Wow, thanks Rowan!!! That's alot of great info!!! Sounds like you have some pretty awesome field experience!! :D

Fondly,
Muffit
:muffit:

oops Muffit I forgot to mention with regards to cat toys I find the best toys are the cheapest! LOL I use a cork, a piece of aluminum foil scrunched into a ball, and a pinch of cat nip in the toe of an old sock then tie a knot in the sock. these 3 things work very well to keep a cat intertained :D and the best part is they cost next to nothing ;)
Also ask your vet to show you how to clip their nails and then get a nail cliper it's very easy to do and will save you money in the long run. :D

LOL a whole lifetime spent in the company of cats :D It's a debt I'm paying back to the species for one of their kind having saved my life when I was a teenager.:D

You should have stood your ground more Muffit! Don't get soft and let somebody con you into buying what you don't want. kitten and puppies get broke up all the time at birth and given to new owners. You should have gone back at told that person off.

But, it seems like 'Brucey' part of the family now.

Haven't got a cat right now, but i do like cats. And there some breeds of dogs i won't mind owning. Lets just say i can't own one right now but would in the future.

Hmmm? Can i suggest making sure the scared cat get some time outdoors? If the messed up cat is really scared right now and doesn't venture out much. It going to be one of those cats that will develop a habit of being scared most of the time. i think it fair to mention there are too kinds of cats; outdoors and indoors.

I can always tell both, cos outdoor cats are hard to scare. They are friendly, curious types you see outside houses aware of their surroundings and venture outdoors all the time. true they might turn 'federal' i.e. wild somewhat but are generally the kind of cat that makes a damn good pet.

Indoor cats might display that kind of behavior as well, but usually do so indoors. Thing is, some people put indoor cats outside and their the ones that aren't as adventurous and are the paranoid type! Scared of every little thing, fearful, accidently wind up dead due to the fact they aren't use to being outside and don't adapt well to being outdoors.

While that doesn't happen in the strictest sense. Cats do come in two kinds.

Warrior you have a dark sense of humor? :D ;)

Yep, i like cats hope to get one, just don't know when.

Take care of Prof. Miller and Brucey won't you.

KJ

:thumbsup:

I would not recomend putting the scared cat outside at this time she would likely run away or hide someplace and not come out. She does not recongnize Muffit as her new owner or this house as her new house and cats are notorious for taking off when they are freaked out! I had one cat for 13 years and everytime we moved no matter how long I kept him inside (once we moved I even waited a full month!) He would take off and head for the old place, one time he walked 10 miles back! It's important to minimize the stress level not add to it putting her outside while she is still adjusting to the inside would only add to her distress Especially if she has never been outdoors you want to take that slowly or you'll lose her.
As for outdoor/indoor cats I used to have all my cats outdoors all the time but eventually I had enough! My outdoor cats have been hit by cars, attacked by dogs, eaten by coyotes, caught in traps, broken legs and abcesses from cat fights, I caught one lady putting my cat in her car because she thought my cat was so nice and friendly and wanted her! So after many years of this crap I decided that's it! now they are all indoor cats (much cheaper on the pocket book and their health and my heart!!) I do have a run though that we built alongside the house and we put a cat door in the side of the house that leads directly into the run so the cats can go outside when ever they like and I don't have to worry about them anymore!! :D

Phoebe's favorite toy is the ring that you pull off of the cap when you open a jug of milk.

Emma likes pill bottle caps, the little plastic ring from used-up scotch tape, the remains of the New Year's Eve poppers (you know, the plastic 'champagne bottles' with streamers)......

;)

I am
Dawg
:warrior:

FWIW, when we adopted a couple of kittens a few months ago we initially let them hang out in a room with no closets or easy-hiding spots; then just let them explore and get used to the room. We took shifts just being in the room, not trying to mess with them but being responsive to their approach. After they seemed satisfied that we were okay we gave them the run of the house, where they quickly put the dog in her place and sent our older cat packing off to therapy. So much for needing to give them a soft touch.

Thanks Lord Kingjason, Rowan, FG, Dawg and Cranky!! Wow! When I started this thread, I never thought I'd get so much wonderful feedback!!

Maybe I should adopt a real beaver??? :eek:

Brucey's favorite toy are the graphite rods from our nuclear reactor. She loves pulling them part way out and listening to the alarms go off!! What a kidder!! :D :D :D

:muffit:

Thunder, thunder, THUNDER!

Thundercats Hooooooooooo...............!!! Oops wrong kind of cats..

:D :LOL:

Heh take it easy Muffit!

KJ

LOL LordKingJason!! :LOL:
And thanks! :thumbsup: :heart:

Our cats eat Hills, too. Theres a lot of different types in their range, from fur ball fixit (with added oil) through to dental shapes (that our cats don't like), as well as kitten food and adult and senior mixes. Our white Russian, Alex, loves the chicken better than wet food, and second only to Mum's canned tuna!

And I've got to defend my dear brother in law, who is a 'small animal' vet (a pet vet..) and who was the one who put us on to Hills. He feeds it to his animals, becos its really one of the best for high protein/ low K content.
The people bonus if your cats are insiders (like ours are) is the litter tray is not a horrible problem to deal with like if your cat is on cereal based or wet foods.

Good luck with the kitty moggs, Muffit. That you care so much and love them heaps goes a long way. Cats know these things... ;)

Cheers,
Lara

Thanks Lara!! :heart:

Things are going great now with the cats :). The shy one is shy no more (or at least rarely), and is out and about most of the day and night. In fact, the cat tree we bought, even though it has 3 levels, only really has enough room for one cat on the top shelf. Of course, cats only WANT the top shelf. SO what did our 2 cats do?

I found them cuddled together on that top shelf the other day. Too cool. (We had moved it to the back French door so they could look out at all the critters in our foresty backyard, and they LOVE it).

We found some much cheaper (and probably healthier) cat foods also. And a dry food that they really like. Plus they have this faux milk which is a big hit. Our pet stores have an abundance of great toys too. We got them 2 different robotic mice, and one of those new mouse "turntable" things - which drives them crazy with delight.

All in all, we're a big happy family now. ;) Thanks so much all of you for your help! :heart:

Affectionately,
Muffit
:muffit:

Now shall we move on to litter?

Ah yes FG!

I found a fly in the litterbox this morning. I strongly urged it to comply with the words:
"Don't be a litterbug!!"

I haven't seen it since, so perhaps it has taken it to heart :D
:muffit: