Cats and other Critters

[AmyG]

That cat food? Would never pass my cats' lips. My two get only Iams, always, their entire lives (although we now add in a little of Science Diet's Oral Care as well, for their teeth), and it's a rare year when we've been at the vet for anything other than the annual checkup -- and they're thirteen years old. I have to say, the health of my cats is a huge testament to how great Iams is for your pets.

[Bonehead]

That cat food? Would never pass my cats' lips. My two get only Iams, always, their entire lives (although we now add in a little of Science Diet's Oral Care as well, for their teeth), and it's a rare year when we've been at the vet for anything other than the annual checkup -- and they're thirteen years old. I have to say, the health of my cats is a huge testament to how great Iams is for your pets.

According to my vet, Iams are very fattening. My cat only gets them for her evening meal, and regular dinner in morning. I dont want her getting wedged in the cat flap

[phazedout]

Cat food

My cat gets friskies go-cat with Vitality plus. Shge started off as scrawny, skittish and banging her head off the back kitchen window until I fed her. Now she's the picture of vitality, brining down the odd unfortunate bird who dares venture into her domain (my small back garden) and still banging her head off my back window for feeding.
I'm thinking about calling her head-banger - go figure.
Phaze
on the "cats probably more sane than I am though" ID

[AmyG]

Just a word or two from the "No Outdoor Cats!" soapbox...

Letting your cat go outside is a danger to it, and to other animals. Cats can get injured by other cats, bad children, cars, bicycles, rusty pieces of trash or sharp edges of fences, and they can also catch certain infectious diseases like feline AIDS and feline leukemia.

The presence of outdoor cats has led to a decline in the songbird population, as well. Your cat gets Friskies; she obviously doesn't need to eat birds. Why let her do so?

If You Love Wildlife, Keep Your Cat Inside

Outdoor Risks to Cats

[Jan]

If somebody would like a thread devoted to cats either I can make one or anybody else can...

Jan

[AmyG]

Yeah, obviously this thread needs to move to the Babylon 5 section of the forums...because cats are mentioned in Babylon 5! Yeah, that's the ticket!

[AaronB]

Yeah, obviously this thread needs to move to the Babylon 5 section of the forums...because cats are mentioned in Babylon 5! Yeah, that's the ticket!

Didn't JMS mention that Vorlons were modled after cats with their all knowing yet silent attitude?

[Garibaldi's Hair]

Would it be out of line for me to say ... Hamsters?

[SLerman]

...because cats are mentioned in Babylon 5!

I believe you meant ducks...

[WorkerCaste]

I believe you meant ducks...

Now, now. If we bring SInclair's duck into this we'll never get back to... what was this thread about again?

[phazedout]

Well Amy my own cat is entirely outdoor. She arives from outside, whacks head off window and then is feed before wandering off to wherever she stays (in my shed I think). She seems quite a happy outside cat and I'm nto sure at this stage she'd be satisfied with confinement inside my house.
In addition the cat may not need to eat birds but she does have strign instincts for hunting and is liable to pursue them on yuor furniture otherwise .

OH and Jan feel free to prune appropriately and rename thread acordingly.
Phaze
on the "not meaning to be catty about this"

[Darth_librarian]

I second the outdoor cat thingy. Its their natural environment. All my faimiles' cats, in either rural or city locations have always gone outdoors, and loved it.
All the cats i've known hunt, kill and fight, its what they do. Trying to herd them would be like trying to manage academics (reversing a well known metaphor there...) They dont need to eat birds and fish, but it is their instinct to do so. A cat is effectively an independent creature that chooses to live with you and can develop emotional bonds. Some cats do enjoy the domestic life, I guess its all down to a pussy's personal preference. As for the risk of getting ill or being injured, that's all just part of life for all of us isn't it? Why deny a cat the freedoms it naturally wants...

Maybe things in the UK are a bit different...

Will now shut up now in case of further derailment... Actually Jan, can we have a cat thread?

[Harrdy]

Maybe things in the UK are a bit different...

I'd say the real difference is if you live in a city or in the countryside. Having a cat free running in the city is... not very nice. My sister has a cat which was a house cat half her live. When my sister dropped the cat at my parents (who live on the edge of the city) the cat mutated into a hunter-killer, in the (IMHO) best way possible. Just two weeks after getting outside she dropped a mouse in front of my mum, who sadly reacted with panic, far from the right attitude to pet her for her bravery *g*

Nature is wild, cats are not domesticated. If you live in the countryside why stop them from being what they are, predators 8-)

(I think the real question behind the situation is the one concerning quality of live. Is it more important to live long or to live "alive"?)

(edit add: Oh, by the way, I have nothing against mice or birds... I just think they are in the food chain of cats. If I had a pet mouse or rat (something I can envision, rats are cute... hm... sorry for the goth streak here *g*) I would protect it, so it doesn't get eaten. Regarding all wild mice, might the fastest survive 8-) )

PeAcE

[Karachi Vyce]

I love kitlers, aka Cats That Look Like Hitler.

Sieg Heil, Meow Fuhrer.

[Dr Maturin]

I hate all animals.