ILX, I want to get a cat...

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but im afraid i won't be able to afford the expenses involved. (ie neutering/spaying, various other things i don't even know about). im sure tons of you have cats, is it a good idea?

― JD from CDepot, Thursday, 9 February 2006 17:33 (nineteen years ago)

cats'll straight up give you schizophrenia

― ZR (teenagequiet), Thursday, 9 February 2006 17:36 (nineteen years ago)

how did i know you would be the first to answer this.

great new myspace pic, by the way

― jd from cdepot, Thursday, 9 February 2006 17:37 (nineteen years ago)

check with your local animal shelter or Humane Society. When you adopt a cat from them it is fixed and current on shots. Fees are usually $70-100 around here.

― Miss Misery xox (MissMiseryTX), Thursday, 9 February 2006 17:37 (nineteen years ago)

"Like having a box of full of shit in your house? Get a cat"

― Dadaismus PBUH (Dada), Thursday, 9 February 2006 17:38 (nineteen years ago)

Get insurance.

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 9 February 2006 17:41 (nineteen years ago)

xxxpost - thanks, i was a lot cooler at 18...before i moved into a house w/a cat. COINCIDENCE?

― ZR (teenagequiet), Thursday, 9 February 2006 17:42 (nineteen years ago)

I'd encourage you, if it's possible, to adopt from a local shelter. If you're able to adopt a kitten, on the other hand, you'll have go through all of the vaccinations and neutering, but you may get a very deep discount on the neutering if the vet knows you've adopted from a shelter. This was the case with my cat, who I got less than a year ago.

http://static.flickr.com/14/18283234_f98d5c3e11.jpg

His full name is BUCKMINSTER GHANDI STRUMMER ADLAI KITTENFACE.

― elmo, patron saint of nausea (allocryptic), Thursday, 9 February 2006 17:44 (nineteen years ago)

Miss Misery is OTM. Don't get a "free" cat from the paper or your neighbors - there are benefits to adopting from a shelter. I linked to a site that had real world estimates of the costs of owning pets awhile back, but the search isn't working at the moment.

― Jaq (Jaq), Thursday, 9 February 2006 17:44 (nineteen years ago)

However some cities do have free/low cost vet service to low-income people. A clinic down the street does free neuter/spay once a month. Of course you'd to prove that you really can't afford it.

― Miss Misery xox (MissMiseryTX), Thursday, 9 February 2006 17:45 (nineteen years ago)

G00gling around, the low end estimate per year for cat ownership is ~$300, which didn't include litter or toys and put in only $30 for emergency vet visits. For us, with two older cats (both 6 yrs and adopted post-neutering and with full shots), the average has been around $800/year. Aside from yearly visits for their shots, we've had a medical emergency with one or the other of them every other year. Now, they are having urinary tract issues (a problem for male cats) and have to have special food as well as the $200 vet bill to figure it out. So the cost is going up as they get older.

Another thing to think about - having pets can limit your options for housing, and pet deposits are not cheap.

― Jaq (Jaq), Thursday, 9 February 2006 18:21 (nineteen years ago)

Pet deposits are a big upfront cost.

My cat now is 12 and my 16 yr old died a year ago. I used to have to take the 12yr old to the vet for urinary issues but then I started feeding him super high-end food (first, Innova then Organix, not that crappy science diet the vet gives you) and the problems have gone. Seriously after a couple of months on this food my cat had no more problems and still hasn't 3 yrs out.

I almost never had to take my late kitty to the vet other than checkups. The one I still have has had one non-planned trip this year. Counting that plus normal exams, food, litter (although I no longer have to buy it as he only goes outside now) and I'd say yearly cost for him are btw $400-500.

so I don't know, milege varies. But yeah pet ownership is a significant responsiblity.

― Miss Misery xox (MissMiseryTX), Thursday, 9 February 2006 18:27 (nineteen years ago)

Bongo is possibly the most manly cat a person can have

― TOMBOT, Thursday, 9 February 2006 18:31 (nineteen years ago)

Innova then Organix

I'm going to search these out Sam, thanks - the vet of course has us buying Science Diet C/D. We've fed them Authority for years with no problems til now. I also thought about supplementing with vitamin C (for the acidification) but apparently there are other mineral issues as well (magnesium?).

I should mention our cats are indoor only, as they are infected with the feline leukemia virus (caught from birth from their mother). So we know they will have significant health issues in the coming years.

― Jaq (Jaq), Thursday, 9 February 2006 18:35 (nineteen years ago)

Think about how often you will be away from home because unless you have very selfless neighbours you may end up paying someone to feed them or to put them in a cattery. This is the biggest cost I have because otherwise my cat is young, healthy and forced to eat cheap cat food.

I have no idea if this is an issue for you but finding the corpses of native bird species and knowing that the introduction (and subsidisation) of exotic predators is a key factor in their decline is another unconsidered cost of cat ownership. In New Zealand anyway.

― isadora (isadora), Thursday, 9 February 2006 18:43 (nineteen years ago)

it can be very expensive. i just paid $1000 in work on one of my cats and I'm not sure we even know yet what is wrong with him (the vet I go to is really expensive though). However, if you love your cat enough you won't care (well, you won't care that much). I'm sure I'll always have cats, even though I'm allergic and they make me poor.

― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 9 February 2006 19:15 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah Jaq the vet used to give me that for Q-Tip and I never noticed any difference. Then a very holistic friend of mine told me to research the ingredients lists carefully. Cat food should have mostly meat as the first five or six things listed. Innova uses human-grade meat (meat suitable for us) and seemed to really do the trick. Pricey, about $20 for a 12lb (or so)bag, but cheaper than multiple vet visits. Also, if you don't already have one you might think about getting one of those pet fountains to encourage them to drink more water.

― Miss Misery xox (MissMiseryTX), Thursday, 9 February 2006 19:36 (nineteen years ago)

My cats are comparatively very very low maintenance! We take them to annual vet appointments, though I think we skipped a year or two in there somewhere. We get away with just buying Meowmix original & fairly inexpensive bagged litter. My cats are both relatively young (the oldest is 6), so for now it's smooth sailing. We got Nick's kitty from the pound when she was a teeny tiny kitten. They gave him a free neuter/spay certificate. In fact, he was required to prove he used it and got her spayed within a certain number of weeks.

― Sarah Trueberry McLusky (coco), Thursday, 9 February 2006 19:58 (nineteen years ago)

those pet fountains

Oh yes, they love the fountain! Aside from drinking, they like to drop a piece of kibble in to watch it tumble around until it disintegrates! What they would like best is for me to stand there with a pitcher of cold water, pouring slowly into a bowl so they can lap from the stream - they do this every time I fill it.

― Jaq (Jaq), Thursday, 9 February 2006 20:30 (nineteen years ago)

Yay for the ILX cats rule thread! I knew you people were out there somewhere.

I have had mine for eight years and only regretted it when I wanted to take a sabbatical in London and couldn't bring the cats along because of the stupid quarantine rule. You can leave them alone for a long weekend.

No idea of monetary costs. Whatever it is, it's been worth it.

― Mitya (mitya), Thursday, 9 February 2006 22:28 (nineteen years ago)

Pet deposits are a big upfront cost.

Yeah, but usually only if the place has wall-to-wall carpeting, and even then it's nowhere near the liability of having a dog in the house. All the landlords I've dealt with lately have asked, "Any pets?" and I said, "I have a cat," and they said, "Oh that's fine." Like I'd just said I have a canary or something.

― Paunchy Stratego (kenan), Thursday, 9 February 2006 22:32 (nineteen years ago)

My landlord is cool with my huge boa constrictor but I had to put down a pet deposit for my kitty. WTF?

― Abbott (Abbott), Thursday, 9 February 2006 22:36 (nineteen years ago)

The current place we are in didn't require one, but the last two were $150 for each cat, non-refundable, plus an additional carpet cleaning charge because they came in with a black light. One place we looked at awhile back charged $350/cat plus an extra $35/month/cat on the rent! Ridiculous!

― Jaq (Jaq), Thursday, 9 February 2006 22:37 (nineteen years ago)

My only guess is, like I said, the carpet. Cats are very hard on carpet. And if they fuck up one spot, the landlord's going to want to replace all the carpet in the whole place. Whereas with wood floors, fuck it.

― Paunchy Stratego (kenan), Thursday, 9 February 2006 22:41 (nineteen years ago)

Truth be known, our cats have done a fair amount of damage to wood too. And draperies, my god. But they do go completely claw-crazy on the carpet. To be fair, the place with the extravagant pet deposit was a brand-new (and really gorgeous) building with high end everything.

― Jaq (Jaq), Thursday, 9 February 2006 23:04 (nineteen years ago)

I am a cat.

― Gatinha (rwillmsen), Thursday, 9 February 2006 23:05 (nineteen years ago)

His full name is BUCKMINSTER GHANDI STRUMMER ADLAI KITTENFACE.

-- elmo, patron saint of nausea (elmo.oxyge...), February 9th, 2006.

that has got to be the most cut cat EVER.

― clodia pulchra (emo by proxy), Thursday, 9 February 2006 23:32 (nineteen years ago)

Is it ethical to get a cat? They are not a native species in most of the world where they are kept as pets and kills hundreds of thousands of native birds and animals a year.

"Did you know that the average pet cat kills up to 40 small creatures every year? With almost 9 million domestic cats living in the UK, that accounts for nearly 300 million deaths a year, according to The Mammal Society's recent survey. Unfortunately, many of the casualties are garden birds whose numbers are already diminishing. Some are even endangered species"

http://www.wildbirds.com/protect_cats.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/pets/responsible.shtml

― Paul Kelly (kelly), Friday, 10 February 2006 02:44 (nineteen years ago)

Well that just seems like an argument to keep a cat inside.

― Allyzay Rofflesberger (allyzay), Friday, 10 February 2006 03:54 (nineteen years ago)

Anyway, JD right now I can tell you straight up from current "tonight" style experience that there are some goddamn cute as hell cats all over the place at the humane society on NY Ave NE. $50 will get you a fixed cat with all its shots and any other health treatments it needed. There's one I was particularly partial to, a 2 yo calico who was sweet as allllllll hell, just rubbing itself all over the cage and wanting to play. The catch is you have to adopt its brother too cos they are so used to each other, but I'd recommend those cats.

Cos I already took the siamese kitten.

― Allyzay Rofflesberger (allyzay), Friday, 10 February 2006 04:06 (nineteen years ago)

(as for costs, it actually really depends. Mr. Kitty is a cat I've had for 7 years now and he's never had a single health issue, healthy as a horse, and he's rejected every single cat bed or toy he's ever been given and absolutely refuses to eat really high level cat food--I swear to god, I've tried my hardest but the cat won't sit for that, he'll lose 5 lbs before he eats anything like that. So it really depends. You have to be willing to put out emergency vet costs and to feed the cat properly and entertain it, which can cost about $800 a year easy, but some cats are gonna cost a LOT less and some are gonna cost a LOT more. You just don't know. It's like a kid. My advice is that most ILXors can afford the expense and you ain't gonna notice it because it 99% of the time comes out in small increments. So if you'd like a cat, as long as you have enough credit to put a $500 emergency vet visit on your card if necessary, you should consider how much love you can give to a cat that needs it before you consider the expenses. If you're like most of these crazy ILXor kids, you spend near as much on booze each month, if not more)

(also don't let them outside in this area. I think it's a bad idea because of the # of stray cats + traffic--just a forewarning. You can watch them for traffic but you can't watch them for airborne cat diseases which are extraordinarily contagious)

― Allyzay Rofflesberger (allyzay), Friday, 10 February 2006 04:10 (nineteen years ago)

If you're in New York, think about adopting from City Critters, which takes in street kittens, spays/neuters them, does all the med work, and makes sure they're going to good homes. That's where we got Edie Blues Explosion Gidley, who is a joy to have around and will soon be celebrating her 11th birthday. (We will probably get her a birthday fish.) But if you're worried about expense, don't get a "special needs" cat.

― Douglas (Douglas), Friday, 10 February 2006 04:44 (nineteen years ago)

seven months pass...

This kitten, whom I've named Stella has adopted me and my backyard. She's really skinny, but loves people and attention. I think I need to take her. It's the right thing to do. Problem is, she's a stray street kitten, and I'm worried that my other 2 cats will hate her.

Also, I've already accepted the fact that I am a crazy cat lady.

I'm taking Stella to the vet on Wednesday. If she gets a clean bill of health and her shots, I'm going to introduce them all. I'm nervous! 2 big lazy, bratty cats and one underfed (probably) 5 month old kitten! Advice please!

Stella:

http://static.flickr.com/80/258172336_6fcfa456c8.jpg?v=0

― molly d (mollyd), Monday, 2 October 2006 16:35 (nineteen years ago)

introduce them slowly and keep stella in a separate room for the first few days. they may not like it, but they'll get used to it.

― Sam: Screwed and Chopped (Molly Jones), Monday, 2 October 2006 16:39 (nineteen years ago)

hahahaha Also, I've already accepted the fact that I am a crazy cat lady hahahaha awesome

― Young Fresh Danny D (Dan Perry), Monday, 2 October 2006 16:40 (nineteen years ago)

Fourteen shopping days 'til National Feral Cat Day.

― Stephen X (Stephen X), Monday, 2 October 2006 16:51 (nineteen years ago)

awww i love her!

― sunny successor (katharine), Monday, 2 October 2006 16:52 (nineteen years ago)

and sam otm

― sunny successor (katharine), Monday, 2 October 2006 16:52 (nineteen years ago)

Stella is a cutie.

I also heard that if you can you should have someone else bring Stella into the house to meet the other cats. That way your original cats won't see you as the betrayer of the family unit.

― nickn (nickn), Monday, 2 October 2006 17:44 (nineteen years ago)

Hahhaa, I totally know who's getting stuck with that job.

― Laurel (Laurel), Monday, 2 October 2006 17:45 (nineteen years ago)

Biff, the big man fluffy cat, already shit on the floor the first night she showed up outside, which, I'm assuming was in protest. I'm taking the day off from work on Wednesday so I can mediate any cat problems that may arise.

Yeah, good idea! If she has her own room, I reckon she'll feel more secure. I won't put her in my bedroom, as my other cats would be pissed, as that's their sleeping territory.

Let's just hope she's leukemia and feline AIDS free. Are those test expensive? I'm gonna shell it out anyway, as it is the right thing to do. Also, I don't want to get my other 2 bozo cats sick.

Hah! That's a great idea! The cats have finally accepted poor Ben. Now they will hate him again.

― molly d (mollyd), Monday, 2 October 2006 17:47 (nineteen years ago)

Good for you.

I want to get a kitten eventually, but my cat has social anxiety issues. He's a sweet but nervous dude, and when he gets freaked out he can really lash out at another cat (biting, etc.). I'm afraid he would hurt a kitten.

― Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 2 October 2006 17:56 (nineteen years ago)

We adopted a poor bedraggled stick-thin cat last winter which kept trying to sneak into our house for food. It was the best decision we ever made as he now belongs to by girlfriend's parents and is the biggest fluffiest soft git in catdom.

Our two, who are both 12, hated him. Though regards what people were saying about vets bills earlier, neither of ours have caused us any major expense yet, bar £200 to stitch together a lacerated tongue after an unwise attempt to steal a sparrowhawk's lunch.

Our two old ladies

http://sica.741.com/brindle.jpg
http://sica.741.com/calico.jpg

― Si.C@rter (SiC@rter), Monday, 2 October 2006 17:58 (nineteen years ago)

woot we go pick up our brand new kitten adoptee from the shelter tonight woot (shelter did some blood tests over the weekend)

brings our total household cat population to two. gotta merge this new one (rupee, age 2 mo.) with our existing one (titty, age 10 mo.) AND our disobedient chihua-pinscher (holden, 8 yr)

― ath (ath), Monday, 2 October 2006 18:00 (nineteen years ago)

right on with the multiple pet household! my other 2 cats were shelter cats, so i tell them they should take pity on a fellow stray.

more of stella!
she was doing the happy paw dance (hence the blurriness):
http://static.flickr.com/92/258172329_57737e59f1.jpg?v=0

http://static.flickr.com/91/258172325_287f47146f.jpg?v=0

― molly d (mollyd), Monday, 2 October 2006 18:27 (nineteen years ago)

You named your cat Titty?

― Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 2 October 2006 18:31 (nineteen years ago)

getting new cats is so much better than getting new babies.

― sunny successor (katharine), Monday, 2 October 2006 18:48 (nineteen years ago)

jordan, her title says it's "fox" but we only ever call her titty

kate, babies are the type of the human most easily acclimated to the furry lifestyle. just a thought.

― ath (ath), Monday, 2 October 2006 18:57 (nineteen years ago)

You named your cat Titty and you're turning your kids into furries?!?

― Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 2 October 2006 18:59 (nineteen years ago)

judging is for courtrooms, and i don't hear no gavels

― ath (ath), Monday, 2 October 2006 19:07 (nineteen years ago)

getting new cats is so much better than getting new babies.

Sunny I shall save this quote for a few months down the road.

― Sam: Screwed and Chopped (Molly Jones), Monday, 2 October 2006 19:08 (nineteen years ago)

We have three cats, procured one at a time. I fully intended to introduce each new cat into the family slowly and carefully using approved methods so as not to traumatize anyone, but got impatient after a few hours and just let 'em battle it out. The older cats ended up hating me for a couple weeks, but now we're one big snuggling, tussling, purring, grooming happy family.

― Party Time Country Female (pullapartgirl), Monday, 2 October 2006 19:09 (nineteen years ago)

I had two kitties that never got along in the five years I had them. The lady cat just ended up living in a kitchen drawer that I left open a bit for her. She'd come out to eat, poop, etc, but remained in the drawer the rest of the time. It was a stupid situation but a drawer kitty is a low maintenance pet and a little more amusing than a houseplant or novelty throw pillow would be.

― Abbott (Abbott), Monday, 2 October 2006 21:15 (nineteen years ago)

p.s. Stella looks gorgeous and I hope your kitties get along just fine.

― Abbott (Abbott), Monday, 2 October 2006 21:15 (nineteen years ago)

Drawer cat = incredibly sad.

― Jordan (Jordan), Monday, 2 October 2006 21:34 (nineteen years ago)

I tried to get her to be more at one with the world, but the only other place she would go was the dryer (if soneone accidentally left it open). That was too volatile. I tried giving the kitty her own special room, helping her enjoy the lovely backyard, etc. She wanted the drawer. She would meow and scratch at it if it was shut. I thought it was sad, too.

― Abbott (Abbott), Monday, 2 October 2006 21:39 (nineteen years ago)

http://static.flickr.com/85/214891636_ecbc6abbc1.jpg

Argghhh, just spent AU$550 on this little fucker at the vet.

― I'm down for runnin' up on them crackers in the city hall... (papa november), Monday, 2 October 2006 21:46 (nineteen years ago)

What was wrong?

― Abbott (Abbott), Monday, 2 October 2006 21:47 (nineteen years ago)

He had to have a skin biopsy because he has an allergy to something and despite numerous attempts we can't figure out what it is.

― I'm down for runnin' up on them crackers in the city hall... (papa november), Monday, 2 October 2006 21:51 (nineteen years ago)

stella is cool. be sure to spoil your other cats with meat and catnip.

i am getting my cat back this week after a year without him!!

― kephm (kephm), Monday, 2 October 2006 23:47 (nineteen years ago)

any time I leave a drawer open, Buffy climbs in and then drops down to a lower (closed) drawer.

http://static.flickr.com/33/40586187_315e4831d3.jpg

― milo z (mlp), Monday, 2 October 2006 23:53 (nineteen years ago)

it cost 1500 dollars to get my cats emergency blood transfusions this year

hmmm...i dont know. its not quite the same.

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/brandsonsale-store_1917_3891356

xpost to krrl

― sunny successor (katharine), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 11:49 (nineteen years ago)

One of my family cats just died and it's sad to say it but the remaining one (mother to the dead one) seems suddenly WAY more contented now she is the only cat in the house. She was always jumpy and nervous but is now calm, affectionate and healthy looking. Guess she was always meant to be an only kitty - I just wish her offspring hadn't had to die to effect the change in her :(

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 11:58 (nineteen years ago)

Hey ILX, I want to get a cat, but i'm allergic to cats.

FOR FUCK'S SAKE.

― teh_kit (g-kit), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 12:19 (nineteen years ago)

irony

― sunny successor (katharine), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 12:22 (nineteen years ago)

i knoes :(

― teh_kit (g-kit), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 12:22 (nineteen years ago)

Just for you then Kit

Tho slightly expensive

― Ste (Fuzzy), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 12:27 (nineteen years ago)

yeah, i heard about those. i'm waiting for a pricedrop.

― teh_kit (g-kit), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 12:29 (nineteen years ago)

I think this is the only way I can get a cat cos my mum's got horrendous asthma, they don't live close so they always stay over when they visit. But yes, I'm waiting for a price drop too.

I guess I could always get a cat and claim it's one of those, and see whether it's psychosomatic, but I'd feel quite guilty if my mum ended up in hospital again.

― Vicky (Vicky), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 12:33 (nineteen years ago)

Everyone's kitties are so cute!

What about the hairless cats? Those can't induce allergies, can they? But, then you'd have one ugly cat on your hands.

Do you think I should give Stella a bath after the vet visit? Or is that me being uber-paranoid? She'll be stressed out enough already.

― molly d (mollyd), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 14:25 (nineteen years ago)

any time I leave a drawer open, Buffy climbs in and then drops down to a lower (closed) drawer.

Like Hong Kong Phooey? Cool!

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 14:30 (nineteen years ago)

hey! hairless cats are BEAUTIFUL

http://img436.imageshack.us/img436/2144/jordywb0.jpg
http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/463/jordy1vz7.jpg
http://img417.imageshack.us/img417/213/jordy2fg4.jpg

― sunny successor (katharine), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 14:32 (nineteen years ago)

I'm sort of afraid of them, to be honest!

I should take that back. Those are some cute kitties. The ones I've seen have creeped me out, just like rat tails creep me out. Pet rats are great, but the tail! Ouf! It freaks me out.

― molly d (mollyd), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 14:35 (nineteen years ago)

thats one kitty

― sunny successor (katharine), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 14:36 (nineteen years ago)

http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/9283/sphynxwq7.jpg

― sunny successor (katharine), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 14:44 (nineteen years ago)

our brand new kitten has real bad upper respiratory illness (with the coughing and the watery eyes and the snot-caked nose) but we got her on a penicillin regiment and we are feed her til she isn't thin as a comb and we are gonna love her back to physical robustness and we are gonna GET THROUGH THIS THING!!!

― ath (ath), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 15:37 (nineteen years ago)

Is it 'kennel cough'?

― M. White (Miguelito), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 15:45 (nineteen years ago)

poor kitty! she'll be alright! she's in the right place to get healthy now. if it makes you feel any better, my cat gertrude has seasonal allergies. whose cat gets seasonal allergies? i've never heard of such a thing. during her first spring in my apartment, i opened the windows, and the poor thing's head turned pink and splotchy (she's got white and grey spots), she had crap coming out of her eyes, and a fever! she also lost some hair above her eyes that has never grown back, giving her funny little bald spots. and, she had to go on steroids. she's completely fine now, but it was bad news at the time.

gertrude also had the "kitty flu" when i got her, which meant she was sneezy and kinda gross. she went on the mend immediately. the vet told me a lot of shelter animals get it, and it can't be avoided. happily, it's not too threatening.

― molly d (mollyd), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 15:48 (nineteen years ago)

if one of our cats developed allergies we'd be all 'toughen the fuck up, wussface' then the other two cats would beat the allergies out of em

― sunny successor (katharine), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 15:53 (nineteen years ago)

I'm realizing that I'm a total sucker, and a paranoid one at that too, when it comes to cats. I think it stems from Jamie, the cat at the shelter that I didn't end up adopting. I used to volunteer at the Animal Shelter in Buffalo a few years back, and play with the kitties and walk the dogs. Anyway, Jamie was this funny little stray black cat who came out of his shell the month he was there. It's sad, but black cats are the least adoptable, due to the superstition, or that's what the other crazy volunteers told me (and believe you me, they were cuckoo). Anyway, I made up my mind to adopt Jamie, after putting it off week after week. When I came back, he was gone! And he wasn't adopted. SAD. Hello, guilt issues!

― molly d (mollyd), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 16:01 (nineteen years ago)

holy shit! thats horrible! i wanted a black kitty when i was last looking for one but couldnt find one anywhere. american adopting habits are perplexing to me. they say the same about large dogs, that they are the least adopted, but i like a dog that occasionally gets mistaken for a horse. i can't imagine who wouldn't.

― sunny successor (katharine), Tuesday, 3 October 2006 16:15 (nineteen years ago)

Hurrah! Stella got a clean bill of health. Mild flea issues, but she is wearing some Advantage as we speak. The vet said she's about 8-12 months old. She just tried to make a jail break from the computer room where she'll be staying for a while, by knocking down the typewriter case and busting the door open (door handle is broken on the door). She is a clever girl! Biff came and inspected her in her cat carrier, and then ran away. Gertrude has yet to get off the bed.

― molly d (mollyd), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 13:51 (nineteen years ago)

re: hairless. it's their dander (or maybe saliva) that causes allergies in people so that wouldn't be helpful. keeping them out of sleeping places, off furniture and frequent vacuuming can help.

my kitty goes in tomorrow morning to have his tooth pulled. :(

― Sam: Screwed and Chopped (Molly Jones), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 13:54 (nineteen years ago)

Sadly, it can be. Preserved Killick had it when he was little, and it left him weak and permanently unable to fight infections. Interestingly, as Archel pointed out, when Killick died, Linus seemed to really settle down and get happy. He is so contented just hanging out with the dogs, we would never get another cat.
Our housemates have one, though. He is called Dweezil. He's supercute, but we have to keep him separated from the dogs for now.

― accentmonkey (accentmonkey), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 14:08 (nineteen years ago)

Get well soon, Q-Tip.

― M. White (Miguelito), Wednesday, 4 October 2006 14:29 (nineteen years ago)

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