Pets

[Anon_F]

Just been reading an article in our local paper on animal cruelty. The scumbags should be hung by their balls for all to see!!!

Our cat, 17yr old tortoise shell Ellie is trying to get her 23hrs of sleep in today!! Earlier she was pawing me for attention, a quick play & she's now snoring in her basket!!!

We have always had cats, even as a child and yes they are a bit aloof. But i dont think i could not have a cat.

 

[muckshifter]

people should not be allowed to keep pets

 

[Taffycat]

Hmm... I'm not sure if our gang-of-four understand the meaning of "aloof." They just love to join-in with whatever we're doing. In fact, just going from one room to another, usually involves a little procession - tricky if you happen to be in a hurry. Four furry bottoms, tails held aloft, walk just slightly ahead of us, making it impossible to step around them, or pass.

They're great company and quite talkative. One of them will keep gently dabbing my arm with his paw, when he wants my attention - usually wanting to climb onto my lap. All four enjoy laps, so occasionally, we find ourselves trying to accommodate two at a time. Cosy in winter.

Wouldn't like to be without them either, although I must confess that I adore dogs too, and we were fortunate enough to have one for 19 years.

 

[Anon_F]

Ellie used to only come to us when she wanted too, hence being a bit aloof.
But since she went deaf she likes to be with someone all the time.
She is currently curled up on a chair, snoring and trying to get her hr's in for the day.

Ellie did get a bit upset when x2 blackbirds dared to use the garden this p.m.
Lots of low meowing as if she disapproved, before heading back to the settee for more sleep!!

 

[darcy]

i could not agree more, Taffycat : )

Hmm... I'm not sure if our gang-of-four understand the meaning of "aloof." They just love to join-in with whatever we're doing. In fact, just going from one room to another, usually involves a little procession - tricky if you happen to be in a hurry. Four furry bottoms, tails held aloft, walk just slightly ahead of us, making it impossible to step around them, or pass.

our first 2 kitties { who crossed o'er the bridge @ ages 16 and 14, respectively, were the same, ~ demanding, even! }.

we have our 2nd set of 2 kitties now and, ohhh, how we know that "procession" business all too well, lol : ).
our first two, and these two, are also very interactive, TC, { sometimes overly! }, ~ so i ne'er do understand when peeps say cats are aloof,, i reckon we are luckier than some : )

 

[Taffycat]

i could not agree more, Taffycat : )
i reckon we are luckier than some : )

I'll second that opinion.

And what is it with cats and boxes? Whenever we have anything delivered, our gang just love to get first dibs on the empty box. They challenge each other for the right to sit, sleep or play in it, which can be very funny to watch. (The "Simon's Cat cartoons illustrate the scenario to a tee!)

 

[floppybootstomp]

Hmm, animal cruelty, let's see.

Stories of animal cruelty make the news because they're not the norm, thankfully.

We are a planet of many billion different souls each with a unique personality and always, always, unpredictable.

Along the way some souls will be born ill, some will get messed up and those are the ones who hurt animals.

Of course human beans should keep pets, the enormous good to all parties in the relationship certainly makes it worthwhile.

My late father-in-law was raised on a farm where many animals were kept and all were considered tools, only to be fed if they paid their way, cats were primarily kept to discourage the rodent population. If an animal, cats included, became lame or too old to work efficiently, it was humanely put down, they weren't kept for emotional reasons. Man and beast working in harmony.

Nevertheless, late FIL told me, relationships still grew between the young farm boy and the cats, dogs, horses, pigs and all who lived on the farm and he became fond of some.

I like most animals though the jury's still out on those tiny little yappy things that odd elderly women keep on jeweled leads, they look like something you should clean your car with or put between a seeded bun for a light snack.

I have been considering buying a pet for a couple of years now. It's cruel to keep a cat or dog in a flat six floors up so I considered maybe a lizard, tarantula or large frog. Seriously. Another idea is a Guinea pig or two, I have a large (safe) patio and lots of room for a hutch. Trouble is, no grass, and Guinea pigs do like grass. Undecided.

I'll probably end up with a slug named Harold.

 

[Taffycat]

Seriously. Another idea is a Guinea pig or two, I have a large (safe) patio and lots of room for a hutch. Trouble is, no grass, and Guinea pigs do like grass. Undecided.

Aww, Guinea pigs are very cute. If you're serious, you could consider growing some trays of grass perhaps? (Pet shops sell pots of the stuff for indoor cats, but much cheaper to use a bit of grass-seed and some shallow-ish trays.)

 

[muckshifter]

... get a beetle

 

[Anon_F]

Ellie has just killed a pet mouse, well ok a fabric mouse with cat-nip in it.
Great fun watching her roll around the floor & then going in for the kill!

 

[crazylegs]

I used to keep Beetles when I was a kid, I have moved on now though I'm onto millipedes now

 

[darcy]

will wonders never cease, ~ flopps considering a pet ; ).
bw, cats do just fine in flats : )

1 o' our tarantulas lived for over 20yrs; ~ best part was watching the yearly molt, ~ truly amazing to see : ).

lizards are cool, too,~ we had several o' them; one was an armadillo lizard who lived 15yrs. we took him out of his tank quite often and he would hang out w/us on the sofa : )

~~~

I like most animals though the jury's still out on those tiny little yappy things that odd elderly women keep on jeweled leads, they look like something you should clean your car with or put between a seeded bun for a light snack.

as usual, you make me lol, flopps : )

~~~

I'll second that opinion.

And what is it with cats and boxes? Whenever we have anything delivered, our gang just love to get first dibs on the empty box. They challenge each other for the right to sit, sleep or play in it, which can be very funny to watch. (The "Simon's Cat cartoons illustrate the scenario to a tee!)

same here, TC , ~ 'n' 'tis quite amusing watching our 18-lb cat trying to fit into a box that not even our 9-lb. kittie will fit into! but that does not stop them from attempting same,, : )

 

[historian]

I have read that cats have the most dengerous bite of all pets.The bacteria on their teeth can be deadly.So watch out you cat lovers don`t get your pussie angry.
historian

 

[Taffycat]

Ellie has just killed a pet mouse, well ok a fabric mouse with cat-nip in it.
Great fun watching her roll around the floor & then going in for the kill!

Isn't it funny to watch them on a catnip high?

I used to keep Beetles when I was a kid, I have moved on now though I'm onto millipedes now

So many muddy footprints to clean-up after!!

lizards are cool, too,~ we had several o' them; one was an armadillo lizard who lived 15yrs. we took him out of his tank quite often and he would hang out w/us on the sofa : )

~~~

same here, TC , ~ 'n' 'tis quite amusing watching our 18-lb cat trying to fit into a box that not even our 9-lb. kittie will fit into! but that does not stop them from attempting same,, : )

That is such a fine-looking lizard. I don't think I've ever seen one like that before and, certainly didn't know they could live for so long. He looks well armor-plated, but very cute. What size would he be?

Oh and that is exactly what our (also-large) cats like to do! They squeeze themselves into the smallest box, which is the tightest-fit possible. But oddly, the smallest of the four, (who also happens to be senior to the others) will always choose the largest box with acres of space to spare. So comical.

 

[darcy]

our prior kittie, 8 lbs. and black as the night is long, ~ enjoyed sitting w/all four paws in small jewelry boxes { some 2" x 3" in size }; this did not surprise us, ~ she could walk on a dime, that one : ). she also enjoyed laying upside down on the top of door frames; ~ how she managed that, we will ne'er know : )

~~~

i grabbed that pic off the web, TC, ~ but our armadillo lizard was approx. 7" in length, not counting the tail. { we named him Fred; why, i don't know, ~ 'xcept maybe because we referred to him as our "rock monster" and thought of Fred Flintstone, an American cartoon character living in the stone age,, }.

one time, unbeknownst to me, my husband took him out of his tank and left him on the sofa while i was in the kitchen. i returned & sat down on the sofa, with my pillow plumped behind me. there we sat for an hour or so, until hubby enquired,~ "where's Fred??". we both jumped up, tossing pillows off the sofa until we found him. apparently, he was behind my pillow :-o.

when we finally unearthed him, he gave a sort of shrug, and then fanned out again, lol : ).
i reckon there's the reason they're called "armadillo" lizards : )

~~~

of all the animals we have had as pets, ~ i reckon a tortoise would suits flopps well ; ) : )

 

[bootneck02]

I agree with you feckit any one who is cruel to any animal should be hung by the short and curlies and banned for life for keeping any animal for life. We now have an elderly brown/white border collie Brandy 13 yo and a lab cross collie Tazz 25months old who had a bad start to life by being drowned by his owner when he was 8 weeks old rescued by passers by and taken to the Dogs Trust. He was there for 4 months and a young couple had him for 6 months and hit him about if he did not do as he was told. He was taken back to the Dogs Trust and stayed there for another 6 months, when we had him, it has taken us 7 months to calm him down although I have to admit he suffers from nervous aggregation when he is around strangers especially men. Although Sarah or I have never had aggregation shown to us. When he came home Brandy tolerated him for about 1/2 hour then she stamped her authority on him, she gurred at him knocked him over and sat on him after that they get on like a house on fire, he knows that in the pack he is the lowest in the pecking order. The nervous aggregation is getting better as he is learning to trust people and now knows that people coming into the bungalow are not going to attack him although he keeps away usually welded to my leg just in case.

 

[darcy]

a grand ending to a very tough start, bootneck; keep giving them both loads of love, ~ and especially Tazz[ ~ it will probably take several years for Tazz { it did, for the Lab/Sheperd mix we took in who was barely surviving in the streets }, ~ but he'll make it through in a loving home such as yours : )

 

[Anon_F]

Bootneck is sound like an owner that Tazz is enjoying living with & has Brandy as company.