HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: crystal@glia.biostr.washington.edu (Crystal)
Subject: Re: Anyone use `reusable' cat litter?
Organization: University of Washington
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1992 20:05:39 GMT

In <1992Aug21.121343.6166@iscsvax.uni.edu> klier@iscsvax.uni.edu writes:

>In article <1992Aug21.140833.5912@aisb.ed.ac.uk>, tina@cstr.ed.ac.uk (Christina Scott) writes:
>> We've just bought a `cat loo' (something we've never seen in Scotland - we
>> got it in London) but are finding it really smelly.  I don't know if you're
>> familiar with them but it consists of two trays, one on top of the other.
>> The top tray contains the special litter and has thin slits through to the
>> bottom tray.  Urine is supposed to drop through to the bottom tray being
>> deodorised on the way by the litter (and then not smell because it's in the
>> bottom and covered) 
>   Hah!

>> and solid waste can be scooped out  The lower tray is 
>> cleaned out regularly and the litter rinsed with cold water.
>> WHY does the whole thing STINK then?!  We've checked the two trays are tightly
>> fitting.  HELP?!

>The urine is going to sit in that bottom tray and the bacteria are going to
>decompose it.  And it will stink.  I think the idea works pretty well in
>desert climates where the urine dries enough to concentrate it to the point
>that bacteria don't grow well, but I kinda wonder about a humid climate
>like Edinburgh.

>You might try adding a handful of salt to the bottom tray to get the
>salt concentration up high enough to slow the bacteria, or maybe
>some chlorine bleach...

>Kay Klier   Biology Dept  UNI

Line the bottom tray with newspaper. Then toss the newspaper every day or
so before it gets so soggy that it can't be easily picked up. 

Rinse the litter once a week. (is it that waxed corncob stuff?)  Some urine
WILL stick to the pellets (not much, but enough to make it "unclean") so
rinsing will help.

Crystal
  ;>

Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: isc40041@nusunix3.nus.sg (LOO KOK HOE)
Subject: Re: Info on Singapura(?) Breed
Organization: National University of Singapore
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 07:15:04 GMT


Yes ! The Singapura does look like those "drain cats"
found in Singapore .... although the color of the coat
look different ....

For future visitors to Singapore, NEW ATTRACTION is to 
look for SIngapore cats !



george from  Singapore


< Singapura : Our New Mascot 8>   >

Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: sbp@cbnewsh.cb.att.com (Sue Price)
Subject: Light Sleeper (was Playing with kitties face)
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 18:16:32 GMT
Keywords: messing with kitty

In article <Btnu1K.5IJ@cgl.ucsf.edu> strob@labmed.ucsf.edu (Steve Robert) writes:
>If you want ugly, wait 'till he's asleep. Then gently separate
>the upper and lower eyelids so that you're looking at the third
>eyelid/membrane.  Super cataract city -- kitty from Venus.
>(My cats don't even wake up when I do this).

Wow!  I am certain my cat would wake up if I did this.  Do cats become
lighter sleepers as they get older, the way people do?  Mine is 15.

Sue

-- 

Sue Price
sbp@hound.att.com
From: berthiau@IRO.UMontreal.CA (Andre Berthiaume)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: good pro-cat story! (tell *this* one to your dog-lovin cat-haters)
Date: 28 Aug 92 01:54:35 GMT
Organization: Universite de Montreal

Teehee!!! Heee heee heee!!! Hooo ho ho haaa haaa!!!

I lovd it!! :D


- Eva


(ignore following .sig.. still trying to figure out how to eliminate it :-p )



--
	Andre Berthiaume 	 |  "Sometimes you're the windshield,
				 |   Sometimes you're the bug"
    berthiau@iro.umontreal.ca    |			
				 |	       Dire Straits, The Bug
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: trish@tronsbox.xei.com (Trish)
Subject: Re: Why Do Cats Sit on Paper?
Organization: Xanadu Enterprises Inc.
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 02:43:33 GMT

In article <1992Sep2.011552.16719@panix.com> kgs@panix.com (Karen Schneider) writes:
>This has probably been addressed before, but why is it that
>cats will zero in on the teensiest piece of paper and plop themselves
>down on top of it?  Not that I'm complaining--it's just that after
>twelves years with His Royal Highness I'd like an answer, and he's
>not forthcoming...

Karen:
And isn't ALWAYS the piece of paper you are reading or working on?  I
think it is my cats' way of saying "Hey I am more interesting and fun
then that piece of paper."  Lays down it.  "See don't I look cute?"


-- 
"Anything not nailed down is a cat toy." (By ? -- from a button I own)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 UUCP: trish@tronsbox.xei.com  			OR : uunet!tronsbox!trish
                         Xanadu Enterprises, Inc. 
                  -- Sells lingerie and adult novelties.
                  -- For further information send email.
From: larsenp@mace.cc.purdue.edu (Paul Larsen)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: a paranoid little cat
Date: 30 Aug 92 00:33:26 GMT
Organization: Purdue University

We have had a problem with our 2 year old cat the past few weeks.
She has been extremely skittish.  Any little noise seems to frighten
her.  She jumps, the fur raises on her back, and her tail puffs up.
We can't think of anything that could be causing this.  Do cats go
through phases like this?  She's not a lap cat by any means, but she
does need to be where the people are.  Any suggestions or thoughts
on this problem?

We would appreciate any help.

Paul and Lynn Larsen  (and Kadee - meow!!)

larsenp@mace.cc.purdue.edu
From: schumach@convex.com (Richard A. Schumacher)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: What do you think?
Date: 26 Aug 92 00:56:35 GMT
Article-I.D.: convex.schumach.714790595
Distribution: na
Organization: CONVEX Computer Corporation, Richardson, Tx., USA
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by a user at CONVEX Computer
              Corp. The opinions expressed are those of the user and
              not necessarily those of CONVEX.

Still more nauseatingly cute feline terms of endearment (all
guaranteed to have been used more than once):

Zeus-poos				
Hurly-burly-surly-Shirly (sung repetitively to the tune of "Wooley Booley")
Shirlyboots
Cranky kitty
Sea-beast
Mister Joe Bangles, Dance
Floydoid
Martini's-a-kitty-on-the-rocks
Qantas-quantum-quantico!
Wretched-little-hair-ball
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: jill@cray.com (Jill McAllister)
Subject: Re: Cat licking self raw!--UPDATE
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
Date: 28 Aug 92 00:10:33 CDT

In article <lis.714668845@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu> lis@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu (Elisabeth Riba) writes:
>However, the vet says I should put out food for her
>twice daily AND THEN TAKE THE FOOD AWAY AFTER FIFTEEN MINUTES.
>Does this seem cruel to anyone else?

We have two 10-year-old cats, plus one 6-year-old, and one 5-year-old.
Until last December, we'd always let them free-feed.  We were having
problems with one cat (age 10) throwing up 2 to 3 times a week, and
the 5-year-old totally ignoring all "house rules" and peeing wherever
she wanted.  We finally went to an animal behaviorist (sp?) (who is also
a vet), and he finally convinced us to do exactly what Elisabeth Riba's
vet says to do.  It has made TRUE BELIEVERS out of us!  Dinah has quit
throwing up, and E-cat behaves herself and always (ALWAYS) uses the
litter box.  (We did have to do some retraining on the litter box, too.)
This vet also gave us a lot of information about cat's digestive tracts
and how, having evolved as scavengers, they need to stay the lean and 
slightly hungry to be healthy.  He showed us illustrations of the lining
of the intestines of free-feeders and 15-minute-eaters (for lack of a
better term).  The other thing that convinced us was that our regular 
vets had always told us the same thing--twice a day, 15 minutes.  I
really believe that one of the kindest things you can do for your cat
is to STOP allowing him/her to free-feed.

Jill McAllister
(jill@cray.com)

Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: lyndap@Novell.COM (Lynda Peterson)
Subject: Re: Naming cat behaviors
Organization: Novell, Inc.
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 23:22:17 GMT

In article <H.mbD4zvhyDPU@harvee.billerica.ma.us>  
scm@harvee.billerica.ma.us (S. Mudgett aka little gator) writes:
> anyone have a name for the way a timid or scared cat will slink around  
with
> the belly less than an inch from the floor?  we call it "needing new  
shocks".
> 
> -- 
> -- little gator aka s. mudgett     email: scm@harvee.billerica.ma.us
> -- friend of a gator is a friend of mine

How about "Timid as a (dare I say it?) mouse?" My cat does this when she  
bolts out the door and then all of the sudden realizes, "Oh my gosh, I am  
outside!"

lyndap
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: jdahl@rchland.vnet.ibm.com (Jared Dahl)
Subject: New Cat, Old Cat - Help!
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1992 18:28:19 GMT
Disclaimer: This posting represents the poster's views, not necessarily those of IBM
Organization: IBM Rochester
Keywords: cat, cat, cat


  My problem relates to the fact that my fragile 13 year-old "Precious"
and flakey 1 year-old "Max" are not getting along well.  Precious just
joined us and is comfortable with me, but is quite nervous around Max.
Max, on the other hand, has decided that Precious is a chew toy.  What
can I do to keep Max from hurting Precious?

BTW-Max is huge compared to Precious, and smarter than Dan Quayle!

-- 
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
| Jared Dahl             | "My heart is human, my blood is boiling, | 
| Systems Programmer     |  my brain IBM"                           |
| IBM - Rochester, MN    |              -- STYX,  "Mr. Roboto"      |
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Opinions expressed are mine, not IBM's.
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: krissie@locus.com (Krissie Griffiths)
Subject: Re: Israel flight
Organization: Locus Computing Corporation, Los Angeles, California
Date: Thu, 03 Sep 1992 21:19:03 GMT

In article <1992Aug31.130328.3293@nynexst.com> gittel@nynexst.com (Kathleen Gittel) writes:
>My friend is flying back to her home in Haifa, Israel.  She is taking with her, a nine week
>old kitten.  How should she transport the itten(carrier under seat vs cargo) and what
>airlines should she be considering?  How is El Al ?

with a baby that young i would INSIST on in cabin.  and it is small enough 
that there should be no problem with the carrier.

as for the airline, sorry i don't know.  i certainly hope she will be keeping
it as an indoor only cat when she gets there, animals in israel don't have
it all that easy.

kg
-- 
so what if i am a vegan?  so what if i try to live a cruelty free lifestyle?
i'll tell you what, i sleep better at night knowing that nothing suffers for
anything i eat or wear and i try to use products that have not involved 
animal testing.  
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: gflips@oakhill.sps.mot.com (Julia Webb)
Subject: Adandon babies need home-Austin,Tx.
Summary: Adandon babies need home-Austin,Tx.
Keywords: Kittens need home
Organization: Motorola Inc., Austin, Texas
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 20:38:32 GMT

 HI

  I've got two babies that some very heatless indivdual
adandon . So I've taken them in for now , but I really
need to find special homes for these little guys. I
would like to keep them myself , but I already have  
seven cats, two dogs and two rabbits - a regular menagerie.
  At this point we simply call them One and Two . Kitten
One is an orange male tabby with medium length coat and
kitten Two is black with medium length coat. Both kittens
are approx. 10 weeks old and have great pursonalities 
(touch'n purr). Kittens have shots current except for
FeLK,FIP and rabies which their too young for. The
vet has check them for worms (neg.) and said they'er
in good health . Also have had kittens checked for
feline leukemia, results came back neg.

 If anyone would desire one these loveable fluffies
I can be contacted at (512)280-1010 or (512)891-3431

     Thanks Julia
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: diana@wetware.com (CatWoman )
Subject: Re: annual checkup procedures
Organization: Castle WetWare MouseCatcher
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 19:54:11 GMT

rmilner@zia.aoc.nrao.edu (Ruth Milner) writes:

] What should I ask him to do? Things I thought of:
] 
]   - check teeth and ears (for tartar/gum swelling and ear mites respectively)
]   - check body and abdomen for unusual lumps/painful spots/swelling
]   - blood (?) test for FeLV (FIV too?) (hasn't been done yet)
]   - boosters for rabies, FeLV, panleukopenia, rhino&co. (Tetanus?)
] 
] Anything else important for an annual "physical"?
] 
My vet checks for heart-rate, feels the bladder &
all the lower organs, checks in the ears, checks
teeth and gums, fur texture/condition, does an eye
test (flashlight beam - I'm not sure what she looks
for/at - can check if you'd like).  I would have
the blood tests done - base-line is good, not an
annual necessity.  Since they're outside, I would
have all available vaccines - I don't know about
Tetanus.

Oh - my vet also weighs the cats each year, and
records the weight.

Diana
From: scm@harvee.billerica.ma.us (S. Mudgett aka little gator)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Cathandle Position was Naming cat behaviors
Date: 30 Aug 92 14:14:00 GMT
	<1992Aug20.213302.6073@cs.tulane.edu>
	<1992Aug21.115253.5728@cs.nott.ac.uk>
	<1992Aug29.012630.19813@thelema.uucp>
Reply-To: scm@harvee.billerica.ma.us
Organization: gators 'r us
X-Software: HERMES GUS 1.03 Rev. Apr 14 1992

In <1992Aug29.012630.19813@thelema.uucp>, STella writes:

>> - this is what we call that priceless moment, inevitably when you're
>>in polite company, when the cat decides to sit in the middle of the
>>floor in order to clean its back end, with one back leg pointing
>>skywards (a la radio aerial - hence "tuning in").
>
>Ah, I LIKE that name.  Call it "cathandle" position myself, because I
>simply cannot (or is that WILL not) resist grabbing the handle and
>attempting to lift the cat.  None of my cats will stay in cathandle if
>I walk toward them with even a hint of "predator" in my bodylanguage.

i've heard there's an old superstition that if the cat is in this position, and
you can grab the lifted paw before the cat stops you, you will get a wish.
-- 
-- little gator aka s. mudgett     email: scm@harvee.billerica.ma.us
-- friend of a gator is a friend of mine
Organization: University Libraries - Technical Service, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Date: Tue,  1 Sep 1992 08:38:34 -0400 
From: "Susan R. Wagner" <sw39+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: Naming cat behaviors
	<1272@ncrclm.ClemsonSC.NCR.COM>
	<kecaJCC00WBOQ4vG5B@andrew.cmu.edu>

In several posts, the following position was mentioned (parts excerpted):
 
>Great list, Marie, but you left out "sitting like a bug".  This is
>when they scrunch down, almost in sphinx position, but their front
>pays just kind of collapse underneath them.  My mom named that nearly
>a million years ago and I still think it's appropriate for that
>position..............
 
>My mom called the position the "Christmas Card Cat"  (like those cats on
>Christmas cards that sit this way in front of fireplaces).
 
>I had to add my $.02 -- I've always called it the "Grasshopper" pose.

To add on, we alway refer to this position as sitting in a bread pan.

Susan and Jester
From: judy@evolving.com (Judy Bettinger)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: The latest addition to our household
Date: 28 Aug 92 21:30:34 GMT
Organization: Evolving Systems, Inc.

Earlier, I wrote:

[story about us rescuing my brother-in-law's kitty from Houston]

>1. Felix went to the vet right before he went to the airport, and was
>pronounced, for the moment, flea-free.  But of course he's still missing
>all that fur.  He's scratching some, and seems to groom alot more than
>normal.  How can we tell if that's just something that will improve as
>he heals or if he still has (shudder) more fleas?  I don't see the signs
>described in the FAQ but he _is_ still scratching.

From the mail I've received, it sounds like Denver is a flea-free
zone!  I'd suspected as much, because of the altitude and the
dry air, and other people have now backed it up.  Poor poose just has
to let his skin heal.  Kind of like having mosquito bites all over
your body.  But the consensus is, as someone put it, the little
suckers bail out at the Colorado state line.  *whew*  I was worried that
he'd brought hitchikers, but if he did, they should be dead soon.

Thanks for the all the advice!

-- 
Judy Bettinger (judy@evolving.com)            < |/
Evolving Systems, Inc.                         :o<)
Denver, Colorado                              < |\
From: wendy@hpfcmgw.FC.HP.COM (Wendy Milner)
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 21:00:48 GMT
Subject: Re: Go outside!!!
Organization: HP Fort Collins, CO
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats

In rec.pets.cats, aspasia@usability.Eng.Sun.COM (Lisa Louise Davis) writes:

    Despite the fact that Aspasia has full access to the great outdoors,
    she insists on using the indoor litterbox.  Has anyone successfully
    weaned a cat from using the litterbox?  I'm a little hesitant simply
    to remove it, for obvious reasons.  At one time, she rarely used the
    box, I guess because it was inconvenient.  (It was in the basement.)
    We've moved since then, and there isn't really any comparable spot 
    in the house for it.

    I'd appreciate any suggestions.

    Lisa & Aspasia

Simply move the litter box outside.  Your kitty will find it out
there.  Then move the box to the area where you want to the kitty
to use the "natural" kitty box.  Do not clean the box.  Dump the
box contents on the ground.  The kitty will find the right way
to use the natural box of dirt.  Do all this over a period of
a week to a month.

Wendy
 

Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: amd@ghost.mit.edu (Ann M. Davis)
Subject: Food for FUS cats
Organization: MIT Center for Space Research
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 15:13:04 GMT


My sister has a cat (female) with FUS.  Currently she is buying this
really expensive perscription cat food from the Vet.  I was wondering
what other people feed their cats with FUS. What brand? is it wet
or dry? Other supplements?

	Thanks.

	   Ann

ObCatStory:  I used the squirt bottle on my kitten for the first
time yesterday.  I've never seen such a look of hurt betrayal. Like
she couldn't believe I would do something so cruel to her. :-(
From: pdsmith.mitre.org (Pat Smith)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Nutty behavior in the litterbox!
Date: 26 Aug 92 14:12:36 GMT
Organization: The MITRE Corporation

In article <1992Aug25.130711.3413@wam.umd.edu>, dovebar@wam.umd.edu (MDB) writes:
> 
> Well, not *that* nutty.  As a new cat owner I often find myself 
> puzzling over the behavior of our very large and very mellow
> shorthair mutt.  I have a couple of questions that I hope some
> more experienced folks can answer:
> 
> 1)  When he uses his litterbox, he loves to dig both before and after
> he...ummm...uses it.  Afterwards, he's trying to bury whatever he's
> left, but beforehand, what is he trying to do?  Also, we had to get
> him a very large box (the kind with the filterizining cover) because
> he's roughly the size of a miniature horse (well, not quite *that* large).
> Even the large size plastic pan liners I've tried don't do the job - that
> is, they are a bit too small, and he's able to easily dislodge it 
> while he's kicking stuff around.  What results is litter and all
> manner of other things sliding between the liner and the box.
> Should I just use a huge lawn 'n leaf bag or something?
> 


We use the scoopable litter- you don't need pan liners which solved that
problem.  There has been some dialogue on this net about dusty scoopable
litter but we use Cat's Pride and it works well.  Lasting Pride is made by 
the same company but we found that not to be too good.

> 2) He loves to stretch on the carpet in our apartment, which of
> course results in little ripping sounds.  There isn't necessarily
> any obvious damage, but he has ripped up one small section of
> carpet directly outside the bedroom door (generally when he's
> trying to wake me up for feeding time).  Would getting him
> a scratching post really help, or will he ignore it?  

Uhm - we have a digger too and she managed to destroy a lot of carpet trying 
to get to us or get out of a closet she inadvertenly got shut in.  They
are mighty determined to get to you at night for some reason so I doubt
a scratching post will help.  She wants you, not to exercise her  claws.  I
might suggest you do not feed them in the am as you will always be awaken
before you want to be.  
> 
> I apologize if these questions have been addressed here many
> times before, but I am new to the group...
> 
> Thanks for any help!!!
> 
> 
> 
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: coimay@sn01.sncc.lsu.edu ( LAURA CARRIERE)
Subject: Kitten cons grown man
Nntp-Posting-Host-[nntpd-22809]: sn01.sncc.lsu.edu
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.3-4   
Reply-To: coimay@sn01.sncc.lsu.edu
Organization: The unofficial LSU news node
Distribution:  world
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 21:46:49 GMT

Just thought I'd tell a happy story about our kitten Frog.  She's the
remaining kitten from Mom's first litter which Mom had in our backyard
when she was a stray.  Since my husband Bob is allergic to cats we'd
been keeping them just until a good home could be found for them. 

Well, Frog is a very good, very smart and very pretty little kitten.
She's mostly grey with symmetrical white markings and she purrs like
a diesel engine.  She stayed inside for two nights during Hurricane
Andrew and behaved herself the whole time.  She also loves to be near
us.  We went away for the weekend and when we came back we were busy
cleaning up after three days with no power.  Frog was banished outside
until we finally finished around 11:00 and we let her in.  She settled
into my lap and we both petted her.  Then Bob went to finish one last
chore.  Frog noticed he was gone, got off my lap, walked to the end of
the couch and peered around looking for Bob.  Bob came back and petted
her and she settled back down.  Bob returned to the kitchen and Frog
got up and peered around the couch again.

This went on for fifteen minutes until Bob was done and sat down with
me on the couch.  Then Frog sat in his lap.  Then she noticed my lap
was empty so she came back to me.  A few minutes later she went back
to Bob's lap.  Every now and again she'd give us a look that said, 
"Sigh.  Two laps and only one kitty."  Eventually she went to sleep
in my lap and the ferocious purring died down.  

The most important part is that after she went to sleep Bob asked,
"How can we keep her?"  So we discussed keeping her out of the bedroom,
bathing her once a month, how to get her to California when we move in
December, how much she'll cost us, who'll feed her and clean the litter
box after she learns (me, of course) and all that fun stuff.  A final
decision hasn't been made, but I'm very hopeful.

All in all I'm quite impressed that this little kitty devised a way to
convince my husband to do what I've been hinting at for two months now.
They really are little heart stealers.

  Laura Carriere
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats