HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: fease@dkas.enet.dec.com (Andrea Midtmoen Fease)
Subject: Re: water obsession
Organization: Digital Equipment Corp., Marlboro MA
Distribution: rec.pets.cats
Date: 21 DEC 92 14:32:56    


In article <SBILES.92Dec21110013@dante.nmsu.edu>, sbiles@nmsu.edu (Susannah E Biles) writes...
>Everytime I turn on the tap, Sydney runs, leaps and bounds up onto the
>counter and stares like he has never seen it and then meows pitiously
>when I don't turn on the water often enough! 
>...
>Now what I am wondering is, is this normal? I mean, he didn't used to
>be like this (he is 5 mos old, male, not neutered yet, and I know he
>is part tabby, but we think he is part siamese cause he talks all the
>time, and has the body shape of a siamese). Anyway, he insists on
>fresh water EVERYTIME he wants a drink (which is quite often) and
>which becomes a pain. 
>
>I think it is too late for that, he is there all the time now
>anyway...) What seems weird is that he didn't used to do this. It has
>only been in the past month or so that he started being so obssessive
>about the water.
> 
>What do you think?
>(btw..he isn't dehydrated or constipated..as a matter of fact, he had
>diarhea the other day)
> 
>Thanks for any info.
>Susan

Hi Susan,

     About a year ago, Loki started demanding water all the time (he always
liked to drink out of a running tap, by the way).  As much as he was drinking,
he was peeing.  And he ate and ate and ate ... and lost weight.

     It might be worth it for you to take him to the vet for a quick urine
test.  Turns out Loki was diabetic ... and the first signs are excessive
drinking and urinating, and excessive eating but losing weight ...

					- Andrea
From: sstover@sumax.seattleu.edu (   Wilde Dame)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Kat by a Window
Date: 22 Dec 1992 21:48:42 -0800
Organization: Seattle University
NNTP-Posting-Host: sumax.seattleu.edu

I thought you all would enjoy this.  Reposted without permission from
rec.arts.poems, where I found it.

In article <9212222046.AA08174@pserv.CFSMO.Honeywell.COM> rians@cfsmo.honeywell.com (Rian Schmidt) writes:
]
]_Kat by the Window_
]
]Kat by the window
]Convulsively gacking
]Wants to munch that birdie
]And send the others packing
]
]A roastette on the feeder
]A morsel on the lawn
]Kat would like to eat 'er
]'Til every feather's gone
]
]Kat's left us slowpoke humanoids
]Her soul's atop that fowl.
]She's dipping wings in birdie juice
]And lunching on its bowel.
]
]She's suffering from some dissonance
]This feline death machine
]She's stuck here in the livingroom
]Reacting to a dream.
]
]-- Rian Schmidt 12/22/92
]
]
]--
]Rian Schmidt - rians@cfsmo.honeywell.com
]             - RISCHMID@vx.cis.umn.edu
]
]Honeywell Commercial Flight Systems
]Minneapolis Operations


-- 
       Sheryl Stover  %  If you ask me what I have come to do in the world,
  & Hemingway & Clio  %  I who am an artist, I will reply: "I am here to
sstover@seattleu.edu  %  live aloud."                    -Emile Zola
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: rmilner@zia.aoc.nrao.edu (Ruth Milner)
Subject: Re: declawing?
Reply-To: rmilner@zia.aoc.nrao.edu (Ruth Milner)
Organization: National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Socorro NM
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 92 00:14:52 GMT

In article <1992Dec18.043432.26419@galileo.cc.rochester.edu> barlow@prodigal.psych.rochester.edu (Rebel) writes:

>and cats can't tell you it hurts and they sure as hell can't go pop some
>Tylenol to kill off the pain as we could if we had surgery. 

I know Jen wasn't suggesting this, but in case the idea crosses anyone's mind,
I'd like to repeat a warning that was posted here a few months back: don't 
ever give your cat Tylenol if it appears to be in pain. Acetominophen is very 
toxic to cats. There was a story posted about someone giving a cat half a 
Tylenol; an hour later it was dead.

Always check with your vet before giving your cat any medication, especially
something intended for people.
-- 
Ruth Milner                          NRAO/VLA                  Socorro NM
Computing Division Head      rmilner@zia.aoc.nrao.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: wall@cc.swarthmore.edu (Matthew Wall)
Subject: Re: Fetch-aholic cat
Followup-To: rec.pets.cats
Organization: Swarthmore College Computing CenterCenter
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 18:31:13 GMT

In article <1992Dec18.135118.18254@schbbs.mot.com>,
C14383@maccvm.corp.mot.com (Marie Cannizzaro) wrote:
> 
> My 5 month old Tonk Sam somehow taught herself fetch be bringing me the
> foam ball one day and since then I am hounded by her to throw the ball
> so she can get it and bring it back. She'll leap two feet in the air and
> catch it in her mouth like a dog! 

> Has anyone else had the same
> experience?? Marie



Yep. Both our cats have learned to Fetch. The older one was very fond of
plastic rings you get from milk bottles and would unceremoniously dump one
on one of us in bed, on the couch, and in the tub, and insist on playing
for long periods of time (uusually until its little pee brain couldn't find
the milk ring and forgot what it was doing). She tired of this at about 2
years and doesn't do it much.

Our kitten plays fetch with its collar, which it no longer has to wear now
that it's big enough to not get stuck in something in the house. She is
less discriminant about what she'll fetch - basically anything can become a
fetch toy. We once saw her stalking through the house with an 8" plastic
food container cover in her mouth. On a whim, I took it from her, threw it
like a frisbee, and said "Fetch!" She successfully followed the disc about
20 times and returned it right to my lap before forgetting about it and
finding a fascinating dust ball.

- matt
---------------------------------------------------------
This space left intentionally blank until spring training.
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: rusty@nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov (Kenneth Hall)
Subject: Re: jellicle?
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: NASA - Goddard Space Flight Center
Date: Thu, 24 Dec 1992 13:46:00 GMT

In article <1992Dec21.061353.2460@dracut.keps.com>, sue@dracut.keps.com (Sue Klimowicz) writes...
>In article <1gqke4INN3po@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> at881@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (N. French) writes:
>> 
>> excuse me if this is a stupid question, but what the heck
>> is a jellicle cat?
>> 
>> Nicole
> 
>Well if this is a stupid question add my name to the stupid list because I
>don't know what one is either.


There's a man over there with a look of suprise.
     As much as to say "well now how about that..."

Do I actually see,
   with my own very eyes.
A man who's not heard
   of a jellicle cat?!

What's a jellicle cat?!!!

Jellicle cats are black and white
Jellicle cats are rather small

Jellicle cats have moonlit eyes
and pleasant to hear when we catterwall

Doc.

      Meow 
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: rmilner@zia.aoc.nrao.edu (Ruth Milner)
Subject: Re: Any interesting cat tricks out there? 8-)
Reply-To: rmilner@zia.aoc.nrao.edu (Ruth Milner)
Organization: National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Socorro NM
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 92 16:27:23 GMT

In article <1992Dec19.024759.629@u.washington.edu> lcornell@stein.u.washington.edu (Linda D. Cornell) writes:
>My favorite trick is when they curl up in a ball, get all fluffy, squeeze
>their eyes closed tightly, twitch their whiskers....and turn me into a
>cooing ball of mush!  Amazing to see - and it works every time ;)!

Or when they've been sleeping and they uncurl to stretch, doing a Hallowe'en
cat still lying on their side - and their tongue comes out at the tip and stays
that way when they relax again. That little bit of pink tongue is my undoing
every time!
-- 
Ruth Milner                          NRAO/VLA                  Socorro NM
Computing Division Head      rmilner@zia.aoc.nrao.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: thiessen@emr1.emr.ca (Tracy Thiessen)
Subject: Re: Cat "Toys"
Organization: Energy, Mines, and Resources, Ottawa
Date: Thu, 24 Dec 1992 13:57:13 GMT

In article <2697@cronos.metaphor.com> pstevens@Metaphor.COM (Paul Stevens) writes:
>My cat loves the holiday season.  All the wrapping of presents and boxes
>for mailing is great fun for her!  I remembered a great cat game while
>preparing some packages for mailing last night.  Take a brown paper bag
>and place it on the floor.  Wait until the cat goes into the bag 
>(shouldn't have to wait long).  Turn bag upright.  Tear a small hole in
>corner of the bag.  Take a piece of ribbon (from wrapping presents) and
>wave it tantilizingly just outside the hole, keeping all fingers and hands
>at a safe distance.  A cat paw will soon begin darting in and out of the
>hole, furiously attempting to grap the ellusive piece of ribbon.
>
 
Doug is more of a box man/cat himself.  When inclined, he will pack
a gold ball (crumpled bit of potato foil, hours and hours of fun)
into the box, jump in himself, and play a bit of cat hockey. When
you're sure he's going to be rendered unconcious from all the banging,
he leaps out (this from the same cat who pulls his abused-kitty act
if you *brush* against him unintentionally).

Meowy Christmas...

Tracy
From: spp@zabriskie.berkeley.edu (Steve Pope)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Defense
Date: 30 Dec 1992 19:03:30 GMT
Organization: U.C. Berkeley -- ERL
NNTP-Posting-Host: zion.berkeley.edu

In article <1992Dec30.134445.1446@emr1.emr.ca> thiessen@emr1.emr.ca (Tracy Thiessen) writes:
>And finally, while I've heard that some veterinarians
>consider declawing "barbaric", I wonder how these same
>vets feel about putting down a perfectly healthy, good
>natured animal because it has destroyed thousands of 
>dollars worth of furniture? 

That's also completely barbaric.  Don't keep a pet unless
you are willing to be responsible for its wellbeing,
regardless of anything having to do with your furniture.


> Doug's vet advocates declawing for this sole reason.

Just because some vet can persuade people
to declaw their cats with a phony reason like that
does not make it any more justifiable.  

Steve
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: demetri@cgrg.ohio-state.edu 
Subject: new black kitty
Organization: OSU Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design
Distribution: usa
Date: Sun, 3 Jan 1993 22:24:08 GMT

Hi again.  My husband and I are the ones with the sick black cat and the
fat short-tailed stripy cat (Socrates and Moxie).  We know Woobie
(Socrates) doesn't have much more time, and it seemed less sad to get a new
cat now.  It seems less like we're replacing him and the new kitty can
learn from the master (Woobie is, if you'll pardon my saying so, the best
kitty in the whole world.)

Anyway, you're all probably sick to death of this sort of thing, but we're
really stuck for a name for this new guy.  He is small, slight of build,
and so sweet that he basically reminds us of a young, healthy Socrates.
(we've already considered and rejected Plato and Aristotle).  We'd really
appreciate any suggestions--calling him kitty-cat is already getting pretty
old.              
                                Renee
From: lydia@tarsal.dsg.ti.com (lydia middendorf )
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: favorite cat
Date: 30 Dec 1992 10:15:17 GMT
Organization: Texas Instruments, Austin, Tx.
Distribution: usa
Reply-To: middendorf@tsd.itg.ti.com
NNTP-Posting-Host: tarsal.dsg.ti.com


my favorite type (breed) of cat is Birman mix (from the humane shelter of
course!!! )

I would like to here stories of how you folks met your kittys.

I got my birman mix from the humane society about 2 1/2 years ago. A friend
of mine wanted a cat for his birthday, so I went to the humane society
to look (I wasn't going to get him one because I don't think he's a cat person,
but I  wanted to be able to tell him I looked!), low and behold....there
was Ophelia, sitting in the back of a cage trying her best to look dignified
& aloof.

She was sooooo skinny, and though her fur was long, it was very thin!!!
She also had a very scabby ear.

I decided I best think about making this long comitment for a couple days
(she would be an indoor cat), I visited her for a couple days then put in
an application to adopt her. I visited her every day until they took her
away to spay her.  I finally got to take her home on  Friday the 13th.
It took two months before she started purring and now she won't quit.
The scabs finally came off her ear....and low and behold...there
was an X tatooed there. (one of her names is "spot" as in X marks the
spot). Her fur is now thick and long....I feel like I'm living in a giant
fur ball. Her mane gets so long I have to keep it cut otherwise her tounge
gets stuck in it (now thats a funny sight!!!).

She was about a year old when I got her and all her bottom front teeth had
been broken off. I think she was abused.

She is now the most laid back kitty on earth!!!

All my freinds got her neat Christmas gifts too!!!

--
Recycle yourself...be an organ donor  |  visualize whirrled peas....
		     Internet: lydia@tarsal.dsg.ti.com
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: wd6cmu@netcom.com (Eric Williams)
Subject: Re: Pregnant women/litter question
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 20:01:49 GMT

I think you can have your cats tested for toxoplasmosis.  If they don't
have it, you don't need to worry.  Very few cases are actually caused
by cat feces, most are from uncooked meat.
-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eric Williams     wd6cmu@netcom.com  |  Never attribute to malice that which
WD6CMU@WD6CMU.#NOCAL.CA.USA.NA       |  is adequately explained by stupidity.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: sstover@sumax.seattleu.edu (   Wilde Dame)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: A moral dilemma
Date: 31 Dec 1992 19:05:49 -0800
Organization: Seattle University
NNTP-Posting-Host: sumax.seattleu.edu

In article <1992Dec31.173415.4079@fsl.noaa.gov> jkl@fsl.noaa.gov (Jennifer Longstaff) writes:
(I had written:)
>:>:  My policy, and my advice, is to help the cats who need help, and
>:>: simply enjoy those who are managing for themselves. :)
>
>I don't have any trouble with adult cats getting along by themselves "in
>the urban wild", but the big problem with our promoting this, and not
>"turning them in" to the shelter is that those streetwise strays *WILL* come
>in heat and they *WILL* have kittens.  I think we've got to make some
>attempt to keep cat over-population down by adopting these cats and at least
>having them neutered/spayed!
>
>- Jennifer  (jkl@md.fsl.noaa.gov)

I'm not sure what you mean by "at least."  I don't mean for this to be a
flame, but what I think you're saying, and what I'm sure would happen in
many cases, is that the cats might escape their adoptive households in
favor of being free to roam, but at least they'd be neutered/spayed.

Cat 'overpopulation' is better evidenced by shelter adopt/euthanize
statistics than it is by the local population of stray cats.  Most shelter
kittens get there because the owner of the adult cat was not responsible
enough to spay or neuter the adult cat and didn't want to care for or
could not find homes for the kittens.  Most strays who survive on the
streets were formerly domestic cats who were either abandoned or
neglected, most likely when they were adults.  Unless the mother cat finds
an exceptional hiding place, her kittens (if she is a stray) will likely
not survive their first week.  Even then, their chances of survival are
far lower than a shelter kitten's.

My point is that while your support of neutering/spaying is admirable, it
is far better aimed at present owners of domestic cats than at strays. 
Bringing an adult cat into a shelter usually gives it, at best, 50/50 odds
for survival wherein the death, if not adopted by a certain date, is
completely unavoidable for the cat, who cannot defend his/herself.  Combining
that fact with the drastic change in lifestyle for the cat, I can't condone
it.
-- 
       Sheryl Stover  %  If you ask me what I have come to do in the world,
  & Hemingway & Clio  %  I who am an artist, I will reply: "I am here to
sstover@seattleu.edu  %  live aloud."                    -Emile Zola
Xref: sparky rec.pets.cats:15509 alt.drugs:20322
From: drumm@cnsvax.uwec.edu (Danny)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats,alt.drugs
Subject: Choice (was Cats and LSD)
Date: 29 Dec 92 22:20:19 GMT
Organization: University of Wisconsin Eau Claire

In article <1992Dec28.211752.26463@Cadence.COM>, phz@cadence.com (Pete Zakel) writes:
> In article <1992Dec17.200748.16776@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com> billn@hpcvaac.cv.hp.com (bill nelson) writes:
>>mary@zmax.com (Mary Papp) writes:
>>: 
>>: This may seem like a very stupid question, but why was this posted to
>>: rec.pets.cats?  Cats don't take LSD unless someone forces it upon them and
>>: IMHO that seems very cruel and inhumane.
>>
>>I know one cat who enjoys lsd. Yes, the cat is bright enough to know what
>>it is getting - and asks for its share.

I have heard of a few dogs (apologies to rec.cats if this is crossposted, 
I forgot to check) that will beg to get smoke blown in their face when
their owners are getting high.  other owners will pour a bowl of beer for 
their dog. (I met one dog who is a regular partier -- with his owner)

is this wrong?  should/shouldn't the pet's have the choice?
(: and at what age? :)
                                        (just want hear more than my side)

-- Danny


==================================================
|  The single most 'dangerous' effect of LSD is  |
|  that users will probably be unable to vote    |
|  Republican for many, many years  after use.   |
|                  -- jrm@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu       |
==================================================
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: mary@zmax.com (Mary Papp)
Subject: Re: Rate of personality change in neutered cat
Organization: Z/Max Computer Solutions, Inc.
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 21:26:41 GMT


When Slash was neutered, he calmed down a little bit but as for the real nasty
biting stuff, that hasn't permanently left.  He is bundle of fur and bad 
attitude.  He is about a 1.5 years old and he is calming down more and more.  
He likes to sit near me, but not be petted.  When he wants to be petted, he 
crawls into my lap for some lovies.  He doesn't let anyone but me pet him or
hold him and believe me he knows the difference between mommy's pet and a 
foreign pet!

Well enough babbling...

Mary and the ferocious Slash

-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mary Papp:  Z/Max Computer Solutions 8287 Loop Road Baldwinsville, NY 13027
                              mary@zmax.com                  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: at881@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (N. French)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: gunky eyes
Date: 29 Dec 1992 07:15:17 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Reply-To: at881@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (N. French)
NNTP-Posting-Host: hela.ins.cwru.edu


My three month old kitten, Darla, has had some gunk in
her eyes the last couple of days. Her mother was a Persian,
and I thought I had heard that they had this problem more
than most cats. However, I had a cat die of FIP and gunk
in the eyes was his first visible symptom. Anyone have
some input on this before I go off the top of the panic
scale? There isn't a lot of it and it isn't yellow like
the cat who died of FIP, right now I am just watching it
as she seems completely normal in behavior etc.
From: thiessen@emr1.emr.ca (Tracy Thiessen)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: socks
Date: 29 Dec 92 14:38:13 GMT
Organization: Energy, Mines, and Resources, Ottawa

In article <BzutL3.LIw@dale.cts.com> npm@dale.cts.com (Nancy Milligan) writes:
>I also had a cat that just LOVED to be spun around.  She would jump into
>a plastic sack and then I would twist it up and let it unwind.  Her little
>head would be poked out of the sack.  When I let her go she would wobble
>away looking like she'd been hitting the rum.  But as soon as she could
>walk a straight line she'd jump right back in the sack ready for me to
>wind her up again.
>

Doug the Demented is particularly fond of a game whereby he
is snatched up, ran with harry-carry acrosss the room,
flung onto the couch, and retreated from maniacally.

Tracy  
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: jkl@fsl.noaa.gov (Jennifer Longstaff)
Subject: Re: A moral dilemma
Organization: Forecast Systems Lab, NOAA - Boulder CO, USA
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 17:34:15 GMT

   Wilde Dame (sstover@sumax.seattleu.edu) wrote:
:>: [story about stray cats being fed by lots of people and surviving
:>:  just fine on the streets ...]
:>:
:>: Any of these animals, as I observe them, would be stifled by a
:>: single-owner, designated-home environment such as the one they would
:>: likely be forced into by a shelter.  The streets are no place for kittens
:>: who may have trouble defending themselves, but these adult cats have grown
:>: accustomed to their present way of life and I would feel as though I had
:>: patronized and betrayed them if I was responsible for their loss of
:>: freedom.  My policy, and my advice, is to help the cats who need help, and
:>: simply enjoy those who are managing for themselves. :)

I don't have any trouble with adult cats getting along by themselves "in
the urban wild", but the big problem with our promoting this, and not
"turning them in" to the shelter is that those streetwise strays *WILL* come
in heat and they *WILL* have kittens.  I think we've got to make some
attempt to keep cat over-population down by adopting these cats and at least
having them neutered/spayed!

- Jennifer  (jkl@md.fsl.noaa.gov)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: judith@super.org (Judith D. Schlesinger)
Subject: Re: declawing?
Organization: Supercomputing Research Center (Bowie, MD)
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 23:09:52 GMT

In article <1992Dec19.060150.3859@umbc3.umbc.edu> cs431109@umbc8.umbc.edu (cs431109) writes:

	 <long article in defense of declawing deleted>

Thank you, Mary, for taking the time to write this.  I've started on several
occasions and quit because of time constraints and the anger I feel each
time I read some of the anti-declawing flames.

A couple of additional points:  it amazes me how much the declaw/anti-
declaw argument sounds like the abortion/anti-abortion argument.  In
some articles, you can replace the word declaw with abortion and not
have to change another word in the whole thing.  On the declaw side,
people seem to universally say that declawing is not for everyone and
you have to make an individual choice based on circumstances that only
you can evaluate; and sometimes you're simply choosing what you consider
to be the lesser of two evils.  Very similar to the pro-choice (pro
abortion) argument.  On the anti-declaw side, people seem to say that
they would never declaw a cat that lived with them and no one else
should ever declaw any cat.  Sounds a lot like anti-abortion to me.

The bottom line on this, as I see it, is that *everyone* is free to
choose what they will do but *no one* has the right to dictate to me
based on their value system.  There have been many people who say
that their cat is more important than any furniture.  Well, they
either have a lot of money to keep buying/repairing their furniture
or don't mind living in a dump.  I don't fall into either of those
two categories.  I adore my cats and give them far more leeway than 
most people would--including many of the anti-claw people we hear
from on the net--yet, I want to live in a home where my furniture
doesn't look like I salvaged it from the dump.  If some of you think
that's evil, you're entitled to your opinion.  But don't keep trying
to inflict that opinion on me!

Beyond this, I agree wholeheartedly with all the points Mary made in
her post.  Well said.

Judith and Charlie (declawed) and Sarah (declawed) and BB (jury's still out)