HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: mpmarie@lims02.lerc.nasa.gov (MARIE HUCOVSKY)
Subject: follow up
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: NASA Lewis Research Center
Distribution: usa
Date: 31 Dec 1992 11:36 EST  

There were a couple of postings that I felt I needed to reply to.  One 
person wrote that they presently had seven cats.  She said that every time 
one of the cats had kittens they would keep one of the kittens.  I am sure 
that she is a good parent, but I have to wonder why she never had her cats 
neutered.  There is an extremely serious animal over population problem in 
this country and it is important that people who truly care about these 
animals work to help control and put an end to it.  

Another person wrote that there was a stray living in the area around his 
apartment building and he felt uneasy taking the cat to a shelter.  I can 
understand that right now the cat is alive, happy and healthy (maybe) and 
taking it to a shelter that might destroy it seems cruel.  But please 
consider that this little cat's life will be cut down to maybe 18 months if 
it is left to fend for itself in the world.  It is susceptible to all kinds 
of deadly diseases, it needs to find food and water and learn to avoid cars 
and cruel people.  Not to mention that left un-neutered it will only add 
more and more kittens to the area.  My advice is to take it the a shelter 
and have faith that someone will adopt it and give it a loving home.  If 
you feel so unsure then please please please take it to a vet have it 
neutered and vaccinated and then let it go again.  At least this way the 
cat will have a much better chance at survival.

The only type of person that would allow an animal to ingest a drug like 
LSD is the type that should not be allowed to have pets or children!  Maybe 
the drugs have deteriorated your brain.

Marie
Spike & Harry (drug free cats)
From: spp@zabriskie.berkeley.edu (Steve Pope)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: cat in heat?
Date: 31 Dec 1992 21:18:21 GMT
Organization: U.C. Berkeley -- ERL
NNTP-Posting-Host: zion.berkeley.edu

Joseph.V.Kelly.Jr@dartmouth.edu (Joseph V. Kelly Jr) writes:

>My cat is probably about 9 months old, and she's making funny mewling
>noises,
>is rolling over on the floor, and when I do the ol' *pat the cat on the
>rump so that its hindquarters go up in the air* trick, her haunches
>shoot way up into the air higher than normal. Does this mean my cat is
>in heat?

Yup.  Another sign might be a troop of tomcats circling your
house...

>Anyhow, she's an indoor cat, so I don't have an immediate concerns.

This would then be a really poor time to let her escape
outdoors.  She might be difficult to catch if you do.

Assuming she does not get out, and no tomcats get in, my
understanding (somebody may correct me on this) is that
she will remain in heat indefinitely.

>joe & chloe

Steve
From: syearick@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Sid Yearick)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Post-spaying rejection - by older cat
Date: 22 Dec 92 16:22:02 GMT
Reply-To: syearick@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Sid Yearick)
Followup-To: rec.pets.cats
Organization: Carderock Division, NSWC, Bethesda, MD



Kepurr was an only cat for about a year and then we brought home Muffin
(who was dumped) and needless to say his nose was bent out of shape with
her around.  They started to get along and we took Muffin to have her
spayed.  Kepurr was so loving while Muffin was away for the night.  I 
think he thought he was a number one again.  When we brought Muffing
home he looked at us like "What the hell?"  "I thought you got rid of
her!".  Things did get back to normal (if anything is ever normal at
our house).  Kepurr still thinks he is head of the pride, but Muffin
keeps him in line.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM THE GANG!!!

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
 KEPURR        /|    TEAL      I]   syearick@oasys.dt.navy.mil
            ` o.O '            []   Sid Yearick
 MUFFIN     =(___)=  YOGI      []   David Taylor Model Basin Carderock Division
               U               []   Naval Surface Warfare Center
 TIGGER   ACK!THPTPHH!         []   Bethesda, Maryland 20084-5000
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][]][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: ren@Turing.ORG (Karen Prestemon)
Subject: Re: Should they fight it out?
Organization: The Turing Project, Public Access Internet Host
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 14:06:41 GMT

First we had Black Kitty.  She is now 6 months old.  I guess a month
and a half ago, we aquired Grey Kitty, who is about 4 1/2 months old,
to keep Black Kitty company.  The night I brought Grey Kitty home,
I out him in a separate room in accordance with the FAQ. 

Well, for one thing, Grey Kitty was pretty fast and LOUD!  He banged
his head against the door trying to get out.  He LOVES people, and
when we couldn't spend time with him (ie when we were trying to SLEEP!)
he made a helluva lot of racket.  The other thng was that my husband
kept saying that we should should let them get together and fight it
which was also a migraine!  All that howling and hissing!  Ack!

But people sent me some email with some good suggestions, so I tried
tricking them into being accustomed to each other's company.
I bathed them both in the same cat shampoo, so then they both smelled
the same, and were confused for, oh, about an hour.  Then they went
back to fighting.  The big one (and I feel pretty clever for coming up
with this) was to put masking tape covering both their front paws.\
For three days they wandered around the apartment, a little uncomfortable,
yes, but they couldn't fight.  It was, actually quite hilarious!
One of the kittens would run right up to the other, try to smack the
other cat, and then realize s/he had tape on his/her paws, and then
becom ingrossed in getting the tape of the paw.  AT the end of the
Tap Caper, I fixed them a huge plate of soft food, and set it beofore
them.  They ate without thinking about the other cat, and then
sat ariopund grooming.

After this, peace!  The cats still run around and play fight (I can tell
there is a difference).  Sometimes he'll yowl to tell her that she's
playing too rough.  But they'll nuggle up to each other and lick each
other.  Well, until yesterday when we brought her home from being 
spayed.  He keeps hissing at her, we keep smacking him, but when
she feels better, I'm sure everything will be fine again.

--Karen
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: amo@cbnews.cb.att.com (arlene.m.osborne)
Subject: Re: WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE
Organization: AT&T
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 14:33:17 GMT
Summary: Himmys

Himalayans, without a doubt.  I've got four now, and have had
as many as six.  Great cats, very smart (well, except for one),
friendly and GREAT lap cats.  (In addition to being gorgeous!)


I've also got a Maine Coon who isn't too shabby himself...also
very smart.
Arlene Osborne
From: klier@iscsvax.uni.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Meaning of tabby cats
Date: 23 Dec 92 11:09:29 -0600
Organization: University of Northern Iowa

In article <1992Dec22.231607.22629@tellab5.tellabs.com>, rmd@tellabs.com (Bob Dyas) writes:
> 
> I've read/heard that many/most/all tabbies have what appears to be a
> capital letter M on their forehead.  My cat does.  Is this true for all
> the tabbies out there?

Not all-- Besseya's brother had a solid orange head, but the rest of
his markings were classic bullseye tabby.

The M is supposed to be the mark that the prophet Mohammad puts on
his favorite cats...  Mohammad was so fond of cats that he cut the sleeve
out of his robe rather than disturb a cat that was sleeping on it...

Can't say I'd do the same, but then everything I own has a cat sleeping
on it...       ;-)  8-)

Kay
and Bear, DumDum, Littlecat, Red, Blue, and Besseya (and Max, just
                                                        visiting)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: "doug powless" <doug.powless@canrem.com>
Subject: declaw debate
Reply-To: "doug powless" <doug.powless@canrem.com>
Organization: Canada Remote Systems
Distribution: rec
Date: 2 Jan 93 15:07:34 EST

        Can we PLEASE drop the claw/de-claw debate?  No one's changing
        anyone else's mind, and people are getting bad feelings about
        one another.

        Most of the people I've read in this group are great, and have
        good attitudes (and how not, since we all are owned by cats?),
        and such attitudes are necessary for the betterment of our
        felines.

        Please give it some thought.
---
  1st 1.02b #818  A clean, neat, and orderly desk is a sign of a sick mind.
--
Canada Remote Systems  - Toronto, Ontario
World's Largest PCBOARD System - 416-629-7000/629-7044
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: cldavies@nyx.cs.du.edu (cindy davies)
Subject: Re: Fetch-aholic cat
X-Disclaimer: Nyx is a public access Unix system run by the University
	of Denver for the Denver community.  The University has neither
	control over nor responsibility for the opinions of users.
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix at U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 92 20:26:18 GMT

In article <1992Dec18.135118.18254@schbbs.mot.com> C14383@maccvm.corp.mot.com (Marie Cannizzaro) writes:
>My 5 month old Tonk Sam somehow taught herself fetch be bringing me the
>foam ball one day and since then I am hounded by her to throw the ball
>
 She doesn't play fetch.  You play throw.  The acid test of fetch v. throw is:

Wait until she is doing something else, washing, eating staring into space...

Get the ball.  

Throw the ball and say go get it!  Fetch!  If you can do this on three
different occasions, its fetch and the cat is trained.  If not its "throw"
and you are trained. 
8-) 8-)

I play "throw" very well, just ask Spring.



--

TNSTAAFD -- There's No Such Thing As A Free Dog.

cldavies@silver.sdsmt.edu        cldavies@nyx.cs.du.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: rmilner@zia.aoc.nrao.edu (Ruth Milner)
Subject: Re: Pregnant women/litter question
Reply-To: rmilner@zia.aoc.nrao.edu (Ruth Milner)
Cc: lb04@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu
Organization: National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Socorro NM
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 92 16:46:59 GMT

In article <18717@mindlink.bc.ca> Jack_Webb@mindlink.bc.ca (Jack Webb) writes:
>> Laura Bassi writes:
>>   pregnant women and cat litter.  Apparently, contact w/ cat litter (used,
>> I
>>   assume :), is dangerous to the developing fetus. Anyone hear of anything
>>   about this?  
>
>Yes, there is a danger of pregnant women contracting TOXOPLASMOSIS.  A
>parasite that lives in cat feces can cause it.  

The organism can cause birth defects.  Note that there is a much higher risk 
of contracting it through contact with raw meat. You should retrieve the FAQ 
list and read the section there; it is very informative.

If you have lived with cats for a long time, you have probably already been
exposed to it, had the disease (the symptoms are just like those of a mild
cold), and become immune, in which case you are safe. You can get a blood test 
to check this, although someone posted here a while back that his wife tried 
to do that and the clinic refused. It wasn't clear whether expense or something
else was the reason for that.
-- 
Ruth Milner                          NRAO/VLA                  Socorro NM
Computing Division Head      rmilner@zia.aoc.nrao.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: ccd@ccadfa.cc.adfa.oz.au (Carol C Denehy)
Subject: How many cats?
Organization: None, and I like it like that
Date: Fri, 25 Dec 1992 02:46:55 GMT

This may be common knowledge in the US from other sources, but I
just heard. An article in the 1993 Old Farmer's Almanac tells of
a family in Canada with 640 cats. Yes, 640. The article was
partially funny because of the reaction of the interviewer to
the cats, all of whom are very friendly and soon covered him
in a living cat-fur coat. The husband says when he tries to
watch TV he gets a growing stack of cats in his lap, sometimes
above eye level which makes it hard to see the TV. It costs them
$300 a day to feed them. And they all know their names, it is
claimed.

Gee, and sometimes one is enough. :-)

Carol Denehy
From: dan@msen.com (Dan Sugalski)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Home Alone: for how long?
Date: 22 Dec 1992 02:15:45 GMT
Organization: Msen, Inc. -- Ann Arbor, Michigan
NNTP-Posting-Host: garnet.msen.com
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8]

Jamie J Ferguson (kkv@inel.gov) wrote:
: ...  Our cats are purebred so I think they're a
: little more high-strung than most cats, so hopefully you won't 
: stress your kittens out as much if you do travel.  We were really
: worried about them, and they were just being stupid.  


I doubt that it was because they are purebred.  I've had no problem with
my purebreds or mixedbreeds.  Nor have my friends who travel with cats,
most of whom have both.  Where do you normally take your cats?  How often
are they in the car?  My cats go for rides frequently.  They go on
vacations, to the store and everywhere in between.  

Karen

Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: laurel.schippers@hal9k.ann-arbor.mi.us (Laurel Schippers) 
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: RE: DECLAWING?
Date: 27 Dec 92 22:50:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: HAL 9000, W-NET HQ, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Reply-To: laurel.schippers@hal9k.ann-arbor.mi.us (Laurel Schippers) 

Nope, no hate mail.  Problem is, it's no longer very safe out there
for cats: automobiles, fleas, sadistic kids, big dogs, wild
animals...etcetera.  The average lifespan of an "outdoor" kitty
is something like 18 months.
                                   
----
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Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: jhoskins@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (James M Hoskins)
Subject: Re: favorite cat
Organization: The Ohio State University
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 17:25:15 GMT

In article <C030ID.5wr@news.cso.uiuc.edu> levine@symcom.math.uiuc.edu (Lenore L
evine) writes:

>lydia@tarsal.dsg.ti.com (lydia middendorf ) writes:
>
>>I would like to here stories of how you folks met your kittys.
>
>I was living in an apartment building in Oakland, California. One
>day I heard a kitten squeaking in the hall. I opened the door, she
>walked in, looked around, said to herself, "I see the cats here
>get LOTS to eat!" ...
>
>...and Neek has stayed with me, now, for almost a dozen years!
>
>Lenore Levine


Must be sumptin about those Bay Area Kitties bargin in like that!
When I was a starving art student living in the Tenderloin District
of San Francisco many years ago, I opened the apartment door one fine
morning.  A kitten walked in, looked around, and--basically--refused
to leave. It wasn't long before he persuaded me to offer some milk
and run down to the Chinese store to get him some purina.  He, Eddy,
named for the street he walked in from, never left me.  Possibly my
Bay Area Cat was the cat of my life.



:
From: sstover@sumax.seattleu.edu (   Wilde Dame)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Should they fight it out?
Date: 30 Dec 1992 23:24:45 -0800
Organization: Seattle University
NNTP-Posting-Host: sumax.seattleu.edu

My goodness.  I've had Clio for going on three months now.  When I brought
her home she was barely two months old and Hemingway was six months.  It
took them a night of separation to get used to sharing the apartment and a
week or so to learn to play together and another week or so to learn to
like playing together... it took two months, all told, for Hemingway to
really adjust and get back to normal (he grew up a lot in that first night
and refused to play fetch with me for weeks), but they are the best of
friends now and I think getting Clio was the best decision (petwise,
anyway) I've ever made.

For the first few weeks, while Clio was still very tiny, I occasionally
intervened with the squirt bottle if she started crying when she and
Hemingway were wrestling, but I definitely let them duke it out.  You'd be
amazed at how well Clio held her own, and at how really disconcerting it
was for Hemingway to have a toy that swatted back.  They now have a very
natural pecking order, including first-at-the-fresh-water and computer lap
time privileges, and I feel I've done as little as possible to influence
that.  Seemed to help them become friends, and better friends too.

Best of luck!

-- 
       Sheryl Stover  %  If you ask me what I have come to do in the world,
  & Hemingway & Clio  %  I who am an artist, I will reply: "I am here to
sstover@seattleu.edu  %  live aloud."                    -Emile Zola
From: hannah@pomponio.ai.sri.com (Marsha Jo Hannah)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Christmas puns?
Date: 22 Dec 92 20:57:28 GMT
Organization: SRI International, Menlo Park, CA
In-reply-to: sjs@naucse.cse.nau.edu's message of 22 Dec 92 18:23:05 GMT

In article <6178@naucse.cse.nau.edu> sjs@naucse.cse.nau.edu (Susan Starr) writes:

   I remember a few weeks ago someone posted some puns of Christmas
   greetings that used animal names.

The version I recall is one that I saw on a coffee mug last year:

      Wee fish ewe a mare egrets moose panda hippo gnu deer!

Happy holidays!

Marsha Jo Hannah
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: lhuffman@stsci.edu
Subject: Re: What's Your Favorite Kind of Cat?
Organization: Space Telescope Science Institute
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 02:51:23 GMT

> 
>> I was wondering---what's your favorite kind of cat?  Siamese, Persian,
>> Tomcat, Rex?
>> 
> 
> The two I have now.... The brothers are DSH police cats. One sits on my
> lap now, pinning my left arm down. Who could ask for more?
> 
> --
> Jerry Gaiser (jerryg@jaiser.rain.com)              (voice) 503-359-4017


Ho ho ha ha hee hee. 
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: morin@noao.edu (Meg Morin)
Subject: Re: cats and sneezing
Organization: National Optical Astronomy Observatories, Tucson AZ
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 18:06:08 GMT

In article <1992Dec31.014625.15473@wam.umd.edu> tara@wam.umd.edu (Tara) writes:
>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

Tara - I believe all cats are 'odd' in their own way. It's
called "personality".

When you sneeze, I bet Persy is just expressing concern for
your health (maybe it's cat-talk for 'Bless You") :-)
Next time you sneeze and she comments, say "Thank you".

Just my $.02

Meg (Chessie & Peeper)

-- 
   The Seeker	| I once wanted to save the world ... 
morin@noao.edu	| now I just want to leave the room with some dignity.  
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: rtong@deimos.ads.com (Richard Tong)
Subject: Would a third cat help?
Organization: Advanced Decision Systems, Mountain View, CA 94043, +1 (415)
	960-7300
Distribution: rec.pets.cats
Date: Sat, 2 Jan 1993 18:55:22 GMT

We have two cats: "But" an organge male tabby we got from the shelter
about 4.5 years ago and "Hero" a male simaese mix my wife found as a stray
near her office about 3 years ago. Both are neutered and both are
inside/outside cats.

We acquired Hero shortly after But's brother "Ben" was killed, and
although Hero and But have never been friends they've mostly tolerated
each other. Increasingly though Hero has developed a tendency to chase
But and if he catches him they really do seem to fight. This has always
been a concern but in the last few months both of them have come home
with bite wounds. I have no evidence that they were caused by each
other, but it seems like a strong possibility.

So the question to the net is how to change this situation. Should we
get another cat/kitten to try and change the dynamics of the situation?
Should we attempt to find another home for Hero? - he's very friendly
and playful, and a very handsome animal. Or has anyone had any
experience with professional animal therapists?

Any thoughts, comments, suggestions are welcome.

Best wishes for the New Year to everyone and their feline companions.

Richard
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: ccd@ccadfa.cc.adfa.oz.au (Carol C Denehy)
Subject: Re: Licking soap
Organization: None, and I like it like that
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 01:15:08 GMT

In article <1992Dec11.160943.14598@rtsg.mot.com> ederpc@rtsg.mot.com (Pamela C. Eder) writes:
>Tyson likes licking your hair.  Not just plain hair, but hair coated with
>hairspray.  He thrives on the stuff.  Two of my mom's cats also lick
>hairspray.  Talk about strange.  :-)
>
>How many of your felines, like licking or chewing on hair covered with
>hairspray??
>
>--Pamela, Ruggles, Tyson, Scooter & Hobbes
>
>-- 
>   Pamela C. Eder                   Due to budget cuts, the light at the end   
>   ederpc@void.rtsg.mot.com         of the tunnel has been turned off. Thank
>   Motorola, Inc.                   you for your cooperation. 

Emma liked to chew on my hair after I got a perm. She only got close
when I was getting ready to go to sleep at night and then she would
chew on freshly permed hair. Proabably not very good for her...

Carol Denehy
From: tim.burton@cutting.hou.tx.us (Tim Burton) 
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: A moral dilemma
Date: 2 Jan 93 03:33:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: The Cutting Edge - Houston, TX - 713-466-1525
Reply-To: tim.burton@cutting.hou.tx.us (Tim Burton) 

JL.Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
  .From: jkl@fsl.noaa.gov (Jennifer Longstaff)
  .Subject: Re: A moral dilemma
  .Organization: Forecast Systems Lab, NOAA - Boulder CO, USA
  .Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 17:34:15 GMT
  .Lines: 21

JL.   Wilde Dame (sstover@sumax.seattleu.edu) wrote:
:>: [story about stray cats being fed by lots of people and surviving
:>:  just fine on the streets ...]
:>:
:>: Any of these animals, as I observe them, would be stifled by a
:>: single-owner, designated-home environment such as the one they would
:>: likely be forced into by a shelter.  The streets are no place for kittens
:>: who may have trouble defending themselves, but these adult cats have grown
:>: accustomed to their present way of life and I would feel as though I had
:>: patronized and betrayed them if I was responsible for their loss of
:>: freedom.  My policy, and my advice, is to help the cats who need help, and
:>: simply enjoy those who are managing for themselves. :)

JL.I don't have any trouble with adult cats getting along by themselves "in
  .the urban wild", but the big problem with our promoting this, and not
  ."turning them in" to the shelter is that those streetwise strays *WILL* come
  .in heat and they *WILL* have kittens.  I think we've got to make some
  .attempt to keep cat over-population down by adopting these cats and at least
  .having them neutered/spayed!

 
    I agree 100%!  We need more people like you out in the world.  
Most cats can fend for themselves, and just they do not need to keep 
having kittens.  I think that all cats, unless they are going to be 
mated so that the kittens are for sell, should be neutered/spayed.  
Same goes for dogs too.  

  - Tim 
    Internet: Tim.Burton@Cutting.hou.tx.us
---
 . 1st 1.01 #1199s . You're never a loser until you quit trying.
                                                                                                             
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Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats