Pets

[Chad32]

No you are!

[Belac Enrobso]

You know... Vets could just put dogs down by overdosing them on heroin instead of whatever they do. Seems a lot less cruel.

BUT....

I like cats more than I do dogs, dogs are just as sanitary as cats but cats fit my preference of care because they do not need walking, although you could walk your cat but people would probably chuckle at the sight. Plus most breeds of cats seem more suitable as cuddle buddies compared to most breeds of dogs in my opinion.

[EgoRaptor]

I have no pets because animals are fucking disgusting.

[Chad32]

The internet loves cats.

[Chas]

I had to euthanize my golden retriever, Poppy, a few years ago. The vet came to the house and she died in my arms. I haven't had a dog since.

But I think there's a cat around here some place.

[c172]

I currently have no pets, nor any designs on getting any. I grew up with Spot, a predominately white cat with a black tail and black spot on the right rear quarter, and maybe another splotch or two around the ears; and Soleil, a tabby, whom I named after the actress who played Punky Brewster, which I loved at the time of her purchase. Both were shorthairs, though.

I do love the khao manei and the shorthair exotic, though, and would love both (Sagan for a boy, Clara for a girl) were it not for my repulsion from litter boxes.

[vorlon13]

2 cats.

One found our doorstep at around 10 weeks of age. Was well socialized with people and had a bold, inquisitive personality.

Second we would see hiding in the yard or scavenging trash. Was very timid, any noise at all and he would run off. We put out scraps and kibble for him, but his being so cautious allowed the raccoons to get his goodies.

He finally would stick around long enough for us to get a good look and we realized he had a left/right symmetrical brown/black swirl pattern in his fur, with white feet and a white bib. A very sharp looking cat. We started putting his food in a live trap but we didn't set it. I contacted the vet, and he said to call whenever we were ready to snag him, and see if he had an opening. About a week later the stars aligned, and cat was snagged and hustled to the vet.

He was PISSED !!

Oh, my, he made quite a ruckus. Vet had him overnight, no idea how he cleaned him up and fixed him. Brought him home in the trap, and turned him loose in the upstairs tile bath.

He hissed and growled at me for over 3 months whenever I went in to feed or clean the litter box. He eventually started to ease up a little, and it was a good thing, I was about to open the window and let him go.

3 years later he is the best cat we've ever had. He is still timid to strangers, but he trusts me totally. I can even grind his claws down with a Dremel.

He was about 10 months feral when snagged, the vet thought he was pretty fierce that first visit. He has been back for shots and checkups with no problems. Leaving the house seems to overload his anxiety system and he is just limp till he gets home again.

He is not real out going with visitors, but a few have seen him, and he has let a cousin of mine pet him. He disappears when ever a kid is in the house, LOL.

[Chad32]

Three months? Wow. I probably wouldn't have waited more than one, if that.

[Whateverist]

Well since this is probably a thread which has been raised from the dead I think I'll post a photo of good ol' Fletcher, deceased almost a year ago. With any luck he'll be raised from the garden in the process.



And here he is as an old dog lording it over my current dog Heidi Rose when she was young.

http://youtu.be/RwWfbwtyOIY?list=UU4cSW2...eAabCHr5IQ

And here he is with Heidi again along with our friends' young Newfoundland in the hills above Tomales Bay, North of San Franscisco.

http://youtu.be/NQHb2PcChdg?list=UU4cSW2...eAabCHr5IQ

What, you're still here. Okay here they are at Point Isabel dog park a few miles North of where we are in Berkeley, playing in San Francisco bay at low tide.

http://youtu.be/FFuINgIS5EA?list=UU4cSW2...eAabCHr5IQ



http://youtu.be/FFuINgIS5EA?list=UU4cSW2...eAabCHr5IQ

[vorlon13]

Second story bathroom. Didn't want him to get injured jumping. No other way to get him out of the house.


He was real cautious the first few times he had 'liberty' in the house. I put a harness on him and a tether. If he had a melt down and hid under something I figured I could put on oven mitts and reel him in.

He was really anxious about the stairwell at first. He did not like being in it with me for quite a while, but now I can carry him up and down the stairs no problem. We let him take everything at his own pace. I realize not everyone would invest 3 months on a feral cat, but he was so sharp looking, I really wanted it to work out.

He has required very little training, just saying 'no' precludes any further infraction. The other cat requires constant supervision, and of course, it is because he is an attention whore. #2 is just a real sweet cat. I wasn't sure how 'tame' he would ever get, and he turned out tame enough. He is still 'jumpy' though.