HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: hwire@gruc07.nor.chevron.com (Robyn E. Williamson CTN-592-6174)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: cat hates being brushed
Date: 8 Apr 92 15:33:50 GMT
Organization: Chevron


Ralph (Kitty Ralph, Ralphie-poo) hates to be brushed.  I use a small 
wire bristle brush I bought in the pet store.  George (Georgie Boy)
doesn't mind the wire bristles.
As soon as I get a few strokes on the back, he slinks low to the ground
and tries to run away.  Then I hold him down, firmly but gently, and
continue brushing.  By the time I get to his belly, he's moaning 
because of this great injustice.  I don't think I'm hurting him.
And I have to brush him because he's got medium length hair and 
sheds a lot.  How can I make him like being brushed?

Robyn
From: pjl2@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Paul J Landsberg)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: How much food should a cat eat?
Date: 6 Apr 92 23:04:46 GMT
Reply-To: pjl2@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Paul J Landsberg)
Organization: Columbia University

Susan R. Wagner writes:
>I have been pondering this question for a while now and none of my
>quests for an answer have been sufficient.  I was wondering how much
>food a kitten/cat should be eating.  Let me explain the source of
>confusion.  I feed my indoor only 8 month neutered male 1 3oz can of wet
>food and have about a 1 cup bowl of Iams food out at all times.  He eats
>twice a day, 1/2 can in morning and evening.  He finishes the bowl of
>dry in about 1 1/2 days.  When I read the back of the wet food, they
>suggest 9 oz's food per day - thats three cans.  I think my cat would be
>HUGE if I fed him that much.  The bag of Iams suggests 3/4 - 1 cup per
>day of food and each cup is approx. 5 oz (I may be off on this
>estimate).  So what is the correct amount of food?  I do not think my
>cat is starving (he weighs about 8 to 8 1/2 pounds) although he would
>try and convince you that I NEVER feed him.  Also, should I change his
>feeding habits when he gets older and a little less active?  Sharing of
>any experiences and/or knowledge about correct amounts of food is
>requested and appreaciated.  

If I asked, how much food should a human eat, could anyone answer it?
Could anyone answer it with more than vague generalities about so many
ounces per day, DEPENDING upon metabolism, exercise, etc.  What I am
driving at is that the final answer will be IT DEPENDS.

However, fear not, from Anitra Frazier and "The New Natural Cat," she
heartily recommends filling up the food bowl in the morning, let the
monster(s) munch for a half hour and take the food away.  Repeat the
operation in the evening.  Guess what?  IT WORKS!  Cats get just
as bored and lazy and 'snack happy' as humans.  They can bulk up from
too much food just as easily as you and I.  

Without talking ounces, for two cats, each gets a half-handful of dry
food with two heaping teaspoons of home-made wet food each meal.
(of course they do get the table scraps.......olives, pepperoni,
pita bread whenever they mooch!)

Paul Landsberg
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: How much food should a cat eat?
From: tracey@otago.ac.nz
Date: 9 Apr 92 08:51:24 +1300
Organization: University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

In article <1992Apr7.211608.5781@aber.ac.uk>, ckw0@aber.ac.uk (Carl Keri Williams) writes:
I have 2 gorgeous cats, Ziggy who's 4 years old and Oscar who's 4 months old.
When we got Ziggy my husband was determined he wasn't going to have cats
which 'begged' for food, so we have always fed her on demand.  (We also have
dry food always available)  Whenever she looks sideways at the fridge she gets
fed!  It's been very successful, she's a slim active beast who doesn't consider
food a big deal at all.  Oscar couldn't beleive it when she arrived, as a 
kitten she was fed once a day only.  So she's still trying out the system,
munching her way through upwards of 8 (very small) meals a day!  She'll 
settle down (we hope!).  Maybe this wouldn't work for all cats, but we've 
found it great.

A short comment on the running discusion about neutering cats, we got Ziggy
done at 6 months, it was the best thing we did for her. Oscar is definately
being done at 6 months too.  It saves us so much hassle, and cats continually
having kittens get very run down.  The only cat we have hassles with is the
local unfixed Tom, and he's a big hassle.

About cat doors, wonderful inventions.  As Ziggy tends to be a wimp we
initially had problems with the fore-mentioned Tom coming in at night, we
solved that effectively by borrowing the neighbours labarador (who chases
but wouldn't dream of hurting anyone) overnight, gave the Tom a fright and
he's never been back.

Tracey!
From: young@sasquatch.serum.kodak.com (Rich Young (x37176))
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Help my cat is skinny!
Date: 14 Apr 92 18:57:18 GMT
Organization: Clinical Products Division, Eastman Kodak Company

In article <1992Apr14.125448.20072@watserv1.waterloo.edu> khare@watserv1.waterloo.edu (Kathy Hare - DCS) writes:
>I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas that would help me.  I have a male
>unneuter tabby who is about a year old (we can only guess at his age, we 
>found him on the side of the road). Anyway lately he seems to be getting 
>really thin, his sides just behind his ribcage are sunken in.  He is a 
>very active cat, he tears around the house all day. He is eating quite
>a bit, actually he eats like a pig. We feed him about 3/4 cup of food 
>in the morning and if he finishes his and can't wait till dinner he 
>starts on the dogs food.  What I'm wondering is does he have worms, is
>he just really active or maybe growing again, or is his metabelism (sp)
>really high.  Has anyone else ever had this happen to there kitty? 
>Any help would be appreciated.
>Thanks Kathy
>


	Check for worms, especially tapeworms.  Ascarids (roundworms) are
	spaghetti-like white-ish things of various lengths in the stool and
	may or may not be moving right after defecation, or they may not be
	visible at all.  Hookworms are practically impossible to see unless
	you KNOW what you're looking for.  Tapeworms shed egg cases which look
	like pieces of rice (that may be moving) in the stool.  My guess
	would be tapeworms, but IT IS ONLY A GUESS!!!!  Take a fresh stool
	sample (from your cat, of course) to your friendly vet and let
	him/her give you "the straight poop" (pun definitely intended).

	In any case, don't waste time, since these parasites can easily
	have a VERY detrimental effect on your cat's health.  They can even
	be deadly.  Ascarids, for instance, can migrate into the lungs from
	the throat and cause pneumonia.  Hookworms can cause anemia...you
	get the picture, I'm sure.


-Rich (young@serum.kodak.com)
From: maxfield@athena.cs.uga.edu (Joan C. Maxfield)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Help! Any Farm Cats Out There?
Date: 11 Apr 92 18:00:07 GMT
Organization: University of Georgia, Athens


	I am an animal science major and have done alot of time in
barns.  Amos, in theory, is a barn cat, only because his mother and
father were barn cats.  His mother was "that grey cat" and his father
was "One Eyed Jack".  Both inhabitants of the Univ Ct beef barn.  What
I've noticed most about barn cats is the great range in names they
have: One Eyed Jack, Tripod (3 legs), Stubby (1/2 tail), and other
assorted atrocities.  Roger, the cat at my high school farm was alway
suffering some affliction, cuts, abseces, he was missing 1/2 an ear.
All of these cats I've had the honor of meeting have had a free supply
of cat food and a roof over their head.  I think I'd prefer to stay
inside.  Amos' first vet was impressed with his overall condition for
being an abandoned barn cat, most she'd seen were small, sick, and
usually FELV+.  There are alot of nasty thing happening in barns that
we don't see, from strange diseases to the barn animals themselves, I
had to "finish the job" after a cow stepped on a kitten while I was
feeding everyone, just remembering it now sickens and horrifies me.
I'm sure if you asked Amos if he would go back if he could he would
look at you funny (you know the look!) and get a toy and ask you to
play fetch untill he could fall asleep on your lap.  Try taking your
kitty outside on a leash (drop me e-mail I'll tell you how in great
detail) and let him explore that way, it's much safer and healthier.

Joan

-- 
J. C. Maxfield				maxfield@athena.cs.uga.edu
DISCLAIMER:  I don't speak for the University, but they often speak for me!
From: krisr@sco.COM (Kris Robison)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: cat hedonism
Date: Tue, 07 Apr 92 23:25:42 GMT
Organization: The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc.


In article <1992Apr6.195541.338@ra.msstate.edu> Moritz@CVMMDL1.MSSTATE.EDU (K. Moritz) writes:
>POPCORN!!!

Most definitely!!!
From: klier@iscsvax.uni.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: claw clipping (was declawing)
Date: 12 Apr 92 18:09:25 -0500
Organization: University of Northern Iowa

vandykt@kepler.ME.ORST.EDU writes:
> 
> I'm deffinatately not an authority on clipping cats nails since I 
> never do this to my cat, but my vet once told me to use human type
> clippers.  Only hold the clippers vertically instead of
> horizontally.

I've also had this recommendation from cat-specialists at the
vet colleges at UC Davis and Iowa State.

Kay Klier   Biology Dept  UNI
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: greg@rio.Columbia.NCR.COM (Greg Porr)
Subject: Re: Cat Facial Expressions
Organization: NCR Corp, E&M-Columbia, Columbia, SC
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 92 15:51:50 GMT

In article <1992Apr3.210548.13629@linus.mitre.org> cln@cooley.mitre.org (Carol L. Nowacki) writes:
>
>I think cats faces are very expressive, with the combination of eyes,
>ears, whiskers, and sometimes lips.  However, has anyone else ever
>noticed that photographs of cats rarely seem to capture the facial
>expressiveness of cats?  I have a picture of my two cats on my desk in
>which they both have completely blank stares on their faces, when in
>real life I find their facial expressions quite varied.

I've got 2 pictures of Bailey and one of Cooper at my desk.  In one, Bailey
was facing away in the first place.  In the other 2, they were facing just
a bit to the right of the camera.  In general, I don't think they enjoy
having their pictures taken (Cooper especially).  Perhaps because they
know we're about to take their picture, they become tense and thus
less expressive.  Or maybe they're saying "fine, take my picture, but
if you think I'll make myself look expressive, you're crazy".


-- Greg Porr
   (greg@rio.ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM)
From: walrus@bessel.umd.edu (Grig Larson)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Cat Thoughts
Date: 12 Apr 92 16:31:29 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Punk Walrus Enterprises, Inc.


To all of those who love guessing how a cat thinks:
 
Read this, you'll find it in the Science Fiction section of most stores, but
it is a great fantasy:
 
"Talichaser's Song" by Tad Williams <paperback>

It does for cats what "Watership Down" is for rabbits, a MUST READ!!!
 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|\||/ A Punkie (tm) | 
|(o-) Qickie-.sig!  |
| /\                |
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
walrus@bessel.umd.edu
From: maxfield@athena.cs.uga.edu (Joan C. Maxfield)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Spanking Cats? yes/no
Keywords: physical punishment
Date: 11 Apr 92 17:32:52 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: University of Georgia, Athens


	All of my cats, and one that isn't, get the occasional spank.
Nothing hard, and definatly not hour after the fact, if I can't catch
them in the act I have no idea who to spank!  I have found that the
occasional swat is effective, especially in combination with hissing.
This comes in very handy when Amos decides that the nice hand petting
him while he's cuddled on my lap is suddenly dinner.  Sometimes he
runs away, when he knows he's misbehaving, and sometimes he just stops
what hes doing and gives me a kiss and a sorry cuddle.  Either way the
message gets across and nobody stays mad.

Joan
-- 
J. C. Maxfield				maxfield@athena.cs.uga.edu
DISCLAIMER:  I don't speak for the University, but they often speak for me!
From: tittle@ics.uci.edu (Cindy Tittle Moore)
Subject: Re: A CAT IS NOT AN "it"!!!!
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Reply-To: tittle@ics.uci.edu (Cindy Tittle Moore)
Organization: ICS Dept., UC Irvine
Date: 16 Apr 92 16:28:38 GMT


Well, I really haven't seen that much use of "it"...
Most people use he/she/catname instead.

The FAQ does use "it" throughout, but I think that's self-explanatory...

--Cindy

--
Cindy Tittle Moore -- Owned by Noisy Underfoot, bird watcher extraordinaire.

I post the rec.pets.cats FAQ (in two parts) at the beginning of every month.
To get the FAQ: use anonymous ftp to pit-manager.mit.edu and look under
/pub/usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/* (part1, part2), or send email to
mail-server@pit-manager.mit.edu with "send usenet/news.answers/cats-faq/part1"
in the subject line, and a second email message for part2.  Send contributions
and suggestions to me; send questions not covered in FAQ to the newsgroup.
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: levine@symcom.math.uiuc.edu (Lenore Levine)
Subject: Tie-Died Blimp
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 22:23:07 GMT

Unfortunately, my 11-year-old Torbie is getting to look sort of like a
tie-died blimp.

I have spent many years fighting against weight prejudice in humans and
I would not want either myself or my animals to follow some Procrustean
image of a standard body type. My black cat was sort of pudgy, and she
lived to be almost eighteen. But this adorable little multi is fat
enough that she does not look healthy (that is, she looks more like
John Goodman than like Rosanne Barr; there *is* a difference).

She is, however, still the most active cat I have ever seen in my life;
she is as active as most kittens.

She is getting Science Diet cat food. I tried the Science Diet low
calorie wet cat food and she would not eat it.

Do people think that she might like the Science Diet lite dry cat food?
Or what about the Maxi-Cat?

I would like whatever happens to her to be very gradual and comfortable
for her; i.e., more like a human being gradually changing their
lifestyle to be more healthy, and letting their weight find its right
level, than like a human being going on a diet, making themself
uncomfortably hungry and forcing their weight to be a prescribed level.

Also, I am thinking of getting a harness for her so I can take her
out to the park or the university's quad when the weather is warm.
Would appreciate recommendations as to harnesses. Is it difficult to
adjust cats to them? Also, can she get fleas from hanging out in the
park.

(I think she would *love* it as she is not only the most active
little monster-devil I have ever seen, but also the most extroverted
and outgoing. She loves *everyone*, even the vet!)

Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: swwhatley@lescsse.jsc.nasa.gov (STEVEN WHATLEY)
Subject: Re: Help my cat is skinny!
Organization: Lockheed Engineering and Sciences
Date: 14 Apr 92 18:14:11 GMT

In <1992Apr14.125448.20072@watserv1.waterloo.edu> khare@watserv1.waterloo.edu (Kathy Hare - DCS) writes:
>I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas that would help me.  I have a male
>unneuter tabby who is about a year old (we can only guess at his age, we 
>found him on the side of the road). Anyway lately he seems to be getting 
>really thin, his sides just behind his ribcage are sunken in.  He is a 
>very active cat, he tears around the house all day. He is eating quite
>a bit, actually he eats like a pig. We feed him about 3/4 cup of food 
>in the morning and if he finishes his and can't wait till dinner he 
>starts on the dogs food.  What I'm wondering is does he have worms, is
>he just really active or maybe growing again, or is his metabelism (sp)
>really high.  Has anyone else ever had this happen to there kitty? 
>Any help would be appreciated.
>Thanks Kathy

Have him neutered. They usually start gaining waight then :-).  

Seriously, not being able to gain waight may be a sign of a more serious
problem such as heart worms or some other kind of parasite.  I recommand you
take him to a vet.  I hope this is not the problem.

Good luck,
Steven
From: qhwpyd@sage.cc.purdue.edu (Cynthia Goff)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Parrots and Cats
Date: 14 Apr 92 15:48:22 GMT
Article-I.D.: mentor.45358
Distribution: usa


     Most definitely the parrot can hurt the cats however the cats pose a much 
much, more dangerous threat to the bird.  Due to the bacteria that exists in
cat saliva and under their claws cats can be deadly to birds.  Even a large
bird will die within hours if treatment is not started immediately.  A lady
I know had a cockatiel who was attacked by a cat and the tissue of the bird's
neck was lacerated 3/4 of the way around the spine.  The bird was treated with
in a half-hour of the incident and the bird pulled through.
     A macaw has a very, very strong beak.  I have read stats about the pressurebut don't recall what they were.  Some bird owners allow dogs, cats and other
pets to interact with their birds and they seem to get along fine.  I do not
think it is a good idea though.  Your macaw would have no trouble at all biting off a leg of your cat.  Give the macaw a cooked chicken leg and he will gladly
demonstrate his abilities for you.  
     We own four birds.  The biggest is a Goffin's cockatoo which is still about half of the size of your macaw.  My fiance' has two indoor cats at his parents
house.  One cat stalked Baxter, the cockatoo, who was in her cage.  She didn't
seem to worried about the cat until it got about 3 feet from the cage.  At this
time she let out one of her wonderful cockatoo screams and sent the cat racing
into a room two rooms away.  The cat never got close to the bird again.
     The other cat had other ideas.  This cat had to be constantly monitored
around the birds due to her continuous stalking.  When this kid was about
6 months old she tried to attack a full grown Canada goose by the pond!
     I hope your friend also has a cage for the bird.  They do lose their 
balance and can land on the floor and then proceed to destroy your house.
Computer keyboards, phone cords, remote controls, electric cords and cu
curtain drawstrings are some favorites.
     I also hope your friend knows how to properly care for a bird.  If the birdis indeed solid blue with a yellow eye ring and yellow skin at the back of the
beak your friend is the owner of a hyacinth macaw which are endangered.  If the
bird was hand-raised the bird is worth about $10,000.  If the bird has a yellow
chest, it is a blue and gold macaw that is worth about $1,200 if it was hand-
raised.  Make sure to give the bird plenty of fruits and vegetables but avoid
avocados because they are toxic.  Don't feed the bird too many sunflower seeds
or peanuts because they are not good for a bird in excess.  If he has any 
questions, feel free to e-mail me and I will try to help him.
Cindy Goff
From: Michelle.S.Carter@dartmouth.edu (Michelle S. Carter)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: ralphin' kitty
Date: 16 Apr 92 20:28:41 GMT
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH

I have a 5 year old, Persephone, who was a street cat before adopting
me.  She has a similar random ralphing problem, usually caused by
eating much too fast.  I think that she just has a hard time, given her
early history, remembering that the food will still be there if she
eats slowly, or if she leaves and comes back.  When she's been outside
all day and comes in for supper, she'll just wolf down the kibbles
whole, and then barf 'em up whole as well.  It seems to happen less
since I've put her on Hill's CD dry, which has a much lower fat content
than commercial or canned foods.  The vet said that in addition to her
street-wise schizoid tendencies, she has a fat intolerance.
From: jlevy@cbnewsd.cb.att.com (janet.s.levy)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Worst Cat names
Summary: "Girl" takes offense
Date: 6 Apr 92 20:46:38 GMT
Followup-To: jsl@ihlpm.ATT.COM
Distribution: na
Organization: AT&T

In article <1992Mar29.223635.24658@ncsu.edu> delaw@eos.ncsu.edu (DOUGLAS EDWARD LAW ) writes:
>
>content with just staying indoors. Weakness was flat-out prissey. I started 
                                                          ^^^^^^^
>wondering about him. Was he really a girl trapped in a boys body? No 
                                      ^^^^
>such thing in the animal kingdom, right? Well I don't know. 

HEY! We "girls" are offended!

Janet Levy
jsl@ihlpm.ATT.COM
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: ncc1701@madoka.its.rpi.edu (Mark O. Chadwick)
Subject: Re: Anybody toilet trained a cat?
Reply-To: ncc1701@acm.rpi.edu
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1992 15:32:54 GMT

Hmmm...

I seem to have missed the title of this book on toilet training
kitties...could someone please email it or post?

Thanks!

-- 
---
Mark "Emerson" Chadwick -- ncc1701@acm.rpi.edu    chadwickmo@space.laafb.af.mil
Organization: University of Maine System
Date: Saturday, 11 Apr 1992 19:26:06 EDT
From: Ailsa N.T. Murphy <IO81409@MAINE.MAINE.EDU>
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: new cat or no?

take her with you AND get another cat!  the perfect answer, no?

                                        -ailsa
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: jay@cmn18.Stanford.EDU (Jay Kadis)
Subject: Feline Vestibular Syndrome?
Organization: DSG, Stanford University
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 92 17:28:45 GMT

Last Saturday night Clawdya, our 17 year-old cat, suddenly lost muscular  
control on her limbs.  She's had a history of kidney disease, but nothing  
else was obviously wrong with her.  The vet seems to think she's suffering  
from feline vestibular syndrome, a not uncommon thing for a cat of her  
age.  She is apparently responding to treatment with steroidal  
anti-inflamatory drugs and is eating, grooming, and getting up on her  
front legs.  I guess we'll get her back in a day or so...does anyone have  
experience with this condition?  What can we expect as far as survival  
time and recovery? Thanks.

Jay Kadis
jay@ccrma.stanford.edu
From: mooom@sage.cc.purdue.edu (Lara Tidaback)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Meet Willie and Magic
Keywords: new, hello
Date: 10 Apr 92 03:16:36 GMT
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center

I have a battery powered pistol that can shoot from one end of my apartment
to the other. Not only does the water drive Numbers crazy but she also hates
the sound of it. One problem, fiancee' think if it works that well on the cat
they might try it on you. They cost around 7-12 dollars and they work so well
that I haven't had to use it in six months. BTW get a BRIGHT YELLOW one. My vet
says this color is most visible to cats. So over time just pointing it at the
offending creature is enough. This is the only displine besides a counter bite
that I have ever used or required.      

							Rich
					(If found, return to Numbers)