wake me up.

Cougar, you have a "purring" kind of snoring. It is not too bad. It does sound strange though.

Please sleep somewhere besides our bedroom if you have to snore. SO's snoring is bad enough..:rolleyes:

The lady who gives you a treat every morning and every evening.

[nuliajuk]

Dear Ransom & Cougar

My SO keeps telling me I snore. I can't convince him that it is you, Ransom. You snore so loudly that sometimes I can't get to sleep. And if I finally do get to sleep, sometimes your snoring will even wake me up.

Cougar, you have a "purring" kind of snoring. It is not too bad. It does sound strange though.

Please sleep somewhere besides our bedroom if you have to snore. SO's snoring is bad enough..:rolleyes:

The lady who gives you a treat every morning and every evening.
LOL! We had one that snored so loudly, you could hear it in the basement under the bedroom - she slept near the heating duct. Daintiest, prettiest cat you ever saw, but snored like a large male human.

Speaking of nocturnal habits, does anyone know if blue-eyed cats in general are less nocturnal than cats with the normal green/yellow/orange eye colour? Last time we took ours for her physical, I mentioned to the vet that she didn't seem to see as well in dim light as any other cat we'd ever had, and that she was much more diurnal than nocturnal. The vet said she would have a different ratio of rods and cones in her retina than a normal eye colour cat. When she examined Taffy's eyes she said that the retina was wavering (jiggling?), which apparently is normal for siamese and siamese mixes. Has anyone here had a non-colourpoint blue eyed cat and noticed that it wasn't very nocturnal? The colourpoint gene is a form of albinoism, but I don't know what's going on gene-wise for other blue-eyed cats.

[skhill]

Dear Joe,

Didn't you see that the warmest spot on the kitchen counter was already occupied by a loaf of rising bread dough? Looks like it made a comfy seat for you, but PLEASE! I wasn't planning on giving it another rise. In this cool fall weather it was already taking long enough.

[lph]

Dear Joe,

Didn't you see that the warmest spot on the kitchen counter was already occupied by a loaf of rising bread dough? Looks like it made a comfy seat for you, but PLEASE! I wasn't planning on giving it another rise. In this cool fall weather it was already taking long enough.

Hah! Awesome :-D

Our Lyra likes to lie halfway on top of odd objects for no discernable reason, but she's never picked a loaf of bread!

[kajero]

This is a bicycle website and this thread is for cats, right? so the cat wants to go bicycling -- but should I tell her she is backwards?

16736

[Catrin]

Sweet! Thanks for the photo!

[Owlie]

This is a bicycle website and this thread is for cats, right? so the cat wants to go bicycling -- but should I tell her she is backwards?

16736
Aww! You should get her a little trail-a-bike!

(Mine is a tiny mechanic. She will happily inspect your tires, chain and cables after a ride!)

[marni]

Hah! Awesome :-D

Our Lyra likes to lie halfway on top of odd objects for no discernable reason, but she's never picked a loaf of bread!

We used to have a devon Rex that loved to sleep draped across the cable box so much that he had no hair left on his chest,belly and crotch.

[kajero]

Dear Cats

I spent nearly 30 minutes cleaning the glass insert on our coffee table that sits in front of the couch. Couldn't you have let me enjoy the sparkling clean surface for at least a couple of hours before you walked al over it and left your paw prints???

[marni]

Dear Cats

I spent nearly 30 minutes cleaning the glass insert on our coffee table that sits in front of the couch. Couldn't you have let me enjoy the sparkling clean surface for at least a couple of hours before you walked al over it and left your paw prints???

Try a layer of Saran Wrap over the glass for a couple of days. Cats don't like how it feels on their feet! Aversion training works. This is also good for scratching on furniture, or at least it did for me.

[kajero]

Dear Cat,

Winter must be upon us. It's the only thing that explains all the trouble you are causing me lately. It must be getting boring to look out the windows and the sun doesn't shine on your cat tree this time of year.

I am desperately trying to construct and sew 16778a very well fitting pair of pants. I put the pattern pieces on the 16779 floor as I took them off so I could use the craft table to lay the material to make sure I pinned the fabric pieces together correctly for sewing. I have already nearly destroyed the pattern with all the alterations I have made. I know I should have traced the pattern first, I kind of did, but it wasn't as accurate as I wanted it to be. So the tissue is on the floor and you have to get it into it and play in it and make an even worse mess of it. I will probably have to salvage it because I need that pattern for a class I am taking. I am hunting all over the Internet to buy it again. I think I may have found it, but it is going to cost you $14 in cat treats.
16780

PS: Dear Cat. I have added little pictures to this story in case you look read it. I want you to understand the problem as well as possible.

[skhill]

Dear Cats,

Tonight is the time change, when the clocks are set back an hour. So I'm warning you now that your tummies will be telling you it's time for breakfast an hour before I have any intention of serving it. If the first digit on the clock is a 3 when you guys start asking I get up, I will not be happy at all.

I promise you'll have a late night snack just before I go to bed, and I'll make sure the dry food bowl is full. Just let me sleep, OK?

Love, the can opener

PS Do you have a reset switch hidden away somewhere under all that fur?

[lph]

Dear Lyra,

thank you for helping us decorate the house for Halloween, your favourite holiday I imagine. It was a lovely fat rat.

Usually, though, we put the decorations out where people can see them, instead of hiding them under the couch. On the other hand, since DS was having all his classmates over for a party and most of them are teenage girls from nice homes, your way was just fine.

[skhill]

Dear Cats,

That was definitely a 3 on the clock when you started reminding me that breakfast time was approaching-- 3:18, to be exact. Well, at least I wasn't late to my 7:30 choir call at church. And you let me sleep until nearly 5 today, so we're cool.

Yes, the new piece of cat furniture is second-hand and smells like other cats. Please don't spray it to claim it as your own. Just use your claws.

Thanks

[SheFly]

Dear Cat,

Did you really have to jump in my lap to puke this morning?

SheFly

[pll]

My apologies if this has been posted here already, but I was laughing about this video, "sad cat diary":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKffm2uI4dk

[snapdragen]

pll, that is wonderful!! :D :D I needed the laugh.

[Thorn]

pll...that was wonderful....my sides hurt and I have tears running down my face. I really need that. Thanks

[Catrin]

That was delightful, thanks for posting it! SO glad I didn't see this a couple of days ago, the laughter would have hurt far too much :)

"This is the 900th day that my face has been accidentally wetted"... poor kitteh!

[marni]

and tux the maine coon who constantly leaves dripping faucets behind, he of the eternally wet head,doesn't see what the problem is with a wet nose.

we have had to move the self filling water bowl to the bathtub in order to prevent waking up or coming home to a fully flooded kitchen. Miss Ikew the other cat is irritated that her favorite spa day play pen (the bathtub) is now occupied by the water monster., Life is not easy around here for the cats.

[nuliajuk]

and tux the maine coon who constantly leaves dripping faucets behind, he of the eternally wet head,doesn't see what the problem is with a wet nose.

we have had to move the self filling water bowl to the bathtub in order to prevent waking up or coming home to a fully flooded kitchen. Miss Ikew the other cat is irritated that her favorite spa day play pen (the bathtub) is now occupied by the water monster., Life is not easy around here for the cats.
Years ago I had a cat that would wait patiently under the bathtub tap for me to turn it on just a trickle so she could drink. One day I didn't get there fast enough for her liking, so she clawed at the tap, peered up into the spout to see if anything was coming out yet, then clawed at the tap some more. Good thing I didn't have those lever faucets, she'd have opened them on her own while I was away, I'm sure - and of course not turned them off again.
Yeah, she was smart, so smart it was almost scary.

[Becky]

Dear Cat-

I'm so very very sorry that I broke your foot. I'm even more sorry that the splint is cumbersome and the e-collar terrifies you. Pleasepleaseplease....be a good patient, eat and drink normally, and leave your splint alone so that maybe I can take that collar off. You tell me if you want the pain meds, cuz right now that just seems like more mental anguish on top of what you've already gone through.

Love,
Your mom, who feels like the world's worst human being right now.

[skhill]

Dear cats,

So I didn't lose my warmest mittens after all-- you just hid them under a chair. But you know, warm mittens help the dog get nice, long walks, which means more dog-free time for you!

[Xrayted]

pll, there is a dog version too...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw1C5T-fH2Y

[snapdragen]

"This is all too much, I must pee on the bed"

[Blueberry]

Dear Cats-

Thank you for not freaking out that there is an obnoxious dog in your space. I'm sorry he has to be here, but he does (since my dad has scheduled his knee replacement surgery, and the dog can't go home until he is home and recovered). We'll keep trying to give you extra scratches and treats, and please give the dog a wide berth when his food is out (since he has already snarled at you for walking past). We won't feed him when we aren't there to supervise, of course. If we haven't told you lately, you are awesome cats!

[pll]

pll, there is a dog version too...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw1C5T-fH2Y

I found the cat one funnier. The dog version is to focused on... bodily functions.

[smilingcat]

Dear cats and dogs too...

All of you are misbehaving beyond words. I love each and everyone of you. However, this latest is really trying my patience to a point where I can literally scream and throw all of you out of the house. I feed you, I play with you, I let most of you sleep on my bed with me... And all of you in return do these horrible act? What do I not understand?

I'm tired of wet vacuuming the living room carpet. Cats, you have five yes that's right you have five litter boxes. Three of them are gigaenormous plastic storage tub that I've modified to be a litter box. It's like a sand box.

GAHHHH!!!!

Would anyone like to adopt a mischievous cats? They are all bottle fed by me and raised to be a very loving house cats. Never been outside. Pampered and very loving.

[kajero]

I know you didn't like the new litter box Don bought you, but did you really have to use the guest room carpet to poop on and my beautiful quilt to pee on for two weeks? You just knew I don't check that downstairs room very often, didn't you?

Dear Cat:

16946 What do you have against me in that downstairs room?

We couldn't get the smell out of the carpet so we re-carpeted the room. We decided to do away with the guest room and turn it in to a sewing room for me.
So now you had to get behind me when I was ironing a seam. I tripped on your tail and dropped the iron on the new carpet. The sole plate melted the carpet and now I have a impression of the bottom of the iron on my brand new carpet. Perhaps I should be thankful the melted carpet doesn't smell like the litter box episode.

And you wonder why I quit buying treats.

Love, Mom.

PS thank you for returning to use your old litter box.

[kajero]

Dear Cat:

16946 What do you have against me in that downstairs room?

Now you had slip into the room unnoticed, jump up on the cabinet, and topple my sewing accessory box to the floor. Everything is all over the place. I better be able to find all the sewing machine feet tomorrow morning when it is light out or your name is mud! Some of those accessories will be very expensive to replace if they have gone to no-mans' land.

You are absolutely trying my patience!

Mom

[smilingcat]

Why why why??

I woke this morning to find my desk completely "wiped clean". all my pencils and pens in a small pitcher were scattered on the floor. All the letters/bills that were neatly organized were found on the floor. My cell phone, mp3 players also on the floor. Everything was on the floor. You didn't miss a thing.

Then tonight, one of you went into my bathroom and knocked a roll of paper towel, half a roll, in the sink and proceeded to turn on the faucet hot water no less. I think its been running for more than half an hour.

There were other horrible deeds but they are so horrible I can't mention it here.

Your litter boxes are clean, your water bowls have fresh clean water, your food dishes gets washed twice a day. You get fed three times a day so what is the deal??

You say because its full moon tonight? But all of you are cats not dogs. Holly is a dog but she didn't do any of this.

Good thing my digital caliper didn't get broken or else!!

[lph]

Dear sweet drama queen of the universe,

we love you dearly and we want you to be well. Is there any possible chance you could, just for a few years now, suffer from something that wasn't mysterious, fleeting, and causing huge veterinary bills? Like ordinary cats do? I don't think there is a specific insurance for Hypochondriac Cats.

[Helene2013]

HA! I hear you on this. My mom took me to the vet rush on Friday night (altough she was bed ridden with a bad cold/flu) because they had noticed I had problem peeing. Was always trying in hard in litterbox but only a few drops at a time, for the past week. They were afraid of blockage and you can die quickly of this they told me. Vet kept me in crate (what a pain!) until I had enough pee in bladder to get a needle into my stomach for a pee sample, and then shaved my beautiful long hair on tummy to get ultrasound done. Ended up I have beautiful urine (no blood, no sugar), and ultrasound showed no stone. So vet said it was psychological! Heuh! What???? So mom ended up paying a nice bill, for me. But they are still watching me in case. And they had a full panel blood test done after in case it showed something wrong with my body. I do have elevated ALT so need to be rechecked again in a month. oh well. They got a scare but I'm ok. I like to play diva. :D

[lph]

It just never fails. She gets sick, and not just mopey, but don't-mind-me-while-I-crawl-into-a-corner-to-die-sick only on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays, thereby ensuring either an emergency weekend call or a stay at the vets over the weekend, which in Norway has astronomical fees.

[Helene2013]

:) Don't we love them heuh!

[azfiddle]

Dear Rory,

Thank you for welcoming little 4 month old Bran into our house. You know the reason he came to live with us is because you seemed to be missing the dog when she moved out with my son about 6 weeks ago, and you were pestering us humans a lot. I was a little nervous about the all the cat-wrestling at first, but it seems to be all in fun, and even though it's been less than a week, I noticed that the two of you seem to be spending a lot of time near each other. Sometimes you come up and touch noses. I noticed he gobbles his treats and tries to steal yours, so be patient with him and I'll make sure you get your share.

I hope this is the start of a long and happy cat-friendship :)

[smilingcat]

Dear cat,

I don't know which one of you did it but now the computer I use for surfing the internet is missing two keys!! One of you pried and peeld away two keys off this lap top. I guess you thought I don't need the closing curly bracket, closing square bracket, a vertical bar and the back slash. The brackets are very important when I write TCL code, They are an integral part of the programming language. The vertical bar is needed for ...

GAHHH!!!

Yes this lap top is old but its still working just fine and it still has enough ummph to surf the internet and do few other things.

Why are you making my life more difficult!!?

[snapdragen]

That is too funny. Did you look under the couch? :D :D

[Eden]

or down the heater vents (if you have them)

[lph]

Very funny :-D

Yesterday cat had pulled out and shredded some of my sons homework overnight. She's not usually quite that boisterous on her own and I don't think he had any food left in his school bag, so I'm guessing she had caught a mouse and it ran and hid there, and the shredding was part of the ensuing hunt.

But I guess you can still say "the cat ate my homework!!"

[Sky King]

I have no kitty :( but have any of you seen the you tube that is floating around on facebook of the cat playing Jinga with his owner

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOyZojbYUEA

[lph]

That is adorable! Love the interaction, that's one pleased and entertained cat.

[smilingcat]

Dear Brendon,

You came to me from People and Cats together rescue group back in October of 2000. The very nice person who ran the organization was fostering you and she said you were the very best boy. She said you were full grown but after we adopted you, we think you were around 1 year old. You had a vibrant youthful energy, the curiosity of a young cat. Yet you never really got into trouble all these years. I never taught you to stay off the counter. Yet you never jumped on the counter. For a stray you really never were interested in dashing outside. And you had a very nice older main coon to be your best bud.

Over the years, you helped me raise litter after litter of bottlefed kittens. Showed them the cats way. Let the kittens climb on you, scratch you, bite you but you were always very patient.

And now after 14 great years, the age is finally catching up. Then again it is to all of us. The person who rescued you and fostered you suffered a stroke. She is okay just bit frail now. Your mom is living a life very different than when she picked you up. Along the way, your furry family has grown to nine other cats and three new dogs. The dogs you first met have been gone for ten years maybe more.

I just hope whatever ails you right now is just temporary.

Maybe you'll eat some pureed chicken (baby food). You need to regain your weight. Losing more than 10% of your body weight in about a month is not a good thing. And your vet trip today just really knocked the wind out of you. You were napping as I lay next to you. I held your head and caressed your back. You purred most of the hour with your tongue sticking out.

I hope you had a very nice dream.

Love mom,

[bmccasland]

Brendon,
Hope you get to feeling better soon, and that your vet has found out why you don't feel very good. Is it your thyroid? Or blood sugar perhaps? According to my big sister Calypso, she had an older sister cat who had thyroid problems (hyperthyroid) and a big brother catta who was diabetic. Mum took good care of them until they crossed the rainbow bridge at the age of 17 hooman years.

~ Chloe
(who hyjacked Mum's computer)

[smilingcat]

Thank you Beth,

Every day he is here and healthy is another day of joy for me. He means a lot to me. He seems to be getting over the semi emergency vet visit the other day. The blood test came back and only real issue is he is in early stages of renal failure at between stage 1 and stage 2. He does have thickened intestine so he may have cancer.,, He did have one minor procedure done while we were there last week but that will be TMI for most people. Lets just say, he seems to be relieved.

The good vet wants to do a biopsy of the thickened intestine but what is the point? If he has it then I feel like I'm torturing him at his age. If he doesn't then why put him through the pain to begin with. So he is on steroids to help him get over the hump. He has a real good appetite for now with cooked organic/free range chicken breast (chicken we raise). He seems to be lot more alert. And he is happy and content being next to me.

so we are taking one day at a time. He seems to be out of the woods for now.

[smilingcat]

Dear Cats,

I'm not trying to poison you. Those little white things are pills. So please do not bite off my finger or rake me with your sharp claws. One of you get three different meds each day. another gets just one pill a day and third one gets a topical ointment. And please do not lick it off.

Medicine was expensive but more importantly, its for your own good.

[nuliajuk]

We've just gotten another one from the SPCA. They really dropped the ball with her right from the start.

First they described her as "seal point" and didn't post a picture. She's actually a light blue point, verging on lilac, so if her original owners had phoned them to ask if she'd been brought in, they'd likely have been told there was no such cat in the shelter. (They double as city animal control, so all strays are brought to them.)

Second, she's pregnant - at least 6 weeks pregnant! How could they have missed that? They had ample time to spay her before it got this far. Now we have to rush off tomorrow and have a prenatal spay done. We considered letting the kittens be born, but they've been exposed to several vaccines, deworming medication, and anaesthetic (for a tooth removal) in the last 3 weeks, all of which could lead to lifelong health problems even if they are born alive.

On the plus side, she's really sweet, impossibly cute, and already gets along with our big male. Right now she's exploring the house and has gotten into trouble just once, checking out the space behind the dryer. I had to pull it out to get her out of there. Not that well trained - every time she tries to scratch furniture we pick her up and carry her over to the scratching post, so eventually she'll get it.

[thekarens]

We've just gotten another one from the SPCA. They really dropped the ball with her right from the start.

First they described her as "seal point" and didn't post a picture. She's actually a light blue point, verging on lilac, so if her original owners had phoned them to ask if she'd been brought in, they'd likely have been told there was no such cat in the shelter. (They double as city animal control, so all strays are brought to them.)

Second, she's pregnant - at least 6 weeks pregnant! How could they have missed that? They had ample time to spay her before it got this far. Now we have to rush off tomorrow and have a prenatal spay done. We considered letting the kittens be born, but they've been exposed to several vaccines, deworming medication, and anaesthetic (for a tooth removal) in the last 3 weeks, all of which could lead to lifelong health problems even if they are born alive.

On the plus side, she's really sweet, impossibly cute, and already gets along with our big male. Right now she's exploring the house and has gotten into trouble just once, checking out the space behind the dryer. I had to pull it out to get her out of there. Not that well trained - every time she tries to scratch furniture we pick her up and carry her over to the scratching post, so eventually she'll get it.

Congrats! Siamese are my favorite! Both of ours are Siamese mixes from the pound.

[Blueberry]

Dear Kitten: Regarding the Big Game (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBrSvHPY1NQ&spfreload=10)

[nuliajuk]

Had those growing up. Wonderful kitties!
She may have gotten her colouring from a Himalayan/Persian ancestor, as she has a little turned-up nose. She's playful and active enough to be part Siamese, though. We get her back today at 4:00. I hope it goes well, prenatal spays are riskier than regular spays.

[nuliajuk]

Hope everything goes well, there.

Can you post a picture of her when you have one? Sounds adorable.

It's working out better than we'd hoped. They're playing together, he's licked her forehead a few times, and they're starting to sleep close together.
1753717538

[salsabike]

Beautiful cats!

[kajero]

I thought I might try to go for a bike ride (in honor of my friends birthday seeing as she is the one who got me in to riding again) or take a class to start using my membership at LTF again (once again in honor of her birthday), but she is going to have to take a raincheck.

I am now taking a well needed break to write this.

The sump pump malfunctioned in the laundry room during the heavy rain last night and I now have the biggest mess to clean up in the laundry room. :eek: There is water everywhere! Of course, I has just changed the kitty litter tub last night which got entirely soaked and spilled out onto the floor. I also bought new boxes of kitty litter on Sunday. Fortunately, I was able to save the most of the kitty litter in the boxes, but there is wet kitty litter all over the place and everyone knows what happens when kitty litter gets wet. It’s nearly impossible to clean up. If you let it dry it gets hard as a rock and sticks to the floor. When it is wet it’s like cleaning up goo. And I can't find where she did her business while her kitty little was under siege.

The carpet right outside the laundry room door is entirely soaked. I used to have rug on it which may have helped keep the carpet a little dryer but I don't remember where it went. I will have to use the shop vacuum to get the water out of the rug . . . it's that wet.

So far I have been cleaning for two hours. Everything on the floor has seems to have kitty litter on it and needs to be rinsed off. Once I get the water sopped up with towels and then use the shop vac I think I will take everything to the laundry mat to wash which means using another two hours of my time when I could be doing something else at home.

It’s sad, because I was invited out to dinner tonight but I doubt I will get this project done in time to go. And even if I do get it done I will probably be too tired to drive to the other side of the world anyway (from New Hope to Burnsville).

Now, if anyone has nothing to do and wants to help a damsel in distress . . .

[ny biker]

Yuck, sounds like a terrible mess. Too bad you're missing out on fun plans. Hopefully you can reschedule with your friends for another day.