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Animal companions in our happy homes

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  • BoogieBoogie Heaven Host
    So sorry to hear of your loss @Ethne Alba :cry:

    A dear friend of mine lost her old dog last year and swore she dindnt want another as she’s too old.

    She’s just adopted a ten year old dog and they are absolutely besotted with each other. :heart:
  • Thank you all..... I forsee a similar situation to Boogie’s friend tbh !
  • Mine did the same last week. Grrrrrr.
  • BoogieBoogie Heaven Host
    What an incredible day.

    It was absolutely amazing. We went to watch Spencer work with his trainer and say our final farewells.

    He‘s learned such a lot and is every inch a Guide Dog. Not one paw wrong. There were several dogs - one huge and really pulling towards him. He ignored them all completely. He navigated a van parked on the pavement with aplomb too.

    His trainer said Spencer made all the decisions with no support at all. That included refusing to go forward when asked because a car was coming. Incredible.

    He went loooopy when we met him afterwards - a special time. He starts training with his owner on the 16th of March when they will spend two weeks at a hotel together, training by day and socialising with the others (three dogs altogether including his best friend Albert) in the evenings
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Well done Spencer! :smiley: 🐾
  • What a good dog! And what a good foster Mom you were to him. I really admire what you do.
  • Is that local to where he will be living? I've seen one or two dogs in training on our trams and I assumed they were getting city specific training. Or is that done after the initial working together stage?
  • BoogieBoogie Heaven Host
    Pendragon wrote: »
    Is that local to where he will be living? I've seen one or two dogs in training on our trams and I assumed they were getting city specific training. Or is that done after the initial working together stage?

    His new owner is in Bradford. He did his basic training in Leeds and his advanced training in Sheffield. :smile:

  • RossweisseRossweisse Hell Host, 8th Day Host, Glory
    Bravo, Spencer!
  • Do any UK shipmates know of a source of senior cat food in full size tins? Her Maisieness had a check-up at the vet today so I could get her flea stuff, and she's put on weight. Both cats have always been around 4.5-5 kgs, as they are big framed, but she's put another pound on so needs to go on a diet. They don't like dry (seems to make their poo runny), and if I feed them pouches I find that I get through 6 - 8 a day, so tins are more economical. Monty has his visit tomorrow and I suspect that being more sedentary these days he will also have put weight on.
  • Without a dog in the house ..... our community cat has decided to enter and roam at will.
    Hurrah!
    This should mean No More Mice!
  • Our 22 year old cat continues to visit the neighbours, meows at their door, and they let her in. They do what they have done for 2 decades: carry her home to us.

    Doggie had surgery this week for a growth on her eyelid. $600 all told. What can you do? She's nicer than some people I know. They gave us a neck cone, or rather said she needed to wear it. I put it on her and she stopped moving until I took it off. I was wondering that I wore it, it would stop me from touching my face, which is one of the anti-virus advices.

    I didn't accept the vet's expensive pain medication; we can get it from a farm supply place and weigh it on a kitchen scale. I put it a wee syringe and shoot it into her mouth. She looks like I've fed her soap. But she happily accepts it because she can see a dog treat in the other hand. I thought afterwords I should have tasted her medicine. I have tried dog treats before. They aren't very good. Cat treats aren't very nice either.
  • HuiaHuia Shipmate
    The smell alone would put me off tasting cat treats. I once, inadvertently tasted some dried cat food. It took 20 minutes of washing out my mouth with mouthwash and scrubbing my teeth to get rid of the taste.

    It also meant that I stopped grabbing a handful of cereal sight unseen and munching it while I prepared my tea.
  • 😅
  • MaryLouiseMaryLouise Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    Sitting in semi-isolation when my small dog named The Chub developed a bladder infection and has to go through to the vet who will keep the surgery open and wipe down all surfaces etc. The Chub's twin, Chloe, has slight dementia and keeps greeting walls with enthusiasm but the vet says to let her be for now.

    Just what we didn't need to happen, but keeping calm and carrying on.
  • jedijudyjedijudy Heaven Host
    MaryLouise, my Jasmine of blessed memory was very elderly and had what we called Kitty Alzheimer's. She would talk to the walls, especially in my walk in shower. I often wonder if she thought she was seeing someone or something, like maybe a frog!

    Kitty Alzheimer's actually had a lot of positives. She had been a very fearful girl, and many people thought I only had one cat- Belle, because Jassy would hide and stay very still and quiet. After her memory started going, Jasmine would actually come out to greet people! She seemed much more relaxed!
  • MaryLouiseMaryLouise Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    Yes, @jedijudy , I'm seeing my small dog Chloe's personality change. She gets obsessed with me for periods of time and follows me everywhere (before this she had a kind of benign indifference and cupboard love at mealtimes). That said, she has more of a relationship with the kitchen door right now than any human in her vicinity.

    The Chub is back home on antibiotics. The vet said gently that she is old and may have failing kidneys, more tests to come. I cried all the way home.
  • I have had Molly for 3 years, we got her as a rescue when she was about 2. She has been very friendly with two large next door neighbor dog, even having a regular play date in the back yard with one of them. She shows little interest in other dogs except for one small dog we pass often when walking. They stare and growl at each other from their leashes, but only in a half hearted sort of way. Yesterday a small loose dog wondered into our back yard, I had the gate open as I was carrying weeding to driveway cans. Molly was off the porch in a flash and a dog fight was soon exploding. I got Molly by the neck and was able to swing her around and pick her up and the little dog ran away. I was in total shock, it all happened so fast without warning. I really am upset by her behavior. Not sure what to make of it.
  • Small dog was in her territory. And unknown and unwelcome, as well as small. That probably accounts for it, IMHO. (I was really freaked out when our puppy went after a groundhog on much the same, er, grounds.)
  • MaryLouiseMaryLouise Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    A scary moment, GI, good you reacted so fast. It sounds like normal territorial aggression, as LC said. But disconcerting.
  • cgichardcgichard Shipmate
    edited March 2020
    I've been thinking about adopting an older cat for some while. Now I've located one in foster care that may suit me very well, my need being all the greater because of the current enforced solitariness. The difficulty is that I don't drive and the cat is located in a suburb over an hour's journey from where I live by public transport. [I'm in Melbourne, Australia, and I don't think such a journey is forbidden to us yet, merely discouraged.]

    It might just be possible for me to visit - and if this one seems like good match - complete the adoption paperwork at the same time and bring her home with me.

    I'm waiting to hear from the organization whether they could agree to this or if all adoptions are "on hold" for the duration. I'm finding it hard to be patient amid the uncertainty.
  • RossweisseRossweisse Hell Host, 8th Day Host, Glory
    I hope and pray that it all works out, @cgichard! Cats can be a great comfort.
  • cgichardcgichard Shipmate
    Thankyou, @Rossweisse. I'm just feeling sorry for myself and in need of feline ministry at the moment. If it does work out, I'm sure I'll be back here for advice.
  • So happy to hear of your plans cgichard. We adopted a 10 year old cat and had her for 41/2 years, she was a dear, such good inside manners. Her name was Sweetie Pie and at 10 we were not going to change it. Mr Image said, " You are saying I have to take the cat to the vet and tell them I call her Sweetie Pie?" Around here shelters are begging people to take animals during lock down at home even if just to foster them. They will even deliver. Best of luck.
  • MaryLouiseMaryLouise Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    Good luck, @cgichard!
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Best of luck indeed, @cgichard!
  • jedijudyjedijudy Heaven Host
    Oh, I hope it works out @cgichard !

    I miss my kitty girls of blessed memory!
  • I moved house with our two cats on public transport by the expedient of using the pram - one carrier in the top and one in the basket underneath. I'm sure that a rescue place would be delighted to wave a cat off to its forever home before everything shuts down.

    Maisy did poke her head out of the open back door earlier, although she didn't really go out, so spring must be here!
  • I just noticed that from today the RSPCA is unable to rehome for fostering or adoption, but will continue to care for the animals already with them (no new admissions).
  • Gramps49Gramps49 Shipmate
    Over the past few days, sheltering in place, I have been getting a kick out of a little dance between a squirrel on the outside deck, and our cat on the inside. Squirrel comes out to feed on seeds that have dropped from our bird feeder. Cat notices it from the inside and starts stalking the squirrel. Squirrel notices the cat and flaunts its stuff. My wife tells me this can go on for hours.
  • cgichardcgichard Shipmate
    daisydaisy wrote: »
    I just noticed that from today the RSPCA is unable to rehome for fostering or adoption, but will continue to care for the animals already with them (no new admissions).

    I was offered a facetime "meet & greet" with the cat I'm hoping to adopt and her foster carer, but my computer isn't up to it (XP, sans webcam & microphone), so I'm not sure how we'll go from here. Presumably travel to adopt is not "essential" anyway.
  • Spent an hour or so refurbishing Griffon's heavily used and completely wrecked scratching post today after going out to buy some carpet to cover it. (Hardware store is still open). He gave it one light, disdainful touch with one paw and left to spend the rest of the day with the neighbour's cat across the road. 'Conservative' doesn't begin to describe that beast.
  • RossweisseRossweisse Hell Host, 8th Day Host, Glory
    cgichard wrote: »
    daisydaisy wrote: »
    I just noticed that from today the RSPCA is unable to rehome for fostering or adoption, but will continue to care for the animals already with them (no new admissions).

    I was offered a facetime "meet & greet" with the cat I'm hoping to adopt and her foster carer, but my computer isn't up to it (XP, sans webcam & microphone), so I'm not sure how we'll go from here. Presumably travel to adopt is not "essential" anyway.
    I'd call it essential - definitely for the cat you're hoping to adopt, and possibly for you.

  • Took Molly for a walk today, always good to get out. We walked across a field with a number of gopher holes. The terror half of her border collie mix took off with great interest. There was a lot of digging and circle around the holes, after about 10 minutes she finally gave up, but took the time to pee on both mounds before trotting away. She came home ate her breakfast and took a very long nap. I think she would call it a most satisfying day, even without catching a gopher.
  • HuiaHuia Shipmate
    Meanwhile some poor wee gopher* is crying to its Mummy because a big nasty dog peed on it's head. :cry:

    * We don't have gophers here, so I Googled. That is one ugly animal.

    Last night I stupidly tried to get Aroha to come in last night by tossing some treats inside (which didn't work) so she waited for that to happen again. When it didn't she chased Spooky from down the road inside. I gave Spooky a treat and rattled the bag so Aroha jumped in. I then closed the window and escorted Spooky out.

    It will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow night. Probably the problem will be with Spooky who is a fully grown cat, and much more wily than Aroha.
  • cgichardcgichard Shipmate
    I've gone back on my idea of adopting a cat. Had a good talk with a wise friend who knows me well and how I'm situated and has an older cat himself, and he came up with several reasons why I shouldn't and I trust his judgement.
  • HuiaHuia Shipmate
    cgichard, much better to discover that before you adopt the cat. If you still want feline contact at times there may be one of those cafés nearby where you can visit and interact with cats.
  • Has anybody got suggestions, ideas, etc. for people living alone with pets who are worrying about what happens if they go down with the coronavirus? In a particularly bad way, I mean. I've just had a conversation with someone who is having horrible flashbacks to pets dying untended while the owners were carted off to the hospital during the early days of AIDS. She was worrying about what would happen if the house got quarantined and friends couldn't come in to see to the pets. I told her that I was certain our local authorities couldn't organize their way out of a paper bag a retroactive quarantine on her house if she were carried off (just imagine trying to get through the hospital bureacracy to identify addresses to quarantine, as overwhelmed as they are at the moment!) and IMHO at this stage of the game where we live, they wouldn't even try. Ideas, thoughts, suggestions?
  • The first thing that occurs to me is that your friend make arrangements should - God forbid - she require hospitalisation, someone can do a one-time visit to the her home and bring Rover to their now foster-home/dog/cat/parakeet motel (i.e., the friend's home) for the duration of the hospitalisation. It'd be a bit of a palaver whether at your friend's home, with someone visiting daily, or someone taking care of the animal(s) at their own place. I cat-sat at my own place, and aside from a bit of initial negotiation with the cat, it worked out fine. A friend of mine has designated me foster human for his service dog (arranged pre-Covid), and I've cast an eye about my current flat as to how that might be accommodated.

    I shall think on this...
  • Lily PadLily Pad Shipmate
    Lamb Chopped, a couple of ideas. If she takes medicine at all and carries a list of meds in her purse, put a note with it to say that there is a dog at home. That way, if a paramedic or triage person is handed her list of meds, they will also get the note that a dog is alone at home. The note should have a couple of phone numbers of backup people who would look after the pet.

    I keep a small bag packed for myself in the event that I need to go to the hospital suddenly. I also keep one for my dog. It is actually a little bed that folds with handles. I keep one of her fleece blankets, a couple of toys, her leash, poop bags, and two dishes. I also have three days supply of her food in yogurt tubs with the instructions for feeding on it and what brand/type of food it is. Although I don't have firm plans on where she would go, I do feel reassured to know that she is ready.

    Around here, the fire department gives out vinyl cling stickers that go on the doors to alert first responders to any pets living in the house. If I were in the position of your friend, I would be sure to update the doors with information and who to call should there be any question.

    It is an awful thing to contemplate so maybe a little bit of preparation would help make her feel calmer about it. I know it helps for me.
  • Lily PadLily Pad Shipmate
    And, Lamb Chopped, one other thing I have seen, while I am thinking of it. One older person said her healthy neighbour dropped off three coloured sheets of paper to all of the elderly people who she could see from her house. The idea is that they have all put up a green card in the window to say that they are okay. If they need an errand done or are running out of a needed item or are not well, they will change it to a yellow card. If they are very unwell and need help they have a red card to put up in the window. If your friend had an arrangement with someone close to them who could see a window, this might give them both some peace of mind.
  • Some animal charities have a scheme to take on a pet in an emergency. I am registered with the Cats Protection League, and have included them in my will.
  • BoogieBoogie Heaven Host
    edited March 2020
    I’m on my own.

    So I have made up bags with food for two weeks, treats, dish, favourite toys, medical records flea and tick treatments and a blanket and put them in the porch for each dog - that way they will have what they need virus free if I am carted off.

    Two friends have offered to have Tatze (two in case one is also affected) and Echo would be picked up by Guide Dogs. I have hidden spare keys and given instructions as to where they are.

    The Cinnamon Trust is a good charity for this in the U.K. if you don’t have friends to help out. I’m sure there are similar in the US.

    https://cinnamon.org.uk/



  • Good stuff. I've passed info on.
  • North East QuineNorth East Quine Purgatory Host
    Elizabeth's feud with Big Ginger is ongoing, although the novelty of staring at her through our windows seems to be wearing off a bit for Ginger, and Elizabeth seems more relaxed about spotting him at a distance.

    This morning, being April Fools Day, the NE Loon thought it would be a good idea to stand outside my bedroom window at 6am, mewing like Ginger, in the hope of setting Elizabeth off and waking me to general windowsill bedlam. He managed to attract Elizabeth onto the windowsill, but she just sat there staring at him in silent bewilderment while I slept on oblivious.

    Good girl, Elizabeth!
  • And that's the child who is supposed to be so laid back! He got up at 6!!
  • North East QuineNorth East Quine Purgatory Host
    He didn't get up at 6. He hadn't gone to bed. He's asleep in bed now, with a request to wake him at 2pm for lunch. Needless to say, if he thinks he's getting to sleep until it's too late for me to get my April Fool's revenge he has another think coming.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Well did you? Inquiring minds need to know! :mrgreen:
  • North East QuineNorth East Quine Purgatory Host
    I tried. But apart from interrupting his sleep, I failed.

    I should add that merely trying to get Lizzie to wake me up yowling on my windowsill was only part of it. If I'd headed out of my bedroom to go out to chase Big Ginger, empty coke cans balanced on my door would have landed on me, and if I'd opened my curtains to shoo B.G. away, the words "Watch Your Back" had been traced on the freshly dug and raked veg patch. Plus of course, there was the standard whoopie cushion under my seat at breakfast, and my computer mouse had been replaced with one of Elizabeth's catnip mice.
  • He devoted much energy to your amusement!
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