Useless Conversation

[Samwise]

Unless it's some sort of wildcat hybrid, my money would be on a purebred Maine Coon:



 

[Lantyssa]

That woman is tiny!

[Tale]

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formatting for the Nintendo generation

[Strazos]

That cat is a fatty!

[voodoolily]

Broke my toe. Two trips to the ER in less than a year. 

[rattran]

Unless it's some sort of wildcat hybrid, my money would be on a purebred Maine Coon:
 

Oscar is a wildcat hybrid. Huge, doesn't shed much, thick slightly oily fur, bad teeth. But a great cat. The tan cat and the grey stripey one are normal size, Oscar is middle one.

[Yegolev]

Broke my toe. Two trips to the ER in less than a year. 

I cannot believe you do not own steel-toe boots.

[Sky]

I also grow a pot of grass in the house (yes, I'm nuts) so that they have access to fresh greens when they want to chew on something to help clear hairballs. 

Yay, pet diet talk. My boy Bart is getting to be a pretty hefty boy. He gets good exercise and right now it's mostly just the hanging skin around the belly, but I've raised enough cats to know he's on his way to being a tubby one. He's on all dry (Iam's Kitten) because he's very good with drinking water. We leave him enough to graze because the fiancee is worried about him developing food issues, and I believe she's right. I let him run out the other day and he got pretty demanding. He does pretty good but I think sometimes he just eats when he's bored, he goes through a ton of noms. Just about to switch him to a kitty/adult mix (again, Iams, my own mix) as he's almost one year old now. I really don't want to get into the hassle of wet food, despite the lower overall caloric intake, and I think it'd be worse because he'd still be grazing on the dry stuff.

Anyway, I like having a big cat, I just don't want him to be such a fatass that his health becomes an issue. Also, I hate Nebu's (hopefully former) vet 

Johny Cee - thanks for the info dump! Say, you're in NY.... ;)  Not sure I can beat the standard deduction, or it'd be so close as to be not worth the additional audit risk and hassles. I did buy a new car, but my home isn't one of the ones causing the meltdown, I ran the numbers and my interest and state tax is probably not enough to bump me over even with the new car sales tax. My donations to the library and DNC were not noteworthy. Trying to figure out the dumb escrow form's obscure and non-legended codes, but it looks like with real estate tax I'd be right around the standard deduction when everything is considered.

- Even if you don't have enough to itemize,  there is a credit for real estate taxes paid on the 1040 if you take the standard deduction.

That's the kind of thing I need, I guess. Can you elaborate on what's going on with the first-time buyer thing? My fiancee thought it was worded as a grant rather than a loan, but the article she was reading didn't say anything about date limitations (outside the original Apr08-June or July09 purchase window). Besides, it's a "10% of home value" credit for me, not $7500 :)

In 2009,  you'll actually be able to deduct sales tax paid on a new car purchase on your 1040.  I'm hones

Did you get cut off here?  Anyway, thanks for the info, I'm now leaning toward using the software and praying it asks me the right questions...I really don't want to fuck this up as the dough involved could get me out of this new homebuyer squeeze almost entirely.

[Signe]

I would ditch the IAMs.  Seriously.  They were on that recall because of heavy metal contamination a few years ago and have been investigated for animal cruelty.  I don't even know why they experiment on animals at all.  Why would they?  They been putting the same crap in pet food for years.  You wouldn't think they'd have to keep experimenting, unless they're trying to think of more chemicals and different sorts of cheap heavy carbs to fill the bags up with.  That's not just directed at IAMs. 

I would switch to a grainless, low carb food, both in dry and wet.  Cats don't need grains at all and it probably does them more harm than good.  Especially that corn and corn gluten filler most of the name brand dry foods use so much.  I would also keep away from foods that have by-products in them, especially as a first ingredient.  Meat is good, but by-products are mostly rendered and that's just nasty, even for a cat. It's also almost all sub-standard saturated fats, which is terrible for animals. All that stuff contributes to weight problems and a lot of health problems.  I don't say go as far as I do.  I know I'm neurotic about my cats.  (every now and then toss them a fresh raw chicken neck, too!)

[voodoolily]

Broke my toe. Two trips to the ER in less than a year. 

I cannot believe you do not own steel-toe boots.

I don't wear them around the house!

[Yegolev]

Broke my toe. Two trips to the ER in less than a year. 

I cannot believe you do not own steel-toe boots.

I don't wear them around the house!

Sigh.  Another fantasy flushed down the shitter.

[rattran]

I would ditch the IAMs.  Seriously.  They were on that recall because of heavy metal contamination a few years ago and have been investigated for animal cruelty.  I don't even know why they experiment on animals at all.  Why would they?  They been putting the same crap in pet food for years.  You wouldn't think they'd have to keep experimenting, unless they're trying to think of more chemicals and different sorts of cheap heavy carbs to fill the bags up with.  That's not just directed at IAMs. 

I would switch to a grainless, low carb food, both in dry and wet.  Cats don't need grains at all and it probably does them more harm than good.  Especially that corn and corn gluten filler most of the name brand dry foods use so much.  I would also keep away from foods that have by-products in them, especially as a first ingredient.  Meat is good, but by-products are mostly rendered and that's just nasty, even for a cat. It's also almost all sub-standard saturated fats, which is terrible for animals. All that stuff contributes to weight problems and a lot of health problems.  I don't say go as far as I do.  I know I'm neurotic about my cats.  (every now and then toss them a fresh raw chicken neck, too!)

I totally concur. If you had a zombie in the house you could just feed bits off her to your cat.

On a semi-unrelated note, anyone in AZ need a cute longhair black girl kitten (6 months maybe) who seems to have taken up residence outside the booth here? I'm trying to find her owner, but she showed up Saturday, so I suspect she's one someone dumped. Collar, no tag, cholla ball stuck in her tail, which I got out.

[Johny Cee]

Johny Cee - thanks for the info dump! Say, you're in NY.... ;)  Not sure I can beat the standard deduction, or it'd be so close as to be not worth the additional audit risk and hassles. I did buy a new car, but my home isn't one of the ones causing the meltdown, I ran the numbers and my interest and state tax is probably not enough to bump me over even with the new car sales tax. My donations to the library and DNC were not noteworthy. Trying to figure out the dumb escrow form's obscure and non-legended codes, but it looks like with real estate tax I'd be right around the standard deduction when everything is considered.

- Even if you don't have enough to itemize,  there is a credit for real estate taxes paid on the 1040 if you take the standard deduction.

That's the kind of thing I need, I guess. Can you elaborate on what's going on with the first-time buyer thing? My fiancee thought it was worded as a grant rather than a loan, but the article she was reading didn't say anything about date limitations (outside the original Apr08-June or July09 purchase window). Besides, it's a "10% of home value" credit for me, not $7500 :)

1.  You get an additional $500 added to your standard deduction ($1,000 for Married Filing Joint).  Most tax software seems to pick up the amount from where you would enter real estate taxes and feeds it directly to your 1040.

2. The First-time Homebuyer thing is a little messy.  The original was the 10% or 7500 no interest loan.  That got replaced for home purchases after 1/1/09 with the 8,000 credit dealie that doesn't have to be repaid. 

You purchased last year,  so you're stuck with the old version that has to be repaid.  If it makes you feel better,  I purchased in December of '07 so I get jack.

In 2009,  you'll actually be able to deduct sales tax paid on a new car purchase on your 1040.  I'm hones

Did you get cut off here?  Anyway, thanks for the info, I'm now leaning toward using the software and praying it asks me the right questions...I really don't want to fuck this up as the dough involved could get me out of this new homebuyer squeeze almost entirely.
[/quote]

Yah, got cut off which was odd.  In '09,  you get an above the line (i.e. before itemized deductions) deduction for sales tax on a new car puchase.  I'm probably going to buy a car in '09 because of it....  Presently driving a low mileage '01 Ford Escape (paid off), so it makes a new purchase much more attractive...  especially while my trade in value is high.


I looked into the Energy Efficient Home Improvement thing..... 

The credit was effective for up to $500 for 2006 and 2007, then expired.  Congress didn't act in time,  so no credit for improvements in '08.  The credit is back and expanded up to $1,500 for '09,  and looks like it included new, energy efficient: doors, windows, insulation, and some heating systems.

Probably something to keep in mind if you have a bunch of First-time Home Buyer money free to do some home improvements anyway. 

[Lantyssa]

Broke my toe. Two trips to the ER in less than a year. 

My condolences.  I hope you got the good stuff for pain relief.

[stray]

Bah, I don't need no stinking painkillers or doctors.

VDL, you need to man up!

[apocrypha]

Shit, I feel bad now, our cats have been on IAMS for years :(  We keep a few pots of grass growning for them and they do go outside a fair amount, neither are overweight (although Sputnik is just big, she's not fat at all) and both are very healthy.

You've made me want to find some alternative now... problem is that there's such little choice in supermarkets!

[Der Helm]

Hey, cat owners.. I got some questions...

my new girlfriend (yay me!  ) owns a cat which seems to be terrible afraid of me. Is there a way to cure that ? Also, when I sleep there, I wake up in the middle of the night and the cat is standing on my chest, staring at me and making strange noises, she purrs and there is another sound which is hard to describe, reminds me of the sound doves make... (the internet tells me it is called cooing)

Is it me who should be afraid ? 

[Merusk]

The cat is trying to steal your breath. You should gird yourself for battle and slay this demon in feline form!

[Trippy]

Hey, cat owners.. I got some questions...

my new girlfriend (yay me!  ) owns a cat which seems to be terrible afraid of me. Is there a way to cure that ?

Can you meow?

Back before I hit puberty and my voice dropped about 3 octaves I could meow in such way to get even the most suspicious cats in the neighborhood to come to me and let me pet them. I was like the Cat Whisperer

Also, when I sleep there, I wake up in the middle of the night and the cat is standing on my chest, staring at me and making strange noises, she purrs and there is another sound which is hard to describe, reminds me of the sound doves make... (the internet tells me it is called cooing)

Is it me who should be afraid ? 

Pretty much, yeah.

Dunno about the purring but cats do like to sleep on people's chests and between their legs cause it's warmer. It can also be quite painful when they stretch out and their claws extend when they are getting into position.

[Signe]

Lister will sleep on the bed if there's one person in it, mostly.  He's big and likes to stretch out.  Magenta will sleep right between Righ's legs.  He generates a lot of heat when he sleeps and I don't. 

If a cat is very afraid of you or hates you, it won't climb up on your chest and purr, probably.  I should think they would mostly just hate you from afar.  Lister makes that cooing noise, too.  A lot.  He makes it when he's annoyed, wants to play, wants us to do something like open a blind or curtain so he can stare outside... and sometimes he makes it for no reason we can figure out.  Just because the cat is feeling skittish and darts away from you, doesn't mean he's scared.  He might just consider you new and doesn't trust your movements yet. 

Our cats get in skittish moods now and then, too.  Sometimes I get the feeling that they've heard something outside, or we've made a noise or movement they're not comfortable with and it's put them in that sort of mood.  Make lots of comforting sounds like saying his name in a nice voice and try to engage him in play.  Just dangling a cat toy, even though he's not coming close to you, makes him WANT to play and maybe he'll take the plunge.  Lister was abandoned in the street and he was very skittish in the beginning.  It took him a while to warm up to Magenta, also. 

Also:  I buy all my cat food online except the raw, although you can get it that way too.  I get that (Nature's Variety - http://www.naturesvariety.com/raw_info ) at a shop about 20 miles away.  It's frozen so I get a few packages and store them in the freezer.

I'm pretty good at cats.  I mostly suck at everything else!   

[Sky]

My fiancee calls Bart my familiar, black cat and whatnot. But he always wants to steal my breath. Especially if I've been drinking a beer. He loves beer. I need to upload the movie I made of him licking the neck of my beer bottle. He hears the 'phsst' of a freshly opened beer and comes running from anywhere in the house and starts yowling until I let him have some. He coos, too. We joke that he was trained in the world's worst ninja school, he's totally built for stealth but is the least stealthy or graceful cat I've ever seen. He still thinks he weighs 5 lbs, and he's over 15 now. And when he's chasing prey, he coos. I guess with his massive polydactyl paws, maybe it's a way of making things a bit more fair for the prey?

On cat food: my fiancee drew the line at breeding live mice for him to eat.

[WayAbvPar]

My cat comes running when he hears a bottle open too, but only because he likes to play fetch with the bottle caps.

[rattran]

Sometimes just sitting on the floor with a cat toy will help a cat get over it's intimidation. You're big and scary, obviously except when you're supine. Sitting there and letting the cat approach you will get it more comfortable, if it stands on your chest at night and purrs/coos/chufs it likes you. Or it's trying to steal your soul and your new girlfriend is a witch. You're doomed.
Random likes beer or scotch, and will knock over an unattended bottle to get to the malty goodness.

Also, the fluffy black kitten seems to be a mob with BAF, and there is now an even smaller calico that has taken up residence. It's currently sleeping in the laundry basket.

[Signe]

Magenta clicks, which is a very predatory cat sound.  Lister has done that only a couple of times, although he catches more bugs and eats them all.  Magenta cries at them, catches them and puts them in her mouth but doesn't seem to swallow them.  A couple of weeks ago, she ate a fly and just about went crazy when she opened her mouth and it flew away.  It was very funny!

I would SO raise mice to feed my kitties if I wasn't so sure that I'd name them all immediately and they would end up to be just more pets.  Luckily, I almost very nearly never feel that way about bugs.  I'd consider raising crickets, which are a wonderful source of protein and crazy mad fun for kitties to stalk/catch/kill/eat, if I wasn't absolutely sure they'd get free and make horrible cricket noises at me until I kill myself for relief.  It's so hard to find them!

[Oban]

Buy a laser pointer, hours of fun and more humane.

[Signe]

Are you a member of some wacky bug PETA thingy?   

[Sky]

When I got Bart last spring, there were some ants in the front room where we kept him, he loves chasing and eating them. But he'd always play with them and get one stuck on his lip. The dude will eat anything, it's kind of troubling.

[Signe]

It's not gross.   Well, it is but anyone with cats knows EXACTLY what you're talking about - unless, maybe, their cats don't use litter boxes.  This past Xmas, I bought some festive toys for the kitties.  A few times on my scooping duties, I was thanked with sparkling, glittery "results" linked together with brightly coloured festive ribbon.  Lister will also eat just about anything, especially if it is or was recently alive.

[Merusk]

Perseus WILL eat anything.   Drop a peanut, he'll eat it.  Chips, peanut butter & jelly, cheetohs, fruit.. anything on the floor he'll at least give a few nips to if he's there and you don't get it first.  The other day he decided he like the smell of Neosporin and was licking it off the cut on my wife's hand.   He's an odd cat.

[Bunk]

My cat's infatuation food wise is KFC. Likes it even more than the raw tuna I give her when I get sushi.

Laser pointer never fails to wear some energy off of a hyper cat.


Oddly, she is the first cat I have had that doesn't like sleeping on top of me - she prefers to sleep about 5 feet away, no matter where I happen to be. She also fimrly believes that my feet are not part of the rest of me when under a blanket. They become targets to pounce upon and nom. Primarily at about 2:00 AM.

[Signe]

Yeah, both my kitties do the feet under the blanket attack thing.  Magenta, however, really believes it needs to die and goes nuts on it.  I'm glad stuff, like duvets, rugs and furniture, mean so little to me in comparison.  I'm resigned to having tatty stuff and vacuuming a lot.

[Murgos]

I've had a number of cats over the years.  They all learn very quickly not to wake me up at night, I think it comes from being the kind of southern poor where roaches are common when I was little, I tend to wake up swatting when I am deeply asleep and something touches me.

[apocrypha]

Clearly we need a cat thread 

I'll do some research tomorrow into alternatives to IAMS I can get in the UK. Zebedee plays with spiders for hours but doesn't like the taste of them. This leaves me conflicted cos I really like spiders. Not to eat you understand. Sputnik sings at moths. Literally. We call it her sonic song of death. The moths seem to be immune but she does it anyway.

Oh and Der Helm? The cat is jealous of you, and confused. It doesn't yet know if you're a rival or a potential extra parent. If it tries to kill you in your sleep (you'll know cos of all the screaming and bleeding coming from you) then be afraid.

[Sky]

Yeah, both my kitties do the feet under the blanket attack thing.  Magenta, however, really believes it needs to die and goes nuts on it.  I'm glad stuff, like duvets, rugs and furniture, mean so little to me in comparison.  I'm resigned to having tatty stuff and vacuuming a lot.

Maybe we need a cat thread

Bart is usually ok about not attacking me under the blankets when I'm sleeping...but I've always stuck my feet out too cool off when I get too hot, and he /will/ attack anything poking out slightly. Little bastard. And he's got some kind of kitty invulnerability, because no matter how many times he gets kicked in the head, he comes back for more. I hate being woken up from a sound sleep by teeth sinking into my feet.

[Cyrrex]

Clearly we need a cat thread 

I'll do some research tomorrow into alternatives to IAMS I can get in the UK. Zebedee plays with spiders for hours but doesn't like the taste of them. This leaves me conflicted cos I really like spiders. Not to eat you understand. Sputnik sings at moths. Literally. We call it her sonic song of death. The moths seem to be immune but she does it anyway.

Oh and Der Helm? The cat is jealous of you, and confused. It doesn't yet know if you're a rival or a potential extra parent. If it tries to kill you in your sleep (you'll know cos of all the screaming and bleeding coming from you) then be afraid.

I dunno.  I think it's in love with him and betting that it's going to start humping his face in the middle of the night.