Hissfest 2020 - Mittens update.

[bakerjw]

2020... What a year it has been.
First came Covid...
Then the riots...
The Iowa derecho...
A double hurricane in the gulf...

And in the midst of it all, in the Baker house, HISSFEST 2020...

Mittens has recovered extremely well from her injuries. She is running through the house and loves TV time in the evening laying on either me or my wife Beth. We've learned all of the nooks and crannies that need to be covered up to keep her from getting into inaccessible, to humans at least, hiding spots.
She has had some accidents involving not finding the litter box though, hence the need to have all furniture in the living room covered with heavy plastic. Last night was accident free, or so we hope. It was not unexpected.
Our girls, Libby and LillyBug, who are sisters have been unaffected by world events to this point, but the introduction of Mittens has thrown their world into a tailspin. The introductions were done slowly allowing them all to learn the scent of the other house cats. The girls were locked in the office for an afternoon while Mittens learned the lay of the land. What I had underestimated was the persistence of Lilly Bug to find a way through the barrier. I came back into the house from outside to find the barrier down with Lilly Bug checking out the living room with Mittens following closely behind. Darn, I wish that I had a video of that. Lilly Bug would walk a few feet and Mittens would follow. All the while Lilly Bug was oblivious. When they got into the kitchen, I called Lilly Bug who then turned and saw Mittens. Hiss, growl, run off, stop, turn, hiss again, run off, repeat...
Mittens is oblivious to their antics but still gives them space.
Mittens is still skittish and runs from most people but we are using food to warm her up to visitors. A slightly hungry cat is a friendly cat.
This morning, Mittens has been running through each room and discovering new things with us all home for the morning.
The girls, Libby and Lilly Bug, hiss and growl, but each time, we let them be for a few minutes before petting them and giving them loving. Their ears perk up and tails go up telling us that they're not mad at us but don't like that change that has been foisted upon them.
LOL... As I type this, I hear a hiss in the kitchen. Lilly Bug must have seen Mittens again because Libby is on my computer bench. So I put Lilly Bug in one of here favorite windows and gave her some cheek rubs while talking smoothly which settles her down. Al the while, out mischievous little 3 legged kitten is running around well in view.

[contender1]

As I read this,, I have this motion picture running in my head. I can see the feline hissfest, and all it's "attitudes!" Mittens appears to be gaining ground in accepting her new world, and it's daily interests.
Love, time, and treats will be the things that make all of it comfortable to her. She sounds like a wonderful addition to your life,, and while there are going to be "challenges" you will look back & smile at how much she has enriched your life one day.

Miss Penny & I always seem to enjoy discussing the differences in our cats,, and how they have grown, changed, and in general, enriched our lives. Our "terrorist" one,, the youngest,, is actually just a very outgoing & curious cat, that loves to get UP high on anything she can. Yet,, we are noticing that while she's always been loving,, she's getting more & more affectionate in general. She recently turned 8, and Seems to always bring smiles.
And as I sit here,,, I have 2 of the others curled up around me. One, to the left of my keyboard,, and the other one, on the desk to my right. I have to move her feet to use my mouse.

I enjoy hearing how Mittens is progressing. Keep us posted.

[Mr_Sheesh]

Ienjoy the humor, "Hissfest" LOL :) Sounds like many cats I've known. Definitely sounds like they're getting used to each other, expect many more hisses tho, since Mittens is "The pesky kid sister who won't leave us alone, ever!" Typical critters :)

[bakerjw]

This morning found both of the girls in our room upstairs waiting for us to go downstairs. Normally it is a mad dash between our legs to get to the feeding dish. Not today. They sat on the stairs observing the "creature from the dark living room" and waited for it to stop meowing and start feeding at it's special food bowl before they would even attempt to venture through the dining room. Oh the humanity of it all. LOL...

The girls are starting to adjust. They hiss a lot but I distract them and they come over for petting and loving.

Mittens hasn't had any "Accidents" lately which is a great thing. All furniture is covered with 2 mil drop cloths now for protection reasons. We got her new large and small litter boxes as my wife feels that she might be confused by any residual scents on the old one. The small one goes near the furniture where she's had the accidents.

Life is getting back to normal... Now if only primers would come back into stock.

[Wayne Smith]

Contender, how do you get them to settle next to the computer?? Ours always walked over the keyboard - with sometimes surprising results.

[contender1]

I see the girls are "adjusting" to Mittens a bit. Time will see more changes.


Wayne,, well, it's like this. I have a desk,, and my computer (a laptop) has an external keyboard. My laptop is on a stand, and the keyboard is propped up over the space below the keys of the laptop. I have a 3"-4" wide space of the desk to allow for my forearms,, AND to allow a walkway for the cats. My laptop sits to one side of the desk. The cats have a laying spot next to things. And to my right,, is another desk,, placed sideways, (my wife calls it a credenza) where I do have my mouse & such. But I also do a lot of my writing on that one,,, well,, except when a second cat decides to lay RIGHT where I want to work. My printer is forward of my desk, and sits under a shelf I built. There is a cat basket on the shelf. So,,, I OFTEN have 3 cats at once "working" with me. One left, one right, & one above! :D :D
Of course,, when writing,, one likes to play with my pen. And often, on my left,, when they curl, stretch or move around,, they push my keyboard & desk lamp. Ahhh,,, life with cats!

[Preacher Jim]

Sounds like your house is maintained for the care and feeding of cats. I say that as wife s 13 lb rag doll is sitting next to me in a chair. Thinks my working on things is time for her to play.

[oldred]

Thinks my working on things is time for her to play.

Ragdolls think ALL times is the time to play! Ragdoll cats are about the most playful of all breeds, laid-back and extremely docile they make wonderful pets and are gorgeous to say the least!

It's been over 20 years now since we lost our beautiful 24 lb "Gentle giant" Ragdoll Tomcat (Merlin) to feline leukemia, that dreaded and deadly feline virus was rampant in the Ragdoll linage at the time and a huge percentage of them died from it despite vaccination. Thank goodness this disease has been bred out of the breed and as long as they don't get exposed to it they are now safe from it.

[rancher1913]

need a emoji for "this thread is useless with out photos" :D

[bakerjw]

When I first read it, I thought ragdoll was a general term for cats like our Libby. She's a run of the mill tabby that bellies up to the food bowl all too often. Her favorite pose is flopped on her side with a big belly exposed for all to pet and adore.

[clum553946]

Thanks for the updates, please keep us posted on occasion!

[gwpercle]

If things get dire ...Call The Cat Man ... Jackson Galaxy ... He can make your cat life Heavenly !
Or at least get you on his TV show .
Gary

[Mr_Sheesh]

Cat folks have a term for when kitty's right there next to you, watching all you do.

"Snoopervising."

My two snoopervise a lot too, sounds like yours have you well trained :)

[woodbutcher]

:lol: Sounds like Mittens and company are slowly adjusting.Just you wait.Pretty soon you are going to need some GI kevlar and shoulder pads when they start to play and chase throughout the house.
Sure do miss the fun and games since my Morris passed away last Oct 10th.Snowball is really missing him too.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[oldred]

When I first read it, I thought ragdoll was a general term for cats like our Libby.

Ragdolls are very unique with a disposition like no other breed!

When picked up these extremely docile and lovable cats tend to go limp and that along with their long cotton soft fur coat got them the name of "Ragdoll". They are considered indoor only cats for a couple of reasons one being that due to genetics they are VERY susceptible to the dreaded feline leukemia virus mentioned earlier, so much so that a lot of vets recommend they don't get vaccinated due to the possibility that some vaccines could actually cause the disease. Another reason is the fact that almost all of them think EVERYTHING is either for them to eat or play with so they have developed the reputation of not fearing anything, not as in "tough guy" no fear but more like "don't have a lick of sense" kind of no fear! Dogs, other cats or even the cattle Merlin had absolutely no fear of any of them, before we knew better than to let him outside during the day he would ride with me on the mower and had more than once tried to jump onto the tractor while I was working. Same thing for the shop machinery and no matter how noisy or fast it was moving he didn't see any danger at all. Unfortunately we didn't know about the feline leukemia susceptibility problem until he was jumped by a feral tomcat and we took him to the vet. They had us bring him back in 3 months to test again for the virus and sure enough it was bad news, our beloved gentle giant died less than 6 months later. He was so unique and had become such a close family member that even after all this time I guess I still get a bit emotional whenever I mention him, probably not a good idea to get so attached to an animal but, well it is what it is I guess.

[lightman]

It sounds like Mittens is getting more comfortable. My Kitty is 15 years old and absolutely hates it when we keep the Boys dogs or the SIL's Cat. Missy got her bluff in on the dogs early on in their lives but the SIL's Cat is young enough that He thinks its a game. She stays mad for several days after they are gone. Makes for some interesting dynamics!

Thanks for the update on Mittens.

[.429&H110]

My mother could speak cat. They would talk. My Dad had a camper with an intercom. Mom and Trip would talk. Mom taught me the slow blink, and the deep purr-up, humm, zzyia, nyah, and body language. Cats read our body language and learn our words. I taught my daughter to speak cat. How to rescue pound cats, socialize them, then find them a home like a dating service. I was left with a black fixed feral female Stinker nobody would take. I could handle Stinker, pet her, she would ride on my shoulder. She slept on the foot of my bed. She hissed at a moose, growled with her back up, moose was impressed, moved along. Stinker would sink in her teeth if provoked. Bite Daddy, get your nose snapped. Stinker learned. She never bit Mommy, professional courtesy. She tore up the neighbors dog. They sent me the bill. ? . She played with her claws out. Clipped her nails, they came back thicker. Just let claws shed. Got a cedar fence post and a fence rail in the back yard for a scratching post, Stinker would claw pieces of cedar off. Tore apart any carpet scratching post. Left the furniture alone, tore up toilet paper. Kinda like a wife, don't provoke her. Rode with that cat Hanover to Scottsdale to North Pole where she died at 16. Totally Black Cat. I miss her. I think she liked me. She came a long way from feral, but was not a cat for children, or anybody else that didn't speak cat. Nobody wants a feral cat. Lately I have had two dogs die, and maybe I need another Stinker.

[bakerjw]

Mittens discovered the girls food bowls... She sits and eats as they watch from a distance.
Lilly bug has gotten pretty good at tolerating Mittens. She'll hiss now and again but is easily distracted and will come for a petting.
Libby, not so much. She is grumbly but still finds her way next to my pillow nightly.

Interesting about cat communication. I'd never put thought into body language. I know that when in the mood, Libby and I will have conversations where she makes all kinds of different sounds. Of all of the cats that we've ever had, she has the largest vocabulary of any by far. She even has a low gruff uuuuhhhhh sound that she makes when defending the house from the UPS truck that she hates or fears. She also is afraid of storms and we can tell when weather is near as she starts hunkering down and getting under things. Usually she gets held and comforted when there is a lot of thunder.

ETA... Libby love nibbles. When laying on my lap or in bed, she'll reach up and lightly grab a bit of skin in her teeth and hold it as an indication of "PET the cat now."

[contender1]

It's fun when cats are vocal. But body language is also important. We have learned a bit of communication skills over the years. And by understanding them,, it's often easy to meet & greet other cats.
Yesterday, on my job, there was a yellow tabby male cat that showed up,, to check out my skunk removal skills.
Well, he was obviously a bit shy about strangers,, yet,, he was also curious. It took me all of about 3-4 minutes,, and he & I were buddies,, as I was petting & rubbing him. A young teen girl came out,, and when she saw that,, she said; "Wow,, he must really like you,, he's usually very shy!" I sat with him for several minutes,, just scratching, rubbing, and petting him. And when I stood up,,, he followed me to a few of my traps.
You just gotta understand them, and communicate with them on their level.

Mittens,, well, Lilly bug & Libby are becoming adjusted to her being a part of the family. And as long as they see they are not being ignored, or replaced,, they will accept her over time. How much,, will depend upon each one's personality.

For treats,, we give the Temptations treats. Our furry friends REALLY like the soft chewy ones the best.

[bakerjw]

Skunk removal... LOL...
I raise chickens and have racoon problems in the past. Night vision on a dedicated .22lr AR is a dream. Not the insert into a 1:8 twist barrel but a full blown 1:12 twist .22LR chambered upper.
When I have had to trap raccoons I have to deal with them first thing in the morning. One particular morning, it was in the fall, cold and rainy. I went out to the trap and counted stripes... Black, white, black, white, black. #$%#@#!!! a skunk. It was the first one that I had trapped, was pretty docile and they never harm my birds so I went in and got an old sheet. Held it up as I approached and draped it over the trap. With a bungee to hold the door open, I stepped away and mister skunk came out and ambled away with no ill feelings. I've done it several times since.

[clum553946]

Skunk removal... LOL...
I raise chickens and have racoon problems in the past. Night vision on a dedicated .22lr AR is a dream. Not the insert into a 1:8 twist barrel but a full blown 1:12 twist .22LR chambered upper.
When I have had to trap raccoons I have to deal with them first thing in the morning. One particular morning, it was in the fall, cold and rainy. I went out to the trap and counted stripes... Black, white, black, white, black. #$%#@#!!! a skunk. It was the first one that I had trapped, was pretty docile and they never harm my birds so I went in and got an old sheet. Held it up as I approached and draped it over the trap. With a bungee to hold the door open, I stepped away and mister skunk came out and ambled away with no ill feelings. I've done it several times since.

Polecats are un-adoptable! Lol

[farmbif]

I'm glad your cats on the mend. those folks at UTK are good as gold.

[bakerjw]

Just an update as it's been about 5 weeks since Mittens showed up at our home.
Although her name is Mittens, I started calling her Peeper because of the way her meow sometimes is short and sounds like a peep.
She has her petting territory in the living room and always runs back to that whenever anyone walks toward her. It is almost like her safety zone where if you sit down, she's on you in a heartbeat for loving and petting.
And running... She's like Forrest Gump running everywhere all the time. Back and forth, back and forth.
Yesterday I was in a meeting for work and she was under my chair grabbing my pant leg and attacking my feet before running off only to come back in a few minutes to attack once more.
The girls have started to adapt really well. The other morning Mittens was sitting within a foot of Lilly Bug and LB didn't hiss at all. Libby still gets out of sorts but nothing aggressive. Mittens eats in their food bowl and uses their litter box and they are mostly alright with it.
We had another furniture accident or two but no harm due to the plastic drop cloths that adorn all of our furniture.

[oldred]

Some of the "un-acceptance" might come from the others perceiving her as being different, our polydactyl Calico "Tippy" was rejected from the time she was a kitten until this very day by some of the others. She has an extra half a paw, complete with extra foot pads, making up each foot with seven toes on each front paw and six on each of the back feet, a total of 26 toes if everything with a claw is counted. Her feet are enormous and she is noticeably odd, when I mentioned to the vet she didn't seem to get along with other cats despite being very gentle and with a sweet attitude toward people I was told that some animals (like cats) tend to reject oddities. She said it just seems to be an instinct that some animals have and they can even abandon a deformed baby even if it's otherwise healthy, certainly not all of them do this but apparently it's not uncommon.

[farmbif]

your fortunate to have cat getting healthier. one of my cats disappeared yesterday and at same time a stray dog showed up. for some reason people think its ok to dump off their unwanted pets out here in the woods. the widow lady down the road came and got it on a leash and took off with it.

[bakerjw]

Well, this morning before I left for work, Libby was anxiously waiting by the full food bowls and Mittens sauntered right past. Libby looked at her without a peep. Mittens hobbled past again and nothing. No growl. No hiss. Libby got LOTS OF LOVIN.... for being a good girl.
I am amazed that things calmed down as much as they have.
Anyone who knows me knows that I am not much of a believer. But our last church was run by Franciscan monks and were very dear to us. St. Francis is the patron saint of animals so when Mittens was peeing on the furniture and the girls were in the middle of the hissfest, I brought our statue of St. Francis into the living room and put it on the coffee table where he stands to this day.
Things in the Baker house are very good right now. Much of that has been because of the support from the CB crowd which stands head and shoulders above any other forum that I've ever seen.

[Ozark mike]

Cats are great i got 3 of em myself youtube has all kinds o videos of cats being cats


https://youtu.be/ug8Dcz3kyOA

[contender1]

I have been awaiting the latest update on Mittens,, or as you now say; "Peeper.: In fact, my brother & I were talking today,, and he was offering me a cat, that showed up at his g/f's house. He wants to rescue it, and he does love animals. In fact, he shared a story about a recent fire he saw on TV. Apparently, the owner was able to get out, and is ok,, as well as the fact the owner had a few rescue animals. In the broadcast,, he saw an injured cat,, and he got upset. he called the news station, traced the story, the owner etc. He was willing to go get this cat & help it.
I shared the story of Mittens, and how you have saved it. He was very touched.
Now, you have to understand, my brother is NOT one to show feelings like this in an outward fashion. Made me smile for sure. We shared a few cat stories,,, and your story here has touched more folks than you realize.

Mittens/Peeper,, is obviously becoming more & more accustomed to her new home & way of life. And Lilly Bug & Libby are obviously coming around to the new member of the family. They will all get settled into the new routine with each other before too long to where a new normal way of life with 3 cats feels like it's always been meant to be!

Following your updates is something I look for daily here.

[samari46]

We had two cats dynacat which was a tuxedo cat and callie which was a calico cat. And a 89 pound pit bull terrier. Strangely never and fights between them. Bob the pit bull is a very outgoing dog and He used to do kissy face with both cats. Dyna snuck out one night and never came back. callie started getting out after years of being a house cat. Then romeo started showing up but she never got preganat. Soon we had about 4 cats claiming our fenced in area by the pool as their home turf. One cat whom I named ****head became pregnant and had 6 kittens. Then a couple more had kittens.Have a couple younger ones and when bob comes out at least two come out and they play kissyface. ****head is pregnantgain and that's 4 litters we know of. Only good thing is no mice in the house all the while they have been here. Told the wife don't feed them as they will find food on their own. Which obviously they are doing. But they have to get it before Bob gets it.So we expect that Sh being pregnant will be having another litter soon.And bob's friends still come to him and kissyface. Frank

[bakerjw]

Following your updates is something I look for daily here.
Thanks. Sometimes in life it is the small things that make our days.

Mornings are a lot different now than they used to be, that's for sure. The girls are more apprehensive about coming downstairs due to the invader. this morning though, Lilly Bug was trying to communicate with Mittens. No hissing or growling, just a bit of a different meow than normal. She was sniffing the air a foot away from Mittens and then got distracted and came over for some petting.

Now for some reason, I always get dust in my eye when I watch this one...
https://youtu.be/BUc1ZgXiQGs

[contender1]

All too often,, our pets get caught up in stuff beyond our control, or we lose them for one reason or another. But when one gets rescued or is spared,, we rejoice.
And when we are given the chance to save an animal who needs a bit of help,, we know that doing so is the right thing to do. Mittens is becoming a new member of the family,, and the girls are accepting things. And, you get the peaceful feeling of love in your heart,, that God chose you as the one he knew would do what was right by Mittens.

[oldred]

Well Mittens certainly landed in the right place that's for sure!

[clum553946]

Thnx for the update, please keep us informed how she’s doing from time to time. She’s a special kitty & is lucky to have found you!

[bakerjw]

Well. Mittens has fleas.
We're not quite sure how bad it is but we've seen a loose one here or there and the poor little girl found herself the recipient of a flea bath.
She did very well although got a bit chilled.

267449

Lilly Bug and Libby get theirs later in the week. I told them that they caught the fleas from the cat who taunts them outside the back windows. so far, they're buying it.

[contender1]

Giving a cat a bath is always an "interesting" event. Since we keep our cats indoors all the time,,, we haven't had a flea problem in YEARS! But,, we used the vet provided "Advantage" treatment,, to work it's magic. It kills the fleas,, and the new ones that hatch out,, and after a round or two,, if the cats are kept inside,, no longer an issue.
I also work with wildlife,, and I'm CAREFUL to not allow my work clothes inside if I even suspect the off chance any fleas may be on them.
Advantage is a lot easier than giving them a bath.

It's good to see y'all taking such good care of Mittens. Makes my day!

[bakerjw]

She did remarkably well.
As far as Advantage goes. She is still small and sometimes the flea dots can have adverse effects. Even the shampoo that we used can cause issues so we're very careful and keep an eye on her for distress.

OT a bit. Since she spends so much time in the living room where we have a carpet, I assembled a flea trap last night and ran it overnight. It consists of an incandescent light positioned over a baking pan filled with water and dish soap. Fleas are drawn to light and warmth at night. They jump toward the light and end up in the water. With the dish soap, the surface tension of the water keeps them from floating and they drown. All we had this morning were a few gnats so it was a good sign. I will be running it for a few more nights just to see if we have a problem or not.

[oldred]

REVOLUTION!!!!

We use revolution on our cats and it's fantastic to say the least, it's the only flea treatment our vet sells anymore. Revolution is not just for fleas but also kills ear mites, ticks on the outside cats and even most internal parasites and it's been around long enough now that it's safety is not in question. I know the stuff is expensive but we "cheat" a bit and buy the largest dose sold for dogs (yes it's EXACTLY the same as the cat version) then use a hypodermic needle to pull .4 CC (that's POINT .4 and not 4 CCs!) from the tube, remove the needle and squirt that onto the backs of their necks. Our vet knows we care for a LOT of cats outside in addition to our pets and doing this was their suggestion, whenever we buy packs of Revolution they always toss in a few hypos because they know what we are doing with it. The exact dose is not critical for safety since a little too much will not hurt the animal it just wastes the product, the vet said (and the manufacture's web site also states) that doses as much as ten times the recommended dose was not harmful so doing this is quite safe.

Pricing on that stuff, as is with most flea meds of this type, is just plain stupid! A tiny .6 CC amount in a normal cat dose costs the same as the 3 Mls in the large dog dose! The vet said that a small cat up to about 7 lbs only needs .4 CCs, and that amount seems to work just fine for us, while the larger cats up 15 lbs should get the full .6 dose, .8 dose for our 22 pound "Fat Cat". Doing this allows us to dose up to 8-10 average size cats for the same price as just one if we bought individual doses.

This method is ONLY for Revolution! Other meds in the larger doses meant for dogs are not safe for cats since, unlike Revolution, they are different formulations. Another warning would be to NEVER, EVER under any circumstances use the cheap flea drops sold at Walmart and many other places! Sargents, Hartz, etc are POISON and will cause severe and permanent nerve damage leading to seizures and sometimes death! These outfits that make and sell that stuff should be held accountable for all the pain and misery they have caused to so many thousands of pets and for the heartache they have caused the pets owners to suffer. They have gotten away with this for years by plainly warning the buyer on the package label to get approval from a vet before using, these low-lifes know full well that extremely few people will even read that warning much less actually check with a vet before using, of course any vet worthy of the name would tell them to throw that stuff in the trash! Some people will try and justify saving a few bucks by saying that the vet will tell you not to use the cheaper OTC stuff because they just want to sell the higher priced meds but this is NOT true, that cheap stuff is poison!

[contender1]

Good info oldred.
We haven't had to use any stuff like this in years,, so if the need arises again,, I'll have this info saved.

[Mr_Sheesh]

I really was happy with the "flea busters" treatment, finely powdered boric acid, it can be bought cheapish on Amazon / Feebay; you sprinkle it on the carpet then (with a respirator or at least dust mask on, is a good idea) use a whisk broom to 'pounce' the powder into the rug. When a flea or other bug crawls through it, it gets the boric acid stuck on the waxy coating on its' shell, and that coating is then stripped off, so the flea dehydrates pretty quickly. Used that in a cat fostering situation years back, we had an insane number of fosters plus a Service Dog who went outside and was probably bringing the occasional flea home; Only saw occasional dead fleas, none live. Works wonderfully!

[oldred]

Yes that does work like a charm and works for more than just fleas.

[fiberoptik]

Mix in minced garlic in their soft foods or powdered garlic on dry. Fleas hate garlic 🧄!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[fiberoptik]

She did remarkably well.
…
I assembled a flea trap last night and ran it overnight. It consists of an incandescent light positioned over a baking pan filled with water and dish soap. Fleas are drawn to light and warmth at night. They jump toward the light and end up in the water. With the dish soap, the surface tension of the water keeps them from floating and they drown. All we had this morning were a few gnats so it was a good sign. I will be running it for a few more nights just to see if we have a problem or not.

We bought a setup like this. Forget the brand. Had s sticky trap under the light [emoji362]. Hartz maybe? Basically a nightlight at 90 degrees.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MaryB]

DO NOT FEED PETS garlic!!!!!! It is toxic to them even in tiny amounts.

[oldred]

Mix in minced garlic in their soft foods or powdered garlic on dry. Fleas hate garlic ��!

NO!!!!!!!!!! DON'T DO THAT IN ANY AMOUNT!!!!!!!!

Garlic and onion are VERY toxic to cats in even very small amounts and it doesn't take much at all to kill a cat!! If you have been doing that you cat is suffering from it even if you aren't noticing the effects and they can die from it. ASK YOUR VET and see what they tell you about feeding Garlic to a cat!!

Besides that "trick" doesn't work anyway!

[clum553946]

How’s Mittens been doing?

[bakerjw]

Top of the day all.
Mittens is doing very well. I was actually just playing fetch with her. We have these small furry mice that she loves. I'll throw it and she chases it and proudly carrying it back towards us. The other girls have turned the corner and tolerate her sitting near them. It's not always free of drama but a huge difference from a few weeks back.
I came home from work yesterday and Mittens was upstairs. When she heard me, she started peeping and came running down and proceeded to grab a leg and lay her head on my feet.
At night, we have to feed her and get her settled otherwise it is endless running and peeping.
She has peed on some carpets and furniture which we are dealing with but it has smoothed out quite a bit.
I'll have to post up some videos and share the links.

[rking22]

Please do, she sounds adorable, well except for peeing on stuff! I am presently looking at my wife, 1 cat to each side and one on the back of the couch, love our furrbabies!

[richhodg66]

The wife and I were talking the other day, we have three cats, one is 13, the other two about five now. The oldest one is among the sweetest pets I've ever known and I love him dearly and am dreading the coming day in a few years.

Wife always wants to have three. I do believe if you have one cat, you need at least two. I love kittens but know how hard they are on older cats, and not sure I want another one until all the current ones are passed.

[john.k]

My 19 yr old cat died in his sleep last year,and I got a new shelter cat.....I was assured by the shelter he had been handed in,but Im positive he s been feral as a kitten....he much prefers lizards and grasshoppers to catfood,and he doesnt know how to drink water...........Anyway,the birds got used to the old cat ,divebombing him all the time ,the new cat ,he can jump 10ft straight up and catch a butterfly between his paws........deadly on divebombing birds.

[contender1]

Love the stories,, and especially the update on Mittens.

As time goes on,, her peeing on things can go away,, if she is "fixed" and they all have litter boxes. We keep more litter boxes than we have cats,, (and we have 4 cats,) to allow them a space of their own.
Yet, as cats age, and depending upon the atmosphere,, they can also change.
One of our cats was found as a kitten, stray, and was very shy for about 5 years,, as she lived with my Mom. She would visit with me,, (as I was the one who found her, cared for her etc,) but other folks called her the "ghost cat." When Mom passed,, she came to live with us. She became much more social,, and loving to a lot more folks. A very sweet personality,, but still had her quirks. Dry cat food only. Then as an older cat was heading to the Rainbow Bridge,, she suddenly liked the soft treats we'd feed the "old man." And she also began eating canned food. The "old man" passed,, and the little quirky girl immediately adopted my wife with a very close love. The old man had been born in my wife's lap, and died in her arms,, after over 17 years of being HER cat. The little girl,, adopted my wife,, and I would say; "Sebastian told her to take care of his momma after he left." Now,, she still loves me,, but she has become HER cat. Goes to bed with her butt on the pillow,, and her head nestled in my wife's hand, all while leaned into the side of my wife's head/face.
But she too is aging,, (16+ now) and she has taken to crapping outside the 2 litter boxes she prefers,, as well as a few other spots. Not always,, & every time,, but enough to where we just chalk it up to her personality changing again,, combined with her age. She still pees in a box,, but craps in the floor.
We know that at 16 + she may not have too many years left,, and with the sweet personality, combined with her attachment to my wife,, we accept her little issue. And now,, she actually wants soft, canned food all the time. A total turn around after many years of nothing but dry food. Guess what she gets?

So,, my question.

What does your granddaughter think of Mittens?

[bakerjw]

doesnt know how to drink water...........
We have a small fountain that one of our sons got us a few years ago.
The cats love drinking running water. You might try something like that.

[oldred]

We have a small fountain that one of our sons got us a few years ago.
The cats love drinking running water. You might try something like that.


This is something I noticed several years ago, given the choice cats seem to go for running water every time.

One of our outdoor cats has an annoying, or at least odd, drinking habit. I say annoying because I keep all our outdoor cats in my shop at night to keep them safe and so I have to keep litter boxes and a water bowl in there for them, "Miss Kitty" takes her paw and "paddles" the water before drinking as if she is trying to remove something from the surface???? There is no film or other debris on the surface (at least not until she sticks her dirty paw in it!) since rinsing and refilling the water bowl is a daily task before putting them up for the night but every morning the water bowl has dirt and junk from her paws in the water! I have watched her do this, she will sit and paw at the water sometimes hard enough to splatter, first one paw then the other, until she is satisfied with whatever it is she is trying to accomplish and only then will she drink.

[bakerjw]

What does your granddaughter think of Mittens?

She has only seen her on Skype. They live 650 miles away but hopefully will come down in October for our oldest son's wedding.
If she comes here, he and "John Dad" as I am called will get up early every morning to go feed Mittens as that is when she is friendly to anyone with the sacred pod of food.

I am called "John Dad" because several years ago my daughter in law and her sister came down for Christmas with my youngest son. Their dad didn't ever have much disposable income so I took the girls out shopping with a blank checkbook. It was material things but they were so overjoyed and cried. After that, I became "John Dad". When Elia, our granddaughter, came along my wife kept pushing her to call be grandpa which I detest. Elia picked up "John Dad" and it's been that way ever since.

[bakerjw]

Mittens found the bedroom....
At 2:00AM....
She settled down occasionally but it was a night of Foot Attacks, Finger Nibbling and many bouts of aggressive "Not rubbing the cat!" head rubbing.
We need to feed her before bed. Not that she doesn't have food, but if we give her some wet food, she is less rambunctious.

[Mr_Sheesh]

My younger cat started off drinking zero water but has watched the older one tanking up so much that she now drinks too. Was giving her wet food before that to hydrate her, still doing that as dehydration causes her health problems that I just don't need!

Glad Mittens and her stepsisters have grown used to each other, it usually just takes time and patience :)

[MaryB]

My 2 play in the water too, I think most cats do...

[richhodg66]

My 2 play in the water too, I think most cats do...

We have one that does that now quite frequently. We keep a big, deep bowl for the dog and this cat will put both feet in all the way to the bottom.

[rking22]

Glad to hear mittens is doing well and being accepted by her elders! Our tuxedo has to get his petting when we go to bed, and as soon as either of us begins to wake, no denying him, he chirps and head butts till we comply. Might be a tux trait. Pooky has to tap the water with her paws before drinking, I always figured she wanted to know where the surface was so she didn’t stick her nose into it. She’s smart like that, taught the others to open doors and get toys out of the box. They all have their personality quirks, individuals all!

[woodbutcher]

:lol: If you really want to see some fun,put some ice cubes in the water.Then watch,and have a video camera handy.Oh yeah.Have a mop handy.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[bakerjw]

I finally uploaded a Mittens video.
She loves chasing toy mice.
So does Lilly Bug.


http://www.bakerjw.org/Mittens.mp4

[contender1]

While it took several minutes to download the video on my slow server,, it was well worth it. Loved watching her RUN,, after that mouse. Made my day. She's well on her way to as good a recovery as possible. Once again,, you have my respect for saving such a sweet soul.

[oldred]

My wife and I REALLY enjoyed that video this morning, we can't wait for our daughter to see it, thanks for posting that one.

[bakerjw]

rking22 references their tuxedo kitty chirping. Mittens also peeps all the time. Usually it sounds like "eek eek", so half the time I call her peeper. She is so full of energy and goes over the top on affection. My wife says that I am "Smitten with Mittens." but in truth the same can be said about her.
Glad you all enjoyed it. Sorry for the size of the file.

[Pressman]

Mittens is so cute. It was great to see her running and jumping in the video. This mittens thread has brought a lot of smiles to many of us at a time when we need it.

Just to stay on track, this is Pilgrem wanting to help me reload some 30-06

Ken

268106

[MaryB]

Oreo my Tuxedo is like that in bed, soon as I wake up he is head butting me to get petted.

Oliver my Bengal does the chirps and churrs thing. I have only heard him actually meow once. He has a huge vocabulary but none of it is a meow.

[rking22]

Murf is our tux, frequently sounds like he’s saying his name! He has an extensive vocabulary as well, meow is rarely used and very distinctive when it is. Strangle, his purr is the most minimal we have ever known. All but our oldest are vocal and have their own preferred vocabulary, probably because we talk to them all the time. Stevie even has a silent meow to go with her chirps.
That video is adorable, so glad she is healing and having a great life. Thanks for being such caring and kind folk, she will reward you with love many times over.

[bakerjw]

Just a quick update on "Mittens the Assassin."

She likes to lie in wait, lurking under and behind things waiting for the girls, Libby and Lilly Bug, to walk by before jumping out to attack their backside. The girls, as expected, do not see the humor in being attacked and usually run off to the upstairs or the basement.

The "Assassin" also has it in for us every morning demanding morning food for safe passage. As my wife or I make my way through the kitchen to the office, we must tread carefully for the well placed darting leg attacks that are sure to be coming.

Things have settled down very well. Lilly Bug aka "Bug" or "Buggles" and Mittens will sniff noses now on occasion. Bug sometimes gets a cantankerous attitude but we can stave that off with a distracting call of her name or patting of her head letting her know that she's being good.

Tuna time is also an interesting endeavor as all 3 cats will now sit together waiting to get tuna. When Mittens finishes her portion, which she always does first, she will then try to eat next to either girl regardless of hissing or pouting.

This last week, Mittens found the bedroom. Once she settles down, which can take hours if we don't wear her out before we retire for the evening, she will find a place between us or on a pillow where she stays put until it is "Assassin" time at the food bowl.

[mattw]

Most of our cats were ferral kittens. My favorite is Marshmallow, or Mellow as I call her. She makes the funniest sounds, very seldom a conventional meow. She murps and peeps and purrs like mad. She to has a huge vocabulary. The odd thing about her, she is very strong and stout, but her tail is longer than she is and it is so strong and thick it hurts to have her hit you in the face with it.

She looks great in the video, well done my friend.

[contender1]

This latest update makes my day! Mittens has started asserting herself into the family in her own way. She's a determined little girl,, and is a scrapper. I love it! Feisty, and willing. :D :D

[lightman]

Great video! Its amazing how well she gets around. I'm really glad the other cats have accepted her.

It says a lot about how good of a person you are to have rescued her. She's a lucky girl! I was looking at your "go fund me" page and was surprised that it didn't get more response.

[Mr_Sheesh]

You have it right on wearing her out with play getting her less into play aggression, same thing will work well on the Assassin behavior. She's very high energy, seems, and her older siblings are more mellowed with age. A bit more play (rope or "The Dot") might reduce the issue, but the older cats can also thwap her to tell her "Knock it off, I'm not interested!" and get her to calm a bit or find other outlets for her play aggression.

My younger kitty had really bad "acting like prey" issues at first due to her circumstances when I first got her - Now she'll stand off the older kitty most of the time, slashing paws at her / Hissing / Growling, other times she just kind of shakes her head and 'says' "I'm leaving since you are being an annoying PEST!" and walks away (so long as it's not running away, that's prey behavior which will cause more aggression.)

She looks like a very happy kitty in a happy home :)

[bakerjw]

this morning, I got up before my wife. I was well guarded by the girls in the upstairs of the house, but the little one was waiting. Food was the price of passage.


http://www.bakerjw.org/Assassin%20Cat.mp4

[mattw]

OMG, she is so vocal. Love the purr/meow. That is one happy cat.

[bakerjw]

And that happy little cat just ate a 14" thread that my wife dropped on the floor.
Soo... Mittens gets to go to the vet and be sedated while they try to pull the string out of her stomach....

[mattw]

OMG our cats do that all the time... It will come back, from one end or the other on it's own. At least ours always have.

[bakerjw]

It very well may; however, after what this year has provided us, I am not taking a chance. Dollars per pound, Mittens is worth more than many race horses.

[bakerjw]

Well, they gave her something to make her throw up. I told them I could have just fed her and left her under my chair in the office. FWIW... I put my foot into cold cat puke this morning compliments of the "Assassin".
So, she is in the kitty hospital tonight and they will check on her and take x-rays in the morning to see how her intestines are behaving or not. She might pass it or not which would then require surgery.
FWIW... I am very PO'd at someone right now and they know it.

[rking22]

Know what you mean about the cold cat puke, I rarely turn on the lights in the morning. Nothing like a soggy hair ball between your toes to wake you up! Hope she passes it , another surgery would not be fun. Seems we spoil our furrbabies, my wife left the TV on so they could watch Wild Wild West while she was gone. She must know something because 3 of them were on the couch facing the TV!

[contender1]

Well, she sure is a handful now. Eating things like that,, can cause issues. I have to watch my terrorist cat as she loves to eat tape/glue. She'll go after any shipping box with a label or tape on it.
Another one used to eat rubber bands. ALWAYS on the look out for such behavior.

[bakerjw]

Our old cat Louise had a paper fetish.She would eat rolls of toilet paper. Well, until I put a stack of aluminum cans on them.
She'd also get q-tips out of the garbage to play with as toys. We knew because she stored them in her food dish when done.
Hope they call this morning with good news.

[Mr_Sheesh]

Thread can cut through kitty's innards, that would NOT be good. Glad you're taking good care of her :) My two say "Miaow!"

[clum553946]

I sure hope she’s ok. When I opened that last video, Molly, my calico, heard her meows & gave me the “don’t you dare bring home another cat ‘hairy eyeball’”

[mattw]

Our attack kitten loves boxes and eats newspaper and green peppers. Green peppers seems odd to me, but she plays with them and then eats the better part of the one she plays with.

[bakerjw]

We keep boxes in the house for the girls. Our biggest cat, Libby, even gets into the cardboard recycling box. It is not unusual to see the box, and it is big, shake a bit for us to know where Libby is.
Still waiting for word from the vet.

[MaryB]

I have waist length hair and Oliver loves to eat it... so if I brush my hair I have to make sure I sweep up the few that always break off or he eats it... and I know he doesn't digest it by what he leaves me in the cat box!

[Mr_Sheesh]

Friend's cell phone cover pic is of her cat in a box, we now call him "Boxcat". He's liking that box a lot :)

[richhodg66]

I've never known a cat yet that didn't love cardboard boxes. And plastic laundry baskets.

[bakerjw]

Well, Mittens had surgery yesterday afternoon. She finally had thrown up and there was blood in it so the vet was concerned. Her stomach was very red due to gastritis which was due to the medicine used to induce vomiting. The vet was unable to find the thread in her stomach or small intestine. They closed her up and gave her mineral oil to help things move along better and are hoping that she will pass the string last night or today.
Predators have short intestinal tracts so what goes in comes out much faster than with omnivores and herbivores.
Our poor little girl has had a very rough go of it in her first year.
I hate to think of how hard it will be to keep her down for a week or so after this surgery.

[Pressman]

Some years ago I had a Siamese that ate a shoe lace. The first evidence of it was it beginning to pass. I pulled it out, all intact, much to her displeasure and she never tried that stunt again.

[contender1]

Mittens is truly trying to use up a few of her 9 lives.
Keep us posted.
She's a scrapper,, and hopefully will bounce back soon.

[bakerjw]

As of last night, she had not eaten since we brought her home on Saturday. I woke up around 2:00 and couldn't sleep and checked on her in the small room where she is being kept quiet. Rather than laying in her bed, she was up and around and quite mouthy with her "I'm hungry. Now." meow. I opened a new pack of wet food and went in to see her and she was again starved for attention. She ate a bit and I got her nestled back in her bed and went off to try to get back to sleep myself.
This morning, before work, we fed her more food and she ate a portion of it. We figure that there were a compbination of factors leading to her loss of appetite but they seem to have lessened.
In a week or so, we'll likely have our "Assassin" cat running loose again.

[rking22]

So glad to hear she is doing well, have to say I was worried about her. Seems she might be a bit accident prone !

[clum553946]

I’ve been worried about her too, please keep us posted!

[bakerjw]

The pain pills that they gave us really knock her into the dirt. She is content to lay there, purr and be petted.
But those are all gone and this morning when I went in to feed her had me rushing to block the escape into the basement. Mind you she's been in the upstairs bathroom of the house.
But her spirits seemed good this morning and she did eat a bit. I will not say that she is out of the woods until she is eating and using the litter box regularly. But seeing her eat is a good sign IMHO.
I suspect that she'll be back to the vet for an overprotective parent reassurance visit. As bad as 2020 has been all around, losing this little one would hurt very badly. Thanks for all of the well wishes.

[lightman]

So glad to hear that She is up and about.

[woodbutcher]

[smilie=s: The things that our little fur buddies will consume is crazy.Wishing Mittens the best.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[contender1]

And how is the little girl doing now?

[bakerjw]

She is really up and about now even though she is in a small isolated room. It is best for her to not have too many distractions and to keep quiet.
Still no string to be found in the litter box.

Last night she was being very vocal about the lack of wet food when we went in to feed her. She ate all of the food. When I was up at 1:00AM, she was at my feet demanding more food so I gave her a single serving which she ate heartily.

This morning, I found where had thrown up almost all of the food from last night which is not a good sign. We are going to see if she can keep it down and if she continues going in the litter box. I have let the vet know and she might have me bring her in for soft tissue x-rays. They can compare before and after to see if there is any twisting of the intestine. I certainly hope not as this poor little loving creature has been through so much in her short life.

I will bring our St Francis statue into the recovery room. Patron saint of animals and all.

[bakerjw]

Well... The little girl has been eating very well and using her litter box. She even played with a little mouse toy tonight when we spent time with her. and, she left a present in the litter box sans string upon initial inspection.

Much of our house is unfinished. It is an ongoing process but it is ours 100% free and clear. We have her in the upstairs bathroom which is right over our office. We have a large whirlpool tub in there and the drain trap has a long oval hole cut into the floor. She sits up there and peeks down at us and makes her "eke eke" sound. She just loves human company.

So. No puking today.
She is pooping.
All seems normal for now.

Tomorrow, she will be released back into the house for a bit. Nights are still in kitty Guantanamo Bay though.

[woodbutcher]

:-D Lets see.How does that song go?Ohhhhhhhhhh yeah."***** cat,***** cat I love you yes I do".
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[clum553946]

Just curious to see how Mittens is doing?

[bakerjw]

Mittens seems to be doing very well. No sign of any string yet which is a little concerning.

Our oldest son got married yesterday and everyone came over to our house after the reception. Things wound down around 2:00 AM and we are beat. But our little bundle of energy decided to be unusually vocal this morning. She might be in discomfort but it is hard to tell. One thing for sure, people being in bed when it is light out is a perfect time to get petting and affection. Or so she thinks.

With many people in the house, she was eager to see everyone and interact with them which is pleasing to us. I personally don't care for cats that run when people come into the house. She is not one of those though.

We finally got her settled down enough to get her into the quiet room (thank you laser) so we could get some errands finished.

The hissfest started anew but is abating slowly.

[Mr_Sheesh]

One of mine, if she eats too much at one sitting, will puke it back up - quite reliably. Solution is a slow feeder i.e. serve her 1/2of the food now and 1/2 of it in 15min or so, so she doesn't try to inhale it all. (They do make slow feeders, for dry food basically a rock in the middle of the food dish is a rough equivalent.)

Hopefully it was just that Mittens was really hungry and over ate.

I feed mine in a small stainless dish, 4 servings a day (she's good at reminding me to refill it LOL) but smaller servings, works very well.

[Mr_Sheesh]

Oh, on cats who run, one of mine did that; I had everyone who visited serve her some cat treats and pretty soon it was "Yay a visitor!" instead of "Aieee a stranger, run!" - Do not run out of treats tho :)

[MaryB]

She may have digested enough of the string that is wasn't recognizable when it came out...

[clum553946]

Any update on Mittens?

[contender1]

So how is the little Mittens doing now???
Things back to a form of "normal?"

[bakerjw]

I've been meaning to get a picture up here of the tiny fur ball of terror. Getting her to sit still is the problem as she goes and goes and goes.

269659

We never did find any string so the assumption is that she passed it without any issues.
The girls have not adjusted too well and are going through the hissing again. They get scolded when they do and run off, usually with Mittens running along after them.
We had her in a quiet room for a week and afterwards at night so she wouldn't create too much havoc while we tried to sleep. Last night we let her have free reign and it went quite well as she found places to quietly lie while the humans slept.
She is all healed up, again, and back to being a small cat. She's had a lot of issues in her short life and will likely not grow to be much larger. It is heartening to know that people are still interested in her well being.
Thanks

[richhodg66]

She's a cutie.

[bakerjw]

Yep... Right before she uses my leg as a ladder to climb into my lap... :) Which she does often. Try to pick her up and it's off to the other room.

[rking22]

So glad she’s back to kitten-normal ! Definitely adorable, pointy parts aside.

[MaryB]

Keep up the updates, love to see them grow into a loving little furball!

[clum553946]

Yes! Makes me smile!



Keep up the updates, love to see them grow into a loving little furball!

[lightman]

Its good to hear that She is healing up ok. Please keep us informed.

[swamp]

Just wondering how Mittens handled Christmas?

[clum553946]

Bakerjw hasn’t been on here since October, hope everything’s all right & hope Mittens is well.

[bakerjw]

Due to reasons into which I will not go into detail, I stopped coming to CB. I know that a number of people followed this thread so I dropped in to give an update.

There is no more hissing in the house and Mittens has unleashed a reign of what we call "Tiny Tripod Terror" on our other girls. She is still a kitten at heart and chases Libby and Lilly Bug regularly. When I go to bed at night to read, she perches on my chest and will run after the girls if thy come into the room. The girls have become "situationally aware" at all times. They have accepted her and even sit together on special occasions where they get a treat of canned tuna.

I am still, as my wife calls it, her security blanket. When I leave for work in the morning she wanders around crying. When she hears me come home from work she comes down and starts screaming to me. If it is nap time, she ambles quickly up the stairs ahead of me and waits for me to get in my recliner. She is a 5:30AM alarm clock because that is when food is expected to be delivered. She is for all intents and purposes a young cat full of energy and without a doubt the best thing that happened to us last year.

She is growing very well and has a wonderful character about her. Still skittish but comes around when people visit.

276081

[swamp]

Thank you for the update. Good to hear that she is doing well and things are reaching a balance.

[rking22]

Yes, thanks for the update, so glad everyone has adapted. Hope all is well with you and yours.

[farmbif]

im glad mittens is well.
when the mercury dropped to about 8 degrees a few weeks ago I started letting my rat catchers inside. and my big tom cat does that crying thing for no good reason that I understand. I guess its just a cat thing. I live them a bowl of kibble and some milk or half an half and even got some kitty litter to put in an old wash tub for them.
funny thing is they now go out during the day and come back fatter than ever and only touch the kibble every now and then. I guess they got the field mouse and rat population under good control. but the big tom still wanders the hallways and has this howling type of vocalizations

[Mr_Sheesh]

Yeah, cats do that, we could joke that kitty is saying "Let me sing you the song of my people." I guess.

I tend to tell mine "I'm right here" if they do that, maybe they can't see you so they are worried that you've ceased to exist? (aka 'object constancy')

[clum553946]

I’m glad Mittens is doing well & has become an integral part of the family! Thank you for the update & hope all is well with you & yours!

[contender1]

Seeing this thread made me very happy.
I had been missing an update on Mittens. It's good to see that she has progressed quite well. Warms my heart!

And with that,, we know one of our cats is on the downhill slide. She's about 17,, and we can tell,,,,,,! Love that little angel.

Thanks for dropping in & updating us! Glad you decided to come back!

[richhodg66]

Due to reasons into which I will not go into detail, I stopped coming to CB. I know that a number of people followed this thread so I dropped in to give an update.

There is no more hissing in the house and Mittens has unleashed a reign of what we call "Tiny Tripod Terror" on our other girls. She is still a kitten at heart and chases Libby and Lilly Bug regularly. When I go to bed at night to read, she perches on my chest and will run after the girls if thy come into the room. The girls have become "situationally aware" at all times. They have accepted her and even sit together on special occasions where they get a treat of canned tuna.

I am still, as my wife calls it, her security blanket. When I leave for work in the morning she wanders around crying. When she hears me come home from work she comes down and starts screaming to me. If it is nap time, she ambles quickly up the stairs ahead of me and waits for me to get in my recliner. She is a 5:30AM alarm clock because that is when food is expected to be delivered. She is for all intents and purposes a young cat full of energy and without a doubt the best thing that happened to us last year.

She is growing very well and has a wonderful character about her. Still skittish but comes around when people visit.

276081

Thanks for the update and I'm sorry you feel like you need to distance from the site.

I've enjoyed this thread. Wife and I are cat people, can't even imagine life without at least one. Seems like everything on this board is doom and gloom lately, it was nice to have something like this for a while.

[lightman]

Thanks for the update! Its good to hear that Kitty is doing well. Sorry that you feel the need to distance yourself from us. Hope you and yours are doing well.

[woodbutcher]

:-D Glad to hear that Miss Mittens is doing well,and the other two have adapted well.
My Snowball follows me around like a little puppy dog.He still misses his little buddy Morris.I do too:(.Good to see an update.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[MaryB]

Oreo does the yowl thing, I can tell he is looking for me and all I have to do is say "I am in here Oreo" and he comes running. He is usually in whatever room I am in so he can see me... he was abandoned 3 times so is a bit needy...

[Mr_Sheesh]

Rescue pets are the best; I hate that they had to go through trauma to be rescued, and love the way they know we humans are the best thing since sliced meats! My older kitty reads me the riot act if I leave here and am not back within 24 hours.

bakerjw, it is good to see you back, and great to hear Mittens updates,

[jdfoxinc]

I had to euthanize my 14 yr old calico this AM. She had developed heart failure and was going to suffer. Heart broken.

[Mr_Sheesh]

My sympathies, that's always really tough to lose a furkid, jdfoxinc, we can never replace those furry hooligans we love, just spoil them while we have them, and cherish their memories after they pass.

[bakerjw]

@jdfoxinc Hate to hear about putting your girl down.

Nothing to report other than we have a very active and spoiled rotten young cat on our hands who is a joy to all.
I did give Mittens her own folder on our image gallery. I need to upload new pictures that I have.
http://www.bakerjw.org/PhotoGallery/index.php?/category/967

[contender1]

Thanks for the update. Glad to know that Mittens has become exactly what we all figured she'd be,, a spoiled member of the family.

[Mr_Sheesh]

Welcome to the "Used as a comfy pillow by my spoiled cat" club :)

[MaryB]

@jdfoxinc Hate to hear about putting your girl down.

Nothing to report other than we have a very active and spoiled rotten young cat on our hands who is a joy to all.
I did give Mittens her own folder on our image gallery. I need to upload new pictures that I have.
http://www.bakerjw.org/PhotoGallery/index.php?/category/967

Looks like Mittens has selected a human...

[lightman]

Its good to hear that Kitty is doing fine and is adjusting well. Loved the pictures!

[richhodg66]

The one who is probably my favorite at I've ever known (of many) and is sitting here on the desk as I type, is 14 in a month or so. Seems to be on good health for his age, though he's awfully skinny, always has been but seems more so now. I'm gonna be a mess when that time comes, he sleeps all night between me and my wife and would likely be fine being cuddled 24/7.

[woodbutcher]

[smilie=s: Guess who has taken over the house?[smilie=l:
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo