They're all spoiled rotten - right?

**hadassahchana**[$] · #1 12-05-2001, 11:35 AM

Of course right!

What have you done to thoroughly spoil those house-rodents? What do you give your dog to make his eyes really light up, that he has no business having?

We bought the two original cats a climbing tree, one with shelves on it so they could tower above us and look vastly superior while sleeping. They could also grab our hair if we walked past, which amused them a great deal.

Then, when we put a door in front of our basement stairs, we needed a small cat door so that the herd could get to the litter box. I bought a swinging cat door so that our door wouldn't look unfinished.

Of course, the cat door didn't fit the inside door. So, we have a gaping hole in the basement door. And it does look unfinished.

Every time we go to the store, the kids want to buy kittie toys for them. And, of course, being the frugal, penny-pinching mom that I am, I always say ," yes".

Did I mention that I can't close my sock drawer, because it would hurt Alexander's feelings if he couldn't take his afternoon nap in it? Did I also mention that I hate furry socks? does it matter what I want?

What do they do to you, in order to always get their own way?

Cindy, who is really very strict with her children.

Not.

vania · #2 12-05-2001, 12:06 PM

Syd refuses to drink out of his water bowl. Instead, whenever he's thirsty, he calmly walks over to the sink and "assumes the drinking position," watching me the whole time til I get up and do something about it.....

which I always do.

**mjfrombuffalo**[$] · #3 12-05-2001, 02:52 PM

There's always something in the laundry basket for Astro, since that's one of his prime sleeping spots.

And the cats get toys in their cat stockings for Christmas, of course, and a special dinner.

And one year we got sick and tired of getting those lovely family portrait Christmas cards from everyone (we don't have kids and were getting nagged, so each card looked like another finger pointing at us saying SHAME SHAME SHAME). So we took Astro and Buffy to the mall (boy was that fun!) and had professional Christmas portrait cards made up to mail to everyone.

But they still don't send our cats presents, even though we gotta buy for everyone's kids...

mj

**hadassahchana**[$] · #4 12-05-2001, 03:58 PM

Quote:

So we took Astro and Buffy to the mall (boy was that fun!) and had professional Christmas portrait cards made up to mail to everyone.

You did what???

Boy, that is not my idea of fun - three yowling cats in a cat carrier, one biting, one whirling and defecating constantly, and one looking bewildered as usual...

Nah, guess I will stick with having a root canal instead.

Cindy, who thinks MJ must be a saint!

**mjfrombuffalo**[$] · #5 12-05-2001, 05:07 PM

LOL, actually it wasn't that bad. Astro was in a carrier meowing pitifully until we got to the studio (which was conveniently located right next to one of the mall entrances). Buffy doesn't fit in his carrier and is fine in the car on my lap anyway (I know it's not as safe but...). So I'm carrying Mr. 23lber (at the time) through the mall. The best part was the way the studio has a glass wall on one side. People were walking by, glancing, double-taking, stopping with mouths agape, it was hysterical. One person said (loudly enough to be heard through the glass) "That's NOT a real cat." Buffy turned to look at him and he almost jumped out of his skin! (he really is huge.)

One couple (no lie) came in and asked the photographer if they could have their picture taken with the cats. They thought the cats were the studio's cats or something. Why anyone would want to have their pictures taken with strange cats I don't know.

By the way, Sears will do pet pictures too (at least the one in Buffalo did) - you set up an appointment for the very beginning of the day and have to pay a $5 deposit in case your pet ... leaves a deposit, shall we say.

mj

#6 12-05-2001, 05:37 PM

They argue and fight amongst themselves over something, making it clear that we have to get more than one or two because these little monsters can't share toys.

Nardo drags toys to the bed while I sleep to let me know that I shouldn't be sleeping, I should be playing with him.

#7 12-05-2001, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mjfrombuffalo
Buffy doesn't fit in his carrier and is fine in the car on my lap anyway (I know it's not as safe but...). So I'm carrying Mr. 23lber (at the time) through the mall.

Edloe barely fits inside of her hard-topped carrier, managing to turn with some effort. Getting her in and out of it can be a hassle, though, and we always forget the leather work gloves. So the soft-sided extra-large carrier I got for both Piper and Nardo is now hers.

Piper always has to be the first cat in the carriers when it's a mass exodus anywhere because if she gets any hint that the usual whiskered suspects are being rounded up, she bolts and vanishes.

murasaki · #8 12-06-2001, 08:26 AM

I have cocker-spaniel size dog carriers for my cats for long trips (I have the little cat ones for the vet--they hate it when those come out).

I stopped buying pet toys because my cats are more likely to play with 1) a paper bag, 2) a shoe box, 3) any sort of plastic lid or bottle cap, 4) pieces of cellophane, 5) my sports watch gets batted around frequently.

But I still spoil them. Neither likes to drink out of their water bowl, so I frequently leave some water in the bottom of the bathroom sink for them. I also caught Kushi licking the water out of my retainer case when I left it open (ick!) so that gets closed now. As soon as I walk in the door every day, they get petted so that they'll think they're the most important thing, and well, they are. Whenever anyone comes into my home, they expect to be petted first so all my visitors think my cats are very affectionate.

--naomi

kurt_messick · #9 12-06-2001, 10:14 AM

My cats get immediate attention when I come home. All four are by the door.

They also have to be fed at the same time -- I prepare four bowls and set them down simultaneously.

They also compete for sofa attention. I try to be as fair as possible. Only three out of four like Pounce. Only two like catnip. All four like milk.

**mjfrombuffalo**[$] · #10 12-06-2001, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by kurt_messick

They also have to be fed at the same time -- I prepare four bowls and set them down simultaneously.

Neat trick - you've got two extra arms that didn't show in your photograph? LOL

mj
who believes forewarned is forearmed, but who wants four arms anyway - makes it a pain to buy sweaters

lambchops · #11 12-06-2001, 10:28 AM

Yeah, all three of 'em. Dewey, Max and Sara demand attention immediately when my husband and I get home. Max is the worst. He nibbles on your elbow if you don't pet him enough.

Sara, on the other hand stopped eating much of anything for almost a month. We tried everything...soft food, moist food, and hard food. Nothing worked. We'd changed the crunchy food to something of 'higher quality.' Apparently, that was the problem. She wanted her old Meow Mix. Then, she wouldn't eat that out of the refillable bowl. We have to put the Meow Mix in the little cat dish. That's the only way she would eat. Picky, picky.

Our cat Max, upon moving to our new house refused to use the cat litter. We had two containers, one upstairs and one downstairs. He was making messes everywhere...to the point, we were thinking about ridding our home of the destroyer (as he came to be known). Sara wasn't having any problems, so we couldnt' figure out what was going on (Dewey wasn't around yet). We moved the litters, cleaned them daily, tried different brands. NOTHING. Then we tried something revolutionary. We got a cat litter with a cover. Bingo! He liked it again. Go figure...