MagiStream

GingerFang wrote:I'm really happy, I just got my cat fixed on Feb. 28! At first I was afraid his personality would change, but now that he's been fixed, nothing about him has changed, in fact, he's better than ever, very loving, and playful like always. So I truely believe that your cat's personality changing after being fixed is a myth(even though my brother tried to convince me of it).

What do you guys think of this?

The idea that pets will get fat, or have a changed personality after being fixed is basically a myth. The change in hormones can affect them, but the main reason why they may change is that they are usually fixed in the middle of 'puberty', which means they would be changing anyways. They get fat, because they are done growing and we over feed them, and they start to settle down from being a super playful kitten into a more sedentary cat. Usually, if there is a personality shift, it is from more active and aloof to cuddly and loving- because they aren't feeling the hormones that make them want to wander and stake out and hold their territory, and find mates and such.

This is Kato, my German shepherd/rottweiler. We got him when he was about 8 months old, and now he's about nine in human years. My brother's friend's dog had puppies, which he was going to put in a shelter, and Kato was one of them. My brother knew that few people would want to adopt a puppy that was already so big, so he chose to take in Kato. My mom didn't approve at first, but now she adores him. Kato used to fight under my brother's direction, and he used to be more of a ferocious guard dog, but now that my brother doesn't live with us, Kato acts like a big baby, thanks to my mom.

He knows the commands Sit, Down, "Give Me Paw" (like a pawshake), "Done" (for when he's stalking me, thinking I have more chicken nuggets when I actually don't), "Go to Bed", Put Your Head Down, Get Em (he used to actually try to attack, now he just runs and barks), Come Inside, Get Out (of the room), Get In There (when I'm angry, this sends him running to hide under the table in the living room), and he used to know Roll Over. Also, when you stretch out your arms, he jumps up onto you for a hug.

A pet question: two of our cats are nearing the time when we will have to put them to sleep because they are getting old and just don't seem to enjoy being here any more (one is sixteen, the other fifteen). We had begun looking for kitties again so there won't be a hole in the household when the older two pass on.

Imagine our shock and surprise when, on visiting one of the rescues, we found:

- many of the cats appear, before the adoption day, to have been housed with incompatible cats. They weren't just nicked like you see with cats at play but many of them had long healing scratches and bites which had been stitched or just dressed. None of them were recent rescues as this organization doesn't put those out until they've been fostered a while.

- there were pinch collars on many of the dogs' walking leashes. Obviously the dogs are not aggressive or they wouldn't be out in a public fare for adoption. I wondered at this since I was always told that the pinch collars should be used very cautiously, only with certain breeds, and only by someone who really knows what they're doing and then only in certain circumstances

I am not impressed with this rescue. We were turned down based on a bogus call to the vet. Apparently we have 'dozens' of unvaccinated animals. I have the following:

- a mouse (you don't vaccinate these for rabies or anything else and he's three years old and still healthy, which ought to say a lot for my pet keeping skills)

- a rabbit (you don't vaccinate these either; he's five years old)

- two catfish (you don't vaccinate fish either, but we have a vet for them and they go when needed)

- the budgies (again, no vaccination needed and they ought to have been considerably impressed that we had a vet for them as most people consider them expendable)

- four dogs (all of whom have three year vaccinations; one was renewed by that vet just this year, the others were county vaccinations which do not expire until 2013; the rescue refused to honor the tags, though we offered them, and said the animals had to be revaccinated.)

- four cats (all vaccinated by myself with vaccine obtained from a licensed farrier; it's not uncommon for rural folk to administer all but the rabies vaccinations; we did the same with the dogs).

We live on five acres of fenced in forest in a 3200 square foot home and someone is always home with the animals. All the furniture is cat friendly (that is to say, we don't have anything that isn't wood or that we actually care about if it gets clawed up). We don't take our cats outdoors; they're indoor kitties only.

The vet has all this information logged and failed to give it to the rescue. We had pictures of the kennel enclosure which the dogs play in during the day, pictures of the budgies' home, and pictures of the cats on their equipment. The rescue looked at none of it...and then let a woman ahead of us who admitted she had no vet, wanted to know the pedigree of the mixed breed pup she picked up, and said that she would return the animal if it peed even once on her things have the dog! Furthermore, the application she pulled wasn't even mine; I use purple ink so I can see what I'm writing and the one she had in her hand was filled out by someone named Sheryl in pencil.

So...is it just us or does this pet rescue look shady? I've never dealt with pet rescue before (mine came from individual surrenders, tame ferals, or the pound). The choke chains, scratches on the animals, and the pinch collars just really bothered me.

Also, since the vet felt inclined to lie or at least not to answer accurately (I called them on it and they had counted three pets we no longer have who died of old age plus a dog I'd never heard of who isn't even mine!) we're in the market for a new vet.

What should we look for? What questions do we ask? I want the very best for all my guys.

And as for getting new kitty companions: I found a breeder of pixie-bobs. While they don't actually have any bobcat blood in them like my beloved Merlin, they at least look like they do. She's got kittens available in May or if I choose I can wait and she'll find something special for me.

And why offer a three year vaccine if no one is going to honor it? What will happen to my pets if we allow re-vaccination? Will it hurt them?

That rescue operation sounds very shady. I like PAAWS and Sparky here locally, and if you pm me where you live (I know you've said but I've forgotten) I can see if they have a rescue operation in your area that they recommend.

Then again, I've been turned down for animals from the local Humane society because I have one dog who is not fixed. All of my animals are happy and healthy and Cole goes NOWHERE without my husband or myself - and he won't even go out the door without one of us giving him the command if someone else has to walk him while we're at work (both dogs come to the shop with us). He's 12, and happy, healthy and well adjusted, despite being abused, burned and sliced before I got him and having a heart 2x smaller than normal for his size(hence no fixing him, anesthesia would be a very bad idea), as is the miniature schnauzer we rescued about 18 months ago.

So far as the three year vaccines - I'm not sure why they wouldn't be honored, so long as you have the certificates, they should be, and if the rescue is refusing to honor them you need to contact your local animal control and see if your area requires just a 1 year vaccine or if they accept the 3 year. If they do honor it, then you should make sure the rescue realizes that.

I have had to have Cole and Lady both revaccinated before (we keep the records at the shop, for cover-our-butts-in-case-of-idiots situations) and at one point during a move we lost our copies, and it happened to coincide with the ice storms we had here, during which our vet's computers got fried by several electrical charges. It shouldn't hurt them at all. I know when I was working at a local vet clinic we sometimes had to revaccinate dogs that had been turned over to animal control or the humane society by their owners; simply because those places required new vaccinations since once a vaccine certificate and a dog change ownership, you can never be 110% sure that its the right dog & paper, even if you were the vet to give it to them. Its just a precaution they do, and I can understand why.

I would look into turning that rescue in for the poor condition of the animals, at the very least lodging a complaint at your local animal control office. If they are operating as a non-profit and treating the animals that poorly then something is very wrong. It would be wrong if they weren't non-profit, but its more likely that something will be done, and sooner, if they are non-profit but the animals aren't receiving proper care and housing.

GothicAngel wrote:Dropping in to introduce my dog, Diba! She's part vorsteh, part pointer and has a little greyhound in her genes (you can see it on her legs). She's a little sweetie, but much to hyperactive for me to handle alone. Thank god for my parents and sister who exercises her reguarely. She's the kind of dog who knows what she wants, and how to get it. She's had some begging issues, but we're working on them. She also can't stop following my dad around sometimes, but it's not really an issue. He just appreciates it alot, and when he's not around, she doesn't seem to care that he's gone

Let me know if you can't see the pictures, and I'll see if I can fix them

That is one adorable dog! I just want to snuggle her!


*Also on the subject of my cat, he's been well, but I'm worried about him because for some reason now(he never did this before unless you locked him in a room) Ellyott will cry out if I leave him alone someplace, even if the door is open. Then once I go to him to see what's wrong he'll be just sitting or laying someplace. Usually I'll pet him, then leave him again, but is this normal? The other cats don't do this,but do you guys think that he might just be seeking attention?

*One more thing, my sister's cat is pregnant again, and I'm wondering if any of you guys have tips I could use, because since I know more about cats then my sister, she let me handle her cat's pregnancy. One thing I would like, would be advice on making a certain place idea as a nest/birth place for the kittens. Last time the cat had kittens I made a nice basket up for the mother, but she used someplace else to give birth. Eventually she moved into the basket, but only after a few days. So any tips?

Tx- I'm sorry your kitties are getting old. That's very sad.

Yes, I would report them to animal control, and what ever other agencies you can find that would be overseeing nonprofit and rescue organizations. They're obviously not handling paperwork correctly. Did they even talk to YOUR vet, about YOU? Or did the vet give accurate information on someone else? Or did they even talk to the right vet? Vets having records of old pets is normal. I've had to inform them that one of our cats has been dead three different times over 7 years, it's like that record just wants to make him a zombie!

Anyways... if you want a purebred cat, go for it. Otherwise, I would visit the humane society, the classified ads and Craigslist.

As to the actual vaccinations, it's not good if they just got one and immediately get another, especially if it's live virus, but otherwise, re-vaccinating is ok. I would do like Jenn said and find out if 3 year is supposed to be acceptable or if they need the 1 year. Then, if you do, I would let the vet know that they have a three year, but you just learned they need to have a 1 year.




Gingerfang- Yes, your kitty is most likely just begging for attention. And you're encouraging the behavior by going to him and loving on him. My Pooka does the same thing. Try calling him to come to you for his 'tenshuns'. He'll still get what he wants, but he'll have to work for it. Yes, this works for cats too, not just dogs.
Also, is he fixed? He may be calling for females if he isn't. I had one cat who started serenading in the down stairs bathroom when he was 5 months old and didn't get fixed until he was 6 months old. My family jokingly referred to it as "Singing to the litter box" because we kept that down there too.



Edit- ran out of time and didn't get to address this bit.

GingerFang wrote:*One more thing, my sister's cat is pregnant again, and I'm wondering if any of you guys have tips I could use, because since I know more about cats then my sister, she let me handle her cat's pregnancy. One thing I would like, would be advice on making a certain place idea as a nest/birth place for the kittens. Last time the cat had kittens I made a nice basket up for the mother, but she used someplace else to give birth. Eventually she moved into the basket, but only after a few days. So any tips?

Cats will have their babies where ever they want to. Usually under a bed or in a closet... The trick is to get them to WANT to have them where you want them to have them. I have the best luck with a long cardboard box (or pet crate, or really big hooded litter box that has never been used as a litter box). It needs to be long enough for kitty to stretch out in, and wide enough so that on her side, her legs and back still have some room. It should also be tall enough that she won't touch her ears to the top, but not so high that it feels too big. Line the box with some newspaper and an old towel that you don't mind getting blood and fluids and poo and pee and stuff on. Have a couple of these towels handy. I actually bought a few specifically for kittens. Some time after she's done giving birth, you'll want to change the ucky towel for a new one, and you'll likely need to change the towel every few days. I use the newspaper as added padding/ absorption and change it as needed too.
The box needs a door in a side or an end. She needs to feel like it's a nice, secure den. The box needs to be in a quiet, out of the way area. In a closet is perfect. If you can, when you notice her teats swelling with milk (the area around the nipples) lock her in a single room with her nest box, food, water and a litter box and leave her alone to let nature take its course.

Good luck!

Brynmala wrote:What a beautiful cat, Rhia! And good for you taking on a cat who would be very hard for the shelter to home, given his infection (I'm assuming he's an indoor only cat so he doesn't pass it on). It looks like he's had a bit of a rough life given part of his ear is missing - was he a feral?

Thanks.

Yes, he's an indoor cat. His ear is torn and a little bit folded. (There isn't missing as much as it seems.)

I don't know much about him. He was called "Scabbers" before, because he looked so bad when he arrived in the shelter.

I have a young cat named Brae, a purebred silver classic torbie Maine Coon. She's a bit snooty, and was a lot nicer to me when she was younger. Since she's a Maine Coon, she also loves playing with dogs and is incredibly sociable.

Also, does anyone else feed their cat raw food? Not as a main meal, but more for nutrients and health and as a snack.

Ragamuffyn wrote:I have a young cat named Brae, a purebred silver classic torbie Maine Coon. She's a bit snooty, and was a lot nicer to me when she was younger. Since she's a Maine Coon, she also loves playing with dogs and is incredibly sociable.

Also, does anyone else feed their cat raw food? Not as a main meal, but more for nutrients and health and as a snack.

What sort of raw food. Like, wet cat food or actual raw meat like chicken/pork/beef?
The former yes, the latter no. In fact, it's probably not even healthy to give them raw meat-
chicken=salmonella
pork=can carry parasites
That's why they need to be cooked thoroughly before you eat them.
Now, we occasionally feed them tinned meat or sliced lunch meat, that's alright for them, but never pieces of raw meat.

Atuin wrote:There is something that really annoys me. And that is owners who do not pick up after their dog. I've been falsely accused twice of not picking up after my dog. And it doesn't help by giving the anti-dog Brigade an excuse to ban dogs from parks and beaches. It's an important part of dog ownership. The poop could contain anything and though children are un likely to pick any up, they might and it's a pain if you tred on it.

It's not expensive even to pick it up. I buy simple Nappy sacks from the supermarket and they work just fine. I, either carry them, or tie them to my dog's lead. Unless of course I can find a bin. Ideally one that specialises in dog poo.

Oh my gosh, I hate that! I have been falsely accused of not picking up after my dog being one of the younger dog owners in my apartment complex.