pixiamom
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posted on November 14, 2006 11:08:45 PM
I am a totally dog person who lost my best friend 9 years ago. Two years ago I decided to get my son a pet cat, which was more feasible for our current circumstance. I always understood what my dog was thinking, I do not understand my cat. He stands at his food container constantly (which is full) and meows and looks at me as if it were empty. He has fresh water (which he always scoops out of the cup). He is extremely needy, not happy unless I'm actively petting him, yet he avoids others petting him like the plague. I find myself thinking and even speaking evil thoughts 'I don't have to love you' when he drapes himself over my feet at night to pretend I'm petting him. Why can't he place his devotions with more worthy subjects? Why does he like to toilet dive if I don't close the lid?
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paloma91
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posted on November 14, 2006 11:17:19 PM
Maybe you need a "cat whisperer" or a kitty shrink? I wonder if they make kitty mood elevators (grin) I'm a dog person too. The only cat I've had was when I was a kid and that cat thought she was a dog since she was raised with one.
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capolady
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posted on November 15, 2006 02:17:36 AM
The cat needs to see a vet right away - the real issue is looking at the food bowl as though it was empty, that sounds like possibly a stomach or intestine blockage of some sort. Also it sounds as though your cat needs a friend and something to do. First is the vet - second is a feline companion or some really fun cat toys such as climbing and hiding toys.
Hope this helps
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pixiamom
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posted on November 15, 2006 03:29:33 AM
Capolady, this is not new behavior. My cat has beeen doing this for almost 2 years. It's as if he he wants better cat food?
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profe51
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posted on November 15, 2006 04:52:38 AM
he could also have a bad tooth..if he's losing weight you ought to take him to the vet.
____________________________________________
May 1, 2003, America brings "democracy" to Iraq. November 7, 2006, Iraq brings democracy to America.
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amber
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posted on November 15, 2006 05:01:24 AM
He has fresh water (which he always scoops out of the cup).
Maybe the "cup" is the problem. Cats don't like putting their faces into small food or water bowls, a more open dish is much better, and has to be scrupulously clean. I have had cats for many years, and some will only drink out of a running tap, they are very sensative to smell, so the slightest thing will put them off. Also, they don't like food and water dishes close to litter boxes.
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agate18
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posted on November 15, 2006 05:51:49 AM
Some years ago i lost a cat thru a thing called renal failure. he lost weight and had a bad breath. i check his teeth but no problem there.So i took him to the vet. and he said renal failure, this was caused by the fact that he liked to eat only dry cat food. As the vet said. this is noterous for causing these problems. he was a very friendly cat. I ended up having to have him put down so he did not suffer.
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pixiamom
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posted on November 15, 2006 06:01:03 AM
He's not losing weight and he's been a water scooper since a kitten. I went to a cup to limit the amount of water he could scoop. He seems to love water- toilet diving if I don't keep the lid on.
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hwahwa
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posted on November 15, 2006 06:12:46 AM
Amber is right,cats are very clean and finnicky-food should not be in close vicinity with litter box,food and water should be fresh.
He may be sending you a message-GOURMET CATFOOD!
Toilet has running water,which is fresher than water in a cup!
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ladyjewels2000
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posted on November 15, 2006 06:30:30 AM
Sounds like a really sweet cat.
I have two cats now as well as one old dog. I'm a cat and a dog person - each animal has much to offer.
I keep my cat food in a plastic container (sold in the bag and the plastic container but bag is cheaper so I get the bag and then pour it in a recycled container). When I get that look which is every morning from one cat, I pour the food from the bowl back in the container and shake it - pour the food to the bowl again and she loves it????
The other cat came from a small town dump where she had to fight for every bite she got, so she isn't picky at all. She is, however, a toilet diver. My other cat would not be caught dead drinking from the toilet!!
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neglus
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posted on November 15, 2006 06:59:16 AM
Maybe your kitty is getting better food at "Grandma's" (Pixia takes him along when she visits our mom for the weekend). Doesn't she feed her cats a dollop or two of wet food? Maybe he wants the same treats at your house. You might try just feeding him twice a day instead of having food available all the time if he is finicky about food that has been out for a while or try Lady Jewels idea about pretending to give him fresh food.
I leave the bathroom faucet on to a trickle for awhile after I visit the bathroom for Lucy. I also bought a huge stainless steel water bowl that can't be tipped over - it's easy to clean and doesn't retain odors etc like plastic bowls - maybe you could place it in the bathtub and let him scoop away to his heart's delight.
We discoverd the ultimate cat toy - a ball from an old computer mouse placed in the bathtub (close the drain). Mine love to roll the ball around and delight in the racket.
Forget that you are a dog person and enjoy your kitty. All in all, cats are a whole lot easier than dogs and can be just as affectionate. Whenever it rains (as in all winter in Portland) think about what a pain it would be to have to walk a dog several times a day. In the words of a movie kitty (forgot which movie - the one where the dog and cat journey together): "Dogs drool, cats rule".
-------------------------------------
http://stores.ebay.com/Moody-Mommys-Marvelous-Postcards?refid=store
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TheFamilyBiz
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posted on November 15, 2006 07:16:57 AM
Pixiamom - Whatever you do, don't try to limit the amount of water they get to drink. That's specifically one of the causes of renal (kidney) failure - lack of drinking as mentioned above.
We have one that likes to "investigate" the water in the toilet - and he has to have "fresh" water at least 2x a day - first thing in the a.m. and when coming home from work. (he's the one on the right).
Don't get us going - we treat them like children (but more convenient).
Here are their pictures:
My wife wanted to see what they would look like in B&W with just their eyes in color, so, that's what I did.
Wayne
Never explain -- Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.
~ Elbert Hubbard
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ewora
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posted on November 15, 2006 08:36:12 AM
Wow Wayne. I had a favorite cat that looked just like your black one. His name is Slick. He now lives with my daughter at her place.
He too is a water scooper. He loves fresh water from the tap and will even sit on the edge of the tub when you are in the shower.
I think cats just "adopt" people. At one point we had 3 of them and the white one was my daughters the female like to sleep with the boys and the black one slept over my head most nights.
I miss that cat.
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toasted36
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posted on November 15, 2006 09:34:49 AM
lol pixiamom I find myself thinking and even speaking evil thoughts 'I don't have to love you' when he drapes himself over my feet at night to pretend I'm petting him. Why can't he place his devotions with more worthy subjects? Why does he like to toilet dive if I don't close the lid? thats the reason hes doing it. A cat will try to make you love him. They pick the person in the house that thinks they are annoying and bug the crap out of them till they come over to the cat side (how they can sense this is beyond me) then when you love them so much you want to spend time with them .They act like snobs ,I'm gonna ignore you now. lol
A friend of the hubby hates cats and the minute he comes in the door ,mine run all over him.
Then a friend of mine that comes or and my daughter bo that both love cats can't even get close to them lol ....they bend down here kitty kitty..nuttin.. here kitty kitty wanna treat lol nuttin. It drives them crazy that the cats won't come to them.
A Ping pong ball in the tub is my cats favorite toy neglus lol they are so funny. I'll put a golf ball in there if I want my daughter to get out of bed [grin] I'm so evil. It really makes some noise.
Edited to add ...What beautiful cats Wayne
[ edited by toasted36 on Nov 15, 2006 09:36 AM ]
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roadsmith
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posted on November 15, 2006 10:01:56 AM
Gorgeous cats, Wayne. How did you get them in b&w with just their eyes in color??
"The only cat I've had was when I was a kid and that cat thought she was a dog"
Pixi: Many years ago we had a Siamese who thought she was a dog, too. When the doorbell rang or someone knocked, she rushed over and "barked" (meowed very loudly, short and sharp), and she would fetch for us. Wish I'd known about the ball in the bathtub trick. Sounds hilarious.
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toolhound
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posted on November 15, 2006 11:35:46 AM
Here is some information passed on to me from an old friend with lots of cats. Cats should only be given distilled water to drink. He said his one cat had urinary tract infections all the time untill he switched it to distilled water. That was 2 years ago and it has not had an infection since.
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TheFamilyBiz
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posted on November 15, 2006 12:14:11 PM
Thanks for the compliments on the kitties. The pics really capture their personalities to a "t."
When she came up with the idea, I knew it might be something I could do with Photoshop, but after struggling with it for about 15 minutes, I realized I wouldn't be able to do them justice. I actually used someone more skilled than I am - off of eLance.com. I sent them off to Snapfish or Shutterfly.com and had them made into 16x20 images and have them framed in our TV room. It stops people in their tracks when they see them - they ask the same question -- how'd you do that?
(As a matter of fact, I'm having that same graphic artist work on Photoshop(ing) Christmas things onto them - hats, scarves, etc. - for a Christmas card using the same image. She says she'll do it tonight - so I'll share here if it comes in before I head off to sleep.
Regarding water, we have one (the one on the right - of course) that has irritable bowel syndrome and he gets 1 and 1/2 pills every other day for that - and we saw a significant improvement in him when we started providing bottled water. We have a water treatment system that really cuts down on the cholorine, etc. - but bottled water made a difference that we could see.
Wayne
Never explain -- Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.
~ Elbert Hubbard
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pixiamom
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posted on November 15, 2006 01:09:55 PM
Thanks all. I do change water at least 4 times per day, it will be a hot day in Hades when I give my cat better water than I give my son - our water is great except it has no fluoride. I will try the ball in the bath tub, I'm sure the cat is bored and that may distract him.
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zippy2dah
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posted on November 15, 2006 04:13:51 PM
"Why can't he place his devotions with more worthy subjects?"
Because he knows you need him most and he knows that someday you will also know that this is true.
In the meantime, he will drive you nucking futs.
That's what they do!
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toasted36
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posted on November 15, 2006 04:39:25 PM
Pixiamom you might try a bowl of water in the bathroom next to the toilet and one in the kitchen. He could be just being lazy and not walking back where the water bowl is...toilet is closer. We did have one a long time ago that wouldn't drink anywhere else but the toilet...strange cat. But he died of old age so the toilet water didn't hurt him. He was 12 when he past.
Mine also like a balled up cigarette pack better than normal toys. I think it the sound the outer plastic makes.
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hwahwa
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posted on November 15, 2006 05:16:40 PM
Befriend a sushi chef,he will give you salmon skin and fresh abalone!
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pixiamom
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posted on November 15, 2006 05:35:14 PM
I'm afraid mine won't live to 12 if I have to keep sitting on a wet seat in the middle of the night!
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bonval
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posted on November 15, 2006 07:53:49 PM
Pix - my cat does similar things (he's 12 now and always has) - one big hint. Put very very tiny amounts of food in the dish - they stand and wait for a few fresh pieces to be dropped in and then will eat. Their sense of smell is very keen and they smell the freshness. If the food has sat any length of time, they will not eat until they see you put out the fresh pieces!
We had the mama cat until recently (she passed away) and still have her son - 12yrs old - she would not eat fresh meat - he loves it - she would only eat dry - he eats everything - including he is ahunter of fresh meat! Never did figure out why they were so different!
Bonnie Jean DiCrocco
www.BonVal.com
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pixiamom
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posted on November 15, 2006 08:36:12 PM
I cleaned out his dish, washed it, filled it with one kind of catfood, then another. Finally, I just stood over his food and he started eating his little heart out. Seems like he wants me to watch him eat, just like Grandma does.
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TheFamilyBiz
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posted on November 18, 2006 02:36:39 PM
Promised to update with the image of the cats ready for the Christmas card, so here it is:
Can you tell we don't have kids?
Wayne
Never explain -- Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.
~ Elbert Hubbard
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ladyjewels2000
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posted on November 18, 2006 02:39:37 PM
Are those the same cats? Great photograph - beautiful cats.
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pmelcher
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posted on November 18, 2006 03:51:08 PM
That will make a beautiful Christmas card, you are really good with a camera (and enhancements).
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TheFamilyBiz
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posted on November 18, 2006 04:28:32 PM
Same cats.
Thanks. We're expecting the cards to arrive on Wednesday. It'll give us something to do after Thanksgiving - instead of mingling with the unwashed masses...
That and creating listings, of course.
Wayne
Never explain -- Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.
~ Elbert Hubbard
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glassgrl
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posted on November 18, 2006 06:20:30 PM
biz - you have too much time on your hands 
(just kidding - our two Yorkies are our furkids of course) (I get a kick out of putting the Yorkies in the truck and riding by the median construction barrels. One of the Yorkies whips his head back and forth like he counting every barrel or a vicious tennis match.
Truly those are GORGEOUS pictures and we are all jealous!
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pixiamom
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posted on November 18, 2006 08:17:40 PM
VCC = Very cute cats!
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