HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: jonathan@chpc.utexas.edu (Jonathan Thornburg)
Subject: Re: Are humans able to get fleas? 
Summary: No, but fleas will bite humans.  Also, *don't* use flea collars!
Keywords: flea blood ingest bite collar proban insecticide
Organization: U of Texas at Austin / Physics Dept / Center for Relativity
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 92 19:02:22 GMT


In article <1992Sep11.142715.10098@cs.mun.ca> delphine@garfield.cs.mun.ca
(Delphine Au @ CS Dept., Memorial University of Newfoundland) writes:
>I have a cat, and he has fleas.  I can see them.  They are
>tiny, about the size of a pin head, and they jump very high
>and far.
>
>I have tried many things to get rid of them, but doesn't work.
>
>My question is: Would I be able to catch these fleas?


In article <17-PCNews-120beta@hart.actrix.gen.nz>
graeme@hart.actrix.gen.nz (Graeme Hart) writes [replies]:
> [ ... ]
>
>You might like to try a flea collar, combined with regular combing
>with a flea comb.  The collar may not kill the fleas, but it will slow
>them down and make them easy to catch.  The flea comb has teeth that are
>very close together, so you can comb the fleas out of the cat's coat, and
>catch and kill them.
>
>Fleas are hard to kill, the best way is to squeeze them between your
>nails until you hear a crunch :)
>
>I don't think you'll have a problem with your catching fleas, but they
>will live in carpets, chairs, beds etc...


I have to disagree on several points here:
- All the evidence I'm aware of is that flea collars (a) don't work,
  (b) may harm your cat, and (c) may harm you.  See the Fleas FAQ or
  the Sept/91 "Consumer Reports" for further discussions of the
  (in)effectiveness of flea collars.
- Alas, cat fleas *will* bite humans.  My father has had a number of
  cat-flea bites during some of Mortina I and II's flea infestations.
- From my experience, fingernails are just barely hard enough to
  squash fleas -- I prefer a pair of quarters or Loonies (= Canadian
  $1 Coin).  More practically, if you're using a flea comb, keep a
  bowl of soapy water handy and dip the comb into it.  That should
  kill them.  Better yet, use both soapy water *and* a pair of Loonies.


- Jonathan Thornburg and Mortina II (alas 4000km away on an island in Canada)
  <jonathan@geop.ubc.ca> through 25/Sep/92, then
  <jonathan@einstein.ph.utexas.edu> or <jonathan@hermes.chpc.utexas.edu>
  University of Texas at Austin / Physics Dept / Center for Relativity
  and (for a few more months) U of British Columbia / {Astronomy,Physics}
From: ddoug@dl5000.bc.edu (Debra R. Douglass)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Largest Cat Breed
Date: 15 Sep 92 23:16:55 GMT
Organization: Institute for Space Research, Boston College..

In article <17067@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu> nathan@charles.ucdavis.edu (Nathan Rollins) writes:

    We were having a discussion the other day as to what breed of domestic
   pet cat tends to grow the largest. (by weight and size) Someone said Bengals
   but a book i have says that while they are large, they are not as large as
   the largest domestic cat, (which it did not specify)
    Anybody know of an answer to this? I'm looking for breed averages, not
   individual cats... 

     -otter

All of the cat books that I own state that the Maine Coon Cat is the
largest domestic breed. The Norwegian Forest Cat (rare in the USA) is
comparable in size and features.

BTW, I've seen Bengal Cats and they are average to large size but have
a long slender build. The little 'lady' that I met was very
affectionate and mellow, despite having just come from the vets, but
with a price tag in the thousands of dollars, I doubt that I'll ever
own one. 


=========================================================================
Debbie Douglass                              (617)552-8787
System Administrator/Programmer              Institute for Space Research
ddoug@dl5000.bc.edu                          Boston College (Bedford, MA)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------



--


=========================================================================
Debbie Douglass                              (617)552-8787
System Administrator/Programmer              Institute for Space Research
ddoug@dl5000.bc.edu                          Boston College (Bedford, MA)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: pauls@tellabs.com (Paul Silver)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Happy Birthday!
Date: 9 Sep 92 17:46:27 GMT
Article-I.D.: tellab5.1992Sep9.174627.9552
Organization: Tellabs, Inc., Lisle, IL

In article <1992Sep4.133744.26813@athena.mit.edu> tastewar@athena.mit.edu (Tom Stewart) writes:
>Just wanted to proclaim a public Happy Birthday to our two cats,
>Robin and Marion.  We adopted them 4 December 1991 and were told
>that they were "about 3 months old."  So, while we do not have an
>exact date, we are celebrating today.  Happy Birthday, Robin and
>Marion!!!
>
>I hope they read this newsgroup, but I think they hang out more
>in rec.pets.humans.
>
>Tom Stewart

*----------------*

On a similar note, Happy Birthday to Fugazi and Chan, my two cats.
They were both stray kittens (Fugazi was only a few days old when she
was found), so no exact date is known.  But Fugazi's bday is 
celebrated on September 1st, and Chan's on the 14th.  Fugazi just
turned 2 and Chan will be 3 next week.

-- 
   "Life is inhuman when you are too old to be young." -Bill Nelson
   --------------------------------------------------------------------
  /       Paul Silver          /         Dischord Records            /
 /     pauls@tellabs.com      /    putting the D.C. in harDCore     /
--------------------------------------------------------------------  
   All opinions expressed are strictly my own, unless I stole them.
From: emilio@acupain.UUCP (Elizabeth Milio)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: RE: Why Cats like to sit on paper
Date: 10 Sep 92 17:12:20 GMT
Reply-To: emilio@accurate.com.UUCP (Elizabeth Milio)
Organization: ACCURATE Information Systems, Eatontown, NJ

Gee Linda, guess we have all enjoyed ourselves so much that we have lost
sight of the original question.

I guess too much fun is a bad thing? Huh? Huh?

My Allegro used to do just what your Thud does, but that was before he got
ill...Now he doesn't come out of nowhere -- he sort of slowly slides into place.

I still think it is because he wants to share what you are doing. 

I have found that moving the cat off the paper or book or magazine doesn't
help...he gets back on it and now that I have two they jockey for space (it
really looks funny -- two large cats on one small book).

As for lap sitting -- Thud just knows you would like him to do this and you
have time for him at that moment -- so he just won't. :-)

Liz
 
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: king@cbnewsk.cb.att.com (joyce.l.king)
Subject: Re: What kind of cats do I have?
Organization: AT&T
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 20:16:17 GMT
Summary: let me say it a different way...

I was the original poster, and I obviously did not say what I meant,
a terminal error for a writer!  I do not want to NAME my cats a
specific breed.  I was curious if any of their physical and
psychological characteristics sounded like they had some specific
breed background.  They do not look like other long-haird domestics
I've seen.  Some long-haired domestics have slightly pushed-in noses
to indicate Persian breeding.  If mine had that, I'd watch for breathing
and eye problems typical of some Persians (note I said SOME).  Like, if
I had a mutt dog that looked like a golden retriever, I'd watch for
hip problems.  I was especially interested in their ears, which I would
call "tufted" but which are not tufted the way a wild bobcat's are.

Right now they are purebred Pissed-Off Longhairs because I left them
for six days to do some wildlife rehabbing in South Florida.  The
cats stayed with the vet and got flea baths.  I told them about the 
birdies with the broken wings and they were less than sympathetic.  



-- 
                       Joyce Andrews King

Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: ashelton@encore.com (Amy Roberts Shelton)
Subject: Re: Help, I need some advice!
Organization: Encore Computer Corporation, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 18:29:36 GMT

In article <1992Sep12.191004.755@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> ehp@poe.acc.Virginia.EDU ("Didi Pancake") writes:
>In article <5018@sumax.seattleu.edu> sstover@sumax.seattleu.edu (Maven o'Mirth) writes:
>>discovered that worked was hissing at him.  Of course, now he is
>>thoroughly convinced that I am mom*Cat*.  The hiss is not just an airy
>>sound, though, but a "from-the-throat" agressive sound.  Makes him stop
>>*anything* he is doing and wait for further instructions.  Occasionally I
>>have to come and collect him from someplace he doesn't belong (the piano,
>>the kitchen counter, etc) because of this "freeze" reaction, but it's
>>pretty effective!  And if I did get that from someone on the net-- thanks,
>>whoever you are!
>>
>
>You're welcome...glad to know it works on other peoples critters. My
>kitties usually didn't freeze when I hissed, but they sure did bail off
>the bed quickly when I used it to stop WW3 practice on top of my toes!

Hissing works wonders on my 18-pound, ex-male tabby cat.  He just
does not seem to understand the word "NO!".  I can hiss at him from
across the room and he immediately freezes.  If I am right by him,
he freezes, hunkers down as low as he can get, and cries
piteously.  He acts like I'm going to beat him to death or 
something, and I swear I've never laid a finger on him!  I have 
to physically remove him from wherever he is.  

I feel guilty after I hiss at him, but I really don't want him
on top of my dining room table. :-)

I wonder if he was abused in his past.  He just showed up on
our doorstep two years ago and moved right in.  I wish I 
knew where he came from and how and why he picked our house.
I think I have "cat sucker" written all over me - and the
house is probably marked, too.  :-)

Amy Shelton
  and Pinky, Topaz, Shalimar, and Billy Bob

Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: pdsmith.mitre.org (Pat Smith)
Subject: Re: bathtubs
Organization: The MITRE Corporation
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1992 20:58:28 GMT

In article <186vg8INNhbi@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu>, cb771@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (S. Macfarland) writes:
> 
> 
> Lately my 4.5 month old long hair tuxedo has developed some
> kind of bathtub fetish. Any time I want to take a shower or
> bath, I have to first remove an assortment of milk bottle
> caps, spongy balls, socks, etc from the tub, and often the
> kitten himself. Anyone else experienced this? He's the first
> kitten I've had with this behavior!
> 
> 
> 
my cat loves the tub and often climbs in with me if the water is very shallow.
She has yet to bring all her toys with her.
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Sparky has taurine deficiency?
From: connorm@vax.sonoma.edu (Michelle Connor)
Date: 14 Sep 1992 17:22 PST  
Distribution: world
Organization: Sonoma State University
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    


Would someone please repost the symptoms of taurine deficiency?

I think Sparky might have it (since he is anemic) and has a heart murmur
(or so the Vet says)

he's been tested for Leukemia and FIP and FelAIDS...

It's also possible that he has some blood parasites, so with the taurine
tablets he's also getting tetra-cycline...

Ihope it's just the deficiency!

Michelle
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: Ann.Feeney@bbs.oit.unc.edu (Ann Feeney)
Subject: Re: I NEED A NAME
Organization: Extended Bulletin Board Service
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 1992 17:57:26 GMT

In article <jll-080992114057@wplmacd-56.doc.ic.ac.uk> jll@doc.ic.ac.uk (Janice ) writes:
>HI,
>
>
>TONITE MY PARTNER AND I HAVE GOT THE IMMENSE PLEASURE OF BRINGING
>HOME A NEW 10WEEK OLD TOM KITTEN.  HE IS VERY FLUFFY 
>WITH GREY AND WHITE PATCHES AND A BLACK SPOTTY NOSE.
>THE ONLY PROBLEM IS - WHAT TO NAME HIM?  SO FAR WE 
>HAVE COME UP WITH SMOKEY, BADGER, ARCHIE AND MICKIE.
>HAS ANYONE ANY *GOOD* SUGGESTIONS FOR A PRETTY GREY AND WHITE
>KITTEN?
>
>TU IN ADVANCE
>
>Janice AND Marcus.


"Grisaille?"  (Pronounced gris-ay)  It's a kind of monochrome enameling
done in the 17th-19th centuries, mostly, and very delicate and appealing.
Ann
--
   The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the University of
     North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Campus Office for Information
        Technology, or the Experimental Bulletin Board Service.
           internet:  bbs.oit.unc.edu or 152.2.22.80
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: coimay@sn01.sncc.lsu.edu ( LAURA CARRIERE)
Subject: Re: Naming Hurricane Kittens
Nntp-Posting-Host-[nntpd-29028]: 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, 8 Sep 1992 22:45:02 GMT

The hurricane kittens all have names now.

The darkest grey kitten is the loudest, so he's Andrew.  The grey kitten
with the white and orange maple leaf is Hazel.  The two greys with white
collars are Betsy and Bob.  The prettiest kitten, grey with white tabby
stripes is Camille.  And the littlest one, the calico, is too little to 
be a hurricane so she's just Augusta.

Their ears opened up yesterday and now they turn towards sound.  They 
can also walk for a few steps, but a light breeze blows them over.

They are definitely getting cuter every day.  (And a good thing too. ;-)

Laura Carriere
From: katbea@auto-trol.com (Kathy Beatty)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Little Black Spots
Date: 11 Sep 92 20:06:57 GMT
Organization: Auto-trol Technology Corporation -- Denver, Colorado
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL3

klier@iscsvax.uni.edu writes:
: In article <1992Sep10.234811.11859@newsgate.sps.mot.com>, karenr@geronimo.sps.mot.com (Karen Ramondetta) writes:
: > 
: > I have two cats, both about 2 years old.  They both have little black spots
: > on their noses, lips and skin around their eyes.  One of them had these spots
: > when I found her as a stray.  The other didn't have them when I got him 2 years
: > ago, but does now.  They are very small, and almost look like dirt but don't 
: > come off.  My sister, the hypocondriac, thinks it's melanoma.  I thought maybe 
: > just aging.  Has anyone seen this type of thing before? Should I have been at 
: > the vet weeks ago?  They are both very healthy indoor cats otherwise.
: 
: Are these orange cats?  Or have some orange on them?  Kitty-freckles are
: *very* common in orange cats. "Hyperpigmented lesions" in vet parlance.
: More common as they get older.
: 
: Kay Klier  (who also has freckles, but is not an orange tabby)

Christopher is a big orange tabby who started out with no freckles on his nose,
but now, at age 6, has quite a collection, which is still growing.


Kathy (who has relatively few freckles, and is also not an orange tabby)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: K_LEPA@unhh.unh.edu (Kristen   Lepa)
Subject: Need info on Feline Leukemia
Organization: University of New Hampshire
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 16:40:27 GMT
X-News-Reader: VMS NEWS 1.12

Well, I got a *wonderful* call from my vet last night at 8:30.  He told me
that the stray I adopted had tested positive for Leukemia, but they were
going to test again in a month to make sure it wasn't a false positive.
I had a cat when I was young that got Leukemia.  She was about three or four
years old; she's now sixteen, which I hear is some kind of miracle.  But,
I just read a post about a 6 month old kitten who died within a month of
being diagnosed.  I really don't know what to think at this moment.  I
guess all I can do is gather as much information as I can and try not to
start the mourning process yet.

Some questions are:

1.  Will my other two cats be at risk if they're up to date with their
vaccinations?  Cannan was around Elephi (with leukemia) for about ten
years and is OK.  (Or is she the carrier that gave it to Harry?)

2.  Should I get my other cats tested?  Hannah (2 yrs) was negative a couple of
years ago, but amazingly, Cannan was never tested by my parents, so I just
kept going with her vaccinations.  Also, there was a period of time when
they let her vaccinations go undone for a few years.  She's fourteen now,
by the way.

3.  How exactly does this disease work?  What should I look for in terms
of symptoms?  How long does the average cat with Feline Leukemia live?
Doesn't is work kinda like AIDS?

4.  Should I let them share toys, water bowls, etc?

Kay Klier, I guess I'm hoping you're an expert on this, but anyone at all
with answers is definitely welcome to post.

Every time I say his name, Harry, I think, (the dead cat), right after it.
Ugh.  This sucks.

	-Kristen

Cannan, Hannah, Harry 

k_lepa@unhh.unh.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: diana@wetware.com (CatWoman )
Subject: Re: Goodbye Thomasina-the-cute
Organization: Castle WetWare MouseCatcher
Date: Tue, 15 Sep 1992 20:28:35 GMT

ailsa%ailanth.uucp@wang.com (Ailsa N.T. Murphy) writes:

] gck@hector.uucp (24641-kemmerling) writes:
] 
] > In article <24547@oasys.dt.navy.mil>, syearick@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Sid
] > > I tried twice to finish reading your post.  It took some doing but I
] > > it all the way thru.  It's hard to read with tears running down your
] > > Have a big hug from all of us (Kepurr/Muffin/Tigger/Teal/Yogi)
] > >
] >
] > Ditto.  :-(
] >
] likewise from ailsa, jim, katy, marion, littlest, silver, puggle, C,
] pascal and ada  (listed chronologically...)  i sent mail the day i read
] the post, but it bounced...   i cried when i read it, though...  B(  i
] hope that it feels a little better now...
] 
Me too.

I tried sending mail - no luck.  M'Linda - I'm glad to
see you're still on the net - even if I learned of it
through this post.  Just thinking about it makes me feel
weepy.

Many purrs from Diana and the fur-crew
(Chaplin, Sassy, Muffin, Biscuit, Stormy & Motley)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: mmf@evolving.com (Mark Frazier)
Subject: Re: Enough!
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 20:00:21 GMT
Organization: Evolving Systems, Inc.
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL4

david@master.uchicago.edu writes:
: 
: Are you really serious about giving them up because they keep you up ?
: If they are that disruptive, why not just close the door to you bedroom ?
: 

You've never tried this with a part-siamese cat, have you? Mr. Schnookums
is part siamese. When we close the door to the bedroom, he "rattles" it.
He knocks on it. Occasionally, he takes a full run down the hallway and
body slams it. Sometimes this gets the door open!

MMF
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: postmast@navi.up.ac.za
Subject: Re: Why Do Cats Sit on Paper?
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 14:22:43 GMT
Organization: Centre for Computing Expertize, University of Pretoria

In article <GIBSON.92Sep8080732@dl5000.bc.edu> gibson@dl5000.bc.edu (Rene Gibson) writes:
>From: gibson@dl5000.bc.edu (Rene Gibson)
>Subject: Re: Why Do Cats Sit on Paper?
>Date: 8 Sep 92 13:07:32 GMT
>In article <1992Sep6.153454.4128@auto-trol.com> katbea@auto-trol.com (Kathy Beatty) writes:
>>
>> coimay@sn01.sncc.lsu.edu ( LAURA CARRIERE) writes:
>> : Okay, here's my theory.  I call it the Special Theory.
>> : 
>> : Cat walks into a room and wants to sit on the floor.  My, what a lot of
>> : floor to chose from, thinks Cat.  Where shall I sit?  Hmmm, there's a
>> : spot over there that's different, it has newspaper on it.  Now, if that
>> : spot's different, it must be special and since I'm the most Special
>> : Creature on the planet, it must be meant for me.
>> : 
>> : Now, this theory can (easily) be proven be covering the entire floor of
>> : a (small) room with newspaper, leaving only one or two unpapered cat-
>> : sized spots.  Add one cat.  Observe where the cat decides to sit.
>> : 
>> : No, I haven't done this and no, I'm not planning to, but it would be
>> : interesting.  :-)  :-)
>> : 
>>
>> If anyone is taking bets, I will bet this theory is correct.
>>
>
>There must be a corollary that explains why my cat would crawl under the
>paper to sit.
>
>Rene
>--

According to my uncle, who has stud cattle, any small animal, e.g. calf, 
will automatically lift it's head and start suckling when it encounters a 
dark object above it (his explanation when a calf started sucking on me 
behind when I walked past it!). So maybe the 'under something dark' is a 
leftover from kitten days?

Another Rene
From: exuptr@exu.ericsson.se (exuptr@exu.ericsson.se)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Ansel (was: I NEED A NAME)
Date: 14 Sep 92 00:28:10 GMT
Organization: Ericsson Network Systems, Inc.

In article <1992Sep12.175726.6756@samba.oit.unc.edu> Ann.Feeney@bbs.oit.unc.edu (Ann Feeney) writes:
>In article <jll-080992114057@wplmacd-56.doc.ic.ac.uk> jll@doc.ic.ac.uk (Janice ) writes:
>>TONITE MY PARTNER AND I HAVE GOT THE IMMENSE PLEASURE OF BRINGING
>>HOME A NEW 10WEEK OLD TOM KITTEN.  HE IS VERY FLUFFY 
>>WITH GREY AND WHITE PATCHES AND A BLACK SPOTTY NOSE.
>>THE ONLY PROBLEM IS - WHAT TO NAME HIM?  SO FAR WE 
>>HAVE COME UP WITH SMOKEY, BADGER, ARCHIE AND MICKIE.
>>HAS ANYONE ANY *GOOD* SUGGESTIONS FOR A PRETTY GREY AND WHITE
>>KITTEN?
>>
>>TU IN ADVANCE
>>
>>Janice AND Marcus.

How about ANSEL? 

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    "This must be Thursday.  I never could get the hang of Thursdays"
                                                       - Douglas Adams
  - Patrick Taylor                                       (Arthur Dent)
    Ericsson Network Systems
    exuptr@exu.ericsson.se                       "Don't let the .se fool you"
    or exuptr@ZGNews.Lonestar.Org, exu.exuptr@memo.ericsson.se
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: "angela allen" <angie@moose.cs.indiana.edu>
Subject: Re: what to do with cats while on vacation
Organization: Computer Science, Indiana University
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1992 08:44:37 -0500

I've found that the best way to ensure that your cats get
companionship is to get someone to sit that has real incentive to stay
in your house for some length of time. We have a friend who is
addicted to our Nintendo, so it's no problem for her to spend hours on
our living room floor. 

In your situation, it sounds like just spending time with the cats
might be incentive enough (you mentioned that the teenager is
"feline-challenged"). You might also offer use of the computer
(especially games), use of the VCR, use of the stereo and music
collection for making tapes, or money. Someone else mentioned not to
skimp on the half-days if you are offering a daily rate --- having
been a teenager only recently, I can vouch that $5 meant a LOT more to
me then than it does now.

Having the sitter meet the cats (and hopefully spend time with them)
before leaving will probably help the behavioral problems. Maybe the
sitter can leave some item of laundry at your house for a few days, so
the cats can get used to the scent.