Show us your pets!

My mom was doing some work at my house while I was at the office one day, and she realized that she hadn't seen the "lazy" cat (Skunk, behind the bike above) in several hours despite searching my entire house. She knew the cat hadn't gotten out but was terrified that the cat had eaten some of the paint she was using and was sick or dead somewhere.

Well, Skunk is good at hiding. And sleeping. And if I'm not home, she has to be protected on at least 3 sides to take a nap (probably because she came from a cat colony and lived outside for several years...and also because when she sleeps, she's out cold). It turned out that she had gotten inside a box stored under my bed and didn't want to come out until she knew I was back. Poor Mom.

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Originally Posted by invsblwmn

The other day I was sitting on the couch with my big girl, Bailey, Shar Pei laying next to me. I realized that the new Pei, Beau, was not in his usually spot on the chaise, or on the floor or on the bed, and I began to panic. Where did he go??? I got up and there he was, perched on top of the back of the couch, snoozing life away...Gotta love the fur babies...

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Oh that is too cute!:)

This is Tigger, my last cat. He was an HIV kitty who I had taken from a friend as a favor. I had always been able to deal with my allergies for cats, but it had been some years since my last cat and apparently my allergies got worse. After two trips to the ER for asthma attacks, and no relief from the usual allergy remedies/drugs, I found him another home where he got another HIV+ playmate to live/play/fight with. They didn't even fight but started playing immediately, I think they were both lonely kitties and needed another cat around.

I miss him, and I miss having a cat around. No other kind of pet seems to compare with having a cat or two. As you can see, he was a bibliofeline and could not resist laying on whatever book I happened to be reading at the time :)

Bibliofeline! I think I'm familiar with that breed.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._5271108_n.jpg

I'm always a fan of just how comfortable she gets, as if she's had such an exhausting day and really needs to unwind.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._3534319_n.jpg

LOL - these pictures made me break out in laughter - thanks for posting them!

Cat's know how to live!

Here's what Tari looks like today, from x-ray to pig-like blob, to tall lanky puppy at 8 weeks.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_V5xeUX9jQEw/TK...0/_MG_1631.jpg

(and look at my avatar, tall lanky purebred IG looks like my stubby chubby mutt, LOL)

she's a cutie!!

how are your other dogs adjusting to the new baby in the house?

Tari is adorable! Love the ears and knobbly knees.

Lyra must have had a rough night, because she's spent all day finding new places to sleep. No, that's not quite right - she helped my dh sew a new bed cover. And she helped me fix my bike. She hasn't quite got the hang of this pillow thing, though.

Lyra looks a lot like a cat we used to have :) She was quite the feisty little diva; you wouldn't dare touch her with your foot, only with your hand and just on her head and back.

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Originally Posted by badger

she's a cutie!!

how are your other dogs adjusting to the new baby in the house?

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It's an adventure. Tari isn't really at my house, the breeder still officially has her. Some IG breeders feel that they aren't ready to go home until 10 weeks, smaller dogs mature more slowly. But, I live about 5 miles away from the breeder, so I go over and take 2-4 puppies from her, then bring them back several hours later. This is working out well, my guys get used to the puppies, Tari gets used to my house, but has her siblings with her. I think this will help with mama separation when I do take her.
Murphy wants to be left alone! he tells the puppies to back off in no uncertain terms, but they don't understand him. He's been really good - snarling and nasty, but runs away. He has every right, I just have to make sure the puppies don't push him too far. Finn, I can't read Finn, she either wants to kill them or play with them, either way I'm not letter her have too much of an opportunity.

The latest round of photos - these are mostly "stacking" photos, the breeder is trying to see what they'd look like in the show ring, if they will stand right.
http://picasaweb.google.com/TsPoet99/Puppies8Weeks#

I think my biological clock is ticking, but coming out in a different way. I've been wanting to adopt a cat of a dog so badly lately. I have 2 cats at home, but I still feel this overwhelming desire to adopt another needy cat. And I come across so many of them at the spca, it's getting to the point I go home every week wanting to bring this or that cat back.

Yesterday I was surprised to see one cat still around. She was there last week in very dire condition after being found viturally starved to death. She's also 13 (traced through tattoo, however owner has moved and not traceable) so I figured her odds were not good. Her liver was shot because of the starvation, but were awaiting another test to see just how bad. I left a note to call me if her liver was ok but were going to euthanize her; I'll take her.

I hadn't heard from them so I figured she was put down. So, I was surprised when she was there yesterday looking SO much better. She's still wobbly, but is walking now, and eating well. She could use fostering, but they'll be sending her to the shelter today.

I SOOO want to bring her home with me, but the logical side of me says I shouldn't. I'm just pining to adopt, I guess it's my body saying it wants to take care of something.

do it! I have two senior citizen boy kitties that I just adopted, both asymptomatic FIV+. If it doesn't work out with liver-kitty, do a petfinder search on 'senior', 'special needs'. It feels so good to care for a cat that needs love and has very little chance without you. I have love to give :)

I foster 2 bunnies. I have 3 of my own bunnies.

I am not having human babies. I am 33, and I *know* my biological clock has been screaming for a few years now.

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Originally Posted by Catrin

This is Tigger, my last cat. He was an HIV kitty who I had taken from a friend as a favor. I had always been able to deal with my allergies for cats, but it had been some years since my last cat and apparently my allergies got worse. After two trips to the ER for asthma attacks, and no relief from the usual allergy remedies/drugs, I found him another home where he got another HIV+ playmate to live/play/fight with. They didn't even fight but started playing immediately, I think they were both lonely kitties and needed another cat around.

I miss him, and I miss having a cat around. No other kind of pet seems to compare with having a cat or two. As you can see, he was a bibliofeline and could not resist laying on whatever book I happened to be reading at the time :)

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Awwww. This had me choked up. Tigger is one handsome cat, and I'm so touched that you took him in and that he's now living with another HIV kitty. I'm so sorry about your allergies. That's tough. Can you be around them at all? You're welcome to come watch the Izzy and Henry Show anytime. It's quite entertaining. We can bribe Brian to tune up your bike while we play with the critters.

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Originally Posted by indysteel

Awwww. This had me choked up. Tigger is one handsome cat, and I'm so touched that you took him in and that he's now living with another HIV kitty. I'm so sorry about your allergies. That's tough. Can you be around them at all? You're welcome to come watch the Izzy and Henry Show anytime. It's quite entertaining. We can bribe Brian to tune up your bike while we play with the critters.

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I can certainly be around them - and if I did not have carpet I could have kept Sir Tigger the Intrepid...the problem is apartments with hardwood floors are very hard to find and are typically in places that I either can't afford or do not wish to live :( Carpet cleaning/so forth just doesn't seem to take care of things - or at least not enough.

I would love to come and watch the Izzy and Harry Show, and if it would help to bribe Brian I can bring some home-made fudge with me. I can't eat it but that doesn't stop me from making it :)

Anyone have a bulldog? This one's pretty cute :D (not mine, filched off the internet):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8H8opcF_NE

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Originally Posted by lph

Anyone have a bulldog? This one's pretty cute :D (not mine, filched off the internet):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8H8opcF_NE

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I have this itch right between my shoulderblades, have all day long. I've been sitting in my office wondering if I know any coworker well enough to get him/her to scratch my back. Now I understand all I need to do is find a hill and shimmy down it!
Love bulldogs.

My Border Collie, Jackscrofter Spellcaster (Dash),
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...s/IMGP0098.jpg
Dash and my mixed breed, Rosie. Rosie doesn't photograph well so I've posted a video instead.
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...h_IMG_0032.jpg

My African Grey, Rafiki,
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...6/IMGP0693.jpg
Senegal parrot, Kendi,
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...6/IMGP0642.jpg
Holden, the budgie,
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...f/IMGP0059.jpg
Chopper, the budgie,
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...6/IMGP0229.jpg
Birman cat, Bobbin,
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...6/IMGP0152.jpg
Moggie, Weewo,
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...llow07crop.jpg,
Moggie, Bellatrix (Bella is now 9 months old and I need to rehome her unfortunately as she doesn't get on with the other cats and she's not very happy.)
[http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...IMGP0432-1.jpg

I don't have a photo handy of our 15 year old 6 feet long yelow rat snake, L.B.

Why are so many border collies are named Dash? I've always wondered that.

Here's my BC (not Dash).

Because they Dash around a lot? I like border collies, but I have seen some sad understimulated ones, that live up to the nickname "borderline collie"... They sure seem to need a lot of activity.

I loooove the kitten picture! :D Even cute as a button you can see she's really a tiger inside, just a very very small one.

Scaldedcat,
Wow, you have a menagerie!
I've got 2.5 dogs, 6 budgies, and 1 Meyer's parrot.
guess I need several cats to keep up with you (not going for the snake, though, nothing I have to clean up after like that).

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Originally Posted by TsPoet

Scaldedcat,
Wow, you have a menagerie!
I've got 2.5 dogs, 6 budgies, and 1 Meyer's parrot.
guess I need several cats to keep up with you (not going for the snake, though, nothing I have to clean up after like that).

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Um, TsPoet - how do you have half a dog? :rolleyes: Joint custody? Do you get the cute part? ;)

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Originally Posted by TsPoet

Scaldedcat,
Wow, you have a menagerie!
I've got 2.5 dogs, 6 budgies, and 1 Meyer's parrot.
guess I need several cats to keep up with you (not going for the snake, though, nothing I have to clean up after like that).

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6 budgies! How do you stand the noise? :eek::D

My newest pet that I just picked up yesterday - he's a four year Honduran Milk Snake (light colored variety).

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Originally Posted by bmccasland

Um, TsPoet - how do you have half a dog? :rolleyes: Joint custody? Do you get the cute part? ;)

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I have a 9 week old puppy, she's with her breeder at IG nationals right now. When they get back, she'll finally come live with me and be my pet. But, we are co-owning. I want a fun agility dog, the breeder wants to show her - so by co-owning it'll be possible to have a champion in different fields (or she'll bomb out of all of it and just be a pet, LOL).

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Originally Posted by ScaldedCat

6 budgies! How do you stand the noise? :eek::D

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I have a "bird room". It was supposed to be a bedroom, I had french doors built into the wall with the livingroom. When they get too loud, I close the doors. I also love that chatter, it's a happy noise. I also watch TV with closed captioning, I'm just so used to the noise and reading my TV it works fine. My SO hates it, so the doors get closed more.
They aren't so much pets, though. I've always had very tame pet budgies flying around, but these are all rescues from people who got them, let them sit in a cage ignored for a few years, then got tired of changing the paper. So, my dad built a beautiful flight cage (5x5x6ft tall), and they have each other, but they aren't tame. I keep trying to scale back, but everytime one goes to the bridge, seems like karma knows it and I get a phonecall from someone wanting to rehome one.

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Originally Posted by Pascale

My newest pet that I just picked up yesterday - he's a four year Honduran Milk Snake (light colored variety).

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He's beautiful. Is there a pattern to his coloration, or is it more random?

A bit of a scare last night as Ruthie and I made our first trip to the emergency clinic. The devil cat just wasn't being very devilish. She was very lethargic and was going to her litter box a lot and occasionally meowing and scratching at things. I thought she wasn't happy with the litter box, but I had just cleaned it out and added new litter. She was constantly in the box so I started watching and she was trying to pee but only a few drops came out. I called the emergency number and they referred me to the clinic who then told me to bring her in. So at 9:15 in the pouring rain we headed to downtown New Haven. Just how I wanted to spend the night! Two hours later we finally saw the vet, whom Ruthie greeted with plenty of hissing. Without a sample they couldn't be sure, but it sounded like an infection and she needs antibiotics. I'm pretty sure I could wrap anything in one of those Greenies pocket things, because she was licking the floor looking for more. Still mopey this morning, but there was some waste in her box, so that's good. I feel bad, she's never been sick before so it's tough to see her like this. Hopefully she'll be back to normal soon!

Here's a picture of her waiting in her crate.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._1267512_n.jpg

My mountain biking and trail running partner.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-a...03145_2321.jpg

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Originally Posted by NoNo

A bit of a scare last night as Ruthie and I made our first trip to the emergency clinic. The devil cat just wasn't being very devilish.

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Oh, I hope she's doing better!

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Originally Posted by TsPoet

Oh, I hope she's doing better!

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Thank you! I have a question. The vet said to feed her wet food as a means of getting more fluid into her. If I'm reading the can correctly, I'm supposed to feed her the full 12oz can in one day. That seems like a lot to me. And how long should I leave it out for her? I can't imagine having that sitting around for very long could be good. This whole thing is a learning experience, especially trying to give her those pain meds!:eek:

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Originally Posted by NoNo

Thank you! I have a question. The vet said to feed her wet food as a means of getting more fluid into her. If I'm reading the can correctly, I'm supposed to feed her the full 12oz can in one day. That seems like a lot to me. And how long should I leave it out for her? I can't imagine having that sitting around for very long could be good. This whole thing is a learning experience, especially trying to give her those pain meds!:eek:

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Could you scoop portions out at different times of the day? Giving meds to cats isn't any fun at all...at least I have never had much luck with it.

a full 12 ounce can!?! my big boys are on diets (10lbs, 16.8lbs), and I don't really feed them dry food -- unless I want to sleep at night. I give them each half a can morning and night. So -- each gets a total of 5.5oz a day. You can also offer tuna juice to get her through the uti (assuming that was the problem).

OH and one more thing. Greenie Pill Pockets are the most genius things ever!!!
http://www.greenies.com/en_US/Produc...llpockets.aspx

trust me. pure genius.

I totally agree on the Pill Pockets. I have a 21-year-old, hyperthyroid cat who's needed medication twice daily for 3 years. Her life is MUCH easier because she gets her Pill Pocket "treats" twice a day .... she even reminds me when I am late or forget! I've used with dogs too, with great success!

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Originally Posted by bunny_ninja

a full 12 ounce can!?! my big boys are on diets (10lbs, 16.8lbs), and I don't really feed them dry food -- unless I want to sleep at night. I give them each half a can morning and night. So -- each gets a total of 5.5oz a day. You can also offer tuna juice to get her through the uti (assuming that was the problem).

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It said half a can per day for every 6-8lbs. She's 15lbs, so that's how I was coming up with a can per day, which just seems wildly excessive. She ate it, but has been sleeping the past few hours. She normally grazes on her dry food for several hours, but I don't think I'd want to leave wet food out that long. I don't want her to be hungry, either. Maybe I'll put out some dry food overnight to be on the safe side. Yes, they're thinking UTI, but she said no tuna for now as the protein is too hard to break down. She recommended chicken baby food mixed with some water, or the wet food.

Yes, the Pill Pockets are what she's using! I think she likes those more than the regular Greenies. Tonight she ate the Greenie part and I saw the pill pop out of her mouth. She licked it back up, not wanting to miss part of her "treat":p

geez, my poor 15 pounder only gets half a 5.5oz can of food a day (1/4 twice a day). He's always hungry, but that's how he got to be 21 lbs in the first place.

My fatty got a UTI when I tried clay clumping litter - I guess the dust somehow plugged him up. He was about his fattest then so he couldn't groom himself all that well.

I actually mix up his wet food with a tablespoon or so of water and mush it up like a puree; he gets more fluids that way.

Hope she's starting to feel better!

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Originally Posted by stephanie1129

My mountain biking and trail running partner.

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This is a great picture of your buddy! Is that a bike lock cable that you are using as a leash there?

Never realized that you could take a dog with you when mountain biking. Cool!


NoNo, glad to hear it went so smoothly! That is certainly a much easier way to get her to take her meds from the way we used to have to do it - which was stressful for both cat and human...

I've also added water to canned food for a sick cat. She loved it.

Mine don't get much wet food because one of them is quite...messy...afterwards (she apparently has a sensitive stomach) and I usually split a small can between two 13-pound cats! That does seem like a lot for yours, but I would just portion it out.

I would careful of the tuna juice suggestion - it can cause a blockage so cats are unable to pee (at least, that's what the vet told us when we had a similar problem with my old cat). Maybe some kinds of tuna are preserved safer than others?

And I love love love all of the border collies and birds on here! I want a large bird and a dog that runs :)

So, I've posted my bunnies before, and my dear cat Pumpkin, who passed away :-(
And I've mentioned the 2 big boys that are 10yo and FIV+ that I just adopted :)

Here is the bigger one, Finlay:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._1992374_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._6376509_n.jpg

And the smaller of the two :) -- Kobe. Kobe can jump from the floor to the top of the refrigerator!
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._3697680_n.jpg
(complete with my bike in the shot!)
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._6722284_n.jpg

they're gorgeous!!

my parents a had a few FIV kitties in their time. Their last one was bonded with an FIV- kitty, and he never passed it onto her.