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Post by maryland on Aug 15, 2021 23:50:25 GMT
My daughter graduated from college in May, and she and her roommate moved into a new apt. where they can have pets. My daughter adopted a cat as they are both nurses and if they work 12 hr. shifts, so were told a cat would be a good pet for them.
The cat they adopted is FIV positive. Has anyone had a cat with this condition? We were told they couldn't transmit it to humans but want to know if they can transmit it to a dog. We have a dog, and didn't know if the pets could safely meet.
Also, any tips on taking care of a cat, or toys they like? I have never owned a cat, and know nothing about them! So any recommendations would be appreciated! We have the cat at our house now (in the master bedroom) because until he sees a vet (in a few days) and gets the vet form filled out, she can't have him in her apt. We are enjoying this sweet boy!
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Post by Zee on Aug 16, 2021 0:04:44 GMT
The F in FIV stands for feline--it's not something dogs can catch.
I have had a cat with this, and he had roommates without it, but that's not recommended because if they fight they can transmit it through their saliva to each other. Little Oreo was such a sweetheart that he never bit anyone though. He was a rescue who was found on the side of the road locked into a pet carrier with his siblings, one dead, and dead mother 😭😭😭 in standing water in November.
He was prone to upper respiratory infections in his later years but lived a great life of ease until he was thirteen.
Try a variety of toys, catnip is usually popular! And my boys LOVE a feather wand. Especially one called "da bird" i think it is called. They go wild over that thing. It sort of mimics and actual bird when you wave it through the air.
Twelve hours is a long time for some cats to be alone, depending on how social kitty is. If he seems starved for affection when they get home, they might consider getting him a roommate. But some cats like to be alone so you just have to see how it goes.
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Post by maryland on Aug 16, 2021 0:38:39 GMT
The F in FIV stands for feline--it's not something dogs can catch. I have had a cat with this, and he had roommates without it, but that's not recommended because if they fight they can transmit it through their saliva to each other. Little Oreo was such a sweetheart that he never bit anyone though. He was a rescue who was found on the side of the road locked into a pet carrier with his siblings, one dead, and dead mother 😭😭😭 in standing water in November. He was prone to upper respiratory infections in his later years but lived a great life of ease until he was thirteen. Try a variety of toys, catnip is usually popular! And my boys LOVE a feather wand. Especially one called "da bird" i think it is called. They go wild over that thing. It sort of mimics and actual bird when you wave it through the air. Twelve hours is a long time for some cats to be alone, depending on how social kitty is. If he seems starved for affection when they get home, they might consider getting him a roommate. But some cats like to be alone so you just have to see how it goes. Thanks so much for this information, it is very helpful!
So for my peace of mind, the cat cannot transmit FIV to humans (to become HIV)? I am just really paranoid as I never heard of FIV until a few days ago.
He was living in a feral cat community on a woman's property, and she brought the cat to the shelter as he as having some health issues. He is on a special diet for food sensitivities. They think that's why it's taken a while for him to be adopted. He got to the shelter in Jan.
Where do you buy your cat toys? We get a lot of dog toys at Marshall's and TJ Max, but they didn't have any cat toys when we looked this weekend. We have a Petsmart that we will go to this week.
Thanks again for the information!
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Post by lisae on Aug 16, 2021 0:40:56 GMT
I don't know anything about that condition. As for toys, we always found simple toys worked best. Tiny little furry or felt mice are fun for the kitty to play with. How old is he? Also, our cats always loved chasing ping pong balls.
Be sure he has a scratching post. If kitty scratches things he shouldn't, have a mister bottle handy and mist him with water to discourage behaviors you don't want. Cats generally hate water and this will usually help to train them.
Enjoy the new member of your family.
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Post by melodyesch on Aug 16, 2021 0:50:53 GMT
Did they get any sort of notes on the cat’s behavior? If the car is social then leaving it at home for 12 hours per day would not be good.
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Post by freecharlie on Aug 16, 2021 0:58:57 GMT
Maybe they could adopt a 2nd FIV positive kitty to give it interaction if they work the same 12 hour shifts
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Post by maryland on Aug 16, 2021 1:05:03 GMT
Did they get any sort of notes on the cat’s behavior? If the car is social then leaving it at home for 12 hours per day would not be good. No, they didn't get notes. But the adoption center was aware that they are nurses, and they work three 12 hr. shifts a week. So they won't always be working on the same days. And if they do have a couple days in a row that they both work, we are happy to help. Or they could consider getting a second cat as Zee mentioned. They originally planned to getting one of the pairs (that are bonded) but they were adopted a couple days earlier. |
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Post by voltagain on Aug 16, 2021 1:18:54 GMT
The F in FIV stands for feline--it's not something dogs can catch. I have had a cat with this, and he had roommates without it, but that's not recommended because if they fight they can transmit it through their saliva to each other. Little Oreo was such a sweetheart that he never bit anyone though. He was a rescue who was found on the side of the road locked into a pet carrier with his siblings, one dead, and dead mother 😭😭😭 in standing water in November. He was prone to upper respiratory infections in his later years but lived a great life of ease until he was thirteen. Try a variety of toys, catnip is usually popular! And my boys LOVE a feather wand. Especially one called "da bird" i think it is called. They go wild over that thing. It sort of mimics and actual bird when you wave it through the air. Twelve hours is a long time for some cats to be alone, depending on how social kitty is. If he seems starved for affection when they get home, they might consider getting him a roommate. But some cats like to be alone so you just have to see how it goes. Thanks so much for this information, it is very helpful!
So for my peace of mind, the cat cannot transmit FIV to humans (to become HIV)? I am just really paranoid as I never heard of FIV until a few days ago.
He was living in a feral cat community on a woman's property, and she brought the cat to the shelter as he as having some health issues. He is on a special diet for food sensitivities. They think that's why it's taken a while for him to be adopted. He got to the shelter in Jan.
Where do you buy your cat toys? We get a lot of dog toys at Marshall's and TJ Max, but they didn't have any cat toys when we looked this weekend. We have a Petsmart that we will go to this week.
Thanks again for the information!
FIV can only be spread from cat to cat. It does not infect humans. I buy my cat toys at Chewy.com. I like their autoship arrangements so I have food and litter set up with autoship. If your autoship if more than $45 there is no shipping fees. You can set it up for as often or as infrequent as you need it. It is possible to add toys and other needs as a one time purchase to the auto ship so you aren't having to pay shipping on those either. You can also easily change the time span between shipments if you want/need it sooner than expected or need to delay it so it doesn't arrive while away from home. |
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Post by Zee on Aug 16, 2021 1:21:22 GMT
The F in FIV stands for feline--it's not something dogs can catch. I have had a cat with this, and he had roommates without it, but that's not recommended because if they fight they can transmit it through their saliva to each other. Little Oreo was such a sweetheart that he never bit anyone though. He was a rescue who was found on the side of the road locked into a pet carrier with his siblings, one dead, and dead mother 😭😭😭 in standing water in November. He was prone to upper respiratory infections in his later years but lived a great life of ease until he was thirteen. Try a variety of toys, catnip is usually popular! And my boys LOVE a feather wand. Especially one called "da bird" i think it is called. They go wild over that thing. It sort of mimics and actual bird when you wave it through the air. Twelve hours is a long time for some cats to be alone, depending on how social kitty is. If he seems starved for affection when they get home, they might consider getting him a roommate. But some cats like to be alone so you just have to see how it goes. Thanks so much for this information, it is very helpful!
So for my peace of mind, the cat cannot transmit FIV to humans (to become HIV)? I am just really paranoid as I never heard of FIV until a few days ago.
He was living in a feral cat community on a woman's property, and she brought the cat to the shelter as he as having some health issues. He is on a special diet for food sensitivities. They think that's why it's taken a while for him to be adopted. He got to the shelter in Jan.
Where do you buy your cat toys? We get a lot of dog toys at Marshall's and TJ Max, but they didn't have any cat toys when we looked this weekend. We have a Petsmart that we will go to this week.
Thanks again for the information!
No people can not get it. It's a feline virus. It's not the same thing as HIV and cannot turn into HIV and is not dangerous for humans or other animals. PetSmart or Petco will have plenty of choices for you to try out! Also, cats tend to like things like hair ties or milk cap rings or other little things like that that are basically free. |
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Post by Linda on Aug 16, 2021 1:39:03 GMT
congratulations on the new kitty. FIV is only transmitted between cats.
Toys - our current kittens like feather wands, balls with bells inside, mice (especially with catnip inside), a crinkly tunnel to run through and roll around in, and a ring with a cat scratcher in the middle and a ball in a track around the outer edge. One of them likes the cat condo (we got at Aldi - it has a maze toy base, a vertical scratcher and a seat up top.
I would suggest both a flat scratcher and a vertical one - we have six cats (18yrs - 13 wks) and some like scratching one way and some the other.
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Post by vsimone on Aug 16, 2021 1:45:34 GMT
As previously mentioned by other peas FIV is not transmitted to humans or dogs, but others cats in close contact can be infected.
I had a beautiful rescued cat called Clancy that had it. He was such a happy, snuggly boy. He got extremely sick at about 8 years old with a respiratory infection and didn't respond to any treatment. I had him euthanized when it was clear he wasn't going to recover. To this day I tear-up when I remember him. He had a wonderful life but the end can be very difficult for these cats.
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Post by Zee on Aug 16, 2021 1:51:31 GMT
Oh yes, someone mentioned a scratching post. I can not recommend that enough. If they have the space, a cat tree with scratching surfaces is even better. Cats feel safe when they're up high and they need a good place to scratch, to keep them from using your furniture. We have three cats and two very tall trees that usually have someone napping in them.
Also, I have yet to meet a cat that wouldn't sell his soul for Temptations treats.
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Post by bothmykidsrbrats on Aug 16, 2021 1:54:26 GMT
All my cats favorite toys have been bottle caps, milk ring ties, dollar store laser pointers and empty boxes. Our first cat loved to jump off the back of the couch as we threw a plastic grocery bag in the air. He would grab a handle with his claws and thought he was parachuting. Other must haves with the Brats cats are a window perch and scratching post, preferably a scratching tree to sit and lay on, near a window.
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Post by maryland on Aug 16, 2021 2:56:38 GMT
Thanks so much for this information, it is very helpful!
So for my peace of mind, the cat cannot transmit FIV to humans (to become HIV)? I am just really paranoid as I never heard of FIV until a few days ago.
He was living in a feral cat community on a woman's property, and she brought the cat to the shelter as he as having some health issues. He is on a special diet for food sensitivities. They think that's why it's taken a while for him to be adopted. He got to the shelter in Jan.
Where do you buy your cat toys? We get a lot of dog toys at Marshall's and TJ Max, but they didn't have any cat toys when we looked this weekend. We have a Petsmart that we will go to this week.
Thanks again for the information!
FIV can only be spread from cat to cat. It does not infect humans. I buy my cat toys at Chewy.com. I like their autoship arrangements so I have food and litter set up with autoship. If your autoship if more than $45 there is no shipping fees. You can set it up for as often or as infrequent as you need it. It is possible to add toys and other needs as a one time purchase to the auto ship so you aren't having to pay shipping on those either. You can also easily change the time span between shipments if you want/need it sooner than expected or need to delay it so it doesn't arrive while away from home. Thanks! We are ordering a cat carrier from Chewy, so we will look at toys too. |
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Post by maryland on Aug 16, 2021 2:59:40 GMT
Thanks so much for this information, it is very helpful!
So for my peace of mind, the cat cannot transmit FIV to humans (to become HIV)? I am just really paranoid as I never heard of FIV until a few days ago.
He was living in a feral cat community on a woman's property, and she brought the cat to the shelter as he as having some health issues. He is on a special diet for food sensitivities. They think that's why it's taken a while for him to be adopted. He got to the shelter in Jan.
Where do you buy your cat toys? We get a lot of dog toys at Marshall's and TJ Max, but they didn't have any cat toys when we looked this weekend. We have a Petsmart that we will go to this week.
Thanks again for the information!
No people can not get it. It's a feline virus. It's not the same thing as HIV and cannot turn into HIV and is not dangerous for humans or other animals. PetSmart or Petco will have plenty of choices for you to try out! Also, cats tend to like things like hair ties or milk cap rings or other little things like that that are basically free. Thanks so much! I feel so much better and I appreciate you taking the time to explain the FIV. Very helpful info!
We have a PetSmart and Petco within 2 miles of our house, so we will check them both. The shelter sent a shoestring with Smokey because they say he loves shoestrings. He has been playing with it a lot.
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Post by maryland on Aug 16, 2021 3:07:09 GMT
As previously mentioned by other peas FIV is not transmitted to humans or dogs, but others cats in close contact can be infected. I had a beautiful rescued cat called Clancy that had it. He was such a happy, snuggly boy. He got extremely sick at about 8 years old with a respiratory infection and didn't respond to any treatment. I had him euthanized when it was clear he wasn't going to recover. To this day I tear-up when I remember him. He had a wonderful life but the end can be very difficult for these cats. I am so sorry to hear about your Clancy. I'm happy he had such a great life with you.
Smokey is about 8 yrs. old. My daughter wanted to adopt a "senior" cat and asked the shelter to show her cats that are having trouble getting adopted. He is so cute and I (not a cat person before) have fallen in love with him!
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Post by calgaryscrapper on Aug 16, 2021 3:15:42 GMT
I had a cat while growing up. I also cared for a neighbour’s cat whenever she was away. This cat would only come out when I was in the house with the neighbour. I devised a plan when I cared for the cat when she was away to know the cat was away. She had a cat tree in the living room. I would put different toys at different levels. Some toys in a basket on the floor and a ball in the hallway. I could tell the next day she had been active.
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Post by Jen in NCal on Aug 16, 2021 3:48:56 GMT
Thanks so much for this information, it is very helpful!
So for my peace of mind, the cat cannot transmit FIV to humans (to become HIV)? I am just really paranoid as I never heard of FIV until a few days ago.
He was living in a feral cat community on a woman's property, and she brought the cat to the shelter as he as having some health issues. He is on a special diet for food sensitivities. They think that's why it's taken a while for him to be adopted. He got to the shelter in Jan.
Where do you buy your cat toys? We get a lot of dog toys at Marshall's and TJ Max, but they didn't have any cat toys when we looked this weekend. We have a Petsmart that we will go to this week.
Thanks again for the information!
No people can not get it. It's a feline virus. It's not the same thing as HIV and cannot turn into HIV and is not dangerous for humans or other animals. PetSmart or Petco will have plenty of choices for you to try out! Also, cats tend to like things like hair ties or milk cap rings or other little things like that that are basically free. My cats love bottle caps. I have 4 5-month old kittens that are constantly finding things to play with. And if it makes noise, even better. Mickey, the only boy, found the plastic cap to my can of mousse last night around midnight. Batted it down the stairs and carried it back up over and over until I couldn't take it anymore. He's lost the cap to my hairspray somewhere downstairs but that doesn't make as much noise. It'll show up again at some point. OP, you didn't say how old the cat is. Kittens won't likely respond to catnip until they are older. Mine pay it no mind whatsoever, but my older girl has one particular brand she likes. All of my cats have responded to these toys and usually no other. They like all of the designs. Oh, and you know how these things work around here. This thread is useless without pictures! |
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Post by Lexica on Aug 16, 2021 3:57:41 GMT
Congratulations to them! These are my cat's all-time favorites. Both are interactive, and they would wear me out to the point that I had to put the toys into a drawer to hide them. If I put them up on the dresser they just jumped up and dragged them down. This wire toy doesn't look like much, but the jerky motion of the wire is magical to them. www.chewy.com/frisco-wire-teaser-cat-toy/dp/187914This one is also fun when you wiggle it fast as you walk. I worried about them getting tangled up in this one because one of my cats really attacked it and would roll up in it so it definitely had to go into a drawer when I wasn't playing with them. www.chewy.com/cat-dancer-cat-charmer-toy-2-pack/dp/169460 |
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Post by maryland on Aug 16, 2021 13:18:01 GMT
No people can not get it. It's a feline virus. It's not the same thing as HIV and cannot turn into HIV and is not dangerous for humans or other animals. PetSmart or Petco will have plenty of choices for you to try out! Also, cats tend to like things like hair ties or milk cap rings or other little things like that that are basically free. My cats love bottle caps. I have 4 5-month old kittens that are constantly finding things to play with. And if it makes noise, even better. Mickey, the only boy, found the plastic cap to my can of mousse last night around midnight. Batted it down the stairs and carried it back up over and over until I couldn't take it anymore. He's lost the cap to my hairspray somewhere downstairs but that doesn't make as much noise. It'll show up again at some point. OP, you didn't say how old the cat is. Kittens won't likely respond to catnip until they are older. Mine pay it no mind whatsoever, but my older girl has one particular brand she likes. All of my cats have responded to these toys and usually no other. They like all of the designs. Oh, and you know how these things work around here. This thread is useless without pictures! The cat is about 8 yrs. old. My daughter wanted to adopt a "senior" cat that was having trouble getting adopted. Thanks so much for the toy recommendations!
I would love to post a picture!  I have tried to post pictures before but can't figure it out! I am so tech challenged. |
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Post by maryland on Aug 16, 2021 13:20:45 GMT
Congratulations to them! These are my cat's all-time favorites. Both are interactive, and they would wear me out to the point that I had to put the toys into a drawer to hide them. If I put them up on the dresser they just jumped up and dragged them down. This wire toy doesn't look like much, but the jerky motion of the wire is magical to them. www.chewy.com/frisco-wire-teaser-cat-toy/dp/187914This one is also fun when you wiggle it fast as you walk. I worried about them getting tangled up in this one because one of my cats really attacked it and would roll up in it so it definitely had to go into a drawer when I wasn't playing with them. www.chewy.com/cat-dancer-cat-charmer-toy-2-pack/dp/169460The dancer toy would be great! Smokey loves shoestrings! |
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Post by Lexica on Aug 16, 2021 16:21:00 GMT
Mine were always into anything that required me to play with them. In addition to the two I posted about, this one was also a huge hit. I had to change out the string to a wire that was actually a fishing leader. My male cat would grab ahold of the string and chew through it within seconds. When I switched it to the wire fish leader, he had no choice but to play with whatever was on the end. This fishing pole toy has an interchangeable hook on the end to attach a multitude of different things. Feathers were always popular too. This is the basic wand with some fun attachments www.chewy.com/pet-fit-life-5-piece-squiggly-worm/dp/167018Feather attachments: www.chewy.com/pet-fit-life-6-piece-replacement/dp/136699I also made quite a few attachments for the basic wand out of ribbon, yarn, and things around the house. ETA: Boxes are always a big hit too. My cats and dog still race to the door when I bringing the monthly big Chewy box. The dog wants the treats and a toy. The cats want the empty box with the crinkly brown paper still inside. When I was in court reporting school, I would bring home all of my practice paper stacks and unravel them up into a 3- or 4-foot-high paper strip mountain. They would dive into the pile and attack each other or me when I walked by. If you happen to know any reporters, ask for their waste stacks. It was so much fun to watch them all hiding in the pile. |
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artbabe
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by artbabe on Aug 16, 2021 16:45:06 GMT
Also, cats tend to like things like hair ties or milk cap rings or other little things like that that are basically free. I would not recommend hair ties or other string like things. My cat swallowed a hair tie and it cost me $1100 for the surgery to get it out. She was a very sick girl. From then on I've been super careful with anything that can be swallowed. I totally recommend cat trees. My cats love theirs. They especially like it if it is near a window. I have old cats- they are about 13-14 years old. They like catnip very much, and small fuzzy toys that crinkle and have feathers on them. They aren't that interested in balls but I know some cats love them. My sister has a kitten (6 months old) and he is super high energy. He loves the toys that are on wands. He also adores his cat tree. He especially likes crawling in paper McDonald bags.  As for leaving them alone that long. I do leave my cats alone 12 hours several days a week. Because they are old they sleep a lot of the time so I'm not that concerned about it. They get a lot of attention when I get home. When they were younger they loved each other and I got the 2nd cat to keep the 1st one company. When I moved into my new house 7 years ago they decided they don't like each other anymore- I have no idea what happened. I love dogs and cats- they are just very different creatures. |
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Post by birukitty on Aug 16, 2021 21:14:14 GMT
You've gotten some great responses from the other Peas above. I've had cats since I was 8 years old so it's been the last 53 years that I've shared my life with cats. They are amazing creatures. Full of love and mischief, each one with their own personalities. I also recommend chewy.com for all your pet needs. Not only do they have the lowest prices, but their customer service is the best there is! We just bought our Jesse his second cat tree and when it came one piece that was covered with carpeting-well the carpeting on that one piece was torn. DH called Chewy and they said, "No problem, we'll get a new one out to you right away. Just keep the one you got that was damaged instead of bothering to send it back" They are always like that. DH is considering adding on to Jesse's new tree with parts from the damaged cat tree making it higher. Their cat trees are much cheaper (at least half) of what you'll find at Petsmart or Petco. And they are very well made. Jesse prefers the cat trees with sisal on the legs because he loves to stretch and scratch the sisal. As for toys Jesse loves the "da bird" toy. He likes anything with feathers that he can chase and pounce on. He prefers interactive toys where I play with him. He's an only cat which is why he prefers to play with a person rather than himself. Each cat likes different toys but they all love the boxes they come in  |
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Just T
Drama Llama
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Post by Just T on Aug 16, 2021 22:28:52 GMT
Try a variety of toys, catnip is usually popular! My cat, and my daughter's cat who lives here go crazy over catnip. Toys? Not so much. My daughter and I just had a conversation this morning about how our cats will play with anything but their toys. Hair ties, threads hanging from towels, dust balls. LOL |
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Aug 16, 2021 22:33:38 GMT
Great advice so far!!
Save boxes, in general cats like confined spaces. They will fit themselves into a box you think it too small. Or if they don't fit, parts will hang out!!
Just be careful, no rubber bands, no yarn or string..
No tinsel at Christmas.
The shoe laces should be ok, they are bigger.
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J u l e e
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,531
Location: Cincinnati
Jun 28, 2014 2:50:47 GMT
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Post by J u l e e on Aug 16, 2021 23:33:00 GMT
Please tell your daughter how much I love that she looked to adopt a senior/overlooked cat.
I can’t remember NOT living with a cat outside of college. I just counted up that I’ve had 16 cats in my 54 years. And they’ve all been so different. I hope Smokey lives a long happy life with your daughter.
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Post by hop2 on Aug 17, 2021 0:04:05 GMT
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Post by Linda on Aug 17, 2021 2:24:32 GMT
I can’t remember NOT living with a cat outside of college. I just counted up that I’ve had 16 cats in my 54 years. And they’ve all been so different not counting the cat my mum adopted when I was in college - I've had 16 as well and 2 foster kitties. We're currently at 6 (18, 11.5, 11, 11, 13wks and 13wks) |
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kelly8875
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,390
Location: Lost in my supplies...
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Post by kelly8875 on Aug 17, 2021 2:34:02 GMT
Try a variety of toys. Our 2 cats like totally different toys. One loves the little catnip mice, and anything fizzy or crinkled. One pretty much just loves to hide under newspaper or packing papers. We have 3 scratching posts between the dining and living room, they each like a different kind... and just when we think we have it figured out, they get bored and switch toys on us 😂
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I have tried to post pictures before but can't figure it out! I am so tech challenged.
