Cat thread

[Brogarn]

The kitten has slowly been learning to calm down at night and letting us sleep a bit. Last night, though? He just about saw his maker. It's 1am and I'm dead out asleep when I'm suddenly very wide awake. Kitty decided to take a flying pouncing leap onto my junk. Thankfully, our quilt acted as sort of a padded armor and saved me from any real injury. After that, I tossed and turned all night because when you've suffered an attack like that, you tend to try to keep an eye out for repeat attempts. I'm also considering getting a cup just in case.

[NiX]

We have a brother and a sister cat, and they are both neutered/spayed. The male is lithe, the female is a fatty. The male eats in moderation and is very energetic. The girl, Binkles, gorges and loafs about, as seen below:

So I don't think its only genetics. I think its about temperament as well. Binkles acts as the older sister/protector and is far more worried about not having food, since they were born in a fairly hostile/feral environment. The brother was protected, both physically and mentally, by his sister, so he's waaaaaaaaay more chill.

We will probably end up having to do some form of food regulation, but it is soo much harder with two cats.

What kind of cat is she? Beautiful coat.

[Engels]

She's an Abyssinian/grey tabby mix. Her mom was pure breed that go out and got herself preggers. The mom was also a mistreated animal and had to be separated from the kittens. The result was that the kittens were put up for adoption by a shelter and we lucked out.

[Sjofn]

Lizzie has a cold! The vet's theory is that she caught this cold from Jack back when he first showed up but was asymptomatic until we stressed her out by leaving her with Jack alone overnight. So now I have to give her eyedrops (her right eye is gooey). I'm going to lose a hand. 

[Sky]

My fiancee doesn't live with me. She's not used to our nightly rituals. She stayed over this past weekend, everything was nice and relaxed, quietly reading in bed before going to sleep.

When I get in bed to read, that's Bart's cue to grab his puppy. A stuffed dog I got when he was a kitten to sleep with, now his love bitch. He was neutered, but he loves to go to town on his bitch, usually when I read in bed (or when my parents come over, but that's a whole 'nother). So there's that episode.

Then he starts tearing around the house, bounding over the bed to jump to his window perch, etc. Remember, he's just shy of 20 pounds, my bed is about 4' high. He barrels right over us. She shrieks every time he jumps on her, so he freaks out even more. Me, I'm used to it, it's the nightly ritual. Then he'll flop over in any crook in your body to sleep, a 20lb weight slamming into your side (or butt).

Then around 7am (I get up at 8am), he starts the whole tearing around the house thing again. Except this time he starts playing with random things around the house, I've become adept at recognizing what he's into by sound. The fiancee isn't: "What is he into" "Nothing, ignore him" a couple times. Then he got into something I didn't recognize, I bolt out of bed, run into the kitchen and ask Bart what he's into (he found a latch from a temporary door). I pick up the offending item and go back to bed and fall directly asleep.

The fiancee found this whole process highly amusing. Anyway. You get used to it Brogarn.

[Brogarn]

Oh, I know. It's just been 13 years, give or take, since I've last had a kitten. So, new personality and a new nightly ritual. Hopefully one that doesn't involve a nightly shot to the gonads. So far it's just been the once. If it turns into a trend then him and I will be having a talk.

[sickrubik]

I have bad news for you.

My fiancee's cat, Miss Cheiva, who, I have mentioned (and posted pictures I think) earlier.... She jumps from the short bookcase we have in the bedroom to the bed all the time. She weighs about 20 lbs. The bookcase is on my side of the bed. She invariably finds my groin at least once every two weeks. She also has a tendency to not QUITE make it up on the bed when jumping up and has on more than one occasion, used my leg or thigh as a place to sink her claws when trying to pull herself up. I will say, the human skin can take a lot of force before ripping, apparently.

[Samwise]

Whenever I have had cats, I have had a standing rule: no cats in the bedroom, especially while I'm trying to sleep.  It's always worked out pretty well for me.  Sometimes they'll howl at the door, but if you never acknowledge them they eventually figure out that doesn't work and they go entertain themselves for the night.

[sickrubik]

I normally like them sleeping with them. 95% of the time they behave just fine, and a warm little creature that wants to curl up next to you and softly purr is hardly a bad thing in my book. Of course, winter is another thing completely. I'm apparently a human radiator so they will cling close to me and I will find myself pinned to the bed.

[Sky]

The only thing he does that bothers me is diving under the covers to attack my feet. Nothing like waking up to a 20lb impact of claws in your foot.

[Paelos]

Whenever I have had cats, I have had a standing rule: no cats in the bedroom, especially while I'm trying to sleep.  It's always worked out pretty well for me.  Sometimes they'll howl at the door, but if you never acknowledge them they eventually figure out that doesn't work and they go entertain themselves for the night.

Agreed, whenever I have to take care of the sister's cat, he always has to spend the night in the living room, or I get no sleep at all.

[Mrbloodworth]

But like, thats what they are for! Snugging.

[Ingmar]

Yeah, agreed. Lizzie doesn't sleep with us anyway, and Jack is pretty well-behaved unless we *don't* let him in. He tends to sleep when we sleep now (he wasn't so good about that when he was freshly arrived) and he apparently needs to sleep next to my head. 

[proudft]

Our house doesn't have very good heating and one particularly cold night last year I woke up with the cat curled around my head like a Russian fur hat.  I wish he did that more often - it was pretty comfy.  But alas, so far it was a one-time deal.

[Paelos]

But like, thats what they are for! Snugging.

I'm pretty sure any cat I've taken care of has existed to stop me from reading anything. Fuzzballs could be fast asleep, and the moment I pick up a book/newspaper/magazine, it's over.

[Sjofn]

Our house doesn't have very good heating and one particularly cold night last year I woke up with the cat curled around my head like a Russian fur hat.  I wish he did that more often - it was pretty comfy.  But alas, so far it was a one-time deal.

During that two weeks where it was SUPER SUPER cold last winter, Lizzie actually slept with us. She doesn't like to do that normally, though, we don't stay perfectly still the entire night and it pisses her off. When she DOES join us, she usually tries to sleep directly on my face. ><

Jack has gotten to the point where he will nag Ingmar that AHEM IT IS TIME FOR BED if Ingmar isn't in bed on time. It's pretty cute. He doesn't seem to care if *I* go to bed, although he will come check up on me if I don't go to bed with them.

[Samwise]

But like, thats what they are for! Snugging.

They can just as well "snug" me when I'm awake and able to appreciate it.   

Also, I'm mildly allergic, but generally don't have problems as long as there isn't cat dander all over my pillow.

[tgr]

My two cats have their own personal spots on the bed, perl's up by my face and luna's by my feet. That is, if they're not curling up on my back and purring/falling asleep themselves. It's quite nice to wake up to two sleepy cats who are all too happy to try to make sure you're late for work.

[rattran]

Oscar is in the hospital with a bladder infection, bad teeth, and serious weight loss. Like Schild level weight loss, over half his body weight in a couple months.

25 pounds to 11 pounds makes him look like a furry sack of sticks. Oscar that is, not Schild.

[Merusk]

Last cat I knew of that did that had feline leukemia.  Ob. it's not that since they would have told you right off, but wow. Hope he gets better.

[RhyssaFireheart]

Anyone in the Chicagoland area in the market for a new cat?  Found out over the weekend that my best friend's sister is giving away one (or both) or their cats because her daughter is allergic.  I guess it's a decently well-behaved cat or so I'm told.  I'm not allowed to have one.  Oh, and he's got all his claws still (found that out up close).

[tgr]

How old is Oscar? I've had to remove 3 or 4 teeth from one of my cats (Perl), and I'm thinking I should really take Luna in as well for a checkup. The reason was FORL, I don't know if this might be what's caused his teeth, and through them, the rest of his issues.

[Ingmar]

Sorry to hear about Oscar's troubles, hopefully it isn't something too terrible.

Jack is approaching actual cat size/shape now:

[Sparky]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87p53rAD7Sk

[Reg]

Is that clip really 30 minutes long? Has anyone ever made it past the first minute?

[tgr]

I got to 65 before I had to get back to coding.

[Brogarn]

Oscar is in the hospital with a bladder infection, bad teeth, and serious weight loss.

I am sorry to hear that.

[Mosesandstick]

Woman throws cat in to a bin randomly for no reason 

[Engels]

Oh shit that lady's in trouble. If she'd done it in the US, she might get a stern finger-wagging by a cop, but in the UK, she'll be so ostracized she might as well move to France now.

[Mrbloodworth]

But like, thats what they are for! Snugging.

I'm pretty sure any cat I've taken care of has existed to stop me from reading anything. Fuzzballs could be fast asleep, and the moment I pick up a book/newspaper/magazine, it's over.

Give them a sheet of paper beside you.

[tgr]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKPp4j-YQ00

[Cyrrex]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKPp4j-YQ00

Squeeee!  Want kitty!

[IainC]

That cat has 50% more total leg capacity than this one.

[Mrbloodworth]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87p53rAD7Sk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRtlOnZiZY4

[Korachia]

http://www.eyenimal.com/video.php

I Don't know if it has been posted, but I find the very idea of cat cam intriguing. Watch the video, its really quite awesome.

Now I just need a cat to attach it too.