Cats, cats, cats

feelingfeline

DS says Elliott would call us "The Terrors" (he's easily startled)

Arthur would call us .....(long drawl) "aaaawwlright" (pause) "....ish"

Amica

I think my cats would call me "poor thing"---as in, poor thing, she can't just leap up to areas four times her height; sooo unflexible, we've never seen her sleep with her feet up by her head; thinks she needs "water" to keep clean, can't even manage to lick herself clean; has to wear strange draperies all over her body because of her unsightly lack of fur; we won't even go into her lack of a nice tail and whiskers ( so embarrassing for her)....

feelingfeline

Snickersmom

So we are dogsitting for a friend's extremely laid-back and docile black lab/greyhound mix. She's about 4. She was raised with a cat (but doesn't have one now) and our Snickers Maine Coon was raised with dogs. We have had her - with no other pets - for about 10 years. Can you say Princess?? Anyway, the dog is here and she's very possessive of me. Any time the cat even thinks about going near her, she lunges and bears her teeth. So we have kept them separated because I'm afraid she will hurt the cat. The dog has been here for afternoons before and they just kept their distance from each other. DH says leave them alone and they wil work it out. But we have the dog for a week and I don't want anything to happen. So anyone have advice?? Help!!!

ktab96

My cat Beau actually has a special meow for me. Its like a double meow that sounds like Ro Ro. He does it when he is calling me or looking for me LOL

JoE777

you may have to separate them and then begin to gradually reintroduce them. You might try to feed them with a closed door between them and put their bowls close enough to allow awareness of one another. Feeding time is happy time and they may begin to relax . Good luc

ktab96

snickersmom - I once had to stay a friends home for a few months while my home was being repaired from hurricane damage. I brought my cat with me - his name was Sammy (aka "The Samster"). Anyway my friend had a dog and like you the dog tried to take possession of me. Sammy was trying to walk towards me for some lap time and the dog interjected. Sammy responded with a swipe and a hiss as if to say "Do not get between me and my mama" Since Sammy had his claws, the dog rescinded and Sammy proceeded to jump on my lap. There were several altercations about me and the food bowl, so we kept the Sam's food bowl in an area where the dog could not get it and I told the dog "No!" every time the dog tried to claim me.

Snickersmom

Thanks for your suggestions about the cat and dog. I was out this morning and when I got home, DH said that the dog walked over to the cat and when they got almost nose-to-nose, the cat growled and hissed and the dog backed off. Hopefully, that will be the end of the war zone in my house! The dog has just been moved here 2 months ago from Colorado so she has had to adjust to that, and now she is living in a strange house with a cat. I can almost see her saying "I want my mommy and daddy!" Anyway, we are thinking positively and hoping they at least will tolerate each other.

JoE777

Sometimes a little hiss and growl speaks volumes

Snickersmom

Seems to be a bit better tonight. They came face to face again this afternoon and then again a little while ago and the cat is giving poor Jenna the old what-for but it's working, I guess! Jenna wants to be friends, we think, but Snickers isn't having any of it. She growls and hisses when Jenna gets anywhere near her but at least they seem to have reached a truce of sorts.

Fairchild

I see the same issue playing out between my 7 y/o cat and my 2 y/o cat. The 2 y/o, Dobby, a black M, wants to own me, but Piper, the older one, had me first. Fortunately, though, Piper isn't that interested in keeping me, as I'm pretty irritating and a LOT of work for her. So when I'm asleep, Dobby has been lying on my side (I sleep on my side) all night long, facing the door, as if he's protecting me from intruders. I've never had a cat who literally wouldn't leave me. I suspect he knows about the cancer, too.

JoE777

I just have to say, I LOVE THIS THREAD!!!

Fairchild, I have three cats. The two 4yr olds are siblings and truly bonded. The 2 yr old Was a rescue when he was two weeks old-he bonded to my husband even though I bottle fed him. Go figure. last year when I feel ill-didn't know it was cancer I thought i had hurt my back- the 4yr female , Oreo, left her brother and started sleeping next to my lower back when I had to stay in bed. That turned out to be where the cancer is. She never leaves me. Follows me like a dog. She never meowed until a few months ago. if I get out of bed and don't return-because I'm much improved- she meows and cries until I talk to her and tell her I'm not going back to bed. When I was so sick I was bedridden except for going to the bathroom- she would sleep between me and the edge of the bed I had to get up on and would push me with her paws to try to stop me from getting out of the bed. The family stopped worrying about me falling out of bed because I had to turn over on Oreo to get up. Snickersmom can testify to the possessiveness of our feline owners. I do believe they sense this critical disease and can play a vital role in our recovery and wellbeing. J

Snickersmom

They sure do seem to sense things long before we discover them in our bodies. My daughter has had juvenile diabetes since age 10 (she's now 47) and she has two cats, one of whom wakes her up when her sugar gets toolow. Now how does she know that before my daughter's insulin pump alarm goes off?

JoE777

Amazing!!

DebAL

hi everyone, I've been on vacation and will go back through this evening to catch up on the thread. My only complaint is that this thread is long over due for cat pics! Please post! Did any of you catch the Ellen show? Its cat week!!

Spookiesmom

Snickers I’ve heard of dogs being trained to be diabetic alert dogs. I’m T2 on a pump. Apparently when we are starting to crash, our bodies give off an odor the animals can detect. When I’m crashing I sweat, like I’m just out of a shower. I don’t know how their extremely sensitive noses can detect it.

That a cat can/would do it is amazing. I wish Spookie or Kris would. I hate crashing.

Snickersmom

Spookie - the cats are sisters but only one of them seems to be able to know when she needs to alert/waken my daughter. Cats are so intuitive!

Snickers has been with us for over 10 years and never ever would sit on anyone's lap, not even for a minute. but when a friend made me a comfort quilt before my surgery and I put it on my lap, she immediately came up and curled up on it. She's been doing that ever since. Weird.

ktab96

This is a younger picture of Beau. He is helping work. As you can see he is pondering the implications of my spreadsheet.

Puzzlewoman

Rah2464

DebAL

beau is adorable! Cats do have a fascination with computer screens. puzzlewoman you kidnapped my cat..give her back lol!! She looks like my lily. Rah, what a fluff. You could push her around with your foot and use her as a dry mop! Just love this thread!

Snickersmom

brings a smile to my face. I will have to figure out how to post a picture of my princess.

Amica

Awesome pictures all!

JoE777 - I never really thought of that, my cats sensing my illness. But I have one 16 year old cat, who is very sick herself. She sleeps on a pillow beside mine. She has taken to getting up during the night, walking upon my chest to say hello, waits a few moments while I pet her, and then going back to her bed. I can't help but feel she is checking on me. It could be she needs soothing because she herself doesn't feel well, or maybe she realizes we both need some taking care of ! If I am close enough, she will reach out a comforting paw and rest it on my shoulder or arm, like "there, there, it'll be all right."

Puzzlewoman

DebAL - does your cat have that one orange spot on her face too??

feelingfeline

Arthur

Elliott looking coy

lovepugs77

I've rescued two kittens in the last month. These first two pictures are of Minnie - I found her outside a day after Hurricane Florence came through. She was only about 4 weeks old, and I can't believe she survived outside in the storm! When I took her to the vet about a week and a half later, she only weighed 1.25 lbs. This week she's about 8 weeks old, and up to 2 lbs!

This little beauty is Socks. I'm pretty sure somebody dumped her near my house a couple of weeks ago. Some kids heard her crying from the street, found her under one of our trucks in the driveway, and I just had to keep her. She's a sweetheart, and was very used to people when they found her. She's about 10 weeks old.

MissouriCatLady

Those pictures are so cute, and how nice of you to help these kittens, bless you. This is my first post, I just found out this week I have breast cancer. Trying to learn the lingo here, and looking at my path report today. I am 55 and my children, thankfully, are grown. Bone scan and CT scan Monday, doctor tells me what we are doing Wednesday. I have 9 cats, and hope you don't mind that I join you here. Yes, that is a lot, I did not go out and acquire them all at once. My husband (DH, right?) built a catio for us on our back patio and they enjoy it. My cats will be my companions as I need them in the next weeks. Thank you for letting me introduce myself. Lisa

lovepugs77

Hi Lisa!

I'm sorry you had to join us here at BCO, but welcome to the crazy cat lady club! I have five total - four indoor (the two posted above, plus a 13-year old and 16-year old) and one outdoor cat. I definitely didn't acquire mine all at once, either! I honestly didn't plan on getting any more cats and then the last three kind of found me.

Here are my two older girls, Mouse and Diana:

This place is a great resource and was such a great help to me when I was going through treatment.

Snickersmom

Bless you all for taking in so many that have been dumped or orphaned. Welcome, Lisa - sorry we have to meet like this but we are glad to hear from you. Our babies have comforted us, loved us unconditionally, and in some cases, possibly helped us to know that somethat something was wrong.

I love all of the pictures!!!

Rah2464

thank you ladies all these beautiful pics made me grin ear to ear this morning.