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trabuquera
Modesty Bag
Really nice little story here about how actor James Mason was a confirmed kitteh-head and wrote books about "The Cats in our Lives", which he also did genuinely beautiful (not kitsch or tacky) illustrations for:
The Cats in Our Lives
and you can see the illustrations scanned in here - and they're fantastic - cats are SO HARD to draw/paint/portray right, even the greatest Renaissance masters did a shocking job of it, but Mr Mason really obviously knew what they were all about. it's really worth a click and a scroll:
Silents and Talkies: Celluloid and Canvas - James Mason
The Cats in Our Lives
and you can see the illustrations scanned in here - and they're fantastic - cats are SO HARD to draw/paint/portray right, even the greatest Renaissance masters did a shocking job of it, but Mr Mason really obviously knew what they were all about. it's really worth a click and a scroll:
Silents and Talkies: Celluloid and Canvas - James Mason
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That's a lovely thing. He really has caught the shapes of those cats. And one of them was called Whitney Thompson - an excellent name for a cat.
toggle
wobbly
he's still at the very needy stage of taking in a stray. shut him out and he whines at the door. shutting him in another room is the last resort option, but i'd rather not go straight to that.
probably worth a try. i loathe sleeping with stuff tucked in. stay somewhere with sheets and blankets and I generally pull them all loose before trying to sleep. but if i get a heavy enough layer, then at least if he does attack, then he's not going to do damage
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colacubes
Mr Hot Cookie
Question - we've started letting Mash out in the garden now we've had a cat flap fitted. He's very keen on it. We've done it a few times supervised so far and he's getting on well with using the cat flap when we unlock it. When should we just allow him free reign to go out. I was thinking of starting tomorrow, but trying to get him in at night for a few days till he gets used to it. What have others done?
ETA - we've got a microchip flat and I can set it so it's in only, fully open, fully locked or out only.
ETA - we've got a microchip flat and I can set it so it's in only, fully open, fully locked or out only.
Ms T
Honey-coloured ramparts
Carpet doesn't like the cat flap. Any ideas how to get him used to it? I've tried treats. He did eventually come in through it today, but only as a last resort and I'd taped it open and removed the batteries as the click of it unlocking appeared to put him off even more. I know he used it a couple of times when he was a stray but presumably in desperation. He's just not that bothered about going out, either. 
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
think I tried getting a piece of string through the cat flap, getting me the other side of it then pulling the string through and hoping the cats would follow it
one of the mogs i lived with usually approached the cat flap at some speed - which caused some problems on odd occasions it was locked, or when he'd lost his collar (and therefore the magnetic key thingy)
the other mog tended to get head through first, then stop and think for a bit, then get his front legs through, heave a bit, reach a stage of balance half way through, then get one of his back legs in and heave, then fall in a heap the other side, then get up and rescue his tail from the flap...
Vintage Paw
dead stare and computer glare
That secret life of cats or whatever telly programme it was said some cats don't like cat flaps because they're like tunnels into the unknown, where anything could be lurking on the other side and they have no protection from it. Their suggestion was to put plenty of hidey things either side of the outside part of the flap, so big plant pots, maybe a box to get in/behind, that sort of thing. So they know they have somewhere to immediately hide and shelter once they're out, rather than being spat into this big open space where another cat with sharp claws and a bad temper might be waiting.
Callie
Pivoting
Carpet doesn't like the cat flap. Any ideas how to get him used to it? I've tried treats. He did eventually come in through it today, but only as a last resort and I'd taped it open and removed the batteries as the click of it unlocking appeared to put him off even more. I know he used it a couple of times when he was a stray but presumably in desperation. He's just not that bothered about going out, either.
I am slowly helping Neela to use the microchip managed cat flap. There has been ham involved
however I think she is responding best to being let outside and forced to come back in via the cat flap ie we're not letting her in otherwise. She is also scared of the recognition click
but she sure loves ham she'll probably get the hang of going out when the weather is better.
Here are some Neelas for your perusal
Vintage Paw
dead stare and computer glare
Only the poshest boxes for Neela.
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
Ms T
Honey-coloured ramparts
High Voltage
In the top 97% of Urban's most interesting posters
Oh! that takes me back. We could get collars on all 3 of the last round of cats quite easily - so it made sense to fit one of those magnetic cat flaps that would only let in (and out) our cats - it was fine with Jess and Rusty - but Bobbie. Poor, brave, heroic, Bobbie . . .
Click (eyes wide open in panic) . . . pull away from the scary cat flap . . . Click . . . go closer to the cat flap . . . CLICK (noise Bob heard in his head) . . . get a little bit closer to cat flap . . . click, click, click, click . . . click, click, click . . . click
He could sit, just at the trigger point making the latch click FOR HOURS - in the end the battery was removed, the latch taped shut and the cat collars removed - yet another expensive cat flap disabled
Which does put a bit of a brake on me getting . . . This
At north of £300
[edit]Removed unintentional ad link
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purenarcotic
Conveniently Pocket Sized
Yeah, he's definitely got the hang of lounging on the sofa tbf.
Jangles hardly goes out in the winter, she spends as much time as possible lounging by the electric heater. Why go out when you can be warm and snuggly.
stdP
One Swiss dinosaur in Polly Gosling's anorak hood
She is also scared of the recognition click
Has it occurred to you that, as I've observed in cats previously, they might be playing deliberately stupid in order to get more ham?
Very hard for humans to train cats, very easy for cats to train humans...
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
Radar's eye is starting to look a little bit improved thank goodness, not quite as red and the conjunctiva is no longer so swollen that it's poking out from under his lids. It's still gunked closed when he first wakes up but I'm giving it a wipe with some boiled and cooled water to ungunk it. Hopefully another couple of days of the eye drops and he'll be back to normal!
nogojones
spelling is overrated
It looks like Tip has been under house arrest for the last couple of weeks after his owners took the vets advice to lock him in for a while to remind him where his home actually is.
However, he turned up yesterday again (wearing a collar) and ran in the door through my feet straight for my cats food. I had to hide all the food, so he did a lap of victory round the house and crashed out on the bed. I escorted him off the premises only to find him in my Mums a hour later. He ran in again to mine today and managed to get half a bowl of food before I could prize it away from him. He's managed to loose his collar already
It looks like I have a cat-share
Vintage Paw
dead stare and computer glare
Peg's been sneezing a little bit the past couple of days. Just your average cute little tissue-thin cat sneezes for the most part. Maybe 2 or 3 in quick succession, but a few times a day. She seems otherwise fine in herself.
But she is a bit grumpy because I'm not playing with her as much at the moment because I think she hurt her mouth a bit while chewing feathers from da bird. She'd grab it in her mouth, chomp down, then sometimes she'd spit it out and kind of do a motion as if trying to get a stray feather out of her mouth. But there was nothing there, that I could see. She wouldn't do it all the time, but on occasion. This went on for a couple of weeks on and off, so I've stopped playing with anything that she wants to give a good old chew-murder to in the hopes that if it is a little wound in her mouth it'll clear up. She's eating biscuits with seemingly no problem, giving them a good old crunch. I thought maybe she'd cracked a tooth or one of them was sore, but biscuits and hard treats are giving her no problems, no weird mouth movements. I've had a smell when she yawns, and can't smell any infection. She won't let me manhandle her, so I've not been able to take a look in her mouth beyond being vaguely nearby when she happens to yawn, and nothing jumps out at me.
Could the sneezing be related? Is it something to worry about? Her eyes seem fine, no runny nose or weird mucus otherwise. No vomiting or poorly poos or anything else that might ring warning bells. Just a couple of sneezes a few times a day (she's just done it now, having just woken up).
Background: she's inoculated, wormed, and she doesn't go outside.
But she is a bit grumpy because I'm not playing with her as much at the moment because I think she hurt her mouth a bit while chewing feathers from da bird. She'd grab it in her mouth, chomp down, then sometimes she'd spit it out and kind of do a motion as if trying to get a stray feather out of her mouth. But there was nothing there, that I could see. She wouldn't do it all the time, but on occasion. This went on for a couple of weeks on and off, so I've stopped playing with anything that she wants to give a good old chew-murder to in the hopes that if it is a little wound in her mouth it'll clear up. She's eating biscuits with seemingly no problem, giving them a good old crunch. I thought maybe she'd cracked a tooth or one of them was sore, but biscuits and hard treats are giving her no problems, no weird mouth movements. I've had a smell when she yawns, and can't smell any infection. She won't let me manhandle her, so I've not been able to take a look in her mouth beyond being vaguely nearby when she happens to yawn, and nothing jumps out at me.
Could the sneezing be related? Is it something to worry about? Her eyes seem fine, no runny nose or weird mucus otherwise. No vomiting or poorly poos or anything else that might ring warning bells. Just a couple of sneezes a few times a day (she's just done it now, having just woken up).
Background: she's inoculated, wormed, and she doesn't go outside.
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
It could be possible that she's got a tiny little bit of feather in her nostril, one of the small fluffy bits (which still have tiny barbs so may cause a little bit of irritation).
On the other hand it could be anything and may not be related, and although I think it's a possibility, it's unlikely.
I would try not to worry too much, I would think if it was that it would trigger behaviour like a grass seed up there, rubbing at their face with their paws, visible irritation, runny nose and eyes etc. Obv. vet if it gets worse or she seems ill or in discomfort.
On the other hand it could be anything and may not be related, and although I think it's a possibility, it's unlikely.
I would try not to worry too much, I would think if it was that it would trigger behaviour like a grass seed up there, rubbing at their face with their paws, visible irritation, runny nose and eyes etc. Obv. vet if it gets worse or she seems ill or in discomfort.
Vintage Paw
dead stare and computer glare
Thanks. I'm not too worried at the moment. I should add she has a rather substantial pile of catnip on the rug downstairs. She doesn't spend much time with it (she's one of those ridiculous cats who isn't actually a cat at all), but I think it's highly likely she got a bit of it in her nose and it's annoying her. Not sure if it'll work its way out or continue to cause more problems... time will tell. She's not usually even in the same room when she's sneezing though, so it's not through being in the vicinity of it (it makes me want to sneeze a bit if I take a big old whiff of it in the jar... which I sometimes do... for science).
The main thing on my mind is what she might have done to her mouth. I hope it clears up. She hasn't played with feathers or a shoelace for maybe 3 days now (she wants to!). I'll give it a few days longer. The mouth generally heals quite quickly, so a week should theoretically do it, so if it's still bothering her after then I might take her to the vet so they can take a good look around inside, just in case it is a tooth, or heaven forfend a lump on/under her tongue or something.
The main thing on my mind is what she might have done to her mouth. I hope it clears up. She hasn't played with feathers or a shoelace for maybe 3 days now (she wants to!). I'll give it a few days longer. The mouth generally heals quite quickly, so a week should theoretically do it, so if it's still bothering her after then I might take her to the vet so they can take a good look around inside, just in case it is a tooth, or heaven forfend a lump on/under her tongue or something.
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
Are you able to look in her mouth at all? My lot are all pretty easy to handle and will let me (although they object much more to the vet having a look!) but I know a lot of cats are really averse to having their mouth opened.
The only thing really that occurs to me given your description of what happened when she was playing with da bird, is that because of the backward angled barbs on their tongue (which are great for eating prey and grooming), it is nigh on impossible for them to spit out stuff that is in their mouth. It's why they can get into trouble with things like swallowing string, or getting stuff caught in the back of their mouth.
So if (I know that is a big if!) she will let you look in her mouth without completely losing the plot, check for anything caught on the back of her tongue/mouth, and have a look at her teeth to make sure she hasn't broken one of the less visible ones at the back, or got anything stuck between 2 molars.
The only thing really that occurs to me given your description of what happened when she was playing with da bird, is that because of the backward angled barbs on their tongue (which are great for eating prey and grooming), it is nigh on impossible for them to spit out stuff that is in their mouth. It's why they can get into trouble with things like swallowing string, or getting stuff caught in the back of their mouth.
So if (I know that is a big if!) she will let you look in her mouth without completely losing the plot, check for anything caught on the back of her tongue/mouth, and have a look at her teeth to make sure she hasn't broken one of the less visible ones at the back, or got anything stuck between 2 molars.
Vintage Paw
dead stare and computer glare
She won't let me unfortunately. She likes headbutts and strokes and she lets me cuddle up next to her and will sit on my knee all night long, but she won't be picked up and she won't let you do anything to her, like trying to manipulate her into a position to get a better look at something, be it on the inside or the outside. And she's very big, very heavy, and VERY strong
I have a sneaky feeling this will mean a vet trip at some point, but I'm giving it a few more days to see if it all settles. She doesn't appear to be in any discomfort or in dire need of anything in the meantime.
I have a sneaky feeling this will mean a vet trip at some point, but I'm giving it a few more days to see if it all settles. She doesn't appear to be in any discomfort or in dire need of anything in the meantime.
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
ikwym, my Jakey is incredibly strong, he's the one I have trouble getting into a carrier. Thankfully he is pretty good with any treatment I have to give him (and there has been plenty ) but he goes into a right panic over the carrier - I suspect due to several bouts of being left at the vet for surgery over the years, poor sod (he's had surgery something like 4 times over the last 4 years, and multiple vet visits each time).
Is she eating? I think she probably wouldn't if she had bad oral pain.
) but he goes into a right panic over the carrier - I suspect due to several bouts of being left at the vet for surgery over the years, poor sod (he's had surgery something like 4 times over the last 4 years, and multiple vet visits each time).Is she eating? I think she probably wouldn't if she had bad oral pain.
Vintage Paw
dead stare and computer glare
Yes, she's eating. I think you're right. When Charlie needed his teeth doing he went off his food regularly. She's even more fussy with food than he was but that's been the case since she moved in. She'll almost always eat biscuits though, and seems to be having no problem doing so at the moment. She crunches them too, so they don't just go down whole.
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
I think then the main thing is that she's eating, they are very prone to feline anorexia when ill or in pain, especially with oral/dental problems - if she stops eating for more than 24 hours then that is always a see a vet situation, but as she's still crunching her biscuits that's a good sign. I'd say if the malaise persists or she starts showing symptoms of illness or discomfort, or if she stops eating, then take her in for a checkup.
It doesn't sound like much more than the da bird started disintegrating in her mouth and she was having trouble spitting the bits out. If she likes to chew on toys it might be worth looking for something more robust
(My Sonic once had a fluffy rabbit fur mouse - I say that, but it was a fluffy rabbit fur mouse for approximately 3 minutes, after which it was a bald mouse, because he ate all the fur off it. His furballs afterwards were... different. Some cats need more robust toys than others).
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stdP
One Swiss dinosaur in Polly Gosling's anorak hood
Coraline's has found that by sleeping in a particular spot on the bed she can not only minimise the amount of time I spend on the laptop but can also provide much easier access for belly-rubbing duties. Any damage to my neck is purely coincidental.
