Pet(s): Photos & Discussion

[JTMacc99]

Luna definitely purrs when I get her like that. As I mentioned, having the legs draped over my arm is purely for safety reasons (my safety), but she seems to dig it. As I make my coffee with my right arm, she sometimes makes some sort of effort to reach out and grab the stuff I'm touching like the filters that seem interesting. I also point her at Neo should he come over to inspect. 

She'll be all excited tomorrow night when replacement hamster shows up. Sitting on top of the tightly sealed, cat proof hamster habitat is one of her favorite hobbies. And the hamster has no clue that eight pounds of death is just sitting inches away as it spins away on the wheel adorably.

Edited October 18, 2017 by JTMacc99

[bilgistic]

The girls haven't yet gotten quite comfortable with me picking them up, but they are starting to come to the bathroom with me, so achievement unlocked! They are also starting to lay in bed with me. Their cat tree will be delivered next week, though, so my bed will be far less appealing.

[JTMacc99]

1 minute ago, bilgistic said:

so my bed will be far less appealing.

In my head I hear your cats saying "what do you mean your bed?"

[Jaded]

I have a cat tree for Captain and he basically has no interest in it. He's used one of the cat scratcher poles a handful of times and the only time he's used the cubby on the ground floor level is when he was ill to hide. It isn't near a window so that might be it. There's a table in front of a window that he likes to look out of sometimes but he's not a real big window guy either. It's funny how our pets have their quirks just like we do.

[DeLurker]

20 minutes ago, Jaded said:

I have a cat tree for Captain and he basically has no interest in it. He's used one of the cat scratcher poles a handful of times and the only time he's used the cubby on the ground floor level is when he was ill to hide. It isn't near a window so that might be it

Try moving the cat tree.  I bought one and set it up in front of the window that he looks out of all the time (to keep an eye on the squirrels in the backyard.  He checked it out, but never really sshowed interest in it.  When I was moving furniture around a month or so ago, I moved it next to the couch temporarily  while cleaning as it was going to go into the garage with other items to donate to the cat rescue that I got him from.  When it was set next to the couch, he jumped on it so he could supervise my cleaning efforts.  Since then, he uses the top perch daily to nap in and he likes to be there when I watch tv in the evening.  It has a scratching thing, but he finds the couch to be way more satisfying.

[bilgistic]

The tree will go in front of one of the glass doors to the balcony so they can birdwatch. They have their hammocks there now, and they love them, so I'll just slide those over a bit.

[bilgistic]

I have never in my life until now met a cat that likes being cold. It's 56 degrees out (not too cold, but to a cat, that's cold), and until I put a towel against the window to block a bit of the air, it was quite chilly. Little Mama was laying in the window seat against that towel snoring.

[bilgistic]

I foolishly took a day too long to reorder the girls' favorite food (rabbit). Keep in mind, they were loving the chicken version (of which I have 20 cans) before the rabbit. Rabbit is arriving today, but meanwhile, I feel the judgement.

"Mum, whatsoever porridge have ye placed in yonder dish? I fear it is poison, and I shall retreat to my chambers 'til the morrow lest ye prepare a proper feast imme'getly!"

[bilgistic]

Little Girl is hiding and I can't find her! Help!

[shanndee]

I got really busy at work, then I went on holiday and had no internet...

I am SO HAPPY to see so many new additions to everyone's family!!

Congratulations everyone! 

:D   <3

[emma675]

I'm adopting the new dog tomorrow. I spoke with the foster mom about feeling like she was very attached to the dog and how I didn't want to take her from an already loving home if that was what she really wanted; she told me she gets overly attached to all of her fosters but she also loves giving them to their forever homes. So, Bonnie the mutt is coming home with me tomorrow. Hopefully she adapts okay, she's going from a home with 4 other dogs to my house where she'll be the only dog. I may eventually get another dog but not right away. 

[bilgistic]

Yay, @emma675! How exciting to be getting a new little friend! Bonnie is a cute doggie name.

[AgentRXS]

Your feel-good story of the day. A couple months ago, I received a call on my job for an injured animal. The middle picture is what I saw when I arrived. I thought for sure the dog was deceased, but as I approached, she started to faintly wag her tail. I rushed her immediately back to our shelter and she was posted for rescue. Our local Humane Society took her in.

After 3 months of vet care and learning how to be a dog again, she was adopted today. Stories like this are why I love my job even when I don't necessarily like the upper management or its policies. 

[raven]

Thanks for sharing @AgentRXS.  What a transformation!!  So glad you were able to rescue her and that she was adopted. It's nice to hear good news :)

[Bastet]

What a wonderful story!  Do you guys usually have success finding a rescue to take animals in need of intensive and/or long-term veterinary care like that?  (I'm just assuming, based on how it is in the few areas with which I'm familiar with Animal Control/municipal shelters, that your shelter does not have the resources for extensive veterinary care and must partner with rescue organizations in order to avoid putting such animals to sleep.)

[AgentRXS]

2 minutes ago, Bastet said:

What a wonderful story!  Do you guys usually have success finding a rescue to take animals in need of intensive and/or long-term veterinary care like that?  (I'm just assuming, based on how it is in the few areas with which I'm familiar with Animal Control/municipal shelters, that your shelter does not have the resources for extensive veterinary care and must partner with rescue organizations in order to avoid putting such animals to sleep.)

You are correct about our lack of resources. As for the rescues, it often varies. Heartworm positive large breed dogs almost never get rescued (especially if they are a pit). The malnourished cases like Shay tend to draw a lot attention because the condition is visible and will tug at heartstrings. Rescues tend to come for the malnourished dogs no matter what breed. Of course, little dogs with medical conditions get rescued almost immediately.

Compared to other shelters, I would say that our save rate is definitely better then a lot of shelters, but could always be better. Its highly difficult being the nearest county to Miami-Dade, which is not only huge but it is illegal to own a pitbull there. So we tend to get a high influx of pitbulls because of owners moving from our county to Miami, or because they are a Miami-Dade resident who got caught illegally owning a pit, and are hoping that the animal will get a chance for adoption at our shelter.

[Bastet]

1 minute ago, AgentRXS said:

Heartworm positive large breed dogs almost never get rescued (especially if they are a pit). The malnourished cases like Shay tend to draw a lot attention because the condition is visible and will tug at heartstrings. Rescues tend to come for the malnourished dogs no matter what breed. Of course, little dogs with medical conditions get rescued almost immediately.

That's about what I expected.  Poor pits and pit mixes, especially; their shelter survival rates are dismal nationwide, so I wish every state had a place like Villalobos (the rescue featured on Pit Bulls & Parolees).

But I'm glad your save rate is better than many.  And hooray for Shay (heh; rhyme unintended) getting a home.  I can only imagine how good that feels for you, having been the one to go pick her up.  It tugs at my heart every time I see video of rescuers coming upon a dog in horrible condition like that, only to have her or him find the energy to eke out a tail wag.

[bilgistic]

Little Girl tried three times to nurse from Little Mama tonight. She was rewarded each time with a batting upside the head and a nipping of the face. You'd think the second warning would've stuck.

They were laying on the bed and being very lovey and cleaning each other. They've just over the past few days decided that they will lay with me for short periods of time in the bed. I feel accepted into the tribe.

They have otherwise taken to both their window seat and an ladder-back/woven-seat chair I have in my bedroom. It has a thick cushion my mom made (with a cat-print fabric, naturally), so they can't hurt it.

[DeLurker]

Sir Robin is usually one that initiates cuddle time with the Kook.  Every once in a while I will catch the cat grooming the dog by licking his face.  Over the weekend, Kook decided to return the favor and gave Sir Robin a return lick to clean his face.  It was not as pleasant for Sir Robin as he expected.

Kook's bark has deepened and gotten louder in the year that I've him (he was only 9 months when I got him).  He uses it more to guard, but this morning he is using it to guard the neighbor's house that lives across the street.  There's some workmen over there and he has been very vocal in announcing his concern over this.

[bosawks]

Happy early Halloween!

[JTMacc99]

I gave the pets their annual reviews this morning. We had two promotions, one special consideration, three satisfactory reviews. And I put Neo on a PIP.

He needs to not wake up the house barking at 3:00 AM for apparently no reason other than he wants more company than just Danny when he’s sleeping. 

[emma675]

My new pup Bonnie is settling in, although we have a lot to work on. I had a trainer come over to the house on Monday evening and she is very food motivated, which is great. She's also young and sneaky smart, so we have to work on things like not jumping, not pulling and randomly stopping on the leash, and not freaking out when the neighbors have a dog visiting that is a barker. Bonnie's totally housetrained (so far) but has no idea how to use a doggy door, so we have to work on that. But so far, so good! She has an excellent side eye, I'm trying to find a picture that is small enough so PTV will upload it.

[DeLurker]

9 minutes ago, emma675 said:

I'm trying to find a picture that is small enough so PTV will upload it.

If I take a photo with my phone and then email it to someone, it will ask me what size to make it.  That's how I manage to get photos from my phone to fit on the site.  I'm sure there are other (and easier) ways to do it, but I have tapped out my ability to learn new skills.

Sounds like Bonnie is going to be a bit of a spark plug!  The name is so great - seems very sunny and sprite to me.

I'm sure it is not dog trainer approved, but I got Kook to stop pulling by just stopping when he started to do it.  It was a contest of wills, but I persevered!  Good thing too because he's 70 lbs. of muscle and energy.  When I stop, he'll start backing up until I say good boy and start walking again.

Just got back from the morning trike ride with him.  We encountered a whole battalion of kamikaze squirrels.  He did good by not chasing them, but he really really wanted to.  When we got home, he took out that pent up prey drive on chasing the catty face around the house for a while (he only chases).  Catty face was not pleased and is currently plotting his revenge.

[bosawks]

There are also apps that will do it, I use photoshrinker.

[PradaKitty]

Okay. Last night I caught my cat stealing candy corn out of a bowl . He was happily chewing on one as I took them away from him.  (Perhaps I should send him out trick or treating..)

[bilgistic]

Candy corn is vile. I am not a crackpot.

[PradaKitty]

Yeah, apparently it has a secret appeal to cats which I was unaware of.  Of course this is the same guy who used to trip over his own tail when he was a kitten.  (In his defense, it is a looonnnggg tail.)

[Jaded]

1 hour ago, bilgistic said:

Candy corn is vile. I am not a crackpot.

It's horrid. I'm one who doesn't like jelly beans either besides to look at the colors they come in. Never thought about cats wanting to eat candy corn. I had a cat that liked angel food cake though.

[bilgistic]

Jelly beans are indeed disgusting.

[bilgistic]

Cat in downward dog. She was really sleeping like this.

[Bastet]

I haven't captured a picture yet, but Riley sometimes sleeps like that, or with her front legs tucked somewhere, but also manages to arrange her back legs so that her rear is even more elevated -- she's basically sleeping on her head with her butt way up in the air like that little kid in the movie Parenthood.

When I was growing up, we had a cat who'd routinely sleep looking like roadkill -- I'd have never thought the feline body could twist in that many directions at once, but hers did. 

In the meantime, here is the version of Riley as Yoga Kitty I do have captured:

 

 

[ratgirlagogo]

15 hours ago, bosawks said:

Happy early Halloween!

 

Of course I liked it since how can anyone not like Ali - but what IS that costume supposed to be ?  A squirrel??

[AgentRXS]

5 hours ago, PradaKitty said:

Yeah, apparently it has a secret appeal to cats which I was unaware of.

Candy corn actually contains a bit of wax, which cats are drawn to. They also like a bit of sugar in small doses. Every now and then, I'll pour myself a fresh cup of sweet tea, leave it unattended for a few minutes, and I'll catch Diamond slurping up a few drops. She never drinks a significant amount. Her doing that is, of course, a peeve of mine because then I have to throw the rest of it out.  Cats SMH.

[ratgirlagogo]

4 hours ago, bilgistic said:

Jelly beans are indeed disgusting.

Except for Jelly Bellies which are delicous and crack addictive and probably the source of some of my later life tooth problems. :(

[bosawks]

6 hours ago, ratgirlagogo said:

Of course I liked it since how can anyone not like Ali - but what IS that costume supposed to be ?  A squirrel??

A squirrel but the head part on her head part was a no go.....

Did make for a nice Baywatch squirrel rescue picture though.

Edited October 26, 2017 by bosawks

[Qoass]

My cat used to enjoy sitting at the door looking at the trick or treaters. I would tell the younger ones that that was just his Halloween costume and that he was actually a golden retriever.

[Sandman87]

Mom's Cat has a new throne. Her Royal Impurrial Majesty approves of this augmentation to her realm.

It's just an uncomfortable old cheap ratty dinette chair that I found in a closet 20 years ago when I moved into an apartment, with a completely uncomfortable old pillow (one of those oddball "filled with barley grain" things) on the seat. I set it up next to my computer chair. She loves it:

• The pillow makes rustling noises when she moves around on it.
• It's high enough that she can see the entire room over the bed,  but low enough to be easy for her to jump up on.
• It's close enough to my chair that she can just stretch out a paw and tap me on the elbow to get my attention.
• If she's reclining or facing the other way, she can reach up and rattle the plastic trash bag over the back of the chair in order to summon the hired help (me.)

Total cost - several cents for the trash bag.

[shanndee]

*laughs quietly to self*

Overheard in the kitchen:

Chelsea: "Meow. Meow." /  Husband: "Yes. I know"

Chelsea: "Meow meow...meow meow? / Husband: "Yes. Life is so hard. Especially since we never feed you."

Chelsea: "Meow. MEOW!" / Husband: "Don't try to tell me you weren't fed! I saw Shanndee feed you! I see the bowl on the floor!"

Chelsea: "Meeeoooow" / Husband: "No!"

Chelsea: "Meow. MEOW. MEOW. MEOW!!" / Husband: "oh, I know. You need some treats!" (He proceeds to give her Catnip Greenies)

Me: "Well... someone certainly has someone else exactly where she wants him..."

Husband: (looks at me a long moment) "I have no idea what you're talking about"---he turns away, looks back at me, kicks at the floor like a little boy, ducks his head, smirks, and makes himself busy.

 

*continues laughing quietly* 

[Mindthinkr]

@shanndee   I laughed at that because I've had the same conversation with my kitties! 

[shanndee]

@Mindthinkr Funny how many of us can relate to this isn't it? :) I just enjoy the fact that it is my husband who is totally wrapped around her little finger (so to speak!) and me who is the "disciplinarian" :D 

[bilgistic]

I found out last night that it was Black Cat Day. Little Mama insists that you recognize her as Her Royal Highness the Queen, and bow to her.

[JTMacc99]

Ha! Also, if I get a chance this weekend I’ll get a picture of Luna stretched out on the exact same blanket. 

[Jaded]

I'm guessing a lot of us get those blankets at Kohl's? I usually get mine around Black Friday sales when they go under $10.

[bilgistic]

My sister sent it to me in a surprise "care package" a while back, but I think that's where it came from. It's perfect for naps. Little Mama likes to make biscuits on it.

[bilgistic]

Happy National Cat Day!

[DeLurker]

My cat is so funny - he'll seem to be minding his own business and oblivious to the world. but if I go upstairs and am gone more than 5 - 10 minutes he'll come and find me.  When I am going upstairs to go to bed or take a nap, I will run my fingers along the stairwell rods.  If he hears that, he knows I am going to go lie down and comes scampering right away so he can sit on my chest or stomach to get some pets. 

[CoderLady]

It's very kind of you to announce your intentions in a mutual human<->cat language. Stairwell rods, indeed.

[bilgistic]

Happy Halloween from the least spooky black cats around!

[Moose135]

A couple of real sweethearts!

[Mindthinkr]

My two black kitties turned 12 today. They've been scratched, rubbed, stroked and I'm in bed so that they get extra love time. I worship these spoiled brats!