HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: kkv@inel.gov (Jamie J Ferguson)
Subject: Re: Cat likes dipping things in water
Organization: Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho Falls, Idaho
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 93 19:59:56 GMT


My mom's cats are given socks and old mittens to play with (mine
aren't -- they like to eat my socks already!).  Anyway, they
are always putting them in their food and water bowls.  We
thought it might be some sort of maternal instinct (we've yet to
see one of the male cats do this), but thats the best guess I've
got.  The difference seems to be that my mom's cats leave their
toys in the water dish, while yours just makes a mess!  I don't
know how to stop a cat from doing anything -- I just hide the
things I don't want them messing with!


Jamie

the pack:  Kenzie   -- 1 yr old black Lab X
           Meggin   -- 8 month old Australian Shepherd X
           Harrison -- 4 month old Border Collie X

the herd:  Kieri -- 5 1/2 yr old lilac point Siamese
           Zak   -- 5 1/2 yr old blue point Siamese
           Duke  -- 1 yr old seal point Siamese

========== long legal disclaimer follows, press n to skip ===========

Neither the United States Government or the Idaho National Engineering
Laboratory or any of their employees, makes any warranty, whatsoever,
implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility regarding any
information, disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe
privately owned rights.  No specific reference constitutes or implies
endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States
Government or the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory.  The views and
opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the
United States Government or the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory,
and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.
From: deeds@oracle (Deanna J. Deeds)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: cat in heat?
Date: 5 Jan 93 00:43:01 GMT
Reply-To: deeds@solaria.hac.com
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]

cs431109 (cs431109@umbc8.umbc.edu) wrote:
: 
: It's just not the same. The cat will be much happier!
: AND HEALTHIER!!! They won't be prone to reproductive organ cancers,
: ...

I understand that the vet community is now of the opinion that 
females should be spayed even earlier than we'd thought before, more
like 4 months than 6 months which was common practice just in the
last year or so.  At least my vet is pushing me to bring mine in
that young.  "But she's still so *LITTLE* !"  I whine...

I gather that they want to be sure to catch them before they go
into their first heat, since statistics show it's healthier as far
as cancers go.

What do our resident vets and vet students know or think about this?
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Deanna J. Deeds                                        deeds@solaria.hac.com
From: jao@megatest.com (John Oswalt)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Declawing
Date: 7 Jan 93 22:38:29 GMT
Organization: Megatest Corporation

My 2 cents:

     I'm a long time cat person, having had a dozen cats or so, usually
several at a time, over the last 29 years.  I've never declawed a cat, and
doubt that I ever will.  But a declawed cat moved in with me (her idea,
not mine) and has changed some of my ideas about declawed cats.

     This cat has been totally declawed, front and back, and I can't see that
it has hurt or hindered her at all.  She fought her way into my household
of two other cats, each of which has all his/her claws, and each of which
outweighed her by at least 5 pounds (she has since gained weight.) I say
"fought", but what she really did was intimadate them.  She was very
aggressive. After 2 years, things have settled down, and I have 3 happy,
friendly cats.

     This cat cleans herself normally, Desmond Morris notwithstanding.  She
jumps up on the bed, on windowsills, and climbs up on the roof just as well
as the other cats.  She goes through the motions of sharpening her claws
on trees and couches.  I don't think that she knows that she has no claws.
The other cats sure don't know it.

     Based on this experience, I am no longer so sure that declawing is bad.
-- 

John Oswalt        jao@megatest.com
From: boutzev@lcaohp2.epfl.ch (Lubomir Boutzev)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: HELP Broken Tooth !
Keywords: cats, teeth
Date: 11 Jan 93 16:08:58 GMT
Reply-To: boutzev@lcaohp1.epfl.ch
Organization: AI crazed sickos.

HI everybody,
Here's my very first posting to this group. Too bad it's for
asking advice on what to do with my beloved cat's accident
sequels.
I have a small sized (around 3kg) 3 and 1/2 years old cat.
The poor chappy had an accident and was injured on the
jaws.
He recovered in few days like the vet predicted, BUT has one tooth 
broken.
This missing one is the big sized upper right. They call it "cannine" in
french (sorry, no time to look in the dictionnary)
The vet says that this tooth has gone neatly, i.e. from the root.
She also says that the cat will continue an almost normal life with 3 out
of his 4 big teeth left.
In fact he eats again in an almost normal way and seems not to be in 
pain. He also plays somehow with his favorite toys.
We live in Switzerland and there is a quite big and  notorious
pet hospital and they have the skills for dogs and cats dental
surgery.
So here are my questions now that you know the situation:
-Is it worth for my cat to have an artificial tooth ?
I know that this type of intervention is performed on dogs and that
the results are positive.
Has anybody faced a similar situation ? 
Will the poor little darling suffer from this surgery ? 
Is it better to leave him that way or to make him undergo dental
works ?
Hos is it exactly performed ? How many interventions are necessary ?
Will the artificial tooth last long enough or it has to be
raplaced after some time ? 
What are the risks if any ? 
Thanks in advance, I'll be glad  to have comments or ideas before
calling the pet hospital for advice.
L.B.










Xref: sparky rec.pets.cats:15773 rec.pets.dogs:15803
From: nvonstein@memstvx1.memst.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats,rec.pets.dogs
Subject: Re: Puppy/Kitty Mills
Date: 6 Jan 93 23:36:02 GMT
Organization: Memphis State University

In article <C0GEM9.2z1@news.udel.edu>, thuyan@ravel.udel.edu (Thuy-An Hartman) writes:
> 
> I was driving through Georgia on my way to Florida last week when I
> encountered what was obviously a puppy/kitty mill truck.  (sad details
> left out- but use your imagination)
> 
> When I got to Florida, I told my friend about the sad ordeal and she
> said "What is a puppy mill?"
> 
> How can we educate these people?  I really thought more people were
> aware of what was going on, but when I pass the pet stores, I see that
> they obviously are not.
> 
I think these poor little animals in the pet stores are there for the impulse
buyers.  This is not always the case - but you can just picture it.  Mommy and
daddy take the little darlin to the mall and little darlin sees the cute
puppy/kitty and pitches a temper tantrum.  They take the animal to appease the
little darlin.  Not prepared at all for the responsibility of another little
darlin to take care of.

I posted last week about a puppy mill that was broken up in eastern Arkansas. 
There was an update on the news last night (here in Memphis) about the status
of the dogs who are being kept by a vet.  Many are requiring immediate care and
nutrition.   Anyway these animals cannot be put up for adoption until the case
has been tried.  There is a possibility that these poor animals may have to go
back to the farm where they were confiscated.  Legally they can't even neuter
any of these animals until the trial is over.  

Nancy

> Any suggestions.
> 
> Thuy-An
>
From: ac999257@umbc3.umbc.edu (ac999257)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Picking a new kitten
Date: 6 Jan 1993 21:02:59 -0500
Organization: University of Maryland, Baltimore County Campus
NNTP-Posting-Host: umbc8.umbc.edu

In article <1993Jan6.194855.25133@inel.gov> kkv@inel.gov (Jamie J Ferguson) writes:
>In article <1ievhmINN16o@umbc8.umbc.edu> ac999257@umbc3.umbc.edu (ac999257) writes:
>>People like this don't deserve cats. Only breeders have any chance
>>of predicting the personality of a kitten. Anyone who wants a sure
>>thing from a shelter should pick out a dog.
>>
>>Mary
>>
>
>
>Please don't say this either!!!  Anyone who can't keep a normal
>kitten certainly doesn't deserve a puppy either!  I volunteer for
>the local Humane Society and you should see the idiots who come
>in looking at the dogs.  The sad thing is that the people we turn
>away probably manage to buy puppies elsewhere.
>
>
>
>Jamie
>

SORRY! You're 100% ABSOLUTELY right! But what I meant to infer was 
that dogs might be more trainable than cats and may be the
better pet choice of someone who isn't satisfied with the
often-aloof personality of a cat. As much as I love and adore
cats, they are not the pet for every person. I know quite a few
people who dislike cats because they are independent, don't obey
orders, slinky, etc.. These people do quite well with dogs.
I can understand someone wanting a cat since they'r much easier
to take care of and being dissatisfied when they realize they
don't like the typical feline personality. Some of these
people may like the dog better, even if dogs do require a
little more work.

Mary
From: pstevens@Metaphor.COM (Paul Stevens)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: help!!!
Date: 11 Jan 93 23:19:14 GMT
Reply-To: pstevens@Metaphor.COM (Paul Stevens)
Distribution: rec.pets.cats
Organization: m4

In article <yx+3wsg@rpi.edu>, petitc@vccnw01.its.rpi.edu (Christopher Jon Petit) writes:
|> sbiles@nmsu.edu (Susannah E Biles) writes:
|> >Help kitty friends! I need a lot of advice and facts/figures.
|> 
|> >Background:
|> >me - Susan, 23, female, single, college grad student, live with sister
|> >and two cats (both male,neutered, under 2 yrs). Very emotional, lack
|> >of logic in my reasoning.Have been owned by up to 5 cats at a time 
|> >since birth.
|> 
|> >boyfriend - 24,  male, single, college grad, lives w/ mom, very analytical
|> >and logical,  NEVER EVER HAD A PET IN WHOLE LIFE.
|> 
|> >us - been dating for 2 years, never lived together.
|> 
|> >problem - his lack of understanding of the importance of pets in pet
|> >lovers life. Of course that is rather an understatement. He says they
|> >are cute, they can be fun. Hates the smell, the 'inconvenience' of
|> >cleaning litter boxes, feeding etc. etc. Doesn't understand the
|> >emotional connection. "It is just a CAT" (heard that before?)
|> >Now it has almost gotten to the
|> >point that I have to choose between them.
|> 
|>  I know who I'd choose.
    [i.e. Chris says "dump the boyfriend"!]

I think that the boyfriend may change his tune over time.  My parents are
not particularly "cat lovers".  We had a dog when I was growing up that
they did love, but my father especially has no use for cats.  I was, of
course, somewhat indoctrinated by this attitude when I left home.  When
my college girlfriend (who I was living with) said she wanted a cat I
had no objection, but no great excitement either.  When we broke up about
a year after getting the cat, I was devastated at the loss of my closest
companion...no not the girlfriend, the cat!

It's one thing for him to see your cat on visits and quite another to
live with one.  As long as he likes them a little, I think living with
a cat will push him over the edge and allow him to be owned by one.
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+

   Paul Stevens                        {apple|decwrl}!metaphor!pstevens
   Metaphor Computer Systems           pstevens@metaphor.com
   Mountain View, CA
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: chris@unislc.uucp (Chris DelPrete)
Subject: Black fur, red tint, lt. grey at base
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]
Organization: Unisys Corporation SLC
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 17:01:35 GMT

Is there a name for the type of coloring of my kitty?  From a distance, she
appears black.  When the light shines on her fur, she has a definite reddish
henna look.  And when you part her fur, it is light grey at the base.  Very
unusual in my experience.  Sometimes I think I can see faint tabby markings on
her forehead and on her tail.

any ideas as to the genetic makeup of this DSH?  Names for the coloring?

- chris


-- 

  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
  +  Christine DelPrete-Delaney                             The Rest   o  +
  +  chris@unislc.slc.unisys.com                               ____    0  +
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: bron@iastate.edu (bronwyn)
Subject: Re: favorite cat
Originator: bron@aviator.cc.iastate.edu
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1993 12:34:04 GMT

Nermal was first.  Poor little thing was only a tiny kitten when we found 
her huddled over a tire in the cold rain (october? november?).  We took
her home, cleaned her up, and watched her walk from lap to lap to lap to
lap.  "Off" was a place she didn't like.  She played me like a violin.
Feeper came later.  She is a long story. A woman not far from where I 
live claimed to be a "breeder", and it came to the attention of the local
shelter that she was keeping animals confined in cages about the size of
a middle-sized pet carrier.  Often, two cats were kept in the same cage.
No heat was provided, litter care was horrible, and food was rotting in
cages.  I took in feeper at 6 weeks (a "purebred" manx, although the 
"breeder" certainly wouldn't have given me papers after the "trouble" 
we caused her.)  (yeah, yeah, I'm a flaming anti-heinous-crime activist ;)

My favourite type of cat?  All of them :)

--
Bronwyn J Scrutton                                          bron@iastate.edu
Project Vincent                                               (515) 294-4994
                    If it's not one thing, it's Bronwyn. 
OB Reminder: if you see someone treating an animal in a way you think is
cruel, *call your local shelter*.  They *can* help.  This does include
animals left alone in cars during hot months, and animals seen riding in the
backs of trucks. 
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: STella@thelema.uucp (STella)
Subject: Re: cat in heat?
Organization: Idiosyncratic Anarchic Order
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 93 07:09:01 GMT

This one's relatively safe.  The only critters that get laid are cats,
OK?

In article <C058M0.Frt@news.cso.uiuc.edu> levine@symcom.math.uiuc.edu (Lenore Levine) writes:
>Joseph.V.Kelly.Jr@dartmouth.edu (Joseph V. Kelly Jr) writes:
>>Anyhow, she's an indoor cat, so I don't have an immediate concerns.

>You may be underestimating her intelligence, and interest in
>getting out. Female cats in heat have been known to climb up 
>chimneys.

Yep.  And worse.  Like Monkey Face and Wuzzat....  Monkey Face was my
first Siamese, a chocolate-point queen.  Wuzzat, a tabby-pointed DSH,
was not a clever cat.  The Face WAS.

It was spring, and both of them were in heat.  I was living in a house
with a dozen or so other folks, and had no hope that anyone else would
close the doors and make sure the windows wouldn't leak cats, so my
room was their world.  We kept food in the room, a stick of butter on
a saucer, a loaf of bread, so we wouldn't have to go downstairs for a
snack that might not still be there.  And the cats had finally come to
understand that licking the butter or playing spin-the-breadknife
would get them in trouble.  Or so I thought.

One day, I'm just about to split for the library when Monkey Face
jumps up on the breadboard and starts licking down the butter.  I
freeze in stunned disbelief, take a step toward Face, and just see,
out of the corner of my eye, Wuzzat streaking down the hall and out
onto the fire escape and down.

And a day later, late for work, I fall for the same damn thing again,
as Wuzzat lumbers up onto the breadboard and, just like I was on
wires, I leave the door hanging open as I take a step toward the
butter, and just like instant replay, I see the chocolate tail of my
Siamese virgin disappearing down the front steps.

But the kittens were lovely, really....

And this was back when I had friends who'd let me within five feet of
them when I had adoptable kittens to _share_....

But yes, a cat in heat is stubborn and clever, far beyond what she
usually bothers to show.  So unless you have a catlock (my last house
had mudrooms on both doors, so that it was damnear impossible for a
cat to escape unless I was being uncommonly stupid), don't count on
being able to keep your beasts locked in, and all the ball-bearing
tomcats within smell-shot OUT.

STella@xanadu.com	1016 E. El Camino Real, #302, Sunnyvale, CA 94087
STella%thelema.uucp@dec.com	Don't blame me, I voted Libertarian!
From: laurel.schippers@hal9k.ann-arbor.mi.us (Laurel Schippers) 
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Timing
Date: 7 Jan 93 15:50:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: HAL 9000 BBS, W-NET HQ, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Reply-To: laurel.schippers@hal9k.ann-arbor.mi.us (Laurel Schippers) 

AC>Can I have your vet's telephone number and address? I'd like to
AC>ask him about my experience with unspayed female cats. The two
AC>I have in mind are both siamese, so they howl quite a bit while in
AC>heat. Funny, but they didn't stay in heat for 6 months at a time.
AC>They were in heat around a week every 6-8 weeks, as I recall. I
AC>could be a little off, but no way did they *STAY* in heat. And with
AC>a siamese cat, there is no shadow of a doubt as to when that cat
AC>is in heat! Okay, no I am not a veterinarian. But I know my cats.
AC>They were not in heat for six months at a time -- and no, they
AC>never mated. Are there any vets reading this that could clarify??

AC>Mary

It's not very healthy for a cat to go into heat, over and over
again, unbred. At best, it's not comfortable (how would YOU
like to be continuously horny with no hope of relief?), and
at worst they can form cysts.
---
 . SLMR 2.0 . "God created Michigan to train the faithful."
 * KMail 2.94e W-NET HQ, hal9k.ann-arbor.mi.us, 313-663-4173 or 3959
                                                                                                                  
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+------------------------------------------+-----------------------------+
From: mpmarie@lims02.lerc.nasa.gov (MARIE HUCOVSKY)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: animal rights
Date: 7 Jan 93 18:25:00 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: NASA Lewis Research Center
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

I read a post from Thuy-An about puppy/kitten mills and a post from Deborah 
about the abuse animals suffer at the hands of cold hearted people.  It is 
horrible to imagine what suffering these dear creatures must endure.  I 
have tried to educate as many people as I can about these types of cruelty. 
 It seems that most people are just unaware of these situations.  I know I 
I never knew about mills before I became a pet owner.  I truly believe 
ignorance is the problem here.  It is up to the people that love and care 
for these animals to help make a difference in their lives.  We need to 
write letters to our local newspapers, to our council and congress 
representatives.  We need to help educate our friends and family and hope 
that the word will get to enough people and that something will finally get 
done to help protect the basic rights of these animals.  It is also very 
very important that we teach our children (while they are young) to respect 
ALL life forms no matter how insignificant we believe they are.  If 
everyone that cares about animals would make a point of "spreading the 
word" about these horrors we may be able to one day make a difference for 
these animals.  Letters can do a lot - even more so than a phone call.  So 
if you really want to help write to your representatives in Washington and 
let them know how you feel.  If we had laws with stiff penalties - maybe 
such things as puppy mills would just be a piece of the past.

Thanks all for listening
Marie, Spike and Harry  
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: julie@eddie.jpl.nasa.gov (Julie Kangas)
Subject: Re: declawing?
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1993 20:43:52 GMT

In article <1993Jan4.132057.4847@memstvx1.memst.edu> nvonstein@memstvx1.memst.edu writes:
>In article <1992Dec31.184333.21913@zia.aoc.nrao.edu>, rmilner@zia.aoc.nrao.edu (Ruth Milner) writes:
>> In article <C03oA7.n06@ie.utoronto.ca> green@ie.utoronto.ca (Marc Green) writes:
>>>defense. The claws are necessary for cats to properly scratch, preen
>>>and clean themselves. 
>> 
>> Despite the fact that both our cats have all their claws, I have yet to see 
>> either of them use her front feet for scratching herself (other cats/people/
>> objects, sure :-) ), or any of their claws for preening/cleaning. The latter is 
>> all tongue/teeth work. Paws (not claws) only come into it for holding the 
>> other one down during forced mutual washing :-).
>> 
>>>Desmond Morris, one of the top experts in animal behavior
>> 
>> Sez Desmond Morris, maybe. Lots of what he says makes sense, but a lot of
>> other things are pretty farfetched. I'm not arguing about his love for 
>> animals, but he sure doesn't have *all* the right answers.
>
>Speaking of Desmond Morris, one of his programs about feline behaviour was on
>PBS and there was a barnyard full of mother kitties and their babies.  It was
>real cute the way they showed the mom's helping with each other's kittens. 
>Then they showed a tom cat who came upon some unattended kittens (who had
>previously been shown with their mothers).  He explained how toms will kill
>kittens who were not fathered by him--and then they showed the DEAD KITTENS.
>Good grief - what did they do - sit and watch this tom cat kill the kittens. 
>It was too much for me.  

I'm not sure if this was the same show I saw (a National Geographic
special, I think with D. Morris) but if it is then lots of people
called in to complain -- but not for the reason you might think.   The
kitten shown was *breathing*.  It was a sleeping kitty.  Apparently,
the farmer called the film crew and told them a tom cat had killed
some kittens.  When the film crew arrived, someone else had already
removed the kittens.  So with great journalistic integrity they filmed 
a live kitten and said in voice-over how toms can sometimes kill kittens.

Julie
DISCLAIMER:  All opinions here belong to my cat and no one else
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: sirwin@isrc.sandia.gov (Scott J. Irwin)
Subject: Re: Declawing
Organization: Sandia National Labs, Org. 1600, Albq., NM
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 07:35:47 GMT

My 2 cents:

A coworker of mine who used to be a vet's assistant told me that after 
having seen and assisted in a declawing procedure, he would never 
have a cat declawed. he never went into details, but appartently it is a
very grusome procedure.  This was enough for me to decide never to have
any of my cats declawed.

Scott J Irwin
sirwin@isrc.sandia.gov
From: dan@msen.com (Dan Sugalski)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: cats' eye sight
Date: 9 Jan 1993 04:38:28 GMT
Organization: Msen, Inc. -- Ann Arbor, Michigan
NNTP-Posting-Host: garnet.msen.com
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8]


:      In my (limited) experience, cats depend on their eyesight much less than
: we do. My Furball seems to recognise people by their sound and smell, not their
: appearance, besides, how could they keep track of our changes of clothes and 
: hairstyles? 8^)

Cats depend heavily on their eyesight. It's just that it is very attuned
to motion.  Their sense of smell is nowhere near that of a dog.  Better
than ours, but not by as much as you might think.

Karen

Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats