THE NEW CAT ROOM! (or the Cat Room #2)

Oh Rae I hope they can help with your back, being in constant pain is hell.

Stanley obviously adores you though and Lacey doesn't mind him there?

Misti - you've found somewhere to move to? with your sister?

Good luck with it, Rae. Sounds terrible!




OK, I'm asking for some inspired ideas here, please!:
Any suggestions as to how I can get Ms Poppy to relax & stay put inside when the ducted heating is on? The minute she hears it she bolts outside! If she can't get out she does the miserable, guttural Grrrrrrrrr thing! It is the coldest winter we've experienced in quite a while & I need the heating on! <whimper> Any suggestions on how to get her over her phobia will be most appreciated.

all I can think of is being hard hearted and simply keeping her shut in for a few days until she accepts it and stops panicking. You can't freeze all winter!

She was frightened when you first brought her home to a new place but learned that all was well - I'm sure that keeping her in, so she can't run away from it, will let her learn that it isn't going to attack her, eat her or ravish her! and Msolga will protect her .... and anyway it's nice and warm


.... and of course lots of reassurance and treats for being a brave girl

Yeah, I figured that some sort of "forced endurance therapy" (that sounds rather dramatic! :wink: ) would be necessary, Vivian. I'm just not looking forward to the experience, I guess ..... I don't have the heater off all the time, though. I tend to heat up the place in short bursts, then turn it off so she can come inside. I just wish she wouldn't panic so! Very unnerving!

I sent "Daddy" to the store to purchase another huge pail of kitty litter and another huge bag of Iams. Even though we buy the biggest containers of the stuff, with three cats, we go through it fast. "Daddy" also brought home a new cat toy: A play cube. The girls LOVE it.

Sally (my two-year-old) had a major swishing session at the water bowl. She sticks her paw in the water and quickly and violently swishes the water back and forth for long periods of time and until the floor is soaking wet. I made her stop (twice), wiped up the floor, and then put fresh water in the bowl. Immediately thereafter, the COPYCAT--Tabitha (10 years old)--went to the water bowl and started swishing.

I've had Tabby for her entire life and she never swished the water in her dish until she saw Sally doing it. It wasn't until Sally came to live with us that I became aware that cats had the ability to learn new behaviors by observing and mimicking other cats. Unfortunately, swishing water out of the water bowl is a behavior that I wish Tabby hadn't learned!

Snicker, snicker

Pretty funny, Debra_Law!! Sounds like your kitties are very fun to have around!

Thanks for the thoughts, msolga! Eventually, it'll be okay ~ just wish I could fast forward. How's Ms Poppy doing with the desensitization program? A little bit at a time.....that's the way to do it. Good luck!

Hi Vivien!! How are your babies doing?

And yes, Lacey does get perturbed with Stanley, but when no one is looking ( :wink: ) she bathes him, plays with him, naps with him and generally enjoys his company.

On my way to send Mom new pictures of Stanley, which hopefully, she will post here if she has time.

Cool beans! Thanks, Mom! Isn't he just the cutest thing? And of course, Lacey is as regal as always!

Picked her up off my keyboard about twenty minutes ago and she immediately fell into my shoulder and lay there to be petted.....We had a nice bonding moment.....

Aw, what a good cat is Lacey, putting up with this whipper-snapper eating her food! BTW he's growing in leaps & bounds! :

Question for cat owners:

I'm moving to San Fran later this year (yay) and will be flying with my cat (boo!) My cat is, well, not exactly one of those calm, relaxed cats; she tends to be somewhat hyper, and I'm worried that the plane trip won't go as well as I am hoping.

Has anyone flown with a cat before? I will be taking her on as carry-on baggage (though I will be paying 80 dollars for the right to do so, cocksucking bastard ass airline jerks) but I'm not sure if I should try and get some knockout pills for her, or tough it out, or what... it's gonna suck, I know that much.

Help! THanks

Cycloptichorn

Rae that photo of Stanley and Lacey eating from the same bowl is lovely she is tolerant! I hope he moves with you when you move

Our pair are fine, Paddy is out most of the time in this weather - coming in to blink sweetly at us when he hungry, Rosie, being a big baby is in a lot more and likes the door open so she can run in constantly.

Being all black and with little ears, Paddy doesn't have such an expressive face as Rosie with her markings and big ears, he communicates with blinks and miaows! He adores my husband but merely likes me when I'm useful! Rosie is mine and is fond of himself - she doesn't snuggle up with him though, only me. Paddy doesn't snuggle up at all though he likes to be stroked and made a fuss of. Rosie is happy to be held in my arms, on her back, like a baby and leans her head into me - Paddy HATES being picked up. He's as sunny natured, unperturbed by anything and independent as ever.

Cycloptichorn - I haven't flown with cats but I've done a longish car journey not nice! I asked our vet about knockout tranquillisers and he advised against it. His actual words explaining why were that 'with cats, the wild animal is only just below the surface' and the drugs could tranqullise them or equally turn them into raging little demons!!!!! I didn't try it.

Thanks for the update, Vivien! Sounds like Paddy and Rosie are disgustingly happy ( :wink: ) ~ as all cats should be! I'm glad you are able to be affectionate with her highness.....Your Paddy sounds like Mom's Paddy in that department. I'd be heartbroken if Lacey wasn't complete mush ~ she still flops right down, gracefully, to be petted if you even look in her direction.

Maybe there is hope for both Paddys to one day become cuddly.

Cycloptichorn ~ I've never heard anything good about giving cats calming meds, but your vet is the best one to ask about this.

Catnip for kitty and a few glasses of wine for you? Maybe?

My Paddy is feeling very insecure at the moment, he has gone back to sleeping under the end table, in between all the boxes packed for moving, and out on the porch laying under a table.

I guess he wonders why all the pictures are down and boxes laying around, yah think?

I can't wait to see him in his new digs, checking everything out and all that!

My poor Paddy! Leaving the only home he's ever known except for the shelter..... Lacey was nervous too, Ma, until she kept seeing all of our belongings showing up and then she just had fun exploring the new digs. Until you spend your last night in the old place, keep Paddy with you. I think it will help him realize that you're not leaving him during all the chaos!

But if you need me to watch him for a day while the big moving happens, let me know. I'm sure he and Lacey will be happy to see each other!

Thanks Rae, but I would rather keep Paddy with me right now, just so he KNOWS he's not being abandoned. I'm sure know Paddy would surely have a grand time with Lacey and Stan ... will take you up on it one day soon though, when we go to N.C.

Paddy is just fine, he just isn't aware we're only moving, he tends to take it personally:)

Again, I'm sure he'll be fine knowing all your stuff will be in the condo with him He will spend hours sniffing boxes and checking out the new place. I didn't think you would leave him with me during the change, but the offer still stands. Again, I know he'll feel better moving when ya'll do.

Be more than happy to watch him when you need ~ just don't forget Dougy and I leave for our cruise Sept. 10th and won't be back until the fifteenth.

When were you planning to go to NC? Answer me tomorrow because I'm going to bed.

Love always,


Rae xxxxx aka #1 daughter.

Yeah, I've seldom seen a cat look more forlorn than Paddy, excepting one that got left out in the rain. Keep a close eye on him Misti, when you move. Sometimes the little fluff brains set out crosscountry, looking for their real home.

I will take care Roger, point well taken!

I think Paddy will be fine once we spend the first night at our new digs, all the furniture will be there and he has a huge porch to play on.

I will keep you all posted as to the progress:)

good luck with the move

make him a little den that he can hide in an feel safe as soon as you get to the new home - he'll feel safer and you'll know where he's hiding.





Her ladyship rolling about, playing with a feather on the pation - she's becoming quite well padded! I love her pale spotted tummy.

Vivien! Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww! Rosie is absolutely gorgeous! Her markings are very similar to Stanley's except his stomach is completely white.

I wonder ~ has anyone ever known their cat to cry? I've caught Lacey with her eyes ready to spill over, or with tears having already fallen and it always happens when she can see me paying attention to Stanley. I always go to her and give her lots of love ~ she seems happier after that. Am I imagining it?

I also don't understand why she allows Stanley to run her off while I'm petting her. He isn't trying to get to me ~ he wants to play with her. And I know she's quite capable of batting him away.

I've tried to reassure her she's still my best girl whenever I can, but it doesn't seem to be enough.

Any advice?