HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: vleppert@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (Valerie Leppert)
Subject: Re: A moral dilemma
Organization: Northwestern University, Evanston Illinois. 
Date: Sat, 2 Jan 1993 23:38:01 GMT

In article <1i0cedINNbjt@sumax.seattleu.edu> sstover@sumax.seattleu.edu (   Wilde Dame) writes:

>Bringing an adult cat into a shelter usually gives it, at best, 50/50 odds
>for survival wherein the death, if not adopted by a certain date, is
>completely unavoidable for the cat, who cannot defend his/herself.  Combining
>that fact with the drastic change in lifestyle for the cat, I can't condone
>it.
>-- 

The exception is the no kill shelter.  We adopted a 12 year old cat from one. 
He had been there *four* years, and to tell you the truth, I think he missed
it for a while.  He is an extremely sociable cat.  The shelter lets the cats
roam freely in the house, gives them excellent medical care, and has
volunteers come in regularly to pet and play with them.  I think this is a
valid alternative for the d them or litters of housecats where the owners
failed to take responsibility for the kittens or spaying the mother.  I think
the shelter was addressing this problem by educating potential owners,
offering rebates for neutering the animal, and making suprise visits to new
owners.

Valerie


Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: bron@iastate.edu (bronwyn)
Subject: Re: When will people learn???
Originator: bron@aviator.cc.iastate.edu
Keywords: kitten, SPCA,
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Date: Thu, 24 Dec 1992 10:20:41 GMT

In article <d8n237h@rpi.edu> petitc@nuge112.its.rpi.edu (Christopher Jon Petit) writes:
>In article <berthiau.724658547@iros1> berthiau@iro.umontreal.ca Reply-To: bunny@gnu.ai.mit.edu (Eva Chan) writes:
>>Well, need I say more?  An acquaintance has decided to take the 
>>kitten he and his girlfriend got at a pet store to the SPCA. *SIGH*

AAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH.  

> What also happens and is even MORE tragic happens to both cats and dogs---
>the owners get them as kittens/puppies, and when they mature, and aren't as
>'cute' anymore, the owners either get rid of them or just don't give them as
>much attention.

Worse:  an acquaintance of mine got a dog.  Not because she particularly
wanted a dog, simply because someone had mentioned to her that there was
a cute dog up for adoption at the pound.  The dog was given *to* the
pound for several reasons: 1) it's a large dog. 2) it is *very* *very*
hyper. 3) it had *no* housetraining knowledge at all.  Basically, this
dog *screamed* "high maintenance".

This friend of mine has a 5 year old daughter who is terrified of dogs.
She's always been terrified of dogs.  This is not a new thing.  A hyper
dog was probably *not* a wise decision in this set of circumstances. This
friend of mine also never wanted to actually *train* a dog.  Like it'll
one day wake up and stop jumping on people and pooping on the carpet?
Not.

Now she's going to give it *back* to the pound because it's "too much
work to keep it in its cage all day."

*scream*

When I got my cats, I realized that come hell or high water, *I* am 
*mom* for a lot of years.  I went to live with my parents for a while
because I couldn't find a landlord I could bribe into allowing pets. Now I
have enough money together to buy my own place, so they can be with me.
THEY came FIRST.  They still do.  I can't expect kids to be convenient 
all the time. I can't expect cats to be either.  But I made the commitment.  
And I love my cats. Even when they try to suffocate me by sleeping on my 
face..

How far have you guys gone to keep your pets?

--
Bronwyn J Scrutton                                          bron@iastate.edu
Project Vincent                                               (515) 294-4994
                    If it's not one thing, it's Bronwyn. 
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: "doug powless" <doug.powless@canrem.com>
Subject: whiskers
Reply-To: "doug powless" <doug.powless@canrem.com>
Organization: Canada Remote Systems
Distribution: rec
Date: 23 Dec 92 18:19:56 EST


DT>        ...it's Muffin, and she appears to have a few whiskers
DT>        broken off.  In fact, when you have a good look at her face, the
DT>        numbers of whiskers on one side seems to outnumber those on the
DT>        other.

DT>        This may be nothing - but I wonder if anyone has run into this
DT>        before?  I know there are whiskers of different sizes, but the
DT>        two that appear broken off are hard and straight (ie they don't
DT>        taper off), and really *appear* as if someone broke/cut them.

DTI've seen mother cats bite off their kittens' whiskers;
DTthe result is exactly as you've described.  Is Princess
DTMuffin's mother, or does she act like it sometimes?
DTCould be that Princess has bitten them off.

        Yes, you definitely could say that Princess is more the "mother"
        type:  always cleaning Muffin.

DTI've heard a theory that mother cats do it to keep the kittens
DTfrom wandering (or something like that).  Personally, I
DTdon't think that theory holds up very well; it sounds more
DTlike a folktale.  I know for a fact, however, that our
DT13-month-old (!) Bombay female Gina has broken-off whiskers
DTon one side right now and I know that her mama is responsible
DTfor it.  I'm annoyed about it because we're trying to campaign
DTGina on the TICA circuit, and she's supposed to look perfect.

        That's a very interesting peculiarity that I didn't know about
        cats (mothers biting off the youngster's whiskers).  I'll have
        to keep an eye out.

        Someone else posted that perhaps my son might indeed be
        responsible - but I doubt it.  He loves those cats at least as
        much as I do.  (And I'm hopeless: if I have to go somewhere
        urgently, and one of them crawls up on my lap, I'm there until
        they decide to leave).  <G>

        Thanks for your response!
---
  1st 1.02b #818  If a cow laughs hard does milk come out its nose?
--
Canada Remote Systems  - Toronto, Ontario
World's Largest PCBOARD System - 416-629-7000/629-7044
Xref: sparky rec.pets.cats:15447 alt.sex.bondage:24693 soc.singles:34819 alt.romance:15512
From: drieux@wetware.com (drieux, just drieux)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats,alt.sex.bondage,soc.singles,alt.romance
Subject: Plausible Xmass Present
Date: 25 Dec 92 22:06:48 GMT
Organization: Castle WetWare Philosopher and Sniper


I was thinking of breaking with the traditional
symbols of Bondage, and buying the ProblemOlderWoman
a 'cat collar' as an Xmass Token of Affection with Implications.

But I was wondering:

How do you teach an old cat new tricks?


ciao
drieux


ps: and does this mean I will have to get her
a cat box with kitty litter??????


-- 
Modern Day Problems:

This is Not a .sigfile addendum to the Post.
You are just reading beyond the edge.
From: klier@iscsvax.uni.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: House plants
Date: 31 Dec 92 10:28:42 -0600
Organization: University of Northern Iowa

In article <1992Dec27.145552.17058@wetware.com>, diana@wetware.com (CatWoman ) writes:
> Are any TREE types listed as poisenous?  I know this
> is a bit late - and I'm assuming that since Euell
> Gibbons and my old Camp Fire Girls training told me
> that new tree growth was good as food that trees are
> NOT a problem - but I don't remember whether Cypress
> or Cedar trees are included in the food category.  

Yup, there are poisonous trees, too.  Yew (Taxus) is in that category
(yup, just got my IRS form dropped in the outdoor yews, leading to a
series of bad puns on death and Taxus)...

Since phenol is pretty toxic to plants, and there are a lot of
phenolics in conifers, I'd be a bit cautious about letting cats
gnarr on Cedrus, Juniperus, Cupressus, or anything else in that 
group...

There's a number of other trees (esp. tropical/subtropical) that
I'd try to keep cats from eating, though I have no real data on
"trees poisonous to cats".  It's just a gut feeling based on 
some knowledge of the plant families and chemicals involved.

On the other hand, my crew has never shown any real interest in 
eating vegetation except for grasses, catnip, and fern asparagus,
even though there were plenty of other "bad" plants available.
Guess they weren't bored enough....

Kay Klier  Biology Dept  UNI
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: gisie@wam.umd.edu (Satan)
Subject: Bengals & Himalayans
Organization: University of Maryland, College Park
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1993 00:37:32 GMT

Can anyone send me some information on the BENGAL breed of
domesticated cats?  I saw one in a magazine the other day, and 
*wow*....

Also, we (my wife and I) are looking for breeders in the VA-DC-MD
area for tortie point himalayans.  Also, any breeder info on the
bengals would be appreciated...

Happy new year,
Tim

PS - To add to the thread of how people got their cats...
	My first cat was a Russian Blue that followed me home
	when I was trick or treating many years ago.  After we
	couldnt locate the owner, we kept her.  She was the
	smartest and family oriented cat we ever owned!


-- 
gisie@wam.umd.edu
"How will these windows affect my final document?"
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: jot@mahogany142.cray.com (Otto Tennant)
Subject: Re: Canned Cat Food--Differences
In-reply-to: klier@iscsvax.uni.edu's message of 31 Dec 92 19:37:30 -0600
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
	<1992Dec31.193730.9612@iscsvax.uni.edu>
Date: 1 Jan 93 18:41:01 CST

There was an article in the WSJ last week or so about "gourmet" cat
foods.  I knew that Hyperbole *knew* that there was a difference
between Sheba "salmon in aspic" and "people salmon."  Looking at the
ingredient list, they must put a tiny bit in; just enough so that it
smells vaguely like salmon to people.

Hyperbole and Magnificat seem to prefer Meow Mix (:-)) anyway.
--
===============================================================================
J.Otto Tennant      Forsan et haec olim meminisse juvabit.         jot@cray.com
Cray Research, Inc.              Virgil                          (612) 683-5872
655 Lone Oak Drive                                                
Eagan, MN 55121
From: das@voodoo.boeing.com (Deb Schwartz)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Getting sick cat to eat
Date: 21 Dec 92 17:12:24 GMT
Organization: Yet Another Graphics Project, Bellevue, WA

Oreo is in the throes of what my vet called 'the worst cold he's ever seen
in a cat'.  Although he's drinking okay, getting him to eat is a real
struggle.  He's on a prescription food that's the consistency of baby food
(I know he likes it because he wolfed it down for a day before his nose
clogged up.) He's totally lost his sense of smell, so, although he's obviously
hungry, he won't eat unless:  I smear food on his mouth, he licks it off,
then will lick food off my finger a few times.  He then struggles to get 
away, splattering food everywhere.  I smear more food on his mouth, he licks
it off then licks  some more food off my finger.  We repeat the whole cycle
until he's eaten enough.  This whole thing takes about 45 minutes.  The
problem is, I'm going away for a week next week.  I have a housesitter, but
I don't want to ask her to go through this twice a day, so if he isn't
eating on his own I'll have to board him at the vet for a week.  Expensive.  
So, does anyone have any helpful hints for encouraging him to eat on his own?

Thanks,
------
Debbie Schwartz // das@voodoo.ca.boeing.com  // ....uw-beaver!bcsaic!voodoo!das
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: barlow@prodigal.psych.rochester.edu (Rebel)
Subject: Re: favorite cat
Organization: University of Rochester - Rochester, New York
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 92 21:10:03 GMT


>In a previous article, lydia@tarsal.dsg.ti.com (lydia middendorf) says:
>>my favorite type (breed) of cat is Birman mix (from the humane shelter of
>>course!!! )
>>
>>I would like to here stories of how you folks met your kittys.

Well...my fiance and I had just moved into our first apartment together and we
had previously decided to get a cat...so of course in the first week we were in
the new apartment I started begging to go to the humane society and just *look*
at the kitties...I promised we didn't have to get one..we were just *looking*
(yeah, right! :-)) Anyway we were looking at all the little kitties, when this
10 week old Tuxedo kitten boldly pushed it's paw through the cage and "waved"
at us...she had a rather indignant look on her face...as if to say "Can you see
they're holding me PRISONER!?!?!?!?" Well needless to say SHE picked US :-)
ANd come to think of it...she still owns us...Zeb is very opinionated and
I still think she was being on her best behavior at the shelter so we would
take her home. ;-) But personally I love her the way she is...mean and cuddly.

Jen (mommy to Zebulon)

Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: rmilner@zia.aoc.nrao.edu (Ruth Milner)
Subject: Re: jellicle?
Reply-To: rmilner@zia.aoc.nrao.edu (Ruth Milner)
Organization: National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Socorro NM
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 92 00:33:36 GMT

In article <lj497pINN1qk@jethro.Corp.Sun.COM> avi@rix.Corp.Sun.COM writes:
>In article 19906@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU, daj8m@poe.acc.Virginia.EDU (Deirdre A. Johnson) writes:
>>
>>     Jellicle cats are black and white,
>>     Jellicle cats are rather small;
>>     Jellicle cats are merry and bright,
>>     And pleasant to hear when they caterwaul.
>
>This description fits Mango perfectly, except maybe for the 'rather
>small' part.  She's almost 8 months old, quickly approaching 10 pounds, 
>and she still hasn't grown into her feet.  Is she too big to be called
>a jellicle?

It fits Boots just fine except for the "bright" part :-), and I still call
her a jellicle. So I figure you should feel free to call Mango a jellicle
too. By comparison to, say, a male Maine Coon, he's "rather small", just
like Boots is "bright" compared to, say, a chicken :-).

I really liked Marie's (?) "Jellicle girls, won't you come out tonight?" verse.
-- 
Ruth Milner                          NRAO/VLA                  Socorro NM
Computing Division Head      rmilner@zia.aoc.nrao.edu
From: stevel@Autodesk.COM (Steven W. Litras)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Should they fight it out?
Date: 30 Dec 92 07:36:40 GMT
Organization: Autodesk Inc., Sausalito CA, USA

When  I got Rocky and Bullwinkle, it took a good three weeks of "chaperoned"
introduction before they got along with my roomate's cat, Ernie. They fought
it out a bit, but Ernie is "perceptually challenged" (P.C. for blind in  one
eye), and never won, so I think he gave up. As I'm writing this, I look over
on my bed to see Ernie and Rocky sleeping snuggled up together. I guess they
are friends :)


Steve

lyndap@Novell.COM (Lynda Peterson) writes:
::: I have had my new kitten, Haides (female), for about two weeks now. I have  
::: an older cat, Boo (female), who is four years. Haides is 7 weeks. During  
::: the day while I am gone, they are separated. That is, Haides is shut in a  
::: room with food and a litter box, and Boo has the run of the house. They  
::: have met each other and are not too pleased. Well, at least Boo is not  
::: very happy. When I let them be together, Haides wants to play and chases  
::: Boo. Boo hisses, swipes at her and hits her. Haides hasn't been hurt yet  
::: but, I can't seem to get them to stop fighting. So far we have avoided  
::: injuries by separating them when it got too violent. My husband says I  
::: should just let them "duke" it out. Is this true? And, what else can I do  
::: to make this better? I give them equal one-on-one attention and Boo gets  
::: treats and canned food when she seems particularly stressed about the  
::: whole thing. Haides can't have treats because she has diarrhea but, she  
::: gets lots of love. Any suggestions are appreciated.
::: 
::: --
::: _______________________________________________
::: lyndap@novell.com			 /\_/\ 
::: "My life is a country song		= o o =
::: and you just added another verse."	  /^\  
::: 
::: p.s. I did read the FAQ first.

--
Steven W. Litras          /\     | "I used  to  think  that  only      /\
stevel@autodesk.com      //\\    | America's way  was right,  but     //\\
Autodesk, Inc.	        ///\\\   | now  the  holy   dollar  rules    ///\\\
(415)332-2344x2510     Autodesk  | everybody's life" -Queensryche   Autodesk
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: maxwell@deep-13.gizmo.com
Subject: Re: What does DSH stand for??
Organization: Gizmonics Institute Inc.
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 04:18:47 GMT
Distribution: usa
X-Posted-From: fnalo.fnal.gov
NNTP-Posting-Host: sol.ctr.columbia.edu

In article <1992Dec22.041254.2348@Cadence.COM>, phz@cadence.com (Pete Zakel) writes:
> In article <1992Dec8.151859.3532@sequent.com> cyndie@sequent.com (Cyndie Sutherland) writes:
>>I saw the 2 cutest kittens for sale at a pet store this weekend and
>>the sign said DSH Kittens.  So I was wondering what is DSH??  Cause
>>they wanted $50 bucks each for them.  I'm still thinking of rescuing
>>them and bringing them home to play with my 2 feline housemates.
> 
> DSH = Domestic Short Hair.
> 
> It's the "breed" designation that means "short haired cat of unknown or mixed
> breed".
> 
> DLH, of course, is Domestic Long Hair.

DNH, of course, means that someone got a Wahl Groomsman in his exmas loot.
:-0

r.m

Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: barlow@prodigal.psych.rochester.edu (Rebel)
Subject: Re: cat in heat?
Organization: University of Rochester - Rochester, New York
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 92 22:20:13 GMT


>No, I think she will stay in heat for only a week or two.  Check with the vet,
>and see how soon s/he will schedule her to be spayed.  Some vets will spay while
>the cat is in heat, but they charge extra.  I guess the operation must be a bit
>more complicated.  Don't feel bad about spaying.  The cat recovers very quickly.
>If you have any hesitation, browse back through the articles from a few weeks
>ago.  Another cat lover was agonizing over the surgery, and came to the 
>conclusion that the cat will be happier and healthier once spayed.

I am that other cat owner that was agonizing :-) And yes we decided to have her
spayed and I am now very satisfied with our decision. My cat is as mean and
frisky as she ever was and the vet was very supportive of our decision,` she
thought that a cat as "opinionated" as my Zeb would become unable to be
handled if she were not spayed and not allowed to have kittens. Both
physically and for the emotional well-being of the cat I think it is a good
thing to do. Zeb recovered very quickly (long before *I* was fully recovered),
I think the hardest part was leaving her at the vet's when her surgery was the
next day...I cried all night over my decision and REALLY wanted to go take her
home! But I got over that knee-jerk reaction.

Jen and Zebulon
Organization: University of Maine System
Date: Monday, 21 Dec 1992 18:19:51 EST
From: <BANNON@MAINE.MAINE.EDU>
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Wheezing After Water
 <1992Dec16.222612.8661@ast.saic.com> <ljc809INN5hh@news.bbn.com>

I have a stray that came to live with me.  Before I realized he
was about he had been sleeping in a roll of pink fiberglass
insulation he had pushed his way into (it was a partially used
roll) for I would guess about a week.  It was October and rather
nippy at night.  Could this have damaged his lungs?  Permanently?

Whenever he drinks water he wheezes for a minute or two afterwards.
I hope he doesn't end up with lung cancer or something.  I'd hate
to see this kitty die the same slow death my Dad did.  (Still, I
don't think he would have gone for being put to sleep...my Dad, that
is.)

Lee
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: rmilner@zia.aoc.nrao.edu (Ruth Milner)
Subject: Re: How many cats?
Reply-To: rmilner@zia.aoc.nrao.edu (Ruth Milner)
Organization: National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Socorro NM
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 92 16:59:01 GMT

In article <1992Dec25.024655.3680@sserve.cc.adfa.oz.au> ccd@ccadfa.cc.adfa.oz.au (Carol C Denehy) writes:
>This may be common knowledge in the US from other sources, but I
>just heard. An article in the 1993 Old Farmer's Almanac tells of
>a family in Canada with 640 cats. Yes, 640. 

Hmmm ... quite frankly, I'd take anything you read in the Farmer's Almanac
with a very large grain of salt.

It does make for entertaining reading, though :-).

>$300 a day to feed them. And they all know their names, it is claimed.

Well, it isn't hard to believe that individual cats know their names; but
can you see these people remembering 640 cats' names? I couldn't even come 
up with them in the first place, let alone remember them, unless some of them 
were repeats ...

(But seriously, you'd have to use population estimation techniques; you
couldn't count them directly. Does the article describe what the place is
like, with supposedly 640 cats pooping in the nearby area and shedding in
the house, and the occasional accident? Even if each cat only slipped up
once a year, that's an average of about two a day. Our two haven't had any 
accidents in over a year, but they do on rare occasions "scootch" across the 
floor, which still has to be cleaned up. :-) )
-- 
Ruth Milner                          NRAO/VLA                  Socorro NM
Computing Division Head      rmilner@zia.aoc.nrao.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: Jack_Webb@mindlink.bc.ca (Jack Webb)
Subject: Re: Getting sick cat to eat
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 01:17:51 GMT

> Deb Schwartz writes:
>
> Msg-ID: <3589@voodoo.UUCP>
> Posted: 21 Dec 92 17:12:24 GMT
>
> Org.  : Yet Another Graphics Project, Bellevue, WA
>
> Oreo is in the throes of what my vet called 'the worst cold he's ever seen
> in a cat'.  Although he's drinking okay, getting him to eat is a real
> struggle.  He's on a prescription food that's the consistency of baby food
> (I know he likes it because he wolfed it down for a day before his nose
> clogged up.) He's totally lost his sense of smell, so, although he's
> obviously
> hungry, he won't eat unless:  I smear food on his mouth, he licks it off,
> then will lick food off my finger a few times.  He then struggles to get
> away, splattering food everywhere.  I smear more food on his mouth, he
> licks
> it off then licks  some more food off my finger.  We repeat the whole cycle
> until he's eaten enough.  This whole thing takes about 45 minutes.  The
> problem is, I'm going away for a week next week.  I have a housesitter, but
> I don't want to ask her to go through this twice a day, so if he isn't
> eating on his own I'll have to board him at the vet for a week.  Expensive.
> So, does anyone have any helpful hints for encouraging him to eat on his
> own?
>
> Thanks,
> ------
> Debbie Schwartz // das@voodoo.ca.boeing.com  //
> ....uw-beaver!bcsaic!voodoo!das



During my time at the vet clinic, we fed ill cats by syringe... mixing the
food with this particular liquid food additive until it was fairly liquid,
then put it in syringes.  You just squeeze the syringe into the cats's mouth,
and hopefully they swallow more than drips out.  Your vet would probably be
glad to show you the technique.

Other than that, I know of no real way to make a cat that doesn't want to eat
eat!

*j*

--
WE SAIL TONIGHT FOR SINGAPORE - WE'RE ALL AS MAD AS HATTERS HERE!!

*******************Jack_Webb@mindlink.bc.ca***********************
****VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA...HOME OF THE NEUROTIC****
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats