HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: bron@iastate.edu (bronwyn)
Subject: Re: Defense
Originator: bron@aviator.cc.iastate.edu
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 07:21:09 GMT

    Yes, I'm following up my own posting.  Email has made me notice I
    really made no mention of the reason I was upset about the posting
    made by Nancy Pilsch. Yes, I was really upset in my previous 
    article.  I still believe that the article was inflammatory and
    presumptuous.
        
[N.P]
>>I must point out however, that IMHO declawing is cruel.  As my vet put it,
>>"it is a barbaric operation".  I am getting truly sick and tired of people
>>putting their not-alive furninture before their LIVE cats!  There are so
>>many people on this topic looking for validation because they have declawed
>>their cats or are planning to do so.  

In reading this, it's easy to assume Nancy means that everyone who has a
declawing process done is being cruel and inhumane to an animal, and putting
their furniture above the comfort of their pets.

Yes, I resent that.  I'm the proud owner of two cats.  One is declawed, the
other will be soon.  I disagree with the practice of declawing by default.
I disagree with owners who make the decision without trying other avenues.
However, I disagree with people who say it's always wrong.

I'm very glad that obviously N.P's cats are so trainable.  However, mine
were not.  It might surprise you to know that this is indeed why I happen
to have the cats I do.  They had been given up as untrainable, and I
also found difficulty training them. 

The reasons I can't train my cats? One of them is deaf, and doesn't respond
to noise.  The other simply doesn't respond, although she is not deaf.
Neither of them dislike water.  Neither of them like cat nip.  Spraying
them with water simply results in a wet, happy cat.  Bathtime is easy. . .
Loud, startling noises won't even be heard by Nermal, and Feeper simply
doesn't care.  I *tried* training.  I *provided* other avenues for their
scratching. I gave them *treats* when they used the scratching post instead
of the furniture.  They ignored me like I was the plague.  I have concerns
about my cats.  Until recently, I didn't own my furniture.  My lease
stipulated declawed cats.  I lived in friend's houses for 6 months because
I couldn't find an apartment that would allow Feeper (a claw-functional) and
didn't want to give her up.

There are reasons people may turn to declawing.  It's not always wrong, and
we aren't necessarily putting our furniture before our cats.  We, and our
cats, must live with the decisions we make.  I desperately hope that we
make *informed* decisions.  Please don't assume that mine are not, simply
because it's an outcome you don't like.

--
Bronwyn J Scrutton                                          bron@iastate.edu
Project Vincent                                               (515) 294-4994
                    If it's not one thing, it's Bronwyn.
From: dan@msen.com (Dan Sugalski)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Meaning of tabby cats
Date: 24 Dec 1992 19:37:10 GMT
Organization: Msen, Inc. -- Ann Arbor, Michigan
NNTP-Posting-Host: garnet.msen.com
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8]

Sandra Loosemore (loosemore-sandra@cs.yale.edu) wrote:
: If you look closely at the fur of a tabby cat, the individual hairs
: have bands of color on them.  Typically they are dark near the root
: and are light-colored near the tip, or have a light-colored band in
: the middle.  The tabby gene controls whether the hairs are have this
: banding or are solid.

: Tortoise-shell refers to color, namely having patches of both red
: and black (or brown) fur.

: Mackerel tabby refers to the larger patterns of mottling on the fur
: forming narrow stripes.  There is also a classic tabby pattern with
: wide stripes, a spotted tabby pattern, and at least one breed of
: cats where the tabby pattern doesn't have any dark mottling at all.

: -Sandra

Abyssinian coloring is also a variation on the tabby gene.  They have the
banded or agouti fur, but shouldn't have stripes.

Karen


Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: tara@wam.umd.edu (Tara)
Subject: cats and sneezing
Summary: just curious
Organization: University of Maryland, College Park
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 01:46:25 GMT

Hi,

	I was just wondering if my cat's behaviour was a common
habit amoung cats.  When ever I sneeze, my cat, Persifal (Persy)
makes a strange "ack ack ack" type of meow/noise (the same sound
she makes when there is a bird outside on the feeders and she's
really excited).  My other cat, Penelope (Penny), has no type of
reaction at all, as well as the cats at my horse barn (Smoozer
and Bandit).  Is my cat just odd (no, don't answer that <grin>)?

tara
From: erin@ttisms.com
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: SCDOWN
Date: 3 Jan 93 05:35:29 GMT
Organization: Touch Technologies Inc., San Diego CA

Hi,

I'm looking to find a persian kitten, preferably a Chinchilla.  

I live in San Diego, Cal. and don't know where to begin my search. 

Please help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.


                     Thank You,

                              Erin
From: tcm@moscom.com (Tom Maszerowski)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: More funny bunnies
Summary: Bunny plays "dead"
Keywords: Bunny sleeping
Date: 31 Dec 92 02:54:08 GMT
Followup-To: rec.pets
Organization: Moscom Corporation, Pittsford NY

Continuing on the funny bunny thread, my little Holland Lop, Digger, did
something tonight I've never seen a rabbit do before. Digger is one of the
few rabbits I've seen who will sleep with her eyes fully closed when I am
around. But tonight she really surprised me! She was sleeping in the corner
by my bookshelf, eyes fully closed of course, but fully on her side, legs
out, and her lower ear sticking out. I thought for a moment she was dead!
She finally stirred when I went a got my wife to look. If only the kids
would fall asleep so easily.

Tom
-----



-- 
Tom Maszerowski    tcm@moscom.com   
                   {rit,tropix,ur-valhalla}!moscom!tcm
                   DoD #1957 (1987 BMW K75s) BMWMOA #59113
From: njl@drutx.ATT.COM (LaRocheNJ)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Re: bunny questions
Summary: Moderation is the key
Date: 28 Dec 92 20:54:37 GMT
Organization: AT&T, Denver, CO

In article <1992Dec24.204133.21898@bmerh85.bnr.ca>, myhui@bnr.ca (Michael Hui) writes:

> Big Wig, the Big Bundle Of Bun, at 15 lbs and gaining fast, has
> graduated in a matter of six months from two thin carrots... [to
> humongous amounts of veggies].

One advantage your bun has over some others is his size and the amount of
exercise he gets.  As a very large bunny, he can, of course, have more of
everything to eat, but proportionately.  The concern with giving too much
"empty" food isn't his health at this moment, but his future health (just
as a youngster with a sweet tooth allowed to eat all the sweets s/he
wants may be perfectly healthy for awhile, but will eventually show signs
of poor diet.

The issue isn't one of fatness, either.  A malnurished rabbit may be fat,
but if it is malnurished from too many veggies, not enough pellets, it
isn't likely to be fat.  "People junk food" is more likely to lead to
malnutrition with fatness.

> I guess I better start to moderate his carrot intake.

Yes, but do it gradually if he's really accustomed to large portions.
And don't overdo it.

> ...I believe the carrots, rich in vitamin A, probably healed
> his eye infection, since this vitamin prevents night blindness and
> helps the body resist infection.

Anything that helps the body's immune system may help to overcome an
existing infection or illness.  In fact, that's what antibiotics do--
they battle the infection until the immune system becomes strong enough
and/or the infection small enough that the immune system can take over
the job of healing or preventing reinfection.  The carrots may very well
been beneficial, but they could also become harmful over time...

Anyway, enough of this not-too-much-veggies "lecture."  In general, if
your bun is eating an adequate amount of a good rabbit pellet, is holding
a proper weight, and shows no symptoms of lethargy or illnesses, you
don't need to be overly concerned about a whole carrot for a giant bunny
or 1/2 carrot for a medium sized bunny.  Just be aware of the hidden
consequences if you overdo the junk food.

Nancy LaRoche (HRS)
att!drutx!njl
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: tedybear@ravel.udel.edu (Heather A Rothwell)
Subject: Re: Bunny Theories
Summary: Buns as therapists
Organization: University of Delaware
Date: Sat, 26 Dec 1992 02:48:45 GMT

I agree with Robert completely that buns know when their humans are upset.
Yesterday (Christmas Eve) we were supposed to go to my in-laws house for
Christmas, a trip both my husband and I had looked forward to.  Well, we
packed up all our stuff, and all the bun stuff, put him in his big
(open)basket, and hopped in the car for the trip north.  About 10 miles
down the road the clutch went on our car.  We were not going any where. 
While we sat in a bus depot waiting for AAA to come rescue us, we shared
the bun.  He has never sat so still and just let us love him.  It was so
theraputic.  We knew he was contented (as opposed to nervous) because he
kept licking us and "wuffling" one or the other of us if we forgot to pay
attention to him.  
(by the way, if you want to imagine a hysterical face, imagine the look on
the guy who drove the tow truck when I told him that my husband and my
bunny would be riding home in the tow truck with him.  "Your what?" was
his initial reaction.  After he met Spice, every thing was fine, though. 
It was a typical picture of a big man with a little cute bunny.  So funny
in retrospect!!!)
My husband and I have both been a little down and a lot worried about what
to do about the car and Christmas, but the bun sure has helped.  He
cuddled up with us for about an hour last night under the covers,
something that has never happened before.  He has been so close to one of
us all day that I almost wonder if he is feeling depressed too.  I never
know what to expect out of my little one.  He seems to know almost better
that I do what I need sometimes.  He has done things(funny things, like
purposely going into the kitchen with me to slid on the floor) today that
he has never even considered doing.  I guess he is giving us a Christmas
gift in return for the chocolate we let him try today (it was ok, but
moving food does not thrill him.  We gave him an M&M.)
Well, hope this gives you some smiles, and reminds you of just how blessed
we are to have a little critter to help us through the hard times.  They
really are great, aren't they.

Merry Christmas
Heather and Jim
"Parents" of Spice, 9 months
From: myhui@bnr.ca (Michael Hui)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Re: Funny bunnies
Date: 24 Dec 92 03:52:34 GMT
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd., Ottawa, Canada

I was reading Usenet and Big Wig the Big Bundle Of Bun was at his usual
spot: he had stuck his forehead underneath my bare foot, so I massaged
his forehead with my bare foot while I type.        |->)

But suddenly he heard some heavy, very low frequency footsteps outside
in my apartment's hallway, and did a most unusual thing: he immediately
got out of his defenseless pose, ran towards the front door, ears fully
erect and pointed forward, and sat facing the front door, as if waiting
for Terminator II to meld through the front door any moment. After the
noise ceased, he calmed down, and is now back for more forehead rubs.

The unusual thing is that any other type of disturbance wouldn't have
caused this behavior; meaning, any other type of noise the Bun hears,
if it scared him enough, he would dash to his hiding spots, all of them
well mapped out in my apartment (he has at least four such spots).

I guess the low frequency the footsteps made probably reminded the Bun
of his natural instinct to foot stomping as the danger signal of other
rabbits, so he was all prepared to valiantly run to their aid!

-- 
Michael MY Hui  ~{PmCw6w~}  myhui@bnr.ca  Ottawa Canada
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: graziano@ravel.udel.edu (Lisa Marie Graziano)
Subject: ferret diets
Organization: University of Delaware
Date: Sun, 3 Jan 1993 16:19:36 GMT


Here's a ferret Q:  do they need more protein than, say cats?  Should they
eat kitten food rather than catfood?  Or is there a better way to increase
their protein intake?
Lisa, Chavelah, and Cheerio
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Re: Ferret (well, ermine) X-mas Cards
From: bproden@ualr.edu
Date: 21 Dec 92 16:44:52 GMT
Organization: University of Arkansas at Little Rock

In article <1992Dec20.054443.26998@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu>, swoodcoc@nyx.cs.du.edu (Steven Markus Woodcock) writes:
>    Just thought that my fellow ferret fanatics out there might like to know
> that my wife and I found some Christmas cards with ferrets on them.  Well,
> actually it's an ermine, but close enough for us!  The cards depict a 
> winter scene with a dragon and various other forest animals iceskating--
> one of the critters watching the whole thing is an ermine.  The title of
> the picture is "Down on the Old Mill Pond"; the cards themselves are put
> out by Dragon Tales.  We found them at a mostly New Age shop that carries
> a large variety of 'small publisher' cards.
> 

Sierra Club has a Christmas card out with a photo of an ermine in the snow.
I saw it in a bookstore today.

Brian Roden
"Runs with Foxes"
From: twallace@gmuvax2.gmu.edu (Todd Wallace)
Subject: Re: bunny litter-training--help!
Organization: George Mason University, Fairfax, Va.
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 15:38:11 GMT

According to a show on rabbits that I just saw on the Discovery
Channel, rabbit produce two distinct kinds of pellets -- one
kind they eat, and another kind that is just waste, nothing
recoverable.
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: root@mips.complang.tuwien.ac.at (Thomas Hollunder)
Subject: My rat is dying!
Reply-To: root@mips.complang.tuwien.ac.at
Organization: Technische Universitaet Wien
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 11:03:06 GMT

 My rat Pezi, a male of 2 years and 10 month get's paralyzed
slowly starting from the hind legs. A friend had a rat which died
and before his death showed exactly the the same symtomps.
 Pezi still hobbles around and seems to enjoy life, but if something
tickles him and he wants to scratch himself, his back legs are 
just waggling useless in the air instead of scratching the region he
aimed at. Sometimes I see this drives him mad. I give him vitamines 
regularly (beer yeast, high contents of B-typpe vitamines) but it
maybe slowed the process of paralyzation but didn't stop it.

My questions are now:

Is there anything I can do to help him?

Should I let him die naturally ? (It will end with paralyzation of
the breathing in a few weeks I guess) I personally don't think so, but when is the
right time to put him to sleep?

All it's life this rat has honored me with it's complete trust in me
and I really love it with all my heart. And now I wan't to do the RIGHT
thing.

Anybody can help?
Thanks

-- 


                          Thomas Hollunder  root@mips.complang.tuwien.ac.at
        Institute of Programming Languages  Phone: +43 222 58801 4476
           University of Technology Vienna         +43 663 81 87 79
Argentinierstr. 8/13, 1040 Vienna, Austria  Fax:   +43 222 505 78 38
From: ruska@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Dave Ruska)
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 19:19:40 GMT
Subject: Re: Pregnant Mouse Explodes?
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO, USA
Newsgroups: rec.pets

In rec.pets, bmheap@rodan.acs.syr.edu () writes:

> ....................................................  She has
> expanded to at least twice her ususal size and she looks like
> she is about to burst.  I hope my fears are irrational -- but 
> I bet she's going to have a large litter for sure.
> 

Some of mine seem to get wider then they are long (minus the tail).
Haven't had one blow up yet. I'm not sure what the record is. I think
the largest litter from any of my mice was about 25 babies.

> Bron
> (Twice the mice are twice as nice.)
> 

Dave
From: zezima@gdc.com (Saskia Zezima)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Re: Soft Paws
Date: 21 Dec 92 21:56:24 GMT
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]


I recently heard about an alternative to declawing a destructive cat, called 
Soft Paws.  I thinks its like glue on nail covers.  I would like to hear of 
any experiences that anyone has had or any information anyone can give me.

Thanks!

Saskia

zezima@gdc.com
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: marty@world.std.com (Marty M HaleEvans)
Subject: Re: Funny bunnies, or at least interesting
Keywords: bunnies, ghosts
Organization: Cicely Public Access UNIX, Cicely, AK
Distribution: na
Date: Sun, 3 Jan 1993 18:25:40 GMT

twallace@gmuvax2.gmu.edu (Todd Wallace) writes:

>Re: wildly thumping rabbit, no apparent reason

>Maybe rabbits can see ghosts the way cats can. (Just kidding.)
>Actually, given the extreme acuity of rabbit hearing, he was
>probably reacting to squealing brakes a couple miles a way. Our

Frankie is terribly afraid of big trucks on the street outside our house,
having been born a country bunny. He's gotten better about it, but will still
hide and thump sometimes when a big one goes by. 

The latest funny thumping story we have, though, is from last night. We were
watching Saturday Night Live, and Hammer was the host. When he began to sing,
Frankie ran under a chair and began to thump! Well, his songs are a bit loud
and bass-heavy, I guess. :-) When we turned down the volume a little, Frankie
calmed down. I've noticed before that he seems to have some musical
preferences, but I've never seen him demonstrate them so emphatically before!

Marty


=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
"Seems like there ought to be a way we could look each other in the eye
To see we're all in this together, and put all thoughts of victory aside.
Seems like there ought to be a way we could turn this fear into trust;
No matter what you say, there has to be a way --
Every living thing is counting on us."      

Marty Hale-Evans                                 M   @   *   O   %   8   U
89 Mass. Ave., Ste. 199, Boston, MA 02115       \|/ \|/ \|/ \|/ \|/ \|/ \|/


Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: milligan@stein.u.washington.edu (Paula Milligan)
Subject: Re: Litter-training a bunny
Followup-To: Bunny litter questions
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 20:37:55 GMT

I'm new to this system, and this is the first time I've posted except in
the "test" areas, so I hope it will turn out okay.  I've been reading 
rec.pets for a month or so.

I have two bunnies, Betsy and Rocky.  Betsy I got from the HRS here in
the Seattle area.  Sandi, the HRS pres here, seems to have a magic touch
with her bunnies.  She takes them to a confined area with a litter box,
gives them some hay and just makes them stay in the box for awhile.  
When they do their business, she gives them lavish praise, and finds
it only takes a couple of times.  It certainly worked for Betsy! She
really likes to sit in her box, and is very particular about using it.
Betsy was a hutch bunny for two years, before she was rescued by HRS and
had never been exposed to any kind of litter training.

Rocky I got last September, when he was only a couple of months old.
I tried that method with him, but I think he was just too young.  I went
to the cage method, kept him in except for a good romp once a day.  It
didn't take him long to use the box for urinating, but the pills were 
much more difficult.  Part of the problem was introducing him to Betsy,
who didn't like him at all (he has a nick in his ear thanks to her); 
part of the problem was that he wasn't neutered--in both cases a lot of the
dropping was territorial.  I was even having a lot of problems recently, 
but somehow he just got better as he has grown older.  One thing I did
(at the recommendation of the local HRS help-line) was to thoroughly 
clean all areas where he had urinated or dropped feces--with vinegar
(Nature's Miracle works too, but is so expensive).  I also put addi-
tional litter boxes in the spots where he seemed most inclined to 
drop pills.  That seems to be working.  The next thing I will do is
to move the boxes together and try to consolidate the four boxes they have
into one or two.  

I was using Cat Country, which Betsy liked, but have recently discovered
Crown Animal Bedding (I don't know if it's avail. nationally), which is
made of recycled newspapers, I think.  Seems to be working okay.

By the way, Betsy and Rocky are great pals now, but it took a lot of 
supervision.

--Paula Milligan, University of Washington.




Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: swoodcoc@nyx.cs.du.edu (Steven Markus Woodcock)
Subject: Ferret Figurines Found
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix @ U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 1 Jan 93 06:16:24 GMT

To My Fellow Ferret Fanatics:

   Just thought that I'd pass along information on some beautiful
ferret/ermine figurines my wife and I found over Christmas.  

   We were shopping up in Boulder, CO and found the figures at a shop
called THE MOLE HOLE (they have several stores, although I don't know
whether they're just in Colorado or are national).  The figures are made
of porcelain and are from Russia.  They are each white.  The first shows
a ferret (well, it's probably an ermine since it came from Russia, but
close enough for us) standing on its hind legs in the 'classic' pose.  The
second is more interesting:  the ferret is running on all fours with an
egg in its mouth, looking over its shoulder at somebody (no doubt an angry
farmer) chasing it.  Each figure is about 6" - 7" in 'length' (one is vertical,
the other is horizontal).

   We paid $30 each for these gems, and I think they're well worth it.  They
now have a prominent location in our display case of ferret memorabilia.  If
you DO find these items, be aware that they're coming from Russia so there's
not a lot of guarantees as to whether or not you'll see them again.....



Steve & Colleen
Proudly Owned by Missy, Newone, Zebulon Pike, Minx, Slinky, and Puck

--
    "...Men will awake presently and be Men again, and colour and laughter and
 splendid living will return to a grey civilization. But that will only come 
 true because a few Men will believe in it, and fight for it, and fight in its
 name against everything that sneers and snarls at that ideal..."
Newsgroups: rec.pets
From: kbourque@MtHolyoke.edu (Karen M. Bourque)
Subject: Re: Funny bunnies, or at least interesting
Organization: Mount Holyoke College
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 16:56:32 GMT

Buns woke us up once in the middle of the night (like 3 a.m.) with her
thumping!  She was thumping on a wood floor and it was LOUD!!! I have no
idea why she was doing it - maybe she had a bad dream??  There didn't seem
to be any other reason for her to do it.  She was obviously terrified
about something, becase when I went in to see what was the matter, I found
her all squished into a corner looking wild eyed and thumping.  I couldn't
console either.  She just kept on thumping.  It was very wierd.

She thumps once in a while just because I think she wants to be left
alone, or feels slightly threatened (like if we run into the room she's in)

It's really amazing how much noise they can create this way!

(oops, this wasn't funny!  I hope it was at least interesting!)

Karen

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
:)      Karen M. Bourque             					(: 
:)	Senior Consultant  						(:
:)	User Services			     kbourque@mhc.mtholyoke.edu (:
:)      Computing and Info Services 	     kbourque@mhc.bitnet        (:
:)      Mount Holyoke College - South Hadley, Massachusetts - USA 	(:
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