Cats

[kathe nichols]

We just adopted another kitten. I'd been looking for a black kitten for a while, and there were NONE. My parents found this one on the 4th of July while they were walking to their home-town parade. She followed them and wanted attention, and they knew I wanted a black kitten, so they started knocking on doors to see if she belonged somewhere.

They found one family who had been feeding her since the people next door to them had moved away and left her (!). They were glad to have someone WANT her. I say, someone needs their head examined, to abandon a beautiful and loving baby like this.

The vet says she's healthy, but a little underweight. We can fix that... She's a Manx (naturally tailless). We're calling her Libby (short for Liberty). The older cats think she is Evil Incarnate. I have to find time to follow her around with a camera and get some pics.

[ScoobyWOW]

How wonderful kathe! Glad to see this kitten found a good and loving home! I know my life would not be complete without my two furballs underneath my feet all day. Especially my oldest one. My youngest still has too much kitten in him to be a lover boy yet but I am curing him of that rather quickly! As I am typing my oldest is in his usual "chatting" position..lol...lying across my shoulders like he is a boa! I swear he thinks I am his personal jungle gym/tree! I guess as long as he does not start seeing me as his personal scratching post I will be doing ok!

[DLC55]

I can't remember a time when we didn't have a cat or two or even 23....all the mommas decided to have them all at one time. I think that was the most hectic but fun time the kids and I ever had. Imagine all those little furballs learning to walk and eat and use the litter pan, ROFL..we had a ball. We found each and everyone of them a handpicked home, only people we knew or friends of theirs who were referred got those babies. I still keep in touch with a few and have seen those kittens grow into some lovely creatures. We even made up birth certificates for the kittens complete with their paw prints. Imagine trying to keep those all straight!!

Currently we have 5 cats, 4 males and a female, who only has to stare down the males and they hightail it away from her.

I have 2 favorites. One is named Blackie who was born with a bit of trouble breathing. In fact, he wasn't breathing at all when momma brought him to me and sat there looking at me with this look of "Do something please!" I held this tiny unmoving baby and didn't know what else to do but give it mouth to mouth which wasn't a bit pleasant at the time. I just knew he wasn't going to make it, when suddenly, he started breathing. We kept Blackie, we just didn't have it in us to give him away. To say this cat is ungrateful to be alive is an understatement, ROFL... he's one of the meanest, stubbornest cats we have, but he's my baby, and every once in a while, he let's me pick him up and lays in my arms purring. But only for about 5 seconds then he's off again.

Then there is Cinnamon. He's a reddish blonde cat who is slightly brain damaged from an accident one winter. He disappeared one day and was gone for about 7 days. The kids were heartbroken. Then one day my son brought in a sign from outside with the description that fit Cinnamon. I called and went to see if it indeed was him. It was. He had been hit by the womans daughter and she wouldn't have it any other way but to take him to the vet. Cinnie had a concussion and slight brain damage but all in all was fine, with the exception that, he didn't remember who we were. We brought him home to begin his recuperation which included a new kitten to help him learn how to play again. It wasn't long before he was running and playing with that new kitten who just wouldn't leave him alone until they had run through the house tearing up whatever was in their path. We think Cinnie is going blind. He has a hard time focusing his eyes and squinches them up when he looks at you.

There are days when I'm sitting here and all of them have joined me. They'll be sleeping on top of the computer or the desk or the back of my chair or in my lap, all purring their different sounds. I wouldn't have it any other way.

[ScoobyDoo]

{{{{{ DLC }}}}}

23 cats??? OMG! LOL! Well growing up I guess my family run a close second! We had 3 full grown cats all females and pregnant at the same time,they each had a litter of 5 on the SAME day, and 2 6 month old kittens. Needless to say anytime anyone in our neighborhood wanted a cat they came to our house!

Now this would not be complete without telling the story of how this whole brood got started!
I was 7 yrs old and my best friend and I were running away from home. I snuck out of the house in my jammies with footies in them at 3am and my best friend Sean was waiting for me on his bike with training wheels and a big wheel for me. I had packed in a pillow case 1 change of clothes, 10 dollars and a pb & j sammich. We never even made it out of the neighborhood..lol! We were almost out when we heard a cat crying form a tree. We decided we just HAD to rescue this cat before we started on our journey to Arizona!(Mind you we lived in Indpls, In.) Well the tree we were climbing to rescue this cat just happened to be in the yard of my Girl Scout Leaders! Next thing Sean and I know here comes a cop car! Major !!LOL! Well long story short, we were taken home, scolded by the cops and our parents and grounded for life. BUT I did get a cat out of the whole deal! Yes my parents let me keep the rescued cat and the first litter she had was three males and 2 females. We found homes for the three males but kept the two females.
And about a year and a half later we had 20 cats! LOL! We found them all good homes and kept the 2 6 month old kittens. (That being because my Mom told my Dad.. "It is either the cats or me! lol)

[DrFrankenHooty]

October again October 16 has been declared National Feral Cat Day. Our shelter is having a community fundraiser, there are various activites all over the US to help raise money for cutting down on populations. You can get more info at Alley Cat Allies. http://www.alleycat.org/

[fishead]

Just looked at the pic's of your Ozzy.
What a sweetheart!!!
Has anyone told you he has mane-coon in him.
I say this because we have a mane-coon(?sp)
You might be happy to know that she has all of the same grumpy expressions that your Ozzy has. Hisses for no particular reason, growls/grumbles and vocalizes when you pick her up. Basically has put the fear of God in anyone who has crossed her path. But we get to see the sweet side of her, when she plays with her stuffed dinosaur, when she hops up on the bed and demands scratches, when she "talks" to us.

Just wanted to share this with you.

[Sunshine]

We don't have kids and may not have children...so I am looking for companionship. My first inclination was to geta dog, but we are apartment dweller and intend to stay in apartments for some years, thus I am not sure I am best suited. I am wondering if a CAT would be a better option. How though, do you find a snuggly cat? Most of the postings I ever see about cats...are that they are rambunctious. I wouldn't mind having a cat but would prefer a mellow creature, I think. Is it like looking for a dog that is a mellow being? Can anyone give me an inside scoop on having a cat in an apartment? Thanks in advance! Sunshine!

[mickey]

I have 2 cats and a dog and I've found with my cats, it's all up to them when they want to be cuddly. Cats are independent and they make those decisions.

I got two because we going away and I thought the first one would love the company.

I got all my animals from the local pound because they need the homes and most of them are mix breeds which in my opinion are healthier animals. I'm a firm believer in giving strays a home.

[Sunshine]

Glad to hear you saved a few little ones! That is great! I will most likely get a kitten from a shelter. I will not buy from a pet store for several reasons. I do not believe in puppy mills. I think they are horrrific places and it is incredibly sad to think that bitches are made to have litter after litter. I think that it is very sad also to go into a pet shop to see a pup that has fleas and is not cared for much. Those dogs always seem to want out of the cages. It just blows my mind. I also cannot fathom paying as much money as people do for pups that come from shops! I love breed specific rescues but don't see very many breed specific rescues for cats! Anyway...my hat is off to you for getting shelter fluffs! Sunshine!

[sunflower]

Well I mentioned my dog so tis ony fare.

I have two cats they both weigh about 20 lbs each.I remember when I brought the dog home the mother cat just had kittens. Well I don't know what I was thinking about but I almost lost my leg when I stuck it between the cat trying to get at the dog lol. I will never forget that one.

Thank God for clumping litter needless to say I buy it by 50lbs bags.

What did the cat get when it crossed the desert? (Well Sandy Clause of course)

[mary]

I own a kitten and my hubby has a cat. He got his from his sister, she was moving and needed a place for him for awhile. well its been six mnths and we still have him. lol Hubby says he will keep him. Then there is my kitten. She thinks she is a princess. She acts so refined. She will snub you sometimes when you alk to her. My 3 year old son named her choclate, because of her color. Oh she will play but only if she wants to. I have owned cats all my life. But Princess Choclate is the frist kitten that I have owned that is this lazy. All the other ones I have owned have been rambuncious. She is also the only cat with this much aditude at such an earily age that I have come across. lol You should see the looks she gives my 18 month old daughter. My daughter calls her and the kitten looks at like if to say " What planet do you come for agian? If you think I am coming to you, you've got to be crazy. " Then again kitten proubly sees that my daughter will sit on my hubbys kitty, so maybe she knows what she is saying.

[alina]

Hi Ladies! Pets fascinate my daughter, especially cats and dogs. This summer it is her birthday and I'd like to buy her a kitten. Would you have any suggestions as to where would be a good place to buy them, etc.?
Thanks!

[Savannah]

Cat Haven :P
thats where i found FELIX, or more to the point.. he found me.
Cat Haven is a shelter for felines that otherwise would be disposed off. when i went there i found 40odd cats, all shapes, sizes, age, colour and temperament. was SOOOO hard to choose.
none of the ones i liked felt 100% right, until i laid eyes on FELIX, who until that point was asleep or had his head stuck in the foodbowl ( that was a warning sign i failed to take note HAHA)
just when i was about to make my selection he turned around and looked at me and was SOOOOO beautiful. i went inside the cage ( generous sized ones!!!) and he stood on a ledge, front paws on my chest and looked me straight in the eyes... well that was THAT.
i took him home and he is the most awesome puss i have ever had, we are the perfect match!

are you looking for a kitten in particualar or would you consider an older cat as well?
personally i would always favour an older cat ( Felix was 18month).

[crazymomma]

Savannah is right. I was going to suggest your local pet shelter. I have 3 cats. One is beyond nuts, but... she does have her moments. Happy kitty hunting. Unless you are looking for a special breed. If that is the case check the paper or your local pet shop.Personally I'd go to the shelter. Those babies need a home.

[Cinderellen]

The local paper, the shelter, or a farmer are the best places to go. Pet store variety cats are usually overpriced and often sick. I bought two from pet stores. The second one was fine, he's healthy and happy now, if a little fat, ok at 24 lbs, he's more than a little fat, lol. However, the first one was taken away from his mother too young and never recovered. He was psycho and eventually had to be put down. I hated to do it, but he was headed down a dark road. There's always someone that didn't spay their female cat that's looking for a home for the "surprises". Good luck.