Pet(s): Photos & Discussion

[AgentRXS]

@bilgistic They actually went to a rescue a couple weeks ago. The rescue is still working on socializing them enough so they can be adopted out, I think.

[DeLurker]

20 hours ago, JTMacc99 said:

I'm not ruling out one of the poodle mixes in my future, just to cut me a slight break.

(Who am I kidding, I'll probably get a pair of golden retrievers next.)

The tried and true, no-fail accessory to meet women?  Shameless!

ETA:  Did I ever post my theory that you should only date/marry people who have the same traits as those you would want in a dog?  Regrettably, I figured it out after I had gotten married.

Edited January 10, 2018 by DeLurker

[JTMacc99]

43 minutes ago, DeLurker said:

Did I ever post my theory that you should only date/marry people who have the same traits as those you would want in a dog?  Regrettably, I figured it out after I had gotten married.

Yes you did! I believe I determined that my favorite traits in a dog are found most frequently in retrievers: Super friendly, smart but a little goofy, like having things in their mouth...

I'll show myself out.

[Mindthinkr]

[AgentRXS]

A friend posted this on FB so I'm sharing here. Diamond is addicted to Temptations, so today begins the work of weaning her off of them. Sharing here for all cat owners. Apparently, cats are getting sick and dying from these treats.

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/whiskas-cat-food.html

Edited January 11, 2018 by AgentRXS

[Mindthinkr]

My cats have never liked the Whiskas cat food so that is not a problem. I have given them the Hairball control Temptations but never the recommended amount and only once or twice a week. What an eye opener. Thank you for posting this. I'm going to have to rely more on the Hairball control Science Diet food and get them off the treats. Big boy is used to a long petting session rather than treats now anyway due to his still being overweight. We go to the vet again soon. Crossed fingers that he's made a dent in his fat.  

[DeLurker]

I had to go get Kook a new bag of dog food today.  I almost came a way with a bonded pair of kitcats (est to be a 15 - 18 months) because they look a lot like Sir Robin.  And an older tabby - 7 I think.  I best win a lottery so I can start a pet rescue.

[Sandman87]

On 1/10/2018 at 5:56 AM, DeLurker said:

ETA:  Did I ever post my theory that you should only date/marry people who have the same traits as those you would want in a dog?  Regrettably, I figured it out after I had gotten married.

In that case I need a dog who's smart, wealthy, owns a bookstore, and has an opinion on whether or not tachikomas should be considered people.

[riley702]

Pearl has been on a comfort-nursing jag recently. Not just the odd bit of fuzzy cloth, but on your shirt. Paula has been the usual "target", but this morning, I woke up to Pearl snuggling up to me and then enthusiastically nursing on my shirt. The front of my shirt is wet and rumpled, but I have to say this is the Best Wake-Up EVER! She's been back for seconds and thirds. She is such a love bug!

[SaySay24]

I have two toddlers, and I think eventually we will get a pet dog. This is asking way in advance, but here goes because the only dog I’ve ever lived with was my mom’s toy poodle, and I did not like this dog very much! Thank you for any help with the following.

1. Which breeds both work well with young kids and are hypoallergenic? How bad is the dander on golden retrievers?

2. Can you train dogs not to lick your face?

3. Except during really hot or cold days, is it okay for the dog to often be outside, fenced in, with shelter, water, toys, and food? I imagine some breeds do better outside rather than constantly by the family. Is there a breed that comes to mind that likes outdoors and a little time by themselves, yet isn’t extremely high energy? I’d like a dog who wants to play with my boys but not run around like hell on wheels every second  

4. How often should you typically wash a dog who is primarily outside but comes inside for a few hours most days? Is there a huge difference with long versus short haired dogs? 

5. What does responsible crating look like? Is that ever a better option than turning a dog outside? If so, in which circumstances?

6. What age dog is the best age to get to introduce to children? 

I just don’t know a ton about dogs, obviously! But, I’ll take the time to learn, don’t worry. If we get a dog, I’ll take the responsibility seriously. I also understand there might not be a breed that fits all my wants and that every dog is different!

[DeLurker]

I'll let others weigh in on specific answers to your questions, but I would probably add size, age and how vocal  to the list of considerations.  In some respects, it sounds like an older dog who doesn't still have puppy brain might be consistent with what you are interested in.  But beware - some dogs have puppy brain way past puppyhood.  My labs & lab mixes didn't outgrow it until they were 5ish.

You might want to go to a dog park and watch the dogs there.  Most owners will gladly talk your ear off about their pets, so if you see one that seems to fall into your preferred criteria and disposition you can find out more about the dog.

My dog does not lick your face - or anything else, but he came that way.  He does put his giant face up really really close, but doesn't lick.

[Moose135]

Denali has a moose of her own:

[Bastet]

My parents are out of town for a couple of weeks, so I'm doing the routine where I divide my time between my house and theirs.  Today, I'm at theirs with the boys.  I know I posted a picture of Bandit last Christmas, showing him buried under a pile of wrapping paper, but I don't think I've ever shown Chester.  So, here are the boys on their assigned sides of the guest bed (Chester on the left, Bandit on the right).  That's pretty much Chester's bed, and when he's there by himself he sleeps in various places, but when the two of them are there together, you will never, ever find them in any other spot.  It is a rule.

 

Edited January 20, 2018 by Bastet

[Bastet]

And here they are demonstrating their differing approaches to enjoying a backyard tree - Bandit climbs up and surveys his kingdom, while Chester opts to just chill on the lowest perch.

 

[bilgistic]

39 minutes ago, Bastet said:

My parents are out of town for a couple of weeks, so I'm going the routine where I divide my time between my house and theirs.  Today, I'm at theirs with the boys.  I know I posted a picture of Bandit last Christmas, showing him buried under a pile of wrapping paper, but I don't think I've ever shown Chester.  So, here are the boys on their assigned sides of the guest bed (Chester on the left, Bandit on the right).  That's pretty much Chester's bed, and when he's there by himself he sleeps in various places, but when the two of them are there together, you will never, ever find them in any other spot.  It is a rule.

 

Sweet babies! I would have to put my face in that belly floof!

[EighteenTwelve]

I threw out the unfinished bag of Temptations treats and bought some different ones last weekend. This morning Lily dove right into her medicine and pill pocket, instead of ignoring it until she got treats. Maybe there's something to the Temptations = feline crack theory.

[theredhead77]

Today I decided none of the vacuum attachments or dedicated furniture vacuums were doing enough to remove cat hair from the couch so I literally vacuumed the couch. Much better!

[DeLurker]

I bought a Pawslife Bed for Kook yesterday since it was big enough for him (40 x 30), not a zillion dollars, had good reviews and I had the 20% Bed Bath & Beyond coupon.  He's chewed up two beds in the past, but I was thinking, well hoping, that was just itchy puppy teeth.  I figured I had the perfect place for it - there's a corner with two windows in the family room that looks into the backyard so he spends a lot of time there keeping an eye on the hordes of invading squirrels that show up the minute he comes inside.  Plus, our tv is in the family room and open to the kitchen so it is a heavily trafficked area so he's with us.

Well, he had absolutely no interest in it and was quite unsettled by this new thing in his spot.  Catty Face happily plopped down on it immediately.

Last night I fell asleep on the couch trying to catch the news which happens fairly regularly - I have peripheral neuropathy and have to take some med for it at night & the med makes me sleepy.  When I woke up it was too close to morning to stumble upstairs.  I did get up and move his bed close to the couch to see if he would get on it.  He tentatively came closer until he was lying in front of me so I could pet him and lay his head on the bed.  I drifted off to sleep again and when I woke up he was on the bed completely.  He stayed there until I got up and we started our morning routine.

There's no guarantee he wo't chew it up, but ...

In other news, my nephew gave me an oversized throw for Christmas and it is incredibly soft - flannel on the outside, sherpa(ish) fluff on the inside.  Catty Face laid claim to it the moment I brought it home and I usually have to remove him from it to unfold it to use it on me.  He will give me a put out look then promptly find himself a spot to settle on the blanket and me.

Edited January 18, 2018 by DeLurker

[Mindthinkr]

Rosie, the local "pet" deer, took down my bird feeder. I had them high enough that she couldn't tilt it and gobble up all the seeds. She evidently pushed hard on it causing it to fall over and land at my bedroom window. Now the squirrels are having a field day literally climbing into it and stuffing their face. I heard some banging on my window this am and it was the squirrel, who is not afraid if I bang on the window back! So big cat has heard this commotion and now is firmly planted watching the birds and squirrels fight over food. He sometimes is making a clicking sound, a cat chatter, and his tail is wagging furiously. He wants to go hunting but because of the coyote invasion I can't let him out. When I was on the island they had a cat flap and would come and go as they pleased. They hunted and you haven't lived until you wake up in the middle of the night to crunching and you know it's some poor animals skull. Then there was the blood and mess to clean up. Rug stains. So no nap for the big boy today. It's like having a kitty tv on and he's watching a marathon. No idea where Girl cat is. She's missing a good show. 

[JTMacc99]

Wow. That's quite a picture you're painting!

At the Macc home it would have went down like this: "Danny! (labrador) Where's the squirrel!" Which is usually met with tail wagging and very brisk trotting to the back sliding door to the porch, and then very determined staring at the door waiting for it to be opened. Then the door is opened (and you have to do it quickly, because he ain't waiting,) and Danny bounds off into the backyard barking. The squirrel or squirrels bolt the second they hear the door, and are in no danger of being caught by the 100 pound, twelve year old big lug, but it's still a process that needs to happen.

[Mindthinkr]

Thats a critter that came into the last House with the cat. It took me a broom and some fast maneuvers to get it out the doors with Big Boy in fast pursuit. Why he let go of it (probably playing with it) is beyond me. These rats can jump a lot higher and faster that I (and the cat) expected. 

[SaySay24]

I’m sorry if I came off badly in my post. (Thank you for your response DeLurker). I just think highly of personal experiences by the posters here. I don’t necessarily find anything similar or as meaningful through Google. 

[bilgistic]

My mom sent my girls (her "grandcats") some crocheted catnip toys--a fish and a mouse--that she got at "the bird store". The bird store is a little shop near Mom that sells not birds but birdseed, feeders, supplies, etc., and they have a shop cat! I need to visit the shop when I'm next in town so I can meet the cat.

A few years ago, Mom got Bilgisticat a catnip fish from the shop and it was one of his favorite toys. I couldn't throw it out after he passed. It's in safekeeping.

My nieces get Christmas and birthday presents from Mom, their "Nana". My cats get catnip toys. :)

Edited January 19, 2018 by bilgistic

[bilgistic]

A tisket, a tasket...

[SeriousPurrs]

Don't know if this has been mentioned:

https://www.today.com/pets/essential-oils-danger-cats-warning-signs-look-t121300

[Moose135]

Having fun in the snow!

[Mindthinkr]

Did the vet trip this am. The good news is fat boy did lose some weight, as did his little sister. The bad news is that he didn't lose enough. Got another bag of prescription diet food (which he doesn't really like but it's now not about giving him what he wants). He did have a blood panel drawn to make sure there aren't any underlying problems. Results in a few days (I'm thinking Monday).  I also have to groom him more. Ha, you'd never know that by the wastebaskets of fur that I remove from the furminator! You could knit sweaters there's so much of it. I guess it will be daily fights (he doesn't care to be groomed unlike his sister who has no issues and could be brushed all day long) instead of every other day sessions. The vet did get a hoot out of how I coax him to move more. He likes to chase the laser light for a limited amount of time and then I go to the fishing pole toy with the bell on it. He hates the bell and will last longer trying to shut it up! There's also a small rug that I put some organic catnip on. He then likes to beat the crap out of it. Darn thing has been pretty indestructible! So not much is changed. She's in a sunny spot sleeping and he is under my bed after facing the indignities of a trip to the vet. 

The vet put something new in the office. A candle in a bowl with a note that reads if the candle is lit please observe quiet and prayers for the animal who's life is currently ending. Very thoughtful. Gratefully it wasn't lit. 

[bilgistic]

That last paragraph makes me cry.

[DeLurker]

I just saw the candle thing in my vets office too - well, the last time I was there.  I thought it was a nice subtle way to let other's know someone was probably having a really emotional day.

[theredhead77]

@Moose135 someone is giving Ali a run for their money! Good thing there is no such thing as too many cute pet photos!

[Bastet]

On 1/17/2018 at 2:27 PM, bilgistic said:

I would have to put my face in that belly floof!

He is ridiculously floofy; he loves to be brushed, and demands it multiple times per day, but within half an hour his fur is just every which way again:

 

Also, speaking of floofy, this was his tail when he first showed up.  No, it's not puffed up; that's how furry it was, so he could wrap it around himself and keep warm, I assume, as it quickly became clear that while he was used to people, he'd never been indoors:

 

 

[bilgistic]

Tell him I love him.

[Sandman87]

It just struck me today (after rereading the last few day's worth of posts) that some gastric problems that Mom's Cat has been having might be due to the fact that we ran out of Temptations treats last week. She's also been more restless and pestering more. I think it may be withdrawal symptoms. Guess I won't be giving her any of those again.

I'm just thankful that the occasional messes on the floor have all ended up there instead of on me while I'm asleep, since I usually wake up with a cat tucked into my armpit or curled up against my ear.

[DeLurker]

@saysay24 - Clearly, our pets have become part of our families.  There's so many good pets out there that need a home, but what makes a "good" home for each pet varies based on breed (or breeds), the pet's individual  personality and the rhythm of the household. 

Here's a link to some Good Housekeeping articles on dogs, including ones that are hypoallergenic.  I'm not sure if all hybrids of these dogs, like labradoodles, remain hypoallergenic (the individual dog in each litter).  It is a place to start for gathering general information.  Once you start to get a better idea as to what kind of dog might suit your household, you can dig deeper into breed characteristics (although it is a crapshoot with a dogs that are a bit of this, a bit of that.  Working with a rescue group or foster usually helps give you a better insight regarding the individual dog's personality).

I'm not fond of the mini-poodles either; an aunt always had one and it was very bonded with her and hated almost everyone else.  When I finally encountered standard poodles, they were much more agreeable in my book. 

Ali and Denali are certainly camera ready at all times!

Edited January 20, 2018 by DeLurker
Because saying "here's a link" means I should actually link something.

[ABay]

Can anyone offer advice on attracting birds to the yard? Girl cat needs some kitty TV and since my neighbor died in November, the mass of birds she used to feed in the winter have found other sources of food. Another neighbor has been putting out bread or something but the birds have mostly gone and it's very still and quiet out there. Even the squirrels seem to have left. 

I've found DIY birdfeeder instructions online and this morning made a very rudimentary feeder from a quart size milk jug and old wooden spoon, put some seed I got at the grocery store in it,  and hung it in a sapling in the middle of the front yard. So far, no birds have expressed interest. I also left a small pile of seeds on a paving stone at the edge of a raised flower bed. I'm thinking of hollowing out an orange and putting raisins and walnuts in it.

The information about what kind of seeds and other foods to use is overwhelming and I'm not sure what's likeliest to succeed. I'm in Connecticut and the birds that used to be around included cardinals, mocking birds, blue jays, darkeyed junkos, sparrows (of course), northern thrashers in the summer, various finches and wrens, robins, starlings. The occasional Coopers hawk, too, but they're not looking for seeds.

Edited January 20, 2018 by ABay
No is not in

[harrie]

Give the birds a little time, and they should find your feeder.  Water is also attractive to them -- I keep a couple of bird baths in the garden during the summer, and they are always busy.  Birds need water even in the winter, so they should be quite grateful if you were to supply them a source.  Right now, bears are hibernating, but when spring rolls around you may want to/have to change up your feeder location.  For some reason, I know that juncos are partial to thistle seeds.

[walnutqueen]

2 hours ago, ABay said:

Can anyone offer advice on attracting birds to the yard? Girl cat needs some kitty TV and since my neighbor died in November, the mass of birds she used to feed in the winter have found other sources of food. Another neighbor has been putting out bread or something but the birds have mostly gone and it's very still and quiet out there. Even the squirrels seem to have left. 

I've found DIY birdfeeder instructions online and this morning made a very rudimentary feeder from a quart size milk jug and old wooden spoon, put some seed I got at the grocery store in it,  and hung it in a sapling in the middle of the front yard. So far, no birds have expressed interest. I also left a small pile of seeds on a paving stone at the edge of a raised flower bed. I'm thinking of hollowing out an orange and putting raisins and walnuts in it.

The information about what kind of seeds and other foods to use is overwhelming and I'm not sure what's likeliest to succeed. I'm no Connecticut and the birds that used to be around included cardinals, mocking birds, blue jays, darkeyed junkos, sparrows (of course), northern thrashers in the summer, various finches and wrens, robins, starlings. The occasional Coopers hawk, too, but they're not looking for seeds.

Your best source of info is The National Audubon Society.  Feeders take time for birds to discover, but quality seed DOES make a huge difference.  Some of your birds are seed eaters, so get something that's heavy on sunflower/safflower seeds.  Jays can be enticed with raw peanuts; your insect eaters will sometimes groove on quality suet - there are different kinds of suet cakes for different types of birds.  Also try Wild Birds Unlimited in your area - they may be a pricey store, but they usually have great information they're happy to share with you about feeding your local birds.

[JTMacc99]

Black oil sunflower seeds in my feeder attract blue jays, woodpeckers (downy and red bellied), cardinals, house finches, goldfinches, sparrows, mourning doves, titmouse, chickadees, and squirrels. I also put out suet. 

[ABay]

Thanks, all! I've ordered a couple of hanging feeders for thistle eating birds, a regular sort of feeder, and a bag of black oil sunflower seeds. I think the hastily improvised milk jug feeder is too open to rain and not stable enough. I'll also see if I can find something for a make-shift birdbath/water source.

Oh, and get some suet.

Edited January 20, 2018 by ABay

[walnutqueen]

25 minutes ago, ABay said:

Thanks, all! I've ordered a couple of hanging feeders for thistle eating birds, a regular sort of feeder, and a bag of black oil sunflower seeds. I think the hastily improvised milk jug feeder is too open to rain and not stable enough. I'll also see if I can find something for a make-shift birdbath/water source.

 Think shallow water - like a large flower pot bottom, on a raised pedestal or table.

Believe it or not, my local Walmart has a plethora of inexpensive bird feeders. Just sayin'.   ;-)

[bilgistic]

This was mentioned upthread, and you're probably already doing this, but I'll add my $0.02 anyway. My mother told me to go to the specialty store (Wild Birds Unlimited or a local shop--there's one here that's delightful) to get your seed. The stuff at Walmart or whatever is old and poor quality and the birds won't be interested in it. The specialty store stuff is more expensive, but far less is wasted. I tried both and found that to be absolutely true.

That's about the extent of my bird knowledge. "Fill the feeder with sunflower seeds (no hulls, no mess) and watch the cats be amused." I get a beautiful cardinal or two and a bunch of...other birds. There will be five on the feeder at a time.

[harrie]

31 minutes ago, walnutqueen said:

 Think shallow water - like a large flower pot bottom, on a raised pedestal or table.

 

Exactly - a pie plate or shallow dish on a table works just fine.  And if you use a pie plate, the sloped sides make it easy to slide ice right out and refill it during those lovely arctic spells.  (Then you can use the frozen disc to play Ice Frisbee.)

[isalicat]

In case you have not seen this yet:

 

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/nation-world/national/article195847194.html

[film noire]

3 hours ago, isalicat said:

In case you have not seen this yet:

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/nation-world/national/article195847194.html

Whenever I read stories about dogs saving humans - or saving humans from themselves - I'm reminded of a myth I read online years ago, attributed to First Nation culture. (This was back in the late nineties, so the attribution might well be wrong).  It goes (roughly) like this:  "After creating man and beast, the Supreme Being separated them into their distinct nations -- human and animal - and did so by creating a giant chasm in the earth. The chasm grew wider and wider -- beast on one side, man on the other -- but at the last minute, dog leapt over the abyss, so man would not be forever alone." 

Edited January 21, 2018 by film noire

[theredhead77]

On 1/17/2018 at 6:27 PM, theredhead77 said:

Today I decided none of the vacuum attachments or dedicated furniture vacuums were doing enough to remove cat hair from the couch so I literally vacuumed the couch. Much better!

Yep, putting the vacuum on the couch picks up so much more fur than any attachment or special "pet fur" vacuum ever did and it does it in less time with less effort.

[bosawks]

Someone does not appreciate a stressful football Sunday.....

[harrie]

1 hour ago, bosawks said:

Someone does not appreciate a stressful football Sunday.....

She should be used to it by now, no?  How many times this season have the Pats come from behind?  Miss Alli is always a cutie, though!

Edited January 22, 2018 by harrie

[ratgirlagogo]

3 hours ago, film noire said:

Whenever I read stories about dogs saving humans - or saving humans from themselves - I'm reminded of a myth I read online years ago, attributed to First Nation culture. (This was back in the late nineties, so the attribution might well be wrong).  It goes (roughly) like this:  "After creating man and beast, the Supreme Being separated them into their distinct nations -- human and animal - and did so by creating a giant chasm in the earth. The chasm grew wider and wider -- beast on one side, man on the other -- but at the last minute, dog leapt over the abyss, so man would not be forever alone." 

There is a wonderful book  called God Had A Dog, by the folklorist Maria Leach - a collection of folklore and mythology from around the world, related to dogs.  The title comes from a Native American (I don't have the book around me, so I don't remember the tribe) creation myth that is my favorite origin-of-the-dog story, as I guess it was of the author.   The story being  that God got bored with living with nothing around, so he decided he'd create the world.  So, he called for his dog, and they went out to walk together, and then God started making things.  :)

[DeLurker]

Sir Robin gave me a stress attack this morning.  I couldn't find him in the house after checking all his favorite hiding places and even offering tuna to entice him.  I was freaking out. 

I had to go somewhere and happened to see him strolling in the backyard when I was reluctantly putting on my shoes.  He must have slipped out when I let Kook in from the backyard so he had been outside for about 2 hours. 

[ABay]

A big adventure for Sir Robin!

Bird feeding update: I am now worshiped as a god by the neighborhood squirrels.