HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: das@emmapeel.ca.boeing.com (Deb Schwartz)
Subject: Re: I want in, I want out
Organization: Yet Another Graphics Project, Bellevue, WA
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 02:48:10 GMT

>>|What we need is a variation on Schroedinger's cat (sort of) - a way to
>>|enable the cat to actually be on both sides of the door at the same time
>>|(while still being alive and healthy).  Any of you physicists want to
>>|volunteer to figure this out?
>>
>>CAUTION: VERY APPROXIMATE SCIENCE BELOW: DO NOT POST TO SCI.PHYSICS!
>>In my quantum mechanics class we figured out once that the probability of a  
>>marble spontaneously tunneling out of a coffee can was on the order of "maybe  
I was naughty:  I didn't post this to sci.physics, but I did forward it
to a friend who's a PHD candidate in physics (in the hope he'd explain
it to me). His reply:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, us snobby physicists say that it is not the quantum fluctuation
of the cat becoming bigger than the house, but rather the cat, due
to positionmomentum uncertainty, might suddenly find itself outside of 
the house.  Size fluctuations have nothing to do with it. And certainly, 
cats when playful take full advantantage of momentum-position uncertainty.
You've seen how a cat can seem to vanish while bounding about the
house. They've made Plank's constant bigger so they can instantly
tunnel from one room to the other.

Damn chemists think they know physics. Pshaw.  :-)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Debbie Schwartz // das@voodoo.ca.boeing.com  // ....uw-beaver!bcsaic!voodoo!das

"Are you telling me there are dead people in my living room watching videos?!"
				- Nina in 'Truly, Madly, Deeply'
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: bette@wc.novell.com (Elizabeth Brennan)
Subject: Re: Gestation period
Reply-To: bette@wc.novell.com
Organization: Novell, Inc.
Distribution: na
Date: 27 Jan 93 02:35:30 GMT

In <1993Jan26.230337.14385@convex.com> tonyp@convex.com (honey bunny) writes:

>1. How long, since this morning, does it take before I can
>   expect her to have a litter of kittens?

>2. APPROXIMATELY how many kittens will I wind up with?

>I was thinking about getting her spayed, but also had planned
>to get her a playmate or two. I live in the mountains in San Diego,
>and cats have a life expectancy of less than a year (This one's name
>is Bobcat Chow. Her brother Coyote Chow, was)*.
>--
>Tony J. Podrasky |  What's this thing?
> San Diego , Ca   |  It's called a MODEM.
>tonyp@convex.com |  And what's this button for?

Well, I won't get drawn into the lifestyle issue and I don't quite remember
what the gestation period is for cats. I do seem to remember from somewhere
that a younger cat or first litter will usually result in smaller litters.

If you were going to get her spayed anyway, I strongly suggest you go
ahead and do that soon. That will remove the kitten question and leave room
for another kitty in your life, without bringing new, unwanted kittens
into the world.

Bette
 
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: jpk@Ingres.COM (Jon Krueger)
Subject: Re: Help me find a kitty.
Reply-To: jpk@Ingres.COM (Jon Krueger)
Organization: Ask Computer Systems Inc., Ingres Division, Alameda CA 94501
Date: 22 Jan 93 02:59:45 GMT

Karen Sugalski writes:
> Cats do respond to negative reinforcement.  Physical punishment
> may make them afraid, but the same goes for almost any animal

As has been noted numerous times in the literature, it's not that
aversive methods don't work -- they do -- it's just that other methods
work better.  Aversive methods are the first resort of incompetent
trainers everywhere.

-- Jon
--
Jon Krueger  jpk@ingres.com
From: klier@iscsvax.uni.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Rabies (was raccoons and dogs :( )
Date: 24 Jan 93 13:51:00 -0600
Distribution: world
Organization: University of Northern Iowa

In article <1jrmarINNjc1@nigel.msen.com>, dan@msen.com (Dan and Karen Sugalski) writes:
> [ Article crossposted from rec.pets.dogs ]
> [ Author was Ruth Ginzberg ]
> [ Posted on 20 Jan 93 15:39:46 EDT ]
> 
> This morning's paper carried a real downer of a story about a raccoon & a dog:
> (in Cromwell, CT)
... Dog tried to chase raccoon off property. <Now, how many of
> us have dogs who would do EXACTLY the same thing under the same circumstances,
> huh?> Fight ensued. Raccoon bit dog.  Neighbor shot raccoon.  Sent raccoon to
> state lab & it tested out positive for rabies.  So now the Husky had to have a
> booster rabies shot (even though his shots WERE up-to-date) and he has to be
> quarantined for 90 days in order to watch him for any signs that he might be
> developing rabies.  Of course if he develops any signs of rabies he will have
> to be killed.

The reason for the second booster rabies was a (probably vain) hope that
it would boost the dog's immune system enough to fight off the rabies
virus (in case the first shots "didn't take").

And in response to Karen's plea to keep shots up to date, I second that.
Even if you don't live in Cromwell, CT.  Story Co., Iowa, is one of the
US rabies "hot spots", with an incredibly high number of cases reported
each year, mainly in wild animals.  One of the reasons that the rabies
reports are so high there MAY be that there is a vet college and the
National Animal Disease Lab there--- more people who recognize the disease
in all forms.

A rabies reminder:  Rabies can infect virtually all mammals, and is often
quite prevalent in skunk and racoon populations.  There is a bait form
of rabies vaccine being tested for wild animal vaccination (animal eats
bait, gets vaccine dose), but I don't think it's been approved yet.  So
we're likely to see the current levels of rabies for quite some time.

And yes, even species like horses and cows can get rabies if they are
bitten by an infected animal.  

Dogs often get the "furious form" of rabies (the classic "mad dog" who
bites everything and foams at the mouth, but many species, including cats,
tend to get the "quiet form", where the animal tends to seek a quiet place
to die.  However, these animals will bite without much provocation, and
they are just as rabid as the foaming-mouthed dog...

Kay Klier  Biology Dept  UNI
From: ac999257@umbc.edu (ac999257)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Twitching kitty?
Date: 26 Jan 1993 17:06:08 -0500
Organization: University of Maryland, Baltimore County Campus
NNTP-Posting-Host: umbc8.umbc.edu

In article <1993Jan26.193449.12819@viewlogic.com> greg@mobius.viewlogic.com (Gregory Larkin) writes:
>
>Hi there,
>
>I was wondering about something that our cat (Morsel) 
>does after he has been asleep for a while.  He will
>be laying in my lap sleeping for a bit, then he will
>begin to twitch.  His feet will start moving a little,
>then maybe his whiskers and ears.  Every now and
>then, he'll jerk his whole body violently enough to
>wake himself up!
>

This is common, I think. My siamese even murmers in her sleep. 
(Nothing will stop that obnoxious lovable siamese voice!)
I saw in a documentary that cats do have dreams, and they have
stages in their sleep just like we do. I think Carmen is
dreaming about finally kicking Agnes Depesto out of the house
and having me all to herself, or about her one moment in the
spotlight when she (an indoor cat) caught a bird on our 2nd
floor balcony (I managed to free the bird, but that's another
story). I really wonder what they dream about!

Mary
From: bets@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (Beth Schwindt)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: a question about a tail
Date: 24 Jan 1993 11:21:34 -0600
Organization: Kansas State University
NNTP-Posting-Host: matt.ksu.ksu.edu

My fiance's parents have a kitten (around 8 months old now) that
doesn't realize her tail is attached.  She will sit on the foot rest
of a reclining chair, see the tail come up from under the foot rest
and attack it.  She's managed to bite herself several times now.  When
she does manage it, she lets out a tortured little scream then looks
around to see who is responsible for her being in pain!  (She then
scratches whomever is near by...)

Has anyone else ever had a cat not know she has a tail, and are there
any suggestions for teaching her that it's hers??

Beth

 
-- 
"We are not free; it was never intended we should be.  A book of rules
is placed in our cradles, and we never get rid of it until we reach
our graves."--E.W. Howe, 1924  
bets@matt.ksu.ksu.edu  (Kansas State University)  bets@ksuvm.ksu.edu
From: tittle@ics.uci.edu (Cindy Tittle Moore)
Subject: Re: Cat name FAQ???
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Reply-To: tittle@ics.uci.edu (Cindy Tittle Moore)
Organization: ICS Dept., UC Irvine
Date: 26 Jan 93 22:02:52 GMT

In <1993Jan26.214105.1789@athena.mit.edu> amd@space.mit.edu (Ann M. Davis) writes:


>One of the recurring threads seems to be cat names.  Is there a
>list of cat names somewhere?  I know I could have used the help when
>I was trying to name my kitten.

>Unfortunately I don't have the resources to maintain a list, but
>it might be a useful thing to have around.

I've seen several books on names for your cat (or dog).  Perhaps,
if someone has got the references, we could put those into the FAQ.

--Cindy
--
   Cindy Tittle Moore & Noisy Underfoot (bird watcher extraordinaire)

I post the rec.pets.cats FAQ every 25 days.  To get the FAQ: ftp to
pit-manager.mit.edu and look under /pub/usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/* (part1,
part2, part3, part4), or send email to mail-server@pit-manager.mit.edu with
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/part1
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/part2
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/part3
send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/part4
in the body (leave subject line empty).  Send contributions and comments
to me; send questions not covered in the FAQ to the newsgroup.
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: vicki@steam.atd.ucar.edu (Vicki Holzhauer)
Subject: Re: ants in the catfood
Organization: Atmospheric Technology Division/NCAR Boulder, CO
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 21:05:58 GMT


I don't know how well this will work inside, but when I come across an
"ant convention" outside, I boil water and pour it on them.  Limited
amounts might work, temporarily, inside as well.  Cools off quickly
and doesn't hurt cats.


--
Vicki Holzhauer, National Center for Atmospheric Research
Boulder, Colorado / / / /  vicki@ncar.ucar.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: twallace@gmuvax2.gmu.edu (Todd Wallace)
Subject: Re: Phantoms on the wall
Organization: George Mason University, Fairfax, Va.
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1993 21:33:55 GMT

Traditionally, when cats (and sometimes dogs and children) seem
to be reacting to something other people cannot see, it is
attributed to supernatural causes. I.e., your house/apartment is
haunted, but thankfully you have not noticed (yet). 
----------------------------------------------------------------
|    Todd Wallace               |  "A pessimist is surprised   |
|    twallace@gmuvax2.gmu.edu   |   as often as an optimist,   |
|                               |   but always pleasantly."    |
|                               |            - Robert Heinlein |
----------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: sbp@cbnewsh.cb.att.com (Sue Price)
Subject: How often to the vet?
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 20:03:02 GMT
Summary: frequency of checkups 

Hi, all.  I'd like to hear others' experiences with frequency of checkups
for older cats.  I've been taking my cat for annual checkups (I assume
that is the norm) and at the last checkup, the vet said that I should
start bringing in 15-year-old Samantha every 6 months.  She is in good
health, except that her last blood work showed that she should go on a
low-protein diet, but nothing serious.  Do your vets suggest semi-annual
visits after a certain age, or based on possible kidney disfunction?

-- 

Sue Price
sbp@hound.att.com
From: mverman@msus1.msus.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: <None>
Date: 27 Jan 93 22:16:21 -0600
Organization: Minnesota State University System

In article <1993Jan23.160442.2180@mailer.cc.fsu.edu>, bblank@mailer.cc.fsu.edu (Bryan S. Blank(FIRN)) writes:
> 	My kitty, Curtis, loves to stare out my bedroom window, sometimes
> for hours.  Does anybody know why he does this, or what he sees?  Thanks!
> 
Why not join him sometime and find out?  

Applaton, Muffin, Tobycat and I sometimes watch birds together, check up on the
squirrel activity or keep up with neighbourhood cats and racoons, or migrating
geese and ducks, in this urban suburban neighbourhood.  

In the warmer weather, Applaton avidly watches the local programme, The Garden 
of Eden.  This airs daily, as Mr. Eden, our next door neighbour tends his garden
and maintains his property diligently for hours at a time.  Applaton will move
from window to window, as Mr. Eden goes from cleaning his downspouts in the
front yard, to cultivating vegetables in the back garden.  

With the heavy snow cover, reduced outdoor activity, and the draft, our cats 
spend very little time in the windows in the winter, though they have the same
access to the windows.  Yesterday, however, there was a special winter install-
ment of The Garden of Eden, as the neighbour hung a birdfeeder in his backyard.
Applaton was right there, and stayed riveted with interest till the final 
credits scrolled by.

What do other folks' cats see?

... Shu
Organization: University of Illinois at Chicago
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 14:40:55 CST
From: <U15289@uicvm.uic.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Cat squatting in my garage

For some time, the same group of stray cats has come by my backyard regularly,
and I've been leaving food for them.  Now, one of them has broken with his
buddies and moved into my garage, at least for the moment.  What do you suppose
is going on with him?  Is he likely to be sick, or something else I should
worry about?  Will he move out in time, or have I a new pet at home?

                                               Mitch Pravatiner
                                               U15289@uicvm.uic.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: kkv@inel.gov (Jamie J Ferguson)
Subject: Re: Keeping kitten out of my plants
Organization: Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho Falls, Idaho
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 93 19:00:49 GMT


The only thing that works to keep my cats out of plants is to
either put them out of reach (not always feasible) or to put
alot of plants next to each other so that there is no room for
the cats.  I used to keep plants on bookshelves by a window
and it looked very pretty with a whole bunch of them (all 
sizes).  I don't know if you can do this but nothing else
ever worked for me.  


Jamie

*********************************************************************
     canines:  Kenzie -- 1 yr old black Lab X
               Meggin -- 8 month old Australian Shepherd X
               Harry  -- 4 month old Border Collie X

     felines:  Kieri  -- 5 1/2 yr old lilac point Siamese
               Zak    -- 5 1/2 yr old blue point Siamese
               Duke   -- 1 yr old seal point Siamese
*********************************************************************
========== long legal disclaimer follows, press n to skip ===========

Neither the United States Government or the Idaho National Engineering
Laboratory or any of their employees, makes any warranty, whatsoever,
implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility regarding any
information, disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe
privately owned rights.  No specific reference constitutes or implies
endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States
Government or the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory.  The views and
opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the
United States Government or the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory,
and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: aalto@phcu.helsinki.fi (Erkki '\\rkki' Aalto, University of Helsinki)
Subject: Re: SPAYED CAT IN HEAT - HELP!!!
Organization: University of Helsinki, Finland
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 06:42:20 GMT

In article <93022.213117KMD129@psuvm.psu.edu>, <KMD129@psuvm.psu.edu> writes:
> I HAVE A ONE YEAR OLD FEMALE CAT WHO WAS SPAYED AT 6 MONTHS.
> SHE HAS NOW GONE INTO HEAT THREE TIMES!  HAS ANYONE EVER
> SEEN THIS HAPPEN IN A SPAYED ANIMAL?  ANY EXPLANATIONS?
> DO I NEED TO GET HER RE-SPAYED?  APPRECIATE ANY COMMENTS.

Yes, that happened to me, too. The vet may have missed some pieces of the
ovaries or the uterus may be producing hormones. You could probably get her
reoperated for free. Also hormone treatment will silence her with very small
doses if you don't like the idea of a second operation.

Erkki Aalto

Helsinki, Finland
From: klier@iscsvax.uni.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Raccoons & pets :-(
Date: 25 Jan 93 20:36:15 -0600
Organization: University of Northern Iowa

In article <1993Jan23.200516.16061@pony.Ingres.COM>, jpk@Ingres.COM (Jon Krueger) writes:
> By the way, it's well known how painful rabies treatment is, those
> shots to the stomach you get if you've been bitten by a rabid animal.
> What's less well known is the treatment is not 100% effective.

The new rabies treatment is just intramuscular shots, not through
the belly wall.  Still, it doesn't sound like fun.

There is also a human rabies vaccination available to people who
are likely to be exposed to rabid animals.  Found out about it
when I stopped in at Student Health to get my allergy shot and
was sent to a different treatment room, where they were drawing
up a very different looking vial of serum.  "Oh, you wanted
your _allergy shot_.  Sorry.  Thought you were one of the new
vet students here for rabies shots."  8-o   

Kay
From: vicki@steam.atd.ucar.edu (Vicki Holzhauer)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Strange Feeding Ritual
Date: 27 Jan 93 19:47:55 GMT
Organization: Atmospheric Technology Division/NCAR Boulder, CO

In article <nlp-270193125711@192.156.173.150> nlp@pacvax.pacersoft.com (Nancy Pilsch) writes:
>I always thought that Calvin and Hobbes were just trying to bury their food
>for later eating.  You know, trying to keep it fresh or something.

I've always assumed that burying behavior related back to cats in the
wild who didn't want anyone to find and eat their kill before they
could get back to it ...



--
Vicki Holzhauer, National Center for Atmospheric Research
Boulder, Colorado / / / /  vicki@ncar.ucar.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: dvinette@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca (Diane Vinette)
Subject: Re: prednisone
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 16:08:21 GMT

In article <1993Jan22.093136.1@opal.tufts.edu> cwaite@opal.tufts.edu writes:


My dear Sandy (RIP) was put on Prednisone a few months after she was
dianosed with cancer.  She was feeling poorly and lost her appetite.  The
Prednise helped a great deal.  She showed interest in food again, gained a
little bit of weight, and was much more comfortable.  She was started out
on a high dosage, but reduced to a lower dosage eventually. 
Unfortunately, the cancer took over and she passed away.  The most
difficult thing I had to do was bring her in to be put down that rainy
Sunday morning last May.  (Every rainy Sunday to this day reminds me of that
day and I feel miserable.)  Anyway, don't hesitate to put your kitty on
Prednisone if your vet recommends it.  I'm convinced Sandy was much more
comfortable because of it.

.....Diane

"It's a dog-eat-dog world and I'm wearing Milk Bone underwear".....
     - Norm Peterson (Cheers)


Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: mpmarie@lims02.lerc.nasa.gov (MARIE HUCOVSKY)
Subject: Re: ATTIC DANGERS
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: NASA Lewis Research Center
Distribution: usa
Date: 22 Jan 1993 09:25 EST  

In article <1993Jan18.142656.99874@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu>, mj01@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (MARIE ANNA JOHANSSON) writes...
>I just have to tell you catlovers about this.  I have two male kittens that
>are 8 months old and just terrific.  Me and my husband really love these two
>and we let them go anywhere we go as long as it is in the house.
>Anyway, yesterday I was working at home on my computer when I heard this meow
>coming from somewhere below. I started to investigate where it came from, sure
>enough after about 5 min I realized it came from the WALL.
> 
>Come to find out that my hubby had been up in the attic and left the cats up
>there (with the door open).  What seemed to have happened was that poor "Spinn"
>had fallen through a wall up there.  We located him one story down from the
>attic.  Once we stared to talk to him he started to meow furiously.
>To make a long story shorter we now have three holes in our walls at home.
>With the two first ones we were unsuccessful to find him.
> 
>What a day!!!
> 
>I just felt that I had to share this story with you so you can be aware of the
>dangers...
> 
>Bye from Marie, Sixten (red tabby) and Spinn (black)

I have always been deathly afraid that this same thing would happen to us.  
It seems that Spike and Harry are the most interested in getting into 
places where they are not permitted to go.  One time Harry got into the 
attic when I was not looking and I had to get down on hands and knees and 
chase this sneaky cat back and forth in the attic, all around boxes and I 
am a large woman this was not an easy task.  Boy was I mad.  I hope that 
your cat is ok and maybe he/she will have learned about the treacherous 
attic.

Marie, Spike and Harry
From: deganit@duke.cs.duke.edu (Deganit Armon)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: catdruff
Date: 22 Jan 93 13:38:59 GMT
Organization: Duke University Computer Science Dept.; Durham, N.C.

Thanks to all who answered my question about our cat's dandruff.
The general consensus was that it's nothing to worry about, and
could probably be remedied by giving the cat some fat or by the
arrival of spring.

The vet agreed with the "not enough fat in his diet" hypothesis,
and we now pour some fatty acids over his food, which he agrees
to eat.  We should see results in 2-3 weeks.

Thanks again,
Deganit
From: sb51@prism.gatech.EDU (Susan Bovair)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Help me find a kitty.
Date: 22 Jan 93 19:21:57 GMT
Organization: Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology

> Karen Sugalski writes:

>Negative reinforcement can take many forms, including the methods used by
>a mother cat to let her kittens know that they have done something she
>doesn't like.

ObNitPick:  Negative reinforcement != punishment
And just in case you care:
Negative reinforcement of a behavior *encourages* the behavior.  It's
negative because you take away something bad, rather than giving 
something good.  If you have a headache and you take aspirin, you
are negatively reinforced by its stopping your headache. This makes 
you more likely to take aspirin next time you have a headache.

Just had to do that
Susan

-- 
Susan Bovair
School of Psychology,
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: steve@utdallas.edu (Steve Hodo)
Subject: Re: Cats and TV
Reply-To: steve@utdallas.edu
Organization: The University of Texas at Dallas, ACC
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 21:58:36 GMT

In article <93Jan25.151242.23096@acs.ucalgary.ca>, darmstro@acs.ucalgary.ca (Debby Armstrong) writes:
|> (Graham Linn) writes:
|> >Well if I think that this thread is about Cat TV watching, I will put in my
|> >$.02 worth.  THe reasons that I have heard, in a perception class here at UCSB
|> >was that cats can see the scanning bar on TV's because they scan so slowly.
|> 
|> I don't know if I buy that Graham.  My cat Max loves to watch TV
|> but ONLY when it's a nature show (the type of animal doesn't
|> matter).  He'll sit and watch until the whole show is over.  He
|> doesn't seem to care if the sound is on or off either, if there's
|> an animal on TV, he'll watch.  My other cat Buster couldn't care
|> less for TV (he just likes to meow at his reflection in a
|> mirror).
|> 
|> 
|> 
My tubby Jeep loves to watch car races with me.  He trys to swat
the cars right off the screen.  When the cars drive off the side
out of view, he'll claw at the side of the set where the cars should
be popping out!  He also likes football games, I wonder if he'll
ever catch one of those elusive three inch tall players... :)

Steve