HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: diamond@uts.amdahl.com (Joan M. Diamond)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Our cat is upset
Keywords: breaks litter training
Date: 7 Apr 92 13:47:43 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale CA

We have a bit of a problem.  We just joined two households (in
February).  I have a 5 year old spayed female cat (Spaz) and a 2
year old spayed female dog (Jenny).  He has a 12-13 year old spayed
female cat (Moonglow).

It seems that Moonglow doesn't appreciate not being the only pet.
Although she was brought up with another cat (Sunshine), she has been
the pampered only cat for about 2 years.  She is also declawed in
front.

Since she is too old, light (Spaz is almost double her weight), and
defenseless, she cannot intimidate Spaz.  So, after starting a number
of arguements with Spaz, and losing horribly, she has gone to another
offense.  She is urinating and deficating in inappropriate places.

We've had her to the vet, he says it's behavioral.  We now confine he
to one room at all times except when we are actively spending time
with her (she urinated on our piano while we were there, but not
watching her).  Today, she pooped on the floor of that room.  We
really don't know what else we can do besides pay lots of attention to
her (at least an hour uninterrupted per day, more on weekends), keep
the other animals away from her (when she's loose, they are locked
up), give her the tranquilizer the vet perscribed, and lock her up in
that one room.  

So, does anyone have any other suggestions how to help her acclimate
to the new situation?  We are trying not to lose our tempers or get
too frustrated, even after the piano incident.

Joan
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: khare@watserv1.waterloo.edu (Kathy Hare - DCS)
Subject: Help my cat is skinny!
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 12:54:48 GMT

I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas that would help me.  I have a male
unneuter tabby who is about a year old (we can only guess at his age, we 
found him on the side of the road). Anyway lately he seems to be getting 
really thin, his sides just behind his ribcage are sunken in.  He is a 
very active cat, he tears around the house all day. He is eating quite
a bit, actually he eats like a pig. We feed him about 3/4 cup of food 
in the morning and if he finishes his and can't wait till dinner he 
starts on the dogs food.  What I'm wondering is does he have worms, is
he just really active or maybe growing again, or is his metabelism (sp)
really high.  Has anyone else ever had this happen to there kitty? 
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks Kathy
From: jay@cmn8.Stanford.EDU (Jay Kadis)
Subject: Re: Spanking Cats? yes/no
Organization: DSG, Stanford University
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 92 16:33:01 GMT

Disciplining a cat is a lot like trying to push a steel  
chain...frustrating!  My cat Dexter is about 15 years old and weighs 14  
pounds.  He's a neutered male who was very aggressive in his youth.  He  
still lapses into aggression occasionally, like last night when he clawed  
me good after I gently removed him from my lap.  Over the years, I tried  
using a good slap to alter his behavior, but the mental connection seems  
not to be made between the action and the reaction.  Also, I'd really feel  
bad if I hurt him...so I poured a little cold beer on him, as an  
expression of my displeasure, rather than use force.  I think a spray of  
cold water is more appropriate than spanking, but realistically, neither  
approach is really going to change his behavior.  A good trick I recently  
heard was to put some pennies in an empty beer can and throw it in the  
direction of a misbehaving cat: the noise really gets their attention  
without any physical contact.  At least one cat I know hates this. (Please  
be sure to miss the actual cat with the projectile!)

Jay Kadis
jay@ccrma.stanford.edu
From: sw39+@andrew.cmu.edu (Susan R. Wagner)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Mousie toy
Date: 13 Apr 92 12:38:02 GMT
Organization: University Libraries - Technical Service, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA

Well, after all the talk about this wonderful toy, I went and purchased
one for Jester.  He absolutely loves it. I placed it in front of him,
and he growled.  It was great, I have never heard him growl at a toy. 
He has not stopped playing with it since yesterday afternoon except for
the time when he got it stuck in the radiator and I could not find it. 
He is also shredding this toy to bits.  I noticed that by this morning,
the mouse has no eyes.  What a great toy!

Also, after reading what Angie has to say about other toys, milk rings
in particular, my cat loves them also.  What a simple toy.  He also
likes the plastic pull tabs from frozen orange juice cans and the big
fat rubber bands that are used to wrap broccoli in the grocery store.  
My cat is very easily entertained, this is the same cat that can chase
his tail for an hour without ever realizing that is attached to him.  

Susan
From: maxfield@athena.cs.uga.edu (Joan C. Maxfield)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Well!  I'll be darned...
Date: 11 Apr 92 17:25:30 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Georgia, Athens

In article <1992Apr8.163130.903@nrc.com> kate@nrc.com (kathi samec) writes:
>In article <1992Apr6.193226.5686@dg-rtp.dg.com> poirier@ellerbe.rtp.dg.com (Charles Poirier) writes:
>Rabbits are NOT anything like a rat(rodent,vermin) They are lagomorphs and
>very intelligent little creatures. They are almost better than cats sometimes.
 				    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
	OOOOHHHH! What you said! If it weren't for that "sometimes"
I'm afriad I would have had to kill you! :)

Joan

				
>*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
>Kathi Samec     Network Research Corporation   - It's a cold bowl of chili
>kate@nrc.com    2380 N Rose Ave                  when love lets you down
>                Oxnard, Ca. 93030                         - Neil


-- 
J. C. Maxfield				maxfield@athena.cs.uga.edu
DISCLAIMER:  I don't speak for the University, but they often speak for me!
From: ddoug@dl5000.bc.edu (Debra R.Douglass)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Help - one fat cat, one unfat cat
Date: 11 Apr 92 02:56:13 GMT
Distribution: rec
Organization: Institute for Space Research, Boston College

I read previously in rec.pets (before the birth of this group) about
some one with a similar problem. Their solution was to build a
cat filter. This will only work if there is a definite size difference
between the two cats.

A cat filter, for this purpose, would be a large re-closable box,
large enough to accommodate the smaller cat and its food dish
comfortably. You cut small air and light holes and one access hole in
the box. The access hole should be large enough for the smaller un-fat
cat to get through but too small for the larger fat cat. Place the
food dish inside the box, as far away as possible from the access
hole. The box needs to be big enough that the food dish can't be
reached by fat cat with its forelegs. You put diet food or limited
quantities of food outside the box and regular food inside the box.
Result: fat cat loses weight and un-fat cat continues to be well fed.

Warning: the access hole needs to be reinforced just in case fat cat tries
to claw or chew its way in.

Good Luck.

-Debbie Douglass
--
ddoug@dl5000.bc.edu
System Administrator and Programmer
Institute for Space Research
Boston College
From: dauphin@adobe.com (Kimberly Dauphin)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Need Cat Groomer in San Jose
Date: 9 Apr 92 17:24:48 GMT
Article-I.D.: adobe.1992Apr9.172448.7035
Distribution: ba
Organization: Adobe Systems Incorporated

Hi,

My sister is looking for a cat groomer in the North First Street/
Montague Expressway/Lawrence Expressway area.  She'll take
recommendations from all San Jose areas, though; this particular
area is just close to her home.

She has a grey Persian, who just needs a flea dip and a good
brushing.  *No clipping required.*  Does anyone have a
recommendation for a groomer?  Also, how much does something
like this cost?

Please email me with recommendations! Thanks in advance from 
my sister and Yoda,

-- 
_____________________________________________________

Kimberly Dauphin	Adobe Systems Incorporated
dauphin@adobe.com	Mountain View, CA
From: odkahn@eos.ncsu.edu (OPHER DANIEL KAHN)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: comforting cats in car?
Date: 16 Apr 92 00:52:26 GMT
Organization: NCSU Project Eos


	My advice about cars is to start young!  We got Fistuk into the car 
thing when she was two months old...  First for short round trips using a 
cage, then for short trips that ended a fun place (like large grass playgrounds
etc.), and so forth.  We also started letting her out of the cage in small
increments, and now we have a car crazy cat!  Fistuk loves car trips, and 
walks around the car checking out the view from differnt angles, sleeping
on the floor or on the rear window sill... its great.  One of her favorite
spots is perching on top of the head rests... We still use the cage
when we get to the Vet's, but let her roam around the car otherwise.  
However, an important point is to still use the cage occasionally for *nice*
trips to fun places, otherwise your cat will grow to hate the cage.

	By the way, with the cage we used a similar principle.  First of all we
leave it in her play area, so it becomes a familiar thing with the 
appropriatly smelling old shirts.  We also use it as a carrier when we get
to the *fun* places, so she associates it with mostly good things.  She 
actually considers the cage a safe hiding place when we to to parks or
playgrounds, and when unfamiliar people
or animals (grrr... hiss...hisss) show up she dives back in the cage
and peeks out to see if the danger has passed.

-- 
*************************************************************************
Opher D. Kahn                       <<            Why Me?              >>
NC State University                 <<                                 >>
odkahn@eos.ncsu.edu                 <<    Why Not You For A Change?    >>
From: 00darentfrow@bsu-ucs.uucp
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Posessed Cat?  Or just frazzed owner?
Date: 14 Apr 92 19:25:12 GMT
Article-I.D.: bsu-ucs.1992Apr14.142512.6350


	I have an interesting question.  As of late, Nastassya has been
having more human characteristics than ever before.  She does things like;
Trash the desks of my roommate and I if she is not fed on time, bites my
roommates leg if her SO comes over, and (my favorite) finds new and
creative ways to wake me if I ignore my alarm.
	This is the first cat I have ever owned.  Is it normal for cats 
to 'talk back' to you when they are upset with you?

	I also heard a rumor that cats take the personality of the person
they were named after and/or their owners.  I named my cat after Nastassya
Filippovna from Dosteyevsky's _The Idiot_.  If you ever read the novel,
my cat being a mega-bitch doesn't seem too unlikely.

- Cal

Acceptance?  In this place?  You have GOT to be kidding!

alechi@bsu-cs.bsu.edu
From: jlevy@cbnewsd.cb.att.com (janet.s.levy)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Spanking Cats? yes/no
Keywords: physical punishment
Date: 9 Apr 92 19:58:52 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: AT&T

I'd like to introduce a topic for discussion.  My roommate
and I disagree about discipline of cats.  I have three cats
and she has one.  Her cat occasionally gets miffed about something
and leaves a message on her waterbed.  She spanks her cat for
this, sometimes rubbing its nose in its mess.  I have explained
to her that cats cannot make the association between avoiding
punishment hours later and an action they are committing (for 
their own good reasons!).  

I also feel that with possible exceptions it is NOT NECESSARY to 
physically punish a cat in order to train it.  I never hit my cats 
and I have to wonder if there is a relationship between that and 
the fact that all my cats are very gentle while hers will sometimes 
bite or swat at you for no apparent reason.  Perhaps I am blessed, but 
I have never had a biter or scratcher.  If they bite too hard in play
when youngsters, I use my voice to reprimand them or show pain.
I have come to believe that using your hand to hurt your cat
leads to resentment.  I am not against the occasional flip to
the nose for overly aggressive play.

For discipline, I express my displeasure by escalating use of my
voice, physically stopping the behavior (repeatedly if required),
and sometimes intimidation by stamping my feet or a short rush
forward.  For many cases of misbehavior, I feel it is best to
prevent the behavior (put tasty plants out of reach).  If the
cat responds to my voice, I often give it a hug.  I feel this does
not reward the bad behavior, but rewards the correct response and
fosters trust.  This is very different from the way I discipline
my dog (who I also never hit).  I ignore him for a while after he
is bad.  This is a VERY effective punishment for a dog.

I'd be interested in other opinions and people's experiences?
Do you spank your cat? For what reason?  Is your cat gentle?
Does it sulk?  Do you get positive results?

Janet Levy
jsl@ihlpm.ATT.COM
From: saavik@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Marla Belzowski (K-9's))
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: PEDIGREES
Date: 15 Apr 92 22:30:05 GMT
Organization: Purdue University

In article <1992Apr15.181843.21719@pony.Ingres.COM> jpk@Ingres.COM (Jon Krueger) writes:
>Marla Belzowski writes:
>> responsibly bred purebreds don't end up in pounds.
>
>Happens all the time and for any number of reasons.
>Come on down and check it out.
>
>-- Jon
>--
>Jon Krueger   jpk@ingres.com                    Oh we pulled the handle out,
>and we pushed the handle in, and the steam went to the pistons just the same


You like to warp what I say don't you?  The next line that you
deleted stated that *I* thought any purebred ending up in a pound
came from an irresponsible breeder.  First of all, those breeders
who are RESPONSIBLE screen their puppy owners CAREFULLY!  They
do not place a puppy in a home becuae, the kids wanted one,
it's a present for Lulu, its .... whatever.  They place puppies in
homes for those people that have seriously considered the responsibilities
of a pet.  Responsible breeders keep in contact with the puppy owners
and usually talk to them or drop a card to them frequently.  
Responsible breeders place puppies on spay/neuter contracts to
prevent overpopulation problems.  Responsible breeders are available
to answer a call at any time during the day or night.  Responsible 
breeders insist that the puppy be returned to them and not to
any Humane Shelter under any condition.  If breeder goes to
these lengths to prevent the puppies from ending up in pounds
then I consider them responsible.  If a breeder doesn't do everything
possible to prevent their pupies from ending up in the pound, then
they are in my opinion irresponsible.  Therefore, in my
opinion any purebreed puppy or dog in the pound has a 99% chance
of comming from a irresponsible breeder.  

I NEVER SAID that purebreds don't end up in the pound.  I know
full well that they do and I have seen them there myself.

That's my opinion, and your brow-beating attempts to 
discredit my posts are not appreciated.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Marla Belzowski   saavik@Mentor.cc.purdue.edu
Mauii Nikki Belzowski CD CGC TDI CERF
Brittish Legend of Beowulf (1leg CD) CGC TDI CERF  tri-color collies
The cat pack -- Simon and Mildred
Gnoe but not forgotten Cleo - 4/12/92
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: hamon@a.cs.okstate.edu (HAMON SHARON ANN)
Subject: Re: Indoor/Outdoor Kittys!
Organization: Oklahoma State University, Computer Science, Stillwater
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 92 15:32:29 GMT

>Do people actually have cats that NEVER go outside?  Ours love the outdoors,
>and when we're out there they follow us around and 'help' with the gardening.
>Is it done because people live in apartments and have no back yard, or do
>some people feel their cats are better off indoors?

Both of my cats used to be indoor/outdoor cats. The one I raised from a 
kitten (Mini) and another cat (Boo, RIP) used to play outside in the front
yard all the time until Boo got run over by a car.  Now, Mini seems afraid
to go outside...I'm not sure, but I think it was because she sniffed around
the spot where Boo died.  Does anyone know if cats give off some sort of
"death scent" to warn other cats?  Anyway, my other cat (Sebastian) was adopted
from the vet's office, where someone had found him with his leg run over by a
car.  He's in perfect health now, but needless to say we don't allow them 
outside anymore because of the traffic.  Besides, both the front and back yards
are full of dogs which would just *love* a cat burger!   

***************************************************************
*      /|   aack! * Sharon Ann Hamon (hamon@a.cs.okstate.edu) *  
*  \'o.O'         *                  (uccxsah@osuvm1.bitnet)  *
*  =(___)=        *                                           *
*     U           * and "Mini" and "Sebastian"                *
***************************************************************
From: evilted@atlas.unm.edu (The Semi-Christ)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Apology
Summary: apology for previous posting
Keywords: cats apology sorry
Date: 6 Apr 92 22:50:25 GMT
Article-I.D.: lynx.tfpjc++
Followup-To: rec.pets.cats
Organization: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

A few weeks ago I posted a rather controversial article aimed at a select
audience. It was a file in which I had collected anecdotes about cats.
This file was not in any way indicative of the views of UNM and was not
sanctioned by them. I cross-posted it to rec.pets.cats. This file was
offensive to some, I know. I now realize a warning and rot-13 encryption
would have been a good idea. I apologize for not including these. 
I'm sure my sense of humor when it comes to cats is different from the
average r.p.c reader. I _do_ like cats. I just have a perhaps strange sense
of humor. :)
Anyway, I apologize for the posting, it will not be repeated, and I will
keep away from r.p.c in the future.
Sincerely,
-- 
evilted@vesta.unm.edu    boogaboogaboogaboogaboogaboogaboogaboogaboogabooga
AKBAR! =IC:D~            boogabooga
JEFF!  =IC:D~            boogabooga        Life is fun.
boogaboogaboogaboogaboogaboogabooga
From: maxfield@athena.cs.uga.edu (Joan C. Maxfield)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Re: Cat bringing home unwanted rodents
Date: 11 Apr 92 16:49:18 GMT
Organization: University of Georgia, Athens


	I'm sorry.  I am still laughing over the "puke" program
comment. I was trying to read all 200+ articles fast so I passes it
before it sunk in.  I think rather than its own piece of the "eat"
program, "Puke" is more like an error message!  Don't forget the
upgraded variety that has the "cuddle" command, I guess that makes the
aloof cats SX models.

Joan

-- 
J. C. Maxfield				maxfield@athena.cs.uga.edu
DISCLAIMER:  I don't speak for the University, but they often speak for me!
From: STella@thelema.uucp (STella)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Topping Cats was cat hates being brushed
Date: 9 Apr 92 05:49:16 GMT
Organization: Idiosyncratic Anarchic Order

In article <1992Apr8.153350.27905@usho93.hou281.chevron.com> hwire@gruc07.nor.chevron.com (Robyn E. Williamson CTN-592-6174) writes:
>Ralph (Kitty Ralph, Ralphie-poo) hates to be brushed.  I use a small 
>wire bristle brush I bought in the pet store.  George (Georgie Boy)
>doesn't mind the wire bristles.

Maybe so.  The fact that _I_ have never in my life had a cat who liked
being wire-brushed doesn't mean that you don't have one who does.

But you know what I'd do?  I'd get Ralphie a rubber brush.
Primo rubber brushes, made in Englahd (and you know how THEY are about
their moggies), are soft gentle brushes that grab those loose hairs
and HOLD then.  After a few minutes of brushing any of my
(short-haired) gang, I can pull a huge clump of kittyfluff off the
brush.  And I can keep doing this till my arms are both sore.  There's
always more sheddable undercoat.

>sheds a lot.  How can I make him like being brushed?

I make the cats like being brushed the same way I make people like
being beaten -- I make 'em ASK for it.

Handpet the cat a little, then stop.  Cat will pester for more
fussing.  Take a few strokes with the rubber brush, cleverly held in
your palm, and ignore the cat.  Cat pesters.  Give it a few more
strokes and stop.  Gradually lengthen the number of strokes of
brushing till the bottom (in this case, you may choose to believe, the
cat) says "Oooooh, this feels good, please don't stop."  Then you can
brush till your arms get sore.  (Once the cat learns to love being
brushed, then you're the bottom, because the cat will pester you
forever to keep on brushing.)

BTW, one of my cats is becoming quite fond of being flogged.  Of
course, I'm careful not to let the tails wrap around, and don't put as
much of my force behind it as if I were flogging a person, but I
suspect that sometime within the next year or so, I'll be able to make
a videotape with the working title "Pussywhipping".

On the other hand, one of the wretched crew likes to steal nippleclips
because the chains are such fun to play with.  This would be OK if she
just raided the toybag, but nooooooo....  YOWCH!

STella@xanadu.com	1016 E. El Camino Real, #302, Sunnyvale, CA 94087
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
From: young@sasquatch.serum.kodak.com (Rich Young (x37176))
Subject: Re: Info please... asthmatic cat!
Organization: Clinical Products Division, Eastman Kodak Company
Distribution: rec.pets.cats
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 22:11:37 GMT

In article <HANNAH.92Apr15143238@pomponio.ai.sri.com> hannah@pomponio.ai.sri.com (Marsha Jo Hannah) writes:
>In article <1992Apr15.170832.23371@acuson.com> lipkin@acuson.com (Betty Lipkin) writes:
>
>   One of my cats, Roger, (my 'favorite', of course) has been coughing
>   off and on for a few months.  I've taken him to the vet and
>   the diagnosis is that he has asthma.
>
>We have one (shorthair, indoor/outdoor) cat that occasionally starts
>wheezing, almost retching, occasionally---it sort of sounds like what
>I once heard called a "hairball cough".  Of course, he'll never do it
>for the vet.  The really interesting thing is that, after we worm this
>cat, the cough goes away for several months!  The vet looked quite
>skeptical when I told him this, but we've gone thru 3 or 4 cycles of
>it, and worming always "cures" it.  Anybody else ever run into this?
>
>Marsha Jo Hannah
>La Honda, CA
>


	I had a cat that did this and in my reading, I came across the fact
	that roundworms (ascarids) can, and do, migrate from the esophagus
	to the bronchial tubes and lungs and can cause something called
	"parasitic pneumonia".  Now, this was in a book written for owners,
	not vets, so it may be all wet, but it's an interesting possibility,
	nontheless, and it would fit with your pet's symptoms.


-Rich (young@serum.kodak.com)
From: joltes@husc4.harvard.edu (Richard Joltes)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats
Subject: Ralphin' Kitty
Date: 14 Apr 92 20:45:24 GMT
Article-I.D.: husc3.1992Apr14.164528.11085
Distribution: world
Organization: Harvard University Science Center

Hi all,

A minor problem has come up with Kabuki, the Screaming Sliamese.  He's been
randomly ralphing (translation:  throwing up) just after eating.  I'm not sure
if it's a physical problem since he acts fine otherwise, and is his normal,
playful self.  It almost seems like he's trying for attention or something, 
since this usually happens when Kris and I are busy and running around the 
house.  He eats (far too fast, gulping down his food), waits a few minutes, and
tosses it all up again.

He has all his shots and was recently seen by the vet.  Any advice or similar
behaviour stories would be helpful.

Thanks,

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dick Joltes						joltes@husc.harvard.edu
Hardware & Networking Manager, Computer Services 	joltes@husc.bitnet 
Harvard University Science Center

"Mind you, not as bad as the night Archie Pettigrew ate some
sheep's testicles for a bet...God, that bloody sheep kicked him..."
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats