The Chillout Zone (Off-Topic Thread)

mymo · 15-05-2015 11:17am

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

Toby came home without his collar AGAIN today. That's the 2nd in 7 days

High vis cat vest?

Pumpkinseeds · 15-05-2015 11:22am

mymo wrote: »

High vis cat vest?

It's a 2 person job just to get a collar on him.

I saw a new cat strolling down the street late last night, totally indifferent to us being in the garden and automatically thought he's gonna be a new nemesis for Toby. The new cat was strutting around with that 'cause fcuk you' look on his face.

tk123 · 16-05-2015 9:08pm

My bro got me a couple of pink yes equality bandanas before I went on hols and brought them over the other evening. The different reactions from people are so funny - some are not impressed with them at all, some have an issue with Bailey wearing a pink bandana when he's a boy

, some have asked what they say and then where can they get one and this morning two people running by in the park had seen the bandanas on FB and were very impressed lol!

Poochie05 · 16-05-2015 9:58pm

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

Toby came home without his collar AGAIN today. That's the 2nd in 7 days. Thankfully the 2 others I ordered arrived yesterday. I suspect he might have lost it in a brawl with a new cat last night. Mr Pumpkinseeds fed him at 4.30 and he went off again and when I came down at 8.30 the collar was gone, apparently he still had it at 4.30. He crosses a very busy road and it's vital that he has a reflective collar. We've been using the Red Dingo ones, which aren't cheap with the Sterling to Euro exchange rate. At this rate I'm probably gonna have to start taking a torch around the neighbourhood in the early hours looking for the lost collars.:D

Can I ask where you get the Red Dingo collars?

Pumpkinseeds · 17-05-2015 5:16pm

Poochie05 wrote: »

Can I ask where you get the Red Dingo collars?

I get them on Amazon. The only criticism I'd have is that under the collar, where the Red Dingo logo is, the stitching can be a little too long and it irritates the cat. I get around it by using a nail clippers to clip it level and it solves the problem.

baby and crumble · 17-05-2015 7:34pm

Why are black cats so hard to photograph??? Shade is settling in great but I can barely get a good photo to post. Grrrr.

VonVix · 17-05-2015 7:38pm

baby and crumble wrote: »

Why are black cats so hard to photograph??? Shade is settling in great but I can barely get a good photo to post. Grrrr.

They suck up the light, very cat-like in generally really!

Also, I've been on a mad one lately and been considering getting a Belgian Shepherd. AH. I know. I'm mad.

mymo · 18-05-2015 8:19am

Baby and crumbles, Try taking pics in the grass, on a bright day, get down level with the cat, don't try light backgrounds unless very well lit.

Toby came in last night and dropped a soggy mouse at my daughters feet, she woke me with the squeals, but she was brave and picked it up with some tissue and threw it out the back door.

So this morning the dog walked in with it, and gave it to her again!

jokettle · 18-05-2015 1:49pm

My dog habitually scratches at his ears/face with his front paws. The vet has had a look and it's not fleas or tics or anything, she thinks it's just a behavioural thing he does. I've noticed it's usually when he's tired or unsettled or generally unhappy with something.

Today, I noticed him doing it while I was singing, clearly unhappy at the quality of my dulcet tones. Well feck off so :P

Pumpkinseeds · 18-05-2015 2:57pm

I am so pissed off with whoever it is letting Toby into their house. He was gone from the early hours of this morning and I went looking for him twice in the estate across the road where he goes every evening. I finally found him in someone's back garden, he heard me calling and jumped up on the wall, so I carried him home. Last Friday he disappeared at 10ish in the morning and only got home at 5 that evening and we were worried sick about him.

Now before anyone starts lecturing me about how cats shouldn't be allowed to roam, we have 4 cats, all of whom we would love to be indoor only cats, but 1 of them was a feral kitten, and even though he's a lap cat now, he goes berserk if he feels trapped and has literally dug holes in the carpet to try to get out of the house in the past, so keeping them indoor only is impossible.

Now, I don't mind a cat lover letting him in, although I'd prefer it if they didn't, but letting him stay in so long is ridiculous. He's a big, well fed, collar wearing 6 kilo cat, so no mistaking him for a stray. If it keeps happening I'm going to have to knock the door and have a word with them about it.:mad:

reallyrose · 18-05-2015 3:21pm

I've torn a neighbor to shreds before for going off to the shops or whatever and leaving Swanson locked in his flat.
His cat and my cats are mates so sometimes Swanson ends up in his flat but like, shoo him out before you leave...

Alun · 18-05-2015 3:41pm

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

I am so pissed off with whoever it is letting Toby into their house.

How do you know they're actually letting him into the house? One of our cats will happily spend all day in next door's garden, but doesn't go into the house at all (I've asked!) I think she just does it to get away from her sister for a bit.

Pumpkinseeds · 18-05-2015 4:12pm

Alun wrote: »

How do you know they're actually letting him into the house? One of our cats will happily spend all day in next door's garden, but doesn't go into the house at all (I've asked!) I think she just does it to get away from her sister for a bit.

The weather was awful today, with really strong gusts of wind and torrential showers, but he was bone dry and he wasn't hungry, despite having not eaten at our house since last night. What worries me is that he's crossing a very busy road to get over there. We think that he was left behind in that terrace by whoever had him before us and that he wanders back out of habit.

Sometimes he comes home and you can tell he's been brushed, you just know when they've been in someone's house all day/night. I know they have good intentions but it can be dangerous. We don't know if they own the house or are renting, if they rent, the next people to move in could hate cats and might harm him. Previous neighbours of ours had kids that encouraged our cats to jump up on a porch and go in the box room window, no matter how much I complained about it, it continued. Then they started going in other peoples windows.

reallyrose · 18-05-2015 4:39pm

Back in work today after being out sick most of last week. I really don't feel on the mend, I wish I was at home with a cat sitting on me!

Pumpkinseeds · 18-05-2015 4:41pm

reallyrose wrote: »

Back in work today after being out sick most of last week. I really don't feel on the mend, I wish I was at home with a cat sitting on me!

Take care of yourself, I'm almost finished a second course of antibiotics and it still hasn't fully gone.

tk123 · 19-05-2015 2:20pm

We were in the park this morning strolling along when we come up to a duck on the river bank about 3 or 4 feet away from Lucy.. Normally they jump down into the river/fly away but this one didn't budge...so neither did Lucy. I should have recorded but we were standing there for a while with Lucy sniffing and sniffing in amazement when I decided to step in by asking the duck if it was ok - it jumped out of it's sleep and went "WTF!!" and jumped into the river lol!!

I wasn't taking any chances after we had an incident before where Lucy came across an injured gull and started prodding it with her nose - luckily it swam to a part of the river that's too deep for her before she tried to pick it up etc!!

Pumpkinseeds · 19-05-2015 2:30pm

tk123 wrote: »

We were in the park this morning strolling along when we come up to a duck on the river bank about 3 or 4 feet away from Lucy.. Normally they jump down into the river/fly away but this one didn't budge...so neither did Lucy. I should have recorded but we were standing there for a while with Lucy sniffing and sniffing in amazement when I decided to step in by asking the duck if it was ok - it jumped out of it's sleep and went "WTF!!" and jumped into the river lol!! I wasn't taking any chances after we had an incident before where Lucy came across an injured gull and started prodding it with her nose - luckily it swam to a part of the river that's too deep for her before she tried to pick it up etc!!

Years ago we lived in a Cul De Sac in York and we had 2 seperate pairs of male ducks that spent most of their time with us. Bill and Ben and Sid and Sylvester, very original I know:o 1 pair would often chase the other pair off and a neighbours torty cat from an upstairs duplex further up the terrace used to visit us every day, they'd often chase her down the street and under a car. Viscious little buggers when they want to be, but great fun, even though it did mean scouring outside the front door with disinfectant and a yard brush every evening to clean up their poop.

Pumpkinseeds · 19-05-2015 7:07pm

Our cats are doing a lot of bed hopping lately. Poppy has decided that she no longer wants her bed in the office or the office chair that she used to love, now she wants Jazzys bed on the bed in the spare room. If he's in it then she'll steal Felixs bed on the spare bed. I found Jazzy asleep on one of Mr Pumpkinseeds pillows this afternoon. He'd managed to knock one down in front of him so it was like a nest of pillows. Then I found Felix on Toby's armchair in the kitchen. Only Toby hasn't switched beds, then again he's spending entirely too much time in someone elses house.

Dubl07 · 20-05-2015 9:34am

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

Our cats are doing a lot of bed hopping lately. Poppy has decided that she no longer wants her bed in the office or the office chair that she used to love, now she wants Jazzys bed on the bed in the spare room. If he's in it then she'll steal Felixs bed on the spare bed. I found Jazzy asleep on one of Mr Pumpkinseeds pillows this afternoon. He'd managed to knock one down in front of him so it was like a nest of pillows. Then I found Felix on Toby's armchair in the kitchen. Only Toby hasn't switched beds, then again he's spending entirely too much time in someone elses house.

Your neighbours posted this...

reallyrose · 20-05-2015 9:41am

Important breaking news:

When we move house, we are getting A KITTEN!

Pumpkinseeds · 20-05-2015 11:29am

Dubl07 wrote: »

Your neighbours posted this...

A bit more white and that could very well be him, and he loves to drink from the bathroom sink.

Pumpkinseeds · 20-05-2015 7:12pm

Toby spent most of the day on our bed, which is unusual, weirder still Jazzy was on the bed too and didn't hassle him. The people in the house he visits saw me lift him off the wall on Monday and hopefully they've got the message that he's wanted at home. I had to order some more reflective collars from Zooplus today, I love the Red Dingo ones but the Sterling rate is just too expensive at the moment.

ShaShaBear · 20-05-2015 9:18pm

Poor Opie is delighted he's finally back to normal indoor duties

Finally got the wooden floor down and all the painting done (bar a bit of gloss that has to be done right before bed to minimise fumes). Poor fecker has had to spend the better part of the day in the little room alone or out in the garden with all 24 of his toys, some of which were stuffed with mince and frozen dog food.
He's back inside now and has a face on him like I chained him up outside with no food or water for the past week!

reallyrose · 21-05-2015 12:23pm

Question actually. So, when we get a new cat, I'd like to get a grown up cat.
My boyfriend says that our current cat (who, to be fair, is very misanthropic) will tear an adult cat apart because it won't have a "kitten smell"
A kitten will be fine, he'll be nice to the kitten.

Thoughts?

Kittens are lovely but they're only kittens for 5 minutes and they poop everywhere. I'd like to rescue an adult animal who mightn't have all the options of a tiny fuzzball.

Pumpkinseeds · 21-05-2015 12:52pm

reallyrose wrote: »

Question actually. So, when we get a new cat, I'd like to get a grown up cat.
My boyfriend says that our current cat (who, to be fair, is very misanthropic) will tear an adult cat apart because it won't have a "kitten smell"
A kitten will be fine, he'll be nice to the kitten.

Thoughts?

Kittens are lovely but they're only kittens for 5 minutes and they poop everywhere. I'd like to rescue an adult animal who mightn't have all the options of a tiny fuzzball.

I think it depends on the cat tbh. We have 4 cats, Felix was the first to arrive and he loved being an only child.:D Jazzy was a feral kitten when he started showing up and he gradually accepted him. Toby was an adult when he arrived in the garden and that was major trouble but he was coming and going and it might have been different if we'd had him indoors in a safe room and done slow gradual introductions, like we did when we brought Poppy home.

We had a foster kitten for about 6 months and Felix despised her. Wanted nothing to do with her and just hissed at her whenever she went near him. It really does depend on your own cats personality. At best our 4 tolerate each other. I know some people have cats who love each other and snuggle up and wash each other, but the reality is most cats don't do that. Your own cat might not be too keen on a kitten swinging out of them. Molly, our foster kitten used to hang off Jazzy and he loved playing with her but in small doses.

ShaShaBear · 21-05-2015 12:59pm

reallyrose wrote: »

Question actually. So, when we get a new cat, I'd like to get a grown up cat.
My boyfriend says that our current cat (who, to be fair, is very misanthropic) will tear an adult cat apart because it won't have a "kitten smell"
A kitten will be fine, he'll be nice to the kitten.

Thoughts?

Kittens are lovely but they're only kittens for 5 minutes and they poop everywhere. I'd like to rescue an adult animal who mightn't have all the options of a tiny fuzzball.

Totally cat dependant. Back when we had our first cat, we adopted a tiny kitten from the local SPCA and Tigger would attack her at every given opportunity. We ended up with no other choice but to give the kitten back for her own safety. Given Tigger was female, this really surprised my folks - they assumed a female cat would mother a kitten!
Plenty of adult kitten cats available for rehoming, ie about a year old still with kitten qualities but big enough to take after themselves.

Kovu · 21-05-2015 1:07pm

I think that totally depends on the cats tbh. We have three that get on very well together but Kovu and Squeak are thick as thieves. I even noted that she will call for him to go hunting together :eek:
It wasn't easy at first though, Squeak was preggers when we introduced them although we're still unsure if he was the father of them or not as he had been allowed to wander a bit before he got snipped. (Dad wasn't a fan of cats in the house so despite my protests he was put out during the day)
Kovu just seemed to put up with all the attacks and swipes he got and continually pressed her to see how close he could get to her and the kittens. Knew they would all work out when I seen all four of them lumped into the one box together!

It would be so nice if you could take an adult cat, they're so often looked over in shelters in favor of the cutsey kittens and they really don't deserve it. Perhaps if you explain the situation to them, they could advise which cats are solitary/friendly which would be a massive help in finding one to suit.

reallyrose · 21-05-2015 2:16pm

Swanson has cat based friends in the area - he usually will go up to a new cat and be more "hello" than "I must murder you". But recently, he's had a war with a new stray that appeared.

Hmm. I can hardly take him to the shelter and as him what he thinks.

I'd love an adult cat that has a settled personality. I'll give your feedback to my boyfriend and see if he's swayed.

tk123 · 21-05-2015 2:41pm

gah! Bailey was in the bushes yesterday evening and woke me up crying at 5:00am to go out to the loo and then had another explosion on the way to the park. Had to get him in the river swimming to clean him off and then I had a dilemma of whether to leave the puddle or go back with the watering can and brush (which I did)...he'd gone in the gutter at the side of a the road - his preferred spot where he can give me a heart attack waiting for a car to come!!! He's had another one since I came to work - asked my mum to let him out the front so he could do it in front of all the neighbors lol!! Ages since he had an episode like this - I'm very careful about what I give him so god only knows what he found and ate when I wasn't looking!

Cocolola · 21-05-2015 2:43pm

I did it!!

After moving into our new place more than a year ago, I finally got brave/fed up enough of a neighbour letting his dogs poo in our front garden and am just after hand delivering him the poo one of them left there now (in a little baggy of course!)

He was not expecting it at all and did apologise in fairness, but still :mad: It's a small estate of 14 houses and twice a day every day he brings them on a walk up to our houses at the end. He pretends to be looking the other way when they go.

I've wanted to do this for ages but have always been too shy.

mymo · 21-05-2015 8:51pm

We now have 4 cats reallyrose, Jake lived with his brother for 7 years, was very shy, his brother died suddenly and he seemed lost, we got a pup at the same time and they got on great, then we adopted an adult male cat of approx 5 years, Toby was fine with dog, himself and Jake kind of ignored each other but got on ok, shortly after we got another pup, everyone fine. Then I took in a couple of kittens, dogs and Jake love kittens, Toby hates them with a passion. Every time I took in kittens to rehome, Toby hated them. One stayed and he finally accepted her at 8 months old, they became best friends but sadly she was killed on the road, two more kittens have stayed since then, both he only accepted once they were about 8 months or so. He still hates kittens. Jake meanwhile loves everyone regardless of age or species. Two younger girls play together often, but none curl up together except Jake and youngest girl.
Currently we have a 14, 12, 2 and 1 year old cats, 6 and 7 year old dogs.
Entirely depends on the animal is what I am trying to say.

angeldaisy · 21-05-2015 9:01pm

Do you know something, I really love my dogs, but they are being so f#@#@#g annoying today.

tk123 · 21-05-2015 9:08pm

angeldaisy wrote: »

Do you know something, I really love my dogs, but they are being so f#@#@#g annoying today.

Mine had me up at 5:00 to bring Bailey to the loo - Lucy coming out too of course :othen were back up the stairs in my bed before I had the door closed and looked at me like I was mad for telling them to get up to go on a walk! :pac: Bailey seems to be fine now thank god!! I gave them each a big chunk watermelon rind there so hopefully it doesn't come back to bite them and me in the a$$ :P

SillyMangoX · 22-05-2015 3:18am

I've been away visiting a friend for the last week and I can't wait to get home tomorrow. Partially to vote, and partially because I'm having major cat withdrawals. Even though I know the little bxtards will completely ignore me when I'm home I'm still going to force some cuddles out of them!!

reallyrose · 22-05-2015 10:56am

Thanks for all your comments, people.

I'll think about it carefully and then get an adult cat. I'm sure it'll be fine!
Swanson will get used to it. He's very stupid, after a month, he'll think the other cat was always there.

Anyway, I asked him last night and he said "marp!" *knead knead knead* "prrrrrmrrp"

*shops for possible cats on adoption sites*

Pumpkinseeds · 22-05-2015 11:45am

reallyrose wrote: »

Thanks for all your comments, people.

I'll think about it carefully and then get an adult cat. I'm sure it'll be fine!
Swanson will get used to it. He's very stupid, after a month, he'll think the other cat was always there.

Anyway, I asked him last night and he said "marp!" *knead knead knead* "prrrrrmrrp"

*shops for possible cats on adoption sites*

Fostering might be something to think about. You'd be helping a rescue as well as the cat and if the foster and your own cat get on then you could adopt.

mymo · 23-05-2015 11:01am

Found my first kitten of the season last night, at 1.45am on a country road at least half a mile from nearest house. I nearly ran it over in the middle of the road, stopped and searched but no sign of any others or mother cat. She's about 6 weeks and definitely used to being handled

She's settled in the bathroom, well fed with a heat pad for warmth. I'm a sucker I know, but once she's wormed and fed up a bit, I think I'll home her easily.

Pics now in the photo thread!

tk123 · 24-05-2015 1:11pm

My little baby is 2 today!

mymo · 24-05-2015 1:27pm

I cat believe she's two already!
Happy birthday Lucy.x

borderlinemeath · 24-05-2015 1:42pm

tk123 wrote: »

My little baby is 2 today!

My niece sent me a pic this morning of our old GR Elvis as a puppy, his birthday was yesterday! Born in 1997 though!

tk123 · 24-05-2015 4:54pm

I can't believe she's two either!! I think this time around we were able to enjoy her being a puppy more than we did with Bailey - she was/is so relaxed and chilled out - no dry food hyphens etc etc so we weren't waiting for the day when she'd grow up and calm down a bit - she was already calm!

Anyways I spend months stressing out that the boot is too small for the dogs and that poor Bailey is being crushed to one side by Lucy (my last suv was a LOT bigger than this one so had way more space), trying different combos of seats up and down, figuring out if I can afford to get a bigger car one etc etc.. Eventually I decide to try a crate for Lucy which she loves - gets in the boot via the step no hassle and Bailey is happy to have his space back... He's been crying in the car lately and couldn't figure out what he wanted until this morning - he managed to stretch his car harness strap as far as possible and climb into the crate on top of her lol!! He got out after a few mins though!

Pumpkinseeds · 25-05-2015 10:55am

I've got Felix booked in at the vets on Wednesday to get his ear checked. He's been shaking his head and rubbing the ear, plus he's being a total git to the others which is usually a sign that the bit of polyp they can't get in his ear is bugging him. I'm really hoping it's not polyp related, just mites. The poor cat has had enough of having his ear poked and prodded over the years.

SillyMangoX · 25-05-2015 12:24pm

I got another new tattoo today, I really am a glutton for punishment! For Those who have said before that pain is putting them off the idea, never ever get your ribs done! I've sat for hours in the past without a problem on other areas, had to ask for a break after 20 mins of this one. Verrrrry painful :O

ShaShaBear · 25-05-2015 12:26pm

SillyMangoX wrote: »

I got another new tattoo today, I really am a glutton for punishment! For Those who have said before that pain is putting them off the idea, never ever get your ribs done! I've sat for hours in the past without a problem on other areas, had to ask for a break after 20 mins of this one. Verrrrry painful :O

Tattoos are like babies. If you want one, and get one, you forget how sore they are and get another, and another, and possibly another.
And people who never had one or don't want one will think you are utterly mad :pac:

SillyMangoX · 25-05-2015 12:28pm

ShaShaBear wrote: »

Tattoos are like babies. If you want one, and get one, you forget how sore they are and get another, and another, and possibly another.
And people who never had one or don't want one will think you are utterly mad :pac:

It's true! Every time I get one I'm like, I'm done now, never again. Then I see something pretty or something meaningful and I have to have it :P

ShaShaBear · 25-05-2015 12:35pm

SillyMangoX wrote: »

It's true! Every time I get one I'm like, I'm done now, never again. Then I see something pretty or something meaningful and I have to have it :P

I only have one tattoo, but have had work done three times. First was the center piece, and that was meant to be all of it, but I got a small piece added to it when I was getting it redone, and then another piece shortly after that. It started out 2 x 2 inches on my inner forearm, now it stretches from my wrist to just past my elbow :pac:
I desperately want another but can't until after this baby comes out, and as far as I know, most places won't tattoo you if you bf, so will have to see - might get one done after the wedding next year :pac:

SillyMangoX · 25-05-2015 12:42pm

ShaShaBear wrote: »

I only have one tattoo, but have had work done three times. First was the center piece, and that was meant to be all of it, but I got a small piece added to it when I was getting it redone, and then another piece shortly after that. It started out 2 x 2 inches on my inner forearm, now it stretches from my wrist to just past my elbow :pac:
I desperately want another but can't until after this baby comes out, and as far as I know, most places won't tattoo you if you bf, so will have to see - might get one done after the wedding next year :pac:

Oh wow, that must look really cool! I'd love to have tattoos on my arms but so far all of mine are easily hidden, have to find a secure job first :P as far as I know no place will tattoo when pregnant/bf because your body will react differently - even when auntie flo is visiting it an effect how your body takes to the tattoo with swelling and stuff, it's fascinating really!

ShaShaBear · 25-05-2015 3:31pm

Totally off-topic of nice things, but just saw a lady on a Louth selling page on FB offering her male dog for stud at an undisclosed price. But get this, he doesn't have papers.

But it's alright, because he's a perfect example of the breed. :mad:

VonVix · 25-05-2015 7:13pm

Spanner thrown into the works, new puppy might be a different breed than I had been currently seeking. The original plan might be happening again and a lot earlier than I was intending, yeeepers.

mymo · 25-05-2015 11:00pm

The little kitten I found is getting stronger by the day, today she learned to jump off the bed onto the duvet on the floor, meep to be lifted back up and repeat!

Very cute, daughter now calling her professor applesauce!

The Chillout Zone (Off-Topic Thread)

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