Chy, don't come in here unless you lubs the kitties and puppies!
This is Jack. He hates stuffed yellow monkeys that squeak.
I also have a penchant for getting drunk and posting pictures of puppies and kittens on peoples myspace pages.
like so:
Oh, I can get behind this thread. Here's my baby (from quite a long time ago, but it's the best one I have on hand):
Her name is Lady Ada Lovelace [our last name] and yes, she is named after the mathematician. Because if you can't give your cat silly and fangirly names, then I don't know what's right in this crazy world.
No fair, I don't have pets! So here:
The one on the left is Amy, we haven't housetrained her yet, as she is too young to train. She likes to climb the TV cabinet. The one on the right is Ethan, and he's housetrained but still pretty wild.
AWHHH
i am appalled at you, Tracicle, for making your sweet little boy wear a banana stapled to his forehead... i mean, i am pro monkey and everything, but isn't that taking things too far?
on second thought, never mind....
These are neither kittens nor puppies, but I still think they're pretty cute.
Not an angry chinchilla: Xombi bunny. She's not horrible or hideous, but she is fluffy.
and
Angry holiday rabbit: Zowie Bowie bunny. Yeah, he wasn't exactly thrilled with the hat. It was on for approximately one millisecond before he did the bunny equilavent of "Screw this!" and hopped off to sulk and pointedly ignore me.
and, yes, the little bitch is as mean as she looks! Half the size of any of the other four cats and thinks she runs the joint!
the only pet I presently have:
Cat-stacking is wrong.
*STARTS BAWLING HYSTERICALLY*
I WANNA KITTYCAT WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
Medusa, you're welcome to come play with mine anytime.
*Cat stacking is wrong*
HEY HEY
I'll have to find that linky!
Not quite dogs nor cats, but...
Wicket, the Blue Fronted Amazon, and
Sam, the Congo African Grey (who likes to eat corn. And anything else, for that matter).
i certainly did not mean to be restrictive with my post.... pets can certainly be defined as kiddies, birdies, bunnies, alpacas, iguanas, tarantulas, mr. Medusas, et al. just share the love, yo.
es el queso, muchas gracias. quiero visitar a sus gatos!!
rtd, very pretty birds!
general psa to all monkeys: please don't post pics of yr pet tarantulas in the thread
/hides from spiders
Gramma, you don't mean stuffonmycat.com,
do you?
Cat stacking is not wrong. Cats will sometimes even stack themselves, proof that is a natural state of being for them.
why is it that I sense a kitifisto "dogs in shawls" post on the horizon...
I'll start. BEST OF THE WEB?!?!?!1!11
It's a very welcome post, in any case. Thanks, es el Queso!
My wife works in a small office building that has an alley six inches wide and about fifty feet long between the two buildings. There is a mother cat and two kittens living in the alley. She is trying to figure out a way to capture the kittens before they are too wild.
This is peanut. I'd post a pic of Doodlebug but she looks exactly like el queso's black cat.
Wingnut, tell her to be careful. Feed them until they're trusting, mama too. Wear thick gloves. I've been bitten by a feral kitten, and the rabies scare is, well, scary.
And I do loves this thread also. I'm digging through all my kitty pictures now.
She has been feeding them. The kittens are eating the food now, too. Mama does not seem to be too friendly. No one has figured out a way to catch the kittens before they scurry back into the alley.
Twist my arm.
I usually get about half an hour at the computer before Kimble’s “It Is Time For You To Love Me” timer goes off. Here, he can be seen telling my coworker "qqwweqwe111111111111111111`````````````222qas".
Mayhaps a trap with food in it, or a call to the local shelter or humane society. Sometimes the shelter will loan you a trap, if you are able to get closer than they can.
This is Poupoune, a cross between a chihuhua and a Norwich terrier. She's wearing a red riding coat and her garter with doggie boots to keep her warm during the cold winter walks.
She's the dearest dog I ever had (and I had about 15 of them over the years) but also has a very bad temperament. She's totally bossy to other dogs, hates cats vehemently and doesn't much care for kids. She'll bit you (and me) when you hold one of her paws for more then 5 seconds. She loves fetching the ball and eatings pig ears.
Mare... I'm betting that theboots are what makes her crabby... would me!
This is Ziggy. What started as a gift to appease my kids has grown on me.
Dog Rowena, a standard poodle:
And her with my new kitty cat, who doesn't have a name but it adorable and likes to tease rowena whenever she can:
My dear Grizelda Grizzleguts:
Fighting the oppressor (Oscar, the toothless grouch)
My parent's darling, loving puss, Stinkerbell:
Well es el Queso yes she does. But instead of bringing you luck or money she is more likely to bring scratches.
(Not always nice kitty)
Aww... and one more, cos she's such a darling:
Koko, that picture would be perfect if she was sitting on top of the book called "Blankets."
Also I noticed there was a book called "Trash" on top of the book about Cat Health - just what are you feeding that poor critter?
Exciting videos of my turtles Spike and Jet!!
flick 1flick 2
And here they are as bubbies:
They are MUCH bigger now though.
It's like the fish version of Where's Waldo. The two streaks in the middle are zebra danios.
Kali, on the day I found her as an adorable, friendly stray kitten:
My current lady, with stuff on her:
Saffi, the artist's assistant.
Sasha, the mean drunk.
And just for petey
Why is it that cats *always* have to sit on what you are doing?
Lucy and Pico
and Mischa
Great thread, eselqueso!
Ah. We love dem doggies!!
mohan. somewhat annoyed that he's sharing the sofa with a weaseltrek weasel:
Also I noticed there was a book called "Trash" on top of the book about Cat Health - just what are you feeding that poor critter?
John Waters and Russ Meyer films. Nothing but the best for our Lil' Snoots! You'll notice she has Maus I and II for dessert ...
aww lovely. I never got a dog although I wanted one. Now I can't have one in an apartment :(
OK, so I suck at CaTetris. Mr. Whiskers loves me anyway.
John Waters and Russ Meyer films.
You're exploiting that poor beastie!
Spencer when he was three months old... he's now almost 6 months and has put on about 10 pounds.
Best. Thread. Ever.
Nori and Twee.
My roommate calls them Bacon Bits and Twitchy, respectively.
That's a whole photoset full o' Squeee there, bratcat.
Marge.
Lots squee here at my house, pete, I just don't have pictures of them all.
so many pretty cats! I want to snoozle with them all.
Taz
And Kisa
is it just me, or do cats not come with an ugly setting? (natch, i am not including those scary hairless ones, but they aren't real cats anyway...) I'm pleasantly surprised to see how many calico cats there are among you monkeys... i didn't know anything about calicos til i got mine, and now i am a devotee... or as much as the bigger black one will let me be...
so many pretty cats! I want to snoozle with them all.
For the record, the accepted spelling is p-e-t-e-b-e-s-t, not p-r-e-t-t-y-c-a-t.
s'okay though, we get ya.
*preens*
Oh, Mr. O'Keefe's a pwetty boyo!
She'll be surprised to hear she's a boy, TUM. She's named for Georgia (although misspelled).
but she definitely agrees with you.
medusa, is that a cat or a dog? either way, i'm jealous...
here's frankie, who lives behind me (all of the joys of owning a doggie, none of the fuss)...she knows a million tricks!
Dammit, I finally master the art of not using gender-specific pronouns to describe people's babies, and now I get hung up on the pets!
SexyRobot, that animal is my husband. he was a werewolf (supposedly) for halloween, but his...interpretation of that costume was original, to say the least...so I guess he's a dog.
and frankie is so cute! I think he'd just fit in a hotdog bun...with some woodstock-yellow mustard :D
*sniff*
my dead cat Cassidy bore a strong resemblance to Grizelda Grizzleguts. Small tanish gray tabby with big green eyes and the most vicious frightening disposition a 7lb. animal could ever have. she was my baby...
I took in this cat one summer when I was house sitting for my parents cuz it was hanging around and I was bored and it seemed like it would be a real kick in the pants to play monopoly or balderdash with (turns out: Monopoly yes, Balderdash no - you need more than two people to play that game). It didn't tell me it's name so I called it Chinese Food and CF looked something like TUM's bud Mr. Whiskers in the color of the coat. Anyway, my parents came back from vacation and I told them that they now have a cat, which they more or less took in stride. My da' was never big on cats, he used to refer to them somewhat endearingly, however, as "disgusting wastes of flesh" but it was too late for him because the cat already moved in. (Apparently, cats like tuna - there's a tip for you cat lovers). Anyway, da' renamed Chinese Food to Bo Tai on account of how it looked like there was a bow tie around his neck. Don't ask me why I say he, I don't know if it's a guy or a girl cuz it's pretty goddamn rude to ask someone something like that. Besides, CF wouldn't even tell me his name but that's a hillarious other story, we were so wasted... Anyway, CF's been through a shwackload of nicks already now. A co-worker once asked my ma what the cat's name was and she said, "Are cat's supposed to have names?" Lately, and this is the icing on the cake, my dad has been calling the cat "cuddles" and "snuggles." I almost dropped litter in my underoos when I heard that, coming from the anti-cat, himself. I'll see if I can find a picture.
El queso - what you have there is the one and only Batcat! You are one lucky guy.
ZOMFGHGZLOAS, LARA!
SND ME FLOURS I DYED FRM TEH SQUEE WUZ M-BALMD AN MUMMIEFRIED & ROZ ON THE 3RD DAY
im in ur toom unwrappin ur bandijes
I nominate "mummiefried" as the tasty word of the day!
Here are my girls:
Squicket is the calico on the left. Her name is Cricket but she quickly became "squeaky Cricket"... Squicket. She's my favorite cat because she loves me best, and gives kisses.
Moxy is the Jellicle cat on the right. She has the power of Insta-Shed if you pick her up.
These are both of Pandora, my oldest cat. You can't really see her beautiful eyes here, but trust me, they are striking - sea green, and complement her grey-and-khaki fur very well. She's pretty tempermental and high-strung - and her voice - I think she must be part Siamese. I love the look on her face in the snuggle pic. She's not particularly affectionate but she loves my husband best for sure.
Pandora and Squick were shelter kitties and Moxy was from the spay/neuter clinic.
I got all three as two-month-old kittens, but in different years.
As you can see we've covered the entire range of fur color possibilities so it is a guarantee *someone's* shedding will show on any given piece of furniture/clothing.
They're so sweet! Moxy looks like the "still-waters-run-deep" type!
I have found that cats tend to size up what you're wearing in the morning, then send in the soldier that has the fur most likely to show on said clothing to shed on you.
OMG Melinika's married to Will Riker!
Melinka, I think Moxy is Mr. Whiskers's long-lost cousin (see upthread).
He doesn't shed much, but he gets little dreadlocks if I don't groom him regular-like.
Koko: Hah, usually he hears "Dante from Clerks". He's way cuter than either Riker or Dante IMO.
TUM: Yes, they do look rather cousinish. Moxy has short sleek fur that she keeps very well-groomed, but somehow she's developed a "shed defense" tactic if she is unhappy or displeased. She can power-shed right after being brushed clean if you pick her up or piss her off.
Lara: Mox has gone from not really caring about the humans to desperate loving on the humans, like she'll come up and bump bump bump bump nudge nudge nudge at your feet and just be all "petmepetmepetmenownownownow". It's very strange. Every visitor to the house, she does this to, trying to get them to take her home.
She also pulls the "oh rub my belly see I'll flop over and show my belly oh just rub it" thing and then you touch her and she gets upset that you dared to touch her belly, and tries to nip you.
usually he hears "Dante from Clerks"
That must be very difficult for you.
Anything else, or are you done?
Too far?
*dances a pathetic little jig for Melinika*
She also pulls the "oh rub my belly see I'll flop over and show my belly oh just rub it" thing and then you touch her and she gets upset that you dared to touch her belly, and tries to nip you.
Pfft. Cats.
Aiigh! Ah ha! Which! Is . . why they're so great! Heh heh. Nice . . nice kitty people . . heh just . . gonna get some . . fancynip . .
*runs*
*hissssss*
*airplane ears*
Ladies and gentlemen, we proudly present...
MISSISSIPPI, the New York State Maine Coon Cat!
A very handsome beasty! Nice goatee.
*wonders how he's going to fit on Santa's tiny lap*
A stately beast indeed.
Tri-stately, one might say.
We lost Mohan (pictured above) this morning. Terribly sad. He had ringworm, and the medication for it was putting him off his food. I stopped the treatment once I realized this, but he remained listless the past few days, though nothing serious seemed wrong. I woke up this morning to his cries - he was vomiting and in considerable distress. Phoned the vet but by the time the vet arrived Mohan was already gone. Such a nice cat. Fuck.
.
I'm sorry roryk. *hugs*
So sorry roryk.
Thank you both. I'm trying to remember the good times and not wallow too much. Mrs roryk and junior are in the U.S. for Thanksgiving, so it's exceptionally weird at the moment. It's going to be strange for junior - he's not yet two and won't really grasp the concept that "kitt-ie" is gone.
I'm sorry to hear about Mohan, roryk.
Bound to feel weird. Explaining the particulars to folk long distance isn't easy.
The concept of death is always a tough one to grapple with. Man or boy, never a really satisfactory answer, I suspect.
roryk, I am so sorry to hear of Mohan's death! It's never easy to say goodbye to a beloved pet....I hope your son is ok :(
> The concept of death is always a tough one to grapple with.
There's a finality that I find viscerally and cerebrally hard to accept. I keep seeing my companion of eight years around the house. A bag turns into his upturned ears in the periphery of my vision.
Thank you bees and medusa. We should get back to celebrating our animal companions in this thread (maybe it was a bad place for me to post this news but i wanted to look at his picture again).
Sorry roryk - I know what you mean about peripheral objects seeming to be the lost pet. A bitter pill when you remember they're not there! The kidlet shouldn't be too upset, though - much harder to handle that sort of thing when one's three or four years older.
Shared sadness for friend roryk. Every time I lose a pet I swear I will never set myself up for that kind of heartbreak again. But each time, I do.
Blessed are those who share their homes and meager fortunes with animals.
Thank you fish stick and ralph, I'm hoping that wherever Mo has gone he'll walk in fields of catnip.
Honestly, I think we should share our homes with other species. It reminds us of whence we came and where we're all hoping to go.
Aw, roryk. So sorry. It never gets easy no matter how many times you go through it, does it? If I close my eyes I can still feel and smell the partiular texture and scent of Toby's fur as he lay on the vet's table fifteen years ago. Whenever I see a spool of thread lying around, I panic thinking Libby's going to swallow it, then remember she's been gone a year.
There's a finality that I find viscerally and cerebrally hard to accept. I keep seeing my companion of eight years around the house. A bag turns into his upturned ears in the periphery of my vision.
I know what you mean. My cat died a few months ago, but I still keep seeing her out of the corner of my eye. It's depressing, and sometimes infuriating. You have my sympathies.
sometimes you hang around a while
no man knows why
perhaps you like to keep an eye
on us or just
attempt a gradual goodbye
so we see you rub
against the doorframe
or turn your head
when for a second we forget
and, startled, say your name
Sorry to hear it roryk. Don't tell anybody, but I kind of enjoyed the freedom of not having to look after a pet.
For that brief interlude.
Before they found me again.
Darned animals.
With the pooping and the finicky eating, HOAYm'glaven.
Where have you been, young man? We've been worried sick!
We called the police, hospitals, Armed forces recruiting offices...
Now we need to get Fes and Quidnunc back.
Well, it is like herding cats.
Sorry for your loss, roryk. He was my favourite cat on this thread.
Now I'll have to go for one of kit's... (Kit's kats! Just noticed that. Yes, I'm dumb.)
And as for Fes, he was off to Montreal last I heard, but he should have been back by now. But Montreal being what it is, who knows what kind of hijinks and mayhem could have derailed him...
Oh -- and in my pet news, the fish's forced-diet seems to be working. Both Capt. Bligh and Capt. Henry are little porkers, and tend to get caught swimming belly-up with all that fat, and can't right themselves. Bligh has the advantage of some counterbalancing back-fat, so it's not so much a problem for him, plus, he doesn't seem to mind all that much. Henry has no back fat, and can never get right-side-up again. He finds the whole matter very distressing, which in turn, makes me quite distressed.
But the diet has lessened these occurances somewhat, which is good. However, they've been vacationing at Mother Renault's for the last little while, and who knows what she's been feeding them...
MonkeyFilter: like herding cats
Dammit Captain, why must your distress be such a cute story? Now I feel guilty! All I can think of is the sticks we used to use to flip the doughnuts over in the fryer when I worked in a bakery.
*pictures Fes taking over Montreal à la The Emperor Jones*
roryk, I'm so sorry. It never does get easier. But the joy they give us makes it worth the sorrow, I think.
Captain, maybe you can tie some ballast on them somehwere.
Ok, I'm a noob to the pet thread. For the record, here is Maurice.
He sure is a fine cat if I've ever met one. He tolerates the 3 year-old constantly hugging him. He tolerates the 16 month-old attempting to ride him like a horse. He is very quiet, occasionally letting out the slightest mew. He has an implanted microchip (the shelter did that). Nothing seems to bother him, which is quite surprising to me given this is only 48 hours since he's been home with us...
Viva Maurizio, il bello gatto di colore arancio!
Rescued adult cats/dogs can make some of the best pets. The ones I've had tend to be a bit more patient and tolerant, which is probably (sadly) due to the fact that they've had some tough breaks before they came to me.
And then there's the joy of each day discovering some new quirk of their fully-formed adult personalities. Mississippi (see above) was 13 when I got her. Last Christmas I learned that she likes to methodically go around and gently but thoroughly pull every bow off every package. Restick, repull. She never shredded the paper or played with the bows; she just somehow got the idea they didn't belong there and was kindly rectifying the situation for me.
"He sure is a fine cat if I've ever met one"
SMT, an educated guess is that is in no small part due to the dedicated work of the volunteers and staff at the shelter. Not to sound too much like Bob Barker (but, by the way, nice ass!) but so many of the animal shelters I have been in have truly great people in their employ, handing out love like it was free or something.
I want to kiss those soft-looking paws.
rescues are the only way to go. paying top dollar for designer (in)breeds is generally unwise...
Agreed with all four comments above.
Maurice was actually at the shelter for a relatively short time, but the two volunteers that helped us through the lengthy process *were* handing out love for free. They were unbelievably patient, attentive, caring, and expressive of their love for animals. My wife having never experienced such a sight (she did mention that adopting children in Indonesia is easier than adopting pets in the US), was quite impressed.
Lara, I'll give one of them paws a big 'ol smooch for you.
*attempts to block mental image of the cat paw keychain from that other thread*
Congrats on the new addition, SMT! He looks just like my Polly, only slightly less fat.
Maurice est trés beau! He has the most obvious "M" of any tabby I've ever seen. Looks almost like a roadsign warning: big ears ahead.
Give 'im time, Minda, give 'im time!
Poor Maurice, it's only been a week and half since he's been home with us - it seems he has developed a hacking cough (which I initially presumed to be a hairball episode), that has become worse. He's also started vomiting following these cough bouts.
We reviewed his medical history the day of his adoption, and he tested negative for just about every test they threw at him. It's made me slightly worrisome and skeptical of the quality of pet food in my neighborhood (considering the pet food recall of March).
I'll be skipping out of work early next Tuesday to take him to the pet hospital. I hope the cute little feller will be OK.
Hang in there, SMT. Hopefully it's just stress from the move.
Oh, oh. May be the feline version of "kennel cough."
Mostly, mostly easy to cure, but you don't want to mess with it.
Call the shelter and ask if they've had any in-house coughy cats or reported gone home coughs. You might not want to wait till next Tuesday. (26th, right?)
Oh no, smt! Poor Maurice. Make sure there isn't any irresistible giftwrapping 'curling' ribbon around or other similar chewables, like wool, string, grass. Sure hope the little guy makes it!
I don't think it was stress from the move, as I've never in my life witnessed a cat appear so calm and stress-free after being toted in a carrier. He's such a confident trooper!
Agreed, BlueHorse. I was hoping to have him seen tomorrow or Friday. The facility I have him scheduled at for next Tuesday is a part of the ASPCA from where he was adopted. They have his full medical history on file (not to mention the visit is free) and are already familar with him -- so I was inclined to have him go there. Unfortunately, they are booked solid until Tuesday (ahh, life in the Big Apple I suppose). I'm going to keep a close eye on him through tomorrow, and if the condition worsens, I'll take him to a vet in the neighborhood that was recommended by a friend.
I also thought of that, fish tick. Maurice is very playful and likes to "find" random objects to toss around. I found him with a decent sized stone the other day (no idea where it came from). It is possible that he uncovered something and swallowed it. But it's not my first guess.
My bet is an upper respiratory infection. Strays and shelter cats are especially susceptible because they've often not had good nutrition for some period or other. My old cat got one when I moved into a new apartment, and the vet told me that a change in homes/carpets/etc. can trigger one.
If so, a course of antibiotics should make him right as rain. And poking pills or liquid down his throat will no doubt help you bond!
And poking pills or liquid down his throat will no doubt help you bond!
What fond memories you made me recall, Lara.
*admires old battle scars*
Good luck, Maurice!
I'm pleased to say that after finally ending their vacation at Mother Renault's, Captains Bligh and Henry (Hudson) were installed in their big new tank in the front room. And immediately, Henry took to sleeping on the bottom. As in sprawled out on his side on the rocks. Like the rock was a big pillow. Not moving. Not breathing. Nuthin'. I immediately suspected that they weren't crazy about Hamilton water, but after a night of poking Henry with the handle of the scooper-net, together with repeated chants of "be alive, dammit", Henry is now doing just fine. He and Bligh are going to turn five next month. And they haven't done that belly-fat trapping them upside down thing in a long time. They stay at Mother Renault's must have done them good.
I shall have to remember the Capt's bed-side manner.
Next time Mr. B.Horse is sick, I'll get the scooper-net and poke him while chanting, "Be alive, dammit!"
I'm sure that will make him rise from the bed sooner rather than later.
i have these horrid fish called "clown loaches." They spend much of their time lying on the bottom of my tank, either on their sides, or balanced on their dorsal fin... no matter what, they behave in a dead-fish-like way that is most unbecoming.... until you come up to the tank and make noise or stomp a little, at which point, they roll over and swim away, looking completely fine and revived. i've had these kind of fish before, but not that behaved like this. i'm not sure if it's these three fish in particular, or a breed trait that hadn't been displayed before, but long story short, i feel your pain, Capt., daily.
That's got to be stressful, EEQ - waking up every morning to what appears to be your late pet.
Oh, and best of luck to Meowrice, SMT!
not that stressful, death is one of the primary behaviors of fish... more annoyance that they think they can pull a fast one on me, as well as amazement that they would actually choose to balance on their dorsal fin.
And how is Maurice?
*crosses fingers, hopes all is well*
Mr. Maurice seems to be fine. The doctor suspected that he may have asthma, as he had irregular breathing (about 80 breaths a minute, where the norm is 35~40), but said it could also be due to nervousness at being in facility. I monitored his breathing for the following week, and all seemed normal.
I'm starting to think that his occasional coughing may be due to ingesting foreign materials. This cat is worse than a dog!! We've had to start putting things up, as he gets a hold of *everything* and proceeds to bite/chew/eat. Even last night I caught him gnawing on a rather large stone that my son dragged into the house; All of our sandals are now speckled with telltale bite marks; he seems fond of plastic in general.
Healthy, yes. Wild streak, yes. Sweetheart at night when it's dark, yes.
I have lost two orange kitties in the last month and a half; sure hope Maurice has fared better.
Ah, fish, sorry to hear that.
I had a cat with Pica once. I had to pretty much give up sewing for a while there. Except instaed of "ingesting foreign materials" I used the more mundane term of "Eating things. Eating things that aren't food."
Sorry, fish.
Sorry to hear about your two orange kitties, fish tick.
Y'all are making me sniffle again.
I'm so glad Maurice is ok. If he's a cribber, watch out for pica.
I nearly lost one of mine to that. Especially keep strings, thread and shoelaces out of the way.
fish tick, I'm so sorry about your orange kitties. I have such a soft spot in my heart for the orange ones, and it's so hard to lose any pet.
In HappyPetNews, Henry is no longer sleeping on the bottom. However, Bligh has taken to nibbling Henry incessantly -- I suspect he has some tasty slime on him. Time to change the water, I suppose. Also, at the beach last week, I picked up some nice, new, huge rocks for the fish. They won't know what hit them...
Oh, man, orange kitties. They're the best. I've never had one that didn't have a super disposition. Very sad.
Let me fix that ...never had MET one...
My damn dog ran off this morning. She has this thing where she goes roaming, but can't find her way back. She can remember all the places where my girlfriends with horses live and goes visiting. However, she can't remember the way home. Damn thing expects me to come get her in the pickup truck. She disappeared when I was in Albuquerque and was gone for 8 days. Husband finally found her when the pound called and said they'd seen her, but couldn't catch her. (He put out an all-points bulletin.) What's so weird about her is that she has to be shoved out the door--thinks she needs to be in the house 24/7. She loves to go riding or go for walks with me, but thinks she needs in otherwise. If she's out by herself, she hides under the porch or looks for a way out of the fence--climbing or digging if she has to. I didn't latch the gate properly last night, so she banged on it till it swung open--it only opens to the inside. Mr.B feeds both dogs outside, and some evenings she won't even go out to eat. She's a real PITA, because my other dog, Cash, loves laying in the back chewing his bone and occasionally barking at the horses when they say something insolent, but then he doesn't want out if he's always alone. He's a good indoor/outdoor boy, but getting ancient and has bad hips.:( I'm so pissed at Lucy that I almost wish somebody would find her and keep her. Unfortunately, she'd probably run off and come back.
Fish: a thought for you...
"We who choose to surround ourselves with lives even more temporary than our own, live within a fragile circle, easily and often breached. Unable to accept its awful gaps, we still would live no other way. We cherish memory as the only certain immortality, never fully understanding the necessary plan." Irving Townsend "Fragile Circle"
Song for Sampson
T. Alan Broughton
What did we do for Sampson our cat?
For years we opened cans for him,
we spread out feast after feast
of golden-fleshed salmon, fine bits
of chicken in thick broth, and he ate
both morning and night. Each day
after he scratched his litter box
we emptied whatever he dropped.
Our laps spread like grassy plains,
and he alone was the pride, sunshine
flowing around the slats of the house
that was his cage, spreading over him
like honey, and his fur grew warm.
At night we gave him whatever place
on our bed was without the kicking feet
of our dreams, creatures he could not see
or smell. Often he lay on the rise and fall
of our breasts, the tide of breathing
and slow slap of heart as we rowed
toward morning. We took from him
all propagation and its will, left him
uncertain why faint odors of a passing female
made him stretch and sniff as if he sensed
his own life embalmed in air, a pharaoh's soul.
And this is why he pissed on our shoes —
not out of anger but to help us carry him
with us wherever we walked in the wide
world he could not enter, spreading musk
of Sampson over the surface of earth,
until he became immortal as the darkness
we eased him into, leaving us blessed.
Is she a beagle, BlueHorse? When my Mom got beagles, that was exactly the scenario the vet predicted. Apparently their noses are so sensitive they're easily distracted.
Thank for the info, Lara. I've never heard of pica before.
Maurice does display a curious act whenever he manages to get himself on a particular blanket (I think it's made of Nylon fibers, not very pleasing to the touch, but thin and warm); in addition to a kneading action with his paws (quite common), he will pull up a bunch of the blanket in his mouth and pull back tight (as if he were biting the nape of another cat). I'll have to keep a close eye on this fellow.
Na, no beagle--had one--NEVER again. I wouldn't say they're dumb, but they have one-track minds and don't listen worth a poot.
Lucy's an Australian Kelpie--Chocolate coat with gold eyes. Kelpies are herding dogs and don't have much of a 'smeller' since they're sight dogs and watch for hand signals when herding. They also have a strong 'eye' and control the sheep through eye contact and body position. She tends to intimidate people with her eeeeeevil golden eyes staring at you.
Kelpies can be pretty wired and get in trouble if bored, but she's certainly NOT. She can spend 12 hours out of the day sleeping, then sleep at night for another 8.
She was a rescue at age 2, and the woman told me she was neurotic--nearly autistic since she wouldn't bond to anyone, but we introduced ourselves, and now she's usually like velcro.
We never had any of the problems the rescuer said she had...
*jumping on the counter stealing
*nervous trotting through the house at all hours
*chewing--hoses, shoes, couches, clothing, trees, lawn chairs...
*jerking a leash
*wouldn't come
*unable to be crated (had to work a little on that, but it's fine now. She spent two years in a crate and was confinement-crazy. Broke off two front teeth trying to chew her way out. Now she loves her crates--a hard one, and a soft 'pup tent' crate)
She only started with this running away stuff last summer--I've had her 4 years now. And she has a new habit--playing/chewing/swallowing little rocks that get tracked in off the gravel driveway.
Arrrrgh!
Best of luck with your Lucy situation, GranMa!
GranMa, both of those poems were beautiful! Especially the second one.
I hope yer dawg comes home soon!
Thanks for the poems, BlueHorse, and good luck with your crate inhabitant.
I'm sorry for your loss, fish tick.
I can't tell what's wrong with Maurice now. I'm hoping he didn't ingest something and it's blocking his digestive system.
1. He's started the hacking coughs again, and it sounds like he's really trying to get something out.
2. He spent this morning vomiting left and right for a good 30 minutes after he attempted to eat his morning meal.
3. His "litter box regularity" has changed in the past couple of days. There was an unusual lack of a stinky poo waiting to be scooped yesterday.
I'm starting to think this so-called pica may be a serious issue. Especially considering that I have two small kids running around, it's near impossible to keep the floor free from small bits of non-edibles.
Will see how he's doing tonight, and proceed from there...
Is the vomiting green? Or is it (not to be gross) basically undigested cat food?
When my pica kitty got sick, she ate a lot of thread from a spool. It got wrapped around her intestines. Nearly a thousand dollars and several inches of intestine taken out later, she survived. Keep a close eye. Make sure he's at least drinking, if not eating.
Most small bits of non-edibles probably won't hurt him. But thread and string bind up the digestive system.
Not trying to be alarmist, just keep an eye.
/collapse
!!
I'm torn whether Mr. Whiskers is expressing a great hatred and disdain (akin to celebrities "going off" on paparazzi) for the intrusive camera, or if he is simply saying, "Daaahling, where have you been! I've been feverishly waiting for you..."
I think he's saying "I was trying to change into my tuxedo back here. A little privacy, PLEASE."
That's not how cats talk:
I HAVA TUXEDO.
CAN HAVE PRIVCY HERE PLEZ?
Cats need to take over the world, then everything will be just fine...
TUM, I can't stop looking at that pic!
It's my new desktop.
Ah, GramMa, you're so right!
SMT, can you give a Maurice update? Hope he is ok.
Oi there, Lara!
Well, we've been away on vacation. Maurice stayed with the neighbors (they insisted on "moving" him to their home, which was OK with me, as Maurice is not the least bit nervous or timid in new environments). Upon our return, the neighbor was extremely worried and feeling terrible as she exclaimed that "Maurice ate a balloon!!"
I haven't seen anything abnormal from him yet, and he seems to be having normal BMs. He seems to be fine - aside from the occasional cough. He's due for a shot this week, so perhaps I will persuade the doc to give him a closer inspection.
Oh, and he likes mac & cheese. The little stinker kept swiping it away from the kids the other day. He also is quite fond of fishing q-tips from the trash. I find chewed bits on the bathroom floor almost weekly. And water! This cat really enjoys the water. I can't take a shower without Maurice batting his paws at the water. He's jumped in with me twice. Mrs. SMT swears that he is a dog in a cat's body...
Oh, my! A balloon?!
Glad to hear he's doing ok. Seems like he's settling in very well, and no ill effects from his cribbing.
Sam (18 years old in 2 weeks!) will always steal a piece of spicy broccoli when we order chinese food. She'll just run at it like a mad thing, and de-leaf it with her three remaining teeth.
And people say cats don't have personalities.
I'd still keep an eye on his random tasting, maybe keep him from strings and broken glass. It sounds like he found the perfect home.
Maurice sounds like he's packed with personality! Just watch out he doesn't become a drug mule, what with all the balloon swallowing!
Mr. Whiskers used to enjoy himself a nice nap in the bathroom sink now and then, But he's got a bum hind leg now and can't jump up there.
I have just re-read this thread and fallen in love with all aminals all over again!
Oh, sweet oraaaange baby! I love orange cats!
Sam turned 18 on Tuesday, but scoffed at all suggestions that she should wear a party hat.
Perfect little kitty. He looks a bit like Philip Seymore Hoffman.
He seems to have brought some tiny black friends along for the ride. >:-(
You have to comb them out-he's too little for a flea bath. Think of it as a bonding thing.
Too late! Turns out he's a she, and survived the flea shampoo as well as the vet's flea treatment. Grumpy Black Kitty has also been given the neck dribble. Grumpier now.
Bees I 'm a gurlz katty wid de fkeez but not mean I'm not pretty and de smartz. I golden and strronger than vet medz. I de proud katty beauty of world.
Nice clashing there. She'll work her way up to the major stuff soon enough.
Such a cute baby.
Hint for any fleas that come back:
1. Buy a flea comb
2. Have a dish of water handy
3. Comb out fleas and immediately dip comb in water
4. Repeat
5. Profit!
You may want to give her a combing in a few days anyway, to get rid of dead fleas.
The things we do for sweet, soft, cuddly orange fluffball love!
I find those oil things you put a dab on their head, the anti-flea stuff, works pretty well.
Course I don't have a cat no more. She's in the ground out the back now. *sniff*
Still having dreams about her. subconscious = sad.
Orange kitty!
We had a rescue kelpie when I was a kid - such a gentle doggie putting up with my bro and i crawling all over him.
He used to herd us when we played chasey though.
Koko:
Best. Video. Evar!!!
Every time I see this, I laugh just as hard as the first time.
soapy
2. Have a dish of water handy
^
Fleas can swim and climb out of regular water. The soapy water traps them
damnit. i need more coffee
soapy
2. Have a dish of water handy
^
Gorgeous kitten fishtick. I too am jealous.
Maybe in the new year.
Roryk:
Don't you mean
0oo0o
soapy
2. Have a dish of water handy
^
Meh, depends on the personality of the pet. We boarded our kitty at the vets during the move, and when we brought her to the new place she was thrilled with it.
Probably just so glad to not be at the dreaded V-E-T, anyplace looked good.
And THAT'S why I don't let Mr. Whiskers have a baseball bat.
Oh that's fabulous! Har har har har har!
Do you let Mr. Whiskers do things? I kind of got the idea that with him, you just got out of the way and let him get on with his bizness.
He graciously allows me to preserve my illusion of mastery.
Captain Bligh died the first day I was away on holiday. I knew he was going, but couldn't bear to pre-emptively send him to that Great Tank in the Sky, so it fell upon the neighbour boys to flush him, and learn a life lesson about death.
Here's a recent photo. Captain Henry is floating in the background, as usual, upside-down.
Godspeed, lil' buddy Bligh. You did good.
Five and a half.
Henry's bravely carrying on, pretending to be oblivious to everything. He's such a little trooper...
Sad to hear that Capt. Re: upthread--Did he die fat and happy?
Way to traumatized the poor neighbor kids!
Nothing of him that doth fade
But doth suffer a sea-change
Into something rare and strange.
Sea nymphs hourly ring his knell;
Hark! now I hear them - ding dong, bell.
RIP Captian Bligh
Sorry to hear that Capt.
was Mr. Whiskers feeling neglected?
I dreamed last night that there was a panther loose in our neighborhood, and it killed two of our three cats while my wife and I watched out the window, horrified.
What does THAT mean?
That you should have opened the window??
To set the context: I live in the Pacific Northwest, where winters are chilly and damp. Last November, due to a miscalculation with the wood stove, I bumped the temperature up to the mid-80s. I was watching a movie at the time, while one of my cats sat in his accustomed place on the cushion behind me.
When the movie ended, I stood up to make some coffee. I turned around and looked behind me, and saw this...
Make yourself comfortable, dude.
Heeeeeeee! That's glorious. I have a puddle of orange spread across my knees as I type.
Too much fanta?
That is one of the most exquisite melted cats I've ever seen.
Well, to allay some of the horror of that panther dream (we couldn't open the window because there was a FREAKING PANTHER outside, Bluehorse!), here's a poem I wrote to Eli, our oldest cat and one of the nightmare casualties:
Eli Sleeping, #109
Eli sleeping: mysterious as the Sphinx,
and just as silent on our ottoman;
a riddle in a fur coat--no one can
conceive his dreams or fathom what he thinks.
There's ages writ down in those feline genes,
whole histories unknowable to man
told by instinct, and in the graceful plan
of his bones. No human knows what it means.
Perhaps the past is present as he leans
into my stroke, and ancient desert sands
stretch in his arid mind each time he blinks.
As he naps, Babylon rises then sinks
into the dust. I think he understands
his kind were worshipped by dead kings and queens.
APPLAUSE!!
That's beautiful. I hope the dream is fading, tp :)
My puddle of orange was my previously mentioned ancient tiny orange cat Sam.
)))
TenaciousPettle - love it!
"Look upon my whiskers, ye Mighty, and despair!"
Here's Max, the latest addi.... actually, he's a neighborhood kitty who's adopted us and has slept in the basement every night this year so far.
Ooooooooohimsafineboyoyeshimis!!!!!
Very handsome beast! Looks to be personable, too.
he has a tummy that needs a lot of rubbing (was just doing such just a moment ago) and a purr you can hear across the room. his (potentially previous) owner seems less than concerned that Max has chosen us over his former residence, so we'll see how it plays out. its nice having an outdoor kitty, the other two are never allowed outside.
News flash: I am not actually a dog.
Ralph was, and for the past 17 years he has been at my side. Thick and thin as the saying goes. I wouldn’t know where to begin to list the changes and struggles he saw me through.
Just a while ago our veterinarian and her assistant left our house with Ralphie bundled up in a blanket. He’s at rest now, and I have a hole in my stomach that doesn’t want to go away. People talk about broken hearts, I seem to feel it a bit lower.
Rest in peace, my best friend. I will never forget the wonderful things you brought to my life. I will never forget you, Ralph, the dog.
RTD: Ah, having just been through that with my Whiskers cat, I'm in tears over your loss. On the other hand, I wouldn't have given up a minute of my friendship with such a spectacularly wonderful little person, and I'm sure you feel the same about Ralph. Having to make that decision is painful, but not making it would be selfish, as I'm sure you know.
Best wishes!
Sorry to hear this RTD.
I'm sorry for your loss, RtD.
*giant tearful hug*
*more giant tearful hugs*
So sorry for your loss.
So sorry, RTD. I'm sure he had a great life with you, and you with him.
RTD, I'm sorry to hear about your loss. Ralph's memory and spirit will always to be at your side.
Yes, even as you continue to honor his name with your comments here on MoFi...
*hugs*
Sorry for your loss, RTD.
So sorry, Ralph.
Sorry for your loss, RTD.
.
I'm so sorry, RTD. *hugs*
*more hugs*
Really sorry, RTD.
Dear Maurice,
I wish you could understand me now. I wish you could understand when I say that I love you, it is genuine and real. I wish you could understand that there was a reason why we had to let you go. I didn't even get to say goodbye to you before that last moment when I handed you over... I know that you are in good hands, but I am filled with pain and sorrow right now. I see your food dish, your water bowl, your litter box, your hairs still across the floor - - and the tears do not stop. I miss you, my friend. I am sorry... I am sorry... I am sorry... I wish you could know. In a cat whisper I yell out across the sky: I will always remember you!! I will always miss the morning when you felt happy and secure, purring at my feet, trying to rub my nose... little did you know it, but I loved you back even more. This morning, I cried as you looked to me, and let your claws catch my clothes... I live in that moment forever now, missing you so.....................good night, Maurice, I'm sorry to do this to you. I sorry that we had to let you go. If cats are capable of forgiveness, I beg for yours now....
*tears flow*
Goodnight, Maurice.
Oh, dear, how sad. I think all of us got to know Maurice over the last few months. If it'll make you feel any better, let us know what happened when you can.
In the meantime, I know you made him happy while you had him, and that's the best thing.
This has been a diffucult year for the little people we took under our wings, and for those of us who had to let them go.
What a hard decision to make. Poor smt. *hugs*
Some years back, a good friend of mine had to give up his beloved dog, Blanco, because he had to move to an apartment. He was devastated, but Blanco went to live on a farm and my friend went to visit him from time to time. I know how you must feel, but knowing Maurice is in good hands should give you some comfort. He'll be happy, and he'll forgive you. You should forgive him, too :)
My heart to your heart, smt.
It's tough to open this thread and read that someone has lost another beloved pet. I'd much rather open it and see a link to a LOL kitteh or goggy pic or some funny snarky comment.
I think it's good though that we have a place to post the depths of our grief. IMHO, we're one of the few online communities that can do that freely, because we are all pretty much united our adulation of fur folks.
*calls for group Monkey hug
*joins teh group hug*
i know how hard it is, i have had to re-home (what an awful euphemism that is) a couple of cats. It may notfeel like it, but you need to remind yourself you're doing what's right by making sure Maurice is somewhere his needs and wants will be attended to properly.
Ooooh, smt... *joings group hug*
I know that wrenching feeling when you can't keep the one you love near. My heart goes all out to you and Maurice.
Capt. Henry passed away in the night -- his first night back home in a couple of months. Age six.
Godspeed, lil' buddy. You were the best fish that anyone could ever ask for.
That is one venerable goldfish. My condolences.
*blows an air bubble in remembrance*
Bon voyage, Henry...
The Captain's quarters are less dank
Shed a tear for the bereft tank
On toward Eternal sea they sank
Bligh has ris'n, and so has Hank.
Sorry for your loss, Capt.
carp-eh diem
er...My Latin is a bit rusty.
I mean Requiscat in Pace.
One's hands feel so much cleaner when the saop comes from the pristine whiteness of Hello Kitty's noggin.
Sad cosmetic factoid:
Hello Kitty soap is made by scooping out the brains of kittens and boiling them down.
TUM, that's just loverly! I especially like his expression in this shot; "Blast it all, wench, you've wrested me from the arms of Morpheus for what?"
Every morning, at about 10AM, for the past several weeks, this stunning beauty has appeared in our yard:
We have named her Clover, as that is what she comes to eat.
Looky the gams! Va-va-va-voom!
That is one of the prettiest critters I've ever seen. What a sweetie. Nice photo, RTD.
I have a couple tagged deer that are often on my patio in the winter, peeking in. That one is gorgeous!
Thought I'd share a new clashing picture of Sam. Her 19th birthday was a few weeks ago. She still loves to clash, as is obvious by her lighting on this bright beach towel.
Over the years she's gotten too smart for me, and when she sees the camera she immediately shuts her eyes against the flash. It's impossible to get one with her eyes open.
Bad news.
My companion Lucy was killed by a car on Wednesday night. She developed some strange behaviors beginning slowly a year ago. She began to tear up the yard fence, started running away from home several months ago and not coming back. She'd go to one of several friend's houses, and behave very strangely. Never wanted to interact with their dogs, would hide under the porch, or in a shed, and once clawed the screen off the basement window to jump down into the basement.
If anyone attempted to confine her, she'd fight to get out. She clawed her way out a screen door. She was always wiggling and happy to see me, would hop into the truck to go home, then keep working to tear up the fence the next day. I tried confining her to a 6x8 dog kennel that we seldom use, while I was at work, but she chewed her mouth bloody on the chain link. She became extremely reactive to loud noises, started fighting viciously with our old dog (she always was jealous, but not really nasty) and she began pacing the hallway at night continually--something she'd done after being taken out of a bad situation by the rescuers, but never after she came home with me.
She began to refuse using her crate, wouldn't be happy lying under the table, started hating being put into her room at night to sleep. She chewed and clawed her way out of an interior door when accidentally shut in one day when we left the house--normally she would just go to sleep in a closed room.
This sounds really obvious that something was wrong, and in retrospect I feel so stupid, but it came on gradually, and she always was a bit strange because she had numerous issues as a rescue dog. She seemed to get better and worse, and cycled between that several times, and I had made an appointment with the vet for this coming week to see about her health and putting her on doggy Prozac or something.
Four nights ago, my husband let the dogs out to eat, went back to carry out their bowls, and she had gone up and over the chain link and through a hot wire on the other side. He could see her crossing the fields to the north and hollered, but she didn't look. Normally, she was excellent on the recall command and would come streaking back.
We went to all her haunts, hiked the desert, and spent the last several days driving whenever we had a chance--but nothing. Friday, out of the blue, I had a hunch to call the city pound.
We're out in the county, and Mtn. Home is several miles to the south, across the interstate. Lucy hated traffic. I still can't believe she'd cross the interstate or go over the overpass. It's almost ten miles to where she was hit.
The pound had "a dog of that description," but I was upset because they wouldn't confirm it was her, even though I told them she had a bright purple collar with her ID in permanent marker as well as ID tags. When I got down there, there were no tags, and the collar info was unidentifiable, despite my having just re-inked it. Her paw pads were extremely worn. They said she'd died immediately in the accident, for which I am infinitely grateful. When I hugged her she had been frozen. Bless them, they kept her, rather then disposing of her immediately, since she had a collar and was obviously a pet. Otherwise, I might never have known. But I'll never know what it was that made her leave--if it was a tumor, or if her demons just caught up with her. My husband said, "I hope she found what she was looking for." As do I.
Eventually I'll get another dog, not to replace her, but to honor the role of companion and friend that she was. It will have to be a puppy or young dog, though. I can't face the problems another mature rescue will bring. I'll look for someone giving away pups or talk to the pound about a dog that isn't traumatized.
Good bye, Lucy, my friend
BlueHorse, I'm so terribly sorry to hear about your loss. biggest of hugs for you...
Oh damn. I'm so sorry, BH. You have all my sympathies.
What a beautiful beast, GramMa. Never gets easier, does it?
Oh, how terrible. I'm so sorry, BlueHorse.
my condolences, GramMa. And happy 19th to Sam, Lara!
Aw jeez, GramMa...
Sorry, GranMa.
Oh, GramMa. :(
So sad!My condolences. as well.
So sorry, GramMa.
BTW, Lara, you owe me a new set of retinas.
Condolences and big hugs from me too, GramMa.
*still misses her own Lucy doggie who passed away a couple of years ago*
And we did exactly what you said above, GramMa: Lucy was a mature rescue, and six months or so after she died, we got a little puppy (the only pup, and the only non-rescue we've ever had).
Sorry GramMa.
Arf.
Thanks, guys. It makes me feel better to know that other people have dealt with the joys and sorrows of pet friends.
There was a thread a while back about what makes people tear up; I couldn't offer much but I guess I've just found one of my soft spots. Wow, that was very sweet.
I think the finchies in my backyard may be a tad selective as what they'd like to see me put in the feeder, thank you very much.
Odd, though, that the mangy squirrels haven't eaten that shit up. Huh.
Finicky finches,
Finicky finches,
You've scattered the seed
Over thirty-six inches.
Melamine-tainted seed from China, surely.
Gonna name 'em Onan, like Dorothy Parker did.
Seed came from TSC, so it's good seed, farmer seed, seed of the land, pure and true.
Hmmmm, looks like millet, Capt. Finches like nyger thistle.
Try that. Of course, twice as expensive.
why can't they just shaddap and enjoy the cheap crap like good little chicky-babies?
I KNOW
Capt. if you want the chicky-babes to like you, you gotta give'em what they want.
Update on Sammy: She turned 19 this past August, and recently gave me a health scare. Her kidneys have tested off on her last two sets of bloodwork, so the vet started making me give her fluids under the skin, suspecting Chronic Renal Failure. Her heart has been sounding off as well. I've been gearing myself up to realize she might not be around much longer. She lost a bunch of weight, getting down to 4.4 pounds (from her usual 5--she's always been a tiny cat).
Spent several hundred dollars on tests and lots of unhappy cat moments to find out that her kidneys are fine, her heart is fine (for a 20 year old cat--slightly enlarged), her thyroid is fine, and she basically just had a bad upper respiratory infection.
She's laughing at the stupidity of panicking humans as she lays on my wrists, making it impossible to type.
Oh, and she still likes to clash.
Did Mr. Whiskers eat the other half of that candy cane, or did he leave it embedded in one of his victims?
Lara, please give her a hug and hold her to your ear so you can hear massive purring. For me.
Just adopted a new pup from the local Humane Society. We have named her Frangelica. This is her info page that caught our eye:
Frangelica (not porsche).
Puppy!!! What a HANDFUL OF CUTE.
Good luck, annasbrew!
Congrats, AB, she's adorable!
PUPPY KISSES!!!!!
How kyuute can you get!!
Whew, that's a pretty stiff adoption fee!
Wotta sweetie! Congrats, AB.
What a thread of sadness and delight this is. More sadness: Mr. Whiskers has passed on, I understand.
i am appalled at you, Tracicle, for making your sweet little boy wear a banana stapled to his forehead... i mean, i am pro monkey and everything, but isn't that taking things too far?on second thought, never mind....hadMET one... My damn dog ran off this morning. She has this thing where she goes roaming, but can't find her way back. She can remember all the places where my girlfriends with horses live and goes visiting. However, she can't remember the way home. Damn thing expects me to come get her in the pickup truck. She disappeared when I was in Albuquerque and was gone for 8 days. Husband finally found her when the pound called and said they'd seen her, but couldn't catch her. (He put out an all-points bulletin.) What's so weird about her is that she has to be shoved out the door--thinks she needs to be in the house 24/7. She loves to go riding or go for walks with me, but thinks she needs in otherwise. If she's out by herself, she hides under the porch or looks for a way out of the fence--climbing or digging if she has to. I didn't latch the gate properly last night, so she banged on it till it swung open--it only opens to the inside. Mr.B feeds both dogs outside, and some evenings she won't even go out to eat. She's a real PITA, because my other dog, Cash, loves laying in the back chewing his bone and occasionally barking at the horses when they say something insolent, but then he doesn't want out if he's always alone. He's a good indoor/outdoor boy, but getting ancient and has bad hips.:( I'm so pissed at Lucy that I almost wish somebody would find her and keep her. Unfortunately, she'd probably run off and come back.WikiWhiskers certainly looks dapper. Matching pants?soapy 2. Have a dish of water handy ^Fleas can swim and climb out of regular water. The soapy water traps themsoapy 2. Have a dish of water handy ^0oo0o
soapy
2. Have a dish of water handy
^
We have named her Clover, as that is what she comes to eat.