HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: olsenc@stein2.u.washington.edu (Clint Olsen)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Help with new kitty needed...
Date: 25 Jan 1993 05:16:22 GMT
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: stein2.u.washington.edu

Hello:

I just adopted my first kitty from a lady named Pat, who lives
in the South Seattle area.  She rescues cats, dogs, and the like
from abuse, abondonment, etc.

The particular kitty I have is a 3-1/2 months old whose
mother was rescued by Pat.  I'm not sure whether or not she had 
the kittens outside her home.  I only know that Pat kept the litter 
and had knowledge of my kitty's mom.

Anyway, I brought my cat home in one of those carrier things on
Saturday around 2:00pm, and she's been freaked ever since.  I am
aware that cats are really pissy during a relocation, but it's been
well over 24 hours and she's refused to eat anything since she's
been here.  We are worried that she's so stressed out that she doesn't
feel like eating.

Before I got the cat, I knew that this one was a little skittish.  When
coming to visit the cat, Pat had to catch it in advance because it was
afraid of strangers.

After we got the cat home, she wouldn't get out of the carrier.  We 
thought it would be good for the cat to roam around a little, so we
picked it up and brought it out of the cage.  As we expected, the cat
was trembling with fear.  It immediately ran around the bedroom, looking
for a place to hide.  Eventually,  it found it's way under the stereo
cabinet and stayed there until nightime.  Then, it got out and whined
all night (until 6:00am) and went back under the cabinet for all of
today.  Last night, it did use the kitty box, crapped on our carpet and
drank some water.  I was also able to pet it, but is was still scared
and after I went to bed, it whined again.  I was not able to pick it
up.  Pat figures that it is having problems dealing with the fact that
it doesn't have any playmates any longer.

My questions are:

1)  Is this kind of behavior to be expected?  I'm worried that it will
    avoid all personal contact and hide every day.

2)  Is there anything I can do to ease the cat into it's new home (and
    ease the strain on me)?

Any advice would be deeply appreciated.

Please email.

-Clint
From: amanda@rana.usc.edu (Amanda Bischoff)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Cute Story
Date: 28 Jan 1993 14:07:33 -0800
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: rana.usc.edu

I just spoke with my father on the phone, and he told me this one.  My
father has three office cats (strays which he adopted and had fixed :) )
which roam about the warehouse, keeping his stock free of mice, bugs, etc.
My father has a can of Pounce treats, which he keeps on his desk.  Well,
this morning when my father walked into the office he found Blackie inside.
Blackie had managed to pry off the top of the can, and was digging his
paw inside, fishing out one treat at a time, and then  bringing them
straight to his mouth!

Amanda

From: adw@otter.hpl.hp.com (Dave Wells)
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 15:25:21 GMT
Subject: Re: Giving Pills to our Fuzzy Friends
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Laboratories, Bristol, UK.
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats

We entrusted our four furry monsters to a friend when we were on holiday
last year. Our tiny (7 lbs.) but perfectly-formed blue tabby point Birman
Octavia needed antibiotics during our absence. She HATES having pills and
is a real handful despite her diminuitive size. If wrapped in a towel to
avoid flailing claws, she becomes the world's first "headless cat" and one
ends up searching amongst a jungle of white fluff for the muzzle, ears,
eyes etc. that surely must be in there somewhere. If you actually get the
pill in, she will go beserk rather than swallow it - frothing wildly at the
mouth at the same time. (The other three are much, much easier to dose).

One morning Dan, the long suffering catsitter, was late to work and decided
to skip the towel business. He stuffed Octavia up his thick woolly jumper
with her little head sticking out of the neck (along with his) and clasped
her tightly to his chest. While he was groping for the pill, there was a
vigorous scuffling inside the jumper and suddenly she was free. He was
baffled as to how she had wriggled out so quickly until a closer
examination of the jumper revealed a newly-clawed aperture abut 6 inches
long under one armpit...

However, we've since discovered that 'taves adores bacon fat, which happens
to be an excellent material for wrapping pills. Problem solved. ("Jack
Sprat would eat no fat, his cat would eat no lean")

Dave
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: daj8m@poe.acc.Virginia.EDU (Deirdre A. Johnson)
Subject: Re: Garrison Keillor's "Cats Credo"
Organization: University of Virginia
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 17:27:27 GMT

Thanks, Katrina!  That was fun!

I heard this poem on the radio months ago (in November) and I enjoyed it
vastly, but I couldn't quite manage to remember it, except for a bit or
piece here or there.  I've been wishing ever since that I could get a
copy to read.

Thanks again for posting this!  I've printed out a copy for all my
cat-loving, but net-less, friends and relatives...

                                 -Deirdre (daj8m@Virginia.edu)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: lhuffmanp@stsci.edu
Subject: Re: Giving Pills to our Fuzzy Friends
Organization: Space Telescope Science Institute
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 19:34:29 GMT

In article <C1Iv1J.Gs1@news.cso.uiuc.edu>, levine@symcom.math.uiuc.edu (Lenore Levine) writes:
> akropf@mariner.amc.edu.au (Anneliese Kropf) writes:
> 
>>>So fellow cat people, IS THERE A BETTER WAY TO GIVE PILLS TO
>>CATS?Anneliese Kropf
> 
> Once the cat gets the idea she's going to get a treat after she
> swallows that pill, she'll swallow it quite willingly.
> 
> (At least my black cat learned this...)

Yes, this is true. It made my life simpler for three out of my five. The other
two (former street cats) just do not trust you when your mouth or your hand
offers sweet nothings. So... I vary the time I give the pills, to reduce the
wariness, and take out the pills after I've caught them, so no one gets a 
warning and runs. 

I love the confusion on their faces when they're not sure they got 'pilled' or 
not, since the treat was so enjoyable. They can't decide to like me or leave
me.
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: fahn@Xenon.Stanford.EDU (Paul Fahn)
Subject: Re: Twitching kitty?
Organization: Computer Science Department, Stanford University.
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 23:00:10 GMT

In article <1993Jan26.193449.12819@viewlogic.com> greg@mobius.viewlogic.com (Gregory Larkin) writes:
>
>Hi there,
>
>I was wondering about something that our cat (Morsel) 
>does after he has been asleep for a while.  He will
>be laying in my lap sleeping for a bit, then he will
>begin to twitch.  His feet will start moving a little,
>then maybe his whiskers and ears.  Every now and
>then, he'll jerk his whole body violently enough to
>wake himself up!
>
>After he wakes up, he looks at me as if to say "Why
>did you do that??"!  Is this something to be concerned
>about?  Anyone else seen this behavior?
>

Yes: he's dreaming. If the feet are twitching it means he's running in 
his dream. 

Paul
From: 00cmmiller@leo.bsuvc.bsu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: re: cats need new home
Date: 26 Jan 93 20:06:49 GMT
Organization: Ball State University, Muncie, In - Univ. Computing Svc's

dear david livigni:
you said yourself that your fiance is a cold-hearted bitch.  that doesn't
sound good to me.  how can you think of spending the REST OF YOUR LIFE
with a cold-hearted bitch?!  i don't get it.  i'm sorry, but no matter
how lonely i am, i will NOT be with an animal-hater.  i saw a couple of
your last posts and keeping those cats in the basement is cruel.  do you
think they're happy in there?  your most recent post made me really sad.
you obviously love those animals very much.  you're going to be miserable
if you give them up!  why can't she compromise?  marriage is filled 
with compromise; if she won't be civil about the cats, what else will
she be a cold-hearted bitch about?  no one else can give your kitties the
love you can.  no one knows them the way you do.  i had to give up a 
dog last year and i still hate myself, even though i know he's happier
on a farm than my little apartment.  i keep thinking that his new owners
don't do the same things i used to do and they don't know all the 
things that make him happy.
anyway,  i think you should really talk to her.  if she doesn't care
that this is making you unhappy, is she really the person you want
to spend the rest of your life with?  and i'm not saying these 
things because i think cats are more important than people.  if
she DOESN'T CARE that you're unhappy, if she WON'T COMPROMISE, 
then she'll be this way about EVERYTHING, not just your kitties.
enough of my tangent.  does anyone agree or disagree with what
i've said?  david needs some advice and a lot of support.

candace miller
department of psychology, ball state university

*my opinions belong to ME*
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: jil@uts.uucp (Jamie Lubin)
Subject: Re: Sliding Closet Doors...
Organization: Bellcore, Piscataway, NJ
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 93 19:08:07 GMT

In article <1993Jan21.185020.23065@inel.gov> kkv@inel.gov (Jamie J Ferguson) writes:
>
>All 3 of our cats LOVE socks, and the older 2 have acquired a
>taste for them...meaning they actually EAT them!  Disgusting!
>(Especially when they come out the other end...)  Our solution
>is to keep all socks (and sweaters, another known delicacy)
>out of reach of the cats (who also learned to open closet
>doors -- fortunately our new house has different doors, although
>I suppose they might figure these out someday...).  My only
>suggestion is to put your socks somewhere else...

Like in the White House :-)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: sbiles@nmsu.edu (Susannah E Biles)
Subject: counter top controversy continues
Organization: NMSU Computer Science
Distribution: rec.pets.cats
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1993 19:25:28 GMT


Hello all...

I decided to try to train my kitlets out of jumping onto the kitchen
counters because it was getting a LITTLE ridiculous! I have two male
neutered cats, one about 2 yrs, one about 7 mos. 
The way our kitchen is arranged is there are two walls facing
eachother and well...let me see if I can draw a picture:
		-----------------|
				 |
				 |
		-------------

okay..that is what the kitchen looks like. So there are two open ends
at each end of the kitchen and the top and bottom wall have counters
across. The wall on the right side has no counter. The stove is on the
bottom wall and the fridge is in the corner of the top wall and the
right side.
OKAY. My sister and I have built little pyramids of empty diet coke
cans on both ends of both counters to prevent them from leaping up
from the floor. It seems to be working considering the few times they
have jumped up since, has resulted in loud clanging and bouncing of
cans everywhere ! :) *screech* It was rather amusing to watch!
My question is...how long do we have to keep this modern art in our
kitchen ? I am afraid if I take them down now, the cats will just
start jumping back up! The cans have been there about a week.

Suggestions?

Susan
(oh...btw...the boyfriend is relenting :)

*happy happy* *joy joy*

Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: brunken@beta.tricity.wsu.edu (Cyndy Brunken)
Subject: Re: Cats need New Home
Keywords: adoption allergy help
Organization: Washington State University Tri-Cities, Richland
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 93 02:29:15 GMT

In article <1993Jan26.002812.21496@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> vboynton@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Virginia R Boynton) writes:
>It's clear from the length and detail of your posting about Max and Rita that 
>you love them very much.  I find it hard to believe that you would sacrifice a 
>life with these beloved family members to live with your fiance, the 
>"cold-hearted bitch."  Are you really sure you want to do this?  Is she really 
>worth it?  If she expects you to give up your cats, what next?
>
>Ginny, Salem, Emma, Whiskers, and Woody

My husband is allergic to cats and gets asthma when in a house where cats
live.  I would think that this is reason enough to demand that we have no
cats; however, he knows how much I love cats and after establishing some
basic ground rules I have a cat.  The rules are simple.  The cat has an
established bed in the house.  When he's in he's on the bed or he's out. 
This seems to cut down on loose hair and takes care of allergy and it
shows that, even with serious health problems at issue, my husband loves
me enough to consider my happiness and at least make an effort to work out
a plan with which we can both live.

Your finace doesn't have to *love* these animals, but for your sake she
should at least try to work out some plan by which she could tolerate
them.  I would never tell you to lose her, but I think you should
seriously consider making a lifetime commitment to someone who has no
interest in your happiness.

Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: lhuffmanp@stsci.edu
Subject: Re: Cat peeing on my new $comforter!! HELP!
Organization: Space Telescope Science Institute
Distribution: pnw,na
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 12:07:47 GMT

In article <1jjs6eINN5es@uwm.edu>, hcrain@convex.csd.uwm.edu (Helen C Crain) writes:
> I just purchased a new comforter with imported goosedown and
> a fancy duvet cover.  We *all*, I thought, enjoyed the first
> couple of nights.  The bed is Eli's property of course, but
> he snuggled right down.  
> 
> I came out of the bathroom and found him squatting on the
> comforter right where I sleep.  His eyes were slit, and he
> looked very happy.  I had to look twice to see he was
> peeing!  Pandemonium ensued!!!  I thought he was sick, and
> grabbed him up and fussed about him while the urine soaked
> in nicely.  It didn't smell.  There was no blood tinge.
> He's not sick, and has never done this before.  
> 
> I think I sponged/patted/fluffed the spot clean.  But my
> brother says he'll do it again on the same place!!!  What is
> going on with that pea-brained idiot cat?
> -- 

 Sounds like he likes his new litterbox just fine and showed his appreciation.
 Let us know if he continues; it's possible he is in the early stages of a 
 blockage (FUS - Feline Urinary Syndrome).


(Excuse me for being flip, I can't help myself; I've had cats for a hunnert 
years and have been a recipient of many of their gifts...  I could picture
in minute detail those slit eyes you saw, the little *&%$!!) 
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: diana@wetware.com (CatWoman )
Subject: Re: Sliding Closet Doors...
Organization: Castle WetWare MouseCatcher
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 15:34:04 GMT

urban@nsc.nsc.com (Gregory Urban) writes:

] Well, I guess it had to happen eventually. Our cat, Shadow, has
] just figured out how to open our sliding closet doors. I suppose
] she wedges her head between the wall and the door until it slides
] open. She only does this when we're away at work. Unfortunately...
] 
] Any suggestions from all you intelligent people who have outsmarted your
] intelligent cats?

Boy is THIS familiar!!!

Stormy can open sliding GARAGE doors (strong cat).

Motley can open the closet doors - or the sliding
glass doors if there's an opening.  What they do
is hook the claws/paws around the ends of the doors
and pull - I've watched it.  No clue why some cats
are motivated to do so - and others could care less.
I suppose if I kept the food in there they'd all be
motivated...

My closet solution is to put a pile of stuff in
front of the door.  Working for the moment.  If you
can afford to, re-model your closet with a jamb 
that allows the door to go into a recession in the
jamb (like a patio door does).  Cheaper solution -
get some of those Kid-proof hinge things at the
hardware store - and mount two - one low, one high.

Diana
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: julie@eddie.jpl.nasa.gov (Julie Kangas)
Subject: Re: DECLAWING?
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 17:33:52 GMT

In article <1993Jan22.162334.29258@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> rkn3u@kelvin.seas.Virginia.EDU (Keith Norwood) writes:
>In article <CURT.93Jan21153335@vtucs.cc.vt.edu> curt@vtucs.cc.vt.edu (Curt Tilmes) writes:
>>Did you (or anyone else) think the documentary was just a *little* bit
>>anti-American?  They used emotionally charged language throughout the
>>show.  It seemed more of a comparison of british vs. american views
>>abouts cats than a documentary about cats.
>>
>>They seemed to focus on all the problems caused when the 'cruel'
>>americans kept their cats 'captive' all day, without talking much
>>about any of the positive aspects of an indoor cat.
>
>What exactly are the positive aspects of the indoor cat?
>
At the risk of jumping in at the start of a flame war:

Where I live cats are at very high risk of (1) getting run
over by cars or (2) getting eaten by coyotes.  An added 
minus (or plus depending on how you look at it) is the 
possibility of getting half-bobcat kittens.

Julie
DISCLAIMER:  All opinions here belong to my cat and no one else
From: tittle@alexandre-dumas.ics.uci.edu (Cindy Tittle Moore)
Subject: New FAQs
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Organization: Univ. of Calif., Irvine, Info. & Computer Sci. Dept.
Date: 23 Jan 93 21:13:05 GMT

Hi, everyone!  I've been busy modifying the FAQ's since last
September, and had them almost ready for this month when the
auto-poster caught me by surprise and posted the old version
before I had sent the new one in <grin> oh well.

This is just a note to let you all know that I've updated many
sections, added information on some diseases, and added more
catalogues and companies.  Some reorganization of material, etc.
It is now in four parts.  I'm going to force a reposting within
the next few days, so watch for the FAQ coming to a site near
you.

I return you to your regular programming.

--Cindy
From: aaronf@fc.sde.hp.com (Aaron Friesen)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: cats & earthquakes
Date: 22 Jan 1993 04:58:10 GMT
Organization: HP SESD, Fort Collins, CO
Reply-To: aaronf@fc.hp.com
NNTP-Posting-Host: racer.sde.hp.com
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1.4 PL6]

Alice Ramirez (ramirez@julia.math.ucla.edu) wrote:
: When we had the 2 S.Cal quakes last June, Buster, my marmelade tabby
: merely went under a bed or a tub.  Poor Bubbles, my Queensize, 
: Rubensesque fluffy brown tabby, became very clingy.  For that 
: entire day she followed me around and would not let me out of her
: sight.  Even when I went to the bathroom she would follow me in, 
: and jump up onto my lap.  She NEVER does this ordinarily.

I was living in San Jose when the 1989 Loma Prieta (sp?)  6.9 quake hit.
I have four cats.  Of course, they were all pretty shook up (pun
intented ;^) about the situation, but one was especially affected.
Before the quake, he was very out-going and not afraid of anything that
I knew of.  After the quake, any little unexpected sound or movement
would send him running for cover.  It has just been fairly recently that
he has calmed down enough not to run and hide when the doorbell rings.

: I think it might be a good idea, for all those in earthquake country,
: to buy cat harnasses and leashes.  There may be a need to be outdoors.
: Earthquakes have been known to spook animals into running away, and
: putting them in a harnass and leash would be less confining than
: a cat carrying case, and less potentially disastrous than trying to
: hold onto panicky, squirming, clawed-toothed small carnivores.  Just
: a thought.

On a good day, I would bet that you could not get a cat in a harness and
walking on a leash, unless they were harness/leash trained from a fairly
early age.  After a quake, it would only be worse.  On the other hand,
our cats were fairly use to their cat carriers, so getting them in the
carrier was simple.  For three of them, we just opened up the door and
in they went.  They didn't worry about being confined because they
didn't want to come out.  The fourth one (yes, the one mentioned above)
wouldn't even get in a carrier.  We got a big blanket and wrapped him up
several times.  We then spent the night in our car watching our battery
powered TV.  None of the cats left their carriers/blanket until we were
able to move back into our apartment the next day.  So, IMHO, having
enough carriers for your cats is the way to go.

--

Aaron
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: mary@zmax.com (Mary Papp)
Subject: Re: My vet sold his practice!
Organization: Z/Max Computer Solutions, Inc.
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1993 19:27:38 GMT

>The vet that I've been taking my cats to for nearly ten years recently,
>with no notice, sold his practice.  I found out about it when I took my
>cat in for treatment and was told about the sale.  When I complained
>that I had a professional relationship with the former vet, the vet I
>was talking to looked at me like I was crazy.

>Am I crazy?

>If I was looking for a vet I would ask some questions before taking my
>cats in.  But with the way the sale was handled I was presented with a
>fait accompli.  I could either leave, with my cat untreated, or let a
>vet I knew absolutely nothing about treat my cat.

>Opinions?

 I agree with you.  You have placed trust in the vet since you let him treat
your pet.  He is just like a family doctor.  How do you form an opinion about a
new doctor?  Surely not by getting treated by him and seeing how well he does
or how his bedside manner is.  Usually (unless pressed for time), you ask
friends.  This does not go for emergencies.

I know I would rather have the vet tell me he was selling his practice, either
by postcard or when you call in for an appointment.

Mary and Slash
-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mary Papp:  Z/Max Computer Solutions 8287 Loop Road Baldwinsville, NY 13027
                              mary@zmax.com                  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Organization: Masters student, Industrial Administration, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 16:16:55 -0500 
From: Sigrid Olson <so17+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: Raccoons & pets :-(

>it's well known how painful rabies treatment is, those shot to the stomach.

My understanding is that rabies treatment no longer requires painful
stomach shots, merely shots in the arm like any other shot.  In
addition, the treatment is effective if given very soon after the bite. 
Rabies is a fast acting disease and people can die of it about 10 days
after infection.
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: skagos@mercury.cs.uregina.ca (Takis Skagos)
Subject: Re: Can catnip be dangerous?
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 15:41:48 GMT
Organization: University of Regina, SK, Canada

In article <1993Jan25.020429.55707@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu> arc2@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (AMY CHARLES) writes:
>My cats went BONKERS.  They seem OK now, but for a few minutes I was really
>worried about the older one, who's a strong and high-strung 13.  I took the
>'nip away, scared by the manic reaction.  Don't know whether to give it back.
>Anybody know of danger in older cats of overstimulation thru catnip?

Hi.  I wouldn't worry about it.  We have a hyper-high-strung cat, just
younger than yours, and he gets catnip about once a month or twice and
occassionaly manages to pull open the cupboard we store it in, and get
some for himself.  He flips out, attacks the other cats (play fighting --
they all do that), shakes, staggers, wobbles, etc, etc.  He gets over it
after about 15 minutes or so.  Stuart, that's the name of the cat I'm
talking about, is very leary of dangerous stuff.  He won't even approach
running water!  I don't think that he'd do catnip if he thought it was
dangerous.  On the other hand, we have another cat, a small 2 year old
female named Budha (yeah, I know it's spelled "incorrectly") that rolls
around in catnip once it has spilled to the floor.  Weird.

Taki.