# Introducing.... the Single Girls' Fur Babies



## wizard

Well, on the suggestion of someone else I thought I'd start a thread about our treasured and deeply loved fur babies. Feel free to post about who they are and what they do: how they drive you mad, trash the place, stop you getting on with things, bankrupt you, cause you worry and angst, and of course how you just couldn't live without them (most of the time!).

*wizard's gang *
4 cats - 
1 x 4.5 kilo somewhat vacant / sawdust between the ears medium ginger. AKA Hector. Born 2001, boy
1 x 8 kilo gi-normous tabby who can barely get through the cat flap, and who craves attention (and crunchies) 24/7. AKA Pogle. Born 2001, boy
1 x 2.4 kilo tiny ginger with a severe heart murmur who will ONLY go to the toilet on the front door mat. AKA Kiki. Born 2001, girl
1 x 4.5 kilo long white-haired with a sprinkling of colour who thinks she's Lady Godiva. AKA Chica. Born 2005, girl

So that's my family folks. If I can work out how to post photos, I will! Please feel free to now share yours..... 

*mistimop's crew*
Ellie - cross breed dog. DOB 07/07/2000. Very social and gentle. Used in therapy work and education talks.
Raffi - tabby and white cat. DOB 06/04/2007. Big, gentle boy with baby meow and deep rumbly purr. Real lap cat.
Benji - black, part Burmese cat. DOB 25/10/2007. Incredibly naughty ( has ADHD?!!) but incredibly cuddly too. Suckles on my ear lobes


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## indekiwi

Good initiative Wizard!  

I have a brown and white springer spaniel, 5 years old, called Doc, whose mostly gorgeous but recently has been peeing inside for no reason at all.    We've only had him for six months (was previously a working dog in kennels) but can't imagine being without him now.  Not sure how to add photos below either, but trust me, he's beeyuuteefool!

A-Mx


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## RedRose

Brilliant, Wizard, at last someone else mad enough to have 4 cats.  Introducing:

Lily:  17 years young, shiny, black and tiny, golden eyes and fast on her feet.  Hails from a farm in Mere in Wiltshire, where she was described to me as "always having her nose into everything".  Three quarters Burmese, one of the cleverest and funniest creatures I have ever met and that includes most humans.  Specialities: opening doors, waking me up in the early hours for a play, and finding the warmest niche in the bed.  Truly sent from heaven to comfort me in my darkest times.

Coco:  14, a large chocolate point blue eyed Siamese cross, born to my sister's cat in Devon, whom I couldn't bear to be given outside of the family as he is the most nervous cat in the world, but extremely affectionate.  Specializes in Siamese shrieking, often resulting in people on the phone asking me "have you got a baby there?" ( I wish! ), and scudding rapidly over the floor to wipe his bottom after a no 2.  Also does great silent miaows.  A sweetie.

Tinkerbell: ( proper name, Palomina ), 13, a sepia snow Bengal ( tabbylike with traffic light green eyes ).  Almost feral at times, relationships are on her terms OR NOT AT ALL, lived with my mum for a while and has only recently started nervously to sit on my lap ( so thrilled ).  Specialities: furring up like a lunatic and riccocheting off the walls and also a perfect mother.

Sugar: 12, son of the above, also known as Shuggyshoes.  Homicidal towards Lily, but if he comes for a cuddle, which he always does, you will be there for the next three hours.  A tapper and shover of anything that can be biffed with a paw and is obsessed with the kitchen sink plug.  Loves butter and loves to MEDDLE.

Wizard is it Hector in your photo, he's lovely, I've never had a ginger, ( cat or human  )

Indekiwi, I'd love a dog, springers are gorgeous but mad as hatters in my experience.  I did homecare for a while and used to be regularly literally almost bowled over by 2 on my round.  Now have 2 next door but one, one of whom always dashes into my front garden and digs something up on his way to a walk.  

Seriously, I think I would have gone mad without my cats sometimes and as a single now they provide a source of affection and cuddles, don't they.  Has anyone else had to have the argument about partner versus animals in the bedroom?  My ex wasn't keen at first but hey, love me, love my cats.  And now he is gone but they remain .  Has anyone seen the telly programme Ladies of Letters where Maureen Lipman has her dog sleep in her bed?
          Anyway better start putting them all into their pajamas, love Rosi.


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## Chowy

I have 

1, 3 yr old female Chow (Millie) had a litter of 5 puppies on 25-12-08.

1, 21 month old male Chow (Barnie) (see pic)

1 male puppy (Jack) went to his new home on Thursday.  

1 male puppy (Santa, but will be Bertie) going to his new home next Sunday. More  

1 male puppy (Cracker) to find home for (im very good at turning people down, got it off to a T)

2 female girlies (Berrie and Hollie) staying put to live happily ever after with Mummy.

Chowy xx (Hence the name)


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## madmisti

Well done Wizard -I had the idea - you had the nerve to go ahead and start it!!

It is SO lovely to hear about everyone's fur babies. Anyone who has had one(or more) needs no explanation of just how incredibly important they are - especially for us singlies TTC.

Wizard - can't believe you have an 8 kilo cat!! Or a 2.4kg one - talk about extremes! They all sound lovely though  

Indewiki - Doc sounds lovely - and good on you for adopting an older dog rather than getting a puppy! I love Springers, but they can be a bit mad  


Red Rose - your 4 sound wonderful too - even sugar with his murder on his mind  . One of mine is part Burmese ( see below) so I completely get what you say about Lily!

Chowy - wow - puppies on Xmas Day!! Must be SO hard to let them go, but keeping a couple must ease that a bit. You will certailnly have a houseful! Barnie looks adorable  

So - here's mine  

Ellie - a cross breed dog  - mostly black. Born July 2000. She is the easiest dog in the world - all my friends who have dogs are dead jealous  . She has a very sweet nature and is so easy going it is unbelievable - she just fits in with whatever is happening and is never any trouble. She LOVES all people and all other animals - particularly dogs of course. She has just loved it when I have brought a kitten home -she gets almost more excited about the new 'baby' than I do!! She is a PAT ( Pets as Therapy) dog - and I do nursing home visits with her as well as some work with dog phobic children. She is also an approved Blue Cross Education Dog and comes into schools, youth groups, Brownies etc ( anywhere where there are children under 12) in my role as a Volunteer Educational Speaker for the Blue Cross. She had to pass temperament tests for both of these - but passed with flying colours    She is my little angel!

Raffi - tabby and white cat. Born April 2007. He is so adorable and sweet - a very gentle boy who loves to be on my lap    And if my lap is unavailable, then my back, shoulder etc. He sleeps under the duvet! He loves his little brother Benji ( see below) and even lets him eat his food  - Benji eats incredibly fast and then goes and pushes Raffi out the way to eat his! I stop this of course! Raffi LOVES to play with feathers and pens -he hides them under my rug in a little pile   The only naughty thing he does is scratch the furniture  

Benji -  black cat - born October 2007. Like Rosi's cat, Lily, he is part Burmese and displays all of their character traits - intelligent, even more inquisitive than other cats, funny, bold and incredibly affectionate. He is just into everything! He particularly likes all things electrical - he rushes up to the TV when I switch it on and off, gets very excited when I put a disc into the pc, loves looking at the pc screen etc - very strange! He HATES to be left out of anything - I am not even allowed to shut the bathroom door unless he is in with me otherwise he howls in protest. He and Raffi get along really well - they play together a lot and chase each other around the house ( they are indoor cats apart from a balcony). They groom each other and cuddle up together if I am not available! Benji is VERY playful - also loves pens but any toy will do. And he loves to chase his tail too ( something I had only ever seen a dog do before). All of the 'hard work' associated with Benji is more than compensated for though by his very affectionate nature. He has to have lots of cuddles - always as close to me as possible, draped around my neck or on my shoulder. And he has suckled on my ear lobes since I first brought him home  - which is very sweet apart from the painful kneading with claws that goes with it! Oh, and he is VERY greedy - and eats so fast I reckon he could get the world record!

So, that is my little 'family'    They are all my 'babies' and what keep me going through the bad times.

Looking forward to hearing about others fur babies too - and  sharing stories of their antics etc  

Love
Misti xx


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## winky77

oooo....all this talk of fur babies is making me want to go and get another one!!! 

I have been owned by a series of cats since I was 8 years old ....so here is the story of my cats past and present!!....

It all started with TRUFFLES (named after the dog in 'George and Mildred'!) ...one of a shock black and white litter after a posh siamese cat got out and had fun with the local tom cat!  For 19 years Truffles was my substitute sibling, best friend and confidante. Definately a cat that thought it was human...loved to travel in the saddle bag of my pushbike (well at least I remember it that way?!) ...also travelled all over the UK on holidays and weekends in my mum and dad's caravan and had a personal crusade to rid the world of wildlife. From moles to peacocks, Truff would have a go.  We often towed away the caravan after a weekend in a field only to find several corpses underneath...And she never failed to bring a little furry pressie home on birthdays and at christmas! Sadly Truff's years of sun worshipping caught up with her and she developed skin cancer on her white ears when she was 19.  Having her put to sleep was the most heart-breaking thing ever (I was splitting up from my husband at the time and I cried more about the cat!)

One year later, divorce sorted, new house bought....was time to get another cat.  Got SPOOKY from the RSPCA  (so called because she looked just like TRUFF but with sensible black ears instead of skin cancer attracting white; and the day I got her was exactly one year to the day from Truff dying...oooo eeee ooooo).  Spooky had multiple personalities.....affected by whatever other cat happened to be living with us.  Started life as a total lapcat but when fiesti Patti came along (see below), Spooky pretty much moved out and certainly rejected me.  Yet when I went on holiday my flat mate delighted in telling me how she would move back in?!?! Definately a cat with a grudge.  All changed back to sweetness and light when we all moved house.....new territory and all that.  Spooky was with me 8 years and died whilst eating her breakfast at my parents house ...she was staying there over New Year while I partied up in Scotland.  My ever practical dad put her in a box in the shed until I came back two days later ...'didn't want her to start to smell'....so thoughtful! 

In the early days of having Spooky, I decided she needed a companion and picked up a black kitten with white bib and socks from a colleague.  Became known as ZIGGY after doing a particularly attractive scuttling across the parquet dance whilst my David Bowie Greatest Hits was playing.  Sadly Ziggy's life was not to be a long one.  Aged about 3 she 'disappeared' without a trace when I was living in the East End of London. A few weeks earlier, a rather scary old lady neighbour had been round complaining about Ziggy sitting on the wall 'worrying her pigeons'.  All very suspicious.... particularly when another neighbour told us that the scary old lady used to be married to one of the Kray twins?!  No joke....we were convinced Ziggy had been 'taken out', East End gangster style. 

So still thinking Spooky needed a pal, another kitten was purchased.....my first non monochrome....a beautiful fiesty tortoiseshell.  The weekend she got her we had a BBQ and everyone who came put name suggestions in a bucket.  She became PATTI BIANCI (which someone said meant white feet in Portuguese).. but my flatmate always called her Patsy Bianca ...as he said they were both screeching ginger *****es in the East End....ouch!  Patti's main aim in life was to torture Spooky...hence Spooky developing her personality disorder.  Some calm was restored when we all moved to a new house but it was never an easy relationship.  Patti was the one cat that made Pet Insurance worthwhile.....she rapidly got through her nine lives.....developed an horrendous ulcer which had to be operated on after getting bitten by a rat....had a steel plate in her hip after being run over.  And I spose it was to be expected but she definately had vet-phobia.....she once climbed up six feet of shelves and swiped the vets face and it took 3 vetinary staff to recapture her whilst I was banished into the waiting room to be stared at by all the people with sensible animals.  Finally Patti did one daring dash too many across the road and the last of her nine lifes was sadly squashed.  I swear Spooky smiled. 

I decided Spooky couldn't handle another 'intruder' so she lived out the rest of her days as the blissful sole feline.  But when Spooky died I had to drive back to London with a car full of cat food and an empty cat carrier and the house seemed so empty...  so it wasn't long before I was thinking of getting one or two more.... 

This brings us up to the present two cats in my life!!  Before I could do much in London to look for another cat, my dad phoned to say two stray cats had turned up on their road and were sleeping in a neighbours garage. I was convinced their owner would turn up but two weeks later Dad had exhausted every line of inquiry and drawn a complete blank so I agreed I would adopt them.  And so there was a rendevous in a half way motorway services on the M6 and these cats were transferred from their car to mine and taken back to London.  They became known as SMUDGE and SCRIBBLE.  Smudge is a tortie and white with a big black smudge on her nose; SCRIBBLE is a tabby with amazing symmetrical swirls on her coat.  They were obviously abandoned together (same collars) but they are like bickering old sisters who compete ruthlessly for my affection.  Their past is a mystery but 5 years on and now in Scotland they are both still with me.  Smudge is flighty, adventorous, very affectionate and loves kids and people generally....but she is a paddler who dribbles embarassingly on anyone who visits. She also chirps like a bird!  Scribble is equally affectionate,  but a bit of a lardarse and a persistant howler. She sleeps on my chest and wakes me up by pawing my face.  Both cats are obsessed with wafer thin ham which i give them as a treat sometimes but it means that any time I open my fridge they hang off the door howling for ham. 

So .....do you think we can have a meet-up and bring our fur babies too!!! 

lol

..Winky


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## madmisti

Winky -how lovely to hear about all of your fur babies, past and present    I would definitely be up for a fur baby meet up - not sure my cats would be that thrilled though!

Love
Misti xx


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## OneStepAtATime

I have had a succession of hamsters over the past few years. Funny, cuddly, inquisitive and can be left at weekends if you go away. Only downside is they only live for a couple of years...   

My current little friend, Rosie, is unfortunately 2 and a bit, and showing her age - but still as lovely as ever. She comes when called and follows you about in her ball when she's out.   

OneStep


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## madmisti

Onestep -ah, Rosie sounds cute    The hard part of having any fur baby is that their lives are always too short for us ( unless you get a tortoise I guess!). But the love, joy, companionship and comfort they give more than compensates for the terrible pain of losing them. I hope Rosie goes way beyond the average lifespan and you make lots more special memories with  her  

Love
Misti xx


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## RedRose

Hi all, 
    I've so enjoyed reading about all the fur babies.  Onestep, I thought I was reading about me when you mentioned a Rosie who was showing her age .  Winky you've certainly had some colourful cat characters in your life.  I know what you mean about a house without pets, I never feel lonely with my cats, but can't stand it if the house is empty or one of them is at the vet, please no .
    Misti, if Lily is in a mischievous mood, she likes to bomb into the bathroom ( while I am going to the loo ), leap into the bath and chase her tail in there.  She once did it when the bath was full, lucky I was on the loo as I nearly had an accident laughing.  How she did it I don't know but she managed to get herself out in about 2 seconds flat.  She had to have counselling for the embarassment but she is ok now.  I love all cats, but there is something almost human about Burmese.  Winky, like your Truffle, I would say Lily is more a confidante and friend than a furbaby, feels like we grew up together as I have had her for 17 years.  I, too, get more upset about animals than I do about humans.
    Chowy and Millie, congrats on your puppies, what a gorgeous looking breed, I've never seen them before.  I intended to breed my Bengal girl, Palomina ( Tinkerbell ), but we had one litter, I ended up keeping the 2 boys, and nearly had a nervous breakdown when the girl kitten left home, even though she was going to be treated like a princess with a nursing tutor friend of mine, so decided I wasn't cut out to be a breeder.  LOVED having the kittens from day one though.  I stayed awake all night with Tinkerbell on her due date, who decided to get into bed with me and pushpaw me, very excitedly.  I finally succumbed to sleep at 3am, waking to tiny shrieking noises at 6, panicking that I would be lying in a bed of gore and squashed kittens.  But all was ok, as, bless her, she had got into the cardboard box, with hole that I had put into the corner of the room and was looking out at me and chirruping with the most excited, CHUFFED WITH HERSELF face I have ever seen.  After checking the bed, and under it for stray kittens, I had a quick look in to see 3 perfect kittens, all washed, lined up and feeding, the only sign of mess, a couple of pink stains on the cardboard.  Thank God I fell asleep and just let her get on with it!
                      love to all the furbabies, Rosi.


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## Lou-Ann

I have 3 furbaby cats, although I was only supposed to be having 1!! They are brother and sisters - Max, MeMe and Maddie aged 3 this year (in a couple of weeks in fact!), and were my sister's cat's kittens. Several days after they were born the mommy cat was unwell, so from 10 days old, my sister and I had to hand rear them (i'd do the night shift and my sister would collect them in the morning and do the day shift). Thus, I couldn't see any of them going to another home. They are all so different in personality, although for some reason all 3 tend to run for cover when the front door knocks   

Max (pictured) is the most affectionate of them all. He likes to be held over my shoulder, headbuts affectionately all the time, likes to sit at the pc with me (or on top of the monitor) and sleeps on the pillow next to me. 

MeMe, the bigest of the 3, is jet black, and is very much a scaredy cat, although she will be picked up and fussed for about 2 minutes. She sleeps on top of the duvet by my legs.

Maddie is black and white and the smallest of the 3. She is the most curious and will search through the kids' sticking and glueing stuff for pompoms to play with. On the odd occasion she has made me laugh by having a wee in the bathroom sink whilst i'm sat on the loo first thing in the morning . She also sits in the bedroom window waiting for me to come home from work - by the time i've pulled up and got to the front door, she's there waiting for me bless her! She chooses to sleep on top of the duvet at the bottom of the bed. 

They can be a bit of a pain when they decide that it's play time because they get a little out of hand and make each other swear, but I wouldn't be without them.

What is also quite comical is that when I say 'cats' they come running from where ever they are and look out into the garden to see if there is a cat. They don't do anything about it though, just sit and watch  

Well, that's my furbabies  

Lou-Ann x


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## suitcase of dreams

I'm more of a dog than a cat person myself....if I lived in a house with a garden I'd def get a dog now that I'm not travelling so much. Not appropriate in my little flat though - I like big dogs and just not enough space here  

One day when the housing market sorts itself out and I can move to a bigger place with a garden.....it's nice to dream isn't it  

Suitcase
x


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## bingbong

It is really nice to read about everyone's furbabies   some of them sound like very interesting characters!!!

I have two dogs at the moment. At the most I had three dogs, two cats (one female ginger and one ragdoll who hated me), one miniature horse, a rabbit, about 150 fish and 30 parrots of various sizes and friendliness. 

But now I have two dogs, both cavalier king charles spaniels. Casey, the older one just turned 10, which was rather scary! She has been with me through so much, and has moved to New Zealand and back with me. She is a bit of a grandma, but has been since she was about three and decided that she was old now. She loves her food, and used to love cuddles, but now she likes cuddles in her own time and her bed most of the time. Casey can get really stressed sometimes, and doesn't like to be left alone at night very much, a light helps her but she still tends to bark. She loves people but I am definately the most important and she likes to stick close if she isn't sure about what's going on. 

Lilly is my little girl, she is 8 in may. I got her in New Zealand, so she is a kiwi and moved back here. She is small, she never grew and people still think that she is a puppy which is rather amusing when I am having a good day, but makes me angry when I am having a bad one   She is also deaf, I now know that she has been hard of hearing her whole life, I used to just think that she was very naughty at 'come' but when she was about 3 she stopped greeting me at the front door sometimes and I would find her fast asleep somewhere, so I banged some saucepans behind her one day and she did nothing   she relies a lot on Casey, and that is how she covered it for so long. I wonder about how she will cope without Casey, my family have been kind enough to tell me that they think that she will go quickly after Casey cos she won't cope. I try not to think about it too much. Lilly knows some sign language which is great, but it is still hard to get her attention sometimes! She is totally different to Casey, very loving and friends with anyone, and relaxed and happy. She is not a great eater and at times I would say that she has been anorexic   which thankfully seems to have stopped. One thing that Lilly does is lick, I have tried to get her to stop but it is impossible, she loves to lick!!! She knows that she isn't allowed to lick faces, but when excited she can easily forget that! 

I love them both to bits and am not sure where I would be without them!!! I hope to get another cat one day as I miss my ginger girl heaps.

bingbong xx


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## madmisti

Rosi -interesting that Lily also chases her tail - maybe it is a Burmese thing? Must be hilarious when she does it in the bath - and I  loved the story of her jumping into the bath when it actually had water in it - poor girl! I had a cat who jumped in the sink once when I was having a wash - I have never seen a cat move so fast - impossible not too laugh,even though they are extremely cross about it    As for breeding - I would be exactly the same and want to keep all the kittens, so I have never done it!

Lou-Ann: The three M's sound lovely - it is amazing how kittens from the same litter and brought up together can be so different ( like kids I suppose!)  You must have such a special bond with them having hand reared them from such a  young age. My first cat I had after leaving home was an abandoned kitten -about 4 weeks when I found her, and I had a really strong bond with her - it was amazing.

Coco - so sorry you are allergic to cats  . Don't know what I would do if I have a child who is allergic - which to get rid of, the child or the cats - tough one  !!

Suity - hope you get the house with the garden, the baby and the dog one day hun  

BingBong - your Cavies look so sweet   Poor Lilly being deaf - but they do seem to cope quite well don't they. Horrible of your family to say she will go when Casey does - she will still have you, and maybe you will get a new friend for her and that will give her a new lease of life    Hopefully that day is along way off though   You are obviously a real animal lover with the menagerie you once had! I would love to live somewhere with lots of room for animals and have lots! I have a friend with stables and she has 4 horses, 8 Shetland Ponies, 4 goats, 8 cats, 2 giant rabbits, a ferret and an aviary of birds. I am in heaven when I visit!

Wizard - would it be possible to do a list on your first post - just our name, type of animal, name and year born. That way, as we move on with the thread and tell stories of our pets, people can look back to one place to see who we are talking about etc! 

Love to everyone and their little fur families!
Misti xx


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## jazzys_mum

This is so funny   
As I am reading this I am almost wetting myself!!!

At the moment I have two fur babies 1 dog Jazz (hence Jazzys mum) and one cat Simba. Jazz really does think she is my baby she demands my attention and as I have been on the laptop a while she is whining and pushing her ball in my direction. She's a border collie and completely mad I do agility and flyball with her and compete most weekends - like most collies (I've had a few) she is very intelligent too much so sometimes. I don't know what I would do without her.

Simba the cat is a very hairy tortie and white and she also has a black smudge on her nose. I rehomed her when she was 8 she is 13 now and the person who named her got it right because she really does think she is a lion! My two fight all the time and usually Simba wins because she takes no prisoners. I got her after my last one Tocsa died suddenly like Truffles she had white ears and liked sunbathing so I had to get childrens sun block factor 50 to put on her before I could let her out. Luckily she didn't get cancer but she was really fat in fact obese and I think she had a heart attack because of her weight but I still miss her now.

I also have 3 extras that I have to look after when my folks go on holiday which is often. Mollie and cavalier king charles who's 7, Purdie who's a cream persian and Laa Laa who is a very very noisy Siemmese chocolate seal point.

So thats my babies its great to hear about them all.
Jazzys mum xxxx


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## wizard

What fantastic and delightful furbabies you all have.  I'd love a get together of them all so we could show off our wares, but methinks the kids themselves might not be so keen....

Rosi the pic isn't one of mine but from the selection of avatars on the site.  I've tried to upload one of my gi-normous tabby but it won't work - maybe he has too many pixels as wells as pounds!

mistimop very happy to have a furbabies who's who.  If people can post for me the type of animal, name and year born as you suggest and will add.  Any distinguishing features / behaviour also welcome!

In relation to the bed issue, mine pile on the duvet every night.  All four.  It isn't half a squash sometimes, especially when I'm sandwiched in between the fat lad and then some.... But as you say rosi, love me love my cats.  It does mean I have to hoover it everyday though and I'm forever de-hairing furniture and clothes, it's like a full-time job.  And I so want another kitten


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## madmisti

Jazzy'sMum- Jazz sounds like a typical collie   - great you do agility and flyball with her to keep that mind busy - must be good fun.Simba sounds like a tortie and white I used tohave - I think torties have a bit of a reputation!  How does it all work when you baby sit your folks three? Do they all get on? My dog would be happy to have visitors but my cats definitely wouldn't !!!!

Wizard - thanks for doing 'who's who'  

My three are:  Ellie - cross breed dog. DOB 07/07/2000. Very social and gentle. Used in therapy work and education talks.
Raffi - tabby and white cat. DOB 06/04/2007. Big, gentle boy with baby meow and deep rumbly purr. Real lap cat.
Benji - black, part Burmese cat. DOB 25/10/2007. Incredibly naughty ( has ADHD?!!) but incredibly cuddly too. Suckles on my ear lobes 


Hope it is not too much work for you to do this, but only you can edit your first post of the thread  

Love Misti xx
PS - my user name comes from a gorgeous blue tortie and white cat who died very suddenly just before Xmas 2007, aged just 4


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## going it alone

Hiya
I have Hollie - a one 17 month old golden retriever who's more of baby than the girls. She's great though. I'd like to register as a PAT dog so that I can't take her into work for the kids at school to see. So many are scared of dogs it's good for them. The only prob is that part of the assessment is to not bite the brush as the vet grooms them - not a possibility at the mo! I'd love another rabbit but I think it would be too much and not fair on the poor bunny if I could spend enough time with it.

Jazzys mum - Jazzy sounds like Sophie, my old Collie cross that I lost just over a year ago. I did agility with her, until she ruptured her knee ligaments. Like Jazzy, she was too intelligent at times.

One Step- I had lots of hamsters as I was growing up. Once my friend and I had a few too many. We decided to breed our hamsters, without mentioning it to our parents. It worked first time and HER hammy had 15 babies. I'm so glad that I had the sense to do that when I had the male and not the other way around. They were cute babies though, we kept one each. They have such characters and personalities.

Love to all
Sam and Hollie xx


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## madmisti

Wow  Sam! Can't believe you took on a puppy dog while single handedly raising twins! Must be fun all round! Hope you get to the stage where you can take Hollie into school - I really enjoy my work with Ellie - especially with dog phobic children - it is wonderful to see the turn around  

I've been doing paperwork today - sorting through all my filing etc, so Benji in particular has had great fun knocking my neatly arranged piles of paper over, tearing bits up and generally making a nuisance of himself, but then he came for lots of kisses and cuddles so of course I forgave him  

Love
Misti xx


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## Elpida

Misti - my thoughts exactly re Sam + Twins + Puppy, I'm in awe  

I always grew up with dogs and have a particular soft spot for Boxers. When I moved into my house eight years ago and started living on my own I decided to get a kitten - enter Cheddar aka Mr Cheese. He's tabby and white and apparently not cat like at all, which everyone puts down to me treating him pretty much like a dog from when I got him at 8 weeks old (he does a 'high five'). He's very vocal, because I talk to him all the time. He is scared of the sound of rustling raincoats and foil and likes porridge and strawberry yoghurt.


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## madmisti

Esperanza - Cheddar sounds like a real character! Funny that he has a preference for strawberry yoghurt    My two cats LUUURRRVE any yoghurt and I can only eat it if I stand in the middle of the kitchen away from the work surfaces. Anywere else, and they are fighting me to get in it, lick the spoon etc.

Don't foget everyone to give Wizard a quick bio of your fur babies so she can put it on the first post -that way people can see who you are talking about later without having to re-read all our posts  

Love
Misti xx


----------



## wizard

Thanks misti


----------



## Footsteps

Hiya,

After reading about all the amazing stories of everybodies furbabies, I thought I would post the story of my little furbabies. 

I have twin boy cats, called Sooty & Sweep born 27/07/2007 both are black with a little white tuft both on their neck and tummies.  Although they are twins.. they are both little minxes, and are like chalk and cheese! Both have totally different characters, Sweep is a hunter and a cheeky little chappy, who is sleek and lean, doesn't care much about his grooming too much, likes to get into mischief... get stuck 30ft up trees etc.. (I must get him insured!) and brings me presents of birds and mice (much to my horror, but I put on a brave face and praise him for the lovely presents that he has brought me!) I am so glad that I found some toy mice infused with catnip that he absolutely adores. (Thankyou ASDA!) until one morning recently, when he brought me yet another real mouse.. and couldn't understand why I didn't take it off him and throw it for him to play fetch with ? We have to play every night with them, were I have to throw one of the mice and he chases after it and catches it and then brings it to me, to do it all over again... I am sure he thinks he is a dog?? were as Sooty is a little more shy, shorter, bulkier and fluffier, loves grooming himself and he delights in bringing me presents of earthworms and frogs!  It must take a lot of patience to catch earthworms... (again much to my horror, but again, Sooty gets lots of praise for my lovely presents!)  He is not so interested with the toy mice, but loves his neon pink ping pong balls.. (A bit of a fashion guru?) which keep getting stood on and squashed... and he has to wait till the next Xmas to get another one from his Whiskers selection pack (how frustrating!) he believes in having to wake me up by clawing on the carpet etc.. to wake me up, in the early hours in the morning to go downstairs with him to let him out? I can't believe that I actually have to chaperone him downstairs, as he doesn't like to go downstairs in the dark on his own?  I say to him "You're a cat... you are suppose to be nocturnal...you must like the dark, because I can't get you in, at night time! But, hey, I still do it.. he is one of my furbabies!   

When I first got Sooty & Sweep as kittens, I was worried about how they would get to know their names? and how I could tell them apart, but it's amazing they do learn their names, and how you do get to tell them apart.  We still have a battle on a daily basis whether it's a Felix day or Whiskers day... when they don't like the food in their bowls, they love nothing more than flopping onto their backs, legs a kimbo, for me to tickle their tummies, and try to win me over... crafty!! but in the end they give up (it use to be me that gave up first!) and eat whatever is put out for them.. finally! it's only taken me 18 mths! They are not stupid though, and recognize a packet of ham straight away! Sweep (The boss) has to have first choice of the food of course.. even though, half way through breakfst, dinner & tea, they both swap bowls anyway? and share.. Must be a boy thing? They both have a double bed between them... where I fit in somewhere in the middle, I didn't realise until I got the boys that I was such a great contortionist   who could sleep in many diff positions   !   Sooty usually sleeps at the bottom of the bed, keeping my feet warm, and Sweep sleeps at the top of the bed.. usually curled up and resting against me.. and if I dare move! Tut!

They are partners in crime, the squirrels that come into the garden, like to keep them on their toes...and give them the run around, they are never too far away from each other and the best of buddies! 

Friends and family say that I am mad, and spoil them rotten...but I don't care..  I love them to bits, and don't know what I would do without them.

Well that's my furbabies.. 

I look forward to meeting some more.

Footsteps x


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## madmisti

Oh Footsteps - your boys sound gorgeous and full of character too. Are you sure they don't have some Burmese in them as they both sound like they have that in their personalities? - especially Sweep with his fetch game   And had to laugh at the story of Sooty and you having to escort him down the stairs in the dark!! The things we do for our fur babies eh? Don't think anyone can appreciate and understand just how very precious they are to us, except us other single fur baby mums of course!

Have just been for a lovely long Sunday walk with Ellie - leaving the boys to sunbathe  

Love
Misti xx


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## tillie

Hi, Well I am owned by 3 fur babies.

Millie is around 18 years old and is a Border Terrier Cross. She is lovely but has so many warts its untrue bless her and she is deaf. She can be a bit of a grouch with other dogs sniffing her bits at times but is so loving to people (she is old bless her). Im a Dog Warden and she was a stray going back a few years and I couldn't resist her.

Benji is a Jack Russell Cross and will be 12 this year, he loves everyone and is a really happy boy. He is deaf and I also picked him up as a stray 11 years ago. I am so lucky with my fur babies and love them all to bits.

George is my pet skunk and he is a real sweety and rules the dogs, he is 10 months old. He is very loving and litter trained and loves to play with his toy rat.

Millie










Benji










George


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## winky77

ooo Tillie...think you win the prize for the most unusual pet......a pet Skunk !!  Wow!  


My info for page one...

Smudge, girl tortie & white cat, approx 8 yrs old, a paddler and dribbler who chirps like a bird, adopted in Jan04

Scribble, girl tabby, approx 10 yrs old, a chunky headbutter who howls like a dog, adopted in Jan04

..Winky


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## madmisti

Tillie - yes you definitely get the prize for most unusual pet!! Never heard of a pet skunk before    Do they have their scent removed, or do they just never let the scent off if they are domesticated? He looks absolutely gorgeous    And your dogs are lovely too - Benji is a great name by the way  )  How  did you get the photos on your post   

I admire you being a dog warden - that must be very hard at times -seing ill treated or abandoned dogs . And how do you not just bring all the strays home?? That would be my problem!!

Love
Misti xx


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## Annaleah

Tillie - love the picture of the skunk in the snow.  

Love the idea of a furbabaies meet up but I think they'd take my four out!!

My four are of the reptile/ feathered kind:
Rufus - Spurthighed tortoise born May 01.  
Archie - African grey (2.06.06) very entertaining and his favourite phrases at the moment are "here we are Rory" "eeeeercheeeeeewwww, bless you"
Iris - Senegal parrot (30.10.06)  Utterly scrumptious.  Incredibly naughty.  Very greedy.  Favourite position - on her back, legs akimbo having her head scratched!
Rory - Meyers parrot (16.04.07) Very pronounced anxiety disorder!!! Anxious of anything new but very cuddly, likes to climb under my jumper just by my shoulder and snuggle for ages. 
Annaleahxx


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## RedRose

Gosh, what an exotic thread this is becoming!
     Tillie, how did you and George meet?
     GoingitAlone, 15 babies!  I think you put too many embryos back  , didn't you? 
      Misti, you will have great fun with Benji when you have a baby, or twins! soon.  When my eldest niece, ( now 21  ) was a toddler, Lily was obsessed with her and seemed to know just how to play with her.  The Bengals just blank my sister's girls or head for the hills, as does Coco.  I think he thinks my sister might take him back.  His mother still lives with her ( Angel, now 17 ), but has recently survived my sister running her over when backing the car out ( broken pelvis ), and 10 seconds in the tumbledryer on delicates, ( no apparent injury ).  Safety precautions have now been instituted. Now Coco understands why I rescued him!  My eldest niece, Nadine, says that Angel has had enough of the family and is trying to end it all.
     My four pussies, all living with me from babies:
          Lily: 17, three-quarters Burmese, my beloved best friend, tiny, black and shiny, more human than me.  Likes: intimacy and being a princess.
          Coco: 15, half-choc Siamese, a big, bumbling bag of nerves with beautiful blue eyes.  Likes: kisses and cuddles and early hours shrieking sessions.
           Tinkerbell: 13, a small and slinky sepia snow Bengal. Wild but sweet, gorgeous green eyes.  Likes: to chat and chirrup with me and bounce off walls. 
           Sugar: 12, Bengal, son of the above.  Cuddly and sensitive, occasionally has to be calmed down.  Likes: sink plugs, helping visiting handymen, playing spreadytoes and washing his winkle .
            Love to all furbabies, oh, and their owners, Rosi.


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## madmisti

ooh - we could start a small animal zoo    Annaleah - your 4  sound like great fun - must be special to have fur babies who can talk to you   Though dread to think what mine would say - probably get a few complaints - like not enough cuddles  

Rosi - you had me in stitches - although obviously concerned for poor Angel, the fact that her tumbledryer experience was on 'delicates' just cracks me up - laughing as I type this  . And Nadine's idea that she is trying to get through her 9 lives double quick - oh dear - sad but hilarious 

Glad to hear that Lily was good with children    Hopefully Benji will be too, though I think there may be some jealousy issues! And I can envisage having a baby hanging off my boob ( or even one on each  ) and Benji suckling away on my ear lobe  

Sugar has similar 'interests' to my Raffi - also loves sink plugs -and the little plastic sieves I have in my plug holes and washing his winkle    But what is spready toes - does it involve your toes or his  

I am LOVING this thread - please don't just introduce your furbabies - come on and tell us what they have been doing today - funny stories etc. It is a bit of light relief from all the TTC topics, and as fur baby mums, it is nice to have somewhere we can share stuff about our precious bundles of fur  

Love and cuddles to all
Misti x


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## RedRose

Hi all,

    Just to explain spreadytoes, Misti, it is when I tuck Sugar into the crook of my arm, sitting on his bottom, take a back paw and tickle in between the main pawpad and the toes, usually I whisper "spreadytoes" into his ear as well.  He can resist for only so long until he suddenly gives in and completely spreads out his toes ( he has huge paws ).  At that point I squeeze him very tight  and shout "spreadytoes" into his ear because I have won, and he squirms and purrs in a silly embarrassed way .  We then begin all over again with the second foot.
      Surely I am not the only person to have discovered this game?  
Hope all the furbabies are doing well, love, Rosi.


----------



## madmisti

Love it Rosi - in stitches at the description of this game!!   Will have to try it with my two!

Thanks for the explanation!

Do yours like to be tickled under their 'arms' - i.e front legs. Both mine love it. And if I hold Benji under both armpits, he always does a massive streeeeetch. I do this with his back feet supported on my chest or stomach, and my arms are not actually long enough to go to his full 'height'  - he is incredibly long - is Lily?

Love
Misti xx


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## Lou-Ann

Rosi, I am LOL at your cat game ! 

I must admit that I do tickle my cats' feet inbetween the pad and the toes, and they do eventually spread their toes out,  but have never made a game out of it. Will have to give it a try!!

Lou-Ann x


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## madmisti

Lou-Ann - Your Max looks SO scrumptious in that picture - must be hard to resisit cuddling him ALL the time!!

Misti xx


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## Lou-Ann

Misti, Max is the most affectionate of all my 3 cats.  Its hard not to want to cuddle all of them sometimes, but cats being cats, they usually only want to snuggle when they want to snuggle. Max would quite happily be carried round all day if he could (with his front paws over my shoulder and his head rubbing against mine) . 

Lou-Ann x


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## RedRose

Well, I posted somewhere last night, I thought it was here but  .

    Lou-Ann, Max does look really squidgy, I sometimes worry that I hug mine too tightly sometimes but I let them go when their eyes start to roll .  Sugar would be carried all day too, if I got one of those baby harnesses.
    Misti, mine do like being tickled under the arms.  Me and Lily have a game when I have a lie-in ( most days! ), where I bend my knees to make a mountain, she "surprises" me by jumping to the top, and I swing her off, holding her under her arms.  She stretches a bit, but not as much as Benji.  I then pretend to bite her toes or bring her down for a kiss on the nose, or on her special tooth.  This is a tooth that protrudes slightly under her left whisker pad, the right one got chipped.  It's very cute and she uses it to full advantage.
    I could see how long bodied Benji was from the lovely pictures, I expect he is quite heavy and lithe as they tend to have good muscle tone.  Lily has always been very tiny and getting a bit thinner now .
    Does anyone have any bright ideas for games?, because my cats are indoors, they need entertaining.  Me and Lily sometimes copy routines from Strictly or Dancing on Ice, but I always have to be the bloke .
                      love to all, Rosi.


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## ♥Jovial♥

Hi All,

I can't believe I've not posted about my little motley crew before now.  It has been lovely to read through everyones tales.  I think there's more cats than dogs at the minute.

My Molly cat did make me laugh yesterday, I was emptying out the kitchen drawers and heard a bit of a commotion - she had found the pot of cat-nip and was going absolutely barmy!!!  Cat nip and being hyper is an amusing combination.  I love watching them with cat-nip. She used to have a thing to sit on my shoulder while I was brushing my teeth, would just launch herself at me - fine if she got up in one leap but it could hurt if she only got halfway and then clawed her way to the top.

I have her brother too, he is huge!  He is tabby and very very handsome.  Doesn't like being picked up and has never sat on my lap but likes to sit glued to my side leaning against me.  He is very affectionate, and likes to go out on his travels.  He is always home at night though - he's a bugger in the summer when he won't come in because it's warm outside - I can't go to bed unless they are both in.

I have a cav king charles spaniel that is just naughty.  She is so lovely and has the sweetest nature.  Food obsesssed.  You would not believe how loud she snores, it verges on ridiculous.  I can literally hear her from another room.  The other night she was going crazy because something was under the sofa - I thought one of her biscuits or treats had gone underneath it.  No, a pea.  A single pea!  That is some sense of smell.  I'm sure she's gone deaf in the last 6 months - not that it makes much difference because she didn't listen to a word I said anyway  

I have a tortoise too but sadly I think she is being re-homed when she comes out of hibernation.  I just have too much to do and enough to look after!  I'm really sad and can't think about her leaving when I think about it it just makes me   but it is also better for her, she really needs a bit more time spent on her than I have.  It's quite easy in the height of summer, but either side of her hibernating it's not very practicle to have her in the house when it's not warm enough outside.  I will really miss her  

Will post more antics another time!
Take care all & furbabies
Jovi x


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## madmisti

This is definitely my favourite thread  Always makes me laugh and is great stress relief!

Welcome Jovi and your fur babies  Your cats look scrummy in the pic  It so lovely hearing about all the animals different personalities  I have that problem of cats jumping on me and not quite making it to where they want to be, so climbing the rest of the way - it hurts!!

Sorry to hear about your decision to give up your tortoise - but you have obviously thought long and hard about it and want to do what is best for her - true sign of selfless love. I hope you can find someone to take her who will let you visit.

Rosi - you always have me in stitches hun - thank you!


RedRose said:


> Me and Lily sometimes copy routines from Strictly or Dancing on Ice, but I always have to be the bloke .
> love to all, Rosi.


 I will have to try that! Have already tried the spready toes thing - think it must be a reflex thing because it worked on both but Raffi wasn't too keen - Benji just likes being touched anywhere so he as happy ( that sounds rude, but you know what I mean!)
My cats are indoor ones too - apart from a balcony. One thing I do is get a loo roll and put some biscuits in it and stuff kitchen roll in both ends. They have to tear it open to get to the food. Vet advised it is good to make them work for their dinner! Makes a mess but is good fun to watch.

That thing where you bend your knees up in the bed and make a mountain - well I have to do that for Raffi but he gets under it. He sort of pushes at the duvet until I let him under then head butts my leg until I make the cave for him 

Lou -Ann - oh I just want to cuddle that Max myself. Shame we can't have a meet up and bring the cats - would love to meet them all -and their owners of course!

Well, I am feeling yucky with a cough and cold but this thread has cheered me up  Raffi keeps jumping up on the keyboard so think it is time to go and give them all some attention!

Love to all
Misti xx


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## carnivaldiva

Hi ladies

I lost my Ridgeback last summer,  He'd been sick for 2 years and then they found he had multiple growths in his stomach and was advised to let him go.  Absolutely devastated and I still refer to him now in the present tense.  He was a rescue dog and I'd had him for nearly 5 1/2 years.

Really tempted to get another one, but not sure i it's best to get one now or after I get pregnant and have the baby.

Maxwell was such a good boy and even though he was huge had a great temperment and absolutely loved everyone.

Blissful days.......


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## madmisti

Carnival Diva - so so sorry about Maxwell - it is so hard when they leave us    I think probably better to get a dog before having a baby as once the baby is here you won't want to be training a dog etc!  Just my opinion though!

Love
Misti xx


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## Lou-Ann

Jovi, sorry that you have decided to rehome your tortoise   

Carnival Diva, sorry to read about Maxwell   

Rosi, you always make me LOL with your cat antics  . What will you do now dancing on ice has finished  

I have caught one of my cats (MeMe) chasing her tail over the last few days . It is very comical to watch as she is quite a big cat and not done it before. Max and Maddie crouch down and look at her as if to say 'what are you doing??'  

Maddie has a fetish for going round and opening the bottom drawers on the bedside cabinets and wardrobes. I got up yesterday to find that not only had she opened 2 drawers, but she had completely emptied them aswell  . 

Hope everyone has fun with their furbabies this weekend  

Lou-Ann x


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## madmisti

Lou-Ann - My Benji chases his tail but has done so from a  kitten - funny  that  MeMe just started out of the blue  . It is hilarious to watch though    Shame you can't teach Maddie to put the stuff back in tidily - she could sort out all your drawers for you. It is very clever of her to be able to open the drawers herself - mine would LOVE to be able to do that!!


My 2 cats are currently play fighting - looks brutal sometimes but they both go back for more so can't be that bad  ! Raffi often ends up with scratches on his nose -they show because it is white and pink. Benji prob gets t hem too but being black doesn't show - or maybe Raffi is less vicious with his claws!

Hope you're all having a nice w/e. Bummer we lose an hours sleep tonight  

Love
Misti xx


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## Lou-Ann

Misti, Benji is just so cute in that pic! 

It is clever of Maddie to be able to open drawers, but it also a pain! Sometimes it's like the scene out of 'Sixth Sense' where the little boy and mom are in the kitchen and every time she turns her back all the drawers and cupboards open  . Good job I know it's Maddie!!!

Poor Raffi having war wounds . All of mine take it turns to chase and fight each other. It really sounds as if they hurt each other sometimes though, so I usually try to split them up when they start. However, like your 2, they always go back for more. They don't usually leave scratch marks on each other, but Max has a little scab on his ear at the moment, so can only assume that one of the girls have give him what for  . 

Haven't really felt the lost hour today, still woke up at the same time as usual. Got loads done in the garden and the cats loved it outside too. Maddie had a good explore in the shed, lol  

Hope you've had a good weekend too.

Lou-Ann x


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## loubi

Well I am from a family of dog lovers and me and my fexfiance wedre planning on starting our family with a dog.....well that was before that was too much of a commitment for him and he scarpered!!! Am so glad he did now as a few years later I got Polly a black and white cat a kitten of about 4 weeks abandoned on a vets doorstep. She soon became my best friend and we have helped each other loads....she knows all my secrets!! She is so loving and insists of always beng with me when I am in the house either on my lap (like now purring) or clining on to me when I am on th emove in the house. SHe used to come vivsiting with me when she was a kitten to friends and families houses.
Being the soppy thing that I am I soon felt sorry for her being on her own and got Missie. Now what a character she is. No word of a lie she talks the whole time! She just doesn't shut up. I have had my mum phone up just to talk to her! the only down side with her is that I always loose the argument as she always has the last word!! But saying that its better than the frogs my Polly brings home!

Oh I am so lucky!!!


----------



## RedRose

Hi all,
    Welcome Jovigirl and fur/shellfamily, they all sound lovely, sorry to hear about your tortoise moving on, but I would imagine they do take some looking after.  I know I've had too many cats sometimes in the past and was sometimes working too much to give them as much attention as they wanted and I really regret that.  How do your cats and dog react to the tortoise?
      Welcome carnivaldiva, so sorry to hear about Maxwell ,.  Just seems so unfair when animals get ill as all they do is give everyone affection, but thank goodness you were able to give him a loving home and care for him when he got ill.  Do you plan to get another rescue dog?  I would like a dog later in life, don't think my current "crew" would go for it, but am terrified of going to the rescue centre and coming back with a whole pack!
      Welcome Loubi, Polly and Missie, I know what you mean about Polly being your best friend, my Lily is like that to me.  I think sometimes that the pets we end up with are meant for us, like soulmates.  I haven't met my human one yet, but I know I've met my feline one.
      Lou-Ann, I'm pretty glad that my drawers are hard to open , they are untidy enough without cat "help".  In answer to your question we have a brief break and then get back into serious training, Lily, being about 90 in cat years, gets pretty stiff if she slackens off, and our Bolero needs polishing. 
      Misti, good idea about the biscuits in the loo-roll.  I am going to try putting some Whiskas Crunch in one and then throw it like a hand grenade to my lot and stand well back.  Since the new improved recipe came out, I haven't had a minute's peace from mine with anguished miaows whenever I approach the cupboard in which it is kept.  Does anyone know the secret new ingredient?  Crack cocaine?
    My suggestion which most cat owners probably already have is a cat pouncer, a fishing-rod type thing with something interesting to cats on the end, I have a knitted spider.  It is great as you can just sit while they run around.  But I don't ever leave them with it just in case they tangle themselves up in it and can't get out.  
                                love to all, Rosi.


----------



## madmisti

Welcome Loubi    Polly sounds adorable - so lovely when they are affectionate like that! Has Missie got some oriental in her? - they are usually the most vocal - and no, you never get the last word!!  

Lou- Ann - thank you for saying Benji looks cute   I used to weigh him every week as a kitten -it is amazing how fast they grow, and that pic is of the day he hit exactly 1kg!
Can imagine how annoying it is that  Maddie opens all the drawers like that - maybe you should fit child locks on them - you will need them one day anyway  

Rosi - so nice that Lily is your soul mate   I definitely agree on the fact that the fur babies we end up being Mummy too are the ones meant for us - same with human babies    All of mine have been so special in different ways. Have you seen the video ( on You Tube and was a TV prog about it last week) of the reunion between two guys and a lion they bought in Harrods and then released in the wild? He runs up to them and puts his huge paws around them and is SO happy to see them. I imagine that it is what it will be like when we die and get to meet all out fur babies who have gone before  
Good luck with the Whiskas Crunch grenade    Wouldn't be surprised if they put some addictive drug in them. None of my cats have ever entertained the idea of having the second half of a tin of cat food, or liking the same flavour 2 days in a row, but when I changed to dry food, well, they can't get enough of it - same flavour day in day out, month in month out etc - MUST be something in it!! Glad you are keeping up  the Bolero training - maybe you should contact Torvill and Dean and see if you can appear in the Dancing on Ice Live Tour    Does Lily have a little purple outfit to wear!!

Well, I must away to my bed and cuddle time with the furry ones  

Love to all - 2 and 4 legged!
Misti xx


----------



## carnivaldiva

Was watchin the Dog Whisprer over the weekend and have now fallen in love with the breed, South African mastiff.  Ceaser was trying to tame Patti Labelle's dog, SA mastiff so that he could be rehomed. 
He was sooooo beautiful.

I love huge big dogs.  Usually they seem to have such a gentle temperment.


----------



## madmisti

Carnival Diva -how exciting you might be getting a new 'baby' - do keep us informed!

Love
Misti xx


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## RedRose

Hi all,

    Lovely day down here in the Forest by the sea, spring has definitely sprung.  Misti, I have seen the video of the lion, it had me in floods of tears, I just collapse in a heap whenever I see anything like that, animal or human reunions after a long time.  I bet when the lion first started to run towards them, though, their pants must have been just a bit damp!  I believe, certainly hope that if I end up upstairs , I will be greeted by all my pets. dying wouldn't be so bad if that could happen.  
    Reminds me, I must make a will, at the moment, my next of kin is my evil car cat crushing, tumble-drying sister, think I will have to name my friend who will hopefully be cat-sitting should I get to Reprofit.  Misti, I have emailed you some pictures of my motley crew, can you pm me your email address again if you don't get them, ta.  Believe me, I have tried to get Lily to wear clothes, she does sometimes wear bows on special occasions and she doesn't object to being wrapped in a pashmina, but anything else is straight off.  she is bombing around the house and cat-run today, definitely spring fever but 7pm will find her neatly tucked into the airing cupboard. 
                                  must go as starving, love Rosi.


----------



## winky77

....so I was lying on the sofa yesterday with horrendous AF cramps....I was on my side with one hotwater bottle down the front of my knicks and one down the back to try and ease the pains....and of course Smudge and Scribble soon discovered this unexpected cosy warmth and plonked themselves either side.....so there we were this giant cat/hotwaterbottle sandwich with me as the filling...!!!  Who needs a man when you've got hot water bottles and cats eh??!?!  lol

..Winky


----------



## madmisti

Lovely image Winky - thanks for that    You must wear really big knickers   Hope you feel better soon hun  

Today is Raffi's birthday - 2 years old. He is outside enjoying the sunshine - it snowed on his BD last year! All three will get a special 'tea' of wet cat food - they are all on a dry diet so this is a big treat  

In case any of you are wondering about his name, Raffi is short for Rafiki which means 'friend' in Swahili. The wise mandrill (monkey) in the Lion King bears this name too!

Hope everyone had a nice weekend
Love
Misti xx


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## RedRose

Hi all,
    Winky, thanks for the laugh, I can picture it only too well.  Hope your AF is better, do any painkillers take the edge off, or do you prefer to avoid them?  Of course you will have to prepare yourself for the "slightly disappointed and let down looks", next time they cuddle up to you and discover that you haven't made them THEIR hot water bottles 
      Misti, Happy Birthday to Raffi! , only 2!, I can't remember what it was like to have a youngster in the house, although I do recall kittens loving to run up and down the stairs endlessly and then like children, it would go quiet and I would discover them collapsed in a heap together, fast asleep.
                      hope everyone had a nice weekend, love Rosi.


----------



## Lou-Ann

...had a girly bath this evening supervised by Max - he perched himself on the edge of the bath throughout! Funniest thing though, Maddie, who usually gets into an empty bath when i've finished showering to drink the little puddles of water, jumped into the bath thinking it was empty, but it still had about 4 inches of water in it - bless her! She was very bemused, and very quickly jumped straight back out soaking wet  . Aren't cats really funny looking when wet, lol  

Lou-Ann x


----------



## madmisti

Poor Maddie - shouldn't laugh I know but yes it is funny! I rarely take a bath but both mine supervise my shower from the other side of the curtain    And then rub against my legs when I get out - makes my legs furry and them wet but they never learn!

Love
M xx


----------



## Lou-Ann

They never do learn do they - bless em!!!  

Lou-Ann x


----------



## RedRose

Hi all, 

    Lou-Ann and Misti, do you find it slightly disconcerting when they look at you when you're starkers?  Mine tend to look apprehensive and then relax a bit as soon as I've got dressed 
    Well, I'm afraid I have the first nomination for the naughty corner, and surprise, surprise it is Sugar .  I was happily compacting my inbox when he arrived on the keyboard in a flying leap and stalled the whole email system.  System restore wouldn't work so I had to call my little computer man and £51.75 later email is functioning although the "hard drive is having to work hard"  probably jammed up with cat hair.  I didn't inform said computer man that the reason I am so desperate to get it up and running again is because I am awaiting details of my Czech sperm donor  .  And "Mr Meddle" enjoyed himself even more, trying to swipe computer man's phone off the table. 
      £51.75 is going to take a long time to pay back out of someone's pocket money.  Any more naughty tales out there?  Misti, the upside is I was able to consult with computer man who said the pictures I have been trying to send were "too big", so I will have another bash as soon as I get a quiet few mins.  Hope everyone is having a good weekend,
                                            love Rosi.


----------



## madmisti

Naughty Sugar - though he would probably say it was your fault for being on the computer instead of giving HIM attention    That bill will take a while for him to pay back though!! At 8 yrs 9 months old, Ellie still owes me for digging a hole in my kitchen floor as a puppy  

As Benji has ADHD ( I am convinced!) he is in the naughty corner quite a bit!  But he redeems himself by being so incredibly affectionate and cuddly  

Hope youg et news of your donor soon 

Look forward to seeing photos!

Love
Misti xx


----------



## Lou-Ann

Rosi, that is gonna take some time to pay back with pocket money  . Think Sugar definitely wins the naughty corner for this week! I can't say i've ever noticed my 3 looking at me disconcertedly when not clothed . 
Hope you get news of your donor soon 

Misti, they always redeem themselves by being overly affectionate - just before they do something naughty again . How on earth did Ellie dig a hole in your kitchen floor?  

Lou-Ann x


----------



## madmisti

Lou-Ann - She chewed through the vinyl first and then dug at the concrete - which was 'blown' and so quite soft. She dug down to a gas pipe    I then had to put this self levelling concrete stuff  down to have a floor again and whilst that was drying, she had to sleep in living room - where she promptly chewed or dug a hole in carpet and an enormous run. Luckily insurance paid for that! Moral of the story - always have a puppy cage ( with a base)!!  She was just being a puppy really and, since reaching 'adulthood' she really has been the easiest dog in the world -so I can't complain really  


Rosi - can't say I've noticed the cats giving me funny looks when naked  !! To be honest, it is not a pretty sight   and it is one of the things I love about animals - they just take you as you are, wobbly bits and all  

Well my three are demanding food so better go!

Love
Misti xx


----------



## ♥Jovial♥

Oh Misty naughty Ellie - my girl is still naughty like a puppy and she's 9 .... my fault entirely  mind you she's never managed to damage the floor! She used to love to chew wooden corners ... tables, chairs, doors, fireplace hearth fortunately she grew out of that, I've got cd cases with corners chewed off, she was a naughty little puppy! She still likes to steal things though and she has so much fun doing it!!! Little minx, she looks so pleased to have been caught out! Her latest trick is not amusing, when I'm taking a bath or shower the towels are on the floor or on the radiator and she just runs off (well sneaks off trying not to be noticed!) with them down the landing and puts them in the bedroom, I can't help but find it funny. She'll take bath towel, come back for head towel, if my dressing gown is within reach she's take that too! She tore open a bath bomb packet tonight ... fortunately the bomb was also wrapped in plastic so she didn't eat it panic avoided.

She had some trouble climbing stairs and jumping up so I got her these for by the bed - I wasn't sure if she'd have the sense to work it out or if she'd use them but they have been great!

http://www.hyperdrug.co.uk/Doggy-Steps/productinfo/DOGGYSTEPS/



Rosi one of my cats is always trying to sit on the laptop, found her happily sat on it a while ago having a warm!

Jovi x


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## madmisti

Jovi - I am still laughing    What a naughty girl!!! She obviously knows it is naughty and is laughing inside at the joke she is playing on you  - so sweet!  All my three like laying on WET towels    No idea why. Annoying though as it makes them very hairy - which then transfers to me when I use them ( washing doesn't seem to get rid of them all!). I often have to apologise to my osteopath for being 'furry'!!

Those steps look great  . Ellie is big enough she doesn't need then - she is about the same height as a springer spaniel but not as big built. Mind you, she doesn't sleep on my bed at night any more as she snores too loudly!

I love reading the stories of others' fur baby antics. Every animal has its own unique personality  

As for warming bottoms on laptops - my two cats take it in turns to sleep in the airing cupboad ( another way the towels get hairy!!)

Love
Misti xx


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## midnightaction

I can't believe I haven't posted on here yet, I could talk for hours about my babies so I best get started 

First of all my 2 little men that live with me

They are two black x silver tabby cats and are brothers, I adopted them om New Years Eve just gone as they came in as strays at the local rescue centre, they are about 2 years old but they weren't sure

They are called *Darwin* and *DaVinci*, but otherwise go by the names of "Mummys Double D's" or "The Sexy Boys" 

I have had many cats throughout my life but never two as naughty as these, in the short time I have had them they have broken , knocked over, ripped or damaged in some ways everything in my house, they are not destructive just playful and clumsy and can knock a vase over from 100 yards !! 

They sneak into my neighbours house when I am not in, and eat their dogs food, their dog being a massive Rotweiller so they are also very brave !!

They are so affectionate though, with both me and each other and they love to spend as much time as possible with me snuggled up on the bed cleaning yeah other.

I have only had them for 4 months but I feel like they have been my babies forever 

I also have some furbabies that no longer live with me but live with my ex. She lives 200 miles away so it is sad that I don't get to see them, and I miss them a great deal, but at the time of our seperation I was not in a postion to bring them with me 

Anyway we have *Cisco* the 7 year old Hungarian Vizla, who was a rescue dog when he was about 6 months old. He was in extremely bad shape when we got him, and very aggresive but with alot of time and patience he has turned into an extremely handsome and well behaved boy. We often refer to him as our gay son, because he hates girl dogs and is extremely sensitive. He hates being outside, he hates the rain, he hates the cold and he hates walking. All he does like is sitting on the sofa and eating mint imperials......they are his favourite sweets !! 

Lastly there is *Cookie* who is a grey DSH cat who is about 6 years old (she is also a rescue cat) and we got her 5 years ago. There is only one word to describe her and thats "Princess", she is a right stroppy madam, and will only grace you with her presence as and when she feels like it. Most of the time she wanders around the neighbourhood trying to gain attention from the neighbours with her general ****ty behaviour  I absolutely love her to pieces becaue she is such a personality !!

Anyway thats my babies, who I love all equally as much 

Sarah xx


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## madmisti

Sarah - your sexy boys' sound lovely - and full of mischief!!  Amazing what we will forgive in our much loved fur babies   That is tough that you don't get to see your other 2 very often - people don't think about the loss of pets in break ups but it must be very hard    Glad you have your 2 boys now to keep you company though.  And lovely they are so affectionate - it is not hard and fast but I do think neutered boy cats generally seem to be the most affectionate.

I'm SO glad you are a cat lover as I will get to meet you iin Brno soon,and I lovetalking about Fur Babies  !!

Thanks for sharing  

love
Misti xx


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## midnightaction

Misti- Have no fear indeed when it comes to furbabies I can talk for hours and hours on end so I think we are going to find quite alot to talk about in Brno !! 

Sarah xx


----------



## madmisti

Sarah  - that's good! At least we'll have a topic of conversation other than TTC   ( no doubt much to the relief of waiters etc!) Bring pics!!

See ya soon!
M xx


----------



## RedRose

Hi, everyone, 

      Misti and Sarah, wish I could be out there with you two.  Sarah, I know how you feel having to leave your babies with your ex, I had to leave some of my cats at my mum's as some of mine did not get on ( to put it mildly ).  At least there is the comfort of knowing they are in familiar surroundings, with someone who will take good care of them, but you still miss them so much.  From your boy's names you have high expectations of them? .  What are you going to call your human babies? 
      Misti, I can't believe Ellie and the kitchen floor!   I think that would have tested my patience just a bit!  Still, it is only their natural instincts so can't blame them.  I agree about neutered boys being the most full on with affection, my girls have always been a bit more restrained, but still very loving when they want to be.  
      Have had a couple of trial visits from my trainee catsitter friend.  Sugar, who is truly excelling himself at naughty behaviour at the moment , yowled and meddled for about an hour while we were having tea and then showed me up even more by creeping up behind her and having a good chew and pull of her hair.  Lily tried to redeem everything by spending 20 mins on her bed with her when she had a lie-in the next morning, but took offence when my friend needed to move and decamped to the airing cupboard in a huff.  Hopefully she will put up with them ok , otherwise I am well and truly st****d.
      Hope everyone is having a good weekend, love , Rosi.


----------



## madmisti

Rosi - as long as your cat sitter is aware that the cats are in charge and she is there only to serve their needs, at a time of their choosing, all will be well  

Shame you won't bet there same as either Sarah or me    Hopefully you'll make it to a singlies meet soon  

Love
Misti x


----------



## ♥Jovial♥

My boy cat has to stay in hospital tonight  

The vets (I tell them they are going to the doctor  ) appointment was for my girl to have her bloods checked (she has hyperthyroidism), but I noticed something was wrong last night, lay awake all night listening to him so took him instead.  I think he may have something caught in his throat, he hasn't been eating or drinking, and has been hacking a few times, his purr is very quiet and he is very lathargic.  He is very quiet, not like him at all.  Very dehydrated.  They are going to give him anethsetic tomorrow so they can have a look down his throat, and are putting him on a drip overnight.  Please let him be ok      He's a big big tabby cat who loves his adventures out and about, but he doesn't half love a cuddle, tiger on the outside, my little boy at heart  

Sorry for the me post, 

Love to all
Jovi x


----------



## indekiwi

Jovi,    

Hope your little fella is going to be just fine.    

A-Mx


----------



## wizard

Oh Jovi how worrying for you.  I hope your lad is ok and if there is anything in his throat they find it and he gets back to his normal old self very soon.  It's such a terrible time when they're poorly   

As an aside one of mine seemed to have a poorly throat once - and coughed up a needle and thread!  Not that I think that's your boy's problem but they are very resilient and I'm hoping yours will be on the mend soon. x


----------



## madmisti

Jovi - poor boy - and poor you    Do hope they find the problem and sort it and he is soon back home with you     So horrible when they are ill. Hope your little girl kitty is doing better too  

Thinking of you
M x


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## Lou-Ann

Jovi, hope that the vet has found what was causing your boy furbabys' problem and he is now on the mend    . Also, hope that your girl furbaby is doing okay   

Lou-Ann x


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## Lou-Ann

Jovi, I have tried to PM you but your inbox is full - you popular person you  

Lou-Ann x


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## RedRose

Jovigirl,

    It's so horrible when you have to leave them overnight but you have done the best thing you can for him.  Let us know what the vet says, I'm keeping everything crossed that it's something that is easily treatable and you will have him back fighting fit asap,
                                big hugs to all of you, love Rosi.


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## bingbong

Jovi,

I hope that your little boy is doing ok today.     

Bingbong x


----------



## RedRose

Yes, Jovigirl, I hope there will be good news for your boy.  Take care, love Rosi.


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## Lou-Ann

Jovi, how did your boy furbaby get on?

Lou-Ann x


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## ♥Jovial♥

Thanks for your kind words ladies, been worrying myself senseless, sorry not to have replied before now, was feeling a bit fragile anyway, this has knocked me sideways.  They think it is cat flu, I feel so   guilty he's suffering when I didn't keep upto date with his jabs.  Fortunately so far so good with giving him his tablets, bet he cottons on before too long whats hidden in tasty treats though!  But, they are hopeful for a good recovery.  I really didn't expect this, there were none of the obvious flu symptoms so I think I caught it at the onset, he has the snuffles now though.  Pleeeeease let him get better       Not sure what the likelyhood is of my little girl getting it, she's at the vets this week anyway so she will get checked over.  Feel like i've taken up residency at the vets lately  

I am so angry at myself because I let him get ill.  

Wizard, a friends cat once swollowed a needle and thread, scary!

Hope our furry / feathered / shelled friends are all ok,
Jovi x


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## ♥Jovial♥

Hi Lou-Ann  

Thanks hun, think he's feeling a bit better just sat at the back door getting some air.  Hope you've had a good weekend, have emptied inbox!

Catch up soon x


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## cornflake

This thread is sooo good for the soul. I adore the phrase, "furbaby" as that's exactly what they are! I generally call all of mine my "fluffs" but they make my house a home and my life way more interesting than it would otherwise be. I always said that, one day, when I write a book of my life it will be separated into chapters according to the dog I owned at that time so would start with "The Bonnie years" then "The Sammy-dog years" then "The Falon years" and my current chapter will be "The Coco years" although I do have three furbabies now ;0
Coco is my Toy Poodle. She's now five years old and is interested in nothing and nobody except her mum - i.e. me  - She's currently snuggled up beside me underneath my right elbow and in the land of nod. She's lived with me since she was eight weeks old and is really demanding for my time and attention but I wouldn't have her any other way. She's extremely loyal toward me but is also a little bit neurotic at times. She does suffer from separation anxiety but, in fairness, it's my own fault as she generally joins me in everything that I do and goes most places with me.
Mowgli is my Tonkinese cat. He is two years old and part cat, part dog and part human. He's a house-cat and I completely cat-proofed a small area of my garden directly outside my patio doors so that he can get some fresh air and sunshine from time to time without being able to escape. He's the man of my house lol and is currently sat behind my head, playing with my hair. I adore him and so does everyone who meets him as he has no idea that a cat shouldn't be happy to be rolled over, held upside down and have raspberries blown on their tummies........
Asti is my Chihuahua. She came to live with me a year and a half ago. She's approximately seven years old and I didn't plan on another dog when she arrived but she was a special case from Chihuahua rescue. I got a call one day from a friend of mine who is a part of Chihuahua rescue as this little chi needed a good, understanding forever home and they could only think of me. Initially I said no but when she told me the story of how she'd been siezed from a puppy farm that had been shut down and was found a death's door after multiple pregnancies and ceasarian sections, I could no longer resist. She'd spent her life in a tiny dog crate. She hadn't known affection and simply been used to have puppies over and over again. She spent a week in veterinary hospital and wasn't expected to live but she pulled through and showed that she has an awful lot of strength within. It took quite a while for me to rehabilitate her but, a year and a half later, she's a different dog to the one that first joined my little fluffy family. She had never known a name, never been shown affection, never walked on a lead............ never known any kind of pet dog life. However, she now has the strength in her legs to walk further than the bottom of my drive, now has the understanding of her name, now has the ability to jump up onto the sofa by herself, now has the knowledge of affection and love and now has the desire to come to me for a cuddle and a reason to wag her tail. She's a complete joy and I feel blessed to have been a part of the reason why she's now a happy dog with a shine in her eyes that wasn't there when i first met her. In fact, she can now be downright cheeky and a little madam when she wants to be!

Both of my dogs come to work with me every day and when we come home from work, there is my Mowgli sitting on the kitchen windowsill waiting for our arrival. My furbabies make being single a happy option. I simply couldn't imagine life without them and i'm lucky enough to work with dogs all day so I'm always surrounded by their uncomplicated and loving souls.


----------



## madmisti

Jovi - I hope that your little boy doesn't turn out to have cat flu after all, but if he does, please don't beat yourself up over it. Even if his vaccinations  were fully up to date, none of them are 100% so he may have got it anyway. And I know you will do all you can to ensure he is well cared for and loved and gets any treatment he needs, so concentrate on all the good things you have done for him and what a happy life he has with you, rather than blaming yourself  

Cornflake - welcome    I love your introduction to your 'fluffs' and they all sound adorable. It is incredible what you have done for Asti  - and I am sure she appreciates it all and knows how lucky she is to have been adopted by you. Her years before she came to you were obviously dreadful - it is beyond me how anyone can treat an animal like that - especially a dog who will give you unconditional love and trust in return for very little  

Mowgli is very handsome - how on earth did you get him to pose for the photo like that?!! It is a  beautiful picture of all of them   He sounds a bit like my Benji - must be the oriental genes! He is definitley part cat part human ( not sure about part dog although he does play fetch with his mouse!).

I haven't seen you posting on the singles board before but I wish you luck wherever you are on your journey, and hope that one day soon you will have another baby  in your family ( non fur this time!)   

Take  care
Misti xx


----------



## cornflake

Thank you, Misti   My three are so used to having a camera shoved under their noses every five minutes that (for the most part) they know to stay put when there's a lense pointing at them   Of course, it's also the beauty of a digital camera that you can delete hundreds of attempts before you get the right pose! I had a million of him trying to tease the other two!   

My mum says that I need a real baby to photograph so that my three fluffs get a break   

The oriental cats are definitely a breed apart as far as personality is concerned.  I'd always loved the Siamese until I found out about the Tonkinese who are less angular and slightly less vocal and he was a gift from a very dear friend who bred him.  He was the last kitten they ever produced


----------



## ♥Jovial♥

Thanks Misti - I feel slightly less guilty after reading that even with the jabs they can catch flu, but the jabs tend to make it less severe. I have everything crossed he's going to be ok, his eyes and nose aren't gunked up so hoping it's not going to get to that stage, it seems to be his throat most affected, he can't meow (shout at me) very loud at all.  They said his tonsils were swollen and he had a couple of ulcers so hopefully that's as bad as it will get   

Cornflake, lovely pic


----------



## cornflake

Thanks, Jovigirl
Misti is absolutely right.  There are lots of different strains of cat flu just as there are for humans.  The jab will provide immunity for some but not all and they can still get it even with the jabs they have.  Of course you feel guilty but it's not necessarily the case that it would have made any difference.  The most important thing is the care he gets right now and you're doing everything as well as possible and your love will help enormously.


----------



## madmisti

Cornflake - Benji is my first taste of an oriental - he is part Burmese - though didn't know that when I got him and neither did the people I got him from.Which was good cos meant only paid £40 for him!! My vet recognised it and when I read up about their personalities it is him to a tee! As I type this I am supporting him with my other arm and he is curled up against my chest with his head snuggled against my neck  He is so funnyand sweet - full of mischief and has to know _*everything*_ that is going on, loves playing with toys etc, and can be quite naughty, but then he decides he HAS to have a cuddle and there is no resisting it!! I have never had such a cuddly cat before. Makes it sound as if he is my favourite -but I don't do favourites!! Raffi is my gentle, generous boy ( as in he lets Benji come and nick his food after he has gulped his own down ) - also a big softie who loves to be on me - my lap, my chest, my back etc. He is so much sturdier built than Benji, but he still has this real little kitten mew - so sweet! And Ellie is my gentle girl - full of fun on walks and at appropriate times, but sleeps the rest of the time like a cat and is just no trouble at all. She is great in the voluntary work I do in schools - and I am her very proud parent 

Well, they are all looking at me with those 'come to bed' eyes  As in, why are you sitting there when you should be in bed cuddling us?!!

Jovi - hopefully your boy's throat will heal soon and he'll be 100% again  .

Love
Misti xx


----------



## RedRose

Hi everyone,

    Jovigirl, it sounds hopefully like your boy is on the mend   I think we all get complacent about the jabs, must check mine are up to date.  Hope your little girl will be fine as well.
    Hi Cornflake, I think that is one of the loveliest animal pictures I've ever seen, they all look so gorgeous and content together.  Do they get on well?  What a sad story about Asti, I don't think I would have been able to resist giving her a home either.  It's a good job that Tonks don't seem to inherit the attention-seeking gene in a double dose form their Siamese and Burmese parents, otherwise you would never have a minute's peace!
    Well, Lily's conjunctivitis seems to have cleared up now, and sadly her green nose faded quite quickly.  I think Tinkerbell's eyes are looking a bit weepy also so getting drops into her is going to leave me lacerated, I expect!
    hope all other furbabies and their mums are ok, love Rosi.


----------



## madmisti

Rosi - glad to hear Lily's eyes are better - and I am sure SHE is pleased she no longer has a green nose -the indignity!!! Hope Tinkerbell lets you do the eye drops without shredding you!! 

I didn't know Tonks are from Siamese and Burmese   - will have to look them up!

Jovi - hope your boy is improving daily and your little girl is well  

Take care all
Love
Leanne xx


----------



## cornflake

Redrose, the Tonks do indeed inherit the attention seeking gene.  It simply manifests itself in different ways lol......... unfortunately, Mowgli's favourite method is to chew.  No shoelace, cable or any other "string type thing" is safe.  I've gotten through countless phone chargers and have to be very careful with the laptop cable.  I've also completely given up on shoelaces - they don't last a second with him around!  I have a water spray bottle beside me permanently as he's also stubborn as a mule and that's the only thing he truly hates enough to stop whatever he's doing that I object to.  He's worth it though.  He'll do anything for a cuddle and kiss and I can do absolutely anything to him because it just means he's getting my undivided attention at that time.  He's happy to seek attention from the two dogs too so it's not all about me   The only time he's really vocal is when he wants food or can't see me - silly thing 

He's currently having his nightly mad half hour rushing up and down the stairs, jumping up across the sofa and onto my shoulders before dashing off and starting again.  Asti is curled up asleep on the cushion beside me doing her best to ignore him and Coco is stood on the edge of the sofa waiting for his next enslaught to try and catch him. She's never managed it yet but hasn't given up trying and that spurrs him on even further.  They get on wonderfully well and it's probably because their personalities are all so different so they compliment each other.

Leanne, I would recommend Tonks to anyone who wants a furbaby who is wilful, energetic, stubborn, mischievious, playful, loyal, loving and intelligent.


----------



## wizard

I have loved reading this thread although I haven't posted much - despite having started it....  Just a reminder that if you want your family posted at the beginning of the thread send me a PM - I'm much more likely to notice I should do something with this than if you post it in the thread. Have a look at the inon the first post to give you an idea if you need.

Well, I _*do*_ have some furbaby news. I'm getting a new arrival - a kitten! I've wanted a regular old black and white cat for ages (one of each flavour in the house) and it looks like it will happen quite soon - perhaps over the weekend! There are 2 B&W left, I'm going to see them Friday evening and worried I won't be able to choose between them and will end up with the pair! 6 cats?!  

So it's quite obviously some replacement therapy for my BFN but it's making me happy. Warning: if I continue to get BFNs my house will be overrun with cats..... Work is quiet at the moment too so I'm at home a lot so the timing is perfect.

Jovi I hope your boy is continuing to improve and rosi that the girls' eyes are getting better (mind those arms of yours!). Cornflake you've done such an amazing job with Asti, reading her story brought a lump to my throat.

An excited Wizard x


----------



## madmisti

Wizard - a new baby!! You were telling me about this at the meet up so I'm glad it is happening now! You HAVE to put a picture up when you get him/her - it is obligatory!!  I have always said that if I don't have kids I will end up being the typical mad old cat woman with a housefull - sounds like you are well on the way to that already   Hope you manage to pick ( I have always struggled with this but believe you do just end up with the one that is meant for you  )


Jovi and Rosi - hope your fur babies are getting better fast  

Cornflake - Mowgli definitely sounds like he has some similar characteristics to Benji    Though I don't have that problem with wires, shoe laces etc - that is naughty!! When he has his mad half hour ( and it  is more than once a day) Raffi joins in so I have 2 cats racing round! Ellie just looks on bemused. She also isn't really sure what to do when the boys rub up against her etc - she doesn't speak cat language!!  Funny that Coco  tries to catch Mowgli - bless!!  Your list of Tonks characteristics fits Benji to a tee -what is so lovely for me is that the owner of his mum( biological that is - I am his mummy now  ) didn't know he was part Burmese and I have never had an oriental before, so it has all been a lovely suprise    I love both my boys to bits - and my girl of course - and feel so blessed to have this special little furbaby family  

Love to all
Misti x


----------



## Mifi

Hi guys

Just wondering if anyone could give me some advice please.....

My cousin has just got a kitten today 'Alfie' he is very cute but riddled with fleas!!!!!!! I am pretty sure that you can use Frontline from 8 weeks which we have been told he is so I guess we have to trust that he is 8 weeks old but as the fleas are so bad do you think he should be bathed with medicated shampoo as well - I don't want to traumatise him too much, he is so tiny and only been away from his mum less than 24 hours  

Just not sure what to do for the best. Also will my cousins flat need fumigating even if the kitten has only been there untreated for a day??

I also think Alfie may be a girl - I couldn't find any little raisons down there or do they come when he is a bit older??  

Thanks guys XXXXXXXXX


----------



## wizard

Oh FM the poor mite.  I'm not sure what I would do, probably ring my vet and ask.  Definitely do the frontline if you can but I'm not sure medicated shampoo kills the fleas.  Also when they're tiny and get wet, they then get very cold and shiver like crazy (with no mum and siblings to cuddle up with and dry out).  It's such a shock to the system I'm not sure I'd risk it.

I have an 8 week old kitten, most certainly a boy as his raisins are clearly visible!  Not huge mind, just there.  Perhaps Alfie will become Alfina.  Good luck with him / her.

Wizard x


----------



## Mifi

Thanks Wizard i managed to get an appointment to see a vetinary nurse and Afie is now Lucy!!! She may need another treatment in a weeks time under supervision and we were told that if this had been left another 2 or 3 days she could have become very poorly and even died   I am reporting the breeder to the RSPCA as far as I am concerned it is animal cruelty and I pray that the 2 other kittens from the litter are ok as their new owners have treated them straight away - I'm just so angry right now its a good job I don't know where this woman lives!!!!!!


----------



## Damelottie

I feel relieved Alfie has become Lucy   .

We're already competing with my nieces kitten called Alfie


----------



## madmisti

Hi all
Just wanted to ask for your thoughts and prayers for Ellie, my dog, who is very unwell. Had to rush her to the vets this morning as she was vomiting, could hardly walk and had a rigid abdomen. They have kept her in, put her on drip, are doing bloods and x-rays etc. They fear pancreatitis which can be fatal. I hope to have a better idea of the picture later, but pancreatitis blood test won't be back till tomorrow.

And this is on top of me being il with bad cold and cough and terribel nausea - and I am 3 days post 5 day transfer of embies.Have no hope whatsoever  - my body couldn't be more hostile right now, plus emotional stress

Thank you girls - I know you understand how very precious fur babies are

Misti xx


----------



## Damelottie

Oh Misti - lots of love and ear twiddles to you and Ellie. I'm   she's OK xxxxxx


----------



## indekiwi

Misti -       - and     that Ellie is going to recover.  Sounds like a really horrible time (but I reckon those embies are safe at least  ). 

A-Mx


----------



## madmisti

Thanks girls

Won't have a definite diagnosis for Ellie until Monday cos lab which does the test is closed over w/e    However, she is no worse at least.  They do not monitor animals overnight at the vets, so she would have had to be transferred over to the local night clinic 30 mins away. As she hasn't been sickagain, has painkillers and antibiotics on board that will last thru night etc, I have her home but on a drip - and I will take her to the night clinic if necessary in the night. Otherwise back to vets first thing in morning.

Will keep you updated.

Misti xx


----------



## Lou-Ann

Misti  , sending loads of   vibes for Ellie,   she recovers soon 

Lou-Ann x


----------



## Mifi

Misti & Ellie


----------



## madmisti

Update as promised. Ellie had a good night and came off the drip this morning   Vet dosed her up with painkillers and antibiotics and said let her drink and if not sick, try some food. Well she has had both and so far not sick!  Back for another visit tomorrow - but she def seems over the worst  .

I am SO glad she is insured as has cost over £600 so far  

Thanks to you for all your good wishes etc - sure they've helped -and has helped me knowing there are people out there thinking of her, and understanding how hard it is when a ** is ill.

Going to watch Murray at Wimbledon now - don't need any more drama this w/e so hope he makes  an easy job of it!!

LOL
M xx


----------



## Lou-Ann

Misti, glad that Ellie is doing well.   that she continues to recover and is bounding round the house in no time 

Lou-Ann x


----------



## Damelottie

So glad she seems to be on the mend xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


----------



## madmisti

Final update on Ellie

Got results today which confirmed that Ellie has had pancreatitis  . The levels were off the scale so it is amazing she made such a fast and good recovery!  I am disappointed that this was confirmed as chances are high it will recur, and as I said before, can cause ongoing problems.  But the main thing is that she is ok now  

many many thanks for all your thoughts and godo wishes - sure they helped!

Misti xx


----------



## Lou-Ann

Misti, sorry that Ellie has pancreatitis .   that it doesn't recur  

Lou-Ann x


----------



## ♥Jovial♥

Misti glad Ellie is on the mend, sorry it was pancreatitis, hoping it doesn't flare up again  
Jovi x


----------



## madmisti

Hello everyone

Pleased to say that Ellie is now fully recovered and today is her BIIIIIIIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Was a moment there when thought she wouldn't see today so I am very happy and, being a soppy git, wanted to wish her a very happy day ( she does read here occasionally )



Lol
Mx


----------



## wizard

That's great Ellie has recovered misti, you must be so relieved.  And a happy birthday to her too, I hope she many more pooch years ahead of her.

My scamp of a kitten is now 14 weeks old and terrorising the rest of the brood.  The poor things are baffled and bemused by him but are very good natured with him too.  He is a little devil though, and absolutely fearless.  Sooner he gets the snip, the better!


----------



## madmisti

ooh Wizard - been waiting to hear about the new baby!! What is is name, and what does he look like?!  Can you put a piccie up?It is so lovely having a kitten, but so short lived - they grow so fast! I weighed mine every week and it is astonishing how fast they grow!Hope the rest of the feline family get used to him soon 

Lol
Mx


----------



## Lou-Ann

Misti, i'm glad that Ellie has recovered . Hope you have both enjoyed her birthday too 

Lou-Ann x


----------



## wizard

Misti his name is Hegarty (big name for a little man).  I'd love to post a photo but don't know how to    Do I need a URL link or something?  Tried to upload one to my avatar without luck.  Advice welcome


----------



## RedRose

Hi all,

      Ellie, many happy returns from me, Lily, Coco, Sugar and Tinkybell, hope you and your mum have a lovely day xxxx,

      Wizard, 14 weeks old already!  The kitten stage passes so quickly, doesn't it?  He sounds lovely.

      My furbabies all full of themselves as usual, have even been adopted by a young Lily lookalike with a girly pink collar and bell when gardening last Sunday who came scrabbling over my fence and spent two hours with me playing in the garden and having a cuddle.  Was strange to have a youngster staying at my pussy geriatric home!  She tried to come in the house but dissuaded her from this, as don't think the others would have been too happy about this.  Hope she comes back for tea soon.

    lots of love to all furbabies and their mums, Rosi.


----------



## madmisti

Ellie says thank you for the birthday wishes   - she had a lovely day - apart from the scary thunder    Did get funny looks when I sang Happy birthday to her  

Wizard - Hegarty is a great name - how did you come up with that?  To put picture of him on your profile ( like i have of Benji) go to your profile and click on the Forum Profile Information link. Where it shows avatar there is an option - 'I will upload my own photo' and you can find a nice piccie and upload it there! Can't wait to see him  

Rosi - your visitor sounds lovely - was there a name on her collar?  As you say, your 4 would not be impressed if she came in the house, but nice to have a chat, play and cuddle in the garden. Were any of yours staring with dagger eyes out of the window at her?!! I am still waiting for pics of your babies - just send one at a time!

Love to everyone - furry and non-furry  
misti xx


----------



## OneStepAtATime

Oh dear. Little Poppy (my lovely black and white 5 month old hamster) is very ill. It's a common problem with hamsters - womb infection - and it's making her very sick. She is unsteady on her feet and keeps falling over, her stomach is distended, she has diarrhoea and vaginal discharge and one eye is all gummed shut... she's a real mess...    She's only 5 months, so it's awful that she's this bad... 

It set in while I was away. A friend popped in on several occasions to check she had food and drink, but didn't spot that she was unwell. Knowing how hamsters are when they're ill, Poppy probably stayed in her nest and my friend probably didn't even see her much, so it's really not my friend's fault at all - I haven't mentioned it to her because she could feel guilty and it's really not her fault. 

I saw the vet on Monday and she said the prognosis wasn't good - she prescribed antibiotics and said to come back in 48 hours if she's no better. Well I've just made another appointment for tonight, because I went home at lunch time and Poppy looks dreadful. 

It's really upsetting - I know you know how attached you can get to fur babies, even if they are "only" hamsters... Others may think it's OTT, but just seeing like her like this makes me cry. My last hamster died a few days after the miscarriage in March and that was all so horrible... 

I have had previous hamsters who've recovered with antibiotics, but I'm not sure whether Poppy will... she just doesn't seem to be improving. 

I won't let her suffer unnecessarily, and will take advice from the vet about putting her to sleep. They could do a hysterectomy but that's £80 and has a low rate of success... Hamsters are not easy to operate on (you can imagine how fiddly it is and then there's the effect of the anaesthetic).

My poor little friend...  

OneStep


----------



## wizard

Oh OneStep I'm so sorry to read about your little hamster.  She sounds a poorly soul and it must be horribly upsetting for you.  I'm really hoping that the vet can do something; I understand it will be so very hard if it's not good news.  I'll be thinking of you   

Wizard x

PS What a lovely sweet name for a hamster


----------



## madmisti

OneStep - my heart goes out to you honey . I have tears in my eyes    Being sad/worried/anxious over a Fur Baby is never OTT - doesn't matter what size they are. I truly hope that Poppy can pull through  , and if she doesn't, that you will know you gave her the best chance. And you  loved her and gave her  a very happy life. A new loss can aloso bring up the pain of previous losses, so be gentle with yourself sweetheart. We are here for you  

Lots of get well vibes for Poppy        

Please let us know how she gets on
Lots of love
Misti x


----------



## Lou-Ann

Onestep, so sorry that Poppy is unwell . Really hope that the antibiotics kick in soon 

Lou-Ann x


----------



## indekiwi

OneStep,     that Poppy will be okay.  So difficult for you to see her in pain.     

Doc, our springer spaniel, decided to take on a wasp today and got stung on the eyelid for his troubles.    One trip to the vet for antihistimines and then discovered he has yet another ear infection.    Now I know these things aren't fatal but he's just a little guy and it isn't great to see him with an eye swollen shut (he has particularly pretty eyes) let alone think of him running around for weeks once again with an ear infection.  

A-Mx


----------



## madmisti

Oh dear - we do seem to be having a run of **'s being unwell    Inde - hope Doc recovers soon - and has learnt the lesson about wasps ( though that is doubtful!) One of my cats scares the lifeout of me trying to catch wasps and bees - if he caught and swallowed one and it stung him in the throat...... 

Sending get well vibes to any **'s who are not 100%

Lol
Misti x


----------



## OneStepAtATime

Wizard, Misti, Lou-Ann and Indekiwi - thank you for your good wishes for Poppy. I really appreciate them - I'm not sure other people understand why it's so upsetting, so I particularly appreciate being able to say it here to people who do understand. When the vet saw me in tears, she was very surprised - I guess she sees sick animals every day and is used to it. 

The vet gave her an injection of the antibiotics and something to re-hydrate her, so I don't need to try and give her antibiotics by mouth for 24 hours (she doesn't like it and squirms so much - she just doesn't want to open her mouth). She's been feeding so little, that I can't rely on her getting any that I put on food. 

The vet we saw yesterday seemed more positive about giving her an operation (more than 50% chance of survival) but said to wait and see whether she seems any better with the antibiotics - but not to leave it too long so she doesn't get weaker. My dad thinks it's cruel to subject such a small creature to an op like that - but the vet seemed to think that if she survived the op, it'd cure her. 

I was glad to not have to give her the meds last night - I just left her in her nest and fed her her favourite treats (half grape, pine nuts, cheese, etc). She did nibble some a little which is a good sign. 

This morning she got up to go to the loo (such a creature of habit - even though she's ill, she staggered to the other side of the cage which she has made the loo!) - still a bit unsteady on her feet, but I think less wobbly than yesterday - and accepted some apple from me (she seemed hungry). 

She seemed to have had a wash - so maybe she is feeling a bit better. 

I'm thinking I might take her for another injection at the vet tonight, so that she gets what she needs without the stress of me forcing a syringe in her mouth. 

Early days, but fingers crossed she's on the mend... 

Inde - I hope Doc is feeling better soon - poor thing. Wasp stings are nasty, and on the eye must be very painful.  

Best wishes
OneStep


----------



## wizard

OneStep I was so relieved to see your post I almost cried!  Must be all these darn hormones....  I am so so pleased for you and wee Poppy, if it was me I'd too be inclined to take her back to the vet so you and her can avoid the stress.  Thank goodness she seems to be getting a bit better, keep us posted (as for your Dad, well it's so easy for people to say that when it's not their fur baby, although of course he means well).

Inde your poor Doc, I hope his ear infection clears up soon.  And they're a danger to themselves with the wasp chasing aren't they?  My kitten causes me no end of angst when I see him cavorting with the enormous bumble bees in the garden.....

Fur babies and scale babies and feather babies, they're a worry aren't they?  I'd be devastated it anything happened to my five!


----------



## madmisti

OneStep -glad to hear the more positive news and just hope and pray that she continues to improve and is soon 100%    Stil sending those get well vibes  

Inde - how is Doc doing?

Lol
Misti x


----------



## OneStepAtATime

Poor little Poppy died during the night - I found her this morning. 
Poor little thing.
I did take her to the vet last night - so at least I know she'd had all the antibiotics over the last couple of days. I guess she was just too ill...


She was such as sweet little thing - very timid when I first got her (to the extent I wondered whether she'd ever trust me) - but so lovely later on. Coming out to see me when I called her... Climbing over me on the sofa (she'd never have dared to begin with)... 


OneStep


----------



## wizard

Oh OneStep I'm so very sorry     .  She sounds a lovely sweet animal and you did her justice by doing everything you could for her.  When something happens to our fur babies not only is it a terrible loss but as singlies we have no-one to really share that loss with.  Sending you   and take good care of yourself.

Wizard x


----------



## RedRose

Hi all, 

    Onestep, so sorry to hear about your Poppy  , you did everything you could and she is out of pain now although you will miss her terribly.  It is strange how some people think we shouldn't be as upset over smaller animals, or as upset over animals as we are over people dying or being ill.  If you care for something, you get very attached no matter what it is, I can remember being very upset when my childhood hamsters, Cuddles and Pom-Pom died.  
    Inde, hope Doc is recovering , it sounds nasty.  
    I must admit I keep looking at my geriatric quartet and wondering how on earth I will cope over the next few years.  I think we just have to love them as much as possible and do the best we can when they become ill, there's no way not to have the pain.  My biggest regrets and sadness over my past animals have been where I felt I didn't spend enough time with them due to work or kept them going too long because I couldn't bear to have them put down which was probably selfish of me.
    going to cry now!  lots of love to everyone on this thread, Rosi.


----------



## madmisti

Onestep - I am so so sorry hun - I cried when I read your post    All of us on here understand the pain and grief you feel. It sounds as though she died peacefully in her sleep - and you know you gave her the best chance possible.I hope you have someone around to comfort you - even if they don't understand fully the impact of this loss. Take care and be gentle with yourself - we are all thinking of you  

Love
Misti x


----------



## indekiwi

OneStep,        Not easy honey, so sorry you are facing this grief.  

Doc has recovered (from the wasp sting at least) - just rather reproachful that we abandoned him with friends this weekend while in Scotland.  Fortunately, he's not the smartest Spaniel in the world and will likely have forgotten by tomorrow.  

A-Mx


----------



## madmisti

Inde - good to hear Doc on the mend    My **'s always try to sulk when I get home after being away, but it never lasts long - they are too desperate for cuddles  

Onestep - hope you are doing ok hun - thinking of you  

lol
Misti xx


----------



## OneStepAtATime

Thank you Misti, Indekiwi, Rose and Wizard. 
Seeing Poppy suffering was the worst bit - trying to work out whether there was anything more I could do for her. At least she's not suffering now. 

I've now cleaned all the hamster gear and put it away. I'm intending to go away for some of the 2ww and it's not fair to get a baby hamster now and not be around for so long in just 3 or 4 weeks time. But I'm looking forward to getting a new little friend in September. 

Hope all of your furry friends (or feathered!) are doing ok.

OneStep


----------



## madmisti

Onestep -  I am sure there was nothing else you could have done honey - you gave her a fighting chance    I hope you get 2 exciting things in September - a BFP and a new fur baby  

Take care
Lol
Misti xx


----------



## ♥Jovial♥

OneStep sorry to hear about little Poppy, it's so hard to see them suffering  
Take care
Jovi x


----------



## madmisti

OneStep - just wondering how you are doing honey?  Hope you are feeling less raw and are looking after yourself  

Take care
Lol
Misti xx


----------



## OneStepAtATime

Hi 
Thank you for your good wishes. 

Misti - I'm ok. Thank you for asking. I miss having Poppy in the flat - it's funny how little things remind you -  like I'd talk to her when I was coming in/out of the living room, and when I'm preparing food I think "she'd have loved a leaf of that spinach". 

But I'm ok. I'm just so relieved that she's not suffering. It really was horrible seeing her so ill. 

When previous hamsters have passed away, I have usually got another very soon after, but not this time. Partly because I'll be going away for the 2ww and don't want to leave a baby hamster on its own with just someone popping in to check on food - but actually it's also because it's quite a relief not being responsible for anyone but me at the moment. With all the IVF drugs etc I feel I need a bit extra looking after, so that's enough for now. 

All the best  
OneStep


----------



## kizzi79

Dear one-step

so sorry to hear about your little one    

It's so hard to lose a furbaby. Thinking of you, take care of yourself

      Krissi  x


----------



## wizard

My ginger boy is poorly    he hasn't eaten since Friday and I took him to the emergency animal hospital today (aka BUPA for cats with a bill so far of about £550   )  He's now there overnight on a drip to rehydrate him and they're running tests to try and find the problem.  Hoping it's nothing serious - vet mentioned possible liver, kidney and pancreas.....

Wizard x


----------



## madmisti

Oh Wizard - so sorry hun. Sending lots of get well vibes to your boy -and hopes that it's nothing serious      Thinking of you  

Lol
Misti xx


----------



## bingbong

Wizard I hope that your ginger one is feeling a lot better today and that it turns out to not be anything too serious  

Bingbong x


----------



## wizard

Thanks Bingbong and Misti  

I have just been to see him - they have visting hours on 'cat ward'!  He looked a sorry thing when I arrived but perked up after some cuddles and strokes.  He then got very agitated by his drip and kept trying to shake it off.  Each time I shut his cage and tried to leave he began yowling wildly and it all became a bit distressing.  Good news is the blood tests haven't revealed anything terrible, although he's still not eating so it's another night in hotel hospital for him.  I think you can get a night at the Savoy for about the same price - at least before the refurb anyway!  I wish he was home with me though; 'cat ward' is, understandably, full of very sick pussies and it's all a bit grim.  Despite having 4 others, it's still very quiet without him  

Wizard x


----------



## madmisti

Wizard - Sorry your visit was so distressing - but getting irritated with drip and yowling are actually good signs - if he was so poorly he was just lying there it would be more worrying. Hopefully he just has a nasty stomach bug or something and will soon be eating and back home with you  

Vets bills are always a shock - I highly recommend pet insurance!!  Ellie's recent pancreatitis cost over £600 but I only had to pay first £80, plus she has a an ongoing allergy problem that coats over £120/month in meds but this is all covered for as long as she lives as I have 'cover for life' for all my pets. This means that any condition is covered for as long as you renew insurance. Otherwise, you are only covered for the year the problem first occurs. So worth paying a bit extra for 'cover for life'. I am with Tescos. Pay about £14 a month for the dog and half that per cat.  Takes some of the worry off when they get ill as you are not stressing about the bills.

Lots and lots of get well vibes   

Misti xx


----------



## wizard

Misti I've ummed and ahhed about pet insurance but with 5 of them (one with a severe heart murmur which wouldn't be covered and a compromised immune system) I decided to take my chances and think that if one of them needs expensive care then it's unlikely to be the same as paying insurance for 5 cats and not using it for many years....  When they do get themselves into scrapes it's usually about £50 so less than the excess.  I guess that's the gamble I take.  But I wouldn't begrudge my kids a penny!  I think I'll look into it again though, now that they're getting middle aged. 

Thanks for the positive slant on his yowling etc, definitely a good way to look at it.

Wizard x


----------



## ♥Jovial♥

Wizard hope pusscat is feeling better soon and is back home with you    
Jovi x


----------



## Lou-Ann

Wizard, sorry to hear that you gingerboy isn't well . Glad that he is alert enough today to realise that he wanted to go home with you . Hope that he is totally better soon. 

Re pet insurance, I have my furbabies insured with healthy pets and it costs me £11.40 p/m for all 3 of them. I think that the excess is £40, but it is worth it if just for peace of mind.

Lou-Ann x


----------



## madmisti

Wizard -can see that insuring 5 would add up!! Maybe you could set aside a bit each month instead of insurance so you have a pot to use for vets bills!!  Hoping that he is home soon - tomorrow would be great!!

Lou-Ann -that is very good - it is  'cover for life' though?  If I hadn't had that for Ellie, I would be paying about £120-150/month for her allergy stuff! As she will have it for the rest of her life ( could be another 10 or 11 years!)  the insurance is def worht having!!

Lots of cuddles, tickles, rubs and kisses to all the **'s ( whichevr they prefer!)

Lol
Misti x


----------



## OneStepAtATime

Wizard - Sorry to hear your ginger furbaby is poorly. It sounds like he's being well looked after. Hope he's home soon.

OneStep


----------



## starbuck

How is he doing today Wizard?

I have heard that it is better to put aside the amount of money you would spend on insurance each month instead of paying for insurance.  I did have cover for life with Pet plan but cancelled it last month.  I worked out that even with my Cat who died last year after 6 days of being at the vets and having loads of tests and medicine I only broke even over 7 years of insurance (Wizard don't let this worry you - I'm sure your cat will be fine as his bloods are good - we could see straight away with my cat that it was his kidneys from the bloods).  

Mostly the problem was the little scraps not being much more than the excess I was paying.    However I decided not to risk no insurance at all so now have tescos standard for my 3 cats and now pay 30 a month (was about 45 with pet plan).  The excess is much lower so can claim for the little things and it will pay for any one offs.  Obviously if one of my cats gets something like  Misti's cat then I would be in trouble - but this way I feel I've got it balanced better.

I always laugh that my cats have insurance but I don't....obviously I will have to though once I've got a dependant  

Starbuck


----------



## bingbong

Wizard I hope that your furbaby is doing better today  

It's a hard one with insurance, I have been very lucky with my dogs and unless something totally major happens then I have saved not paying for insurance. They have had it at various times and I agree with Misti that it's worth getting the cover for life, but mine now have none and with one over 10 it would be hard to insure her now. I should put some away each month but I don't, hopefully I won't come to regret that! It's so hard to know whether it is worth having until it is too late.

Bingbong x


----------



## wizard

Thanks everyone for your thoughts.  Hector is home but I'm worried.  He wasn't sick at all at the vets (since Sunday) - but then he hardly ate anything.  However now he's home he's had a few mouthfuls of food and has just brought it straight back up again - along with a load of grass which he promptly chewed within 10 minutes of arriving.  I can see him sat in the garden and he's obviously not at death's door but they haven't really found out the problem with him either  

Thanks also for your thoughts and info on insurance.  I will certainly look into it again, Lou-Ann what a bargain yours seems.  Starbuck it's funny how we might have insurance for our pets but not ourselves and yes we will need to rethink this when we have our children!

Wizard x


----------



## Lou-Ann

Wizard, glad that Hector is home now . Hope that he was just sick because of the grass he had eaten and his tummy settles down as he carries on eating small amounts of food 

Misti, it states 'cover for ongoing conditions' but can't actually see 'cover for life' mentioned  

Lou-Ann x


----------



## starbuck

Wizard have you tried him with different food?  My eldest has not been eating much recently so I gave him wet food tonight.  He ate it all and then pushed one of the kittens aside to get hers too.

And if cats are like humans then he might associate his normal food with being sick.

I rely a lot on my instincts to tell when my cats are sick - I think we are all like that with our fur babies - so give the vet a call in the morning if you are still worried and see what they suggest.  At the very least they can reassure you.

Will keep my fingers crossed that he has his breakfast with no fuss.

Starbuck


----------



## madmisti

Wizard - so glad you have H home    Hopefully the being sick was just because his stomach hasn't had any food in it for a bit, plus the eating grass.  Hopefully he will be ok with very small amounts regularly  

Lou-Ann:  that sounds like the same as 'cover for life'. The difference is that with 'normal' insurance, if your pet gets a condition that either recurs regularly or is an ongoing condition, such as diabetes, or a thyroid problem, or an alllergy like my dog has, then you can claim for it only until you renew the insurance policy and then you can't - and you won't be able to cover them for it with a new policy either ( i.e switching companies) as it is then  a 'pre-existing' condition. With cover for life or the equivalent, the condition will continue to be covered as long as you keep up the policy ( you can't switch to another company). With my policy, you pay the excess once/condition/per year, so I pay it once a year for her  ongoing allergy condition.If they get anything else - as Ellie did with pancreatitis- then you pay the excess on that condition.  So, you need to look carefully - and phone and ask if necessary, when looking at a new policy. For Ellie's insurance at £15/month plus the one off excess of £80, it costs me £260 a year for her allergy. Without the cover for life ( or no insurance at all) it would be costing me a minimum of £1840/year  . Her episode of pancreatitis cost me £80 - the actual bill was nearly £700. Again this could recur and without cover for life, it wouldn't be covered again.  She had 8 years totally healthy with no insurance claims which cost me a max of £180 a year - total £1440. So you can see that  over her lifetime I am saving an absolute fortune. 

Of course, there is always the chance that they will never get anything and you have paid the insurance 'for nothing' - we do that with our house and car most years. I am not trying to make anybody feel they should have insurance, and certainly not they are a 'bad' pet owner without it - I am just trying to point out that it can save you a lot of money if you find the right policy    And fro me it makes the terrible experience of having an ill ** that bit easier because I know  they can have every test, examination and treatment they need ( and they would have that even if not insured of course!) but without me having to stress over how to pay for it.

Anyway - here's hoping H gets better very soon and all our precious **'s stay well and healthy    

Does it scare any of you how hard we are going to find it when we have a human baby and they get ill - knowing how hard it is when an ** does? It does me!!  Having sadly had 2 cats that I found dead with no warning and no previous ill health, I have been known to panic if one of the **'s is very sound asleep and prod them just to make sure . Sure I will do that with a baby as well!!  Not looking forward to that part of motherhood - oh the worry!!

Lol
Misti xx


----------



## RedRose

Hi everyone,

      Just catching up with this thread and so sorry, Wizard to hear about Hector, hope he is starting to eat and be more himself today  .  Hope it was just a bug, I remember reading that the grass eating and vomiting is a natural process that cats use to clean out their stomachs.  

      Misty and Lou-Ann, interesting to read about your insurance policies, mine are all ancient now so don't think I could get reasonable cover for them, but it is something I think I will definitely look into for possible future youngsters, (hopefully a long time in the future!).  

              love and good health to all FBs and their owners, Rosi.


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## madmisti

Wizard -how is Hector doing? Hope he is much much better today and eating etc ( with no vomiting)   

Lol
M xx


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## wizard

Thanks for asking Misti    He is ok, still not 100% but he is eating and drinking so on the mend I hope.  I'm away for a few days and leaving him in the capable hands of my aunt who loves my furbabies as much, if not more, than I do so I know he'll be very well looked after.

Wizard x


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## madmisti

That's really good news    Hopefully he will be 100% by the time you get home -and I'm sure your aunt will give him lots of TLC

We ever going to see pics of your (now not so) new kitten?  

Lol
Misti x


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## wizard

I tried to upload one in my avatar but it just won't do it.  The page times out and I'm left with the ginger and white, who although is very cute belongs to someone else!

<----- techno nerd

Wizard x


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## madmisti

Maybe the picture is too big a file - have you tried a smaller one?

M xx


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## madmisti

Hi Lou

No expert on cat flaps but I got a litter tray which had a cat flap on it and my 2 wouldn't go though the flap - then aged 1 and 18 months. I tried  putting just the lid of the tray (with the cat flap on it) on the floor and put food in there but they were too scared to go through it. However, this was to go into a dark confined space so it may be different if it is an entrance/exit one. Catteries and rescue centres generally have a flap to the outdoor bit and I would have thought that they wouldn't do this if cats unused to flaps wouldn't use them, so it is probably ok. 

Have you tried looking for reviews of microchop cat flaps? I think this is the ideal solution ( if they work) as most vets now advise against collars for cats and it would stop other cats coming in  as you say.

Also just to warn you, I enquired abut having a cat flap put into my french doors out onto the balcony and because they are double glazed UPVC units, it would have cost a fortune as they take the whole glass panel out and replace it - can't just cut a hole in it for flap!

Failing all that, a covered litter tray might be an option - you wouldn't have to change it that often if she only uses it in emergencies.

Good luck with finding a solution - not fun having  pets messing in the house ( or the car for that matter - Ellie ( my dog) did a poo in the back of mine ( an estate) yesterday and got it everywhere, including all over herself so that meant major clean up operation and bath for her   - good practice for having a child throa up in car I suppose!!)

Claire_ I hope Boo is doing Ok( saw you mentioned she's poorly on other thead)  

Lol
Misti x


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## wizard

Lou I am a bit of an expert, well maybe more have a bit of experience with catflaps so I would advise getting a petmate magnetic. They're about £30 I think, got mine from chemistdirect very recently, best price I could find. I had staywells for years that were bl00dy useless, kept breaking and were soooo noisy. Don't bother with an expensive microchip one, unless you want to; the magnetic ones are good enough - yes they'll let in another cat with a magnet on its collar but after 20 years of having the magnetic variety I've never had an unwanted vistor - unless they tailgate your cat  which does happen with mine, but a microchip one won't prevent that any more than a magnetic. Yes she will have to wear a collar but the magnet isn't chunky; infact _*any *_ magnet will open the petmate so you can just stick a small one her collar (all you need to do is hold the magnet by the flap to check it activates the catch).

Getting her to used to it shouldnit be too hard. I just left mine propped open for a while so they went in and out (just put a yummy treatie indoors by the flap to encourage usage) and then closed it. Yes, there was a bit of protestation but they soon caved in.

Good luck!!

Wizard x


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## wizard

It never rains it pours.

My ginger girl with the heart problem has not been well since Tuesday and is on antibiotics and steroids, but much much worse is the fact that my young rascal Hegarty, now 9 months has gone missing.  I have flyered and stuck signs on lamp posts and knocked on neighbours doors and walked the streets all day.  I am beside myself with worry and the thought of more impending loss.   

Wizard x


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## ♥JJ1♥

Wizard I really hope that he comes home 
L x


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## indekiwi

Wiz, hugs winging their way to you but I hope the little guy shows up and that the older one recovers.  You poor soul, this is not what you need to be dealing with right now.  

A-Mx


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## upsydaisy

Oh Wizard how awful  , hopefully he's living it up somewhere and will appear none the worse for wear!
Never give up on a missing cat.  My parents beloved Tabby disappeared over Christmas one year.  He was gone for 4 weeks and eventually discovered under a neighbours canoe!!  Very thin but alive. I helped make all the posters etc.  Every time I see one now I stop to read it.
   The rascal turns up for his dinner eventually.
Upsyxxx


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## Damelottie

Oh Wizard

Thats just awful awful news  . I'm so sorry and I do hope he comes home very very soon.


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## bingbong

Oh Wizard I really hope that your little furbaby returns home soon. It's such a worry but I hope that he has found some adventure to go on and will return home soon. Also sending   to your ginger girl. 

Thinking of you

Bingbong x


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## wizard

I have just found him    JJ, inde, upsy, LL and bingbong thank you so much for your posts.  I was doing one last walk and name call around the neighbourhood and by absolute coincidence he was in a garden a few roads away from me.  He's been gone almost 24 hours, and I've no idea where but I walked that area so many times today with no sight of him.

I am so relieved I can't put it into words.  I'd got into such a state about it with everything else going on and it was all feeling just a bit too much.  

My wee girl is still looking very sorry for herself but that feels like a walk in the park after the day I've had.

Once again, thanks for your well-wishes.

Wizard x


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## indekiwi

Yay!!!!!  Wizard, so pleased you've found him.  

A-Mx


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## bingbong

Oh, I'm so pleased that I read that before bed   I really hope that your ginger girl (I used to have a ginger girl and she was the best cat I could ever want) gets better soon.



Bingbong x


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## Lou-Ann

Wizard, so glad that you found Hegarty! Hope that your little girl furbaby gets better soon 

Lou-Ann x


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## starbuck

Wizard so glad your cat has turned up.  I had a similar experience with one of mine when he was about that age.  He was also only gone for 24 hours but I was in a complete state about it.  He was only across the road in the end but I only found him as the neighbour called after reading my leaflet.  

Hope he is enjoying being at home now and giving you some much needed comfort.  Fingers crossed your girls gets better too soon.  

Starbuck
x


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## Damelottie

Ohhhhhhhhhhh I am so so so pleased


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## ♥JJ1♥

wizard so thrilled that you found him- what a minx! My cat used to go missing and then we notice plenty little ones like him in the street a few months later!
l


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## estella

Hi Girls,

Cat poo problem TMI alert!
So I got a couple of beautiful kittens a few months ago and then I got pregnant. The kittens are now about 7 months old (tonkinese) and uber friendly. The problem is I'm paranoid about cat poo, I mean to the point where I'm considering giving them away, they have a large litter tray and although they cover it over with gravel when they go, I often notice poo footprints and bits of poo/gravel in the sitting room and all over the house. I'm actually disgusted by it, I slowly brought the cat litter tray to the door and then outside and that worked for about a day. 
The next thing I had to do was get rid of all my houseplants ( some really beautiful ones) as they dug them up and went there (and missed). The window is open all the time, the cat tray is outside and now they are pooing on the bathroom rug. I'm worried sick about toxiplasmosis, and although I have read up and understand it's difficult to get, I'm worried sick.
Its at the point where I'm not loving them at all. They also try to scavange everything in the kitchen, drink from mugs, grab food from plates, my whole lifestyle has changed. My morning sickness hasn't passed either so I'm constantly gagging over this.
I was a dog owner before and the cats I remembered from childhood were much more laidback and chilled.\They are also total lapcats, and I'm worried when the baby is born I won't be able to put him/her down for a second without the cats sitting on him/her.

Sorry for ranting, I'm sure i would appreciate them under different circumstances. I would really appreciate advice from other cat owners.

Thanks Estella  xx


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## starbuck

Hi Estella

I've always been led to believe that cats reject their litter tray if its dirty, they are stressed or they feel unsafe there.  It might be with the cold weather that having it outside is too cold for them so they prefer the warmth of the bathroom.  I would try moving it again - maybe into the bathroom and then slowly moving it somewhere more convenient once they are going in it again.  The litter problem is difficult though - it's hard not to find bits around the house although I used to find sweeping it up every day stopped me and the cats walking it through the house.    I started training mine ages ago to use a toilet with the help of a "Litter Kwitter".  They are half trained now on a makeshift toilet - its a long story - think the kittens would have been trained in no time but the older cat is very stubborn!

To disipline their other habbits then get a plant spray filled with water and spray them when they do something wrong (not litter things though as that could stress them into going into the wrong place).  I have trained all mine like this and it really works.      

I have 3 very cuddly burmese cats and don't really worry that they will sleep on the baby (as they will associate it with noise) but more that they will get jealous that I won't be able to cuddle them all the time.  Haven't come up with an answer for that yet but I'll let you know how I get on when the baby comes. 

Cats really are a joy though so I hope you can learn to love them again.  And research shows growing up with 2 or more pets decreases allegies in children. 

Hope this helps and good luck
Starbuck
x


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## Lou-Ann

Estelle, I was quite lucky in that I had my cats from a very early age and they took to the litter tray very well. I think that you will always find bits of gravel around as it gets stuck in their paws. I tend to keep the living room door shut overnight and until I get home from work, which reduces the bits of gravel in there. I have wooden flooring throughout the rest of downstairs so I sweep any stray gravel to one side so that it doesn't get trapsed round the house. I also think that if you keep moving the litter tray they may become confused. I sometimes get a few pawprints of kitty poo by the tray from where they have managed to stand in it whilst trying to cover it up and clean this up with antibacterial spray asap. 

The biggest problem I have with my cats is when they are sick, they can't just stand in one spot and be sick they have to move several times 

I agree with Starbuck on disciplining them with the water sprayer. I still put one by the xmas tree at xmas so they know that they aren't supposed to climb up it. It doesn't always work until I pick it up and point it in their direction 

Good luck 

Lou-Ann x


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## Mifi

Estella

I have two large breed indoor cats and they rarely tread litter through my flat. I bought a plastic mat that is all bobbley which helps disperse the litter off their paws as they step out of the tray. If you ask at your pet shop im sure they will stock them. I think mine cost about £8. Also have thought about changing litter brands? I have used Thomas and Catsan and they do get everywhere especially Catsan. I use So Clean which is clay based and clumps. Its the best litter I have used as no chemicals, it clumps and it is cheap £6 for 20kg bag. If you can find somewhere that stocks it I highly recommend. I think also as it is clay based the granules are heavier so they dont get walked through your home. Cats should be clean animals and if their not it usually means something is wrong. If there are poo paw porints are they having a bit of the runny poos then   perhaps you need to change their food to sensitive tummys and I would avoid treats  

One last thing the best deterant is defo the water spray (a quick spirt near the face will always deter) and I also clapp my hands if they are up to no good. At 7 months they still have alot to learn. Cats also hate citris smells so you could get some lemon oil or somthink like that and rub it onto things that you want them to leave well alone. 

As for the plants that is a problem and I also had to get rid of all mine and I never get flowers either as my two monsters cannot resist munching on them. So many flowers/plants are also highly toxic to cats such as lilies, daffs etc. it isnt worth the risk. 

Hope this helps


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## estella

FullMoon, Lou-ann and Starbuck,

Thanks so much for your answers and help, I am definately going to go out and get a water spray as when it comes to food, they really get crazed. I think the reason for this was that I switched to mostly dry food (purina kitten) as they used to constantly pass gas and the place stank of cat gas, I had to stop people calling around!

I'll also have to check the flowers that are toxic - I had heard about lillies before - and they're my favourite!! (

What I want to do is have them go outside TOTALLY, I mean no littertray in the house - it might have been easier if I had wooden floors but I'm afraid I have carpets so the gravel really gets everywhere!  I think it should work though with a bit of patience, as I have a large backgarden lots of hedges etc. This also avoids me changing the litter tray and thus toxiplasmosis (I have had a blood test and am hoping I have been exposed to it before as I think I'll relax a bit!). I also have a 2yr old daughter and really dont want her playing with the catbox although we have mostly managed it so far!!

What I did yesterday, and I hope it's not cruel - please tell me if it is as it's the last thing I want to do - is feed them a hearty breakfast and lunch and then nothing for dinner, they spent a lot of time out during the day and didn't make any accidents in the house last night!!!!

I guess overall I'm really fond of them they are incredibly sweet and smart, the thought of giving them away would sadden me. But I've almost turned OCD with all the cleaning and scrubbing!!

Thanks again so much for your advice!

E x


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## Lou-Ann

Estelle, I too worried about toxoplasmosis as I have always had cats for pets (we had loads of cats and kittens when I was growing up), so I was very surprised when my blood test result came back negative. From what I understand, I don't think that it is that easy to expose yourself to it if you are careful when you clean the litter tray. 

FM, that mat sounds good, I might have a look at those next time I'm at the pet shop 

Lou-Ann x


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