Cats and Kittens

[Cutlass]

@Lexicus you wear shoes at home? This is very unusual for me to see, if I step inside my house with my shoes, someone would put my head in the shoesbox at the house entrance together with other shoes.

That's not common in the US. Some people insist on it. But most of just wear the shoes. I take them off once I don't plan on going out again. And then walk around the house barefoot.

 

[Zardnaar]

Currently pinned.

Help. Help. I think she's happy.

 

[Kaitzilla]

Does anyone else's cat chitter or chirp when they see a bird outside the window?
The weirdest thing.

 

[Zardnaar]

Does anyone else's cat chitter or chirp when they see a bird?
The weirdest thing.

Yes. They make some funny noises.

Spoiler I can haz heat. :

Dex got into fight last week. Got his ear ripped.

 

[Josu]

Does anyone else's cat chitter or chirp when they see a bird outside the window?
The weirdest thing.

Yes, both of my cats. When they see a bird or even a fly

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Does anyone else's cat chitter or chirp when they see a bird outside the window?
The weirdest thing.

Yes, it's perfectly normal behavior. Weird to us, but normal to a cat.

 

[Azem.Ocram]

Yeah, Fluffy made weird noises whenever a bird (out the window) or bug (indoors) caught his attention.

 

[Cutlass]

Does anyone else's cat chitter or chirp when they see a bird outside the window?
The weirdest thing.

I've seen cats do that. Seems pretty common.

 

[Zkribbler]

Before I would get a cat, I'd want a couple of complex cat "trees," to wit: wheels, litter box near the bottom, canvass-covered scratching surfaces, topped with a sleeping platform high enough to look out the big house's windows. Alas, in December I was hospitalized which left me in debt, so I didn't feel comfortable hiring a carpenter. When I climbed out of debit, the corona virus hit and my bank stopped processing deposits. So I had no money. But it looks like this might soon be remedied.

My driver has just announced he'll be getting a cat for his little house. Okay. This will give us a chance to perfect cat ownership, i.e. obtaining cat litter, figuring out what to feed them in a land with no cat food, and how to build our own cat toys, etc.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

how to build our own cat toys

If you have any local fast food places, this is simple. Here is my method:

1. Buy cheeseburger.
2. Eat cheeseburger.
3. Crumple up wrapper into a ball.
4. Give to Maddy.
5. Listen to Maddy bat it all over the apartment in a one-cat hockey game.

Cats like things that resemble prey in texture and size, so hard plastic isn't usually what they tend to go for (I say usually because Maddy likes to play with the strip of plastic that seals milk jugs). Maddy's favorite non-cheeseburger toy is a small cloth mouse that's about the size of a real mouse and is soft. She's not much of a predator for real things; she'd rather play with an insect than kill it, and as far as birds are concerned, she's never killed one.

Just make sure that the toys you get or make don't have anything that the cat could swallow if chewed off, or choke on. They don't care about color. Texture, size, taste, and smell matter. Before splurging on catnip, make sure the cat likes it. Not all cats do (none of mine have ever been into it). We discovered that honeysuckle twigs make a great substitute for catnip (if you don't mind your cats stoned out of their minds when they really get into it; in smaller doses it just makes them mellow).

Look up the lists of plants and foods that are toxic to cats and don't trust that they'll have sense to keep away from them automatically.

 

[Zardnaar]

Classic cheap cat toys.

Empty box.
Piece of string
Crumpled up paper.
Piece of rolled up paper tied to piece of string.

Our Lord's and masters have been staying inside a lot. Cold winter this year. Freezing overnight.

Dex found the Sunbeam though.

 

[rah]

While they usually chase each other around the house, they take a break and share a furry blanket.
Ping and Nike

 

[rah]

Cat survey.

There's the old saying that if a cat rolls on it's back and presents it's belly. IT"S A TRAP.
How do your cats handle it.
1. Can you rub their belly to their eternal gratitude.
2. They'll suck you in for a sec and then grab your hand with all four paws with claws out and maybe their teeth for grins.
3. Other

For Nike, it's number 1.
For Ping, it's definitely number 2. IT"S A TRAP

1. Does your cat enjoy being picked up and held.
2. After about a sec they will do everything in their power to get away.
For Ping and Nike, it's certainly number 2. DON"T PICK US UP.

How about chin scratches.
1. They'll present for a chin scratch whenever awake.
2. There is no number two because I've never known a cat that didn't like them.

How about other behaviors?

 

[Zardnaar]

View attachment 561642 While they usually chase each other around the house, they take a break and share a furry blanket.
Ping and Nike

Not fair your ones like each other's. At best ours tolerate each other at feeding time and sharing a heater.

 

[rah]

The seem to enjoy chasing each other throughout the house. While Ping does most of the chasing, Nike gets her fair share in also.

It took awhile for the the younger one Nike, to get along with Ping (who's about a year older) We originally got ping to keep our older cat company, but when Bogey died, she was so lonely that we got a new playmate for her. We are firm believers in having multiple cats to keep them busy.
They do get into brawls but they seem more comic then serious.

 

[Zardnaar]

The seem to enjoy chasing each other throughout the house. While Ping does most of the chasing, Nike gets her fair share in also.

It took awhile for the the younger one Nike, to get along with Ping (who's about a year older) We originally got ping to keep our older cat company, but when Bogey died, she was so lonely that we got a new playmate for her. We are firm believers in having multiple cats to keep them busy.
They do get into brawls but they seem more comic then serious.

Ours brawl not comical but not full on rip each other to shreds.

Inside Ember is boss, but outside Dexter is boss. He could easily put her in her place but he's a big sook.

We had another cat and her and Dex got on a lot better. Would share a chair without me being near. Embers more of a jealous type and can be a bit of a *****. She's great with us, Dex is great with strangers, neighbours kids, mailman.....

Dex is a big clown.

 

[Zardnaar]

Cat survey.

There's the old saying that if a cat rolls on it's back and presents it's belly. IT"S A TRAP.
How do your cats handle it.
1. Can you rub their belly to their eternal gratitude.
2. They'll suck you in for a sec and then grab your hand with all four paws with claws out and maybe their teeth for grins.
3. Other

For Nike, it's number 2.
For Ping, it's definitely number 1. IT"S A TRAP

1. Does your cat enjoy being picked up and held.
2. After about a sec they will do everything in their power to get away.
For Ping and Nike, it's certainly number 2. DON"T PICK US UP.

How about chin scratches.
1. They'll present for a chin scratch whenever awake.
2. There is no number two because I've never known a cat that didn't like them.

How about other behaviors?

That's pretty much it. They might tolerate the belly rub for a bit and flop so you can rub the sides more than belly.

Chin scratch generally makes them melt.

 

[rah]

I can walk into a room and see Nike lying in a comfortable spot in the sunlight and then Ping will wander in and start licking her to annoy Nike to move and if that doesn't work she'll get a tad rougher. I'll come back late and find Ping lying where Nike originally was.

But I will say that I'm surprised that when I feed them, they are quite the creatures of habit. I give them their wet food in a two sided bowl and when I put it down in front of them, Ping will always eat the left side while Nike eats from the right side. If I'm a little slow they'll be lined up in their places for me to put the bowl down.

 

[Zardnaar]

I can walk into a room and see Nike lying in a comfortable spot in the sunlight and then Ping will wander in and start licking her to annoy Nike to move and if that doesn't work she'll get a tad rougher. I'll come back late and find Ping lying where Nike originally was.

But I will say that I'm surprised that when I feed them, they are quite the creatures of habit. I give them their wet food in a two sided bowl and when I put it down in front of them, Ping will always eat the left side while Nike eats from the right side. If I'm a little slow they'll be lined up in their places for me to put the bowl down.

Yeah they do that. Old ones used to do it to the dog. Dex will do it to me and steal my seat as well.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

1. Does your cat enjoy being picked up and held.

Absolutely. Except when I'm listening to music that's lively, since it makes me want to dance.

Maddy doesn't enjoy dancing.

And right now she's curled up on a chair across from me, and looking at me with a "You're talking about me again, aren't you?" expression.