The Chillout Zone (Off-Topic Thread)

Pumpkinseeds

mymo wrote: »

Ruby is missing for two days, my daughter is beside herself, we've walked roads and checked ditches, put up posters, rang vets, asked around local houses, but not a sign of her.
I keep all the cats in at night, but she didn't come in Tuesday night and I'm losing hope now. She never misses a meal, and never stays out.
Other cats are bawling at us too, really worried now.

That's awful. Have you checked the usual online Lost and Found pets sites? I read something earlier in the week about a cat that had gotten into a van that belonged to someone working on a house and the cat ended up over a 100km away. Not that I'm suggesting that's what happened to Ruby, but it's worth checking anyway. It could just be that she's gotten into someone's house and is enjoying herself.

Toby's not spending much time away from home lately but if I hadn't made a point of going over to the street where he's visiting, calling him loudly and picking him up and carrying him home, they'd still be letting him stay indoors constantly. People are werid, I hope she comes home safe and soon.

muddypaws

mymo wrote: »

Ruby is missing for two days, my daughter is beside herself, we've walked roads and checked ditches, put up posters, rang vets, asked around local houses, but not a sign of her.
I keep all the cats in at night, but she didn't come in Tuesday night and I'm losing hope now. She never misses a meal, and never stays out.
Other cats are bawling at us too, really worried now.

If there has been no sign, there is a chance she could have got herself shut into a shed or garage, especially if it was dry on Tuesday and people may have been cutting grass. Post a flier into all local houses, asking them to check out buildings. One of my cats disappeared for 2 weeks, I did all of that, posters, fliers etc, she was found in my next door but one neighbour's shed, who said they had checked it!!! She was skinny, but still alive. So please don't give up hope.

mymo

Ruby is terrified of cars and runs away at the sight of them, so doubt she got in a van, and she was here at 10pm or so, but when I called her about 15mins later there was no sign, I waited until midnight but had to sleep as I had work in the morning. Daughter is beating herself up as she was tired and didn't stay up to wait for her. But I think something happened in that few mins, or she would have been back for her dinner.

She also dislikes people, tolerates certain regular visitors, but only at a distance. She is incredibly loving to the chosen few she likes, but everyone else is just a nuisance to her.

I really hope she's shut in somewhere, and is found soon, I've been asking around for people to check sheds etc, hoping the weekend she might be found.

We're so careful about cats, I keep them in while out as much as possible, keep them in around dusk and dawn to cut down hunting, always keep them in at night. But we lost our beloved Mouse on the road 18 months or so ago, then got Ruby, about a month later.

on_my_oe

I'm so sorry to hear Ruby's missing, and I'll keep my fingers crossed she's just resting her paws somewhere. I'd be devastated if our puss disappeared - I panic if I can't find her in the house, let alone if she wandered away outside.

tk123

Poor Ruby - you must be out of your mind with worry!! I hope she's fine and just cheating on you with other owners like Toby Pumkinseeds!!

I forgot to update on the dog we were "minding" last week. Turns out his owner had a session the evening/night before and at some stage brought the dogs for a walk in the park and ended up leaving him behind. She woke up blissfully unaware that he'd been missing, I'd been minding him and her neighbour who had keys opened the door so we could drop him inside - I just happened to bump into her on the way back from the GP!! She woke up to 17 missed calls from my friend wondering what was wrong. Honestly we thought she'd fallen or something in the house and were worried she was dead!! Alls well that ends well I suppose. The dog loves me now lol after bonding with me and having a kong with Bailey and Lucy!

Pumpkinseeds

The smoke alarm went off when my husband was grilling burgers, Felix and Toby almost had heart attacks.

mymo

Ruby just appeared, bit hungry but fine otherwise!
So happy

muddypaws

mymo wrote: »

Ruby just appeared, bit hungry but fine otherwise!
So happy

Yeay, I'm so happy for you. When I saw your name as the last post in here I was hoping so much it was good news. Phew.

Layinghen

Fantastic news. Logged in to check and see if there was any update, delighted things have turned out so well.

Pumpkinseeds

So happy Ruby's home.:)

ihatewinter

I have a quick question. Do your cats tolerate strangers. I work in a lot of garden so I'm a stranger to many cats as I do a lot of gardens once. Anyway 9/10 the cats will be over to me in 5 minutes, purring looking for a pet and 2 or 3 will climb all over me. I never call them over. I have no cats at home just dogs. I'm basically a cat magnet.

Dandelion6

ihatewinter wrote: »

I have a quick question. Do your cats tolerate strangers.

Mine has only recently grown to tolerate me, and still has a tendency to make a beeline under the bed when anyone unfamiliar shows up. But he warms to them eventually if they stick around long enough.

on_my_oe

ihatewinter wrote: »

I have a quick question. Do your cats tolerate strangers.

Ours bolts upstairs and hides under our bed... For regular visitors, she slows down long enough to look them in the eye before running like wind.


OH sitting downstairs watching TV in the early evening last night, when he sees a flash of ginger out of the corner of his eye through the window - Princess Foxy had jumped / fallen off the window ledge of the first floor and onto the courtyard. He opened the door expecting to see a broken cat - no, she ran straight past him and straight up the stairs to hide under our bed.

Then this morning I came downstairs to find her jumping from the sofa to the dining table and back for fun... And the table covered in claw marks from the times she had obviously missed. Only brought it six months ago, so could gladly throttle her.

I think she's hitting her 'teenage terror' years.

Pumpkinseeds

Toby came home without his collar again this morning, good thing we've got 3 spares.:D Felix had 3 quarters of the bed on Mr P's side this morning. Felix toddled off, Jazzy came in and took his spot, then Felix came back and Mr P and I were almost hanging off my side of the bed, they've a thing about sleeping on our feet today. First thing this morning I came down to open the curtains and stood in a pile of cat sick on the rug in the living room.

Dandelion6

My formerly very shy cat has taken to climbing up next to me and snuggling in while I'm drinking my coffee and checking the internets in the morning. Makes it very hard to get up and get moving. I've been late to work every day for the past week!

tk123

Exhausted from Lucy waking me up during the night - if I'm not woken up from her tossing and turning its from a creak in my neck from having to sleep at at weird angle because she's managed to push me into a weird position or from the heat of her!! Honestly I think I'd get a better nights sleep in Bailey's bed - no wonder he moved off the bed after sleeping beside her for a while!

reallyrose

We were on holiday for a week just gone. My neighbour was minding Swanson, opening the window for him, etc.

He's literally never been able to catch anything. What do I come home to? A dead mangled mouse on the end of my bed.

When I saw it, I was like "Oh, toy mousey is getting a bit rough looking."
*looks closer*
"mousey is a bit realistic looking"
*picks up"
"..mousey is a bit bleeding with bones sticking out."
aahhhhhh

Swanson: *purr*

Seriously though.

tk123

RANT

I'm sick of dog trainers on FB posting videos of their dogs doing BASIC stuff like recall or dropping a ball etc like their superstars - like it's your JOB FFS what do you want a medal?!

Sakes!!

Layinghen

Brilliant programme on BBC2 at the moment called 'The Wonder of Dogs' - total doggie overload, love it:D

borderlinemeath

Saw tonight on FB that a rescue in Cork took in 9 red setters from the dog warden in Limerick. :mad::eek:

tk123

borderlinemeath wrote: »

Saw tonight on FB that a rescue in Cork took in 9 red setters from the dog warden in Limerick. :mad::eek:

9 of them??! :eek:

Anyways I knew those hi-k9 bunk bed legs would come in handy eventually!! Put them on the sitting room bed, brought it up and arranged it behind Bailey's - not sure if he's put out at me dismantling his tunnel tent that was going over his bed though and sleeping sideways in protest! We'll see how long she lasts - dare I say that I might actually get to have a night's sleep without being squashed?

SillyMangoX

Would ya look at Bailey with his teddy :pac:

tk123

SillyMangoX wrote: »

Would ya look at Bailey with his teddy :pac:

Haha we have that since he was a tiny pup! They used to go hyper playing tug with it so we put it away for a while but when we took it back out he loved it and snuggled into it like that after throwing it around the place!

She's still asleep on her bunk! .... Not for long because it's almost time to get her up and go to the park

EDIT - well we went to the park and it was lovely until she cut her paw in the river!!! She was taken into the vets so they can sedate her and stitch it back up. I've had a first aid kit in my backpack maybe 4 years now and this is the first time I've had to use it! Glad I had it though.

ShaShaBear

tk123 wrote: »

Haha we have that since he was a tiny pup! They used to go hyper playing tug with it so we put it away for a while but when we took it back out he loved it and snuggled into it like that after throwing it around the place!

She's still asleep on her bunk! .... Not for long because it's almost time to get her up and go to the park

EDIT - well we went to the park and it was lovely until she cut her paw in the river!!! She was taken into the vets so they can sedate her and stitch it back up. I've had a first aid kit in my backpack maybe 4 years now and this is the first time I've had to use it! Glad I had it though.

I don't know why I didn't know before that you have deliciously chunky balls of awesome retriever goodness. Oh my GAWD they are gorgeous!

Opie just pooped out a sock.
It's not a sock from this house.
His collie intelligence knows no bounds :pac:

Pumpkinseeds

I was wondering why Toby was suddenly sniffing the air in the living room a little while ago, then I noticed something on his head, a bit of pus. I didn't even know anything was going on there, but it looks like a burst small abcess. I've given it a good clean with an antibacterial wipe and I'll clean it and keep it open. I'm hoping that he won't need a vet trip since he gets freaked out and ends up needing anesthetic to clean stuff up.

He was purring away while I cleaned it, the wipes are cool and probably soothing. He's had a few anesthetics and more 2 week antibiotic injections than I'm happy about already this year and is impossible to get pills into, hopefully a vet trip can be avoided.

tk123

Can't wait to collect my little baba when I get home from work!! Our evening walk when we don't go to the park involves walking around the block, past the vets, across the road and on through the hospital grounds. When we pass the vets I have to stop Bailey stepping out onto the road to avoid the place and then we have to wait for Lucy while she has a nosey through the glass door and window "who's in there today!?" I wonder if she'll be so interested in the place after today's adventure!!

SillyMangoX

My mam accidentally got tinted sunscreen for Cream. He's going to end up with tanned ears

borderlinemeath

TK, this reminded me of you - or more specifically the dogs!

tk123

Or in Lucy's case - roll in it!! Well she's asleep at last - doesn't seem to be in any pain/discomfort just a bit zonked out from the sedation. Big bandage to cushion the stitches - 8-10 of them!! She's not allowed any walks and supposed to be on lead to go to the loo which I don't think she'll need. What do I do about bed time - is she ok to go upstairs or is that too much? If we had steps outside the front or back door she'd be using them anyways so does that make it cancel out?!

borderlinemeath

There's a documentary on BBC4 at the moment called "The Brain - A Secret History and there's footage of Pavlov experimenting on dogs and children. Seriously disturbing stuff . They've also touched on BF Skinner and operant conditioning.