HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: ren@Turing.ORG (Karen Prestemon)
Subject: Help with pads of cat's feet
Organization: University of Virginia
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 04:10:57 GMT


The pads of my kitten's paws are very dry and have begun to crack!  Poor
kitty!  Anyone have some advice of what I can do for her?
  Try rubbing them with some vitamin E oil. You can get it in little
  gel caps which you can puncture with a pin. This should help and isn't
  poisonous (I don't think) as long as you don't use a lot. Her feet will
be really sticky, however.
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: tice@anapest.rtp.dg.com (Anne Tice)
Subject: Re: Cats that JUMP (was fetch)
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 92 17:09:19 GMT
Reply-To: tice@rtp.dg.com (Anne L. Tice)
Organization: Data General Corp, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709

In article <10537@ncratl.AtlantaGA.NCR.COM>, jwilson@ncratl.AtlantaGA.NCR.COM (Jeff Wilson) writes:
><1du1b0INN2di@FUNCTOR.SYSTEMSZ.CS.YALE.EDU>
><1992Nov13.235246.24011@rsg1.er.usgs.gov>
>
>In <1992Nov13.235246.24011@rsg1.er.usgs.gov> ssnyder@sunai.er.usgs.gov (Steve
>Snyder) writes:
>
>I once saw a cat who, from a sitting position and with a perfectly relaxed
>expression, jumped on top of a refrigerator from the floor. An almost 6 foot
>jump, with no pre-jump run. He never did it again that I know of, and I've
>never seen any other cat come close. Amazing.
>-- 
>jwilson@ncratl.atlantaga.ncr.com (Jeff Wilson)

-- 
I had a seal point Siamese, Oliver, who (when he was young) jumped
frequently from a sitting position at the bottom of an open door
straight up to the top of the door.  There he sat or walked up and down,
looking down upon the poor, lowly creatures who could only look up
amazed.
------------------------------------
Anne L. Tice, Customer Documentation
Data General Corporation 
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: ses3n@fermi.clas.Virginia.EDU (Sharon Elizabeth Silverman)
Subject: Goodbye, Fluff... Hello new friends!
Organization: University of Virginia
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 21:50:46 GMT


Some of you may remember my "request (for the Ode) and a story
(about Fluff and her dog attack)."

	Her kidneys were damaged beyond repair, and I had to let
her go on Friday. She was my best friend, my child, my sister...
I will miss her far longer than the 18 years she gave me.

	She didn't leave me alone, though - I need to back up a bit.
She was my sister's cat, originally. Jill died three years ago in a 
car accident. Both of us had loved, cared for, and slept with Fluff.
Since my second year at school (when I could legally have her here),
Fluff has lived with me. As someone said, "Jill wanted her damn cat back!"
	As I said, she didn't leave me alone. Along with a $600 bill, I
have two new furry friends that Fluff introduced me to. One was a cat 
who lived at the vet's since someone brought her in a year ago. They
claimed that she was sick, and asked to have her put to sleep. She 
was very healthy, so the vet kept her (no luck in finding the owner).
	Last week I went into the back room to visit Fluff after an
overnight stay. This kitty was there, and did everything she could to
get me laughing and give me love. She's all woman. Very feminine, with a
strong sense of independence and a great sense of humor. I wanted to name
her after a historical feminist, but she was SO much like Ms. Brown: thus
Murphy.
	Twice last week when I was carrying Fluff out to the vet's, a little
grey kitten tried to get into the house. I explained to him that I'd *love*
to let him stay, but Fluffy wouldn't like it! He was very sweet, and didn't
take it personally. I started getting worried about him as the week got
colder and wetter. It seemed obvious that no one was taking care of him. 
	When I got out of the car with Murphy, there he was! The timing was
perfect - I was able to bring them in at the same time, avoiding the territorial
conflicts that would have arisen if I had brought him in later. I swear Jill
and Fluff helped organize this!
	He's almost pure Russian Blue, so I wanted to give him a Soviet
name. He seemed to like Alexei. The gymnasts' names I tried out didn't
seem to fit him. Now he frolicks about the house like he's always been here.
Despite his extensive explorations, he hasn't damaged, scratched, or knocked
anything over! He's very agile - his favorite game is chasing his tail on the 
stairs! 
	And speaking of tails: Murphy's is about 4 inches long and ends in
an abrupt U-turn. She wags it! Alexei, however, has enough for both of them. 
His tail is veeeeery long. Apparently he was separated from his mother too
young - he sucks on it while trying to knead milk out of the couch!
				
	I love them both - but I still miss Fluff. The nights are the worst.
Thank <whoever> I don't have to come home to an empty apartment!
						Sharon
From: das@voodoo.boeing.com (Deb Schwartz)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Interesting nutrition research
Date: 21 Nov 92 18:57:40 GMT
Organization: Yet Another Graphics Project, Bellevue, WA

I took Oreo to the vet today for his yearly checkup and shots, and my
vet, who just returned from an animal nutrition conference, told me this
interesting tidbit:

Very preliminary research shows that neutered adult cats may require 40%
fewer calories than intact cats to stay at the same weight.  The study was
done only on females, comparing cats of the same age and weight.  This same
study also indicated that unneutered cats are better at self-regulating as
far as food goes i.e. they weren't as likely to overeat as neutered cats.
My vet did stress that it was just one study, and a lot more research needs
to be done.

Oreo got a clean bill of health, except for being 2 1/2 pounds overweight.
In discussing putting him on a diet (Oreo already thinks I'm trying to
starve him), my vet suggested no or low calorie snacks if Oreo complained
too much.  These included popcorn (my vet says his cat loves it), brocolli,
frozen peas, green beans and other such veggies.  Should be interesting to
see if I can persuade Oreo that these are really yummy.
------
Debbie Schwartz // das@voodoo.ca.boeing.com  // ....uw-beaver!bcsaic!voodoo!das
From: jm012b@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Jeffrey P. Moon)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Mother's sick cat
Date: 19 Nov 92 01:50:58 GMT
Article-I.D.: galileo.1992Nov19.015058.8946
Organization: University of Rochester - Rochester, New York

In <9211190043.AA00572@rwasic27.aud.alcatel.com> alclark@rwasic27.aud.alcatel.com (Amy L Clark) writes:

>We tried, but the pancreatitis that the vet said that Shalimar
>(mother's Siamese) was accompanied by some strange type of
>cancerous cells that invaded her blood.  We took her to a
>specialist, but there was nothing he could do.  Shalimar was
>only nine years old.  My mother had to make the painful decision
>to put Shalimar to sleep.  We're all grieving for her.  I feel
>like I've lost a sister (I always told Shalimar that I was her
>sister Amy).  I wrote a poem for Shalimar since I didn't get
>to say goodbye.  It made me feel a little better, but not much.

>I'LL MISS YOU SHALIMAR.  THIS IS FOR YOU.

>So dignified, but so lovable,
>Like a gracious nanny,
>Taking care of us kids,
>As we grew older.

>Gracing every room in which you sat.
>Yet crawling into my lap to doze contentedly.
>Sleeping underneath the covers with your head on my arm,
>Your face next to mine-- like lovers telling secrets.

>Talking to me-- demanding attention whenever you entered a room.
>Purring with your head in my hand even when you're sick,
>Trying to make me feel better-- not knowing it's for you I'm sorrowing.
>Too dainty to miss the litter box-- even when you felt too ill to move.
>Looking into my eyes,
>Your pupils dialated to their fullest pouring forth your love.

>Stretching to your fullest height,
>Begging to be carried over my shoulder like a baby
>And nibbling on my earlobe as I hold you.

>You were the runt.
>But were the strongest and most special of the bunch.
>I'll still walk in the door and call your name.
>Look for you in your special sleeping place in the closet,
>Then remember you're gone and be sad.
>But try to picture you waiting for me in kitty heaven.

Deepest sympathies from me, Boots, & Coots (also Siameses). Our family lost
two cats of old age in one year, and I understand the difficulty and the pain.
We pray for your dear Shalimar.

Jeffrey Moon
University of Rochester
New York
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: young@serum.kodak.com (Rich Young)
Subject: Re: Strange hairless circles and the vet
Originator: young@sasquatch
Reply-To: young@serum.kodak.com
Organization: Clinical Diagnostics Division, Eastman Kodak Company
Date: Sun, 22 Nov 92 20:23:50 GMT

In article <41435@sdcc12.ucsd.edu> palvarez@sdcc3.ucsd.edu (Pablo Alvarez-Royo) writes:
>Thanks to everyone who answered our question. Given that they are indoor
>cats, crop circles are probably out of the question. The vet did agree
>with most of the replies and thought that it was probably ringworm.
>However, there was nothing to be seen under black light, and we are now
>waiting for the results of a culture. Somebody suggested it might be
>demodex? Some info on what that is and how it is treated would be
>welcome.

	"Demodex" sounds like one way of saying "demodectic mange."  There
	are two major types of mange: demodectic and sarcoptic.  The
	difference is in the genus of the mite which causes it, if memory
	serves.  Neither is much fun, either for you or your pet.


-Rich Young (These are not Kodak's opinions.)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: julie@eddie.jpl.nasa.gov (Julie Kangas)
Subject: Re: Neutering question
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 22:55:10 GMT

In article <1992Nov16.194804.3493@galileo.cc.rochester.edu> barlow@prodigal.psych.rochester.edu (Rebel) writes:
>In <1e8nn4INN99v@agate.berkeley.edu> spp@zabriskie.berkeley.edu (Steve Pope) writes:
>
>>rhart@haas.berkeley.edu (Richard Hart) writes:
>
>>>Is is normal for the vet to keep the cat overnight after
>>>neuter surgery? This is a male cat. I don't remember this
>>>being the practice last time I had a boy cat (years ago).
>>>
>>>I don't think they even kept my girls overnight, come to think of it.
>>>
>>>Net wisdom?
>
>>Your vet has learned much from watching cats over
>>the years.
>
>>He's learned to fluff up his invoices.
>
>>Steve
>
>When my cat Zeb(female) went to be spayed not only did they keep her
>overnight the night following surgery but also the night before so
>they could regulate her food and water and so that she would be calmer 
>the next morning. The night following stay was to watch for complications
>from the anesthesia. I am personally offended by this reply which
>suggests that the only thing the vet cares about is his paycheck....Zeb
>was given the best of care and in the case of an emergency qualified
>people would be on hand to help something I could not accomplish at home.
>Steve, the question I would ask you is does the amount of money for
>your pet matter that much to you. You would expect an overnight stay in
>the hospital if YOU had major surgery, why shouldn't your cat expected
>the same? This just buggs me alot...in league with people who think
>33 cents a can for food is WAY too expensive for a cat!! Please!

Yes, remember that spaying a female cat is removing the ovaries
and performing a hysterectomy.   *I* sure wouldn't want to be
turned loose the day of that operation and I think it's completely
reasonable to keep the cat overnight -- heck, women who have
hysterectomies by that method (cut up the middle) are kept at
least several days!

Keeping the cat overnight after major surgery is not fluffing up
the bill.  Fluffing up the bill is what happened with my 
grandmother's cat when he got hit by a car.  He had dislocated
both hind legs.  The vet wanted to immediately operate on both
legs to saw off the bone 'knobs'.  He also wanted to remove
bones(lizard) in the his stomach.  Fortunately, my grandmother
wouldn't do it and now the cat is perfectly ok.  My vet, whom I
trust, was outraged.  About the bones he said -- 'He's got bones
in his stomach, so?' and about the leg operation he suggested that
the vet had a May Company bill to pay.

Also, keeping the cat before the operation is probably a good
idea.  People are told not to eat anything but how do you tell
a cat?  I would bet many cat owners would yield to their initially
pleading and then increasingly demanding kitty -- I know I would
eventually.  

Julie
DISCLAIMER:  All opinions here belong to my cat and no one else

Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: maillet@ug.cs.dal.ca (Dray Maillet)
Subject: Re: Bye to MaiTai
Organization: Math, Stats & CS, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 00:53:44 GMT

 My condolences.  Many hugs from Furball. 

 Dray and Furball. (Who also adopted me.) 
-- 
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Andre M. Maillet     | "Wouldn't it be nice if Education got all the money |
|maillet@ug.cs.dal.ca | it needed and the Air Force had to hold a bake sale |
|djtas@ac.dal.ca      | to buy a new bomber." - from a bumper sticker       |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
This is not a .sig
From: ren@Turing.ORG (Karen Prestemon)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Old cat hates new cat!  Help!
Date: 23 Nov 92 17:00:55 GMT
Organization: The Turing Project, Charlottesville Virginia.


I picked up a new kitten last night and brought him home.  The goal was
to get someone to keep the 5 month old kitten we already have company,
and she hates him!  I read the FAQ on how to inroduce animals to each
other,but my husband ignored me and let the new guy out of the room,
and they have been acting very antagonistic to each other.  I fear
that a great deal of damage has been done by this, as they have been
fighting with their claws and teeth.  He thinks we should give the
old cat a squirt of water when she bothers the new cat, but I wonder if
this is going to make things worse, especially when we are not there.

Should cats, when introduced to each other, be allowed to duke it
out a little in order for them to establish "dominance"?  I am worried
about having to send him back (he's from the SPCA--he would be going
to a foster home, not a cage).

The old cat is making angry noises low in her throat.  I had no idea
she could make these kinds of sounds! She just climbed up on the
computer, and when I picked her up, she made one of those god-awful
noises at me!

*sigh*

--Karen
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: pamh@sco.COM (Pam Hassell)
Subject: Cat vs. Cat
Organization: The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc.
Date: Tue, 24 Nov 1992 00:35:49 GMT
Keywords: terror domination competition sibling rivalry arrrrgh



I have 2 cats, both 11 years old, who have been together since they were
wee tiny kittens.  One (Puddytat) has always been the dominant one, but
lately she seems to have become an absolute dictator!  She will often
attack the Fat Thing for no apparent reason, ambushing her and biting 
her on the back *hard*.  It's gotten so bad that the Fat Thing will walk
l a r g e  circles around the Puddytat to avoid being attacked.  In fact,
Puddytat almost has me afraid to pet the Fat Thing because I'm afraid 
that Puddy'll get her revenge on the Fat Thing later when I'm not watching.

Anyone have any suggestions as to what I can do about this Little Feline
Dictator?

Thanks - Pam
-- 
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
"Je crois que je vais cracher une boule de poils." (I think that I am going
to cough up a fur ball.)
		    - Henry Beard, _All the French Your Cat Will Ever Need_ 
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: magarret@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (COMPUTER DUDETTE)
Subject: Cats Under Beds
Organization: The Ohio State University
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 22:07:03 GMT

Thanks for all of the suggestions for getting my cat out from under the bed.
Actually, as long as she doesn't think I'm going to take her anywhere, if I sit
on the floor next to the bed, she will come out, as she did last nite, and I 
was able to successfully take her to the vets!
My one problem is that this cat is totally laid back!  I live in a condo which 
has three stories, and she can be sleeping upstairs under the bed and I can 
come in with groceries, whatever, make all kinds of noise, and she doesn't bat 
an eye!  If I were to rattle cat treats, I would have to rattle it upstairs in 
front of her eyes, I think!  When she has been sleeping all day, she is totally
zonked!  Nothing stirs her!
The vet said she was the best kitty he had seen in a long time when he went to 
take the stitches out; she didn't utter a peep, just got all wide-eyed!
I am so proud of her!
I want to get a little friend for her now, and was thinking about the Humane 
Society, but after reading all the horror stories, I am not so sure!  I am FOR 
declawing (please, no flames), and they probably would think me a monster, but 
I would also want the new kitty declawed as well.  They would be strictly 
indoor cats, and Chelsea would always get her claws caught in something, not to
mention she was clawing my new drapes.  There is not anything I would not do 
for her, I love her so much, and I would hope the Humane Society would be able 
to see this in my behavior, whether I declaw or not.  I am hoping a little 
buddy will perk her up some, she seems so lazy!  Well, at least until time for 
me to go to bed, then she likes to play "attack the feet under the bed" and 
play with her fur mousie!
This morning she jumped on my stomach at 5:30 AM, and I was sound asleep, not 
having to get up til 7:30. She wanted her head scratched!  Needless to say, I 
am tired today!
Thanks for listening, all...
I enjoy reading everyone's stories!
Marti Garrett
From: jm012b@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Jeffrey P. Moon)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Welcome to the First Cat (Socks)
Date: 19 Nov 92 22:07:38 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Rochester - Rochester, New York

Anthony, I think that you are full of shit.

The Bush family is well-knit, close, and strongly bond. Barbara and George
have been wonderful parents and grandparents. I'm sorry if you wouldn't date
anyone in their family; come to think of it, none of them would probably
want to date you. If I remember correctly, I have subscribed to a newsgroup
on cats. Let's stick to cat discussion.

Oh, one more point. You said that they appear to be a more familiar
families. I don't understand; do families where the father or mother have
outside affairs considered normal? Oh, it hurts, doesn't it Anthony?

Jeffrey Moon
University of Rochester
New York
From: scm@harvee.billerica.ma.us (S. Mudgett aka little gator)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Humane Society Blues
Date: 22 Nov 92 15:07:28 GMT
	<1992Nov13.194624.8333@zia.aoc.nrao.edu>
	<1992Nov17.140800.26405@acd4.acd.com>
	<1992Nov19.224016.11641@zia.aoc.nrao.edu>
Reply-To: scm@harvee.billerica.ma.us
Organization: gators 'r us
X-Software: HERMES GUS 1.04 Rev. Sep  5 1992

once, i was looking to get a cat and called a private shelter run out of
 someone's home.  she said she had an urgent case and would adopt out no other
cats till he was placed. when she said he was declawed i said i wouldn't
take a declawed cat and would she consider telling me about the others?  her
reply was a grumpy,"we'll talk about it when you get here."  she was wrong,
i didn't even go and got an undeclawed kitten soemwhere else.
-- 
-- little gator aka s. mudgett     email: scm@harvee.billerica.ma.us
-- friend of a gator is a friend of mine
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: vboynton@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Virginia R Boynton)
Subject: Re: Bye to MaiTai
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 00:38:22 GMT

In article <bette.721864317@wc.novell.com> bette@wc.novell.com writes:
>About a month ago I learned that my kitty had a form of cancer known
>as lymph-sarcoma in her lungs and intestine. I want to thank all the
>net folks who replied to my query about the disease and treatments.
>I'm sorry I haven't been able to reply to you personally.
>
>Two weeks ago MaiTai began chemotherapy. It seemed to help almost
>immeadiately. She seemed livelier than she had been in weeks. Unfortunately,
>the drugs worked as quickly to destroy her immune system as they
>did the cancer. She got very sick last Saturday morning and despite
>truly heroic measures on the vet's part, MaiTai died early Monday morning.
>
>MaiTai's been in my life for 14 years. All of my adult life. As a homesick
>college student at home on summer break my mother decided that I needed
>a pet to take care of me while I was away from home. One day, instead of
>going shopping as we planned, Mom turned off the main road and drove us
>to the local animal shelter. She stopped the car out front and said "Get
>yourself a cat."  Well, I walked into the shelter intending to get a
>gray tabby since that was what my recently deceased childhood cat was.
>Entering the feline area, the cats in the cages were going about cat
>business without paying much attention to us humans. Except for this scrawny
>white cat in the back of one of the cages. Seeing us enter, this kitty
>ran to the front of the cage, stood up on her back legs, front claws on
>the screen and started meowing for all she was worth.  When I peered
>around her to take a closer look at a tabby, she went back and sat on
>that other cat's head and looked straight at me. I knew I was beat. I didn't
>fall in love with her or anything, I just took her on merit. At least
>that was my interpretation at the time. I now realize that I was being
>adopted. (Needless to say, love followed.)
>
>I know the grief will subside and eventually there'll be new kitties in
>my life. (Although I wouldn't fall in love with them or anything :-)
>I keep finding holes in my life where she used to be. I got up from
>the dinner table the other nite to answer the phone...when I got back
>my food was still there. I wake up in the morning in the middle of
>the bed, not pushed over into a corner. And there's noone trying to
>sneak out under my feet when I open the door. It just goes on like that.
>
>Anyway, thanks for letting me unload. Also, it would make me feel better
>if I thought that all the kitties out there got the extra hugs tonight
>that I wish I could give to MaiTai.
>
>Thanks,
>Bette
>-------------
>bette@novell.com
>

Bette --  You can be sure that my three babies are getting those extra hugs 
tonight.  I am truly sorry to hear about your loss.  It sounds like you had 
many wonderful years with MaiTai.  I know that you will always remember her 
with love and appreciation for all the joy she brought into your life.

Ginny
From: avi@rix.Corp.Sun.COM (Ann Adamcik)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Jumping Cat
Date: 17 Nov 1992 21:01:12 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Distribution: world
Reply-To: avi@rix.Corp.Sun.COM
NNTP-Posting-Host: rix.corp.sun.com

In article 1@stsci.edu, lhuffman@stsci.edu () writes:
>My cat Seet Pea who loves to have her body pressing somehwere on her Mom Cat 
>will jump onto my shoulder from the floor, whether I am facing her or not. 

Sweet Pea sounds a lot like Maggie.  Maggie will usually 'tell' me that she
wants to be picked up, and will jump if I don't comply within a reasonable
amount of time (guess how long ;^> ).  She doesn't make it all the way to my 
shoulder in one leap - she jumps to about my chest or upper back and then
climbs the rest of the way.  The amazing thing is that she never claws me
when she does this.  She seems to know how to jump up and catch my clothes
instead of my skin.

Maggie's other favorite thing is to crawl inside my shirt.  I usually wear
baggy stuff, and she will paw at the bottom of my shirt until I hold it 
open and let her in.  Then she flattens herself against my skin, purrs like 
mad, and falls sound asleep.  It can be kind of embarassing if there's 
anyone else around...  

-Ann

Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats