Who Here Owns Cats?

[Michael Leigh]

How correct you are. Groucho is in hibernation mode as she knows there's no mice present on her hunting grounds. Not much into bird hunting. I think she realizes birds are too quick to escape, although she did get two last summer but I think she may have attacked a nest. I find mice lying on the step into the wood shop or on the picnic table. Oh well, that's cats, so unpredictable.

Take care too @Elmer B Fuddled.

Michael

 

[KoolKat]

My cat died in 2012 right before I got tinnitus. I was going to get another cat eventually but, well, you know...

My brain/ears needed my constant attention and couldn't allow for nothing else to take my focus away

In an alternate timeline I would have had another cat by now. It makes me happy to think back how my cat got the best years of me, the version of me without
tinnitus. The upbeat, happy, exciting, take charge me

One day if I'm treated or cured, I'm buying both a baby cat and a dog.

 

[brixenbrixen]

My cat died in 2012 right before I got tinnitus. I was going to get another cat eventually but, well, you know...

My brain/ears needed my constant attention and couldn't allow for nothing else to take my focus away

In an alternate timeline I would have had another cat by now. It makes me happy to think back how my cat got the best years of me, the version of me without
tinnitus. The upbeat, happy, exciting, take charge me

One day if I'm treated or cured, I'm buying both a baby cat and a dog.

Don't wait. Life with pets is better.

 

[just1morething]

This has been a great cat, extremely friendly. It was a drop off that showed up about 10 years ago. It is a Maine Coon, but I'm not sure if it's 100% Maine Coon or a mixed breed. The vet thought he was a purebred. I've grown to like longhair cats, even though they shed and need combing quite often.

 

[Elmer B Fuddled]

OK let's get some breakfast. I've got mice to hunt.

Are the mice awake yet? Groucho, it's like 6:30 in the morning.

Them mice is up. I got one yesterday.

 

[Michael Leigh]

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OK let's get some breakfast. I've got mice to hunt.

Are the mice awake yet? Groucho, it's like 6:30 in the morning.

Them mice is up. I got one yesterday.

Great photo of Groucho @Elmer B Fuddled. I hope you are keeping well.

Michael

 

[Elmer B Fuddled]

Great photo of Groucho @Elmer B Fuddled. I hope you are keeping well.

Michael

As well as expected for 75 years young with tinnitus, Michael. Thank you for asking. Yep, it's warmed up. Mice are moving about and Groucho is in hunting mode. So wake up call is now the break of daylight.

Take care. Hug them cats,
Elmer

 

[just1morething]

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My cat disappeared and I found it going under the couch. I've read that some cats get seriously damaged when the recliners were raised, so I put a 4 x 4 in the back.

Cat's tail ripped off by reclining sofa when owner pulled lever

 

[Strawberryblonde]

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OK let's get some breakfast. I've got mice to hunt.

Are the mice awake yet? Groucho, it's like 6:30 in the morning.

Them mice is up. I got one yesterday.

Love the little mustache

 

[ECP]

@just1morething, bless you for being so conscientious and considerate toward your cat. It's true, cats and other small animals have been known to get mangled by ordinary pieces of machinery and furniture. Most people aren't aware of the dangers, so I'm glad you said something here as a helpful warning to others.

On a happier note, it is nice to see so many lovely companion animals here and to know how much joy they bring to all of you.

I also have a cat. She is the light of my life. She's turning eighteen next month. Every day I spend with her is a blessing.

 

[just1morething]

Cats enjoying the outdoors. It was up to 87 degrees here.

 

[PennyCat]

The Penny cat Her tongue sticks out a lot due to a mouth deformity. I'd always wanted a cat and finally adopted one in June 2022. I have a dog too, she's been with me since I was 13. I'll have to share pics of her sometime in another thread.

 

[Flowergirl]

Cats enjoying the outdoors. It was up to 87 degrees here.

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Love the picture. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Flowergirl]

I did

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Ginger cats are good luck, they say!

 

[Flowergirl]

New rescue pup. Skipper.

Smile Leo! Haha, he's not real happy about this guy yet. Trying to work it out

 

[CW Dragon]

Here's a couple more pics of the cat, now that he's gotten comfortable.

 

[makeyourownluck]

Spend so much time with my cat, here he is snuggled in under the covers.

 

[glynis]

Chester has the black face at the top.

Stanley has more white. My kitten is a chocolate brown tabby with white paws but looks black on the photo.

 

[Vadimus]

Before my tinnitus, me and my wife saved and adopted more than 500 stray cats and kittens, sterilised more than 50 stray cats, and cured many. Now unfortunately I can't do it anymore but my wife is still rescuing, I hope to join her again some time in future. At the moment we have 3 cats at home.

 

[Michael Leigh]

Before my tinnitus, me and my wife saved and adopted more than 500 stray cats and kittens, sterilised more than 50 stray cats, and cured many. Now unfortunately I can't do it anymore but my wife is still rescuing, I hope to join her again some time in future. At the moment we have 3 cats at home.

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It is a wonderful thing that you and your wife have done for stray cats @Vadimus. Try not to worry too much, tinnitus usually improves with time.

Take care,
Michael

 

[PennyCat]

I had to take Penny to the emergency vet on the 7th, around 9:30 at night. I had planned to take her to the vet on the 8th, but she was in a lot of pain and extremely agitated, so I took her to the ER vet. We were there for over 3 hours, and my phone was almost dead, so I couldn't use it. I was sitting by myself in a small, quiet waiting room with nothing but my thoughts and my tinnitus for those 3+ hours. Fun times...

Penny is okay though! I found out what she has is Eosinophilic Granuloma Complex, which will be a lifelong recurring thing for her. Neither the shelter nor my own vet ever bothered to tell me this. There will be many vet trips and steroids in our future to manage flare ups. I really need to look into pet insurance. In the meantime, she is on medicine and has to wear a cone, which she is not happy about.

Tomorrow (June 11th) is her "adoptaversary"! It will officially be 1 year since I got her.

Thanks for reading this wordy update!

 

[Michael Leigh]

Whilst checking my emails this morning, I was listening to the soothing sounds of classic FM radio playing softly in the background. My attention was suddenly drawn to the loud opening and closing of the cat-flap, twice in quick succession. Instinctively I knew something was amiss as this isn't a usual occurrence.

It's strange how we get used to particular sounds in the home. As I turned to get out of my chair, Alfie entered the room with a mouse clenched between his teeth and Polly sat beside him. Alfie opened his mouth and immediately the mouse dropped on the floor and ran for cover under my desk. This is reminiscent of last year, when I was enjoying my breakfast on a quiet Sunday morning, when Alfie and Polly strolled into the kitchen and presented me with a small sparrow and proceeded to terrorize it which wasn't a pleasant sight. I realize they are doing what comes naturally to them but I wish they wouldn't bring me these gifts.

I went for a suitable container to return the small rodent to the garden. On my return, I noticed Alfie and Polly had pinned the mouse into a corner, studiously watching for any signs of movement. The low guttural growls from the cats, was a clear indication they were in serious attack mode. I reached for my phone to take a quick snap. Alfie must have surmised my intentions and snatched up the mouse between his teeth and made a fast exit from the room with Polly closely at his heels. When I looked through the kitchen window, they were both crouched down on the grass, contemplating their next move.

 

[Kain]

My son, Roxas.

 

[Michael Leigh]

I am fond of my two cats Alfie and Polly. I get the feeling they know this, according to my vet who recently told me whilst they were having their annual health check. They see humans as their slaves, because we willingly attend to all their needs, qualms and little eccentricities. She has four cats and said, our home is actually there's and we are just lodgers. Perhaps there's some truth in that. She said they have the innate desire to repay us for our devout service by bringing us gifts. I smiled in agreement and mentioned the recent fiasco with my cats bringing me a live mouse, then subsequently running off with it, when they realized my intention was to return it to the relative safety of the garden.

This morning I acquired another unwanted gift, in the form of a dead bird laying on my floor. I was surprised as I heard no commotion during the night from my cats or in the early hours of the morning. I am not particularly squeamish but this is not something I wanted to be greeted with as I'm about to prepare my breakfast, but instead have to reach for the vacuum cleaner, to hoover up scattered feathers from the carpet.

Michael

 

[RocketJSquirrel]

I had cats most of my adult life, starting when a tiny kitten appeared at my back door during my 28th birthday party. Long story short, Nipper moved in and spent the rest of her life with me and my sequential (only 2) wives.

When my 3rd cat died a few years ago, I decided not to get another one. By then, we had inherited (literally) a dog and I thought 1 pet was enough.

Then my nephew adopted an adorable one-eyed tuxedo kitten a few years ago. It turns out he travels often and we host his cat Elle when he's away.Elle has probably spent at least a quarter of her life here at my house. She hates to travel, but loves it once she gets here.

We adore her and she has bonded to me. Unusual for a cat to easily move between 2 homes, but it's become her normal life and we all enjoy it.

 

[RocketJSquirrel]

The resident dog and the visiting cat coexist peacefully.

 

[Elmer B Fuddled]

It's Caturday my friends.

 

[Michael Leigh]

My cats tend to be night owls and like to sleep during the day, although Polly, the Tortoiseshell will take frequent breaks to visit her food bowl, as she is a grazer but Alfie, the Tuxedo isn't. When the house is completely silent and I haven't seen or heard them for a while, I usually know where they'll be, on top of a cupboard unit in a spare room. This place has become their sanctuary, so I have tried to make it comfortable for them. Polly likes to slip between the duvet and Alfie will tuck himself into a corner. I usually check on them just to make sure all is well. All that is need now, is a sign on the room door to say, do not disturb.

Due to their nocturnal pursuits, they like to do their hunting in small hours of the morning until dawn breaks. When I arrive downstairs, it's not unusual to see the remains of a dead bird or mouse in one of the rooms. I have tried to prevent this from happening, by closing the cat flap at night but the cats howl and cry to go outside. They have even taken to clawing up my hall carpet. I fitted them both with cat collars that have a tiny bell – this is to alert unsuspecting prey of their presence. However, I had to give up this idea as the cats have devised away to remove the collars.

The things we endure for our cats.

Michael

 

[Elmer B Fuddled]

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My cats tend to be night owls and like to sleep during the day, although Polly, the Tortoiseshell will take frequent breaks to visit her food bowl, as she is a grazer but Alfie, the Tuxedo isn't. When the house is completely silent and I haven't seen or heard them for a while, I usually know where they'll be, on top of a cupboard unit in a spare room. This place has become their sanctuary, so I have tried to make it comfortable for them. Polly likes to slip between the duvet and Alfie will tuck himself into a corner. I usually check on them just to make sure all is well. All that is need now, is a sign on the room door to say, do not disturb.

Due to their nocturnal pursuits, they like to do their hunting in small hours of the morning until dawn breaks. When I arrive downstairs, it's not unusual to see the remains of a dead bird or mouse in one of the rooms. I have tried to prevent this from happening, by closing the cat flap at night but the cats howl and cry to go outside. They have even taken to clawing up my hall carpet. I fitted them both with cat collars that have a tiny bell – this is to alert unsuspecting prey of their presence. However, I had to give up this idea as the cats have devised away to remove the collars.

The things we endure for our cats.

Michael

Looks like a couple of lazy bums.

 

[Michael Leigh]

Looks like a couple of lazy bums.

Well said @Elmer B Fuddled, they are very lazy cats, especially Alfie. Sometimes he expects me to bring him his food while he's on top of the cupboard, too lazy to jump down and go to his food bowl. I blame myself for spoiling them! I think it's too late for them to change as they are now set in their ways.