Pets, I has them
We have threads on our a/s/l, our avatars, our recipes, and lots of them on our sex lives, but no one's started one on our pets yet! So I decided to correct this oversight
Pets, critters, hobby farm, fur babies, feathered kids - tell us what they are, what they're called, why you love them, and maybe post a link to those photos of your cute little fuzzball I know you uploaded on flickr.
I'll start: currently I have a yellow lab puppy called Max, a/k/a Maximum Lab. I also have two fluffy gray house cats that were formerly barn kittens. They are siblings: Monty and Bear (Bear is a female). I also have meat goat, dairy cows, my mom's horse & 2 donkeys, and who knows how many barn cats. I've also managed to work with pretty much every other domesticated/farm species of animal at least once in my life. Animal husbandry makes me happy
MeiLin
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 12:09pm
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mine
I have two sister black cats, aka The Noisiest Cats in the Universe. Unlike any cat I have ever had, these two actually PLONK across the floor. They are very sweet, but a little stand-offish. They like to site behind me on the back of my chair and purr while I work, which is lovely. I also have a very silly little floppy dog. I used to have four chickens but had to give them up recently.
Kittae
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 12:11pm
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I have gerbils. Lots of
I have gerbils. Lots of gerbils. I originally bought two, but it turns out people can't sex rodents very well. It took me until the third litter to separate the mother and father, and then I had to let the little ones wean before splitting them up too. I just love baby gerbils, though... I'm down to about 12 now, a cage of girls and a cage of boys.
Taslin
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 12:19pm
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I have no pets here at
I have no pets here at college with me, but back on the old homestead we have two adult cats (who are very sweet and smart and whom I absolutely adore), and about six hermit crabs, who are not affectionate but quite interesting to watch. I've had another cat and a dog in the past, but that was years ago.
seia
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 12:20pm
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none
I don't have any pets. We never had them when I was a kid, so I've never really given the idea of owning one myself any serious thought.
magalicious
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 12:26pm
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Zeeva baby
This is Zeeva, my four-month-old golden retriever pup. She's already huge, 45 pounds! I adore this dog, and probably spoil her rotten, but she's so well behaved it's hard not to.
In case anyone is wondering, the toy at the bottom of the photo is a stuffed goose that honks!
applejax
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 12:34pm
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My dogs have a goose like
My dogs have a goose like that, although at this point I can only imagine how torn up/disgusting it must be. I have two little terriers that love to terrorize anything that moves, including but not limited to : mice, rats, squirrels, frogs, snakes, fish, birds, and deer. Although the deer have started to fight back so the dogs are a little intimidated.
Biestygirl
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 12:30pm
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Here at college I have two
Here at college I have two goldfish. At my parents house is my cat Lucifer (Lou) plus another cat, Daisy, and three dogs; Baxter (poodle/terrier), Isabell (beagle/something else, she looks like a sausage), and the hound dog Mack. At my fiance's we have three cats, Baby, Bob (Siamese), and Foya (German for Fire and I dunno how to spell), and then three dogs: Kenai and Zoey who are labs, and Jade who is a mini Schnauzer puppy. Oh and a beta, Juanito.
When we get our own place we're taking the fish, Lou and Baby. Maybe Bob. ^_^ We're cat people.
and here's a pic of the Fiance-person and Jade
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn312/fdossett/codynjade.jpg
NorthwoodsMan
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 12:45pm
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granimals...
We have three dogs and as many fish. The dogs are a noisy Min Pin, a three legged Wheaten Terror, and a Great Dane. The "LOL cat" I put up as Imerdane is actually my dog.
greenpokefiend
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 12:50pm
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oh pets..
I'm at college right now, so no pets for me. But back at home we have a circus going:
Four cats, two indoors and two outdoors. All very sweet, but we have to keep them separated so Millie doesn't kill Rosie, VC doesn't kill Millie, and Slick doesn't eat everyone's food.
We used to have a HUGE (~130 pound) great Pyrenees, but he had to be put down recently : ( He was our sweet old guy. There's two other dogs, Tiggs (my avatar) and Shilo, who has to be kept outside because she's friendly but destructive.
We're also owned by four horses: charlie, meg, lady and lil' bit. Charlie's our old, semi-retired guy, Meg's an evil pig in the guise of a beautiful mare, lady's a pony that can jump, and lil' bit's just.. herself. I miss them, can't wait for spring break : \
The Vixen
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 12:51pm
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http://photos-g.ll.facebook.
Yule - he's only about 7lbs but full grown
Samhain - she's 15lbs and she has a smokers mew
magalicious
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 1:00pm
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Oh!
They're beautiful!!
I had a one-eyed tortoiseshell rescue kitty named Rupert when I was in college, and she (yes, we named a girl Rupert) was itty bitty too. She was the sweetest cat you could ever ask for, and I miss her now that my ex-roomie has custody.
The Vixen
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 2:30pm
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Yule's a rescue kitty too. I
Yule's a rescue kitty too. I think his growth was stunted from either malnutrition or being abandoned too soon.
NorthwoodsMan
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 2:33pm
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rescues...
Frodo, the Min Pin, is the only of the three that wasn't a rescue. Sully, the dane, was found underweight with dead cat in his mouth. And yes, we are pretty sure he killed it and would have eaten it. He's gotten several rabbits in our back yard, but oddly enough, hasn't gone after the rabbit sized dog.
greenpokefiend
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 4:59pm
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aww! Samhain looks a lot
aww! Samhain looks a lot like my cat VC. She makes some pretty weird noises too
But that's probably because she's old
The Which
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 12:53pm
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I have a dog named Milo, a
I have a dog named Milo, a gordon setter/something else mix. He is named after the main character in the Phantom Tollbooth. He's about a year old, and the sweetest thing ever.
I have three chickens:
Camilla, named after gonzo's gf
Minerva Louise, named after the chicken heroine of the Minerva Louise books
Billina, named after the yellow chicken in the Oz books
magalicious
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 1:02pm
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When I was little
we had about a dozen chickens, and I named them all Henrietta when I was five.
Laureril
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 1:08pm
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None at college
But we have two puppies at home that I miss big-time. The adorable one is a passive-aggressive terror. (Search Shiba Inu on google images. The first one is him as a puppy. xD) The older one is going deaf, blind and senile (and stinky!) but we still love her lots.
magalicious
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 1:11pm
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Wow!
Shiba Inus are rare much, yeah? Also, teh cute, teh cute!
Laureril
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 1:28pm
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Not exactly rare - but
Not exactly rare - but uncommon in the states. They're a Japanese breed. In general, they' have very catlike personalities, but my little sister did a really good job of training him. She absolutely loves animals and animal training and has considered a career in the field.
When I say cat-like, I mean that they're naturally very clean and seem to practically potty train themselves. He definitely likes knowing where his people are and being nearby, but not necessarily involved. He's standoffish unless there's food involved when you call him, and he sleeps for probably 18-20 hours of the day.
Ours likes to lay sprawled on his back in the middle of the floor looking needy when he wants attention. If that doesn't work, he curls the other direction and bark/growls to remind you he's still waiting for his belly to be rubbed. He also sheds like nobody's business in two different coats of hair. And he absolutely HATES water. We have had to bodily chuck him out into the grass to do his business when it's been raining, and even then he steps delicately, as if he's trying to have absolutely minimal contact with the grass.
Shinjinarenai
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 10:32pm
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I remember Shiba-inu from Japan!
I had two host families that had one each. One I loved and one I felt sorry for, but in general, they're just too finicky for me. If I want cat-like, I'll get a cat. They're beautiful, though. I'm much more of an Akita person as far as Japanese dogs go. That's amazing that your sister did so well!
MeiLin
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 10:35pm
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my last dog
...before the floppy little guy asleep next to me, was an Akita mix. She was a suspicious dog who loved us in her way.
SkyRider
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 2:30pm
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College limitations
I live on campus and as such am limited to the apartment rules: no furry animals but anything that fits in a 20 gallon or less aquarium. So I have an ever growing population of mutt fish. I started with 3 platys and 2 mollies but the one male platy in the tank decided he preferred a female molly... hence mutt fish. Since then, all the original adults have died and I am currently feeding over 40 mutts and jr. mutts in two separate tanks - at least they are happy. Actually, I find them highly amusing and entertaining - I even have a Nemo fish with one bad fin. Though I do miss having a dog - you can't hug fish
Stormy
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 3:16pm
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our housing association limits us to 3
so naturally we have 4
Goofy is a 12 yr old black lab/border collie mix that we adopted from the animal shelter 11.5 years ago. He's going deaf and is somewhat blind now along with having periodic seizures, but he's still one of the smartest dogs I have ever seen. Cosmo we adopted from Freecycle so our son would have a dog to play with. Goofy's a bit grumpy and doesn't like 4-yr-old antics (can't imagine why not...) Cosmo is some sort of terrier mix...She has wiry, curly fur and is about 40 lbs. She also still has a lot of puppy in her since she's only 3.
Our cats are both strays who adopted us. Mike Wazowski is a one-eyed orange tabby and he's a total lap cat. He's not really affectionate until you're sitting down and then he HAS TO be in your lap. Boo is a black American short-hair and he is probably the friendliest, most affectionate cat in the world. You walk in the house and he rolls over and pulls the "aren't I cute? rub my belly move"
Oh, and we have fish. Too many dalmatian mollies because they will not stop having little baby fish.
Requiem
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 3:34pm
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I have rats.
Though I'm no longer sure how many. Originally there were two, but they turned out to both be pregnant ^^; The roommate takes care of them for the most part.
The Paperclip
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 5:15pm
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I might win..
I live in Iowa, but I do not live on a farm...It just seems like it.
A third of my animals are named after fictional characters.
Cats:
Boots, black and white short hair. Male
Cosmic Creepers, black short hair. Male
Merry and Pippin, brothers, black and white short hairs. Merry is rotund and Pippin doesn't have a tail. Both male..
Precious, black short hair. Female.
Cleopatra, Siamese. Female.
Amun, Siamese. Male.
Neko, Siamese. Male.
Ayesha, Siamese. Very petite. Female. Daughter of Cleo and Amun, second litter.
Toukie & Ching, Siamese. Males. Toukie has two white toes on his back foot. Sons of Cleo and Amun, third litter.
Cougar, Siamese. Male. Huge! Named for his very thick tail. Also mated with Cleo, but we didn't keep any of that litter. Rescued from outside.
Razzmatazz, ginger tabby longhaired. Male. Taken from grandmother's house when she was diagnosed with cancer.
Tabitha, brown and black tabby short hair. Female. Kitten. Taken with Razz.
Dogs:
Mr. Darcy, Long haired Chihuahua. Male.
Tippy, long haired chihuahua. Male. Brother of Darcy, different litters.
Itty Bitty, ugly chihuahua. Female. We hate her, she's my stepdad's dog.
Guinea pig: Phantom. White with a black marking on his head.
People think our house is ridiculously full of pets, but we're okay with it. They all get taken good care of, our house is not flooded with fecal matter, no one is abused (except Itty Bitty...and that's just because we let Darcy and Tippy tease her a bit.). We used to have a female English setter named Jessie, but my mom's ex husband wanted her, so we gave her to him. Also used to have two parakeets, Luna and Idi (short for Lunatic and Idiot), but we gave them away also.
Pikachu42
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 6:10pm
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I have no pets now,
but I had a puppy named Mini (so named because she was about the size a kitten). She was the sweetest puppy ever! However, Mini is no longer with us. My sister, who was 5 at the time, feed her raisins. I came home and my puppy had went to doggy heaven. My brother buried her so I wouldn't have to see her like that.
Andrea
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 6:47pm
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I have college limitations
I have college limitations too - limitations in time and space as well as rules, so I don't have any here. Back at my parents' house we have a golden retriever, a smaller and much quieter mutt, and a very old kitty. I visit regularly though, so I get my cuddle fix
Blue Coyote
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 7:27pm
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harbuls
we haz dem...
I'm nearly in crazy-cat-lady territory, I have five cats and a dog raised by cats who thinks she is one.
The dog-cat is Freya, a shepard/coyote/unknown mix. "Look ma, I'm a tabby!"
http://sakonige.deviantart.com/art/Tiger-dog-99648459 She belonged to a friend who was killed in a carwreck, I took her so her mom wouldn't dump her at the shelter.
The oldest cats are a 16 yr old sister+brother pair of contrary twins, they look exactly alike except one is solid black and one is solid white. They are plonk kitties who stomp their feet across the floor and flop over 3/4 of the couch and weigh 12 and 14 lbs respectively. We deliberatly didn't give them matching cutsie names. I named the black female Keleios which means 'cute little girl'. She named the white male Altair after the white giant star in the Aquila constellation, it's called the eye of the eagle.
I have an even bigger 16 lb tortiseshell named Nabiki after the sarcastic sister in Ranma 1/2, she's 14. A kitten I found in a parkinglot is now a giant dustball named Ripley. And most recently, another kitten- this one found on Halloween and named Magrat after the witch in Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels. http://sakonige.deviantart.com/art/Sad-Kitten-in-Snow-99649871
sarianna
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 7:51pm
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Piggle wiggles
I have two guinea pigs--Muffin and Munchkin. Neither named after food--my Papa had three dogs named Muffin, Muffet, and Muffy, the last of which was around when I was wee, so I decided to name my new piggie after them, and then his friend came along and was named after the card game Munchkin (http://www.sjgames.com/munchkin/game/) because I am just that dorky. My previous guinea pig was a radical piratical lesbian separatist--Gráinne, named after the Irish female pirate Gráinne ní Mháille. She was the best piggie in the world, anyhow. She would even go for walks off-leash, she liked walking right behind me (also, I lived in the middle of nowhere, NH). The boys are cute and sweet but prefer each other's company to mine. Oddly, Muffin really likes to go swimming in the pool.
Paisleigh
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 11:03pm
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Critters with food names
My house (I live with my Dad and his girlfriend Justine, just for future reference) is run by an overweight gray stray Justine and my sister Flora found names Cookie (named after food) and an underweight part siamese cat named Pie (short for Piewaket, not after food). I can't help by chuckle at the names and that between the two of them, according to the vet, we have two health cats ^-^
Clare-Dragonfly
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 8:56pm
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Bunny, obviously
That's Fiver in my avatar. He is named after the prophetic rabbit in Watership Down. I picked that one because he was really small when I first got him--he's still small, but not quite so small.
My family also has four cats: Snowy, who is old and fat and part Siamese; Ophelia, who is my little cuddle baby (I did most of the raising of her and her siblings, who we took in when they were a week old); Razzle, who is skinny and originally a foster from the shelter but has heart problems which make surgery dangerous so we couldn't get her spayed so we kept her; and Tuula, who is very fierce. Then there is the porchcat, Harri, who is far too evil and insane to let inside but who is spoiled with his own little house with catnip-infused hay. Also, the dog Cyleigh (pronounced like Kylee), who is a mystery mutt with long brindle fur.
All of our pets are rescues to various degrees. Snowy and his two siblings were born in our garage; we kitten-napped them when they were still young enough to convince (and caught their mom with the hope of getting her spayed, but she was too fast and got away). Ophelia and her three siblings were born in our friends' shed; they said they would take them to a shelter if we didn't want to take them in, and I couldn't abandon them to that fate. Cyleigh is from the SPCA via PetSmart. Razzle and her sister Dazzle were official fosters from PACCA. Fiver was also adopted from PACCA. Tuula was adopted in the lobby of PACCA, saving her from any time in the shelter.
They all get along quite swimmingly, as far as so many pets can; the dog chases the cats, the cats chase each other, and the bunny intimidates most of the cats by being a fearless herbivore.
PITCHARS
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v57/clare_dragonfly/kittens/?action=vi...
Baby Ophelia, one of her siblings (Petruchio), and Snowy staring
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v57/clare_dragonfly/kittens/?action=vi...
Bigger Ophelia, wondering why I am taking a picture of her in a box (she can't fit in that box anymore, she is too fat now)
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v57/clare_dragonfly/kittens/?action=vi...
Baby Razz, snoozin'
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v57/clare_dragonfly/kittens/?action=vi...
Baby Tuula, perching on a cushion
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v57/clare_dragonfly/?action=view&curre...
Fiver momentarily resisting the urge to chew on books
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v57/clare_dragonfly/?action=view&curre...
Cyleigh, devourer of kittens (actually, Ophelia believes Cyleigh is her mother about half the time)
Hm. How do you make pictures show up, anyway?
Currently the ad at the top of the page shows Razzle's eyes. I have a variety of cat's-eye ads, some with Razzle's and some with Ophelia's. Tuula is terrible at having her picture taken and Snowy's eyes, while pretty and blue, are too reflective to take good pictures of.
Laureril
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 9:13pm
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Embedding
Use [img] or [a href="URL"] SOME TEXT [/a] except, with angle brackets (less than and greater than) instead of square brackets. Actually photobucket has automatically generated HTML for the pictures, so poke around and see if you can get that to work - copy the HTML code instead of 'direct link'
Clare-Dragonfly
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 4:36pm
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I did that
I know HTML
It just didn't work. I thought maybe there was some secret. I'm sure commenters can't embed images at my DN site...
Veritas
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 9:50pm
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Cats
Had a ton of fish (over fifty) at one point, but I couldn't afford to feed them, clean their tank, pay the water bill or buy the medicine for their sicknesses on top of the rest.
Which leaves me with my two kitties: A short-haired female that's a bizarre mix of calico and tabby that will knead my lap and stomach for over a half hour, and a medium-haired male that's orange and white that will be affectionate to the point of being annoying.
ereuyi
Mon, 02/09/2009 - 11:16pm
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I live with two cats, my boy
I live with two cats, my boy and my roomie's girl. Princess is, according to said roomie, at least ten years old and a tiny gray former barn cat. She also will not leave you alone if you're sitting or laying down in my house--she loves her some attention.
Siri (full name Sirius Canicula)is my big, black, fluffy two-year-old. He used to chase his tail and he's super friendly and chill. Also, he does backflips when chasing toys and I have to keep him inside because he's too good at hunting. He's long-haired, but he doesn't have a double coat like other long-haired cats I've seen.
Davik
Tue, 02/10/2009 - 10:41am
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Cat
I have one cat named Loki, and a few fish. Loki is something of an abnormal cat; he comes when you call him, listens to you, and follows you around the house, but he's a great cat. I knew I was going to need something following me around the house when I first got the place and it was just me rattling around. As far as the fish I've been accused of terrorizing them since I built the fish tank in to the cat tree, which means Loki spends a good chunk of time sleeping right in front of the tank, but generally the fish just ignore him.
The Vixen
Tue, 02/10/2009 - 9:37pm
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My cats come when you call
My cats come when you call them too. Not like dogs, more like "what bitch, this better be good, you disturbed my nap... Feed me"
Davik
Tue, 02/10/2009 - 11:12pm
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Heh
Ah, Loki (who is currently asleep across my leg causing my foot to fall asleep) is more of the type who every time you call him shows up going "what me? attention? pet me?". Really though, it's this kind of behavior that makes me happy I spent 40 or so hours building the cat tree for him
He also has a thing where he grabs a cat toy in his mouth, tosses it in the air, and bats it while it comes down.
Tigger
Tue, 02/10/2009 - 12:57pm
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Aminals
Let's see...
Winnie the Poof is a grey tabby kitty, roughly four years old. I got her from the Albertson's parking lot - someone was giving away kitties, and my husband took me to look at them. Poof was the quietest, and got along with him, so he let me have her. She is totally a momma's girl. She loves me, tolerates everyone else. She'll let me hold her, but if anyone else tries, she's gone. She's easily spooked (runs out of the room when hubby sneezes!) but is getting better. She had a voice, until we got Methos. She spent the first 3 weeks screaming at him (no matter how much I reasoned with her) and damaged her voice box permanently. She now squeeks. Her name comes from the obvious Winnie the Pooh and the fact that I am (obviously) a tigger fan.
Methelemos (Methos, aka Methos the Magic Cat, Methos the Monster, and Methos Trouble Underfoot) was about 6 weeks old when I found him under our truck out front. I brought him in and he promptly took over the household. It turns out that he was a lavender-point snowshoe siamese - expensive kitty!
I saw "was", because a year ago this May he went outside (there was NO keeping him in) and managed to get himself clipped in the head by a car. At least, that's what we assume happened. He always came in at night, and when he didn't come in, we went looking for him the next day. Found him in the bushes across the street. Enter "mommy guilt" that still hasn't quite subsided. He was 2 years old and 22 pounds of solid muscle. Husband named him after the oldest living immortal from Highlander.
Inara - our latest addition. She is a 7-month-old golden lab. She is her daddy's girl, as I always intended her to be. I'm an animal person, but cats first...and Poof doesn't like her much. 'Nara wants to play, Poof...doesn't. 'Nara knows lots of tricks already (sit, down, off, shake, high five, roll over, and learning stay) and goes ballistic for Kong Stuffing. She'll do all her tricks as fast as she can if you'll just GIVE HER THE TREATS ALREADY! We named her Inara because she's a lab, and they're companion dogs. Also? As a friend put it "you'll pay dearly for the pleasure of her company".
I don't have any picture's of 'Nara yet, but here's some of Poof and Methos.
Poofa kitty:

King Methos:

The Vixen
Tue, 02/10/2009 - 9:39pm
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Oh they are beautiful! Their
Oh they are beautiful! Their coats are gorgeous.
Tigger
Tue, 02/10/2009 - 10:41pm
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Thanks
Poofa is the sweetest of the two, but Methos was the most beautiful. He started out snow white and gradually developed his markings. They were much darker at the end. I love that picture, though, of him in the sunlight, looking like a King.
Poisonous Giraffe
Tue, 02/10/2009 - 1:42pm
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fuzzy friends :D
I'm another college student with pet limits, but I've got a few at home. Right now we have two Corgis, Trevor and Goku who are total jerks to other people, but are constantly begging us to pet them. We have two cats, Nova and Stormy who were both rescued. Nova from a abandoned car and Stormy from a construction site my mom used to work at. We took care of Stormy and her three other siblings since they were a week or two old. We also kept Stormy's sister Orky, but she wandered away when we were on vacation several years ago, and we haven't seen her since. presumably the coyotes in the canyon got her. Stormy's kind of a retard-cat; she's very clumsy and does some really non-catlike things. Nova, on the other hand, is aloof and only cuddles when she wants to. which is pretty much all the time now, since she's old and would prefer sleeping on a squishy human rather than a table. Then there's my bunny Mochi, she's named after the tasty ice cream treat, but her name hasn't really stuck, so I usually call her bun-bun or bunners.

Nova:
Stormy:

Mochi:

The Vixen
Tue, 02/10/2009 - 9:42pm
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omg, again with the gorgeous
omg, again with the gorgeous cats. Everyone has cats with the most luxurious looking coats!
Poisonous Giraffe
Tue, 02/10/2009 - 11:41pm
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heh
Stormy looks pretty, but she's a smelly little beast. also, if she's left too long without a bath her fur gets all knotted up, and when she's clean she's super soft and cuddly : D
Bedazzled101
Tue, 02/10/2009 - 2:08pm
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My FurBabbies
Here are my furbabby loves... Gabbie Lou (also goes by My Lil'Lou, Gabbelina) and Doodles (AKA Doodlicious, Doodlino my lil Bambino,Rosebud Massacrer)...


Both my cats know the commands sit, up(beg), down, wave, paw(shake), jump(over leg obstacles),come here, roll over(Gabbie hates), spin (either direction I specify)...they would do more if I could come up with them. Doodles is the trick master...he can do every trick as soon as I say it, in whatever sequence I say(any length sequence).
Gabbie Lou - 2.5 yrs old, 9 3/4 lbs, Prissy, Super Lady-like, Funny, Chirps like a bird,makes wining sounds, Meows when she MUST have something. Loves bacon, lunch meat, anything she sees a human eating and i mean anything...lettuce, Tabasco, chips, vinaigrette etc. Loves plastic cat toy corkscrews and feathered toys. Arbores the cat scratching deterrent tape...and must remove it from every piece of furniture it is found on(tried covering them in Tabasco...how I learned she loves Tabasco because she would lick if off before removing the tape). Demands attention when she wants, but is a scaredy cat with anyone new. When she was a baby, she demanded to sleep in the folds of my robe and be carried around this way. She still loves this but her bottom half sticks out. Loves to race me up the stairs and sashes away when I lose...ROFL
Doodles...13 1/2 lbs, 2years 10 months old, loves being called Prince Dude, Doodlino my Lil'Bambino, Doodlicious depending on what mood he is in. He was born with a super short super kinked up tail, he is so loving, and sooooo lazy. Super spoiled, has every toy known to man kind, carte blanche to all cat treats, human massage servants, cat drinking water fountain, cat towers, lunch meats, bacon etc. Beware, everything in the house is his property, and he lets you know it. Leave no miniature rose plants within his reach, as all flowers and buds will have been massacred and left sprawling around his cat beds(both are his property). When we got him from the SPCA...Gabbie(gotten on the same day) had to show him how to play with toys(even though he was 2x her size), he hates wet food and is very cautious of any humanly consumed food except bacon and cheese(given only in moderation). He has certain poses he does depending on his mood...one is called the rabbit because he lays down on his belly with his hind legs straight out behind him and his front paws; this is performed when he is proud of himself but relaxing. The next is with he is being a smart alack...he sit or lays on his belly with his quirky tail as flat to the small of his back as possible, also switches positions to best show off his tail to everyone. Also when he is feeling superior he does the rabbit pose on top of both cat beds in front of the fire place. Also beware of his body flops to reveal his "supposed" scratch deprived belly....its a trick! He can get anyone to become his human slave this way...and once he has you...you are never freed.
Laureril
Tue, 02/10/2009 - 4:27pm
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Serious balance skillz
I'm really impressed by that bottom picture there. I know he's a cat, but jeez! I wish I had balance like that.
Also - what's on their claws? I seem to remember hearing about claw sheaths once upon a really long time ago, but our cat came to us already declawed in the front (and spayed! not bad for taking in a stray.) so I've never really looked into it. Have you had any trouble with them staying on?
Davik
Tue, 02/10/2009 - 7:36pm
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Balance
Some cats just have amazing skills in this area. I had a cat growing up who would jump up on the backs of our kitchen chairs, and walk out the arms (wood, a little more than a centimeter wide). She would then raise a paw and proceed to try to steal food off our forks while we ate.
applejax
Tue, 02/10/2009 - 7:54pm
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My friend's dog has those
My friend's dog has those claw covers, and they're hilarious. She's a boxer, and they stay on even when she's running all over the tile floor going crazy when new people come over. They look awesome too
Tigger
Tue, 02/10/2009 - 7:57pm
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chewing
How do the owners keep them from being chewed off? If I were to do something like this to my lab, she'd chew right through them I think...
Bedazzled101
Tue, 02/10/2009 - 9:33pm
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They don't notice them...
They are called SoftPaws (softpaws.com)...
They stop the cat from tearing up your furniture. After the first few weeks the cats don't even notice they have them on. They stay on pretty long. One package lasts for about 3 months for 1 cat. all you do is check their nails every few days to see if they have lost one. Trim nail. Replace. They can be used on hind leg nails also if your declawed cat scratches with them or if you have wood floors. Once the cats get used to them they don't mind one bit as it doesn't interfere with their natural claw movement.
The glue is super strong and non toxic...guests that come over to my house ask me if I take them into the nail salon to get nail polish ROFL!
PS Yes Doodles loves to risk his life just to get my heart racing when he is on the freshly waxed wooden railing. EEK!
I personally have never maimed any of my pets by declawing them, so when I adopted my furbabbies from the SPCA I decided to look up the best solution...and this was it. My expensive furniture, still looks it after 3 years of 2 rambunctious kitties trying to tear them up...LOL
The Vixen
Tue, 02/10/2009 - 9:47pm
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I looked into those as well.
I looked into those as well. I opted just for clipping, but I do have to keep up with it every other day or so. I agree that declawing is just a waste of money to maim a cat and take away any defense they have if they run away, or get accosted by a wild animal...
Bedazzled101
Tue, 02/10/2009 - 11:01pm
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Hey Vixen
If you clip your cats nails every couple days...try the caps out. its so much less work since all you do is replace the caps which are shed just like their natural nail when the nail gets long. Each of my cats usually loses a nail cap every 3-4 days. If you get bright colors its pretty easy to spot a missing nail without even picking up a paw.
I personally could not think of going through a procedure where all my own fingers were cut off from the first knuckle, so I couldn't put my fluff-babies through it. I understand some cats are already declawed, and whatever choice people make is their own. I just personally advocate the use of regular nail maintenance or use of nail caps.
Hubby told me when we adopted, if the furniture got torn up, the cats are gone. 3 years of nail caps and they are still here...LOL....plus no arthritic paws for my babies, or phantom pains from the missing appendages, muscle degradation....etc.
The Vixen
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 12:59pm
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I don't mind clipping them.
I don't mind clipping them. It's cheapest this way really, because I just use the same nail clippers I use to clip my nails. I would say that they don't fight me anymore about it, but I guess they would fight getting the caps on too. Mostly it's the convenience of not needing another thing to buy.
TheFerret
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 8:59am
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declawing... OW
I can't have a cat - serious allergies - which is probably good since I'm more a doggie person. Just means I can't visit my best friends w/o getting a whole lotta sick (pout).
I used to say if I had a cat, I'd declaw it, but I just recently found out what, exactly, that means.
OUCH!!! No declawing here now! (Still no cats, though)
NorthwoodsMan
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 9:14am
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alternatives..
If you don't want the caps or are adverse to declawing, you coudl try a tendonectomy. It's cutting the tendon that is used for extending the claw. You still have to maually extend them to trim them, but won't have to do it as often and they can't tear up the house.
Capriox
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 11:07am
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On the flip side... The
On the flip side...
The first house cats we had declawed were already adults, and we'd gotten tired of them destroying the house and ignoring our attempts to direct them towards alternatives. Once they healed (a few days of preventing them from making death-defying leaps), they were not at all bothered. One of them was a former barn kitten who knew how to hunt. Despite being pure white (kinda stood out in the fields!) and chubby, he regularly brought us dead mice and the odd frog/mole/bird to leave half-eaten on the front doorstep. After he was declawed? Still went outside and brought us dead mice and other vermin at the same frequency. In short, if a cat wants to hunt or fight, fangs and back claws are plenty
As the one local pet vet likes to say, he's happy to declaw a cat if that ensures it gets a happy forever-home.
Just saying, if someone is considering it, it really isn't that bad (and it's not really expensive if you get it done at the same time you neuter 'em - I can't imagine that buying claw caps once a month for the next ten or so years is cheap either), so go ahead and ask your vet about it.
Tigger
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 12:04pm
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*sneak*
*sneaks in and wraps Capriox in flame retardant clothing*
Laureril
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 12:07pm
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Declawing
My grandparents had a farm cat that they probably should have gotten declawed. He eventually went feral and they had to trap him and put him down.
Actually, I'm not all that sad about it since he sliced up my lip and hand once while I was holding him. He was also white, blue eyed, and - as apparently is common for that color combination - partially deaf. Seriously mean cat though. Poor Blackie (their dog) had a couple of marks on her nose from getting a little too close.
NorthwoodsMan
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 12:23pm
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blue eyes...
Not that blue eyes on a dog or cat mean that animal is deaf, but it is an indicator that they have a higher disposition for it.
Laureril
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 12:34pm
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Oh, yeah, I get that, I was
Oh, yeah, I get that, I was just pointing out that there's a high correlation between the two. As is, the cat had some residual hearing left, but it wasn't directional. My grandparents always had to take scraps to the same spot for him or he wouldn't know where they were calling him from.
Bedazzled101
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 12:30pm
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By any means, ...
...Please do not take my opinion as me berating anyone for their choice of using declawing or tendonectomy. I believe everyone has their right to choose what is best for them...and to change their mind whenever they decide to. I have no right to tell anyone what to do. What is stated below is my OWN conclusion after months of debate with my hubby, and lots of reading the net. Many vets aren't aware or tend not to go into detail about the side-effects with every cat owner bringing their cat in for this seemingly normal procedure. Most pet owners believe all that is being removed is the claw... unfortunately the procedure involves a lot more than that.
I completely agree with your vet Capriox, if declawing means the cat gets a forever home...then its a worthwhile evil...but why not opt for caps that provide the same safety to your home without having amputations done on your loved one?
I PERSONALLY just wouldn't be able to stand myself if even AFTER researching it I put my fur-babies through it(I never chastise anyone who had the procedure done without knowing the facts). I could not go through with the practice when I researched the common side-effects; excessive aggressiveness, territorial marking, biting, personality change, excruciating pain, damage to the radial nerve, hemorrhage, bone chips that prevent healing, painful regrowth of deformed claw inside of the paw which is not visible to the eye, and chronic back and joint pain as shoulder, leg and back muscles weaken, postoperative hemorrhage, and possible lameness . Declawing cats is either illegal or considered extremely inhumane in these countries:
England
Scotland
Wales
Italy
France
Germany
Austria
Switzerland
Norway
Sweden
Netherlands
Northern Ireland
Ireland
Denmark
Finland
Slovenia
Portugal
Belgium
Brazil
Australia
New Zealand
Yugoslavia
Japan
What I want to know is, if all these countries are against this procedure, why is America so far behind?
If you are still thinking of adopting a cat and plan on declawing, PLEASE adopt one of the many cats that have already gone through the procedure. There is always a few at any pet adoption I've been to. Call the rescue ahead to let them know you are looking for declawed so they may assist you further.
Tendonectomy, while much more humane, didn't appeal to me either as there is a high chance of joint fusion, similar mental problems to declawed cats, and arthritic problems.
Plus, cats that have either of these procedures lose much of their defences, climbing ability and balance(just think how you'd like running for your life with your toes amputated?). God forbid my cats get loose and a neighborhood dog(quite a few) is after them...they would be extremely vulnerable with no claws to scratch the dog with, and no way to climb up a tree to safety.
FYI Fully grown cats can be capped with soft paws, also. Any cat that you can trim the nails on, will be able to wear the caps. A box lasts 3+ months for one cat if correctly applied. So really in the scheme of things it costs very little...buy one less bag of treats and once less cat toy every 3 months.
Best case scenario, your cat is in the lucky half who comes out of declawing with no noticeable effects,but when he/she gets older and starts having severe arthritic pains in his/her paws...and cries every day in pain. Won't you take him/her to the vet and get it medicines to ease their pain? If so, how much more than a lifetime of caps would that end up costing you? What about the guilt that their pain is directly linked to your actions? I just don't believe I could personally forgive myself.
Is $18.95 every 3 months that expensive? $6.32 a month really too much? How much did that Starbucks you were drinking cost? How bout that stop at KFC last week? or Mcdonalds on your way home? What about that 6 pack of beer?
Maybe cutting out one hamburger meal a month is just not a feasible...I don't know. What do you think?
Some basic info on declawing and its effects:
http://www.declawing.com/htmls/declawing.htm
NorthwoodsMan
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 1:27pm
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illegal...
And yet docking a dogs tail or cutting off half, or more, of the ear so it stands up is still encouraged.
On another note, if a cat was dense enough to get to close to Sully, even with claws, I don't know that thay'd help the cat much. Unless it was to run up a tree.
Tigger
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 1:48pm
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both cats
Did you see the pictures I posted of my kitties up above? They're both declawed. Poof is afraid of the outdoors, but she always has been - even before I declawed her. Methos loved to be outdoors, or so we eventually learned. He never once came home bloodied from a fight that he couldn't defend himself in. He routinely jumped six foot fences and climbed the huge ass walnut tree in the yard. We also had two dogs in the house, and it was never a problem for either cat to defend themselves if the dogs were a bit too friendly. We now have one puppy (the other two dogs are gone as they belonged to my in-laws) and again, it's no problem for Poof to defend herself against Inara when 'Nara wants to play. Poof has learned how to say "sit down, shut up and leave me alone" in puppy speak, I think. Jing, my sister-in-laws cat, has claws...and 'Nara isn't afraid of her either.
Neither of my cats seemed to mind being declawed. It took Poof a few days to figure out how to catch her toys, but other than that she's not had any problems. She doesn't seem to be in pain, didn't go through personality changes, isn't any more aggressive than she used to be (although she really could bear to be a bit more on the defensive side, imo). She doesn't hate me, I'm not a horrible mother, and I fully resent anyone who implies that I am.
For some, $20 a month is expensive. Not everyone eats out, drinks Starbucks, or drinks beer. Some of us live paycheck to paycheck and even THAT isn't cutting it. People who are so violently against declawing an animal both amuse and anger the hell out of me. Amuse, because you pick the absolute worst case scenario thing that can happen and portray it as something that happens with every.single.cat. that goes through the process. Anger, for much the same reasons. It's a lot like talking to a militant vegan. If you don't want your posts to be taken as "berating anyone for their choice of using declawing or tendonectomy", then perhaps you ought not seem as if you are indeed berating us and telling us we're the worst animal owners ever.
All JMO, of course.
Capriox
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 4:47pm
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more ancedotes on declawing
I've had experience with declawing two adult cats and six kittens. None of them have had any problems after the first few days of healing. No change in physical habits, no change in social behaviour. Of them, two lived to old age and died of cancer/organ failure (a/k/a just being that old), one was hit by a car, one died of a blood clot (oh, he was another one that went out and regularly hunted down mice & birds after being declawed, this one as a kitten), and the other five are still running around mine & my mother's houses, jumping on high surfaces, wrestling with the dogs, etc. So yeah. No side effects here! Also, of the four cats that we allowed outside after being declawed, I saw all of them manage to climb a tree. Needed a bit of a running start, but generally they were either scared or playing, so that wasn't an issue
If you've got time/energy/iron skin/patient kitties to take the trimming options, God bless ya and you will save yourself a one-time fee of ~$70 (if done when neutering). I sure as hell don't, and like I said, my experience says it's all good, so...
I just don't like people being scared/shamed away from considering all the options.
And yeah, I have lots of well-developed opinions on animal behavior & care
Bedazzled101
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 10:10pm
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I'm glad for you and your loved ones...
I'm so happy nobody in this forum has had a bad experience with this procedure. But I personally have lived with a cat who suffered from severe arthritic pains, attitude change, became extremely flighty, mean and started biting people if you tried to pet him, after going through the procedure. He belonged to my mom's husband, and made it impossible to keep our own cat with us(now living with my dad) in the same home as his cat became extremely territorial. I'm now married, and have my own house and cats...I just can't take the chance of doing that to one of my own.
All I wanted to do was post the info about it, I don't judge anyone for whatever decision they make. I just hope people get informed on the possible complications that can occur before making any serious decision on doing the procedure.
FYI not 20$ a month... every 3 months...
Nye
Thu, 02/12/2009 - 11:11pm
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My current litter
We have one older, grey, female, shorthair rescue cat named Padmei. She is aloof and demanding when she wants attention. She was followed last year by the absolute sluts of a brother and sister form a litter I brought home from work to find homes. Orion and Artemis are also grey shorthairs of a roughly Russian Blue hue, though the female has Siamese features and meow. They both have amazingly long tails and the faintest of tabby stripe shadows in their silver-grey.
I inherited a tiny, tiny female Maltese dog named Ibis from an elderly woman. She has a brain the size of a peanut, but we love her. She's getting older, too. We also have two female Austrailian Cattle Dogs that are cousins. One is a red named Muza, and the other is a red/blue mix named Nanaja.
We'll add on, I'm sure, though I don't have the time right now. In the past I've had up to 5 fish tanks, frogs, mice, finches, and cockatiels. I bred chinchillas and had over 40 at one point. I love animals and love learning about all different kids of pets.
Capriox
Fri, 02/13/2009 - 9:44am
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chinchillas!
Oooh, chinchillas! I've been slightly obsessed with them since I did a science report on them in fourth grade (I think it was all of one page long typed, lol). I also happen to love the culture of the Andes, so yeah, much love for the cuties. It took me all 4 years of college, but I finally got to meet and hold one in real life... *sigh*.
My husband had guinea pigs growing up and sometimes we think about getting one of those or a chinchilla once we move into a proper house. Any advice for a complete novice who might own a chinchilla some day?
Gudy
Fri, 02/13/2009 - 12:53pm
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I know I'm going to hell anyway...
... but combining the facts that a) you're raising goats (for meat?), b) you love the culture of the Andes, and c) you're thinking about getting guinea pigs, leaves me with the thought that you'll go and get rich by raising guinea pigs for meat.
I'll just leave you with that image, shall I? }:)
MeiLin
Fri, 02/13/2009 - 12:56pm
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ooh!
Then you could dress them up like they do in Peru! LOLguineas!
Capriox
Fri, 02/13/2009 - 5:45pm
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I do raise the goats for
I do raise the goats for meat, and I also happen to know several people who raise/buy/sell rabbits for meat. If I knew there was a local market for it, I probably would consider raising guinea pigs for meat!
We don't have any Peruvians or Colombians in the local Hispanic population, though, so I doubt I'd get rich off of it
Hmm... most of the locals are Mexican, actually. I wonder if they still fancy chihuahua meat like their Aztec ancestors did.... }:)
Gudy
Sat, 02/14/2009 - 3:33am
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Chihuahua meat...
... might get you into legal trouble, since apparently lots of legislations have a problem with meat from species considered pets, such as dogs or cats. Guinea pig meat, e.g. is illegal in New York.
Capriox
Sat, 02/14/2009 - 1:16pm
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Really??? Well, damn. I
Really??? Well, damn. I guess in light of a lot of things it shouldn't surprise me, but still. Foods should only be illegal if they're a major community health risk, not because someone got attached to individual member of a species.
Do you think if I got a pet soybean houseplant, I could get legislators to make tofu illegal too?
Gudy
Sat, 02/14/2009 - 2:15pm
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No idea.
But it might be worth a try - I hate tofu with a vengeance. :sick:
Davik
Fri, 02/20/2009 - 7:22pm
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hey!
No threatening my tofu! The only reason I've found that people don't like tofu is that almost no one knows how to cook it. If you cook it REALLY hot so it gets nice and crispy and mix it with some thing flavorful it's really good; it doesn't have any flavor of its own to speak of, so you really just have to handle the texture properly.
On a side note, if you ever start raising guinea pigs for food I might put in an order and foot the bill for shipping I'm a pretty equal opportunity eater. If it's not running away or fighting back it's dinner, and I'm willing to make an effort to stop it from running away
Clare-Dragonfly
Fri, 02/13/2009 - 7:48pm
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Guinea pigs
Don't people raise guinea pigs for meat? Or does that only happen in Templar, Arizona? (I seem to recall reading about it completely outside the context of that comic. I did not get the idea from Spike.)
Taslin
Fri, 02/13/2009 - 9:03pm
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They do in Peru.
I actually ate guinea pig in Cuzco a few years back.
The meat is considered a delicacy there. The animals themselves live in really comfortable conditions in cool little houses and are given as much alfalfa as they can eat before they're made into food, so I don't really feel too sorry for them. Plus, the meat is absolutely delicious (though my friends are always shocked to hear me say so--especially the ones who keep some as pets).
Capriox, if you started a guinea pig culinary business, I just might move to eat them.
Nye
Sun, 02/15/2009 - 12:46am
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Chins are great pets
and they're very easy to care for. A big cage with multiple levels, some of which should have solid bottoms. Plenty of things to chew on... wood blocks, hay cubes, manzanita branches, a pine box or something. Loose hay, healthy pellet food (one from Purina is great, though there are others).
In moderation dried fruits are wonderfully entertaining treats (raisins, mango or papaya, apple, etc). Rosehips and some other crunchy things are good. Only a couple pieces a day!
Water bottles (glass is better since they can't chew through that). Bedding (no cedar!!!).
Dust powder and a place for them to have their dust bath once a day.
They are wonderfully entertaining and sweet. They can be very crafty and intelligent. If you spend time with them, they can become very loving. They are high energy, especially at night, so don't plan on keeping them in your bedroom.
There's a great forum here: www.chins-n-quills.com.
Capriox
Tue, 02/17/2009 - 4:48pm
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Thank you for the advice! I
Thank you for the advice! I hope I can put it to good use not too far off in the future
Cait (not verified)
Tue, 02/17/2009 - 12:54pm
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I am a little late to jump on the bandwagon
but the thought eating a Guinea pig makes me giggle a little bit. I suppose that makes me a terrible person >. I've got two dogs, although one still lives on my parents farm. At 18 Mitzy is perfectly happy to live out the rest of her days (and hopefully years) motering around and harrasing the horses
(You'd be surpised at how persistant and quick a 3-legged, hard of hearing, geriatric old Border Collie can be when it comes time to bring in the broodmare band lol)
(and cats for some reason). I hope to be competing on the eventing circut this summer, and hopefully not dying.
My other dog is a reddish-cream Afghan Hound by the name of Kaneka, she really doesnt need a discription since the extent of her personality can be summed up with "I love you! Look at the squirrel I caught for you! I love you! Squeeky toy now?!".
Yep. She's virtually untrainable and waayy to clever for her own good (she likes to open doorknobs and hide my roommates shoes when shes angry with them. Also, she rings the doorbell when she wants to come in the house, very annoying.)
The only other 'pet' have is a chestnut Trakhener mare named Bambi, she hates small children, other horses, dogs and cows. She loves me though, so its all good
And thats about it!
Tigger
Tue, 02/17/2009 - 12:57pm
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she's angry at
the roommates or the shoes?
I know what you meant. It just amused me to think of a hyper dog who thought the shoes looked at her funny and decided to put them in the closet. "BAD SHOES!"
Cait (not verified)
Tue, 02/17/2009 - 3:00pm
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The Roommates XD
and the closet was never an option, she always managed to hid them in unique and obsure places, the furnace room, behind the T.V., in the pantry, under the armchair, in the potatoe cupboard, behind the toliet, in the potted fern. . . .
You get the picture
The Which
Tue, 02/17/2009 - 12:59pm
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Kaneka
Where did you get that name?
I had a guinea pig named Kanika... I picked it from--no joke--a pet name book. It means jasmine in japanese.
positive (not verified)
Fri, 04/08/2011 - 5:44pm
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Actually,
Actually,
Capriox
Tue, 02/17/2009 - 1:37pm
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Never too late!
I read your intro post, too, and we've got some common interests/background beyond contemplating guinea pig meat
As for horses hating cats, I'm pretty sure it's because they smell like "predator" in general and "panther/lion" in particular, the same way that dogs remind them of wolves. Horses are intelligent enough in general to learn that not everything that smells predatory actually wants to eat them, but there's always individual exceptions
Also, my mother has a broodmare (a Trekhener!) that usually ignores the barn cats, but one time when the mare was giving birth, she picked up a cat by biting the scruff of its neck and threw it across the barn. No joke. The cat, being a cat, landed just fine, of course.
Cait (not verified)
Tue, 02/17/2009 - 2:57pm
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I used to breed goats to XD
Aw poor cat, good o know she was alright though.
Interestingly enough, my mare did almost the same thing. A dog was bothering her week old filly, so Bambi wound up chasing it around the paddock before grabbing it by the scruff of the neck and tossing it over the fence. Luckily the owner wasnt upset.
Capriox
Tue, 02/17/2009 - 4:59pm
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ooh, ooh! What kind and
ooh, ooh! What kind and breeds of goats?? I raise meat goats 'cos it's easier, but I also help run the dairy goat show at the county fair. My meat goats are primarily high percentage Boers (a little Alpine and Nubian blood from their ancestresses) with two Kiko/Spanish cross does and two Savannah/Kiko crosses. All my breeding bucks are purebred Boers.
And yeah, never underestimate the protective maternal instinct!
PS - I've got 10-12 pregnant does waiting to kid and I think they're *all* going to go Thursday. Baby goat tsunami, squeee! If I remember to hijack my husband's digital camera, there will be pictures on flickr.
Laureril
Tue, 02/17/2009 - 5:16pm
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Baby tsunami?
Wow. I think I'm shocked and slightly horrified by the idea. Not sure though, might just have broken my brain on the potential cuteness.
Cait (not verified)
Sat, 02/21/2009 - 9:41pm
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Well, Mum started off with
Well, Mum started off with Nubians back in the 80's but those gradually evolved into Boers once my Dad thought of commercial breeding. My first goat was a Nubian named 'Star' (I was 5, it seemed like an origional name), to this day I have a soft spot for those little wattles. My parents wound up getting rid of the herd by the time I was 13 or 14, we were up to about 50-60 head.
Lol I remember the one thing I hated about kidding was the 3 am checks in the middle of January and Febuary. Little slimy kids are very cute, little frozen kid popsicles, not so much.
We usually bottle fed at least 3 kids a year.
The best thing was waking up to baby goats in the bathtub
Have you found that the Nubian cross results in more winter/early spring births or does the year round cycling of the boers help even it out?
Capriox
Sun, 02/22/2009 - 5:24pm
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I keep my bucks out of the
I keep my bucks out of the herd except for assigned breeding times, so I generally get kids only when planned for. I'm finding that a two-part kidding season works best - February kids for Easter babies, April/May kids for any does that are too young or have some other reason for missing the early breeding (like this past fall, one was sick).
I did have two does kid in November (!!) last fall, but that's because one of my bucks busted through a wall and got into their pen. It took me a couple days to get the hole fixed properly and, lo and behold, two of the does came into heat because of the novelty stimulus! They were basically pure Boers; the Boer/Alpine crosses in the same pen didn't come into heat, so that might lend something to what you're saying.
I use laundry baskets and cleaned muck buckets to bring in babies that need warming
Earlier this week, my poor husband woke up to a different baby in a tub in the kitchen three days in a row! I'm trying to avoid bottle-feeding - so much work, and they get upset stomachs so easily until you get 'em weaned. So far, so good this year *knock on wood*.
Capriox
Thu, 02/19/2009 - 9:58pm
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Baby goats (but no tsunami)
Well my herd of ~40 goats is now more like ~50 goats, because I had seven baby goats born this afternoon/evening. Two sets of twins and a set of triplets. Of course they decided to kid today, when it's white-out/strong winds/near blizzard conditions out and only 19F, instead of yesterday when it was 40F, light breeze, light rain. All well. Three does kidded, eight more to go...!
I hope to get my husband and his camera out to the barn during the day this weekend, so there should be pictures available by then.
Gudy
Fri, 02/20/2009 - 1:09am
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Yay kids!
I'm looking forward to the pictures.
(As an aside, I'm slightly disturbed by the thought that I could have written the exact same thing after someone announced new human offspring.)
Capriox
Thu, 02/26/2009 - 8:58pm
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First baby goat pic
I have more, and they're slowly going up on flickr, but here is the first pic of this year's baby goats:
The one with the spots on her back is Patches - she's one of two doe kids I'll be keeping to add to my breeding herd. So cute and out of such a good goat family!
Gudy
Fri, 02/27/2009 - 1:51am
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Eeeeeeee, but they are...
... really quite inordinately cute.
Capriox
Fri, 02/27/2009 - 10:22am
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I think so too, but then,
I think so too, but then, I'm a bit biased
These three were in the house to warm up after getting a little chilled when the temperature dropped during last week. More baby goat pictures are online here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/boergoats/sets/72157594174125855/
Capriox
Sat, 04/04/2009 - 1:20pm
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Sheep+LED coats+bored shepherds+mad herding skillz = awesome vid
I was just sent this, and feel the need to share it with everyone possible: http://www.break.com/index/light-up-sheep-art.html
A bunch of shepherds put sheep in LED jackets and herded them around at night to film! Even better, they're very traditional looking old British shepherds using just mouth whistles to command their (obviously madly skilled) dogs to move the animals.
This just made my day.
applejax
Sat, 04/04/2009 - 1:34pm
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Wow
That was one of the coolest things I have ever seen. I was watching the video with my mouth open in awe, I was just amazed. Thanks for posting
Gudy
Sun, 04/05/2009 - 2:13pm
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That was awesome...
... indeed, although I'd seen that vid once before already a couple of weeks ago. I loved the meta-sheep and the pong game. The fireworks were nifty, too. The Mona Lisa, although admittedly awesome in its planning and execution, didn't do anything for me personally, though.
Laureril
Sun, 04/05/2009 - 9:29pm
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omgWin!
That was just downright awesome! I'm seriously impressed by their (and their dogs') abilities.
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