Take it out on me

[lizblackdog]

For those who don't read all the comments in all my posts, bloolark and I have got a new cat community because the existing ones are all rather sucky.

So, if you have cats and you want to be part of a cat community where the emphasis is on education, responsible pet care, health, and sensible advice rather than sentimental cat worship and OMGcutekitties!!1!!* may I invite you to join practicalcats?

rozae, gwenhyffar, fara_shimbo, bulletslc, mcsassypants, I am looking at YOU. We need a core group of people who know what they're doing and can give useful advice. I'd be looking at rhinecat and silverblaidd too but they already joined.

if I forgot to name anyone it's only because I'm awfully sleepy still.

*I have nothing against OMGCUTEKITTIES!, by the way. I just thought there was room on LJ for a cat comm with a more serious slant, you know?

Comments

[kiss-kass.livejournal.com]

What?!!! I don't get a personal invitation?

Harumph!!!!

And HARUMPH again I say!

My three-legged kitty and I shall just kerthump-step away.

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

argh, I knew that'd happen if I named names!

I didn't think of you because a. I'm sleepy and b. in my head you're in the "TrekBBS people" group rather than the "animal people" group, if you know what I mean. But I know very well that you know what you're doing and you'd certainly be a valuable addition to the community. Please join!

[kiss-kass.livejournal.com]

You know I am teasing you! :p

I'm duly joined.

[arkady.livejournal.com]

Duly joined. Oh, you might find felinebehaviour your cup of tea too.

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, definitely! I have just submitted myself for membership there.

and anyone banned from note_to_cat for calling them out on their declawing stupidity is bound to be an asset... although I'd like to avoid any indoor/outdoor cat arguments. I'm not sure if we'll need a "community policy" on the indoor/outdoor question. I am sat very firmly on the fence on that one myself, because I know so many good cat owners who are on both sides.

[christinuviel.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a great idea - have joined up as well, even though I have little to offer in the way of advice right now (but would be very grateful for the opportunity to learn from others). =)

[fara-shimbo.livejournal.com]

Okay, okay, I'm in! But you should post the first post.

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I should... I just feel like I have a bag over my head and can't think what to say yet. I hate summer and I hate mysterious body/brain dysfunctions. I should be awake by now, I feel like I'm hung over.

[fara-shimbo.livejournal.com]

I hate summer too. My brain works much better in the fall, on warmish days with cool breezes.

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

There, I did a First Post :)

There's something wrong with me lately. I don't know if it's just stress and heat (I've had a lot of hassle the last couple of months, what with my mother sick and my cat and my sister both whelping) or if there's something physical going on. So I'm slogging across town on an overheated bus this afternoon to see my doctor and find out. Got to go in an hour.

[mencc1701.livejournal.com]

How come I didn't get named?












Okay, granted. I don't own a cat. However, I do like seeing my name mentioned, and that counts for something, right?

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

*snerk*

I should have mentioned you just for that icon :)

[mencc1701.livejournal.com]

There we go! An actual reason! :D

[mcsassypants.livejournal.com]

I joined!

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

Excellent :)

[bulletslc.livejournal.com]

I'm onboard now as well.....just don't ask me to give a strong "nay" to declawing or the indoor/outdoor cat debate. I've three declawed cats out of four (and Starbuck is pushing her luck but still managing to retain claws so far---even after having shredded my french door curtains.) I'd rather see a cat declawed and living in a safe, happy home than being euthanized because its owners can't put up with the damage. And I'm adamant about keeping my cats indoors (but if other owners want to take the numerous risks of letting their cats out that's their business.) So I say, people may do either/or, and I won't push MY views on them if they don't push theirs on me. :-D

[queenettefallon.livejournal.com]

Okay, I joined. Not really because I think I'd give good cat advice, although I probably have a few nuggets of wisdom buried somewhere. I mean it isn't like I'm totally new to the whole cat thing. However, being around cats off and on is totally different from owning one. That or my cat is just weird, and would be laughed at by all the other kitties. Seriously, I've always heard, and most of what I'd witnessed confirmed that cats were stuck up and totally not in love with humans.

My cat flushes that conventional wisdom. Honestly, my kitty is as clingly and needy as my dog. Granted there are differences in the way the cat and dog interact with me, but surprisingly not as many as one might think. Because when I've been gone from the house for a long time, I find the cat is JUST as eager to see me as the dog.

If I had known cats were not as I'd always thought, I would have done my best to own one before now.

As for the indoor/outdoor debate. Yes, I've been called many things because my cat is indoor only. Some think I'm being cruel as hell by keeping my cat indoors all the time. However, what those people fail to take into account is that shockingly having an indoor cat was NOT a choice I made, but a choice the cat made. I can leave the front door wide open, the dog will make a break for freedom, but the cat hides until the door is closed. That actually surprised me, I rather thought the cat would be at least somewhat curious as to what went on outside.

Stranger still is that if the door is only opened a crack, not enough to get through, just enough to smell through. Then the cat will show some interest, at least until the door is opened wide enough to make an escape - then (as usual) she will hide until that nasty door is closed completely.

Honestly, after trying to take the cat outside three times (four if you count a trip to the pet store, and don't count trips to the vet), I decided that unless the cat decided to show an interest, I would not continue my efforts to introduce her to the outside world. The cat is happy with that.

The other hotbutton issue is declawing. Honestly, I don't have a big problem with folks who do declaw, as someone else mentioned - better to have a cat declawed than killed because the owner wouldn't. Yes, I know not everyone shares that opinion with me, but I'm cool with that.

However, I've found that the problem really isn't a problem with regular nail trims. But even when I forget, my kitty just isn't that destructive, which means I got lucky (I suppose).

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I always thought cats were independent and stand-offish, too - till I got Cassie. She comes and greets me and the dogs, and she makes little happy trilling noises at us while she twines round out legs. And she follows me into the bathroom. Love my cat :)

[rozae.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear of this new community and have joined. :D

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

Oh joy!

How is Mr Myrl doing with no balls?

[rozae.livejournal.com]

Myrl hasn't noticed anything has changed. Sutures come out Tuesday afternoon. He's left them alone and is healing very well. He's been off pain killers for days, and is able to play now. (We tried to keep him inactive but it has been hard!)

I now call him my Nutless Wonder. ;D

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

Yes, I've been through this with Spike - he was neutered at the rescue but it was only just healed, and he had stitches in his paw because he didn't approve of being kenneled and tried to rip the door down. It's very very very hard to keep them completely inactive - I always did better with frequent short spells of gentle ball-fetching, otherwise he'd be bouncing off the ceiling.

Myrl is a wonder with or without nuts. I adore him and his grin :)

[rozae.livejournal.com]

Luckily for us, Myrl did not bounce off the walls. But it was hard for him to go without his favorite stuffed animal for a few days.