I Got Me A Kitty

[Graelwyn]

Sleepy cat.
I am wondering actually, do cats need to be bathed every so often? Her coat is a bit grubby and not sure how to deal with that.

['andersom']

I got a "furminator" lookalike comb. Works very very well. My male cat loves the thing. He is the one needing it, because of him being lazy in washing, and having a heavy undercoat. My female cat hates the thing, but she is OCD on cleaning herself, and has hardly got an undercoat, so it's no problem.

Bathing, as in bathing with water, cats with fur only need that when they get covered with something really dirty and sticky. They wash themselves, and some combing now and then takes care of the rest.

For flees, you can get neck treatments that also kill various types of worms ticks and ear-mites. Some even prevent the development of flee offspring. That's a type I use. My cats love crawling in small places in the attic, no way I can treat those (warm and cosy) spaces all for flees. So, treating the cats with the more expensive and very effective stuff. With these cats I have never had to treat the house for flees. 

[Walkie]

Well, she was born deaf. Apparently almost all white cats are. She is not remotely jumpy actually, she is very affectionate and very calm, which is what I needed really as I am quite an anxious and naturally stressed person. She took no adjustment time at all. She was sleeping on my beanbag or on the floor next to me within a few hours of bringing her home. I thought after 3 years with her old owner, she would take time to adapt but nope. I am guessing she uses her other senses more. They do say cats are intuitive anyway.

She will be an indoor cat as I live in an apartment/flat. I do have a back yard that is totally enclosed by a high wall but I doubt I will have that when I move into a council property later this year. I would not want to risk letting her out anywhere near roads. She seems content enough being indoors to be honest. Has not even jumped on a sill to look out the window.

I hope she stays calm.

My Ex and I had a black-and-white cat called Eliot (after Thomas Stearnes Eliot)  who forcibly adopted us, when he was just a kitten.   We could tell that he had been well-looked-after by somebody, so we tried to trace the owner, on the asumption he was lost.  Only one person responded to our ads. She said  "Sorry , that isn't my cat...but he is a very nice cat...". We said "Hmm. Sorry, we can't let him go. We really ought to continue trying to find the real owner. "  All this time, Eliot was mooching about the house, being extremely well behaved for a kitten. We assumed he was pining.

Shortly after that girl visited,  we agreed that we'd better face up to the fact  that Eliot was well and truly lost. Maybe his owner had died? I didn't really want to take on another cat (We already had two, both foundlings, and as a veggie, I'd  really rather not  feed carnivorous animals)  but Eliot had totally infiltrated our hearts by this time, so we both said. "Oh, alright, he can stay"

Eliot was lounging about on the sofa, half-asleep when he heard those words. Instantly, his ears pricked up, he leapt to his feet, and did a mad full-pelt circuit of the house, knocking things flying as he passed; then he ran straight up the tapestry wall-hanging, as if it were a tree.  His pining  days were over for good. 

Of course, you've already decided to let Christine stay. So maybe this won't happen to you.

[Graelwyn]

Well, she was born deaf. Apparently almost all white cats are. She is not remotely jumpy actually, she is very affectionate and very calm, which is what I needed really as I am quite an anxious and naturally stressed person. She took no adjustment time at all. She was sleeping on my beanbag or on the floor next to me within a few hours of bringing her home. I thought after 3 years with her old owner, she would take time to adapt but nope. I am guessing she uses her other senses more. They do say cats are intuitive anyway.

She will be an indoor cat as I live in an apartment/flat. I do have a back yard that is totally enclosed by a high wall but I doubt I will have that when I move into a council property later this year. I would not want to risk letting her out anywhere near roads. She seems content enough being indoors to be honest. Has not even jumped on a sill to look out the window.

I hope she stays calm.

My Ex and I had a black-and-white cat called Eliot (after Thomas Stearnes Eliot)  who forcibly adopted us, when he was just a kitten.   We could tell that he had been well-looked-after by somebody, so we tried to trace the owner, on the asumption he was lost.  Only one person responded to our ads. She said  "Sorry , that isn't my cat...but he is a very nice cat...". We said "Hmm. Sorry, we can't let him go. We really ought to continue trying to find the real owner. "  All this time, Eliot was mooching about the house, being extremely well behaved for a kitten. We assumed he was pining.

Shortly after that girl visited,  we agreed that we'd better face up to the fact  that Eliot was well and truly lost. Maybe his owner had died? I didn't really want to take on another cat (We already had two, both foundlings, and as a veggie, I'd  really rather not  feed carnivorous animals)  but Eliot had totally infiltrated our hearts by this time, so we both said. "Oh, alright, he can stay"

Eliot was lounging about on the sofa, half-asleep when he heard those words. Instantly, his ears pricked up, he leapt to his feet, and did a mad full-pelt circuit of the house, knocking things flying as he passed; then he ran straight up the tapestry wall-hanging, as if it were a tree.  His pining  days were over for good. 

Of course, you've already decided to let Christine stay. So maybe this won't happen to you.

Oh, it is already starting to happen. Not sure what's got into her today but she started clawing the leather beanbag lounger then shot off it when she saw me turn to look, so obviously she has been taught that is naughty...chasing balls around... I really need to find some sort of toys, but this city sells next to nothing like that, so I have to wait to order. She is also jumping on my table and stuff so yes, I think she realises she is staying here now. Maybe the whole sleeping thing was a ruse to make me think she was all peaceful and calm to ensure she did stay 

[MLA]

Pretty kitty.  I love her eyes.

[Graelwyn]

Pretty kitty.  I love her eyes.

Yes, from what I can tell, she has one a pale blue, and the other is a pale orange.

Tonight, I was kneeling at my laptop and she came and kept pushing at my hand, then came and settled in my lap.

But earlier, after a lot of petting from myself and my ex, and a brush, she went for his hand when he tried to stroke her side, and her tail started lashing about, so I am guessing she can only take a certain amount of stroking before she gets irritated, lol.

[Queen Victoria]

I read that cats track things from side to side rather than near to far.  Christine will enjoy big paper bags, boxes and crumpled paper balls.  These would be good until you can get her the expensive stuff to ignore.

[Graelwyn]

I read that cats track things from side to side rather than near to far.  Christine will enjoy big paper bags, boxes and crumpled paper balls.  These would be good until you can get her the expensive stuff to ignore.

  Yes, my ex was talking about this, saying that it is the simple things...even small children can be entertained more by a box or something really basic, than by expensive toys. I shall have to try those things. She plays with some little balls I got sometimes, but shows no interest whatsoever in the scratching thing I hung up, or the catnip toys I found today. I certainly don't want her to get bored. 

[Graelwyn]

So, tell me, can cats see much of what is showing on a tv screen?
This kitty came and sat next to me, and was watching Doctor Who, especially the big with some flying dragon-like monsters. Her eyes were totally on the screen.

[renaeden]

I believe they do see something. When I was a kid I remember one of our cats tracking racing cars across the screen and pawing the side as if he expected them to come out. Other cats we have had haven't been interested in the tv at all.

['andersom']

I read that cats track things from side to side rather than near to far.  Christine will enjoy big paper bags, boxes and crumpled paper balls.  These would be good until you can get her the expensive stuff to ignore.

  Yes, my ex was talking about this, saying that it is the simple things...even small children can be entertained more by a box or something really basic, than by expensive toys. I shall have to try those things. She plays with some little balls I got sometimes, but shows no interest whatsoever in the scratching thing I hung up, or the catnip toys I found today. I certainly don't want her to get bored. 

Balls made of aluminum foil has an attraction to lots of cats. A big feather brings fun for some too.
I've made my cats some cheap feeding boxes now. Carton boxes from teabags, with a few holes in it, to hide their dry food in. They lose lots of energy chasing the food now.

Cardboard boxes can be great nail sharpening places for some cats too. Especially when it is quite solid, packed with old newspapers for example.

[Pyraxis]

Cats will go nuts over a couple of pipecleaners bent into a ball shape, or a piece of sponge bobbing on a string.

There's always the ubiquitous laser pointer.

[Walkie]

Cats will go nuts over a couple of pipecleaners bent into a ball shape, or a piece of sponge bobbing on a string.

There's always the ubiquitous laser pointer.

Yep anything that moves, basically. And if it moves all the more when they hit it, better yet. It appeals to their hunting instinct.

[Graelwyn]

Lots of good ideas here, thanks guys. I have a knitted gingerbread man dangling on elastic that she had a play with earlier. She is a very sleepy cat. Apart from brief trips into the kitchen to pee and eat a bit, she usually ends up back in her favourite spot on the beanbag lounger, with occasional trips down to where I lay on my laptop, to push at my hand or stick her tail in my face...and she sat on my laptop keyboard earlier. Might need to take her to the vet as she is making odd wheezing, snoring sounds sometimes when laying there, and because her eyes are still open sometimes, I can't tell if it is just snoring or not.

[Graelwyn]