Doubts about getting a cat.

[Luddly Neddite]

There are five strays in my neighborhood. I put out 2% milk and a bowl of food everyday. I can pet all but one cat even though these are feral ones for the most part. Some mornings there are no cats, some days two. I have had all five once or twice. Then we have to make little dining areas, so they don't fight.

You're not doing the cats any favors by putting out milk, cats don't digest the lactose very well, upsets their stomachs, gives them diarrhea. They'd do better if you just gave them water.

Cats and Milk: Lactose Intolerance and Other Dietary Concerns

If you're putting out dry food for them, also not doing them any favors. Cats can't digest the carbs (read the label, dry cat food is crap, mostly corn and "by-products"). Good canned food is fine, or fresh chicken/beef.

http://www.catinfo.org/felineobesity.php

If possible, try to trap the cats and have them neutered spayed ... or your 'five' will soon be 'fifty'.

Actually these cats ahve no problem with digesting milk. I think that is crap science personally. Also, I have had several cats live over 16 years on dry food, so I don't get that either. These are not my cats, they can eat where ever they find food, yet its my house. They are being helped out in the wild, whatever happens happens.

"crap science"? Really, cats lack the enzymes to digest cow's milk just as humans do.

They're not baby cows and there's nothing in cow's milk that a cat needs or that benefits them. (Same with humans but that's different thread) And, 2% is just a waste of money. Give them water.

Feed high quality food. If they're strays, their nutritional status is probably pretty poor. When I have fed ferals, I mix a high quality kitten chow (for the ^protein and ^fat) with a high quality dry adult cat food.

And, although I used to be against TNR (trap, neuter, release), I now see that it works and keeps the colony healthy and stable.

If you do have any altered, be sure to have the vet notch the ear so you don't keep taking the same ones back to the vet.

Also, any kittens should be taken in by about 5 weeks so they can be tamed for placement. If you wait, they are doomed to a feral existence.

If you find yourself losing patience, remember that they didn't do this. They were abandoned by humans. Otherwise, they would be living a healthy life inside someone's home.

Cats that go out usually live much shorter lives than inside cats.

Keep them warm in winter and give them good shade in summer and good for you for taking them on.

A sad fact is that "stray" dogs and cats don't know they're strays.

 

[saveliberty]

You do realize milk has proteins, calories and calcium? All important things for a cat. I look at coat condition as an indicator of general health and all of these cats have improved coats. Hey, I have managed to keep a 16 month old three-legged cat alive.

 

[Mr. H.]

If you do get a cat, name it Doubts.

 

[Zoom-boing]

There are five strays in my neighborhood. I put out 2% milk and a bowl of food everyday. I can pet all but one cat even though these are feral ones for the most part. Some mornings there are no cats, some days two. I have had all five once or twice. Then we have to make little dining areas, so they don't fight.

You're not doing the cats any favors by putting out milk, cats don't digest the lactose very well, upsets their stomachs, gives them diarrhea. They'd do better if you just gave them water.

Cats and Milk: Lactose Intolerance and Other Dietary Concerns

If you're putting out dry food for them, also not doing them any favors. Cats can't digest the carbs (read the label, dry cat food is crap, mostly corn and "by-products"). Good canned food is fine, or fresh chicken/beef.

http://www.catinfo.org/felineobesity.php

If possible, try to trap the cats and have them neutered spayed ... or your 'five' will soon be 'fifty'.

Actually these cats ahve no problem with digesting milk. I think that is crap science personally. Also, I have had several cats live over 16 years on dry food, so I don't get that either. These are not my cats, they can eat where ever they find food, yet its my house. They are being helped out in the wild, whatever happens happens.

If they're wild cats how do you know the milk isn't giving them the runs and dehydrating them?

Oh, cats can live a long time with dry as their diet ... but their health, skin, coat will suffer. My old cat (16) ate Hills Science diet for years (hairball control) ... he was constantly itchy, scratching, dander, dull coat. Got him off of dry completely, he eats good canned now (not grocery store crap) plus I give him omegas 3 and 6. He's still skinny as a rail but no dander, shiny coat, all the scabs under his now-no-longer-itchy chin are all gone. And the only time he throws up now is when he noms on a plastic bag ... cause he didn't like that particular flavor for dinner! lol

eta: what Luddly said? Yup, 100%.

 

[Zoom-boing]

Get a dog.

Cats a for people who really want a dog but don't want the bother.

Let's face it, as much as I love dogs, they are a lot of work.

Yeah, but look at that face...

If I ever have a Papillon I'm naming him Steve McQueen, even if it's a girl.

He is adorable, hj.

 

[hjmick]

Thank you kindly, ZB. At night he sleeps on a pillow between the top of my head and our headboard. Well, when he's not curled up against my chest...

 

[Gracie]

Fatty was an indoor/outdoor cat. He drank milk and hard food until all his teeth had to be removed...then he got chewed up "chicky" hubby gnawed on for him or I gnawed on for him..and Fancy Feast. He was outside during the day to soak up the sun...and at night when HE chose to come in, he slept in my bed, on my pillow, holding my thumb with his big paws. He lived to 23 and had to be put down due to bone cancer.
I will not get another cat. Period.
And I find it extremely sad that even cats locked up in the pound cannot find a forever home due to people who INSIST they are treated the way THEY want them to be treated and if not..then the one adopting must be a horrible person. Wrong.

Meh. Pfffffffft.

 

[Sallow]

Get a cat and a dog!

I have both!

 

[Gracie]

I have two dogs. No cats now that Pretties is gone. I think I am fine with what I have. I think about getting another fur kid from time to time and almost act on it..but then I talk myself out of it. The night I contacted that gal about the cat...I wound up crying myself to sleep, missing her and Gracie both. I don't think I am ready yet. If ever.

 

[saveliberty]

Okay gang, I can stop feeding them if you think I'm doing harm.

 

[Ropey]

^

But they're so much fun to watch.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

Okay gang, I can stop feeding them if you think I'm doing harm.

You can't mean this.

Please don't stop feeding them. Just don't give them cow's milk. As Gracie said, it has been implicated in tooth loss, among other things.

 

[Gracie]

I didn't say that.

 

[Noomi]

Cats are awesome companions, Gracie.

 

[Gracie]

Yeah. But. No.

 

[saveliberty]

Dog or cat, if it grows some love in the world, it is a good thing.

 

[Zoom-boing]

This deaf guy taught his cat to sign for "food".

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

I've had as many as seven cats. I'm down to five. Down to four dogs. Four dogs and five cats.

I'll never have another cat again. I'll never have a little dog again. I'll never have a male dog again.

Why? The cats just don't contribute anything. Their fur gets all over the house. I'm tired of cleaning six cat boxes every day.

The little dogs pee and poop in the house and seem impossible to break of that habit. Have to have puppy pads out for them all the time. I tell them, these are PUPPY pads, not adult dog pads, but it's that little-dog thing, just keep peeing and pooping in the house. I'm sick of it.

Male dogs...always lifting their leg and peeing on things. Even if they do it outiside, they pee on stuff in your yard. I suppose if you got them as a puppy you could train them to only go in one area of the yard. I took care of someone's large male dog for a while and he peed on my yard furniture, garbage cans, etc. out in the yard. Couldn't touch anything without realizing it was all sticky and stunk of dog pee.

No more cats. No more little dogs. No more male dogs. I could tolerate all this stuff when my Greta dog was alive because she contributed enough joy and fun to the household to make up for it, but without her around my tolerance isn't what it used to be.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

And I'm lucky with my cats...they all use the litter box, even though most of them are strays I took in off the street. They're very good about that. But in the past I've had the ghastly experience of having cats who pee around the house. Every time you take in a new cat you're taking the chance they're going to pee in your house.

And dog pee smells like a spring breeze compared to cat pee.

 

[Grandma]

Cats usually stop peeing all over the place once they're spayed/neutered.