HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: lhuffman@stsci.edu
Subject: Re: upsetting behavior...
Organization: Space Telescope Science Institute
Distribution: rec.pets.cats,na
Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1992 11:53:48 GMT

In article <SBILES.92Sep25215330@dante.nmsu.edu>, sbiles@nmsu.edu (Susannah E Biles) writes:
> 
> I went to go pick him up... "HISS..SNARL...SWIPE...MMRRROOOOWWW" and 
> then he ran off across the street ! I was not prepared for that 
..
> So, can anyone tell me why this behavior? Ususally when cats are that
> angry, it indicates they are not feeling well (right?), but he 
> was fine 1/2 hour later. I just couldn't believe how he turned on
> me like that!
> What do you think?
> (Please no flames, or suggestions that I am a negletful kitty owner. 
> I am not home during the day, and there is no kitty door to let them 
> wander in and out. AND I really believe it would lead to thier
> demise..there is jsut TOO much traffic)
..
> Susan

First don't apologize for being a responsible owner and remaining in charge
of your cat's safety by keeping him in.

In order to answer your question, I would need to know:
       Is he neutered? Recently or many years?
       If so, was he neutered later than 6 months and/or live as an intact
              male with intact females.
       Did he ever  breed a female?
       
One of the reasons for neutering animals is to break the obsessive drive to
search for mating partners AND refocus their attention so they can become 
better companions  to us.  Your cat may have been after the scent of a female 
in heat even if he has been neutered but has some remaining dim 'memories of a 
previous life'. Possibly, what you got is notification of your standing in  
relationship to his sexual urges. (Depending on the answers to the above 
questions).
From: lianne@bcarh17e.BNR.CA (Lianne Raley)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Everywhere but the dish...
Date: 1 Oct 92 12:14:15 GMT
Reply-To: lianne@bcarh17e.BNR.CA (Lianne Raley)
Distribution: world
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd.

In article <1992Sep23.101027.1@opal.tufts.edu>, cwaite@opal.tufts.edu writes:
|>I had read that cats don't like having their water dishes near their food
|>bowls.  Since I had a cat that had FUS that I was encouraging to drink more
|>water but who preferred drinking out of the pans of water I put on the
|>radiators for the dry air, I tried moving the water dish into the
bathroom.  It
|>worked, and now I always separate the water and food bowls.  Can't
explain it,
|>but it seems to help...
      
I discovered this myself, but thought my cats were just bizarre - well they
are, but not for that reason :) 

One of my cats, Cairo (RIP), developed FUS when he was only 4 months old.
He always used to drink his water from beside his food, but I'd noticed
he wasn't doing it as much. So I put a second bowl down at the end of the
hall. 

It was amazing! He immediately stopped drinking from the bowl by his food
but would head straight for the other one after eating. Even if he walked
by, he'd stop and take a drink (just because it was there, I think). 

When I got my second kitten, he completely ignored the water by his food,
so I ended up putting both bowls out there. Of course, he still prefers
the toilet bowl :)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: dschlow@epas.utoronto.ca (Deborah Schlow)
Subject: Re: Bean Bags (Was Re: Some funny stories)
Organization: University of Toronto - EPAS
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 18:18:09 GMT


It doesn't matter how long you hide the beanbag or how long your cats
go outside. If they have once used it as a litter box, they will greet
it with joy after its long absence. Mine has perforce been relegated
From: jodi@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Jodi Peterson)
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 21:42:40 GMT
Subject: Introducing Pups to Cat?
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO, USA
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats


I have a question about introducing new puppies into
a house with a cat.  Please bear with the following
long explanation, this is kind of a complicated situation. :-)

We adopted a 1 1/2 year old stray in July. I had a
dog, Brandy, at the time. But after a few days of hissing, Tiko
learned to tolerate Brandy very well (she never chased
or hurt him). Tiko was quite a wanderer, though, and 
during the first few weeks we had him,
we got calls from 7 different people saying that he
was at their house and twice had him returned to our
door by other neighbors. But as time went by he settled
down more and more, although we still had to go look
for him at night pretty frequently. 

Then we went on vacation, and while we were gone,
Brandy got very sick and was taken to the vet. 
We came back right away but my sweet
girl died a few days later :-(  (I miss her terribly).
However, from the day we came back, we never had to go look for
Tiko at night--he was always waiting for us on the back porch
when we got home. He became extremely affectionate and
a real homebody.

Now we're considering getting 2 puppies in November or
December. I'm worried, though, about Tiko. I don't know
if he started staying close to home because 1) he missed
us so much when we were on vacation, 2) he really didn't
like having a dog around, 3) he finally settled into
his new home, or 4) all of the above. And I'm concerned that 
when we bring puppies into the house, he's going to take 
to wandering and staying out late again.

Anybody have any experience with similar situations?
Is there anything I can do to make the transition easier
and less traumatic for Tiko?

I'd appreciate email since we're about to lose access
to this notes server  (jodi@fc.hp.com).

Thanks in advance,

Jodi Peterson   
  and Tiko the homeboy
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: sbiles@nmsu.edu (Susannah E Biles)
Subject: Re: kitty hockey
Organization: NMSU Computer Science
Distribution: rec.pets.cats
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 02:25:23 GMT


My cats love hockey too...aluminum balls are their favorites..
but the new kitten has found a favorite toy! My bookmarks! I collect
bookmarks and keep them on a book shelf...Well, he found them and one
day when I got home there was yarn and string all over my bedroom
floor and bookmarks scattered to the winds! Well, I was quite upset...
*pout* and I put some of them back together, all the while growling at
Sydney and stuck them, string end first in between two books so just
the end of them barely stuck out...
Smart kitty figured out where they were and I came home the next day
to more destroyed book marks! *sigh*
They are now WAY out of reach (in a box...and I put them there when he
wasn't looking ;)

btw..thanks to those of you who replied about "upsetting behavior".
Most of you suggested that I had probably come across him just as he
had scented another cat or was in "fight mode" and took it out on me.
Since the incident, he has been sweet, lovey and darling as usual :)
thank goodness, it seems to be an isolated incident.

Susan
From: Alan_Schianni@mindlink.bc.ca (Alan Schianni)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: tell age of cat?
Date: 4 Oct 92 20:31:32 GMT
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Distribution: world

Can anyone tell me how you tell the age of a cat?

Thanks,
Alan


Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: dak@sq.sq.com (David A Keldsen)
Subject: Cat door for sliding door, not secured.
Summary: Seen one?
Organization: SoftQuad Inc., Toronto, Canada
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 92 06:56:30 GMT

My girlfriend lives in a large apartment building, with a balcony.
The cat's litterbox is on the balcony, so she leaves the sliding
door to the balcony open a bit for the cat.  However, this causes
a bit of a draft (rather an understatement in the middle of a Canadian
winter).

Before I make a custom cat-door for her (that doesn't require glass
cutting...I was thinking of a strip of plexiglass with a hinged bottom)...
has anyone seen something suitable in the commercial arena?

Regards,
Dak
-- 
David A. 'Dak' Keldsen of SoftQuad, Inc. email: dak@sq.com  phone: 416-239-4801
"It is well known that _things_ from undesirable universes are always seeking 
entrance into this one, which is the psychic equivalent of handy for the 
buses and closer to the shops." -- Terry Pratchett, _The Light Fantastic_
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: umehn@ccu.umanitoba.ca (Paula M. Ehn)
Subject: Anti-Shedding Spray!
Organization: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Distribution: rec.pets.cats
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 16:53:19 GMT

Hi all!  I was asked a question on the weekend
by a room mate of my boyfriend's.  He wanted to
know if I had ever heard of a spray that you can
spray onto a cat's fur to stop it from shedding.
It sounds like hairspray to me and I would never
consider putting that on any of my feline friends.

Has anyone else out there heard of such of thing?
If so could you please tell me more?

Thanxs!
Paula
 _____________________________________________________________
| Paula Ehn                   | I teleported home one night   |
| University of Manitoba      | With Ron and Sid and Meg      |
| umehn@ccu.umanitoba.ca      | Ron stole Meggie's heart away |
| paula@inqmind.bison.mb.ca   | And I got Sidney's leg.       |
| VE4 MHZ                     |         - Douglas Adams       | 
|_____________________________|_______________________________|
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: ken@ece.orst.edu (KEN MCCRACKEN)
Subject: Re: kitty food! ick
Organization: Electrical & Computer Engineering Department, OSU
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 21:42:57 GMT

In article <JOANM.92Sep28190853@moe.coe.uga.edu> joanm@moe.coe.uga.edu (Joan Maxfield UCNS) writes:


>My sweet kitten Angelica is really starting to become a people cat.
>Why, just this morning I think she could tell that I was tired and was
>planning on sleeping in.  The dear decided to get me breakfast in bed!
>I just wish I could have told her I really don't like live chipmunk!

>Anyone got any ideas on how to get a chipmunk out of ones bedroom?  It
>ran under the bed and hasn't come out (I removed the kitty from the
>room while it was still live and kicking so I don't think it's dead
>under there)  I put some peanut hearts in a box and had to go to work.
>I'm hoping he'll come out from where ever he is and get in the box all
>by himself.  And I thought the dead chipmunk in the living room was
>bad!

>Joan

It takes a quick and clever cat to catch a chipmunk!  Just ask Alvin. :-)

We take our cats camping with us, and have this problem often.  Quick 
thinking of you to close the door, by the way.  Unfortunately, our 'usual' 
answer is to leave a door open in the opposite end of the trailor from the 
kitty door, just wide enough for a chipmunk to squeeze through.  By the time 
kitty makes it around to that side, chipmunk is back in the tree giving him/
her what for!

Try chucking a boot or two under the bed and letting kitty back in the 
room.  I've found many a chipmunk in the toe of my boot, mornings, and boots 
make good chipmunk carriers!
From: exuptr@exu.ericsson.se (Patrick Taylor)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Help name my kittens
Date: 25 Sep 92 19:13:43 GMT
Organization: Ericsson Network Systems, Inc.
X-Disclaimer: This article was posted by a user at Ericsson in North America.
              The opinions expressed are strictly those of the user and
              not necessarily those of Ericsson.



Or for you BOC fans, how about Tyranny and Mutation.
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    "This must be Thursday.  I never could get the hang of Thursdays"
                                                       - Douglas Adams
  - Patrick Taylor                                       (Arthur Dent)
    Ericsson Network Systems
    exuptr@exu.ericsson.se                       "Don't let the .se fool you"
    or exuptr@ZGNews.Lonestar.Org, exu.exuptr@memo.ericsson.se
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: diana@wetware.com (CatWoman )
Subject: Re: cat sleeps in bad place...  help...
Organization: Castle WetWare MouseCatcher
Distribution: usa
Date: Sat, 3 Oct 1992 15:10:49 GMT

hartlemp@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Michael P Hartley) writes:

]    My new kitten, "chutzpah", has chosen an anoying place to sleep.
] I have a large computer desk against the wall.  Under, and behind the 
] computer, is a typical 1000 sheet form-feed box of paper.  The cat has
] decided that this box is real cumfy...  The problem is that I never know
] if the cat is in it or not, so when the printer starts, the paper may or
] may not come through.  
]    Any ideas on how to get the cat not to sleep there?

I assume the box is the kind with tall sides and a short
sided lid?  If not - see below.

If so - cut a slit in the top of the base box, wide enough
to feed the paper through, along the wide side, just below
the top edge.  Cut one of the long sides of the lid off.
Feed the paper through the slit, put the lid on with the
cut-off side over the slit, turn slit to the wall.  Cat can
sleep on lid, paper will come out through the hole.  This
may work better once the level of the paper is down - and you
can use the same box over again, just putting HALF of the
next box's worth in at a time.

If the box is the type that does NOT have a lid, but has
glued flaps, you can either take a previous box and MAKE
a lid out of it - or cut off one of the long-side flaps,
fold the other three over, and feed the paper out of the 
resulting slit in the top.  This last method is probably
not as good because the kitten can still stop the paper
from coming out.

In any case, getting a piece of plywood to put over the
lid will keep it from sagging - and a towel on that will
keep the kitten happy.  Or get enough plywood to build
yourself a box.

Diana
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: mk4j@poe.acc.Virginia.EDU (Mable B. Kinzie)
Subject: Re: Purring as a sign of illness
Organization: University of Virginia
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 15:23:57 GMT

I've had a similar experience with my little Spike.  Last year
when she was recovering from her spaying operation (which was
more traumatic than I'd expected--she was frantic when I picked
her up from the vet's) she laid on my lap and purred non-stop
for an entire day.  It puzzled me at the time.  I imagined that
it might be her relief that I had come and taken her away from
that terrible place (the vet's), but don't know if that's
anthropomophic.  

Mable
--
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: sborders@nyx.cs.du.edu (Scott Borders)
Subject: Re: Why do cats purr?
Organization: University of Denver, Dept. of Math & Comp. Sci.
Distribution: rec
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 92 03:02:22 GMT

Several people have offered their opinions on just *why* cats purr.
The following information pretty much confirms what many have said,
but is attributable to an expert source.  Desmond Morris, author of
_Catwatching_ and _Catlore_, has this to say on the subject:

    "I am inoffensive"
    
    This is the feline *purring* sound.  It is hard for
    some owners to accept that this noise means "I am
    inoffensive" rather than "I am content," but the fact is
    that inoffensiveness is the only condition to explain
    all the different contexts in which the purr occurs.  It is
    essentially a signal that says the cat is in a nonhostile 
    mood, is friendly, submissive, reassuring, appeasing,
    or of course, contented.  It is observed in the following
    cat-to-cat situations:

        1.  When kittens are sucking at the nipple, letting
            the mother know all is well.
        2.  When the mother is lying with her kittens, reas-
            suring them that all is well.
        3.  When the mother approaches the nest where
            the kittens are hiding, letting them know that
            there is nothing to fear by her approach.
        4.  When a young cat approaches an adult for
            play, letting it know that it is in a relaxed mood
            and accepts its subordinate social position.
        5.  When a dominant adult cat approaches a 
            young cat in a friendly way, reassuring it of its
            nonhostile intentions.
        6.  When an inferior cat is approached by a domi-
            nant enemy, as an attempt to appease the more
            powerful one with its submissive, nonhostile
            signal.
        7.  When a sick cat is approached by a dominant
            one, letting it know that it is in a weak, nonhostile
            mood.

    Again, attempts have been made to classify purrs into
    different types, but they all carry the same basic mes-
    sage of friendliness.  The nearest human equivalent to 
    purring is smiling, and we also make the same mis-
    take when we say that a smiling man is a happy man.
    Just like purring, smiling can occur when we are
    being reassuring, submissive, nonhostile, and ap-
    peasing, as well as when we are blissfully happy.  Like
    the purr, the key message of the smile is "I am *not*
    going to do you any harm."  As such it is vitally impor-
    tant for "softening" social relationships and de-
    stressing moments of close proximity.

*end of quoted text*

Specifically relating to the discussion on sick cats and purring, see
number 7 listed above.  Since our domesticated cats tend to look on
us as a combination mother/kitten/dominant-cat, it's not surprising
that they sometimes purr when they don't feel well.

BTW, I highly recommend both of Morris' books; they are entertaining
and informative reading.

                            Scott

--
From: hughes@dogwood.botany.uga.edu (Wayne Hughes)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Dangerous Cat Parasite
Date: 1 Oct 92 22:27:25 GMT
Organization: Botany Department - U of Georgia, Athens

In article <1992Oct1.140134.14953@csd.brispoly.ac.uk> th2_oate@csd.brispoly.ac.uk (Tom Oates) writes:
>Finally, there's toxoplasmosis which is only a risk to pregnant women
>- it can cause miscarriages. The risk is easily avoided: pregnant women
>should avoid cleaning litter trays/faeces if at all possible. If this isn
>not, they should use gloves, and afterwards wash hands in disinfectant. 
>Like toxicara canis, the risk is small - but it does exist.
>-- 
   It's also a risk to people who are HIV-infected or otherwise
   immune system-compromised.  Same suggested hygienic advice, except
   also wear a face mask to avoid breathing dust.  Similar warnings
   about birds and birdcages, where a form of meningitis can be
   a hazard (although not a problem for people with sound immune
   systems).

   Wayne
From: irod@ourbeach.Eng.Sun.COM (Irma Rodriguez)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Need Advice on Kitten Decision
Date: 2 Oct 1992 22:02:28 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Mt. View, Ca.
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: ourbeach
Summary: how to bond

I need advice/assurance before I decide to adopt a kitten. Hope you can give
me some net wisdom.

Background: I have a 3.5 yr old spayed Himalayan (Sealea) who loves me but
only tolerates my fiance (Bob). Bob and I just bought a large house, and
I finally convinced him that Sealea needs a playmate. Bob said fine, but *he*
gets to "own" the new kitty and he wants an orange-and-white male.

Well, I've managed to find an orange-and-white male kitten, but he's only five
weeks old and the current owner says he's very timid. (She found the litter in
a garbage dumpster and has found homes for all the kittens except this one). 

Questions: will the kitten grow to like people if we play with it a lot at night?
We'll both be away during the day for as long as 10 hours. Will my cat teach the kitten to be sociable? Obviously the kittens were weaned too early. They are
eating dry food now, but how can I prevent him from missing his mom (suckling,
kneading, etc) as he gets older? 

I'm really concerend with what's best for the kitten. If he needs a home where
someone can be with him all day, then I'll pass him up and keep looking. But
if the chances are that he'll adjust and be a happy cat, then we'd be glad to
take him.

So netters, what do you think?

Thanks for your advice,

Irma Rodriguez
irod@Eng.Sun.COM
From: gsteckel@gujju.Eng.Sun.COM (Geoff Steckel)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Nasty Tapeworms
Date: 7 Oct 92 01:35:41 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Omnivore Technology, Newton, MA (617) 332-9252
NNTP-Posting-Host: gujju

>>>Droncit tablets, obtained at the vet and given in two doses two weeks apart 
>>>whenever tapes make their appearance, cost about $1.50 apiece and are the 
>>>remedy of choice for tapes.

Be sure to remove fleas when you do this, because they are part of the
life cycle for tapeworms.  I use a flea spray on the house which contains
juvenile hormone (causes flea eggs which hatch not to mature) and seems
to work for several months per application.

--
	geoff steckel (gwes@trilobyte.com, gwes@wjh12.harvard.EDU)
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Sun Microsystems, despite the From: line.
This posting is entirely the author's responsibility.
From: klier@iscsvax.uni.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Cats, Allergies and GPC
Date: 1 Oct 92 21:59:24 -0500
Organization: University of Northern Iowa

carvalho@tribiet.maintech.com (joe carvalho) writes:
> I've come down with a class 4 GPC. The eye doc. blames it on an allergic 
> reaction to the cats. Are there any other sufferers out there? How do you 
> handle the situation? Doc says get rid of the kids. help...

Don't know what a class 4 GPC is, but I've got a few jillion allergies,
and had/have a few jillion cats (also assorted other wildlife).  I've
also had 3 different allergists in the last 25 years.  They ALL say the
same thing:  "You're a botanist?  And you have cats?  Get a different 
line of work!  Get rid of the cats!"  To which I reply sweetly, "No 
way bub.  You're the expert, let's figure something out."

Interestingly, they've all told me that I have to get rid of the cats
_even though_ I don't react to cat allergen.  Personally, I think it's
a response that they inculcate in them early in Allergist School.  When
you can't think of something else to say, say "get rid of the pets".

;-)


Kay Klier  Biology Dept  UNI
From: kathrynw@radian.UUCP (Kathryn Whitworth)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Purring cats
Date: 2 Oct 92 14:51:52 GMT



In article <1992Sep29.153034.26905@sequent.com> cyndie@sequent.com (Cyndie Sutherland) writes:
>
>Along this thread...  Can anyone explain why a cat would just purr??
>You walk in the room, the cat purrs.  The cat walks in the room and
>purrs. The cat plops down next to you ont he couch and purrs.  Both my
>cats do all these things.  It seems as though they are always purring.
>They even wake us up at night all cuddled up with us and purring very
>loudly!
>
>cyndie

Purring is a cat's way of smiling, silly!  Your cats love you and so they
smile purrs whenever they're with you.  If they nip you very gently, especially
on the chin or nose, those are love bites, not aggression.  My Casey squeaks
at me when I come into the bedroom where's he asleep.  It's definitely a 
greeting.  He's normally pretty quiet.

Kathryn Roth Whitworth
	who is allowed to live with Casey, age 6, orange tabby, and Arienrhod,
	age 5, grey tabby
		along with a couple of dogs, but the cats would prefer not to
		mention them
From: 22302LMK@MSU
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Help name my kittens
Date: 1 Oct 92 20:39:24 GMT
Organization: Michigan State University

you need names that get there attention....just in case you gently have to
raise your voice to the dears.
How about Jazz and Mynx.


Lisa
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats