HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: sbiles@nmsu.edu (Susannah E Biles)
Subject: heartbreaking story...
Organization: NMSU Computer Science
Distribution: rec.pets.cats
Date: Sat, 10 Oct 1992 23:44:05 GMT


For those of you who have mentioned that you cannot abide awful animal
cruelty stories, please read no furthur.





I had to post this because sometimes we humans must share our misery
with empathetic people in order to deal with it better.

I live in Las Cruces, New Mexico, a college town of about 100
thousand.

Last week, on the front page of the paper was a story about a woman
who hearing what sounded like a child screeching went outside her home
to investigate. What she found to her dismay and horror was three
young boys who were tormenting a stray kitten. 
They were poking its eyes out with sticks.
The woman ran at them and the boys ran away (she did not know who they
were) and she took the kitten to the vet who had to remove the eyes
and sew the lids shut. But the kitten is alive and the story ended
with a plea for someone to adopt the sweet thing.

Now in our local paper we have a section called "Sound Off" where the
general public writes little entries about stuff that pisses them off
about the city, or what makes them happy or proud about what happens
in and around LC. Well, for the rest of the week "Sound Off" was full
of individuals like all of us who were shocked and bewildered at the
behavior of these children. How could they do something like that? 
When I first heard about it, let me tell you I was so upset I was
sick. I don't understand people like that ..and when they are
children! What kind of adults are these children going to turn into???
This was also mentioned in "SOund Off" .. are these kids our future?
Is violence that common? That easily partaken? I feel ill...
The only consolation is that the kitten was saved and that there was a
city uproar about the situation. 
STill, no one knows who the boys were. No one has come forward. I hope
they have nightmares for the rest of their lives.

I apoligize for upsetting anyone, and I am sure that this posting has
upset many of you. I just had to get it out. 
It is awful to know that children have that capability, isn't it?
I wonder what kind of parents they have...


Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats,rec.gardens
From: snyder@henry.ece.cmu.edu (John Snyder)
Subject: Re: Herbal repellants?
Organization: Physics Department, Carnegie Mellon University
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 00:31:05 GMT

In article <keqNBwW00VQk857Wtf@andrew.cmu.edu> Terilyn Gillespie <tg0r+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes:
>
>Other than the use of Bitter Apple/Orange, or cayenne pepper that is
>recommended in the FAQ, are there other things to use a repellants to
>keep cats away from plants?
>
>I'd be particularly interested if someone knows of an herb I could grow
>to keep them away.  Thanks.
>
>Terilyn Gillespie
>tg0r@andrew.cmu.edu


I have heard of using garlic (I read it in the Mother Earth News)  Their
example was how to keep the cat from climbing the Christmas tree.  The
idea was to peel a few cloves and put them under the tree.  The person
who wrote it in said that it worked great -- the cat stayed away from the
tree.

John
snyder@henry.ece.cmu.edu

Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: dschlow@epas.utoronto.ca (Deborah Schlow)
Subject: Re: 'bye Tess
Organization: University of Toronto - EPAS
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 19:04:13 GMT

My cat, Sting, curls herself around the top of my head at night and
gradually pushes me off the pillow. She looks so proud when she has
attained the nightly prize! I will never shove her off the bed again.
Sting, Vera, the Squeezemeister (a ferret) and I all send our sympathy
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: gck@hector.uucp (24641-kemmerling)
Subject: Re: cat's perception
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 92 16:13:13 GMT

> was moving side to side.  On the other hand, the article stated
> that cats didn't have very good vertical perception and that the
> cats were much better at tracking an object that moves side to
> side (thus enabling them to better catch mice, bugs, etc...).
> My cats seem to be more interested in their toys when I swing
> these toys from side to side than when I "bounce" these toys
> up and down.  Any thoughts on this subject?  Anybody try the
> same experiment on their babies?

I have heard this before and since then I have 'tested' Boo,  He
sees upand down as well as side to side.

gayle

E-mail address: gck@hector.cc.bellcore.com 
Morristown, N.J.
(201) 829-3950
From: mas5@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (MICHELLE A. M. SZENA)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Fleas at the vet
Date: 13 Oct 92 19:49:47 GMT
Organization: Lehigh University

I have two cats who are indoor only cats.   I have never seen any fleas on
them.  A couple of times while I've been in the waiting room, I've been next
to dogs who are scratching away.  Once I even saw a flea hopping around.  I
was so afraid my cat would end up with them before we left.  Well, so far
we've been lucky and they have never come home from an appointment with them.
However, every time they have had to stay overnight, they come home with
tapeworm which I'm told is from ingesting a flea.  It really makes me angry
that I protect them from fleas and check them regularly only to have them pick
them up at the vet.

I know there's probably nothing the vet can do about this but it still makes
me mad.  Also, I think there should be separate waiting rooms for cats and
dogs.  It's emotionally disturbing enough for my cats to be there let alone to
be next to a 100 pound dog who keeps moving around and hitting my cat carrier
with it's tail.

Thanks for letting me get this out.  I feel a little better now.

Michelle
and Pookie and Merlin
From: das@voodoo.boeing.com (Deb Schwartz)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: 'bye Tess
Date: 15 Oct 92 22:03:54 GMT
Organization: Yet Another Graphics Project, Bellevue, WA

Susan McIntosh (SUSANMC@nervm.nerdc.ufl.edu) wrote:
>
>: I called her my lover kitty, 'cause she was soooo affectionate in the
>: middle of the night.  She died this weekend during a spay operation and
>: I miss her so!  I'd leave my door open every night and let her chew
>: on my hair all night if I could only have her back.  Love ya, Tess.
>
*Sniff*.  A big hug from KC, Oreo and me.  Take care.
------
Debbie Schwartz // das@voodoo.boeing.com  // or uunet!bcstec!voodoo!das 
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: dabercr@eng.clemson.edu (donald abercrombie)
Subject: Re: Does your ccat do this?
Reply-To: dabercr@eng.clemson.edu
Organization: College of Engineering, Clemson Univ.
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1992 18:50:10 GMT

Our kitten, who we've only had for a matter of weeks, displays this same sort of behavior.  According to her breeders, she was abandoned by her mother soon after birth and was raised for the most part by themselves (with bottle feedings).  Therefore, unless she just happened to pick it up from some other cat she might have come in contact with in the short months before we got her, I would wonder if this tendency is learned.

She will attempt to bury anything before she will eat it.  This is usually a very brief and modest effort of some gentle scratching of the floor in the direction of her food dish, but it is unfailing.  If we leave a bit of food on the floor for her to eat (away from her dish), she will also attempt to cover it.  All in all, it appears quite strange, since even when she appears to be in a famished frenzy to eat, she will stop before taking the first bite and go through her ritual.  This can sometimes take h



er up to a minute.

DON
From: maxfield@athena.cs.uga.edu (Joan C. Maxfield)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: I feel SO guilty!
Summary: Gella got hurt. ouch.
Date: 12 Oct 92 22:38:04 GMT
Organization: University of Georgia, Athens

God, I feel SO awful!  This afternoon I noticed Angelica was limping.
When I tried to look closer at her foot I could see that it wasn't
good, she had torn up one of her pads and her foot was very swollen.
I called the vet and took her in within the hour.  The vet said it
looked like she may have gotten in a fight or tried to run across
concrete very fast and tore up her pad and splintered several claws.
Her foot was abcessed.  I felt terrible (probably worse than her).  I
left her for an hour while they opened it up and drained it, for an
hour I went shopping and bought kitty treats, and kitty food, and a
little kitty candle holder.  When I got back the vet came out and gave
me a bottle of antibiotics and told me the verdict.  Angelica was
probably 'rolled' (hit) by a car and they had to amputate her toe.  I
cannot put into words how awful I feel.  I swing from blaming myself
for letting her out to blaming whichever idoit in my building hit her
( I know it had to be someone around here because she doesn't leave
the property)  The vet said she is going to be fine, he didn't even
have to put in stiches, 3M makes a 'surgical glue', and the amputation
was similar to a declawing. ( We did, however, find out that she has
now lost 2 pounds in the last 6 months, but thats another story
altogether.)  
	So, if my kitty is going to be fine, why am I the one needing
a valium? 

Joan

-- 
J. C. Maxfield				maxfield@athena.cs.uga.edu
DISCLAIMER:  I don't speak for the University, but they often speak for me!
From: feldman@flash.crd.ge.com (Sandra F Feldman)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: how much to feed
Date: 8 Oct 92 11:40:04 GMT
Organization: GE Corporate R&D Center

How often do you feed the cat?  We have several of our cats on diets to control
their weight.  I break the feeding into three:  early morning, when we get home
from work, and about 1/2 hour before bed.  This keeps them from scarfing down all
the food at once and then getting hunger pangs later.  Still, they let us know
exactly when it's feeding time by attempting to lead us into the kitchen and
meowing as if they are absolutely starving.  They haven't become emaciated yet,
so I think it's an act.  I have also heard people
suggest feeding dry popcorn to the cat as "filler," although I've never tried
this.

Sandy

In article <BvoGDF.L7@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>, larsenp@mace.cc.purdue.edu (Paul Larsen) writes:

|> Our cat is about 2 and 1/2 pounds overweight.  Her weight optimum is supposed
|> to be 10 pounds.  The vet put her on Hill's Science diet light and told us
|> to feed her about half a cup a day.  Maybe it is my feelings getting in the
|> way, but the poor cat always seems to be starving when we feed her this much.
|> Should we feed her a little more or is the cat putting on a real good
|> acting job?
|> 
|> 
|> Paul Larsen
|> larsenp@mace.cc.purdue.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: jal41820@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Smiley)
Subject: Way to tell if cat is spayed?
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Sat, 17 Oct 1992 02:23:12 GMT

About four weeks ago, I picked up a stray that was declawed. I've been
wondering if there is an easy/not so easy way to tell if she has been
spayed (or do males get spayed, and females get neutered? I was never sure
of which one goes to which)? I'd take her to the vet, but I don't have
the money to do so (I'm already spending enough after treating a sick
snake followed by a sick bird).
-- 
        Josh Laff              #     #      
email to: smiley@uiuc.edu     _       _     Hello! I am a signature virus!  
      (217) 384-6249         |#\_____/#|    Join the fun and copy mo*#(*&^!>.
                              \#######/
From: leslianne@seahcx.UUCP (Leslianne Heimbeck)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Older cat/How long till she comes around?
Date: 9 Oct 92 22:33:02 GMT
Reply-To: leslianne@seahcx.UUCP (Leslianne Heimbeck)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Harris Computer Systems, Bellevue, WA

In article <Bvuyys.4EC@news.cso.uiuc.edu> imkg2726@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Ilana M. Kingsley) writes:
>I'd like to keep her though.  How long does it
>take until an older cat warms up?
>--Ilana Kingsley Newby

Ilana,

My husband and I adopted an older cat in January.  When we picked Mocha up,
she was underfed, full of worms, and in generally poor health.  She was
terrified of us (particularly if my husband was wearing a leather coat),
hated to be held, wouldn't sit with us, wouldn't go outside, etc..  We felt
like we had helped her out of a bad situation, but since she was such an
aloof kitty, we wanted to find a new home for her.  I am sooooo glad we
didn't!!  

When she finally came out from under the bed, we semi-ignored her.  We
talked to her, gave her Pounce and _soft_ pets behind the ears when she
would allow it, and that was about it.  Soon, she recognized us as friends
(or maybe as a food source =8)) and began to really warm up.  Now she'll
sleep on the bed with us occasionally, sit on the couch by us every chance
she has, and is my constant companion in the kitchen and bath.  We just love
this kitty, but it was not easy at all at first.  My advice?  Give your
kitty a bit longer.  She may have some healing to do like our Mocha did, but
I'm willing to bet she'll warm up!! =8)

Best of Luck
LH and the brood
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: ccd@ccadfa.cc.adfa.oz.au (Carol C Denehy)
Subject: Soap eating?
Organization: None, and I like it like that
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 23:28:54 GMT

My little girl, Penny, is the cat who likes getting wet. In fact she
now puts her paw into the basin of water and removes the stopper when
I am trying to clean my contact lens. Twice in the past week while
she is generally getting in the way in the morning she has casually
started licking the soap!! No YUCK response at all, just a thoughtful
look. And since she did it twice, maybe she likes it!

Last night as I was watching TV I had a glass of soda next to me.
She dipped her paw in it and licked it thoroughly several times.

Sigh.

As an aside when I told my next door neighbour about the trick with
the plug in the sink, she said she had found her cat up to her neck in
water in the laundry tub, trying to remove the plug.

Carol Denehy

Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: erc@unislc.uucp (Ed Carp)
Subject: Re: sad realities of cats running free
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]
Organization: Unisys Corporation SLC
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 20:34:13 GMT

I have 3 cats - they are all strays - and they share my two bedroom apartment.
It gets kinda crowded at times, and it's rather annoying when they decide to
make the bedroom/living room a race track at 3 AM, but I wouldn't give them
up for *anything*.  Love me, love my cats.

"Remember, nobody *owns* a cat..."
-- 
Ed Carp, N7EKG                  erc@apple.com                     801/538-0177
"This is the final task I will ever give you, and it  goes  on  forever.   Act
happy, feel happy, be happy, without a reason in the world. Then you can love,
and do what you will."           -- Dan Millman, "Way Of The Peaceful Warrior"
From: feldman@flash.crd.ge.com (Sandra F Feldman)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: aggressive cat
Date: 9 Oct 92 14:09:41 GMT
Organization: GE Corporate R&D Center

We added a five year old neutered male to our 5 cat household a few weeks ago.
The cats seemed like they were starting to get along, with just a bit of hissing
and growling, except that Pepper (3 years old) occasionally took a lunge at
Felix (new cat).  To make a long story short, last week we found a bite on Felix's
backside that required stitches.  The vet has suggested some sort of hormone
treatment for Pepper to reduce his aggresiveness toward Felix.  Has anyone had
experience with this sort of thing?  By way of background, Pepper was cat number
4, had no trouble acclimating to our house, and is very friendly to our other
cats.  We always joked about how he was the most mothering of our cats!  Cat 
number 5 is a female kitten, and Pepper had no trouble getting used to her,
either.

Thanks,
  Sandy
From: kimd@gizmo.usc.edu (Kim Daugherty)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Disease incubation period
Date: 14 Oct 1992 14:02:43 -0700
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: gizmo.usc.edu


I would like some information to keep me from worrying so much.  I had two
8 week old kittens as of 10-8 (Th).  On 10-13, we had to put one to sleep
because of continued vomiting, diarehha, and lack of eating or drinking.  The
vet's diagnosis was panaleukpopenis (sp?).  Thus far, the second kitten has
not showed any signs of contracting the same disease.  

My question is how long do I have to worry about her before she is safe?  What
is the incubation period for these viruses?  One more bit of information is that
this kitten as vaccinated with 3-in-1 on 10-10 (Sat.), after exposure to the
kitten that died.

Also, if the kitten does show any signs of contracting the same disease, is there
any treatment?  It seems to be very deadly, and I don't want her to suffer
needlessly.  Thanks.
-- 
+---------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Kim Daugherty                   | PhD program in Computer Science   |
| kimd@gizmo.usc.edu              | University of Southern California |
+---------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: erc@unislc.uucp (Ed Carp)
Subject: Re: Kitten with foot fetish
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]
Organization: Unisys Corporation SLC
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 07:11:15 GMT

Rebecca Fenton (AS.RAF@forsythe.stanford.edu) wrote:

: My cat has a SHOE FETISH!  Angel (8+ year old Spayed Calico) likes
: to put her head into shoes.  All you see of her head is the fuzzy
: kitty ears!  And she does this to any shoe available (smelliness is
: not a deterent nor an attraction to this feline with a fetish :))

Any cat that put her/his head in *my* shoe would die from the smell! :) :)
-- 
Ed Carp, N7EKG                  erc@apple.com                     801/538-0177
"This is the final task I will ever give you, and it  goes  on  forever.   Act
happy, feel happy, be happy, without a reason in the world. Then you can love,
and do what you will."           -- Dan Millman, "Way Of The Peaceful Warrior"
From: lianne@bcarh17e.BNR.CA (Lianne Raley)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Kitten names + comment on neutering
Date: 16 Oct 92 18:30:18 GMT
Reply-To: lianne@bcarh17e.BNR.CA (Lianne Raley)
Distribution: world
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd.

In article <1992Oct9.041152.643@Cadence.COM>, phz@cadence.com (Pete Zakel) 
writes:
|>
|>I would NEVER neuter a male cat before 6 months.  According the "The Natural
|>Cat", a male cat should not be neutered until the urine changes odor (and
|>believe me, the odor change is VERY noticable -- Frosty is about 6 months
|>old and his urine changed odor within the last two weeks -- time to call the
|>vet!).  Supposedly, the odor change is the signal that the testosterone has
|>done almost all its work.
|>
|>-Pete Zakel

What I've heard is that you should wait until the testicles have completely
dropped, as it's a harder process any earlier and it's just overall "healthier"
for the cat. That usually happens around 8 months. 

However, I find your remarks about urine odor very curious. Our first cat
was neutered just shortly after 8 months and I had just started noticing
a very strong urine odor. The vet had also said it would take a while 
before that smell died down after he was neutered (unfortunately he
wasn't around long enough for me to see that happen :(  ). 

I'm going to try this with my remaining cat. It's almost time for him, 
but so far I haven't noticed any changes in smell (a bit harder to tell
since he prefers to go outside instead of in his litter box). 

But believe me...that was a REALLY obvious smell; I would clean the box
every day but each time was enough to knock you over!!

- Lianne -
From: collene@unisql.UUCP (Collene Pearce)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: cat shows in the usa
Date: 13 Oct 92 16:58:38 GMT
Reply-To: collene@unisql.UUCP (Collene Pearce)
Organization: UniSQL, Inc., Austin, Texas, USA

In article <1bdqq8INNh1f@manuel.anu.edu.au> Liz.Robinson@ANU.edu.AU (Liz Robinson) writes:
>I am hoping to visit the USA in 1993, could anyone please tell me where
>the big cat shows are held and when?
>
>I breed Birmans, do any other readers own a Birman cat?
>
>Liz Robinson				Tel: +61 6 2493435

Both Cat Fancy and Cats magazines list locations and contacts for 
upcoming shows (for the following 3 months or so).  If you do not have
access to these magazines, let me know, and I will post or email some
locations/dates/contacts for you.  Also, let me know approx. when you
are going to visit and if there is any particular location you are 
interested in.   Do you care if the shows are cfa or incats(ica)?

(Obviously I'm not a breeder, or I would know what the proper abbreviations
for the cat organizations are.  ;-) )


-- 

********************* #include <std_disclaimer.h> **********************
* A. Collene Pearce (512-343-7372, x114) * Organization: UniSQL, Inc.  *
*                                        * Austin, TX                  *
* unisql!collene@cs.utexas.edu           * 512-343-7297 or 7383(fax)   *
************************************************************************
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: rmilner@zia.aoc.nrao.edu (Ruth Milner)
Subject: Re: Diarrhea Again
Reply-To: rmilner@zia.aoc.nrao.edu (Ruth Milner)
Organization: National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Socorro NM
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 92 21:01:43 GMT

In article <1992Oct15.174400.28686@netcom.com> mdr@netcom.com (Marc D. Rossner) writes:
>One of my 4 month-old boys, Vincent, has had diarrhea for much of 
>the 4 weeks that I've had him. The vet said he had a fever 
>(103? -- I forgot to ask what normal temp is) 

Something like 101-102. Like humans, it varies a bit.

>and kept Vincent to watch for 2 days 

This seems a little extreme to me. Cats are generally happiest in a familiar
environment.

>However, starting the night Vincent got back home and for the last few days
>he has the same diarrhea all over again 

>   Now they each eat about 3 ounces of "Fancy Feast" wet food a day 
>   and some Iams dry food also.  Should I try to cut out ALL wet food?

Yes. Boots had this problem when she was a small kitten too, also cleared
of having worms, also a slight temperature (102.5), and the vet said he felt 
most wet foods are too hard for a little kitty's tummy to digest. He suggested 
Tender Vittles, soft morsels, and sure enough, within a day of switching to 
this she was fine again. She started putting on weight and regained all her 
liveliness. If this is your kitty's problem, the cure should be just as quick.

Don't give him milk, either, as he may have lost his ability to digest it.

Boots will eat anything, but since Abby wasn't really keen on Tender Vittles,
after a month or two we gradually switched back to a mix of Friskies wet and,
alternately, Science Diet Dry or Kitten Chow (now Cat Chow). Neither cat has
had any problems since.

I would think it might also be possible that he has some sort of digestive
tract infection which is preventing proper digestion, in which case, if the
diet change doesn't help, antibiotics might. I'd suggest you take any recom-
mendations you get for another vet in your area. Palo Alto must have lots,
though none of them is likely to be cheap.
-- 
Ruth Milner                          NRAO/VLA                  Socorro NM
Computing Division Head      rmilner@zia.aoc.nrao.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats