Animals we share our lives with

[Meadbh]

OK you guys, you have just convinced me to NEVER get a cat!

 

[Huston55]

Several of my cats are companionable, others are not. It just depends on their own nature. I can however report that I will be more than happy to box up the tabby cat to send to anyone here, as I let her sleep in our bed last night. My reward? Finding a dead squirrel curled up inches from my feet when I awoke. Disgusting! We leave the back door open for the dogs to go in and out, so I guess after a little nocturnal hunting she thought she'd share her prize. GROSS!

But on a happier note, here is my favorite foster dog from earlier this year, and her new "job" with her very awesome new owner. It is called dock diving, and she's going to be a superstar! She also does flyball, frisbee, and agility. Such a great athlete, and when I got her, the young girl who surrendered her was keeping her in a tiny apartment, she was 25% underweight, with awful skin and a savage temper. All that is over now, and she's a healthy happy dog with a job.

Sarah-

Very cool. Looks like a great dog! We did agility with our first Corgi (Ray); he was a little dare devil, always up for anything. Our current Corgi (Champ, the one with the puzzle earlier in this string) is a little more laid back. But, he's ever bit as lovable.

 

[tangomonster]

There's no nicer sound than a cat purring...and none more horrible than the puking sound, especially at 3 a.m.........

 

[Sarah in SC]

There's no nicer sound than a cat purring...and none more horrible than the puking sound, especially at 3 a.m.........

OMG! That sound has the ability to make you levitate out of the soundest sleep!

Mead, cats are like kids, they throw up at the drop of a hat, but in between times, they are pretty easy keepers! There was an article in my local paper last weekend that I thought summed it up--by two specialty vets here in town:
Let us just say this from the start. Cats vomit. Between the two of us, we have eight cats and there is a cat vomiting at least every other day. One thing to realize is that cats do not have the inhibitions about vomiting that we do. To them, it is like sneezing, just another way to clear things out of the body.
If they feel the urge, they will vomit. No matter where they are and with no regard to what they are vomiting on. This means that even minor problems will cause a cat to vomit.

 

[MichaelB]

Mead, cats are like kids, they throw up at the drop of a hat, but in between times, cats are pretty easy keepers!
Edited by Sarah

I have three adult "kids" and am still waiting for the "pretty easy" part...

 

[easysurfer]

OK you guys, you have just convinced me to NEVER get a cat!

Cats are great. Just don't have any potted plants around

 

[FIREd]

Let us just say this from the start. Cats vomit. Between the two of us, we have eight cats and there is a cat vomiting at least every other day. One thing to realize is that cats do not have the inhibitions about vomiting that we do. To them, it is like sneezing, just another way to clear things out of the body.
If they feel the urge, they will vomit. No matter where they are and with no regard to what they are vomiting on. This means that even minor problems will cause a cat to vomit.

Interesting. The one thing that puzzles me is why my cats never vomit on the tile floor, where it would be easy to clean. Why do they prefer rugs, carpets and upholstered furniture to "clear things out of their body"?

 

[inkitnow]

Why do cats puke on the rug and not on the tile? Because they're cats.....and it's there.

 

[Sarah in SC]

Interesting. The one thing that puzzles me is why my cats never vomit on the tile floor, where it would be easy to clean. Why do they prefer rugs, carpets and upholstered furniture to "clear things out of their body"?

We think because it is softer and more absorbent, so it doesn't splash-back on them. But inkit does have a valid point!

 

[Texas Proud]

Interesting. The one thing that puzzles me is why my cats never vomit on the tile floor, where it would be easy to clean. Why do they prefer rugs, carpets and upholstered furniture to "clear things out of their body"?

Out cat does use the tile floor at times... I don't have to worry about getting it at night as we don't let her in when we sleep... she is with DD or just where ever...

The worst 'puke' from our perspective is not even close to some of these stories... but we found it interesting... the car stuck her head under a pillow on a couch that is not used all the time... we don't know how long it was there before we found it...


Our cat makes more of a harrumphing sound...

 

[sailor]

My reward? Finding a dead squirrel curled up inches from my feet when I awoke.

So where is our invitation for the Brunswick Stew you are cooking today?

 

[Sarah in SC]

Gross! You GA peeps can keep your squirrel stew! We have Frogmore Stew- which has no squirrels!

 

[Meadbh]

Last weekend I noticed a fly upside down on the stippled ceiling in my kitchen. Two days later, the fly was still in the exact spot. I gently brushed it down, and it was dead. I understand how the fly got up there. But the ceiling is not sticky. What was the cause of death, and why did the fly not fall to the floor as muscle tone was lost? Was the fly's leg caught in the stippling? Did it struggle to get free? Was the fly terrified? (I did not hear any tiny cries for help).

I shared my life for at least two days with a terminal fly.

RIP.

 

[Helen]

We adopted Rascal last weekend. He is a 10 year old australian shepherd/collie mix. He is blending well and is perhaps better behaved than anyone else in the family, myself included. I am rapidly falling in love with him!

 

[simple girl]

We adopted Rascal last weekend. He is a 10 year old australian shepherd/collie mix. He is blending well and is perhaps better behaved than anyone else in the family, myself included. I am rapidly falling in love with him!

What a cutie!!!

 

[bbbamI]

We adopted Rascal last weekend. He is a 10 year old australian shepherd/collie mix. He is blending well and is perhaps better behaved than anyone else in the family, myself included. I am rapidly falling in love with him!

Ahhhh...an older pet. Kudos to y'all.

 

[Dawg52]

Ahhhh...an older pet. Kudos to y'all.

+1 and cute dog.

 

[Nemo2]

A pic of Zak-The-Wonder-Dog who died in AZ just after Thanksgiving 2002.......he was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma, (canine cancer), the very day that my late wife died of cancer in March 2002....the best dog ever!

 

[Huston55]

Nemo-

We lost a Corgi (named "Buddha Belly") to hemangiosarcoma (spleen cancer) in 2006. She had surgery and was with us a few more months. It's tough. She was a very sweet and loving member of our family.

 

[Nemo2]

Nemo-

We lost a Corgi (named "Buddha Belly") to hemangiosarcoma (spleen cancer) in 2006. She had surgery and was with us a few more months. It's tough. She was a very sweet and loving member of our family.

Bummer.

Zak appeared to be getting along OK, (no apparent symptoms); we went for a walk and he got into the truck one morning......I drove on to Lake Havasu and when we arrived his back legs weren't functioning......it was a holiday weekend and I had to wait to see a vet.......vet ran tests and said the cancer was right through him.

They gave him the injection....I waited with him until he was gone....then sat in the truck bawling my eyes out.

It is tough.

 

[Alan]

I hadn't looked at this thread in a while and it seems to be mostly about pewking felines and dead flies

However, I couldn't help but read on

We had 2 cats (sisters) for 15 years and had forgotten all the yukky side of it.

As for dead flies on ceilings....

 

[Sarah in SC]

Bummer.

Zak appeared to be getting along OK, (no apparent symptoms); we went for a walk and he got into the truck one morning......I drove on to Lake Havasu and when we arrived his back legs weren't functioning......it was a holiday weekend and I had to wait to see a vet.......vet ran tests and said the cancer was right through him.

They gave him the injection....I waited with him until he was gone....then sat in the truck bawling my eyes out.

It is tough.

Nemo. Been there. So sorry. But know it was still worth it for the time you had together. Damn.

 

[Sarah in SC]

And zac looks like a border collie. I do rescue of these pups. Truly they are wonder dogs. Love to you for taking on the challenge. I've had enough of them for sure!

 

[Nemo2]

And zac looks like a border collie. I do rescue of these pups. Truly they are wonder dogs. Love to you for taking on the challenge. I've had enough of them for sure!

Yes he was a Border Collie......I still have his papers around somewhere.....he had a number of International Champions as ancestors, most noticably Wiston Cap, ( and here) often referred to as the 'cornerstone of the modern Border Collie'...(WC had a LOT of pups).

Smart. We told people he could do our Tax returns.

Energy......about halfway through his life I was out playing with him and a stranger came up and asked "Does he ever get tired?".........I said "I don't know, I've only had him for 6 1/2 years".

 

[Sarah in SC]

Awww Nemo, my Grace also shared those lines. And I still have her papers too. There is something special about borders. Will you get another? I love your line about him getting tired-will use that in my future home visits with potential adopters!