The cat lovers thread

[NoSurvivors]

Firstly: this is the cat LOVERS thread. People with cat issues can take their anti-feline prejudice elsewhere.



This is my cat, Demelza (Demi for short).



She's sitting on top of the fridge (she climbs up the radiator at the back). She's an accomplished climber and I had to modify the cat-proofing on the fence to contain her. She has endearing habits like sleeping on the pillow next to me and licking my face in the morning, and odd habits like biting my nose and licking the shower floor after I'm done (she has a strange fascination with any water that's not in her bowl). She's the quietest cat I've ever known, only makes noise when distressed or hungry.

Post a picture of your cat, and tell us what he/she does that makes him/her special.

 

[kinderwhoree]

This is my cat pumpkin, she was fascinated with the ice pack on my knee.

She's special because I think someone may have knocked her in the head when she was little.

 

[EricaK]

This is Sophie. Couple reasons why she's special but main one is probably that my mum has an illness which gives her really bad stomach problems occasionally, bowel blockages stuff like that, and we always, know when its going to happen badly because Sophie won't leave her alone. Little warning cat as it were

And obviously just look at her. How could she not be special when she looks so adorable?

 

[fluffen723]

Gary: That's a really cute picture of her sitting in the, uh, bowl? on your head. Why do you think she may have taken a knock to the head when she was little?

Southpaw: I've always found the self-satisfied look cats get to be endearing. They have an infectious smugness. Looking at a happy, sleepy cat makes me feel better. My parent's cat is about 18 years old and he's the most affectionate cat I've ever met. All he wants to do is curl up in someone's lap and purr. Despite his age and having a dodgy hip (got hit by a car some years ago) plus slowly dying of kidney failure he can still scale a six-foot fence with ease.

This is what it took to contain him:



The fence is 1.8 meter steel. The cat-proofing is shadecloth mounted at a 45 degree angle.



That's the shadecloth at the side of the house. Took him all of two seconds to scramble over it (It's vertical, so he just clawed his way up). I had to add plastic sheeting at the top to keep him in. In cat-years he's about 95 years old. If I'm still on my feet at that age I'll count myself lucky.



There are numerous anecdotes about pets picking up on illnesses. I think they respond to body language that humans aren't aware of.

 

[joeflaherty]

This is my 9 year old cat Princess taken dec 2011.

She is very pretty, sweet, kind, gentle, and playful. I loves her.

 

[TyffTaff]

This is my cat Gary (the kids named him) when we first got him last year as a kitten.



Thankfully now he's bigger he can't fit up there any more , much to the chinchillas relief.
He's got a brilliant temperament with the kids and very playful.

 

[Angele]

Nice pics everybody, we have eight cats. All the photos died recently with my old computer.

 

[Sinny_x]

Cats are better than dogs.
Word.
I didn't know that until I had two cats. Well, the kids were supposed to have two black cats, but in short order the cats mostly claimed me. People have dogs, and cats have people, I think is how it really goes.
Anyway ...

 

[DWAYNEB]

Dogs have masters. Cats have staff.

Throw a stick, a dog will run out and bring it back. The cat looks at you with that "you threw it. You want it back, you get it".

Grew up with a cat. Now allergies stop me from owning one.

 

[scouriebeast]

Don't own a cat, my mother doesn't like pets, but as soon as I move out I intend to get a big ass Maine Coon

 

[Anamona]

How often do you all trim their claws?

 

[wowbango]

Had cats for years. More like having a room mate... less like having a pet.

Never trimmed their claws... if the cats go outdoors no need to trim their claws. Cat's know when they need a good scratch and will make sure their own nails are the right length.

 

[jordan_30241]

I live in an apartment so if i get a cat ill have to keep it indoors at all times so i'll have to keep its claws trimmed. My moms cat we had when i was a kid, we allowed her to play in the yard but there is a danger in that. If your cat is going into other peoples yards and making a mess, which cats do, well if you piss off the wrong person they take matters into their own hands. I know of cats and dogs that were poisoned by angry neighbors.

 

[bigboy105us]

Living in an apartment does have it's limitations with cats. Which is why I don't bother in Hong Kong. For a cat to be happy in 600 square feet seems not really possible. Cat's are curious and inquisitive creatures - they generally require a pretty good amount of sensory stimulation. I couldn't see one being all that stoked to stay inside all day. Since it's really not possible to let them out in a city like HK and expect to A) get them back B) not become a transport vector for flees from rats... I've had to give it a miss.

As for cats getting into other peoples yards. Yeah it happens. That's life. You can't live your life in fear of what neighbors think of your cat. If your cat gets into trouble then deal with it. But to have a house and keep the cat only indoors because you're worried about the neighbors is a bit off in IMHO. Cats are cats and they don't generally run and take a crap on the neighbors front porch.

As for trimming the claws:

http://www.catscratching.com/htmls/article.htm

 

[AlexisInfectious®]

We have scratching posts for our older cats that don't go out.

 

[bebellanca]

I have a scratching post indoors for Princess but she still loves to go out, and where we live, she can as much as she wants. go outside.

 

[GIAnTSChmps]

Demi is now confined to my house and yard, so not an issue. My housemate also has a cat, so she has company when I'm not around. In the evenings I'll sometimes open the door so they can go for a walk, but Demi doesn't seem to go far. Giver a half-hour to wander around then call her and she'll come running.

 

[Kittye]

Yeah certain breeds of cats are definitely more home oriented than others. So in that case it's not a big deal that they stay in. Maybe it stems from me growing up with tons of cats always kicking around both inside and outside that it seems so strange to see a cat who's only inside.