Animal companions in our happy homes

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  • North East QuineNorth East Quine Purgatory Host
    I could save the vet the job of neutering him....

    (I don't know that Big Ginger is "intact" but I am not the only neighbour who is scunnered with him, and suspect that if he'd been "done" he'd be less aggressive.)
  • I used to swear that if I got my hands on Big Whitey, I would lie to the vet, say he was mine and have him done. He not only came in and ate our cats’ food, but he sprayed the house, disgusting animal. Life has been much better for the whole household since he went to the great mousery in the sky.
  • North East QuineNorth East Quine Purgatory Host
    edited April 2020
    My day went downhill. There seems to be a link between Elizabeth being stressed by Big Ginger and peeing in inappropriate places.

    I started to dry myself off after my shower this morning only to discover that Elizabeth had peed on my bath towel. :tired_face:

    I had to get straight back in for a second shower and then shout till somebody heard me and passed a clean bathtowel in.

    I am feeling murderous towards Big Ginger, stressing my poor wee Elizabeth out.
  • Today is the day. I am going to give Molly a bath and trim her nails as her usual spa is closed. Good luck to both of us. First time I have given her a bath myself and it has been over 20 years since I have trimmed a dogs nails. I am putting a large pan in our walk in shower and spraying her with shower head which has a long cord. I may or may not dry her with the hair dryer.
  • Good luck, Graven Image!
  • I am wet, the floor is wet, the wall is wet, and the dog is sort of clean and damp. She did not like the hair dryer so we used 3 bath towels. Now she is laying on the porch in the sun with her back to me. I think we both would rather we tried the nail trim another day. Graven Image who has a new appreciation for the dog groomers, and will no doubt be upping her tip next visit.
  • NicoleMRNicoleMR Shipmate
    Thanks everyone for your kind comments about Sybil. I appreciate it. Good luck Graven Image, to you and Molly. And North East Quine, I hope Elizabeth recovers quickly.
  • jedijudyjedijudy Heaven Host
    For those who remember Dolphy of The Olde Ship, she had to have her beloved dog, Rosie, put down. Rosie was such a beloved member of the family, and I know their hearts are hurting.
  • bassobasso Shipmate
    Reading about nail trims reminds me of the neighbor across the street when I was a boy. He had a basset hound, and the piteous wails when Leo had to get a nail trim (the field of battle was in the back yard) were a sound for the ages.

    Judy, please tell Dolphy we miss her, and pass on sympathy.
  • jedijudyjedijudy Heaven Host
    Thank you, basso. I certainly will.
  • RossweisseRossweisse Hell Host, 8th Day Host, Glory
    @NicoleMR, I am terribly sorry to hear about Sybil.
    Bad cess to Big Ginger...
    ((((Graven Image))))
    @jedijudy, please tell Dolphy that she is missed, and that I am sorry to hear about Rosie.
  • jedijudyjedijudy Heaven Host
    Absolutely, Ross!
  • NicoleMRNicoleMR Shipmate
    Got a call from the vet. Sybil's ashes (I had her cremated) are ready to pick up. *sigh*
  • BoogieBoogie Heaven Host
    I’m sorry @NicoleMR :cry:
  • @NicoleMR my sympathies. We had our dog put to sleep Just as this whole sorry business was beginning. Take care of yourself.....
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    {{{Nicole}}}
  • Today I discovered that Molly the dog loves asparagus. I dropped a piece on the floor while I was fixing dinner and she grabbed it and ran for the hills. I caught her and took it away and then I quickly googled it on line and found that it was safe for dogs. While at it I discovered blueberries, and bananas were also fit for a dogs digestive system. I never thought of feeding her any of these things. So she got her asparagus back.
  • RossweisseRossweisse Hell Host, 8th Day Host, Glory
    {{{{Nicole}}}}
  • NicoleMRNicoleMR Shipmate
    Thank you guys. I picked up the ashes yesterday, they came in a very nice box with a sliding panel on top for inserting a photo. Also included was a clay cast of her paw print, which is nice, nothing I've ever gotten before (I have had, over the years, two previous cats who died cremated) which I'm going to give to my brother, as she was his too.

    So that's some sort of closure I guess.
  • HuiaHuia Shipmate
    Grieving is hard work Nicole - take care of yourself.
  • RossweisseRossweisse Hell Host, 8th Day Host, Glory
    My vet's office has been doing the clay paw-cast for several years now. It's a lovely touch.
  • MaryLouiseMaryLouise Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    Sympathy, Nicole. The silent absence in the house after the loss of a beloved cat or dog is so hard.
  • DormouseDormouse Shipmate
    I am content to have played a part in rescuing a week old kitten from being drowned. The neighbour of the sister in law of a colleague was going to get rid of the kit, but said if a taker could be found then kitten could stay with its mama until old enough to go. After frantic posts on Fb and whatsapp, I found a friend who wanted to take the little one. So he's been reprieved and is going to his forever home in July. Happy dance for the kitty.
  • CathscatsCathscats Shipmate
    Happy, happy dance indeed!
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Well done that human! :)
  • Dormouse wrote: »
    I am content to have played a part in rescuing a week old kitten from being drowned. The neighbour of the sister in law of a colleague was going to get rid of the kit, but said if a taker could be found then kitten could stay with its mama until old enough to go. After frantic posts on Fb and whatsapp, I found a friend who wanted to take the little one. So he's been reprieved and is going to his forever home in July. Happy dance for the kitty.

    I love seeing that a mouse has rescued a cat.
  • PigwidgeonPigwidgeon Shipmate
    I love seeing that a mouse has rescued a cat.

    :lol: :lol: :lol:
  • HuiaHuia Shipmate
    Well done Dormouse.

    Now can we drown the nasty human? :naughty:
  • Indeed, well done (says the dog guy).
  • DormouseDormouse Shipmate
    He has already been named Othello. My friend owns a coffee shop called Shakespeare's English bakery.
  • PigwidgeonPigwidgeon Shipmate
    Dormouse wrote: »
    He has already been named Othello. My friend owns a coffee shop called Shakespeare's English bakery.

    I want to go there!
    :smile:
  • RossweisseRossweisse Hell Host, 8th Day Host, Glory
    Why didn't she have her cat spayed if she didn't want to deal with kittens? Well done, @Dormouse!
  • DormouseDormouse Shipmate
    Rossweisse wrote: »
    Why didn't she have her cat spayed if she didn't want to deal with kittens? Well done, @Dormouse!

    Because, in France, it seems to be considered a waste of money when you can just drown or dump the kittens. Also, it seems that many people think its "good" for a cat to have kittens.
  • RossweisseRossweisse Hell Host, 8th Day Host, Glory
    Oh, how heartless and cruel that is.
  • AravisAravis Shipmate
    Our kitten (nearly 6 months) is going through a hormonal phase. She’s constantly attacking her mother and also finding other ways to cause havoc. This morning I found the fob for the spare front door key in the hall, with the wire ring loose - she’s evidently decided the fob is a new toy, ripped the key off and put it somewhere, possibly down the crack next to the skirting board.
    Apparently neutering should reduce the crazy behaviour, but at the moment our vet is only doing urgent surgery.
  • PigwidgeonPigwidgeon Shipmate
    @Boogie -- I thought you might enjoy this story (and the pictures :heart: ):

    7 future assistance dogs get private flight to Phoenix with volunteer pilot
  • RossweisseRossweisse Hell Host, 8th Day Host, Glory
    What kind of dogs are those (besides cute)?
  • PigwidgeonPigwidgeon Shipmate
    I think they're Labrador Retrievers -- some black, some yellow. (Boogie will know for sure!)
  • Jane RJane R Shipmate
    Yes, they look like Labradors.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    They're Andrex puppies, and they're beyond cute and out the other side! :heart:
  • North East QuineNorth East Quine Purgatory Host
    I'm here to rant. On Friday I was in the back garden with Elizabeth, taking in washing from the line. I popped back in with the basket, heard a yowl and rushed out to see Big Ginger pinning Elizabeth down. She seemed to have a tender spot on her back leg but no obvious bite. She was very distressed.

    We plugged the Feliway in, to try to calm her and gave her some treats which she ate eagerly, then cacked back up. She then went and peed on our bath mat (good choice - easily washable).

    Yesterday I had our windows open as it was such a lovely day, and Big Ginger came in and starting eating Elizabeth's food. He scarpered as soon as he saw me, but Elizabeth was distressed and threw up.

    I am utterly fed up with Big Ginger. I know where he lives, but I don't know his owners who seem to keep themselves to themselves, and are out all day. It has occurred to me that they might be frontline as they are both apparently working full time during lockdown.

    There's nothing they can do, is there? (Although if he is an intact male, and I don't know that he is, they could get him done.)
  • North East QuineNorth East Quine Purgatory Host
    Update. I have spoken to Big Ginger's owners. I didn't mention the vets bills, just said that our cat was distressed when their cat came into our house.

    They couldn't have been nicer. Very apologetic. He has been neutered, and as far as they are concerned he is a big softy, very affectionate.

    One of our problems is the windowsill thing, with Ginger on the outside, Elizabeth on the inside, nose to nose, both hissing at each other. Perhaps if Elizabeth stopped reacting to that, then things wouldn't escalate to fighting if Ginger catches her in our back garden.

    Suggestions?
  • Lily PadLily Pad Shipmate
    Curtains? Some sort of removable decals over the spot where they can see each other? Cover the window with foil wrap or bristol board so that they can't see each other? One of those plastic spikey things that is supposed to deter birds from lingering on windowsills? Carpet tape in that spot so that Ginger won't enjoy being around there?
    Glad you were able to speak to them. I hope that things change around. Is there any way to introduce the two in steps as you would if they were going to live together? I'm not a cat person so take all of these with a grain of salt.
  • North East QuineNorth East Quine Purgatory Host
    We have curtains, but Elizabeth sits behind them. We've put the spiky strips on two of our window sills, with minimal effect.

    I'm going to order the film which helps obscure glass and try that on one window, then get more if it works.

    I don't know what the sequence is for the windowsill scraps - whether Elizabeth is peacefully enjoying the view, Ginger sees her and heads for her, or whether Ginger is, for some unknown reason, on our windowsill, Lizzie realises he's there and heads for him.

    Either way, they end up nose to nose with just the window glass between them, yowling.

    Other cats traverse our garden, and Elizabeth watches them with keen interest, but with no sign of distress. As soon as she sees Ginger, even at a distance, her tail fluffs up like a bottle brush. That said, no other cat sits on our windowsills, or comes into our house.
  • BoogieBoogie Heaven Host
    Today Echo was on the long line on our track through the trees. Suddenly two cats hared towards him, obviously one chasing the other. Then they raced either side of Echo, both screeching!

    I braced myself, expecting the worst.

    He sat down and then watched them with great interest! Good boy! Lots of treats followed.

    👏🏼
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Well done, Echo! :)
  • Good boy, Echo!
    :smile:
  • Is it possible for you to slip outside with a water sprayer and spray Ginger when you see him on the window sill? A friend recommended that to me with our pet and it's having a wonderful effect. Though you've probably tried it already...
  • MooMoo Kerygmania Host
    Is it possible for you to slip outside with a water sprayer and spray Ginger when you see him on the window sill? A friend recommended that to me with our pet and it's having a wonderful effect. Though you've probably tried it already...

    I've heard this works especially well with ice water.

  • HuiaHuia Shipmate
    edited June 2020
    I have thought of getting one of those toys that looks like a pink plastic machine gun to deal with unfriendly cats. :naughty:
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