The CAT room!

Ms. O: Your late Mozzie is in cat heaven. The archangel St. Cat assigned her to the Nomad household.

Nekochan's vet tells me that in his afterlife he wants to be one of our cats.

what a gorgeous cat Neko

Rosie is now secure in the fact that I'm back and is her bossy, crabby little self again when she doesn't want disturbing!

Paddy is in bad books as he wouldn't come in last night and we had to get up in the middle of the night to rescue him from a vicious tom cat who was attempting to beat him up Himself has set up the garden hose aimed at the corner of the garden bad cat leaves by so we can turn the tap on quick and hopefully drench him - it might make him think twice before venturing into our garden

Himself is in bad books for not keeping him in early enough

I'm having second thoughts about a cat flat because I have a feeling that the bad cats might learn to use it - and our house - as well.

A lot of folk in the bad books at your place, Vivian!

Oh dear, Paddy out & about & getting into trouble? A worry, I know. Been there a few times.

You can get a cat flap that can be adjusted to open just one way (ie in or out) depending on what your needs are. Or adjusted not to open at all (like at night). I have one of those, made of clear plastic. I've never had another cat venture in through it, though.

mmm - might be worth trying

This is the first time I've seen this thread. I'd like to share.

A few months ago I had to put my Lulu down.

Crap... as soon as I typed that, I just started bawling, sitting here at work.

Dr. Lulu Abramowitz, Podiatrist, was the best cat in the universe.

She was over 20 years old, and until the last few weeks of her life, was the happiest girl I've ever seen.

If I had to do it over again, there'd be only one thing I'd do differently.
Lulu loved to eat more than almost anything else. She was always chubby, so for many years I tried to control her intake.
She never resented me, but didn't like not eating as much as she wanted.
Since she was with me so long, I realize her eating a little more wouldn't have cut out any time at all, she was meant to be rubenesque.
When she got to be about 15, I just let her eat whatever she wanted. Obviously didn't make a damn bit of difference.

Lulu was my best friend. She was with me during the hardest times in my life.

She never told me I was wrong, or stupid, or anything negative.
We both thought the other was perfect.
She had a very brave little heart, and I miss her.

Chai Ti, I am so sorry, I am bawling reading your post, and I can't imagine having to go through your pain.

Please know your little friend is in a good place.

I hope you have another wee friend to fill the void?

tearful here too.

there is little as awful as making that final decision, even though it is something you know is right.

I hope get another cat - it isn't a replacement, I finally got that through to my husband who now adores our present two, who have entirely different characters from our much loved previous cats.

Aw, Chai Tea, I'm sorry. I've had to do that a number of times, being a life-long lover & owner of cats, & it's never easy. But what a grand old age Lulu reached! Was she a tabby by any chance? My theory is that they are the longest livers, especially if female. My Polly cat lived to 23 & wasn't sick at all through most of her tabby life. She just got a wee bit wobbly on her legs & vague in her last couple of years. But cranky till the end!

As Vivien said, you can't ever "replace" a beloved critter. Each one is totally different. But they (or their memory) stays with you once they die. You don't ever forget them. For example, a few pages back on the this thread, I was doing a couple of "memory raves" on 2 of my departed cats: Rats & Ms Mozzie. And I can still remember precious cats that were my constant companions when I was 5 or 6 years old. They certainly make a lasting impression, these critters!

So, Chai Tea, even though you're feeling very sad right now, I hope in the not too distant future you adopt another cat. (Who will no doubt turn out to be marvellous & totally unique! ) & that you'll be telling us all about her/him on this thread. Welcome to A2K!

I know, Chai Tea. Those feelings come back at the strangest times. I had to put Kitten down some years ago after a losing battle with kidney failure. Knowing what I know now, I would have never tried to make him eat that special diet. He wouldn't touch it, and was way under weight to start with.

Lovely, Chai!!!! A great cat, indeed. Waaaaah!

You have heartened me - my oscar is a garbage guts - and I decided long ago that, since his skinny friend takes so long to eat, that the vets' tsks and the "You must fee dthem separately" is crap. They would ALWAYS be separated if I tried that.

Oscar is fat and happy - and Miranda gets to be skinny and have his company all the time.


PS How long did it take your cat to get her degree?

I agree. My cat is HIV positive (feline AIDS) & rarely leaves the house to go into the yard anymore, unless I'm here with him. I couldn't give a damn what he eats, his weight, all that other stuff ... The things that make him happy, he can have! He's chunky - that's fine with me!

Thanks everyone, this really is a great thread. Unless you are a cat person you just wouldn't understand.

Lulu looked like Misti's Avatar, at least when she was that small. The picture made me smile, because I got her and her sister Simi at the same time. I can remember them falling asleep on my stomach head to tail, like a yin & yang sign. Of course it was always when I had to go to the bathroom, so I just had to hold it until they woke up?
Simi was around for about 15 years. She was a great life lesson to me also, since she was absolutely pychotic at all times. One of those girls who if company came over would disappear under the bed for about 15 hours.
Lulu being so mellow, it made Simi look like a crack addict.
BUT - I loved her very much too. Really brought home the lesson of accepting all living things for what they are.

When Simi & Lulu where about 10. Jezebel moved in with us, and she's still going stong. She's about 10 years old now.
Yes, we are going to get 2 kittens fairly soon. It'll keep Jezzer in shape, and I think it's best when a kitten has company their own age. We're still remodeling the house, and I want to wait until it's done.

How long did it take for her to get her degree? I don't really know, she attended night classes and was pretty private about it.

oh I so agree with that

Timmy had kidney failure and a special diet that he hated in the last couple of weeks - he may have been happier allowed what he wanted and ok, maybe dying a little quicker.

Like dlowan the vet used to tell us off because Casey our female cat at the time was a plump little cushion - and long haired as well. so looked even plumper! Timmy was always a picky eater and naturally slim and would never eat all his dinner - but she did and then finished his! it is quite impossible to feed one cat less - Timmy liked to have food to go back to for snacks and so it couldn't be cleared away where she couldn't get it. They both lived to 17/18.

Casey was a pretty, empty headed little Marilyn Monroe of a cat who got just what she wanted in life by being pretty and flirty and never working out how to do anything for herself - she'd reach out to pull your face close to her with little sooty velvet paws (she was a long haired tortoiseshell with no white). She never scratched or bit in her entire life and was the gentlest cat I've ever known. She was a real charmer but not the brightest spark.

Timmy was independent, slim, long legged, black and white, wouldn't beg if his life depended on it and was a one person cat (mine), he had terrific empathy and knew exactly how you felt - avoided you if you were in a bad mood, comforted you if you were sad or unwell. He could open doors by jumping up and hooking his paws over the handle, (Paddy looks up at the handle as though he's working out how to do it but has never tried) I still miss him.

Equally sad, Chai, is witnessing an elderly cat trying to cope with surviving its owner. Such was the case after my mother passed aways a number of years back.

Even though she was familiar with my sister, who took her in, no bonding took place, and she died less than a year afterward. Must have been well over twenty years old.

Ms. O: See my edit to my previous post.

Great shot, neko! Not only do you grow great cats but great flowers, also! I tried to transfer the image from from your link but it didn't work. So here's your post again, so's everyone can see Nekochan in her glorious outdoor domain. What was she singing, by the way?

... um, are you CERTAIN that that's not Ms Mozzie?

There is a kitten under my couch. I guess I really get to join the CAT room after all.

Does anyone have any tips on how to get rid of it?

How did it get there? Does it have a collar or any form of ID? Is it looking for a home? Is it a fetching specimen? Does s/he want to play?

No, it is the son of a stray. My own son brought it home. Argh.

It is friendly enough. But it likes to hide in impossible to reach locations. Probably was born in a junkpile.