HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: cid@athena.mit.edu (Derek H Cedillo)
Subject: Re: Pounce: Result of Cat Survey
Organization: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Date: Sat, 25 Jul 1992 21:10:28 GMT

In article <BryMoI.C1D@news.cso.uiuc.edu> levine@symcom.math.uiuc.edu (Lenore Levine) writes:
>After hearing on the net how much cats like Pounce I got a
>can, and gave some to my cat and 9 neighborhood cats.

George and Gracie hate it.

>Results: Every single cat ate it, very hungrily. The more greedy
>cats screamed for it, and licked my fingers to get every last
>bit of the taste!

They wont eat it at all. If we put it in their food bowls, they eat every
thing BUT the pounce  :)

>I've never seen anything like this with any other cat treat. (You can't
>even get 10 out of 10 cats to like catnip!) I wonder what they put in
>it!

They do love catnip though.  They get wound up for about 5 min. then
trhey are dead as a doornail.  :0



>P.S. (I wish I had ten cats...instead of the only one that practical
>considerations allow at this time.)

I love having two.  They are bro and sis, and love to play with 
eachother.  Its the time of my life watching them.
From: mossman@sag1.ssl.berkeley.edu ()
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Need a good home for an adorable kitty, please help.
Date: 24 Jul 1992 17:22:52 GMT
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Distribution: usa
Reply-To: mossman@sag1.ssl.berkeley.edu ()
NNTP-Posting-Host: sag1.ssl.berkeley.edu

Bay Area Cat Lovers-

Please help me. I am in the terrible position of having to find a new
home for my cat before Sunday. I am desperate, I can't face bringing
her to the Humane Society and I can't find anyone who wants to adopt 
her. If you can help, please e-mail or phone. Her name is Smokey, she
is a four year old pastel calico, spayed but not declawed. She is
very sweet and playful but not really a lap cat, she has only sat on
my lap 3 times in her whole life. SHe loves to jump amd run around,
drink from the facuet, play fetch. It's killing me to give her away
but I want her to have a good life in a happy home. She has always been
indoors and the only cat but she likes the balcony at the apartment
and would probably love being outdoors. SHe has no fleas but has had
an ear problem which is not mites. SHe also has had a recurrent eye
problem, under control with a gel. SHe is very sweet and adorable,
even when she runs aronud at top speed with the night crazies. Someone
please help me. SHe come with all her food and a bag of litter, dishes
and box and poop scoop and scratching pad. I only ask for an occasional
e-mail to know how she is doing. I can bring her to you or you can
meet her at my apartment. Please e-mail or phone if you can give
a good home to my adorable bundle of fluff.

Amy Mossman
E-mail: mossman@cea.berkeley.edu
Work: 510-643-5590
Home: 510-947-0646

P.S. Please, no flames. This is hard enough as it is. Just help.
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: jonathan@chpc.utexas.edu (Jonathan Thornburg)
Subject: Re: What does he DO in there???
Summary: watch insects flying around in light from windows?
Keywords: cat night kitchen secret watch observe insect light flutter window
Organization: U of Texas at Austin / Physics Dept / Center for Relativity
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 92 18:50:00 GMT

In article <1992Jul29.105354.6105@doc.ic.ac.uk> crb@doc.ic.ac.uk (Ruth) writes:
>This has been bugging me for a while.
>
>Every night now, while I'm in the lounge watching TV, Geno disappears into
>the kitchen.  He's very quiet in there, but as soon as I make a move, I hear 
>a thud, and he lands on the floor near the door, poking his head round as
>if to say "who me? I wasn't doing anything".
>
>Now, I don't leave any food out on the surfaces, so he can't be after that - 
>and since I've not yet managed to catch him in the act, I'm not sure what
>he is acutally climbing on.  I only seem to get there when he's in mid thud.
>
>What IS he doing? What IS he after? And WHERE is he jumping from - this
>happens EVERY night now - and I still can't work it out!!!!!

You say this happens at *night*.  Perhaps there are insects (especially
moths) fluttering around outside, attracted by the light from the windows.
He may be sitting on the window sill watching them, or even trying to
climb up the glass to catch them.

I have seen Mortina do this at my
bedroom window, wildly pawing-at/clawing-at/climbing-up the windows
and screens.  (This is very destructive to the screens :-( .)
I finally had to establish a rule of "no lights at night when kitty
is here" or my screens would have been completely shredded...  (Alas,
her night vision is so good she can sometimes see the insects even with
all my lights off, if there are other lights shining nearby.  I have
heard her do this on several occasions, wildly meowing and carrying
on when I was trying to sleep...

- Jonathan Thornburg and Mortina II (alas 4000km away on an island in Canada)
  <jonathan@einstein.ph.utexas.edu> or <jonathan@hermes.chpc.utexas.edu>
  University of Texas at Austin / Physics Dept / Center for Relativity
  and (for a few more months) U of British Columbia / {Astronomy,Physics}
Xref: sparky rec.pets.cats:8823 rec.pets.dogs:8973
From: margaret@cs.arizona.edu (Margaret Newman)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats,rec.pets.dogs
Subject: Help with Breakfast
Keywords: little beggars...
Date: 23 Jul 92 21:58:49 GMT
Followup-To: rec.pets.cats


I made the mistake one day of giving my puppy a taste of my bagel
and cream cheese.  She loves it.  The other dog, not to be overlooked,
loves it, too.  Now, however, my Siamese cat is getting in on the
act.  If I don't watch carefully, and be stern with her, she gets on
the table and licks the cream cheese.  Boy, that little tongue can
move!

I know this isn't sanitary, and it grosses my Mom out, and I should
be more strict.  But hey, my breakfasts are never lonely or boring!

Do you ever talk to your pets over the phone?  My neice had me saying
"hello Mia, meow meow" over the phone today.  Mia is the first pet
that I've done this to that has responded.  She's a fun cat!

margaret@cs.arizona.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: debi@scrp.Stanford.EDU (Debi Hooke)
Subject: Good Cat Quote
Organization: Stanford University
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 92 21:58:16 GMT

A cute quote that would make a good Sig:

Dogs come when called, Cats take a message and get back to you!



Debi with message-taking cats Boo and Stash, and good goofy dog, Kenna
From: cczcole@unicorn.nott.ac.uk (Marlon Cole)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: cat toys ideas
Date: 22 Jul 92 12:19:12 GMT
Organization: Cripps Computing Centre, University of Nottingham

In article <1992Jul22.022136.25932@athena.cs.uga.edu> maxfield@athena.cs.uga.edu (Joan C. Maxfield) writes:
>In article <1992Jul21.232913.20114@sserve.cc.adfa.oz.au> ccd@ccadfa.cc.adfa.oz.au (Carol C Denehy) writes:
>
>>Penny is very good about fetching and bringing it back, often dropping
>>her foil ball into my hand.....
>>
>	Amos does this too!  ....

    To add to the list of such able cats, my Daisy also does this, and 
impressed us by working out how to do this all by her little self - of course
part-siamese and total mardy-baby Whisper doesn't have any of this and simply
shreds the tin foil all over the house.

   Just got them a fur toy this last weekend and they're now spending all their
time throwing it around.

   The best game we have is for me to get a ping-pong ball and sit at the 
bottom of the stairs and simply lob the ball up the stairs - the cats chase
it, bat it around a bit inevitably sending it bouncing down to me again - they
can keep this up for half an hour or more before getting bored, during which 
time I only need to go retrieve it after an errant bat just a couple of times.

    PS. We're supposed to be moving to a new (as in just been built) house at
the end of next week - anyone care to pass on any general house-and-cat moving
hints?
    The cats are predominently indoor cats who get let out a few times a week
but never seem to stray far and more often than not come in again after not
too long - especially as they still insist on using the litter tray despite
having access to a whole outside world!  How long do you reckon we should keep
them indoors at the new house before letting them wander?

    Cheers,
    		Marlon
------------
Marlon Cole                  email:  cczcole@unicorn.nott.ac.uk or
Systems Programmer                   cczcole@uk.ac.nott.unicorn depending.....
Cripps Computing Centre
University of Nottingham
NOTTINGHAM
NG7 2RD
From: mooring@rikki.Eng.Sun.COM (Linda Mooring)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: ferrets vs european polecats
Date: 24 Jul 1992 19:44:43 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.  Mt. View, Ca.
Distribution: world
Reply-To: mooring@rikki.Eng.Sun.COM (Linda Mooring)
NNTP-Posting-Host: rikki

I turned on the TV last night and the channel just happened
to be public TV, and the program just happened to be a segment
of Sesame Street on the San Francisco Children's Zoo Nature
Trail.  Some kids were in charge of handling the wild animals
that they exhibit along this trail.  They had a chinchilla,
some sort of lizard, a turtle, then . . . a ferret!

The girl called it a European Polecat, but it was the exact
size, shape and coloring of a domestic sable ferret.  I've
seen drawings of this polecat, and thought that it was 
supposed to be much larger than the domesticated ferret.

The kids were calling this animal a wild animal, yet it
looked very similar to my sable, Oliver.  It seemed the
same size and coloring, yet its head was slightly rounder -
less triangular.

I called the zoo, and the woman there gave me a typically
bad California answer, "there is no such thing as a domestic
ferret."  She gave me the number for the animal resource 
center and they were interested in getting more info on the
domestic ferret (can you believe this?  from a zoo!!).

I gave them some basic info: that dom ferrets have been
domesticated for thousands of years and their direct 
descendants are not known.

So, does anyone out there know how different the domestic
ferret and the European polecat are?  I thought the 
European ferret had solid coloring - this one had a
mask and dark feet.  I've got some ferret/polecat information
on file, and will consult the library this weekend.  Anyone
know of any other good sources?  (I already have 4 or 5
small books on owning ferrets.)

Thanks!!

Linda
From: njl@drutx.ATT.COM (LaRocheNJ)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Re: Can a bunny get along with only three legs?
Summary: Your bunny will adjust to three legs
Date: 30 Jul 92 18:28:17 GMT
Organization: AT&T, Denver, CO

In article <1992Jul27.025014.25180@stsci.edu>, kenny@stsci.edu (Debbie Kenny) writes:
>    My question is, has anyone had any experience with a bunny amputee?  Can 
> they still get around with only three legs to hop on? (My vet seems to think
> they can).


Debbie, I'm so sorry to hear of your onging problems with your precious
bunny, but I do agree with your vet.  I know  of a rabbit with no use of
either front leg, and she gets along fine.  Animals make amazing
adjustments.

Good luck, and do let us know how it goes.

Nancy LaRoche (HRS)
att!drutx!njl
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: jlevy@cbnewsd.cb.att.com (janet.s.levy)
Subject: Re: wood-eating rabbit?
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 22:46:20 GMT

In article <1992Jul17.053253.18893@sco.COM> megm@sco.COM (Meg McRoberts) writes:
>
>good question.  all the books say they need a salt lick,
>but Rasta has never showed any interest in it.  i try to
>give her a salty principle now and then to make up for it.
>
>meg

My rabbit vet (specialists in birds, ferrets, and rabbits - they
don't TAKE dogs and cats, they say snootily) uses the House
Rabbit Society as a guide for nutrition and says rabbits get
all the salt they need from their pellet.

By the way, the literature recommends at least 18% fiber content
in the pellet.  I have been feeding my rabbit Kaytee which has
17% fiber.  I recently found a pellet by SunSeed which looked nice
and dark green and came with some dried corn and carrot flakes
mixed in.  It listed as 20% fiber.  I thought I had found rabbit
manna, but my bunny won't touch the stuff.  I tried mixing it with
Kaytee, etc. - no dice.  Oh well, I hope he is getting that other
1% of fiber from his hay.  Anyone want a full bag of Sunseed rabbit 
pellets?

Janet Levy
jsl@ihlpm.ATT.COM
From: sharon@minster.york.ac.uk
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Monkeys (spider)
Date: 27 Jul 92 09:34:42 GMT
Organization: Department of Computer Science, University of York, England

I am not sure if the above name is correct for these small monkeys, they are
the ones that you see sitting on peoples shoulders or instruments(organ
grinder)....Do they make good pets ?? Are there many regulations about 
keeping them .. Can anyone give me any information on the above??, as I am
very interested in these animals, they fascinate me..
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: hinz@bonfire (David Hinz Mfg 4-6987)
Subject: Re: Vacuuming Prarie Dogs
Organization: GE Medical Systems, Magnetic Resonance
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL4
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 92 09:40:36 GMT

I think my biggest questions would be:

1> how do they get the 'dogs' back into their own burrows, and:
2> would the dogs care?



--

Dave Hinz  -  Opinions expressed are mine, not my employer's.  Obviously.
Pherrets are Phun!! 
SAAB - you get what you pay for; you pay for what you get.
hinz@picard.med.ge.com


Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: rizzoe@FASECON.ECON.NYU.EDU (Emily Rizzo)
Subject: Vacuuming Prarie Dogs
Organization: New York University
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 18:33:31 GMT

There was an article in the New York Times this Sunday about a proposed 
two-day youth rally involving the pope to be held in a park outside of 
Denver, Colorado.  It seems that this park is riddled with prarie dog 
colonies.  When environmentalists objected that the rally would disrupt the 
prarie dogs, an elaborate plan was devised to vacuum up the prarie 
dogs from their burrows), place them in a shelter for 2 days and then 
return them to the park.  The estimated cost was $100,000 - $300,000.  The 
article stated that the environmentalists were pleased with this solution.  

Now the New York Times is not quite the National Enquirer, but I for one 
find this story totally bizarre.  Does anyone have any idea how such a 
plan could work and how exactly one goes around vacuuming prarie dogs 
(what a great ad for a Hoover.. "enough suction to pick up dust, dirt, 
grime and prarie dogs") .

--
Emily Rizzo 
Department of Economics
New York University 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Life's what happens when you're making other plans.
                                   --- Mike Cross
From: scm@harvee.UUCP (S. Mudgett aka little gator)
Subject: Re: Help. Hamster Escape Artist
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Date: 23 Jul 92 07:26:04 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: gators 'r us
X-Version: Rodney's UUCP modules 02/11/90 V1.18

In article <1992Jul22.132920.5732@iscsvax.uni.edu> mehrl4986@iscsvax.uni.edu
 writes:
> 
> Can anyone tell me if there is a cheap, yet effect way of closing the three
> doors on this hamsters cage?  Ties from garbage bags are chewed through, pins
> might hurt the hamster.  Please share some wisdom on a way I can return this
> ingenius escape artist in one piece to my small niece.
try padlocks. you can get tiny ones cheap at hardware stores.
--
-- little gator aka S. Mudgett     email: scm@harvee.uucp
-- friend of a gator is a friend of mine
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: dgsolt@newstand.syr.edu (David G. Solt Jr.)
Subject: Victoria the baby rabbit
Keywords: rabbits
Organization: Syracuse University
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 92 12:14:33 EDT

                             NEW BUNNY:

I just had to say something about the newcomer.  Two days ago we
got another rabbit.  We just couldn't pass her up, she's an exact
duplicate of the one we have now (Marilyn).  So we now have two
bunnies hopping around the house.  The new rabbit has been named 
Victoria.  I've heard that if your going to have two rabbits, you
should have a boy and a girl.  Well, the little one is only 3 months
old but the pet store employee assured us that it was a boy.  Well, 
the vet the next day said he's pretty sure it is a girl.  I hope 
everything works out dispite the surprise about the new rabbit's sex.

I'll be sure to post everytime they do something incredible cute.
They seem to be getting along great.  Marilyn has surprisingly had no
problems letting Victoria use her cage and they're awful cute when 
they snuggle up together with Marilyn's chin resting on the Victoria's
back.  

We had to take Marilyn to the vet when she started dribbling blood out
of her bottom side.  The problem only lasted about 2 hours and the vet 
said he'd treat her for a bladder infection but he admitted that he 
wasn't sure that that was what the problem was.  Does anyone know if a 
false pregnancy terminates with some blood loss, or is a false pregnancy
completely mental in rabbits?  I was pleased to see the vet give us an 
information sheet about rabbits that advertised the House Rabbit Journal!

Dave
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: green@island.island.COM (Robert Greenstein)
Subject: Rabbit infested with mites
Organization: Strawman Incorporated
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 19:44:23 GMT

My rabbit has a major infestation of mites. Flea powder does nothing.
I have bathed him several times with flea shampoo, which helps only 
marginally. I am afraid the mites are probably lurking in the house.

Since  I refuse to flea-bomb the house, does anyone have any non-toxic
alternatives? I though of using borax, but I don't know if that is toxic
to rabbits. Also, I have a lot of hardwood floors and I assume you can't
use borax on bare wood.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
-- 
******************************************************************************
Robert Greenstein           What the fool cannot learn he laughs at, thinking
green@island.com            that by his laughter he shows superiority instead
                            of latent idiocy - M. Corelli
Newsgroups: rec.pets,alt.folklore.urban,talk.bizarre,alt.sex
From: sabg9174@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Tolthrye)
Subject: Re: Jackelope / Basselope
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 07:15:30 GMT

dlee@girtab.usc.edu (David J. Lee) writes:

>What is a Jackanape and how are its droppings different from an
>Apelope?  Thanks!

   These are all species within the genus _concatenate_,
   I believe.  

>--
From: ardie@UIUC (Richard D. McClary)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Self-righteous Jerks (was RE:Lifespans)
Date: 22 Jul 92 20:59:18 GMT
Organization: Department of Plant Pathology


	After two weeks of firey flames, I have yet to here what the life 
expectancy of a gerbil is!  Anyway, the problem is not irresponsible kids 
but rather crazy cages.  I am the only one in my household with sufficient 
manual dexterity to take Habitrail or SAM cages apart and re-assemble them 
every evening for cleaning.  (Don't be fooled - they pee in the most 
inaccessible place possible, and daily cleaning is required!)  Of course, I 
could always make my kids do the cages, which, with 3 cats and a dog, would 
shorten their lifespans considerably.
From: shoopak@romulus.rutgers.edu (-r.)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Re: Rabbits are Lagomorphs (was "Re: Bunnies and Ferrets? Together?")
Date: 22 Jul 92 22:01:16 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.

njl@drutx.ATT.COM (LaRocheNJ) writes:

>In article <sauron.711292041@femto.engr.mun.ca>, sauron@femto.engr.mun.ca (Patrick Ryan)

>For what it's worth, and if anyone is interested, there is another little
>creature called a pika that looks a little like a big mouse with very
>round ears, lives in the Rocky Mountains (perhaps elsewhere?), has
>an incredibly loud and shrill whistle, and actually harvests grass, dries
>it, and builds haystacks for its winter food)...these little creatures are
>also lagomorphs.

>Nancy LaRoche (HRS)
>att!drutx!njl

From the Encyclopaedia Galactica:

...

	Pika ::  Order : Lagomorpha
		Family : Ochotonidae
		 Genus : Ochotona
	       Species : Princeps

	    Dimensions : 15-30 cm (6-12 in) length
			 125 - 440 g (4-14 oz.) weight

	Their ears are rounded rather than elongated their brownish
	or reddish fur is soft, long, and thick.

	       Habitat : Rocky, mountainous areas; some in Asia
			 inhabit burrows in forest, and even some
			 desert areas.

	 	 Other : Pikas do not >seem< to hibernate.  During the
			 summer and autumn months, pikas "harvest"
			 vegitation, which they dry in the sun.  This
			 hay, stored under rocks or in other protected
			 places, provides a source of food during the
			 winter. 

		Litter : several litters of 2-6 naked young in spring
			 and summer.

	     Gestation : approx 1 month.

	 Also known as : Little Chief Hare, Mouse Hare, Whistling
			 Hare, or Piping Hare.

end of entry.

Hope this helps clarify some things.

-r.
Xref: sparky rec.pets:2683 alt.folklore.urban:19911 talk.bizarre:23580 alt.sex:25234
From: navsaria@bass.bu.edu (Dipesh Navsaria)
Newsgroups: rec.pets,alt.folklore.urban,talk.bizarre,alt.sex
Subject: Re: Jackelope
Date: 27 Jul 92 20:24:55 GMT
Reply-To: navsaria@bass.bu.edu (Dipesh Navsaria)
Followup-To: rec.pets
Organization: Boston University


   What about the jackabasselope of Bloom County fame?

						Dipesh (navsaria@pub.bu.edu)

Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: bvt@island.island.COM (Brad Van Tighem)
Subject: Working Ferrets
Organization: Island Graphics Corp.
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 00:49:25 GMT

Dear Ferret Experts-

	I was wondering if someone out there knows if people still use
ferrets for getting rid of gophers.  I`d be interested in contacting
someone in the Northern California Area who could do the job, if there
was such a person. I realize that ferrets are illegal in California, but
perhaps they can be trained for exterminating rodents by licensed
individuals.

	Please contact me directly through e-mail since I do not
read the news that often.  Thanks in advance.

Brad

bvt@island.COM
  
Xref: sparky rec.pets:2622 alt.folklore.urban:19346 talk.bizarre:22599 alt.sex:24721
From: klg@panda.mc.duke.edu (Kim Greer -- rjj)
Newsgroups: rec.pets,alt.folklore.urban,talk.bizarre,alt.sex
Subject: Re: Jackelope / Basselope
Date: 21 Jul 92 17:28:11 GMT
Followup-To: rec.pets
Organization: Duke University, Nuclear Medicine

In article <BrpGLv.5BM@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> hucke@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Matt Hucke)
writes: 
 > >I heard that basselopes are banned in California because the  government 
 > >is afraid that Richard Gere will use them for, ah, "immoral purposes".

...which is a totally different thing than crossing staid lions for immortal
porpoises.  Another groaner of a bad joke I heard once.

K "You can play on words or on the freeway - just get out of the house" G

-- 
Kim L. Greer                       
Duke University Medical Center		 klg@orion.mc.duke.edu
Div. Nuclear Medicine  POB 3949		 voice: 919-681-5894
Durham, NC 27710  		         fax: 919-681-5636
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: cboyd@irus.rri.uwo.ca (Cameron Boyd)
Subject: Re: Parents, Children, & Pets (was "Re: Life Spans")
Organization: University of Western Ontario, London
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 15:36:24 GMT

In article <18448@drutx.ATT.COM> njl@drutx.ATT.COM (LaRocheNJ) writes:
>Cameron Boyd writes:
>>   ...YOU shouldn't be taking care of them.  You would be better off 
>> spending your energy forcing the kids to take care of them.
>
>I wholeheartedly agree with this statement, with the exception, perhaps, of
>the word "forcing" which I suspect resulted from Cam's strong feelings on
>the subject.  But I just have to add my two cents' worth...
>
You're right.  Forcing is much to strong.  "persuading" or perhaps, as 
you say later, "assisting".

The rest of your article was excellent.  Do you have any kids?  You'd
make a great mommy (and the kids would have so much fun with all the 
animals.)

Cam