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Conference misery::feline_v1

Title:	Meower Power is Valuing Differences
Notice:	FELINE_V1 is moving 1/11/94 5pm PST to MISERY
Moderator:	MISERY::VANZUYLEN_RO

Created:	Sun Feb 09 1986
Last Modified:	Tue Jan 11 1994
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	5089
Total number of notes:	60366

1719.0. "Poor Paws" by UBOHUB::HOOD_S () Wed Aug 31 1988 09:03

    
    
    Can anyone help regarding choice of beds and bedding for pusscats?
    
    Lulu is a 5 year old pedigree Seal-Point Siamese who we got a few
    weeks ago from the Cat Adoption Team locally, as a friend for
    Dinky (4 year old white puss) who had been getting rather lonely.
    
    They are both getting on well and seem happy except for at bedtime.
    Dinky has a round bed on a chair in the bedroom with a piece of
    our old duvet quilt in it to lie on and has been perfectly happy
    with that so far.  However, when we gave the same the Lulu she sits
    in it until we are asleep and then gets in bed with us.  It has
    got to be so annoying we now have to shut her out of the bedroom
    at night and although she settles down eventually, she scratches
    and cries to get into the airing cupboard or the kitchen cupboard!
    
    Rather than loneliness we think her problem is .......cold feet!!
    I know this sounds silly but the reason her previous owners didn't
    want her is because she never grew big enough to breed from (very
    narrow minded people I think but there you are).  Anyway, at five
    years old, she is tiny and looks months rather than years old and
    seems to suffer from the cold even when the heating is on indoors.
    Her feet, escpecially are like ice and she seems to pick up coughs
    and sneezes very easily.  I have tried vitamin tablets and conditioning
    tablets and she eats best cat food and both of them have fresh fish
    cooked for them for Sunday dinners.  We feel like we are doing everying
    we can but poor Lulu still seems uncomfortable as soon as we all
    go off to bed.
    
    Any ideas?
    
    SANDY.

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
1719.1	Heating pad might work!	SALEM::DEFRANCO		`Wed Aug 31 1988 09:14`	10
	You might want to try a trip to the vets to make sure that Lulu is in good health. I don't want to scare you but my mother had a siamese cat that was just like Lulu. As it turned out she was so cold because she had leukemia. If Lulu is in good health, you might want to try a kitty heating pad at the bottom of her bed. That would keep her toasty warm! Jeanne, Cali and Sam
1719.2	Try giving her a real blanket...	JAWS::COTE	Are you with me, Dr. Wu?	`Wed Aug 31 1988 09:19`	5
	Aja has a very definite preference for 'rough' textures as opposed to smooth. She prefers to sleep on a wooly blanket or the velour spread, but avoids the satin sheets... Edd
1719.3	hope this helps	EDUC8::TRACHMAN	E.T.'s ZhivagoCats....DTN: 264-8298	`Wed Aug 31 1988 13:01`	19
	You might try buying a small cat sweater - pet shops generally have them or maybe cat shows, or you vet... See if you can pick up a cave- type bed - if you are interested - there is a lady in Epsom, NH USA that makes pretty much what you could use. If you write to her, she could send you a catalog, which includes pictures & prices. She makes round beds (11 & 13 inches around and about 3 or 4 inches high) oval (dish beds ) caves/apartments and all are very nice and cozy. Her name and address are: Mrs. Anna Coutu Route 4 Epsom, New Hampshire 03234 Other idea would be to drape a blanket or fuzzy piece of material in a pile good luck!
1719.4		CIRCUS::KOLLING	Karen, Sweetie, & Holly; in Calif.	`Wed Aug 31 1988 13:50`	4
	You could also give her something with your smell on it, in case she is feeling lonely. When my cats nap on the bed and I'm not in the bed, they always cuddle up next to my bathrobe.
1719.5	Warm and lovin'	BRUTUS::SOBEK		`Thu Sep 01 1988 10:20`	13
	I would definitely recommend a trip to the vets as some respiratory conditions can become chronic if not treated. Siamese are heat 'lovin animals and like nothing better than to curl up next to a woodstove, (unless it's curling up next to you)! They are also devoted to their human friends and like to be near them. It's not unusual for the points to be colder than the rest of the cat. The theory is that the color is temperature related. In rabbits of similar coloring it is common to hold ice cubes against the points to darken the color just before a show ...and it is accepted that bunnies born in colder weather will have better colored points. Good luck with your new friend. I hope she brings you many years of job!
1719.6	Heat seeking siamese.	MANTIS::LEMMON		`Thu Sep 01 1988 14:06`	12
	I once had a beautiful siamese, whom I lost just recently to Leukemia, but I still keep a vivid memory of. She was definitely a heat seaker. Her favorite place would be to curl up in an old cast iron skillet on the stove. The stove was gas and the pilot light kept the pan warm. She also would frequent under blankets, and next to the warmest body that she could find. I miss her. Joanne
1719.7	when it's hot, she loves it!	EDUC8::TRACHMAN	E.T.'s ZhivagoCats....DTN: 264-8298	`Thu Sep 01 1988 14:27`	3
	My Siamese Sasha used to sleep BEHIND the woodstove - it's amazing that she didn't get cooked - she will also sleep in the sun when it's 90 degrees outside! crazy cat!
1719.8	Let them	STAR::BARTH		`Fri Sep 02 1988 12:05`	8
	Of course, the most obvious solution is to let her sleep with you. We let ours and it's great. They actually help keep us warm if it's really cold, and I think it helps to create a bond between us. Besides, what better way to wake up than to a purring kitty? Why not? Karen, Tristan and Tenzing.
1719.9	Hang on Sandy....	SHAPES::TAYLORS	Sharon, Dillan & Sammie in UK	`Mon Sep 05 1988 13:02`	21
	Sandy Before you rush off and buy a cat bed I have one that you can have. Dillan and Elsa (RIP) always used to sleep in it until ELSA had her kittens in it but now Dillan won't go near it (although I washed it in the washing machine). I think he was warned away from it so much when the kittens were in it he doesn't like to go near it now so it is in our loft if you want it. Give me a ring 7781 4300. Sharon P.S. The reason he won't go near it isn't because I washed it in the machine because I used to wash it religiously once a week and he always went back and slept in it then. (but that was before the kittens came along. Try it and if Lulu doesn't like it you can always give it back!!