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RE: Say hello to my little friend !! (in reply to Florian)
No offence taken, Ron. And you certainly are no idiot. :0)
In case of your cat, you know that it could had went without the cat peeing and crapping around in the house. Cats are very clean and will not do such by nature; rather keep tidy without even special training needed ( unlike puppies ). It will only occure if they are either physically severally ill or exceptionally stressed, in the latter case intending to protest against something extremely disturbing to them.
You find that in no little number of households, and I feel with both, the poor people whose house is being ruined that way, and with what the animal must be going through as well.
I know, it will be sounding only like smartassing, but I´m sure that you get my drift still, when telling you that it would had merely needed a small bit of info to avoid all that and have a little critter around you that could be enrichment instead of annoyance.
A pity, seeing the good heart that reveals between your lines. -
Also I assume that your original decision to have no more pet in the house, must be for similar reason like with my cousin´s case. He made the same decision after his dog had died. He had loved the dog so much that he never wanted to go through such a loss again.
The only compromise he made, after his kids having constantly begged for a pet over the course of ten years or so ... - first for a dog, then for a cat, then for a bunny, then for a guinea-pig ... was that he finally allowed them a hamster a while ago.
The best kept and most relaxed hamster I have ever seen.
Posts: 6447
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy
RE: Say hello to my little friend !! (in reply to Ruphus)
quote:
He made the same decision after his dog had died. He had loved the dog so much that he never wanted to go through such a loss again.
I know that feeling, I miss River every day. I would love another Ridgeback one day but not when the wife has to walk it twice a day and clear up the mountains of poo, so it will be when I retire.
Posts: 1812
Joined: Nov. 8 2010
From: London (living in the Bay Area)
RE: Say hello to my little friend !! (in reply to cRobson12)
quote:
First find out what food he prefers, dry or wet food. Giving them minced meet and biscuit bones is not healthy for them. You can get canned tuna and salmon (Special cat brand) for it's meals if it like wet food. I wouldn't recommend giving it treats and special foods until it is over 2 months old, kittens are extremely vulnerable so be careful.
Check out the dry food brand called EVO or Purina, they have been around a long time and get good reviews.
As for raw food: cats evolved to eat raw food. Feeding your cat Crap-in-a-Bag is the shortest route to the vet. The crucial study is Pottenger's Cats; here's a summary:
The best thing we ever did for ours was getting her off Crap-in-a-Bag and on to raw food.
If you haven’t got the time or resources to put a proper raw food diet together, there are frozen foods you can buy and thaw is needed. In the US, Primal is one. Radcat seems even better, but it’s expensive:
Sorry to seem shirty, but it’s important. I can give you lots more references off-line, but this isn’t the place for them. I just couldn't couldn't let those comments pass.
Most American Siamese cats--like my last cat--are related to a small group imported into the USA in the 1800's. They're inbred and as a result have kidney problems. Fifteen is a long time for a cat to live. I read the story you posted and I doubt Aloe Vera juice was the reason that cat lived so long--of course you never know.
Cats are accused of being aloof, but usually it's the owners who aren't attentive. The Siamese my family had was clingy with some people--the ones who gave him a lot of attention--and aloof with people who didn't.
RE: Say hello to my little friend !! (in reply to Escribano)
Yeah Simon,
The sudden loss of my Lab left such a vacuum in my life. I can honestly say that it tore me up more than the death of my own Mum and Dad, which I sort of took like a man and not a little kid.
I met the vet sometime later when he came round to the workshop to get something fixed and confessed this to him and he said that in his experience this is a normal reaction and not to worry about it.
Another time I was talking to a pretty hardened cop who lives in the village, (who has told me of some of the grim tasks he's had to do...like looking for a missing head that was once attached to a body found by the railway track...everybody was hoping THEY wouldn't be the one to find it.. ) Anyway, he said when he had to have his dog put down, he sat outside the vet and cried like a 10 year old.
It honestly took me about a year to come to terms with it, so that I could look at the memories without feeling upset.
I wouldn't get another dog, simply because of my age and the work involved.
My bedroom window overlooks the Coastal Park and every morning I see the dogs with their owners, whether it's bucketing with rain, freezing, snowing or a gale force wind and am glad I can go back to bed and have a cup of tea and listen to the news.
Also dogs are slowly being viewed as a public menace (like smoking), especially in urban areas.
You know how you get seedless grapes?
Well, if some Genetic Scientist (maybe Doit) could create the crapless dog, I do believe they'd make a bloody fortune.
Paul:
You're absolutely right about the raw meat and fish thing. Or even cooked meat (so long as no spices have been added...like a soup-bone for stock). I always avoided raw chicken though, as I wasn't quite sure about the salmonella thing.
RE: Say hello to my little friend !! (in reply to Ruphus)
That hamster is really cool. When we ooVoo his doughter often holds the hamster before the camera. He is a movie star.
quote:
ORIGINAL: Pgh_flamenco
Most American Siamese cats--like my last cat--are related to a small group imported into the USA in the 1800's. They're inbred and as a result have kidney problems. Fifteen is a long time for a cat to live. I read the story you posted and I doubt Aloe Vera juice was the reason that cat lived so long--of course you never know.
Cats are accused of being aloof, but usually it's the owners who aren't attentive. The Siamese my family had was clingy with some people--the ones who gave him a lot of attention--and aloof with people who didn't.
Siamese cats also have distinctive characteristics. First of all they are considered "the dogs among the cats" as they follow their people like a dog and even run at the leash like one. Secondly, because they have a rather uncomforting habit when they get old, which is that they cry into peoples ear the very minute people fall into sleep.
Sometimes, though rarely, I find my cat ( a main coon ) doing the same thing. For some unclear reason he figures exactly when I fall into sleep ( even when out of sight ) and will make a hauling noise then, typically fetching some nasty curse from me. For same unclear reasons cats will sense with absolute certainty the minute that you wake up. Eventhough nothing changed, you breathing same way still, with eyes closed and no moving or whatsoever, they will detect your coming out from the dream land.
The cats I had all showed the sympathy to strictly wait for that moment first, before greeting me and requesting me to get up.
In one book about cats I read that the oldest recorded cat had become 35 years. For a house cat to become over 20 years is no spectacular thing. The cat of a friend of mine became 22 or so, the mother of my former cat as well and her son too. The remarkable thing with his mother was that she not only got that old, but was in great shape throughout eventhough eating nothing but oatmeal.
Which again reminds me of the fact that cats are very habitual animals in every aspect. They badly dislike change of established routines. So, however misappropriated a food might be that they have been exclusively brought up with, after a while they will touch nothing else. Like that oatmeal cat that would even reject meat. ( After switching from can food to raw meat, I had to first show my cat that meat is edible.)
Sometimes you observe the same thing with dogs. Remember that movie in which Nick Nolte played a bum who together with the family dog ate out of the same bowl? Nolte later mentioned in an interview that the dog would had been accustomed to vegetables only, so they had veggies and meat in that bowl for the dog to stay on his side of the dish.
Certainly no examples for appropriate nursing, but for habitual behaviour.
I even read from an idiot who had made his cat adapting to sour cucumbers.
In the end it appears to me as if soul life was predominant factor for a cats life span. Appreciative treatment, attention and firm ambience with everything at its place seem crucial. With love and continuity around, a cat seems to mobilize its incredible physcial sturdiness, overcoming yet the worst injuries or infections if needed.
Whereas, if kept under emotional shortcomings and imponderables it appears to resignate, which again seems to weaken its immune system and life expectancy. At times they seem to just give up on life.
Resignation also counts for the allof cliche Pgh_flamenco mentions above.
It must be understood how frustrating it is for animals like dogs and cats who try to communicate with their human accompanists, yet vastly receiving wrong or even opposing response.
While dogs as behavioural pack members will not give up, regardless of frustration, kittens yet at premature age, after months of trying again and again will resignate, realizing that you just won´t comprehend. Such cats then develop to "couch lions" as we call them in Germany. Lethargically living between bowl, litter case and sofa; letting human surrounding be as will. They might be liking you, but have given up communication on a wider range.
As a holder you need to know at least the basics of cat gestures, which differ fundamentally from human ones. You wonder why the cat turns its back on you while you are trying to be attentive? Does its reaction appear like indifferent / dismissing behaviour to you?
Turning the back as vurnerable site on you actually means gesture of highest regard. It is like saying: "I trust you so much, and will in the meantime keep looking around for the both of us to beware of potential enemies ( rival cats ), while you focus on me".
You wonder why you get unexpectedly scratched, eventhough appraoching friendly and intenting to pet?
The reason why cats lick themselves is prevention against superior predators. Srubbing themselves shall decrease their body odor, so that they can´t be sniffed up. That is why they do not like to be touched shortly after the lick and prefer to schedule the cuddling time over the day themselves. ( Cuddling before next cat´s lick.)
So, before you got hit by her, you will have received numerous signals to please not touch. The cat will have raised her whiskers and brow hair onwards, will have widened her pupils, trembled her tails tip, and if all that didn´t help turned her ears tips sideways and finally even backwards. Yet, after you responded to none of these gestures you might get hit, or the cat switches location.
Whereas invitation to contact will be indicated by narrow pupil slits, neutral whiskers, calm tail and straight ear tips.
These, to us subtle appearing signals, are reason why blind cats should not be kept with other cats. They will inevitably be beaten up for their perceived offensive behaviour, as they can´t see the visual clues.
From there the beatings uninformed or carless humans receive are still very modest in cat terms, because cats consider their human surrounding like parents. Yet, if king of the territory and highly respected elderly among cats your pet will approach you like a kitten to the end of its days.
Did you know that adult cats never meow with each other? This is a kitten sound, only preserved for humans.
Ruphus
PS: Attack to your heels, as Ron has experienced it: Cat´s do this if they appreciate your company and don´t want you to leave. Thus it usually occures the minute you decided to leave the house. It derives from the opposite of aggression, in the sense of "please don´t go!"
RE: Say hello to my little friend !! (in reply to Florian)
Man once i remember while doing some search on the foro, I came across a thread where you were figthing with your dog for a piece of chocolate or something like that
_____________________________
"The most important part of Flamenco is not in knowing how to interpret it. The higher art is in knowing how to listen." (Luis Agujetas)
RE: Say hello to my little friend !! (in reply to Ruphus)
Im doing good. I´ve been a "stay at home" dad for a year. going to start teaching guitar again in august.
Im also in a rock n roll band so i´ve been neglecting my flamenco guitar for a while. However i think its good cause when i do practice i do focus more on basics and not so much solo stuff.
You can do a whole lot with the thumb and some P am P rasgueados
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RE: Say hello to my little friend !! (in reply to Ruphus)
Just goes to show, even tough flamencos need a bit of cuddliness in their lives
I brought two Spanish ladies home from Granada (mother and daughter from the streets of the Albaycín, dumped in my patio), who are inseparable and always sleep in the same position. I have a lot of pictures like this one.. Weird, isn't it?
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Joined: Mar. 19 2009
From: San Francisco Bay Area
RE: Say hello to my little friend !! (in reply to Ruphus)
I used to have cats but, for some strange reason, I became allergic to them as I grew older. Allergy medications don't seem to be enough. Now we can't have any in our household.
I've heard of those hypo-allergenic cats and the hairless ones, but I don't think either of those would be the right companion. They also cost an arm and a leg.
Posts: 6447
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy
RE: Say hello to my little friend !! (in reply to GuitarVlog)
quote:
I've heard of those hypo-allergenic cats and the hairless ones, but I don't think either of those would be the right companion. They also cost an arm and a leg.
I am allergic to cat dust but our Bengal does not affect me, though they do cost a lot of money.
RE: Say hello to my little friend !! (in reply to Ruphus)
Those two cats above seem a remarkably bound duo! Cute! Should I ever in the future own another after my current cat fellow, I decided to never keep one again as single. Guess most species should not be kept in numbers smaller than two. You just can´t entertain them as well as a friendly fellow of their own can. Especially when your not in the house, naturally.
When I was fourteen or so and running through a wheat field I became allergic. Obviously, against certain plants capstans, against dust and unfortunately also against dogs and cats. Still, couldn´t withstand petting roamers despite annoying consequences. After some years the allergy vastly faded away, and now I only sneeze once in a while modestly when capstans must be in the air. Never let it bother me much. Maybe 15 years ago or so, made a test on allergy. The doctor meant I was allergic against pretty much everything. Made me wonder, for I don´t experience it that way.
What cat allergies are concerned; they seem triggered by certain encyms on cats hair, coming from their saliva. The more dark the cat the more of those encyms there are gentically. Hence black cats being most provoking to allergic people. Vice versa, I had a purely white cat to which no allergic, not even the most sensitive ones, would react. It was always fun to see them surprised and releaved that nothing happened, even when my cat would jump on their lap to sniff out their faces and when they peted him.
Capstans, dust, cats .. whatever triggers your reaction, it will not be the initial cause. Most suspect for springing allergies are milk and milk products ( except of butter ) and worse even peanuts.
Below a pic of my white cat. He was sort of Nathan the wise. I didn´t count all the people who asked me whether he could be breading for them to have a kitten from him.
Ruphus
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I would love another Ridgeback one day but not when the wife has to walk it twice a day and clear up the mountains of poo, so it will be when I retire. 
so i´ve been neglecting my flamenco guitar for a while. 
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