HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: ac94691@dunix.drake.edu (The Dark Kitty)
Subject: Re: Am I a bad cat owner??
Organization: Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, USA
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 19:47:50 GMT

In article <1992Nov18.165206.3799@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> ses3n@fermi.clas.Virginia.EDU (Sharon Elizabeth Silverman) writes:
>
>The best way to get a cat to quit biting / scratching you is to
>make pathetic whimpering sounds when they attack. They look at 
>you with utter scorn - "You wimp!" - but they do quit.
>					Sharon
>				

Hmmm....  I guess I've always tried to BE that big ugly distorted cat
for Snoopy the fully siamese.  My parents (Snoopy was got for my mom)
in their infinite wisdom (not) had him declawed on all fours.  Guess
they wanted furniture that purrs or something.

Anyway, ever since Snoopy was a kitty he and I have rough housed like
you wouldn't believe.  He jumps on the bed, I grab him and start
spinning him all over the place, he gnaws on me the whole time.  His
little feet are utterly ineffective, so he gnaws.  Never does any
damage, just makes little red marks all over my arm.

In essence, snoopy and I play very aggressively with each other (though
I'm careful not to be too rough with him), so I guess I'm not a wimp
to him.  If I leave the room he'll come follow and try to play more
or jump on my lap when I sit down.  Basically, I just be another cat
and direct his biting play into areas that I don't mind.  

As for the pathetic wimpering...the only time I've gotten a visible
reaction from Snoopy was one night I was totally devastated about 
something I'd rather not talk about.  Being a REAL man =-), I'm not
afraid to admit that I was crying.  Snoops absolutely freaked.  His
fur went up, he approached cautiously, kinda poked me with a paw a
bit and then started licking my face.  Needless to say, this all made
me feel alot better.

The wimpering routine would probably work but cats aren't stupid and 
you'd probably have to put some feeling into it I'd guess.

Anthony

Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: violet@crchh342.BNR.CA (Debbie Nunn)
Subject: Need "attractive" cover for toilet-paper
Reply-To: violet@crchh342.BNR.CA (Debbie Nunn)
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd.
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 20:01:03 GMT

Could someone refer me to a national chain or mail-order
company that carries "attractive" covers to go over hanging
toilet-paper?

Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: daj8m@poe.acc.Virginia.EDU (Deirdre A. Johnson)
Subject: Re: strange hairless circles on my cats
Organization: University of Virginia
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 17:13:50 GMT

Hi Pablo, Twyla and cats!

My cat, Tuesday Molly, just developed a hairless patch like this.
I was a bit worried, so I took her to the Vet, who told me it might be
ringworm.  I'm supposed to watch her for a week to see if the
hair starts growing back.  If it doesn't, I'm supposed to go back
to the vet and get some medicine for her, which will get rid of 
the problem.  My vet told me it's liable to be ringworm if: 1. there
isn't any sign of redness or irritation, as there would be with
bugbites or skin disease. 2. the hair doesn't grow back.  Evidently,
cats can get ringworm from each other, and can even give it to people
(though I don't think this is common).  So it's good to treat it and
get rid of it if you can.  Good luck! and let me know how you do.

                                              -Deirdre (daj8m@viginia.edu)
From: jm012b@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Jeffrey P. Moon)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Other Monsters
Date: 20 Nov 92 13:38:37 GMT
Organization: University of Rochester - Rochester, New York

In <69878@cup.portal.com> bobschulien@cup.portal.com (Robert John Schulien) writes:

>I've prowled around in this group for quite some time now, but this thread
>is too much for me to stand by any longer.

>Gross alert!  Gross alert!  From this point, the article degenerates
>significantly.  Proceed at your own risk and hold on to those arm rests,
>please.

>Nowadays around Chicago, IL, the weather is turning colder.  My nose
>complains to me and makes me go into the bathroom, blow my nose, and toss
>the kleenex into the toilet.  Big mistake.  Six month old KC cat-face makes
>his hourly rounds of the house checking for any menacing threats to our
>safety and brings them to my attention.  Twice now he has plucked the
>horrible jellyfish out of the bowl, mauled it, and then pranced into the
>living room with his head up high (prize in mouth, of course) for all to
>see.  Augh!  Twice again, I have burst out of my recliner, legs working
>before I hit the floor, after him.  Damn, cats are fast.  Eventually,
>after looking in his hiding places, I manage to return the jellyfish's
>remains back to where they belong and return to my chair.  Yuck!

>Bob Schulien      bobschulien@cup.portal.com

Well, how about flushing the bowl?

Jeffrey Moon
University of Rochester
New York
From: kimd@gizmo.usc.edu (Kim Daugherty)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: cat shows
Date: 18 Nov 1992 18:54:46 -0800
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Distribution: ca
NNTP-Posting-Host: gizmo.usc.edu


If anybody has information on upcoming cat shows in the So. CA area, could you
please post it?  I've never attended one and am very curious about them.
-- 
+---------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Kim Daugherty                   | PhD program in Computer Science   |
| kimd@gizmo.usc.edu              | University of Southern California |
+---------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
Organization: University of Illinois at Chicago
Date: Thursday, 19 Nov 1992 15:38:22 CST
From: <U58549@uicvm.uic.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: cats&music (was other mo

I have a friend whose cat hates it when she plays the harmonica--he attacks her
 head. My own cat really seems to enjoy Louis Armstrong.
From: mas@calmasd.Prime.COM (Marisa SorBello)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: my cat throws up too much...
Date: 19 Nov 92 20:21:21 GMT
Organization: Computervision, San Diego, CA

In article <4308@cvbnetPrime.COM> miarrobi@cvbnet.prime.com writes:
>
>The amount of vomiting you describe does not sound normal so I would definately
>take your cat to the vet to be checked.

I didn't see the original post, so I don't know how much your cat is
vomiting, but I second the opinion.  Sachia threw up around 3-4 times
a week the better part of last year, and the vet couldn't find any
reason until she tested Sachia's white count.  It was pretty bad, so
antibiotics were prescribed.  Sachia finished the drugs on Jan. 3 of
this year, and has only thrown up twice since (and she has very long
hair, which she is constantly grooming).

Good luck with your kitty.

-- Marisa

Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: levine@symcom.math.uiuc.edu (Lenore Levine)
Subject: Re: Welcome to the First Cat (Socks)
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 15:20:04 GMT

jm012b@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Jeffrey P. Moon) writes:

>Anthony, I think that you are full of shit.

>The Bush family is well-knit, close, and strongly bond. Barbara and George
>have been wonderful parents and grandparents. I'm sorry if you wouldn't date
>anyone in their family; come to think of it, none of them would probably
>want to date you. If I remember correctly, I have subscribed to a newsgroup
>on cats. Let's stick to cat discussion.

>Oh, one more point. You said that they appear to be a more familiar
>families. I don't understand; do families where the father or mother have
>outside affairs considered normal? Oh, it hurts, doesn't it Anthony?

>Jeffrey Moon
>University of Rochester
>New York

There's just as much evidence that Bush has had outside affairs as
Clinton...

Basically, no one is going to *get* to be president unless they
want power as much as a cat wants food. And this is not going
to be a normal person, and not a person with a normal family life...

Now let's get back to cats, please...
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: jonb@Ingres.COM (Jon Berger)
Subject: Re:  Weird cat treats
Reply-To: jonb@ingres.com
Organization: Ingres, an ASK Company
Distribution: na
Date: 18 Nov 92 17:36:13 GMT

In article <1992Nov18.110614.1@stsci.edu>, hagel@stsci.edu writes:
>...Anyone else have an
>alcoholic cat? :) 

My friend Claire's cat Toby used to take little sips of Scotch from her
glass.  He only liked Laphroaig, though; wouldn't touch Famous Grouse or
Chivas.  (In all fairness, she never tried him on any other single malt.)

I realize this wasn't all that good for him, but he doesn't seem to have
suffered any ill effects.  Claire hasn't been buying Laphroaig since
it went up to $35 a bottle (and neither am I ... <sniffle>), so Toby's
safely on the wagon now.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
   -__ __ /_   Jon Berger              "If you push something hard enough,
  //_// //_/   jonb@ingres.com          it will fall over."
_/ ---------                              - Fudd's First Law of Opposition
From: deeds@oracle (Deanna J. Deeds)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: cats&music (was other mo
Date: 17 Nov 92 19:18:06 GMT
Reply-To: deeds@solaria.hac.com
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]

John Seboldt (John.Seboldt@f31.n282.z1.tdkt.kksys.com) wrote:
: 
: One of our cats will respond to the sounds of a recorder (end-blown flute) 

My big kitty runs away when I play my recorder (or clarinet or guitar
for that matter).  But she's basically a scaredy-cat.  I haven't tried 
it out on the new kitten yet...
--
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Deanna J. Deeds                                        deeds@solaria.hac.com
From: tim.burton@cutting.hou.tx.us (Tim Burton) 
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Declawing
Date: 22 Nov 92 01:05:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: The Cutting Edge - Houston, TX - 713-466-1525
Reply-To: tim.burton@cutting.hou.tx.us (Tim Burton) 

CD.A couple of days ago, I wrote saying that I was 'for' declawing.  I want to
  .clarify that statement.  I am not 'for' it, I am just not 'against' it.
  .It's one of those personal decisions you have to make, and it seems to be as
  .big of an issue as abortion; you are either pro-declaw, or pro-claw!
  .Didn't mean to sound like I think it's GREAT for the cat.  Seeing how long it
  .has taken my Chelsea to heal, I realize it is pretty much major surgery!
  .Marti

 
  I had my cat declawed, and it only took him a few days to really get 
over it.  He was most upset by the wierd feeling of his paws being 
shaved.  I really did not have a choice as for declawing him....since 
he would not stop climbing the curtains.  He has gotten over it since 
then.  It really comes down to if you plan to keep your cat strickly 
indoors or not.  I made the decision to keep mine indoors, since I 
have had two of my past outdoor cats ran over. :(  I guess you could 
call me pro-declaw! :)  .


   - Tim
     Internet address: Tim.Burton@cutting.hou.tx.us
---
 . 1st 1.01 #1199s . You're only young once.  You're immature forever.
From: bobschulien@cup.portal.com (Robert John Schulien)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re:  Other Monsters
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 92 20:40:50 PST
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
  <1992Nov14.045630.5274@athena.cs.uga.edu>
  <16NOV199214391955@nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov>

I've prowled around in this group for quite some time now, but this thread
is too much for me to stand by any longer.

Gross alert!  Gross alert!  From this point, the article degenerates
significantly.  Proceed at your own risk and hold on to those arm rests,
please.

Nowadays around Chicago, IL, the weather is turning colder.  My nose
complains to me and makes me go into the bathroom, blow my nose, and toss
the kleenex into the toilet.  Big mistake.  Six month old KC cat-face makes
his hourly rounds of the house checking for any menacing threats to our
safety and brings them to my attention.  Twice now he has plucked the
horrible jellyfish out of the bowl, mauled it, and then pranced into the
living room with his head up high (prize in mouth, of course) for all to
see.  Augh!  Twice again, I have burst out of my recliner, legs working
before I hit the floor, after him.  Damn, cats are fast.  Eventually,
after looking in his hiding places, I manage to return the jellyfish's
remains back to where they belong and return to my chair.  Yuck!

Bob Schulien      bobschulien@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: amd@ghost.mit.edu (Ann M. Davis)
Subject: scratching post - finally it's done!
Organization: MIT Center for Space Research
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 17:15:40 GMT



There was a conversation a couple of months ago about making 
scratching posts.  I finally finished mine, so I thought I
would let all those would-be builders know how it went.  It
wasn't as easy as I thought it would be, but definitely better
than shelling out $100 - $200 for one from the pet store.

materials:

	2    2'x 2'x 3/4" sheets of plywood.		$9
	1    8' fence rail	                        $3
        4    50' coils 3/4" sisal rope                  $16

					      total:   $28


     I got all this stuff at Grossman's.  The rope was a little
hard to come by.  A lot of places had 1/4" rope, but this was
the only place I found 3/4".  Carpet scraps and hardware came
from my father, as well as the circular saw to cut up the fence rail.

I cut up the fence rail into  3' and 3 1/2' lengths. (that's 1.5' left
over)  I wrapped the rope around the posts, it took just about 100'/post.

I nailed the plywood together for a nice sturdy 1.5" base.  I ended
up using 3 screws (really long) to hold each post in. ( this step
implies a drill).   The carpet is just tacked on, and I used some
of the leftover rope on the base to give the kitty a horizontal
scratching surface.  Dad had a scrap piece of wood that I used
for a platform on the taller post.  I just put carpet on the top
of that, and am planning on screwing an eye bolt into the underside
for kitty toys.

   
The final post has two pillars, on the diagonal of the base, one with
a platform on top.  The kitty was climbing all over it before it was
put together, so I'm calling it a success.

If you have the proper tools, it isn't that hard to do.  It took me
a while because dad's workshope is about 30 miles away, so I would only
work on it an hour or two at a time.  I would estimate maybe 10 - 15 hours
worth of work.


	Later

	Ann

--

Ann M. Davis
amd@space.mit.edu			 "Choose your battles wisely"
MIT Center for Space Research
From: SPOLINS@auvm.american.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Feline Hierarchies
Date: 16 Nov 92 19:10:15 GMT
Article-I.D.: auvm.92321.141016SPOLINS
Distribution: na
Organization: The American University - University Computing Center


I have two seven year old spayed female cats who are not related.  They
do have an established hierarchy, or rather several, depending on the
activity.  Piper is top cat when it comes to sleeping in our bed or
sitting in the window next to the bird feeder.  Tumi will move if Piper wants
one of those spots.  If Piper is already there Tumi approaches carefully to
see if she will be tolerated.   When it comes to food Tumi is the top cat and
Piper lets her have the first bowl of food to be filled.  Of course Tumi
outweighs Piper.
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: scarr@kean.ucs.mun.ca
Subject: Did Socks Inhale?
Organization: Memorial University. St.John's Nfld, Canada
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 16:23:55 GMT

In article <1992Nov19.130336.4147@memstvx1.memst.edu>, nvonstein@memstvx1.memst.edu writes:
> In article <1992Nov19.134747.14109@gvl.unisys.com>, martha@gvlf7-o.gvl.unisys.com (Martha Sherman) writes:
>> 
>> 
>> This is from this morning's Phila. Inquirer  (11/19/92).  I thought it was
>> rather humorous:  (please excuse my typos, I don't have a scanner;
>> paraphrased without permission...)
>> 
>> 
>> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> President-elect Bill Clinton is furious at news photographers for luring
>> Socks, his daughter's cat, into camera range after he gave the press specific
>> orders to lay off the cat.
>> 
>> One Clinton staffer said the offenders used a form of catnip to lure Socks
>> outside the gates of the Arkansas Gov's Mansion.


>> 
The important question, of course, is Did Socks Inhale?

Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: daj8m@poe.acc.Virginia.EDU (Deirdre A. Johnson)
Subject: Re: Orson thinks he's Tom Cruise
Organization: University of Virginia
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 23:43:53 GMT

Yes!  Tuesday Molly loves to slide on my rug AND she usually does it
when I'm not there!  Of course, she's a lot smaller than Orson -a little
over half his size, actually- AND I live in a really tiny apartment, so
she can't make the rug slide more than a foot or so in any direction.
That may explain why she prefers other games when I'm home, like "fetch"
with magazine inserts, or chase the cat dancer, or leap-to-the-top-of-
the-wardrobe-in-the-dark-hallway-and-lurk there-til Deirdre goes by-and
ATTACK!  Oh Dear! I just noticed I'm making TM sound positively devilish,
when really she's a very sweet-natured animal....Ah well,....devilish
too, of course (aren't we all)?

By the way, Jeremy I wanted to tell you, I LOVE your computer drawings!
I printed "Wild at Heart !!!" to send my (computerless) sister.
Is it a portrait?  Is Orson round like that? Like Orson Wells?
Anyway, GREAT drawing! Thanks!

                                -Deirdre (daj8m@Virginia.edu)
From: spp@zabriskie.berkeley.edu (Steve Pope)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Neutering question
Date: 17 Nov 1992 00:14:32 GMT
Organization: U.C. Berkeley -- ERL
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: zion.berkeley.edu

>I think (you'll correct me if I am wrong I am sure) but there is a BIG
>difference between the amount of money to "fix" a cat and the amount of money
>necessary to repair a broken hip. 

Yes, but the vets are working on that one...

>Also your income should be part of your
>decision on whether to get a pet and if so what kind of pet. Cats and dogs
>often require a substantial monetary committment. 

I don't think a person of modest means should be dissuaded from keeping
a cat just because of the outside chance of a huge expense.  A young
cat is usually a fairily low-cost pet.  The startup cost -- worming,
initial shots, fixing -- is about $60 for a male cat and $100 for a
female.  After that, about $30 a year for shots.  You should learn how
to clean wounds yourself, otherwise you will end up paying vets for
cleaning abcesses.

Assuming you can handle the above, you are financially qualified
to keep a cat.

It would be sad indeed if an unexpected expense arises and
you simply can't pay for it... but look at it this way:
assuming you got your cat from the pound, it was about to
be put down anyway, so you've already saved its life once.

A dog is another story -- ANY dog will cost several times the amounts 
I just mentioned.

Steve
From: klier@iscsvax.uni.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Cats & dog
Date: 18 Nov 92 15:19:19 -0600
Organization: University of Northern Iowa

Well, the cats and I moved to a new home, with a resident cocker spaniel and
small boy.  The kittens think they've gone to heaven now that they've
gotten used to being stepped on, held down and slurped by Hoover, and
run to Hoover's crate whenever they manage to escape from the Keeper of
the Cats.  Bear, DumDum and Little are less sanguine about 35 lbs of
bouncing spaniel, but DumDum is beginning to think  he might be an OK
playmate.

Hoover thinks he's in heaven when he finds an unguarded kitty 
crunchie on the floor... 8-)  Now I _know_ how he got his name--
I may never need to sweep up around the food bowls again!

I hung a big bamboo bowl (ca.  2 ft diam) in a plant hanger, about 3 
feet off the floor, so that the cats could have an escape spot.  The 
older cats aren't about to get into a hiding place that moves, but the
three remaining kittens are entranced with it.    They jump in and out
and set it swinging, or climb the hanger so they can nibble at the 
frayed end of the knot.  It's pretty funny -- looks like a kitten
version of "sailors in the rigging in heavy seas".  

Chris (7) was raised with dogs, so he's used to being around animals, 
but this is his first experience with kittens, so he's over in my part
of the house whenever possible.  "Can I borrow a kitten?  Am I ever
going to see Little Cat?"    In fact, I've had to start giving 
Hoover some extra attention-- he's a bit jealous of all the play
Chris is lavishing on the kittens.

Still no "real names" for the three remaining kittens.  At the moment,
they are (sorta kinda) answering to Trouble, RottenCat and Tailbiter.

Kay
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: kilroy@netcom.com (Jeffrey S. Shulman)
Subject: Re: Cat's vision
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1992 22:25:05 GMT

raj@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Bob Jewett) writes:

>Aha, but I know where to ask...I hope.  So what say ye?  Do cats see in
>living color or just black and white?

According to "Know Your Cat" by Bruce Fogle, D.V.M. cats see green and blue
but not red.

>Thanks.  You all are going to make Dad look smart again!

Anytime!

>Bob
-- 
Jeff Shulman
kilroy@netcom.com
From: 00kacohn@leo.bsuvc.bsu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Names
Date: 19 Nov 92 20:14:26 GMT
Organization: Ball State University, Muncie, In - Univ. Computing Svc's


     Yes, I think it is quite normal for a cat to develop "more names than a
Russian novel"; after all, don't well-loved children often have many nicknames?
One of my cats, Savannah, has a similar list:

1. Savanny
2. Redhead
3. The Marmalade Miaow
4. Rotkopfchen (sp?) ("redhead" in German)
5. Flirt
6. Redheaded Flirt
7. Burbleflirt
8. Georgia Peach
9. Girl Scout Cookie
10. Savann

   As you can probably tell from the list, she is a flirtatious maramlade
tabby.

Casey
From: jm012b@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Jeffrey P. Moon)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Cat out of control!
Date: 20 Nov 92 13:36:58 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Rochester - Rochester, New York

In <1992Nov20.030759.14560@lclark.edu> larryw@sun.lclark.edu (Larry Westdahl) writes:

>There is a lovely cat living in my apartment, but she does two things that
>drive me up the wall.  First, she does not eat out of her bowl.  She ficks 
>the pieces of dry food on to the floor and then eats some of it, leaving the
>rest all over the place.  Second, when I come home from work, I can't walk
>across the room without the cat running in front of my feet.  I nearly
>trip over every time, and I'm afraid I'm going to step on her one of 
>these days.  Now, I know that cats only do what they want to do, and that
>I'd have better luck trying to squeeze water from a rock than I would 
>trying to train her to do anything.  So, what do I do????

>- Lawrence

I don't think that you have anything to worry about. Some cats (like mine)
like to eat their food off the floor or as close to it as possible. Boots
does the same thing that your cat does, and she does it with both moist and
dry food. Try putting the food on a placemat or cloth so that most of it
will stay on there and not on the floor of that room. Also, cats that are
really attracted to their owners will follow them around. When you return
home, they are happy to see you back home and want to run up and "hug" you.
So they come right up to you and begin to nuzzle. If you stomp some with
your feet when you come in (like you were pounding snow off), the cat may
become a bit cautious; it doesn't like to be stepped on. Just ask Coots;
many times he will be walking up right behind us, we don't see him, we turn
around, put our foot down right on him, and get the loudest noise known to
man (it also doesn't help that he is a Siamese, who naturally are very
loud).

Good luck, and don't worry; your cat is just as neurotic as any other cat.

Jeffrey Moon
University of Rochester
New York
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats