HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1992 00:40:46 -0400 
From: Deborah Nina Cherry <dc30+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: cat sitters (was not using litter box...)
	<1992Apr16.102651.3904@iscsvax.uni.edu>

When I was in elementary school & high school, I cat-sat for some local
people, many of which I later babysat for their children when I got
older. A lot of school-age baby-sitters (and younger) may be willing to
pick up a few bucks to cuddle with a cat every day.

(hopefully adopting a kitten on Tues...),
Debbie Cherry
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA

INTERNET: dc30@andrew.cmu.edu
BITNET:	  dc30+%andrew.cmu.edu@carnegie (preferably) 
	  or debbie@drycas
	
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: jdnicoll@watyew.uwaterloo.ca (James Davis Nicoll)
Subject: Re: Cat bringing home unwanted rodents
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 18:19:28 GMT

	The cat's trying to teach you how to hunt. 
Imagine how frustrated it must be at how poorly you're
learning...

	The day my cat learns to operate the can opener is the
day I start stalking mice...

						James Nicoll
From: tcs@ll.mit.edu (Tom Sefranek)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Spanking Cats? yes/no
Keywords: physical punishment
Date: 9 Apr 92 22:40:30 GMT
Reply-To: tcs@ll.mit.edu (Tom Sefranek)
Distribution: na
Organization: "Group	47"

I have found over the years, the more gentle I am in diciplining my cats,
the better they responded.  Sigh!  I used to even throw our cats in the
bushes (Outside) for being bad.  But, cats who received that treatment
never learned, what the later cats learned easilly by a hiss, a face push,
a "bink" on the nose.  "Black" will immediately lick me if he accidently
lashed out at me, because we played too hard , or I introduced a new kitten.
And "Yellow" (RIP) was a pushover, he lived to greet me, and play.

I guess I believe it's best to imitate "Mommy" cat when diciplining,
"Daddy" cat could and often did, kill the kittens.  I believe a very
abusive punishment is likely to be received as "Daddy" cat.

Tom, owned by "Black"
-- 
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      /                ||x\      /   \     Call in: 29.60, 145.41, 448.625 Mhz.
    /-----------------/||x \   /___ ___\   Thomas Christopher John Sefranek
    | [ ] [ ] ## [  ]| ||x  | ||  | |  ||  WA1RHP  112 Great Road  Shirley, Ma.
    |         ##     | ||x  | ||  | |  ||  Ham Nite Odd Mondays  425-6672 01464
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From: pauls@tellabs.com (Paul Silver)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Loner Kitty
Date: 6 Apr 92 22:46:02 GMT
Organization: Tellabs, Inc., Lisle, IL

Thanks to those who responded to my post about my cat going up
on top of my kitchen cabinets all the time instead of eating, playing,
etc.

You'll all be happy to know that:

1. She is eating, drinking, and playing again
2. I accomplished this by making several attempts at keeping her off
   the top of the cabinets.  Friday morning I came up with the
   solution, and she hasn't been up there since.  She is also
   spending more time with me, and has been more affectionate lately.
3. I also consulted with the vet last Friday, in case this didn't
   work.  He said it didn't sound like there was any medical problem,
   but that she could be creating one.  He suggested putting her into
   a closed room with food, water, and litter box, and if she still
   didn't eat and started losing weight, to bring her in.  Since
   she started eating, I don't need to do that.

-- 
   "Life is inhuman when you are too old to be young." -Bill Nelson
   --------------------------------------------------------------------
  /       Paul Silver          /         Dischord Records            /
 /     pauls@tellabs.com      /    putting the D.C. in harDCore     /
--------------------------------------------------------------------  
   All opinions expressed are strictly my own, unless I stole them.
From: rpollack@zach.fit.edu (Randy Pollack)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Bathing Cats: Soap recommendations needed
Date: 13 Apr 92 16:09:00 GMT
Organization: Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne USA

I've given a lot of baths to Persians and I've found that Dawn is
good for degreasing (dilute it quite a bit in water before you try
to put it on), then after rinsing lather again with a good quality
cat shampoo.  I've gotten really nice results with Mycodex
Pearlescent grooming shampoo.  Just make sure you rinse it all
out VERY well.  

With Persians, it's necessary to use a blow-dryer on them afterwards
and comb as you dry.  I don't know about Angoras, but if they tend
to mat I think you might have to do this too.  Good luck!
From: Moritz@CVMMDL1.MSSTATE.EDU (K. Moritz)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: re: cat hedonism
Date: 6 Apr 92 19:55:41 GMT
Organization: Mississippi State University

POPCORN!!!
From: tbachman@hamline.edu (Toni Bachman)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Mitzy The Cat Needs Toys!!!
Date: 11 Apr 92 19:38:32 GMT
Article-I.D.: uc.1992Apr11.193832.10888
Organization: Hamline University, St. Paul, MN.

Hello!   I am wondering if anyone out there has a line on a mail order catalog
that sells interesting cat toys - our local stores seem to have the same old 
things lately and my cat finds them boooooring!  Mitzy especially likes things
like Cat Dancers and other "chasables".  She is getting lazy and FAT waiting
for some new toys.  If you have any addresses, please post them on the Network

I Thank The In Advance!!!!

Toni
From: white@Ingres.COM (Bill White)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: How much food should a cat eat?
Date: 9 Apr 92 16:17:54 GMT
Reply-To: white@Ingres.COM (Bill White)
Organization: Ask Computer Systems Inc., Ingres Division, Alameda CA 94501

In article <1992Apr9.063704.13770@pony.Ingres.COM> jpk@Ingres.COM (Jon Krueger) writes:
>Susan R. Wagner writes:
>> how much food a kitten/cat should be eating.
>Jon Krueger answers:
>
>Kittens usually can free feed (constant availability of food,
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>which probably means dry food, to be practical).  Cats, just
>monitor their weight and adjust to suit.  You need to get an
>accurate weight for this, though, within a pound is highly
>desirable.
>
>-- Jon
>--
>Jon Krueger   jpk@ingres.com                    Oh we pulled the handle out,
>and we pushed the handle in, and the steam went to the pistons just the same


To free feed, or not to free feed, is a question that's been on my mind 
lately.  Our previous cat lived a healthy 18 years with a constantly-available
bowl of dry food, plus several feedings of wet food a day (whenever he looked
hungry) plus snacks (whenever/whatever we were eating).  He was never even
overweight.

We now have three 1-year-olds who need to be fed more carefully because of
a chronic FUS problem that one of them has developed.  They're all on a
prescription diet (ever try feeding 1 cat something different than what
his brothers are getting?), and no snacks are allowed.

There's been one FUS attack, even during the diet regimen, so we've taken
a couple more steps:  (1) Water bowls all over the house.  They want to be
in whatever room we're in, and I think they tend to drink more with the water
right close by. And (2) removing the food between meals.  This idea comes
from Anitra Fraser's book (which someone mentioned in a recent post).

Our vet doesn't buy into most of Fraser's ideas ("Is she a vet?" No.), 
including the idea that one should necessarily remove food between feedings.
This is Fraser's Cardinal Rule, particularly in FUS cases, as she claims
that the smell of food triggers a digestive reaction that causes the urine
to become less acidic.  Less acidic urine does contribute to FUS.

So, what I'm wondering is:  How do other netters feel about free feeding?
Is this good for cats, bad for them, or does it make no difference?

--Bill
From: joannee@sco.COM (Joanne Eglash)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Moving to an indoor cat
Date: Tue, 07 Apr 92 23:43:38 GMT
Reply-To: joannee@fscott.UUCP (Joanne Eglash)
Organization: The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc.


I empathize with this one!  I found this wonderful toy in
a pet store that solved my problem.   It's a big tall 
cord-and-carpet-covered "tree house," which consists of a post
with different levels and cubby holes and hiding places. 
Giselle loves climbing around in it and hiding in it. I've
also seen a toy that's like a big hula hoop with cut outs and
a ball that the cat can chase around in it.  She's really good
about scratching the post instead of the furniture. 

Joanne
From: angie@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu (angela allen)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Declawing (need options)
Date: 11 Apr 92 20:00:53 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.1992Apr11.150058.10338
Organization: Computer Science, Indiana University

kdw@icd.ab.com (Kenneth D. Whitehead) writes:

>But in the meantime, until you solve this riddle (good luck...), 
>you might try clipping his nails with an ordinary nail clipper 
>(just be careful not to cut into the quick;  look at the claw 
>first, and you can easily see where the nerve starts, and be careful).

DON'T use a nail clipper meant for humans. It squashes and splinters
the claws, and makes it possible to clip skin and hurt the cat (making
it even harder to convince the cat that clipping is a good idea the
next time). Spend the dollar or two on cat claw clippers.

--angie
angie@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu
From: angi@castle.ed.ac.uk (Angi Lamb)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Help - one fat cat, one unfat cat
Date: 14 Apr 92 13:43:38 GMT
Distribution: rec
Organization: Edinburgh University

Many thanks to all those who replied to my message. I was being panicky.
It's almost a fortnight since i went to the vets and they (Nisse and
Nydie) are crunching away. Nisse is losing weight satisfactorily which
is good as i thought he might be feeding elsewhere as well. Nydie, tho
not technically overweight, has a pouch of fat which she could do with
losing. 

Becasue of holidays and elections, some of the posts i received, had
expired so i can't thank you all personally. 

Angi (who feels like a bad cat person for not noticing how large Nisse
was getting).
From: ambar@CYGNUS.COM (Jean Marie Diaz)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Smoke-colored cat
Date: 7 Apr 92 01:31:25 GMT
Article-I.D.: cygnus.9204070131.AA07051
Reply-To: ambar@cygnus.com

In article <bm4hbr.bvf@wang.com> fitz@wang.com (Tom Fitzgerald) writes:

   I've got a female cat that I'm told is "smoke" colored.  The cat appears to
   be pitch black all over, but each individual hair is black only along the
   top 1/8 inch, and is white along the rest of its length - if you brush her
   against the grain of her fur, you get white streaks.  When she's slinking,
   grey bands slide across her as she moves.  In shadows, she's 100%
   invisible.

   Reading the section on cat-color genetics in the FAQ made me wonder about
   this.  I've never seen such a thing on any other cat.  Does anybody know
   how common it is, whether it's associated with any particular breed, or
   whether it's sex-linked?  I've only met one person who's even heard of the
   color (hi Susan), and I'd be grateful for information.

This is the combination of the expression of the silver gene (a
dominant), and the gene for solid color (a recessive).  Other modifiers
account for whether the cat is a referred to as a smoke, a shaded, or a
chinchilla.  From most to least colored: a "smoke" has white roots, a
"shaded" has about half and half white and color along the length of the
hair, and a "chinchilla" has color only on the very tips of the hair.
From your description, I'd guess that your cat would be classified as a
shaded.

If your cat were a tabby instead of a solid color, she would be a silver
tabby.  And if her base color were not black, that would be added to the
name as well: blue-cream smoke, red silver tabby, etc.

This is a very dramatic and beautiful series of colors, most often seen
in the Persian, although any breed which produces both silver tabbies
and solid-colored cats, such as American Shorthairs, Maine Coons,
Scottish Folds, Turkish Angoras, American Curls... can also produce
smokes.

The smoke coat is showiest in the longhairs, I think, though the few
shorthaired smokes I have seen have been real knockouts--with the
exception of the Cornish Rex.  The silver gene seems quite common in
today's Cornish Rex bloodlines, but IMHO, the Rex coat and the silver
gene don't do much for each other.  The cats just look sort of bleached.

	       AMBAR, amateur feline geneticist at large
From: saavik@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Marla Belzowski (K-9's))
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re:  Hill's Science Diet - good idea?
Date: 9 Apr 92 23:27:17 GMT
Article-I.D.: mentor.44694
Organization: Purdue University

In article <1992Apr9.224243.292@news.nd.edu> esmith@brahms.helios.nd.edu (erin smith) writes:
>concerning Marla Belzowski's post,
>
>i just have a somewhat irelvant comment:
>
>	what is with this common "myth" (?) that poor people
>	eat cat and dog food?  i know that feeding my cats is
>	a very expensive thing, even when i can find food on
>	sale, and it is much, much more expensive per pound
>	than say potatoes or chicken or other people-foods here.
>
>my $0.02,
>
>ariel
>esmith@takagi.helios.nd.edu 

Well, you could buy all that if you have an oven to prepare all that,
or some source of heat.  Some homeless people may not.  Also, dog or
cat food contains enough various ingredients (like meats, grains,
some have egg or milk (dried), plus minerals and vitamins.), that you
could probably live on just that alone.  With people food, you need
to buy various products to fit your daily requirements.  Most
complete dog and cat foods contain "all essential daily requirements"
for your normal dog.  Well, if you don't mind a very plain taste,
a 40 lb bag of dog food at an average of $20 could probably last you
at least two weeks.  Plus you don't need a refrig. to keep it from
spoiling.  I consider that a pretty cheap meal(s).  I do know at least
one person that eats dog or cat food just because he LIKES it (UGGGHH!).

----------------------------------------------------------------
Marla Belzowski    saavik@mentor.cc.purdue.edu
Mauii Nikki Belzowski CD CGC TDI CERF
Brittish Legend of Beowulf (1leg CD) CGC TDI CERF    tri-color collies
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: amyk@netcom.com (Amy Kurtzman)
Subject: Re: Indoor/Outdoor Kittys!
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 92 22:39:00 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Summary: My kitty lives indoors
Followup-To: rec.pets.cats
Distribution: na
Keywords: indoor cats

In article <92101.221111U30993@uicvm.uic.edu> Kimberly Laird
<U30993@uicvm.uic.edu> writes: 

>I'm curious about the number of people who allow their cats
>outside. We did when I was a kid, but wouldn't now. Where ...

My kitty, Lucy, lives indoors. I keep her indoors, and am very vigilant
about making sure he doesn't escape when the door is open. I do this
because I am concerned about Lucy's health and safety. Lucy gets a full
set of annual vaccinations too, even though the possiblity of coming into
contact with strange cats is low.

We used to have another cat, a very loving little guy who adopted us.
He was sick because of his outdoor life (FeLV). It was hard to turn him
into an indoor cat, but he eventually decided that the easy life of a
housecat might not be so bad after all. When he went outside I worried
about him a lot. He looked so little standing outside on the sidewalk
all alone. I understood how much he loved the outdoors, but I was much
happier keeping him inside so he wouldn't be exposed to so many perils.

I live in apartment complex that has maintenance people entering the 
apartments with little or no notice for various reasons (a big
problem if you like to shower). There is a monthly pest control
spraying event, which is supposed to be the first wednesday of the
month, but if they don't make it that day, they will show up
some other day of their secret choice (i.e., no notice). 

This exposes Lucy to some of the same perils that she could encounter
outdoors. If I know they are coming into the apartment, I will stay
home to be present when they arrive to protect my kitty. These people
don't care about my cat and aren't looking for him when they come in.
She could scoot out the door and they wouldn't know the difference.
They spray insecticide all around rather indiscriminately. They
actually sprayed the back of the kitchen counters one time when I was
there. What do they do if no one is home? These could be the kind of
sickos who would directly spray an animal because they  hated them or 
thought it was funny. Lucy's food and water bowls are normally on the
kitchen floor. If I know they are coming to spray or if I'm home,
I can remove them. The spray nozzle they use doesn't supply pinpoint
accuracy, and if I'm not there I can't be sure they didn't spray 
near the cat food bowls. Lucy could end up eating poisoned food
before I get home to find out we were sprayed. And then the poor
kitty is breathing in the pesticides in a closed up apartment.
When I'm home, I open the windows and turn on the ceiling fans
immediately. This problem makes me crazy, and is a real hazard to
apartment dwelling kitties.




-- 
Amy Kurtzman                     |     "I have no clever quote."   
amyk@netcom.COM                  |                  - Amy Kurtzman
From: fuhry@think.com (Debbie Fuhry)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: cat hedonism
Date: 8 Apr 1992 13:35:03 GMT
Organization: Thinking Machines Corporation, Cambridge MA, USA
NNTP-Posting-Host: leander.think.com

In article <23630@scorn.sco.COM> krisr@sco.COM (Kris Robison) writes:
>
>>POPCORN!!!
>
>Most definitely!!!

Ok, I wondered this the first time.  Are we talking as toys or to eat?  One
of mine *loves* to eat the stuff.  It's quite funny watching her try to
chew it and hearing her make little popcorn crunching sounds, but what's
funniest is the reaction of the other cat!  He gets all excited, "What's
she eating?? Food?? I want some!", and runs over and sniffs the popcorn.
Sniffs again.  Sniffs several more times with growing confusion, and walks
away in disgust.  "*That's* not food!"

Debbie Fuhry
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: noe@m.cs.uiuc.edu (Roger Noe)
Subject: Re: Cat Thoughts
Organization: University of Illinois, Dept. of Comp. Sci., Urbana,  IL
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 23:09:06 GMT

In article <1992Apr10.202320.27175@pony.Ingres.COM> jonb@Ingres.COM (Jon Berger) writes:
>Some friends of mine have convinced their cats that they spend the day
>hunting for cylinder beasts.  Every few days they bring home a whole sack
>of them, and every night at dinnertime they skin a cylinder beast with the
>special cylinder-beast-skinning tool, and eviscerate it and give the yummy
>entrails to the cats.

That's great!  I sometimes tell my cats I'm going to work at the can
factory.  Of course, they don't understand this any better than they
would understand the concept of money.  I mean, these animals only
understand the concept "Everything is mine."

I do sometimes think when I come home with a piece of raw meat or
poultry (especially a roast, or a whole turkey in November or
December) that my cats must be looking at me in awe, thinking
something like, "Wow!  You killed that whole thing yourself?  You're
quite a hunter!  It's mine!"
--
Roger Noe                            noe@cs.uiuc.edu
Department of Computer Science       40:06:39 N.  88:13:41 W.
University of Illinois               (217) 244-6173
Urbana, IL  61801  USA               "Open the %#%$# pod bay doors, HAL!"
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: jdale@nsfuvax 
Subject: just talk
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Keywords: thanks
Organization: Mathematics Computer Network, University of Oklahoma
Date: Sun, 12 Apr 1992 02:29:00 GMT


I have posted in the past to ask for help and I just wanted to let the group
know that  "You are very helpful and necessary!"

From this group, I was advised to get another cat to keep Gypsy company and I
did just that.  I got Gyzmo who is about 4 months younger than his adopted
sister.  (I am proud of their companionship because I am also very close to my
adopted brother.)  

From this group, I was advised to buy Hills Science Diet for their food.  That
is great since the three of us live in an upstairs apartment.   It really
makes a difference in the litter box.  I have had several people who have
commented on the fact that they would not know that I even had a pet if the
cats had not jumped into their laps.

Last week I got 'Mo neutered and declawed (front claws only).  He has become
even sweeter and more loving than before.   He did have a bad day yesterday
when he thought he felt better and jumped on the door frame and slid down.  He
just fell on his side and looked at me and raised his poor paws in the air.   

Mainly, I just wanted to say that I have become a firm cat lover.  These two
really make my day.  (Though they do disturb my night.)  I have found that a
sqirt gun filled with lemon water will stop the night disturbances.  (Another
suggestion from this net.)

Thanks again to this group.  You guys are great.  Keep up the good work.

jane, gypsy, and gyzmo  (gyps and gyz)
From: jonathan@cats.ucsc.edu (Jonathan Cano)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: 2 black cats need a new home
Date: 12 Apr 92 07:09:06 GMT
Article-I.D.: darkstar.32721
Distribution: ba
Organization: University of California, Santa Cruz


I'm posting this for a friend.  Do not send me mail in
response to this message!

2 black male cats need a home.  They are both 2 yrs old
and house trained, fixed (or broken, depending on your
perspective...) and have their shots.  These charming 
pets also come with a litter box, water/food dispenser
thingy and a travel cage.  They are free to anyone who
will provide them with a good home.

Call Mike Beckley (manager) at Lyons restaurant in Capitola 462-1504.
Apparently Mike's apartment complex has come under new management and
he can no longer keep his darling little kitties :^(
-- 
============================================
| Jonathan Cano             |     //   _   |
| jonathan@cats.ucsc.edu    | \\ //   (_)  |
| 7kyu (+- 2kyu)            |  \X/     |<  |
============================================
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: swwhatley@lescsse.jsc.nasa.gov (STEVEN WHATLEY)
Subject: Re: Meet Willie and Magic
Organization: Lockheed Engineering and Sciences
Date: 12 Apr 92 22:12:54 GMT

In <2475@voodoo.UUCP> das@voodoo.boeing.com (Deb Schwartz) writes:

>In article <swwhatley.702829925@node_ecdd> swwhatley@lescsse.jsc.nasa.gov (STEVEN WHATLEY) writes:
>>
>>Neal, have you thought about shooting kitten?  No, not with a real gun!!!!
>>Water pistols work wonders with misbehaving cats.  They hate it!  I no longer
>>have to chase after my cats when they're naughty.  I just say "NO!" then aim 
>>and squirt.  Sometimes I can even get four or five squirts before they go
>>into hiding.
>>
>Usually I'd say that was a good idea, but in this case, NOOOOOooooo!  If
>kitty became well-behaved, Neal would no longer have any reason to post
>his highly entertaining kitty stories.
>-- 
>Debbie Schwartz // das@voodoo.boeing.com  // or uunet!bcstec!voodoo!das 

You're right!

Later,
Steven, Willie and Magic