Herd your cats here

[Ruralguy]

My daughter has successfully trained  sweet 16 year old Ruralkitty to sit, offer paw, and run around in a circle.  The only problem is that she trained him with treats, and most of the time he will only bother listening to voice command if he's given the treat. Which makes him smart, and probably fatter.
Who's training who?

[smallcleanrat]

SO and Maestro have developed quite a relationship. Maestro has always loved playing with SO, following him around, and resting in his lap. Over time they have developed a lot of little rituals that are just between them.

Maestro likes to perch on the bathroom counter and watch SO do his morning routine (tooth-brushing, shaving, etc...). He whines if the door is shut. He takes no interest in *my* tooth-brushing activities. (Although he does sit between my ankles facing the door when I use the toilet, like he's guarding me. He's done this since he was only 6 weeks old. He doesn't do this for SO for whatever reason. I'm perpetually mystified by his decision-making process.)

This morning, SO took a few moments in the middle of his routine to give the Maestro some head skritches. Immediately afterwards, Maestro dashed off, returned a few moments later with a small toy, dropped the toy at SO's feet, and ran off again.

We are speculating the toy is meant to be a gratuity for SO's service.

[AvidReader]

We periodically talk about getting harnesses for the cats so they can go on walks, laugh about how they would each keel over and act dead if we could ever get the things on, and forget about it.

Our cats primarily live outdoors and have since birth (they were barn cats when we acquired them), but we did get harnesses and leashes for their cross-country move. Recently I suggested to spouse that we should put the harnesses on periodically in case we need them at a later date. Artemis was largely nonplussed, but Hestia did exactly as you describe. She stalked over to the food dish with her tail lowered; when I attached the leash, she flopped over on her side and refused to move, even with the promise of treats.

AR.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Youngest evil cat has finally executed her nefarious plans (she was in it for the long haul). She has had a fascination with one of my sweaters (which has large wooden buttons) and managed to chew one of the buttons in half. I'd been hiding this sweater in the other room, but forgot and left it on the sofa, for not even two minutes, and the little shit got into it.

I really like this sweater. Grr.

Get a variety of wooden buttons if you can't find one to match and mix 'em up..keep one original in every other slot and put in different buttons in the off-slots.

Or, if you never button up the top or bottom button, use that and move it into the empty spot.

Costumer's tricks...

M.

I will try gluing the button together first. If that fails, then I'll look through my button stash. :)

[Larimar]

The Larimar cats celebrated Easter this morning! Mr. Larimar had gotten a bunch of brightly colored plastic Easter eggs, filled them with catnip, and left a big pile of them in the upstairs hall first thing in the morning.

Let's just say that the Easter bunny's gifts were very well received!

[mamselle]

So, does that mean the eggs went hopping down the stairs instead of the bunny?

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                ( )  ( )   
                  ( )     (~~~)
                                       (
                                         ~~~)     

M.

[smallcleanrat]

Maestro just had his one-year vet visit. He got a clean bill of health, but the vet did call him a "solid boy" and recommended we drop him from three meals a day to two. Maestro's been complaining some, but mostly seems to be taking it in stride.

Unloading some random cat questions:

1) Does anyone else's kitty holler every time they use the litter box? Maestro's has been doing this consistently since he was a tiny kitten. It's a loud, high-pitched wailing meow that begins as he walks towards the box and continues until a little after he starts doing his business. We have no idea what it means.

The litter can be perfectly clean, he doesn't seem to be uncomfortable or having difficulty, and when we come look at him to see if something's wrong he just stares back at us placidly.

2) Sometimes SO and I will find small kitty toys underneath the blankets of our beds. We're not sure if Maestro is using our beds as a storage area, or if these are some of those little "gifts" cats sometimes offer their humans.

He has occasionally brought his stuffed fish into the bed, but only because he wants to sleep cuddled up next to it (too cute!). He always takes the fish back in the morning.

3) Does anyone have a cat that opens doors? Maestro seems to understand that the doorknob is the key to entering or exiting any room he pleases. He will stand on his hind legs, reach up with both front paws, and try to grab the knob. Since they're round he can't really grip them (I'm pretty sure if they were handles instead of knobs he would have succeeded by now). Is this something I could/should discourage? I'm not *too* concerned about the front door since it's quite heavy for a 12-pound cat to move, but I may be underestimating him.

[Harlow2]

Ulysses vocalizes AFTER using the litter box and when she is looking for something to do. She walks around making cat-comments that I cannot decipher but stops when I imitate. I would love to know more about cat vocalizing.  As for doors, she loves to open any door that's no completely shut and is always opening the lower kitchen cabinets and around for food.  She loves to eat

[Volhiker78]

2) Sometimes SO and I will find small kitty toys underneath the blankets of our beds. We're not sure if Maestro is using our beds as a storage area, or if these are some of those little "gifts" cats sometimes offer their humans.


My guess is both.  Be thankful that the gifts are just toys.   Out master hunter Booboo sometimes catches roaches at night and brings them back to our daughter's bed when she is sleeping!  We have been awakened by hysterical screaming upon discovery of a huge dead roach at the foot of her bed!! 

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Maestro just had his one-year vet visit. He got a clean bill of health, but the vet did call him a "solid boy" and recommended we drop him from three meals a day to two. Maestro's been complaining some, but mostly seems to be taking it in stride.

Unloading some random cat questions:

1) Does anyone else's kitty holler every time they use the litter box? Maestro's has been doing this consistently since he was a tiny kitten. It's a loud, high-pitched wailing meow that begins as he walks towards the box and continues until a little after he starts doing his business. We have no idea what it means.

Yes! Elder evil cat will run up the stairs, jump up and grab the door frame and make some weird-ass meows- EVERY TIME. Then, he drops back down to all-fours and walks away nonchalantly.

2) Sometimes SO and I will find small kitty toys underneath the blankets of our beds. We're not sure if Maestro is using our beds as a storage area, or if these are some of those little "gifts" cats sometimes offer their humans.

He has occasionally brought his stuffed fish into the bed, but only because he wants to sleep cuddled up next to it (too cute!). He always takes the fish back in the morning.

Elder evil cat has a habit of carrying around plushies and meowing very, very loudly. Youngest evil cat will carry around plushies and drop them randomly. Maestro could be giving you gifts. Maybe he wants to play fetch? Elder evil cat used to do that with socks when he was much younger.

3) Does anyone have a cat that opens doors? Maestro seems to understand that the doorknob is the key to entering or exiting any room he pleases. He will stand on his hind legs, reach up with both front paws, and try to grab the knob. Since they're round he can't really grip them (I'm pretty sure if they were handles instead of knobs he would have succeeded by now). Is this something I could/should discourage? I'm not *too* concerned about the front door since it's quite heavy for a 12-pound cat to move, but I may be underestimating him.

Elder evil cat (gets into everything), will stand on his hind legs and pull down on the lever doors we have- and open them. He will let the other two cats out, so if we don't want them in a certain room, we have to lock doors. I don't know how he learned it, but he did. The other two (and our past cats) have not opened doors the way he does. The others will use a paw and pull under the door if it is slightly ajar. It's up to you if you want him to open doors. I'm not sure what danger would be involved, but you could lock doors or look into some kind of child-proofing item to keep them locked.

[clean]

My kitty was aware of tools.  He knew that door knobs would let him in or out .  He knew that you needed a hand with a thumb to open the cat food can.  He could direct the 'stupid human'.  Pat the can opener. then pull the hand to the opener...  It is hard work being an overseer to these bald apes! 

[Puget]

2) Sometimes SO and I will find small kitty toys underneath the blankets of our beds. We're not sure if Maestro is using our beds as a storage area, or if these are some of those little "gifts" cats sometimes offer their humans.


My guess is both.  Be thankful that the gifts are just toys.   Out master hunter Booboo sometimes catches roaches at night and brings them back to our daughter's bed when she is sleeping!  We have been awakened by hysterical screaming upon discovery of a huge dead roach at the foot of her bed!!

My cat growing up was an indoor/outdoor cat and a mighty hunter. She definitely left us gifts, in the form of dead rodents placed outside our bedroom doors at night. Went I went to college, my parents reported that she persisted in leaving me rodents for awhile, then stopped. When I came home on breaks, she would resume. So clearly the gifts were intended for each of us to have for breakfast!

[the_geneticist]

Maestro just had his one-year vet visit. He got a clean bill of health, but the vet did call him a "solid boy" and recommended we drop him from three meals a day to two. Maestro's been complaining some, but mostly seems to be taking it in stride.

Unloading some random cat questions:

1) Does anyone else's kitty holler every time they use the litter box? Maestro's has been doing this consistently since he was a tiny kitten. It's a loud, high-pitched wailing meow that begins as he walks towards the box and continues until a little after he starts doing his business. We have no idea what it means.

The litter can be perfectly clean, he doesn't seem to be uncomfortable or having difficulty, and when we come look at him to see if something's wrong he just stares back at us placidly.

2) Sometimes SO and I will find small kitty toys underneath the blankets of our beds. We're not sure if Maestro is using our beds as a storage area, or if these are some of those little "gifts" cats sometimes offer their humans.

He has occasionally brought his stuffed fish into the bed, but only because he wants to sleep cuddled up next to it (too cute!). He always takes the fish back in the morning.

3) Does anyone have a cat that opens doors? Maestro seems to understand that the doorknob is the key to entering or exiting any room he pleases. He will stand on his hind legs, reach up with both front paws, and try to grab the knob. Since they're round he can't really grip them (I'm pretty sure if they were handles instead of knobs he would have succeeded by now). Is this something I could/should discourage? I'm not *too* concerned about the front door since it's quite heavy for a 12-pound cat to move, but I may be underestimating him.

Maestro sounds like a very clever kitty!
One of our cats would make a weird "mewp! mewp!" noise when pooping in the litter box.  He wasn't in pain or anything, but it was odd.
I agree that it's probably both gifts and toy storage.  Lady Jane LOVES hair elastics and will hide them under area rugs, in the bathtub, and a few other spots to "discover" later and play with.  She will sometimes bring me one when I'm working at home.  It's quite adorable.
Sir Puck knows that doorknobs open doors.  He will stare at them and wail or reach up to grab them, but ours are too slippery and hard to turn for him to get a good grip on.  I'm glad that he hasn't figured out how to push the screens out of the windows and is far too plump to squeeze out the mail slot.

[spork]

Does anyone have a home remedy for a cat that's a puker? One of our two foster fails occasionally vomits right after eating wet food. These cats are grazers; we keep food in their bowls. So it's not like the cat is ravenous and eats too much too quickly. He will go back and eat again a little while after vomiting, but not vomit a second time. And what he pukes up looks like it is all food; no clumps of hair, half-chewed insects, or other foreign objects.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Does anyone have a home remedy for a cat that's a puker? One of our two foster fails occasionally vomits right after eating wet food. These cats are grazers; we keep food in their bowls. So it's not like the cat is ravenous and eats too much too quickly. He will go back and eat again a little while after vomiting, but not vomit a second time. And what he pukes up looks like it is all food; no clumps of hair, half-chewed insects, or other foreign objects.

Are they only eating wet food? Have you tried changing brands? Is it a senior cat? Maybe the food is too rich? Have you consulted your vet?