This is Scratch. She's coming from the Lexington animal shelter where my daughter works. Can't believe we're getting a fuckin' cat.

Only a matter of time before cats rule the world, Siber.

It is a cute kitty.

Oh she is ADORABLE!!!!!! What a cutie!!! And I love the name! Scratch. Purrfect. (is this your first?)

We're having a helluva time naming our new kitten. He was "Stinky" at the vet and all his records are under Stinky but he stinks no more, then Smurfey, Snooks, Snoogums, Snuffles, Ziggy, "the little one", "the baby", "fuckhead" for pissing on the NEW comforter cover. But it was my fault. Long story. Still....

Any suggestions? I might steal Scratch. There's a black and white cat who comes around here (he's owned) but comes for treats a very big cat (not fat), but really tall. I call him Stretch.

There is a big orange stray that hangs around my office that we watch after -- I'll have to take a picture. Then again, he's not much of a stray anymore as much as our outside cat (5/7ths of the time). I call him General Tso in honor of the Chinese buffet down the street.

LOL XXMag. Guess he coulda done worse with Flied Lice. Although Noodle's a kinda cute name. Hmm.

That little kitten looks like a Bobcat.

She's a Manx. Poor kitty ain't got no tail.

Here's a picture of Jenna with a goat at the shelter. Wifey wants this too but I said no effin' way on this one!

She's a beautiful girl!! (your daughter). She volunteers there? The goat is sweet too.

SD, how will you acclimate the dogs to the cat? Is this your only cat? She's a manx too? She really is beautiful. Good luck. Not sure when the last time was you had a kitten around the house but they can be a handful when they get those sudden spurts of energy at 11 oclock at night. Actually, they come in pairs so I'm a little worried you only are taking ONE. Getting 2 gives you a break as they keep each other amused (and are a real kick to watch together). Not too late you know...I'm sure they have plenty more. In fact, I see another one in that picture. Is that a sibling? Get 2.

No, she works there. She's been fostering the kittens, yes the other is a litter mate, for the last month now. The sister, Riley, is going to a woman whom I work with. They're having a special deal at the shelter where it's $50 for the adoption fee that includes spaying, micro-chipping, and all shots and only $60 for two cats.

The Aussies will be ok with it. Story was raised with cats before we got her and Gunner is afraid of cats. One got him on the nose when he was a puppy and hasn't forgotten! We took him over to see the kitten. The sibes are outdoor dogs and the cat will be strictly an indoor pet. We had two cats when we first married and before we got into siberian huskies. It's been awhile now though, like 28 years.

And no, there will not be two cats at this point in time.

That's a great deal for 2 kittens. I don't have a problem with the dogs living outside. If I remember correctly your winters aren't too harsh and they've probably got adequate shelter considering those condos you built for bluebirds.

Still, that kitten's gonna be lonely. Take it from me. 2 kittens growing up together really bond. And if you go away you don't feel guilty about leaving them. And you could give it such a good home. You already got away with cheap spaying, shots, etc. What's another little mouth to feed? I'm sure YOU'RE not gonna be doing litter duty. Speaking of which, I highly recommend Fresh Step scoopable. There is absolutely NO odor. EVER. And if you keep it deep enough (5 or 6") you never have to empty it and clean the pan for a long time. With one cat, probably 2 x year. It's clumping power is amazing and nothing goes to the bottom but stays on top for easy scooping, which keeps the pan clean and fresh. It doesn't disintegrate - it's solid like a rock when wet (Tidy Cat used to break up into tiny stiny particles which over time smelled). I know many cat people and they all swear by Fresh Step (not the crystals). I even wrote the company once to compliment them. (and you do need a bloodhound to find the litterbox like the commercial). I wonder what your mom uses.

Also, a good sturdy cat condo/scratch post. A sisal one with a large heavy base. At least 36" tall. It WILL use it and not your furniture. Our cats never claw our furniture. Also, a Turbo Scratcher is a wise investment. It's a toy and scratcher. The royal blue one in the link. Corrugated cardboard inserts which are reversable when they scratch the shit outta one side. I find replacements are cheapest at Ace Hardware (online & they ship to local store so no shipping costs) vs. Pet Supermarket which costs double. There's a ball that goes around a track and they really love this toy/scratcher.

http://www.berganexperience.com/bcp.html

Yeah, we have the cat condo/scratch post already along with an enclosed litterbox so Gunner doesn't go looking for tootsie rolls :-) Jenna recommended the Fresh Step so we have that also. Thanks for the suggestion about the turbo scratcher...will check it out.

Two cats? Jenna still has another one she's been fostering along with the other two....

Cotton the cat

Oh what a cutie. A perfect match for Scratch. Please take her!!! Trial run. Jenna can always take her back..

PS-I was afraid to read your response thinking you might be considering DECLAWING Scratch, but then I remembered Jenna's involved here.

I don't know about yours, SD....but my dog prefers declawed cats.

Just sayin'....

We have four dogs. I figure we can put it up for a vote and I'll just be the tie breaker in case of a tie.

I can't believe we have two of the nasty creatures. At best, they are an imperfect substitute for a dog. Once we got another dog I realized just how superflous the cats had become. I wish they would leave, but they steadfastly refuse even though I have provided them numerous opportunities. We had a third example of feline depravity that did take its leave despite my wife's rushing it to the vet. Which she did despite my assertion that it was a bad idea. We were left with a vet bill and a dead cat when we could have had just the dead cat. I blame myself though. If I had been a shade faster, I may have been able to remove the ignition wires from my wife's car before she made that emergency excursion with a cat cadaver. The sad part is that the departed was probably the most innocuous of the three little bundles of furry joy. I would trade one of my boats and my good pocketknife to have had that cat and its strangly colored sibling exchange places. Of course, nobody likes that cat. "Nobody" so long as we exclude the dog. Sammie does indeed like that cat and it likes Sammie. Bully for them. Neither one is too smart. My wife doesn't even like that cat, though her dislike has so far not risen to the level where she would allow me to make an experiment as to whether a dog really can mourn the loss of a pal.

And another thing.

The black cat has been around here long enough to become a fixture, but like all fixtures has outlived its welcome. From observing it, I've discovered that cats have absolutely no capacity to learn. Apparently, it enjoys sleeping on the window sill so much that it has completely disregarded the fact that it never is able to sleep there longer than a minute or two without falling off.

The thump of the cat crashing to the floor convinces the dog there is an intruder and that the presence of an intruder calls for rushing around barking and growling. At least during the daytime or while the dog is already awake. She has been known to soundly sleep right through real intrusions. And at night, a choir of burglers singing Irish folk songs in the basement couldn't coax her from the bedroom. "What? Go out there barking and calling attention to myself? in the dark?!? You're the guy with the gun...You do it."

I shit you not. The dog is a simpleton whose dim intellect can only be stirred by its cowardice.

What happened? If it was some horrible accident like it was tumbled in the dryer, don't tell me.

Now see how perceptions differ?

That wouldn't be a horrible accident. It would be a hilarious accident.

Unless it was done deliberately, of course. That would exclude it being an accident by definition.

Oh...I forgot to answer your question.

It just died from something.

Unless you're the one that has to clean out all the bits of the kits out of the dryer.

Was it blocked?

It would no longer be an accident, but it would still be hilarious.





As promised, General Tso


Sorry the pic is so bad.

That is so kind to give him a bed too. Does it get rained on?

I'm not the one who takes care of him, but yes it is rather kind.

The bed is in an alcove so it stays reasonably dry. With the weather turning colder there is talk of building her a shelter of some sort in the rear or the building somewhere.

RF

Would you think it hilarious if it were a 3 year old child? You think it's hilarious to get cooked and shaken to death, suffocate, convulsions..? Interesting.

But its NOT a 3 year old child so therefore the question is silly.

No, it's not a child. Still they'd both get cooked, shaken, suffocate, convulse in getting tumble dried to death so I ask again, why would one be hilarious and the other not?

I once built a feral cat a shelter (in N.J.) on the side of our office building which was somewhat sheltered by heavy brush. But to protect from snow & rain I leaned a large piece of plywood over it up against the building. The shelter was built from a sturdy white styrofoam cooler. Just duct tape the lid on, cut out an entry hole midway up one side and another in the back (they don't like to be cornered and if a predator came they could escape out the back hatch). It was off the ground on 2 x 4's and had a few blankets inside. The cat's body temperature kept it relatively "warm" with the insulation. He did use it too.

Because the one is a cat and the other is not.

Besides...maybe the dryer is set to "cool" and the cat just runs like a hamster on a wheel. I know that one cat of ours could use a little exercise.....

So you're saying that a good solution to my cat problem would be to store them outside in a styrofoam cooler? Thanks Grace...I think that will work.

RF


Not funny. Horrible way to die. And it happens more than you think. By the way SD, please be careful of that. Kittens love to climb into dryers and dishwashers so make sure you know where your kitten is before you turn it on. My mother's friend's cat died in a dryer. She couldn't find the cat and heard a thump thump thump thump (NOT fucking funny) and when she checked the cat was convulsing and foaming at the mouth. It was too late she died on the way to the vet. Don't give your kitten strings to play with and NO tinsel on the tree this year. No lights either. LOL. Kidding but be careful. My mother's cat got very sick once and exray revealed tinsel wrapped around her intestines. She survived the surgery but it could have been avoided.

I'm still training my brother that the days of leaving the washing or dryer doors open after he empties them are over.

Good for you! Does he like Kiki?

But Scratch likes X-mas trees!

And so does Cotton!

My brother and Kiki are old friends by now. He can recognize my brother's car when he gets back from work and waits behind the door to ambush him.

It's funny how they interact. My brother says he'll wake in the middle of the night to find a pile of cat toys on his chest and kiki curled up on the dresser, waiting for him to get up.

But Kiki has his own, curious ways. He won't eat food my brother puts in his dish; he only eats from his dish when I fill it.

now I have a new joke...what goes MEOW...THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP.................................A CAT IN A DRYER!

Then why did you write it so funny?

It's all in your perception. And I had to describe the noise, so you could recognize it. Thumping noises in the dryer should raise a big red flag...unless you're missing a shoe.

That is funny. Don't they all have their own curious ways. I could write a book.

Reminds me of Chevy Chase's Christmas Vacation fried cat scene. I for one didn't find it funny.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJW3Jpqjx5s

I'm informed he is a she. And she has a shelter from the cold now. And they didn't bother moving it to the back of the building. I like that, because there are windows in the front and when I go downstairs she's usually hanging out of her box looking in at us -- which as I pointed out to my co-workers, creates a reverse fish bowl effect in which we're stared at as we aimlessly move about our enclosure. It's this sort of realization that makes one envy a stray cat, if only during working hours.


But I'm liking her more and more, if only for the fact that she's starting to create chaos. Today, one of our clients found an eviscerated rabbit on our doorstep. But it was no big deal this time, they took having to step over rabbit entrails in stride.

Is she feral or friendly? Does it get bitter cold there? (sorry if I asked this before) but how low do your temps go?



PS - I can't openly 'cackle' here at the rabbit entrails scenario, must keep up my image. ahem. How awful for the rabbit!!

So the shelter is a box? Styrofoam coolers work well too (lid taped on and hole cut for entrance.) I'm so glad you guys have a little mascot that's well cared for (maybe you should take her home XXMag?)

hmmm not calling for the castration and beheading of the cat? Had it been a human you'd be ranting.

Steve


Are you saying cats and humans are the same? Can think and reason? You surprise me Steve. I'm glad you're coming over to the light side a bit. Here's a cookie.

She’s a stray, but she’s friendly. One could pet her if one were so inclined. I am not thus inclined. And taking her home is out of the question.

The shelter is a plastic bin with a hole cut in it, her bed and some other insulation is in there. Her alcove faces the road (the window is right beside the girl who mainly takes care of her), if we make it too much of an eyesore our landlord will eventually have something to say about it.

She is our mascot. Though I’m not sure what’s going to happen if she makes a habit of leaving us presents on our porch.






The well fed cat does get more of a pass for leaving a rabbit on our porch than that owl Frankie was talking about the other day got for dining on a squirrel.

Just saying...

XXMag


You're assuming the cat is the culprit.

no not at all grace...once again you pull your typical....

And once again you have the sense of humor of a husk a' corn.