Herd your cats here

[peitho]

LarryC, Ask the vet for Mirtazapine for Playful. Most cats tolerate it pretty well, and it's not dear.

I can say from experience that the first few doses were unpleasant for my senior, who is in otherwise good health, but it's out some padding on her and the side effects subsided after the first week. My other cat was on it at end of life; he had no side effects at all.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

We always give our cats a treat after trimming nails, it hasn't made the experience great but it has calmed them down to where we can actually do it.

This. We give our cats catnip as a reward for tolerating us touching their feet.

[paultuttle]

Yesterday, just before the university suspended operations in advance of the snow (yes, that's a thing in central North Carolina), two very frightened kittens were pinballing around the parking lot. One was grey and the other was black. Both were young enough that their ears looked to be very nearly as big as their heads.

I felt sorry for them, but I knew it'd take quite some time (and multiple scratches) in order to bring them inside into a warm house, so I just thought kind thoughts toward them as I left.

I mean, what else can you do?

[the_geneticist]

We always give our cats a treat after trimming nails, it hasn't made the experience great but it has calmed them down to where we can actually do it.

This. We give our cats catnip as a reward for tolerating us touching their feet.

Izzy is VERY food motivated.  I'll bribe her with lots of treats.  Now that I think on it, Buddycat (RIP) was the same way.  It used to be a rodeo to trim just one claw, but after enough rounds of treats after a trim, he would come beg for treats when I got out MY nail clippers ("Nail clipping means good kitties get treats!  They don't have to be the kitty's nails!").

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Yesterday, just before the university suspended operations in advance of the snow (yes, that's a thing in central North Carolina), two very frightened kittens were pinballing around the parking lot. One was grey and the other was black. Both were young enough that their ears looked to be very nearly as big as their heads.

I felt sorry for them, but I knew it'd take quite some time (and multiple scratches) in order to bring them inside into a warm house, so I just thought kind thoughts toward them as I left.

I mean, what else can you do?

Do you know if there are any TNR or other cat-type organizations in your area? Some of them will take kittens since it is easier to 'home' them than adult cats.

[mamselle]

Yes, I was wondering how the kittens did as well.

M.

[the_geneticist]

I made a food puzzle for Izzy by filling an empty paper tube with kitten kibble, scrunching the ends shut, and cut a small hole in the side.  I thought it would keep her entertained and burn off some of that crazy kitten energy.
Izzy is unimpressed.
Puck and Jane are SUPER EXCITED!  I feel bad, like I deprived them of this joy when they were kittens.  But I didn't know that food puzzles for cats was a thing when they were kittens.
Back to the design board . . .

[mamselle]

Kitty Kong.

M.

[apl68]

As the sun rises
Feline shapes darting past me
Heading to their dens

[Puget]

The cats have been the only real winners in the current crisis. They approve of having their monkey servant home all the time, and have made a lot of guest appearances on Zoom.

[mamselle]

Yes, I was giving a music lesson last night on Zoom and the two yearling cats (who know me well in this family) kept getting into the background.

One just flopped down for nap no. 104 of the day; the other was madly digging out Something Of Importance (a caged jinglebell?) between the couch cushions on the sofa behind the keyboard.

My student's mom then had her lesson this AM....and they were still at it...one doing zoomies off the sofa, one sitting at the window, tail twitching, watching Bird TV.

She later pulled the laptop over to show me their "curled up baby kitties-in-a-basket" position for sleeping...apparently all that showing off is exhausting.

M. 

[the_geneticist]

The cats are baffled that the human staff aren't leaving like usual.  But they do approve of the idea of eating lunch.
Lady Jane and I are battling over who gets to sit in my office chair.  The heat vent blows warm air right on the cushion and she has claimed it as her own.  She is currently asleep on my lap, but will take over the chair any time I get up.

[Catherder]

The cats have been the only real winners in the current crisis. They approve of having their monkey servant home all the time, and have made a lot of guest appearances on Zoom.

From  The New Yorker:  Quarantine Tips from my Cat

https://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/quarantine-tips-from-my-cat?source=EDT_NYR_EDIT_NEWSLETTER_0_imagenewsletter_Borowitz_ZZ&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_source=nl&utm_brand=tny&utm_mailing=TNY_Borowitz_032020&utm_medium=email&bxid=5be9e53a2ddf9c72dc62699e&cndid=39473732&esrc=right_rail_humor&mbid=&utm_term=TNY_Borowitz

[Larimar]

Hello fellow cat-herders. I'm newly registered but I've been lurking for a long time. This is one of my favorite threads because I probably qualify as a crazy cat lady. I have 4, OrangeGuy, Calico, HerMajesty, and Twerp.

Geneticist, thanks for the good laugh about Izzy being unimpressed by the food puzzle the other day.

Larimar

[AmLitHist]

Welcome Larimar, from a fellow crazy cat lady (only two here, but sometimes it feels like a dozen)!

The sun has come out here after about a week of clouds, rain, and storms.  The girls approve.