Conference misery::feline_v1

    Hi, Guidi.  Nice hearing from you.  
    
    I'm glad to know everything worked out for your and your little guys
    during the earthquake.  According to Cat Fancy Magazine, our furrfaces
    can sometimes predict earthquakes and other disasters.  I was wondering
    whether you noticed any unusual actions from your clan prior to your 
    earthquake.
    
    I don't think my Smokey could predict anything except breakfast and
    supper!!  Oh, he does know when I'm coming home, he's always waiting
    for me.  I suppose this is related to his stomach, too. Sigh.....
    
    I enjoyed hearing about the arrival of your little Stitch.  Keep us
    posted!
    
    Sharon and Smokey in Atlanta

       I've gotten my clan from all kinds of places too. But that really
    is something special to raise 4 babes from the bottle.  It sure is 
    worth the effort though. Sounds like Stitch had quite a start to life.
       They are the best friends in the world though.  Glad you all made it
    thru the quake.
    
                   Denise in Mass.   with Max, Chief, Pepper, Mitties, 
                                          Pumpkin, Silvypoo
    

    
    Hi Sharon and Smokey in Atlanta:
    
    How exciting - my first reply.
    
    As to the reaction of my kitties before during and after the quake
    - it kind of goes like this.  I had noticed a lot of grooping. 
    Pippin and Gino hang out together a lot with Stitch off to his own
    search and distroy missions, but for a day or two before it hit
    the three of them were together constantly.  Lots of nose touching,
    lots of running around and crying.  Picking them up or giving them
    treats didn't matter - they wanted to be held and as soon as you
    picked them up they wanted down.
    
    My husband was home when it happened and he told me Pippin started
    coming out with low growles while she was eating and kept very low
    to the ground - then they all took off and went under the bed. 
    When they did come out - poor babies - they were just a mess and
    remained quite upset up until about yesterday.  We had no power
    for 4 days plus the sounds from the fire engines - police cars and
    planes in the area really unnerved them all (not to mention the
    humanes in the house).  While I was home, though, I did notice the
    grouping quite a bit - they are so sensitive to after shocks that
    we can't even feel - so I can imagine what they went through.
    
    I not only noticed this kind of grouping with my animals, but also
    with the birds in the area.  It's hard to explain - you would have
    to see it, but then you wouldn't really want to.
    
    Oh, during one of the big aftershocks, Pippin jumped on my chest,
    I was lying on the bed, and she just howled in my face - didn't
    know what scared me more.  But as of today, they are all back to
    normal - what ever that is.
    
    
    Giudi in S.F. (Pippin, Gino & Stitch Too)  
                                             
    
    
    
    
    

    Denise:
    
    Sounds like you've got quite a clan.  I only wish that I had more
    room - but as it is I kind of like where I live and the land laday
    said three was the limit.
    
    But maybe someday..........
    
    Nice hearing from you,
    
    
    Giudi in S.F. (Pipping, Gino & Stitch too)
                                              

    Hi Giudi,
    
    Welcome to Feline!  You'll love it--it's the best place to share 
    information, stories, worries, and feelings about your kitties.
    
    We have 3 babies, too.  (Personally, I don't think I will ever have
    as many cats as I would like to but I suppose that one has to be
    practical sometimes--especially if one's other half thinks 3 is
    plenty.)
    
    Thank heavens you all came through the quake all right!
    
    We look forward to hearing from you often.
    
    Barbara (Melody, Missy, and Brittany)
    

    
    
    Hi Guidi,
    
    You won't recognize me from my VAXnotes address, but we used to
    be buddies in the SF office!  Here's a hint...  my maiden name was
    Murray... my first name is Lynn...  Aha! Now you remember!  And
    do you remember Molly and Iago as well?  They're doing fine, and
    are well established in a big yard in San Carlos these days.  Iago
    weighs in at a gorgeous 16 lbs, but as he explains every time we're
    at the vets, he's big-boned...  
    
    I introduced Marlene to FELINE notes, and now look what's happened,
    you're a FELINER too!  It's a great NOTES conference  -you'll really
    enjoy it.  Sometimes it's funny, sometimes a little sad, and sometimes
    really supportive (as it was recently when my sister's wonderful
    kitty Abbey died...)
    
    Anyway, welcome!  I'll look forward to more entries from you!
    
    Lynn
    

    Re: .6
    
    Lynn:
    
    How nice to hear from you.  Can you believe I've been with DEC almost
    10 years and just found out about this - and Damn, I'm hooked. 
    Richard gets a real kick out of the notes I print out and bring
    home.  
    
    How did you survive the quake?  Hope all is ok with you and yours.
     Try to get up here some day soon and we'll all have lunch - and
    maybe trade some real good cat stories.
    
    
    Giudi in SF.F (Pippin, Gino & Stitch too)

    
    giudi...
    
    also glad you and clan survived the big shake.
    
    in my last apt., i could have only 1 cat.  in this one, they allow 2
    catz (mine are named stella & stanley).
    
    i, too, want more catz, but need more room than this one bedroom apt.
    lately, i have been looking at housez in the area. wonder how many
    catz i would have room for then? 
    
    hmmmmmm.....
    
    diane (dr. feline) and stella and stanley
    

    RE.8
    
    We were only supposed to have to and then Stitch came along.  So....
    we lied and told the landlady that we were taking care of him for
    someone - then 6 months later she asked again and I told her the
    friend was still out of state and it wasn't likely she was coming
    back - so then she asked to me get rid of "THE CAT" as two was enough
    and I said "I don't know that I can do that after all this time
    - like would you get rid of one of your kids????".  And then I offered
    a good size pet deposit, etc, etc ..... which she didn't take -
    and then found out that some of there tennants around the corner
    had three - one well hidden and these people have been renting for
    20 years - so she has let it go and thinks that he's (as well as
    the other two are wonderful.
    
    Well, if I had a house I would be in deep S***!  Like how many would
    be too many.
    
    
    Nice hearing from you
    
    Giudi in S.F. (Pippin, Gino & Stitch Too)

    re: .9 - When you have a house other things help limit you - like
    Do you really want 10 cat boxes in the house and can you afford
    the vets bills for 15 cats etc etc    And you have to buy catfood
    and litter in bulk.  :-)  Of course our catmax has been creeping
    up a bit at a time and we keep adjusting...
    
    Is that how you got 18 cats E.T.?   One at a time?
      Nancy DC  :-)

    Unless you know E.T., Nancy, then you get 
    them *two* at a time ;-) ;-) ;-)
    
    Mary-Michael, Niniane, Charm, Dream, Boogie, Mips and Belle

    Wellll.  I went to the vet to get Yurii his shots and went shopping
    at the Lowell Humane Society next door and got Lara and Mister
    Miyagi.  I think they are the only pair that came in the same day.
    Charlie (Chow Lee) and Lil came within 2 days of each other.
    Ivan came about 3 weeks before Lara and Mister Miyagi.
    Lordy, it like having kids - bad family planning!!  I did 'good'
    with the first 2 - Sasha was two before KoKo came, Koko was
    2 before Nikolas came, Nikolas was 18 months before Alexander (WeeZoo)
    came, WeeZoo was 2 before Timothy came, Timothy was 15 months when
    Yurii came, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.
    Then, of course, there was Pashenka, Misha, SilVee, and Katenka, and
    of course, when I found out a year after I got Katenka that her sister
    was still alive, I had to bring her home.  Doesn't everyone  stop at
    'Free Kitten' signs on a Sunday afternoon?  How could I leave a little
    4 lb. baby to live outside on a busy road?  Not Katenka's real sister.
    So there was Malinka.  How could I have resisted Terror, who hugs and
    kisses?  And I couldn't walk by the crate in the MK-01 lobby and
    leave Vicktoria to go 'who-knows-where - cute little thing that
    she was, calico and all...      They all have a story, as do all
    of our babies - 

    It's like we live in a 5 room flat - one bed room - top floor with
    access to the roof - which turned into a deck - which turned into
    a cat run - because we don't have a garden - so they immediately
    took over the top floor - along with flower boxes with grass, wheat
    and oates to satisfy their needs - so much for stretching out on
    a sunny day and working on a tan....
    
    Then Richard started building carpet covered shelves in the walk
    in closets so they could have some place to perch - ok - then a
    long carpet covered ramp thing so they can run up it to the shelves
    (this one is in his closet) - then my brother-in-law built this
    4 story carpeted condo that now resides in the kitchen - ok - then
    the tunnels now reside in the living room - bed room and dining
    room are a free area also - the laundry room has the litter boxes
    - don' you just love it - it's like three cats have completely taken
    over the place - and we love it!
    
    This just makes me wonder what I would do if I did have more room.
     I do some work for Pet's and Pals in S.F. and help take care of
    the ferals down the street and it's broken my heart on more than
    one occasion trying to find a home for some of these babies - some
    of which I got very close to and wanted to take home as a permanent
    addition - but the controling factor is being in a renting position.
     I know that If we had our own place the count would definitely
    be up - but it's hard to find a reasonable place with enough room
    that will take up to 3 "catz".
    
    At this point I think that we would really want to get a house so
    we could have more cats - and maybe a dog or two - but these guys
    don't know any better and think the roof is the greatest thing since
    salmon.  It's  when one of them breaks out (supposed to be cat proof)
    that we have a problem - but that's a long and very funny story
    for another time.
    
    
    Giudi in S.F. (Pippin Gino & Stitch Too!!)

    I think contact with this file alters one's sense of "reality".
    Used to be that I thought we had alot of cats when we had 3!
    Now we're at twice that and I would't mind adding more.  My
    parents still don't know about Flame and Jesse and they never
    heard about Tymothee & Willow Grace, nor Buff Puff, nor Lucky.
    
    Jack and I did pretty good there for a while - I had Bumpy & Mao
    for 5 years before we got Isis.  Then it was another 4 yrs before
    Dundee.  Now all of a sudden we've got Flame and Jesse and I want
    a fold baby!!! And its been just a bit over a year since we
    got Dundee!!  
    
      Nancy DC who's parents are going to write her right out of the
    will!
    

    RE:14
    
    I think your right about this reality thing.  This file has also
    made me realize that despite the state of world today there are
    still alot of caring humanes out there who have something in common.
    
    I sometimes feel that 3 is stretching it - and then I think about
    the quality of life I'd be able to offer if I had too many - the
    three that I have are demanding of affection and I wonder how one
    would be able to divide all that attention with more .... tell me
    - is it exhausting?? (that's aside from all the cleaning up etc.)
    
    My mom has one cat (quite enough for her) and just about ptiched a fit
    when we got Stitch.  But he's since charmed her to death. Now she's
    kind of vocal about me turning into an eccentric old lady some day
    living with nothing but cats ...... (maybe we'll give Richard a
    room) ..... well mom....
    
    Actually I'd love to have another female right now - Gino & Stitch
    (of course both nutered - but did Dr. Scott really get it all) are
    driving her Nutz.  Just one little girl to keep HER company.
    
    
    Giudi in S.F. (Pippin, Gino & Stitch Too!!)

    I don't know, I have 13 (I think) permanent cats, and then litters
    of kittens from time to time, and I manage to give them all attention.
    It really isn't so hard.  I have help of course, my husband is terrific
    with the cats.  Right now, I think the actual count is 24 if you
    include the cat that is over for breeding.  We also have a new puppy.
    But we split up the chores, he taking the back half of the cats
    and I taking the front (it's a long story 8^D).  All of our cats
    are well loved, and are loving in return.  Of course, everyone in
    my family thinks I am nuts, except for Jan, but had we not gotten
    her involved with the cats, she would probably think I was nuts
    too.
    
    At least being a part of this file helps me see that if I am nuts,
    then so are most of you!!
    
    Jo

    Yes, I agree with Nancy as well.  I was quite happy with 2 cats
    until starting to frequent this notesfile.  And I always grew up
    with mixed breed cats rescued from either the streets or neglectful
    situations and vowed I would never dream of buying a purebred when
    there are already so many homeless cats and kittens in the world.
    Well, my feelings on that changed too after reading this conference
    and visiting cat shows.  All of us who read Feline do our share
    in caring for and helping needy kitties no matter what breeds of
    cats we currently own.  Knowing that myself and others are like
    that helps alleviate some of the guilt.
    
    Going from 2 cats to 5 really wasn't a major adjustment.  It is
    actually cheaper to buy food in bulk and if you keep the dry stuff
    in airtight containers, it lasts practically forever.  I am also
    lucky in that my sister-in-law's boyfriend works for Boston Pet
    and brings me home cases of samples (like Science Diet, Triumph
    and Nutro Max Cat) and also lets me take advantage of his employee
    discount.  But even if I didn't have that luxury, the cost of feeding
    is really not that big a deal.
    
    It has been very rare (knock wood) that we have had to spend
    exhorbanant amounts of money at the vets.  That is my biggest worry
    about adding more.  The everyday upkeep is minimal; it is when
    something major happens and you wonder where on earth you are going
    to find the funds to pay for whatever needs fixing.  How do you
    folks with multi-cat households (like 6 and up) work this out? 
    Or do you just cross that bridge when you come to it??
    
    
    --Roberta (who wants more, but...)
     

    I work out the vet bills by running a tab at the vet's office!
    I currently owe more than one vet more than $150.00.  But, they
    know that I will continue to make small payments until I can sell
    a kitten or two and send them the rest of the money.  I always pay
    off my kitty debts.  
    
    Before I was a breeder, I used to only use vet's that would allow
    me to make payments if need be.  If you go to the same vet for several
    years, and show a history of paying them for their services, they
    are usually more than willing to work out a payment plan with you.
    
    I have had a difficult year as far as vet bills go.  What with
    Kaitlin's pyometra and emergency surgery, Laci's emergency C-section,
    and Joui's ongoing allergy problems, it will take me a while before
    I can settle all my vet bills.
    
    Jo

    My other is also worried about me becoming an eccentric old lady
    - well, she must be worried about the "old" part, cause I'm already
    pretty eccentric ;-)
    
    If anyone asks why I have so many cats I'd have to say "Because
    they make me happy."  That's it in a nutshell.  They make my life
    meaningful - especially the ones that I rescue.  Psychology Today
    ran an article on "being Happy" and basicallly they said "Find
    something that makes you happy and then make time to do it."  Cats
    make me happy. 
      I don't mind the concessions I've had to make - the time it takes
    to clean the boxes, or vaccumn the house or feed them or take them
    to the vet.  And I've found that with six they each find a unique
    way to get their share of attention.  
    
    Mao sleeps with us and jumps up on top of the shower doors when we
    shower.  and she "Patrols" all evening stopping by periodically
    for pats.
    
    Bumpy climbs in my lap every chance she gets.  If I so much as speak
    to her she purrs.
    
    Dundee grabs my lap when Bumpy isnt in it and follows me around
    touching my calves with his tail when I stop.  He also churbles
    and "meeps" at me.
    
    Isis climbs me.  If I bend over at all Isis will be up on my back
    purring to beat the band and either licking my hair or sharpening
    her claws on my pants while bapping me in the head with her tail.
    And she talks constantly too.
    
    Flame just hangs around - especially if we have food.  He also 
    always accompanies me to the bathroom since he's fascinated by
    running water.
    
    Jesse quietly joins us in the livingroom.  Now he has a favorite
    chair and he's started "bumping" and "rubbing" my legs at feeding
    time.

    Each one has carved out his/her "territory" with us.
    
    Nancy DC

    re: .19  That should have started "My mother" not "my other"

    I work at paying my vet the same way as Jo, except that I really use
    only one vet, unless we have an emergency, or need "special" care, then
    I use Tufts University.  
    
    My vet allows me to make small payments when I can, and when I sell
    kittens, the money always goes to my vet first!!!  
    
    If I am dealing with Tufts, then I rely on "plastic"...good think I
    have multiple cards with high credit limits!!!  ;-)
    
    Some years the vet bills are outragous...I think I'm still paying
    Fire's bills at Tufts from last year.  And then some years it's mostly
    maintenance, which isn't that bad.  
    
    I've started giving my own vaccines and using the saliva FelV tests
    which has/will cut down on alot of the vet bills.
    
    cin
    

    The only reason I owe more than one vet is that my regular vet is
    an hour away, and usually doesn't do emergency calls since there
    is an emergency clinic in her town.  In my town, the vet's rotate
    to take emergency calls.  So, that way, you never know who you are
    getting (kind of like Kaiser for cats ;^D).  But, I recently discovered
    a vet in my town who doesn't do the rotation with the others.  He
    is a large animal vet too, and has his own answering service.  I
    used him for Laci's c-section.  So, from now on, if Dr. Rue isn't
    available, it will be Dr. White.
    
    This has been a tough year for me with vet bills.  I am hoping to
    get them all taken care of by the end of the year.  I give my own
    vaccines, and Dr. Rue gives me huge discounts so that helps.
    
    Jo

    Re 19:
    
    I guess my mom is worried about the "old" too because the eccentric
    has already proven itself in more ways than one.
    
    But your right about "what makes YOU happy".  Sometimes it means
    being selfish with yourself and the thing that makes you happy.
    If cats make us happy then the concessions we make don't matter
    at all.  Sure there is extra work, but it has to be done anyway
    - its just that there's a little more of it at times.
    
    I had one cat for 18 years and when we had to put Ting-Ling down
    I felt as if my world fell apart - he was the one who stuck by me
    through all those trials and tribulations, growing pains - marriage
    and divorce and re-marriage, and when he died I lost a part of me.
    But I also decided that I would never have one alone again - the
    pain was just to much - to void to big.
    
    So we got the first two and then the orphan, Stitch who I knew would
    cost us some bucks because of his feral background so I just started
    saving money, and thank god I did because it was an expensive year
    and a half.  You name it - aside from the usual - he got it - the
    last was a wierd corona virus that left scar tissue on his intestines
    - as a result everything he ate came out the other end in 15 minutes.
     We tried everything before we went for the barium tests and by
    the time we were done, with the discount my vet gives me (he's a
    saint, even makes house calls) we were up to close to $1000.  But
    prior to that, it was just maintenance.
    
    I feel that when we take on the responsibility of these little lives
    we make a commitment to do the best we can for them.  It really
    doesn't matter that my money goes out to the vet (gee those are
    real nice boots in the window) as long as these precious little
    creatures are given the best care they can get.  It's a small price
    to pay for all they give us ..
    
    So if this means that we're nuts - so what - it keeps us from going
    insane - they keep us happy - and when we're happy, hopefully we
    can make other people happy too - that should count for something.
    
    
    
    Giudi in SF (Pippin, Gino & Stitch Too!!)