Pet(s): Photos & Discussion

[SuprSuprElevated]

[SuprSuprElevated]

[AgentRXS]

I love that @SuprSuprElevated!

[Scarlett45]

One of the things I didn’t realize about having a dog, is that you see so many more dead things. 
 

I have seen more dead RATS in the last few months than I have in years. Some crushed by cars, others dead on the sidewalk. Ewwwwwww. 
 

I also have seen pigeon carcasses and dead squirrels. Yeah the things you learn. 

[Gramto6]

2 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

One of the things I didn’t realize about having a dog, is that you see so many more dead things. 
 

I have seen more dead RATS in the last few months than I have in years. Some crushed by cars, others dead on the sidewalk. Ewwwwwww. 
 

I also have seen pigeon carcasses and dead squirrels. Yeah the things you learn. 

Maybe, but cats are great at bringing presents home too. Mice, snakes, birds, they are great hunters and they love to share! So many "gifts" on my door mat by all my feral cats they are so proud to present...

[smittykins]

12 hours ago, Gramto6 said:

Maybe, but cats are great at bringing presents home too. Mice, snakes, birds, they are great hunters and they love to share! So many "gifts" on my door mat by all my feral cats they are so proud to present...

And then they look up at you and expect you to say “Why, thank you!  What a good hunter you are!” 😁

[isalicat]

20 hours ago, Gramto6 said:

Maybe, but cats are great at bringing presents home too. Mice, snakes, birds, they are great hunters and they love to share! So many "gifts" on my door mat by all my feral cats they are so proud to present...

I've only had my beautiful brother and sister tabbies six weeks now and Iggy (the bro) has already brought me a bird (feathers ALL OVER the dining room, carcass in the guest bathroom), and a very dead, chewed up but still whole mouse (he came in with it in his mouth, I got him to drop it, whisked it away and he spent an hour looking for it...). Hilda (the sister) stays out more but has yet to bring anything back. So I'm now closing the bedroom door at 6 AM when they go out through the cat door first thing so whatever appears, doesn't appear on my bed 🤨

[SuprSuprElevated]

Pro tip - Avoid the gifts from your cats by keeping them in the house.  They will be healthier, live longer, and you will be dead animal-free for it.

[Nicmar]

On 12/11/2021 at 11:00 PM, Scarlett45 said:

One of the things I didn’t realize about having a dog, is that you see so many more dead things. 
 

I have seen more dead RATS in the last few months than I have in years. Some crushed by cars, others dead on the sidewalk. Ewwwwwww. 
 

I also have seen pigeon carcasses and dead squirrels. Yeah the things you learn. 

So where I live at we have Owls because I hear them and small birds of prey, I think one of them dropped half a mouse carcass in our backyard and one the dogs decided it was going to bring it my house, I started screaming like a little girl. I am deathly afraid of mice and rats.

[KnoxForPres]

11 hours ago, Nicmar said:

So where I live at we have Owls because I hear them and small birds of prey, I think one of them dropped half a mouse carcass in our backyard and one the dogs decided it was going to bring it my house, I started screaming like a little girl. I am deathly afraid of mice and rats.

When Knox was 2 or 3  we lived in an apt complex. We were walking normal path and she grabbed something- rat tail hanging out of one part of mouth- head the other- the rat was dead.  I was horrified and screamed “drop it”!  A lot of instinct kicked in on her and she was like “hell no- this is my best day ever”.   Sounds sexist, so be it, I had quasi made friends with my male neighbor and went to his door and he took care of the situation.  We wound up being great friends.

On a lighter note,  Knox is now 11.  Since I’ve been working from home I watch TV on a Google Nest thing. Anyway, at the end of the work day I say “hey Google, turn off” and she promptly gets out of the dog bed next to me to get on with the evening.  I didn’t teach her that- dogs are  just that  smart and good.  

[isalicat]

On 12/13/2021 at 7:04 AM, SuprSuprElevated said:

Pro tip - Avoid the gifts from your cats by keeping them in the house.  They will be healthier, live longer, and you will be dead animal-free for it.

Look, I know this is a valid point of view, especially if you live in a area with high traffic or coyotes, but I had my cats inside exclusively for the first four days I brought them home from the shelter last month and I GOT NO SLEEP (they were chasing each around half the night and the rest of the time bugging me, they were so bored). I have had cats for 50 years now and not a single one has had anything occur adversely from being outside; and my cats live long, long healthy lives (23, 19, 20 as examples and the last one 19 when his kidneys finally gave out). I think they have much happier lives being able to go out the cat door into my very secure garden space and previously when I lived in the mountains they could go out and always had a safe route through the cat door into the laundry room to come back into. I don't know what kind of cats sit inside all day - do they just sleep and eat and destroy your furniture or what? As to the hunting, my mountain neighbors loved my big hunter boi cat because he kept the neighborhood gardens free of jackrabbits, gophers and moles (plus the ground squirrels that gnaw holes in your drip irrigation system - he caught at least one a day and lived until 20). I don't want the dead stuff in the house, but if my cat kills a mouse or rat outside - brilliant!

[theredhead77]

24 minutes ago, isalicat said:

I don't know what kind of cats sit inside all day - do they just sleep and eat and destroy your furniture or what

My house lions are indoors only and I grew up with indoor only cats. They play with a variety of toys designed for chasing and mental stimulus. They also play with boxes, shadows, each other and sleep on whatever they want. They've never scratched up or destroyed any furniture.

I give them a lot of attention ahead of bedtime, they chase each other, and generally get them nice and tired so they curl up next to me and sleep through the night.

Edited December 15, 2021 by theredhead77

[Bastet]

45 minutes ago, isalicat said:

I don't know what kind of cats sit inside all day - do they just sleep and eat and destroy your furniture or what?

So, declaring no cats should be allowed outdoors is an improper blanket statement, but a sweeping insult about keeping cats indoors is fine.  I see.

Edited December 15, 2021 by Bastet

[SuprSuprElevated]

I understand that there still people who believe housecats should have unfettered access to the outside.  I don't happen to agree, but I wasn't trying to shame anyone; just offering a solution to said cats returning with dead wildlife. 

As an aside, no, housecats don't always destroy furniture, nor keep people up all night.  That sounds like an animal that is less a pet than an ignored annoyance. 

 

[isalicat]

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

So, declaring no cats should be allowed outdoors is an improper blanket statement, but a sweeping insult about keeping cats indoors is fine.  I see.

I certainly did not intend to insult anyone; I was asking a question because I have literally never had a cat that would tolerate being kept indoors 24/7. I realize some of you take the time and trouble to stimulate your indoor-only cats so as to mitigate any downside for keeping them always inside. This is not an option for me and I suppose you would conclude I am not a proper pet owner or something. I made no "improper blanket statement" in my opinion and in fact think as with most of life, there is room for different courses of actions depending on particular circumstances.

[Bastet]

Yes, I am on record as saying whether a cat should have outdoor access and, if so, what kind, depends on the situation.  So I dislike the "all cats should be indoors!" and "cats go nuts if they're inside all day!" extremes, since good owners exist all over the happy medium of that spectrum.

And in the hours since I last posted here, I found out that Bandit, my parents' cat, was hit by a car this afternoon and died.  Is that ultimately our fault?  Yes, of course it is.  The person who hit him should have been kind of enough to stop, but that he was in the street to be hit is squarely on us.  And all three of us are great pet owners.  Chester was indoor only, as is Riley, but they made - and I followed when I stayed there to cat sit - the decision to give Bandit time outside each day, because of how extremely agitated he got if they didn't (to the point it made him ill; the systemic inflammation caused by stress settled in his bladder, and that cystitis was painful - the list of recommendations from the vet to reduce stress included "more outdoor time").  He'd lived on the streets for years before they took him in, and he just didn't take to being an indoor cat, but he was deliriously happy as a primarily indoor cat, so that's the way we went.

He was almost always in the backyard, and when he did go across the street we'd see him literally sit on the curb and check the street before trotting across.  I don't know what happened today, but he paid the ultimate price for it and we have to live with the "what if"s.

I'm still in shock.

[SuprSuprElevated]

10 minutes ago, Bastet said:

Yes, I am on record as saying whether a cat should have outdoor access and, if so, what kind, depends on the situation.  So I dislike the "all cats should be indoors!" and "cats go nuts if they're inside all day!" extremes, since good owners exist all over the happy medium of that spectrum.

And in the hours since I last posted here, I found out that Bandit, my parents' cat, was hit by a car this afternoon and died.  Is that ultimately our fault?  Yes, of course it is.  The person who hit him should have been kind of enough to stop, but that he was in the street to be hit is squarely on us.  And all three of us are great pet owners.  Chester was indoor only, as is Riley, but they made - and I followed when I stayed there to cat sit - the decision to give Bandit time outside each day, because of how extremely agitated he got if they didn't (to the point it made him ill; the systemic inflammation caused by stress settled in his bladder, and that cystitis was painful - the list of recommendations from the vet to reduce stress included "more outdoor time").  He'd lived on the streets for years before they took him in, and he just didn't take to being an indoor cat, but he was deliriously happy as a primarily indoor cat, so that's the way we went.

He was almost always in the backyard, and when he did go across the street we'd see him literally sit on the curb and check the street before trotting across.  I don't know what happened today, but he paid the ultimate price for it and we have to live with the "what if"s.

I'm still in shock.

Truly sorry for the loss of Bandit.

[Mindthinkr]

@Bastet I’m very sorry to hear about Bandit. Sudden losses hit us especially hard. 
From what I have seen in my neighborhood, very few people stop at the stop sign and generally ignore the 25 mph speed limit. He might have done everything right, but come upon by a careless driver. 

[Bastet]

It just makes me sick to think about.  

I feel like shit that I didn't go over to be with my parents, but I can barely handle life these days (chronic depression and anxiety that has progressed and become difficult to regulate does not combine well with all that's happening), and I can't walk into that cat-less house without some time to process this.  I'd do it if it was just one of them, but they have each other, so I'm going to prioritize myself for a night.

Riley is upset that I'm upset, but I don't know what to do with myself.  This isn't like a sick cat for whom treatment has been exhausted; it didn't have to happen.  If he'd been inside or in the backyard at that precise moment like he is 99% of moments, it wouldn't have.  Just a second or two of difference in his or the car's trajectory, it wouldn't have. 

But it did, and it's our fault, because we made the decision to give him outside time that was not 100% supervised.  That was what we thought best, as explained above, and it was tightly limited and largely supervised, but that's pretty damn hard to swallow right now, because our poor guy died at age 14 alone in the fucking street instead of five years from now curled up in my dad's lap with a painless injection.

With him on Prozac the last month because he wasn't handling Chester's death at all well, and just starting to really respond to it, I thought maybe we should try keeping him in or taking another stab at leash training to see if we could fully eliminate, rather than just dramatically reduce, the risk of physical danger without causing an unreasonable degree of harm from stress (since he was medicated to blunt the effects of stress).  But we didn't want to make too many changes at once.  And I think I'm angry with all three of us about that, and that's part of why I need tonight to myself.

So, yes, despite being in the immediate grip of this unexpected trauma I still believe what I said hours before and what I've always believed -- It is wrong to say cats should be indoors, period, or to say it's unnatural to never let them out, period; both are blanket statements that don't account for the nuances life is made of.  (Cats are safer indoors, yes.  Most cats can adapt to being indoor only, yes.  Cats should never set paw outdoors, no.  Cats kept indoors at all times will go nuts, no.)  And it's wrong to insult owners if they've made reasoned evaluations that differ from our own; equally good owners make different decisions based on different circumstances.

But for those of you who also decide some degree of outdoor time is best given your cat and your environment, just PLEASE keep it as limited and supervised as will meet the cat's needs.  Because, while it may be the right decision, and while that same decision may have resulted in long lives in the past (same here; some previous cats were indoor with limited outdoor access and did just fine), there still remains the risk you'll wind up where my family is, with your cat where Bandit is.  And it's a nearly unbearably awful place to be.

[AgentRXS]

I am so sorry about the loss of Bandit @Bastet. Losing a cat in such a traumatic way is heartbreaking. 

[Moose135]

I'm so sorry, @Bastet

[Bastet]

I had a heartbreaking conversation with my dad a couple of hours ago; he was checking on me, when I hadn't even got myself together enough to do that with him (my mom was the one who'd called me), and I got some more information.  Some of it comforts me and some of it haunts me.  I'm worried about my parents (especially my dad; Bandit followed him around like a shadow, and my dad has cried buckets at each cat loss [the only times I've ever seen him cry other than when my grandmas died], but they were so tightly bonded and this happened so suddenly, it's even worse). 

I don't know, y'all; I've had cats all my life, which is steadily approaching 50 years, so I've lost a lot of them and been devastated every time.  Two others have also been totally unexpected.  I guess it's the circumstances and having lost Chester this summer, but I really don't know how to even function right now.  I came home from a dental appointment grumbling about a package that wasn't delivered, and ten steps into the house the phone was ringing with a call that turned life upside down.

Looking at pictures is perhaps not the best idea I've had, but nothing is distracting me and I don't think capping this night off with alcohol poisoning is wise, so that's what I'm doing.  This was Bandit:

[smittykins]

I’m so sorry, @Bastet.  Bandit was a beautiful fluffy boi.

[AgentRXS]

Bandit was absolutely gorgeous.

[ABay]

I'm so sorry @Bastet.

[Mondrianyone]

Beautiful boy. May his memory be a blessing, @Bastet.

[JustHereForFood]

I'm so sorry @BASTET. What a horrible thing to happen, life really sucks sometimes. Bandit was really beautiful cat and I'm sure he had a wonderful life with your parents and you, based on everything that you write it's obvious that you are all great pet owners.

On indoor/outdoor, my cat is indoors only, but she was born that way. Her mother was found already pregnant on the streets by my aunt's friend and apparently got used to being an indoor cat pretty quickly. When we took our kitten at 2 and a half months old, she was only used to being indoors and we kept her inside. We live in the city and even though this is a rather quiet street, I would be too scared to let her out. Maybe on a leash, but I am also scared of ticks and worry too much in general, so I feel much safer this way and our cat doesn't seem to mind, seeing as she doesn't know any different. But it's understandable that some cats cannot get used to live only inside, especially if the got used to going out as kittens. Cats are all individuals just as humans are, so we need to treat them as such. 

Our downstairs neighbors have a cat that they let outside and they also take care of two stray cats that were abandoned here as kittens by their mother and are now semi-domestic. They stay at our neighbors' place sometimes, but are out most of the time and often disappear for days. I often worry about them and always feel happy to see them in the courtyard when I go out. One of them was injured a few years ago and according to the neihbor the vet said that she was probably kicked by some asshole, considering her injuries. She was much more scared of people afterwards. It's really horrible to know what some people are capable of doing to animals.

[SuprSuprElevated]

34 minutes ago, JustHereForFood said:

It's really horrible to know what some people are capable of doing to animals.

Unfortunately, harming cats for sport is an all too frequent occurance.  

[Bastet]

28 minutes ago, JustHereForFood said:

But it's understandable that some cats cannot get used to live only inside, especially if the got used to going out as kittens. Cats are all individuals just as humans are, so we need to treat them as such. 

Yeah, Bandit was estimated to be about three when he showed up as a tomcat, and not only was he used to being outdoors, he'd clearly never been indoors - ceiling fans, TVs, the dishwasher, etc. all startled and perplexed him at first.  In the beginning, he'd be gone all day long sometimes; he'd come home and my parents would ask him, "Do you take the bus to a job or something?"  We hoped in time he'd transition to indoor only (because most non-feral cats can make that adjustment), but we could never hit the 100% mark.  I never really worried about him getting hit by a car, because of how he behaved when crossing the street, how infrequently he did it, and how light traffic is.  Our outdoor worry was coyotes, so he could only go out mid-day, when you virtually never see them down out of the hills.

Every loss is horrible, but this one is haunting. 

38 minutes ago, JustHereForFood said:

One of them was injured a few years ago and according to the neihbor the vet said that she was probably kicked by some asshole, considering her injuries. She was much more scared of people afterwards. It's really horrible to know what some people are capable of doing to animals.

That's how my mom got her first cat as an adult - she came home from work and saw a kid across the street kicking at and throwing rocks at a cat, so she yelled at him to leave the cat alone, and the cat ran across the street and up the driveway to my mom.  (The worst part is, when my mom told the kid's parents, they didn't care; I can only imagine what kind of monster he became.)

[tiftgirl]

Oh @Bastet I am so so sorry.  Please give your parents my condolences as well.

 

[KnoxForPres]

I’m so sorry -sweet Bandit 

[Annber03]

Adding my condolences to you and your parents, @Bastet :(. So sorry to hear about Bandit. 

[Suzn]

I'm so sorry about sweet Bandit. @BASTET.  It's so sad.

[bilgistic]

I'm heartbroken for you, @Bastet. I'm just so, so sorry.

 

[Bastet]

Because life sucks as hard as it possibly can, the first of my online Christmas orders arrived yesterday and included Bandit's present.  Then this morning I went on Chewy's website to see if they have Riley's food since my local pet store is out of it and can't get any until next week, and the first "buy it again" thing that popped up was the bag of freeze-dried treats I got for Bandit last month. 

Thank you to everyone who expressed sympathy, and thank you also to everyone who kept their negative thoughts about Bandit being allowed outside to yourselves.  Believe me, I get it, but it's not the time, and I thank you for getting that.

Y'all don't know it, but sweet is the perfect word for him.  Back when he was a new addition to the family (after briefly turning up in a rain storm and coming back nightly so that my parents lured him with food and attention and quickly earned his trust so they could have him neutered and keep him inside at night) - young and ornery, and stressing us the hell out with his hours-long disappearing acts during the day - we always told him, "You're lucky you're as sweet as you are obnoxious."  Because, oh, he was just so happy and cuddly.  Purred all the time, sometimes so hard he drooled.

He also talked all.the.time. (with no inside voice) and always wanted something - let me out, let me in, feed me, brush me, play with me, cuddle me.  We'd start to get annoyed, and then we'd look at that face and it just went away.

And he was friendly with everyone.  Riley is insanely attentive and cuddly, but only with me; she doesn't even like other people.  Chester loved my dad and me and was sociable with guests, but his deep attachment was to my mom.  Bandit adored my dad beyond reason and loved my mom and me (he knew my car, so he was always waiting at the door to greet me; I can't believe I'm never going to experience that again), but he also deeply loved my friend (his "Auntie") who visited sometimes when I was cat-sitting and who took care of him at Thanksgiving, and anyone and everyone who came over would at some point early in their visit find him in their lap.  He had a rough start, but you'd have never guessed it.

And as for his floofy fur, yes.  My stars.  He asked demanded to be brushed multiple times per day, perhaps because he knew that 10 minutes after each grooming he'd look like he'd never encountered a brush in his life.  That crazy fur:

 

[bilgistic]

Bandit is such a beautiful boy. I've been thinking about you today, @Bastet. I think I speak for several of us when I say we are here for you. I know the overwhelming feeling of grief that comes with losing a kitty family member, but not in such a tragic way. You and your folks are on my mind. Give yourselves grace and time to heal (there's no deadline) and treat yourselves with loving care and kindness.🤍

[ABay]

What she said.

[Bastet]

4 hours ago, bilgistic said:

I know the overwhelming feeling of grief that comes with losing a kitty family member, but not in such a tragic way.

Thank you for everything you said, and especially for this.  Because, yeah, this is different than ever before, and we're not coping very well.  We've all said variations on I cannot bear the way it happened and I don't know how to live with this one.  It's just so damn wrong. 

As horrible as it's always been, I've had a roadmap for previous deaths, the knowledge gained from a lifetime of painful experience that in time it will get better, so just put one foot in front of the other until it does.  This is an unmarked, unpaved, switchback road on the narrow edge of a cliff I'm crawling along in the dark with a flashlight; I know I can keep from dying, but damn if I know how long until the sun comes up.

I emailed my three BFFs that night to tell them, so I've been in touch electronically with each of them ever since as they know I can't speak verbally to anyone other than my parents right now.  The two who don't live in the area called within an hour of each other tonight.  I didn't pick up either time, and both left messages saying essentially the same thing: I get it, you're still not ready to talk, but I want you to hear my voice saying I love you and I'm so sorry.  The one who does still live here emailed me about our pre-planned movie night tomorrow, saying she understands if I'm not up for it, but she'd love to try distracting me.  I replied that I wasn't sure; Riley could probably stand a break from my weeping, and maybe a movie night would distract me a bit, but I don't think I'll be good company.  She wrote back that I'm not company, she doesn't give a shit if I want to sit silently, cry, yell, snap, or any combination of the above for the entire night; if it might feel good to come over, please do.

I have wonderful friends.  And there are such lovely people in this thread, too.  I truly appreciate you Primetimer pet peeps.

[AgentRXS]

I wish I had eloquent words of comfort to say. Know that I am not unfamiliar to your pain and how unbearable it is.  I am so glad you have a support system that is there for you during this time. 

 

[Scarlett45]

Awww @Bastet I am so sorry for your loss. You guys have Bandit a wonderful life and he was such a beautiful boy. 

[bosawks]

@Bastet, so sorry for your loss.

In a attempt to have you chuckle I give you the sheer ridiculousness that is Harper….

[supposebly]

I'm so sorry @Bastet. I don't even know what to say. Such a beautiful boy!

[Scarlett45]

Things are not looking good for my little bundle of attitude Blake. They ran the tests at the emergency vet this morning. his sodium levels are off the charts. They gave him fluids. 
 

I made the decision not to hospitalize him. I brought him home to watch Christmas movies and cuddle. I have him wrapped in blankets and the mini heater on to keep him warm. The said that I could come back to the emergency vet if I needed to euthanize him and didn’t want to drive to see my primary vet. 

[Annber03]

Oh, I'm so sorry, @Scarlett45 :(.

[AgentRXS]

@Scarlett45 I am so sorry for sweet Blake. I pray for a peaceful passing, if that is the only option. I hate that all this is happening around the holidays. It’s not fair.

[supposebly]

Oh no! I don't know what that all means but my thoughts are with you @Scarlett45 and of course beautiful Blake.

[bilgistic]

I'm so sorry Blake isn't doing well, @Scarlett45. Vet diagnoses can tend to be dire, and I don't know what you were told, but his condition may be manageable with regular subcutaneous fluids, which cam be administered at the vet or at home. It's scary at first, but I did it for the late Bilgisticat when his kidney disease progressed. Basically, you want to try to get more fluids into him to balance out the sodium levels. I'm definitely not an expert, but just trying to give you an option the vet may not have even discussed with you. I'm hoping for the best for you and your sweet boy.

This has been a rough week. One of my sister's cats passed from feline leukemia. He got very sick very fast. He was six years old and probably had it from birth/very young. He was adopted from a pet supply store. She has five other cats, and I've basically begged her to get them tested and vaxxed if they aren't positive. While she has strong bonds with her (all indoors) cats, she basically doesn't do anything for preventive care (obviously). I hope this has taught her she needs to be proactive. Needless to say, it prompted me to schedule my girls' annual exam for Monday.

[Bastet]

Oh, no! I love looking at that white stripe down Blake's nose.  I hope he pulls through, @Scarlett45, and I'm glad he's home and cuddled up with you.  If it turns out euthanasia is what's best, I know Lap of Love (which provides in-home euthanasia) is a national organization, so they may have vets in your area.  From the experiences I've had, they hire wonderful people.

You two will be in my thoughts today.

[Scarlett45]

@bilgistic and @Bastet thank you for the suggestion. The vet did talk about fluids via hospital. 
 

I admit I am numb. I’ll update you guys in a few days. 

[tiftgirl]

@Scarlett45  I am sure you are numb right now.  I am so sorry you and Blake are going through this.  You are both in my thoughts.