Conference misery::feline_v1

    re .0 - 
    
    the sad part here, folks, is that Phil probably also left his terminal
    logged in from home today, so that when he's at work and the cats read
    FELINE, they'll be able to figure out what he was only hinting at last
    night!
    
    jack
    (who unceremoniously dumps cats off of his side of the bed - and they
    get the hint nightly :-)

    "jack
    (who unceremoniously dumps cats off of his side of the bed - and they
    get the hint nightly :-)"
    
    Shouldn't that read "who unceremoniously dumps cats onto his spouse"

    

    
    Phil,
    
    I do understand your position.  Why is it that normally sensible humans
    will tolerate behavior from a cat that (if another human tried it)
    would get them murdered, painfully.
    
    I also find myself adjusting my sleeping positions to accomodate my
    cats.  How do they thank me?  They wake me up an hour early to see if I
    will get up and feed them!!!
    
    Feline Suckered,
    
    Sue & Panther & Spot
    

    Not only do we sleep in various horrid twisted positions, but our
    coon cat wants to curl on top of things.  Any lumpy part of the anatomy
    will do.  So to accomodate him we try to trick him with a pillow
    under the covers that takes up even more room!
    
    Actually his favorite sleeping position is atop a "foot massager"
    (a small battery-operated, vibrating when pressed on, fake 
    sheepskin covered pillow - a gift) on our bed.  It makes a ungodly 
    noise when he knoodles it at 1 am.  
    
    Pam and Keith  - parents to Nano and Jerry and variious neighbors
    cats.
    

    
    	Nancy-  "don't you mean uncerimoniously drop them on your spouse?"
    
    
    		You mean, you have this problem, too??? 
    
    		Sherry :)
    

Cardigan woke me with her broken-hearted meepling last night.  I _tried_ to
say 'what the problem Cardi?' like a sensible woman, but it came out more like
like 'mmm--nhhm-uh?'

'Oh, Mother you're awake!' kiss, kiss.  Purrrrr, rub. 'but it's Da-a-a-d.'  I've
been doing all my best st-u-uh-f and he won't _pet_ me...'

I lift my head from the pillow only to see the Cardi-girl start rubbing her 
little face on Rick's beard and nibbling his ear and writhing seductively on his 
pillow to no avail.  He doesn't want to pet the cat after all.  He's utterly 
oblivious to her existence.

As if he were a new fixture in the house, she suddenly noticed Milo sprawled 
across my legs. ooh! ooh! maybe he'd pay some attention to her. But noooo. He
wasn't to keen on being wakened, so he crawled under the quilt, where she won't
follow, and settled in to sleep on my legs again.

So, disconsolate, she came up and wound a paw in my hair [so I couldn't turn
away, I think] and groomed my eyebrows while I stroked her.  After a while
I fell asleep.

This morning, one of Rick's pillows was missing.  He found it in the dressing
room under a sleeping Miss Cardigan and used socks and underwear.

  Ann

    I don't believe my eyes!  I was just mulling and bemoaning my situation
    to myself on the way to work this morning.  How can I get Whiskey
    to stop laying on my head (yup, 10 lbs of purr right on my head,
    tummy in my face) at precisely 2:00AM every morning. Somewhere along
    the way he got the idea that my head and my pillow are the place
    to be at that hour.  Can cats tell time or is my clock/radio stuck?
     Of course he wakes me up by shear weight but also his purr is so
    loud I think WWIII started.  He will not be dissuaded from his
    appointed duty.  I put him down, he gets up.  I hold him and pet
    him thinking he is going nighty night - ha! Who is the sucker here!
    
    I have had cats all of my life but never one who sleeps ON MY HEAD
    much less at the same time every night.  I can't bring myself to
    lock him out of the bedroom but maybe some day when someone comments
    on the bags under my eyes I'll take the plunge.  Come to think of
    it, he can't stand closed doors, even at the vets, he puts his paws
    under the cabinets and opens them.
    
    It sounds like I'm complaining - but what would I do without him?
    SLEEP!
    
    Snoozie (Sue)
    

    re: .5
      Yes Sherry - that is exactly what I mean.   ;-)
    
       N

    B.K. sleeps with (on?) daddy, no if an's or buts.  But the
    other three wouldn't think of sleeping anywhere else but
    with (on?) mommy.  1 pins the legs on the outside, 1 on the inside
    curled up against my hip, and the other anywhere on me on the outside.
    I fell asleep on the couch the other night, and woke up at 4:00am
    with my bed buddies.  Seems its love, as they turned up their noses
    at the warm waterbed to spend the night curled up with mom on the
    "very crowded" couch.  I dragged my butt to bed, and, you guessed
    it, the gang followed.  I woke up this morning to a very heavy,
    purring Rusty, curled up on my back, wanting breakfast.  Got up
    to feed the gang, and got attacked by Casey as I walked down the
    hall.  Went to the bathroom, and Pepper took a flying leap into
    my lap, and placed his paw on my face to say good morning. B.K.
    was watching dad shower.
    
    It's great to be loved.
    
    
    L- & the gang 
    

    
    	re .7?  tummy in your face?  Your cat is Sooo polite! Catnip
    	tends to park on my pillow with her tail stuck under my nose.
    	I would like to convince her that a tummy in the face would
    	be infinitely preferable! *8^}
    
    	So, gang! Would a larger bed make things any easier??? Just how
    	far can those furry critters spread themselves anyhow?
    
    						kim and Catnippy
    

         Well, a queen-sized bed doesn't work.  Loki sleeps on my pillow,
    but Bigfoot sleeps outside of me and pushes me toward my husband; in
    turn he is pushed toward the edge.  I woke up last night to find
    Bigfoot on my side (literally, about 3' was his!), my husband hugging
    the other edge and me squashed in between (Loki hadn't come in yet)!
    
    					- Andrea
    

    
    :^))))))-------------- OH! What a laugh I'm having.............I
    thought, well, not realy, that I was the only one to "move over" for
    the Scruffs,,,,,,,,,,,my husband................thinks I'm more than
    crazy.
    
    Cerimonianlly-dump on the spouse?...............I would definitely get
    killed.........and Scruffy would go flying oh so hard through the
    air...  somehow I manage to fall asleep and she eventually gets the
    hint..........we sleep you move!
    
    						Carol Weston...
    
    				mostly tired......
    
    

    
    	Yeah, Sarah likes to sleep on daddy's face at four in the
    	morning....but she has to get onto the (king size) bed from 	
    	MY side, walk across my face to daddy, and purr like a motor
    	boat for two hours....then daddy dumps her on my face, and
    	she drapes herself across my neck for awhile. We can't lock 
    	her out, she spends all night bbbrrrrrppptt?????-ing outside
    	the door....`Daaaaaaaaddeeeeeee!!!! where is your face so I
    	can sit on it???'.....what a little slut, huh?? ;P
    
    
    	Sherry
    

    This is toooooo funny!  I feel so much better knowing other have
    this problem.
    
    I was talking to my boyfriend this morning on the phone telling
    him about this conference and Whiskey and he would love to have
    this problem.  He is a cat lover to the extreme but Pinky, his cat
    likes her own space.  He a professional pilot with a major airline
    and spends some portion of the week away and I guess she has had
    to "get along without him".   She is a real love when she wants
    to be.  He spoils her rotten (I wish he would spoil me like that).
    
    Can you believe it, he actually would love our "midnight maulers".
    
    No accounting for taste.
    

    I must have strange cats.  I don't seem to have these problems.
    Bailey sleeps in her cat bed which is sitting on the side of the
    bed near me.  Carrie sleeps up against my left side.  Amelia sleeps
    on top of/between my legs.  All night.  Nobody moves.  I've learned
    to turn over and move my legs around the cat in my sleep.  Amelia
    it the only one that gets up in the morning and walks around my
    head purring in my ear and settling herself on my chest but it's
    usually close enough to the time I get up to not be a problem.
    Boy am I spoiled.
    
    Jan

    I am getting the biggest kick out of this particular topic....but I
    have an added problem (smile) to the scenario.
    
    Not only does Otis sleep next to me but at around 4:00 a.m. he 
    (STANDS) totally motionless - all four paws on my rib cage - the
    the space of about 4" in diameter.  It's amazing how he can do that
    because he's 17 lbs and stretches out to about 3 1/2 feet...but boy
    can he make a point.  I wake up - not only in pain - but with those
    wide awake eyes of his - staring at me.  He wants to EAT.  He will
    open the closet door - attempt to scratch at the chair - purr very
    loudly and DOES NOT LET UP.  
    
    It would be one thing if he woke me up - just to get attention - but
    I have to get up and go down stairs - makes a pit stop to the litter 
    box (I have to keep saying 'good boy' - he loves reassurance) and
    then open the 'Fresh Catch' and bring it upstairs to feed him -
    next to the bed.  Actually, he likes to be held while he eats at
    that time of the day (night!!).
    
    So....who controls who here! 
    
    Love him anyway...
    
    Marilyn
    

    You people think you have it bad, I wake up pinned to the bed by
    7 kittens and about 6 adult cats every morning.  It is then that
    I realize that I have been in the same position since I fell asleep,
    and that my whole body is stiff!  And there lies my husband, all
    curled up, sound asleep, with nary a cat on him!! :^)
    
    Jo

    ...Brings back memories of the many times my Mom, suffering from
    arthritis, got out of bed, walked around and got in the other side
    so she wouldn't disturb TiJai. Of course the T just snuggled in
    closer and a half-hour later she would get up from that side of
    the bed and go around again.
    
    ...and to see that things stay lively at our house ... It seems Charm
    has finally decided that BOYS are just the greatest things! She
    spends the night 'walking the streets (floor)' from one side of
    the bed to the other. Mistral, who is delighted with Charm's new-found
    hobby, spends the night racing (all umpteen pounds of him) across
    the bed (my face) every few minutes just so she won't forget just
    how handsome he is! :^)
    
    Linda 

    I usually have five cats sleeping on or next to me every night. Once 
    in a while some of them sleep with my husband, but usually they cuddle 
    up with me.
    
    Last night I was taking a nap on the couch. I had a cat or two or three
    on my legs, and two cats curled up together right on the middle of my 
    back. I guess the two "back" kitties started to feel crowded, because 
    suddenly there was a major cat fight _on_my_back_!
    
    I jumped up immediately, throwing kitties off the couch in all
    directions. Poor things couldn't figure out why . . .
    
    Now I have claw marks all over my back, and five cats who are going 
    to get their claws clipped before I go to bed tonight.
    
    Marleen (Sly, Adrienne, Paws, Springer, Midway)

    
    You'all have to know how to train your darling kitties right from the 
    start.  Our beloved Sasha, waits until the alarm goes off at 6:00 am
    every morning. Thanks to his pestering, we no longer need the snooze
    button on our alarm clock !!!! 
    
    P.S. Due to not checking out Sasha's number plate correctly, we mis-
    labeled the darling for life. God, I almost died when the Vet told me 
    that my little "Princess" as s/him was affectionately called, was
    in reality a Prince !! In order to save some face I promptly replied
    "Well they must be awful small because I didn't see anything" !!
    No wonder Sasha never went into heat! Drrrrrrr, or to you cat lovers 
    prrrrrrrr !! I guess I kind of got off the track but that's easy to 
    do when you get talking about those unpredictable felines that we 
    could never live without . I mean after all, Sasha had a Christmas Stocking 
    right up there with the rest of the family.
    
    
    						Pamela
    

    What a topic!  Oliver sits right next to my head and stares until
    he wakes me even if I'm in a deeeeeeep sleep.  Powerful eyes ----
    
    Flo & Oliver

    Bonnie crawls under the covers and snuggles up against my tummy when
    I'm laying on my side then procedes to purr up a storm and patty-paw
    my tummy.  I LOVE IT! 
      In the meantime, Bob is pouncing all over the bed trying to find
    her.
      N
    

    
    Bonnie and Bob must be on the phone with Panther and Spot.  Panther
    sleeps under the covers with me and when Spot comes along, if Panther
    happens to be moving, well, all four of wake up!!!  :-D
    
    Panther is not to subtle when she thinks Mummie has slept long enough,
    and is high time I served her breakfast.  She pats my face with a
    gentle paw, (no Claws.)  Then when silly Mummie makes the mistake of
    opening an eye, she meeps and Purrrrsssssss, asking very politely.
    
    When Mummie (usually) proceeds to ingore the polite request, she
    delicately inserts just one claw in my nose and pulls *HARD*.  
    
    That is usually all it takes to put an erring Mummie back on track.
    
    Feline trained,
    
    Sue & Panther & Spot
    
    

    
    	re: Sue
    
    	Ouch!  =)
    
    	Our kitties don't sleep with us.  Sasha likes to explore too much
    	and I don't want her walking all over our brannie new furniture.
    	Not to mention all my porcelain that she loves to play with.
    
    	So I guess I don't have any horror stories.  
    
    	JJ
    

    re: .21
    
    Schnitzel does the same thing, however if the power of the eyes doesn't
    do the trick fast enough, the purring starts and she touches my nose
    with hers.  If I've still not become conscious enough for her liking,
    she starts with the "kisses"....somehow "tuna breath" first thing in
    the morning (wee hours at that) wakes me up!
    
    P.
    

    
    That's what I like about this file........everytime your baby does
    something you think is strange/unique, there's others that have the
    same experience(s).
    
    Yup, Ebony has had the habit for as long as I can remember (he turns
    9yrs old in July...sign...he's getting up there) of TAKING OVER
    my pillow.  It's really weird, cause I'm convinced he knows the
    difference between weekDAYS and weekENDS and seems to 'let me sleep' on
    Saturday and Sunday mornings. During the week it never fails, as soon as 
    the sun comes up, there he is.  He starts off by licking my hair, then
    proceeds to make bread, then lick, then bread, then lick, until I
    finally have to put my head under the covers so I can catch those all
    important last few winks.   He remain sprawled out on my pillow until
    my eyes are wide open then........MEEEOOOWWW ("time to eat", kitty
    language).  My husband thinks I'm nuts to put up with it, but I love
    my little guy so much and he's so funny in the morning especially when 
    he makes his funny meow noises, not your regular ones, but the ones 
    they make while their in the middle of purring......hard to describe 
    in writing.
    
    BTW:  Eb is about 18 pounds and stretches to a healthy 3.5 - 4 feet
    	  so, no, he's not a lightweight!!!!!! (but, we're trying to get
    	  his weight down per the vets orders!)
    
    Barbara (mom to Ebony and Ivory)

    Well, this is an experience others have had with their furfaces
    but its a first for me....actually it was two firsts lastnight.
    
    The first first was waking up to find Bonnie stretched across my neck.
    THe second first was waking up to find Bonnie sleeping on my head!
    With her paws firmly entwined in my hair.  I think she's taking
    hairdressing lessons from Lil because yesterday I woke up with
    a matt in the back of my hair!  Oh well, at least she doesn't "yank"
    like Bob.
      Nancy DC

    
    	Nancy - I guess Bonnie is taking `sleeping on the neck'
    	lessons from Sarah. She doesn't do it to daddy anymore, 
    	only to me....*sigh*...
    
    	Sherry
    

    
    Hmmm, I *used* to have only a neck-sleeper.  I should've counted myself
    lucky.  Now Beau has appointed himself to be a nose-sleeper, and he
    still has that soft, fluffy kitten fur.  I wake up to find him right up
    against my nose and mouth <achoo!> :^}
    
    

    re .29
    
    At least your nose stays warm!
    

    	Well, my story goes like this and I would appreciate no flames.
     I moved into a brand new house back in August of last year and
    I have been buying curtains, drapes, shades, pillow shams, bed spreads
    and all that kind of stuff and in September I took possession of
    my 2 little monsters.  I have quite a few plants and I have cleaned
    up many carpet messes when they knock over the plant stands so
    consequently the little monsters spend the day in the cellar.  They
    have all kinds of stuff to eat, to play with, and to relax on so
    I don't feel guilty about leaving them down there.  The cellar is
    not cold so they are fine.  When I get home from work, I feed them
    and then they have the run of the house except the 2 bedrooms (I
    bought 2 bedspreads costing $85.00 a piece and when I let them run
    in there they were clawing at them).  I tried to let them sleep
    in the bedroom, but all they want to do is play, so I put them in
    the cellar again.  I am trying (on the weekends) to let them have
    the run of the house at night, but it isn't quite working out, but
    it is getting there.  Those guys are holy terror, but I am hoping
    that if I can survive the weekends, then I will let them run around
    the whole house at night.  Sorry, I won't let them run around during
    the day when I am not home unless I am sure that they won't cause
    too much commotion.  At least with them running around at night,
    if something happens I'll be there to bail them (or me) out.
    
    	How does anyone else handle the same situations?  No, I won't
    get rid of my plants as they add 1) color, 2) life, 3) oxygen, 4)
    beauty to an otherwise fairly plain looking house.  Thanks for any
    advice.
    
    	NDC - How do you let all your monsters run around and not have
    them knock any plants over?  I tried to put the smelly spray around
    the plants, but it doesn't really work.

    When we first got P&P not only did they knock the plants over, but
    they ate them and then 'returned' them in a huge pile on the carpet.
    
    Solution?
    
    We moved ALL the plants to the spare room and closed the door! Only
    when they were 18 months old did we start bringing the plants out
    again. They don't touch them now. I think they just do this kind
    of thing when they are kittens. We also keep them out of the 
    bedroom during the day (and night!), but they have the run of the
    rest of the house.
    
    I think you just need to wait a while until they are a bit more
    grown up! They broke two of my favourite ornaments, but I wouldn't
    be without them!!
    
    
    Lisa plus Percy and Pookie.
    
    

    I have a question along these lines also.  Currently we let the kids
    have the run of the house at all times (except two catfree rooms). The
    only problem comes in at night when Becky and Velcro (a little over a
    year) decide it's play time.  What we've been doing then is kicking
    them out of the bedroom and closing the door leaving Trouble in if she
    wants (she wakes one of us up if she wants out).  I've proposed
    building a "kitty room".  This basically would be a reasonable bathroom
    sized room with kitty litter boxes and water (not next to each other)
    and some areas to sleep, scratch, play, etc.  What I am wondering is
    how Becky and Velcro would take to being denied the run of the house at
    night (we would put them "to bed" when we go to bed).  Anyone done
    something like this before?  This is only an idea at this point, so I 
    welcome any input.  
    
    Bernice
    Mother_of_Trouble_Velcro_Becky_&_unnamed

RE   the last couple replies


We now have 11 cats, some of whom are very well behaved and some of whom
are holy terrors.  Dignified George wouldn't dream of jumping up on any of
the furniture or counters, and Spats is too plump to get much past the
top of the radiators.  Boss Tweed on the other hand thinks anything wrapped
in plastic must be food left out for him (he was right on the raw duck, but
index cards??); Jaspar thought chimneys were for climbing up so you can get
sooty, lick it off, and then leave black puddles when it upsets your tummy;
Scooter and Punkin Head think the house if for running around in at top
speed, who cares who or what is in your way.  And *somebody* thinks large
plants are just conveniently placed litterboxes!!

So during the day they are confined to their own room; it has windows, 
a rock wall for climbing on, a huge cat-tree with 5 perches, assorted beds
for sleeping on, and all their litter boxes and toys.  At night they come
upstairs with us, and love it; but at bedtime back down they go.  Since we
don't get too many objections I assume they really don't mind.  Considering
how many hours a day cats sleep, they don't care where they are if we aren't
around to play with.  As long as they are warm and dry, and have enough to
provide intellectual (?) stimulation -- private quarters suits them fine!

We plan to build an attached outdoor enclosure for them this summer, using a
cat flap through the screen of their window; the enclosure will be as secure
as a totally paranoid mom can make it.  We think all the neighborhood dogs
are friendly, but have no idea about some of the cats; and we know we have
things like porcupines and skunks in the area -- no thank you!

In short, keep them physically out of trouble when you aren't around -- this
assumes you have a layout that allows this of course!  You'll enjoy their
company more when you aren't mad at them for being destructive, and it's safer
in general.  We also decided to just put plants in some rooms they won't have
any access to, Tweed in particular loves the taste of African Violets although
they immediately upset his tummy!

Jan    who_wants_to_have_cats_and_plants_too

    I agree with the last reply.  I have a couple of cat rooms.  Each
    one has cat trees, toys, food, water, and litter boxes in it.
    Kalliste, our stud cat lives in one room, along with another cat
    or two for company.  Currently he has an outside queen in to keep
    him company.  Usually Kyrielle bunks with him.  I don't like him
    to be alone.  The other cat room is my office, and three of my cats
    decided for themselves to turn it into a cat room.  They stay in
    there all the time, and have no desire or intention to leave it.
    So, we got them a cat three, and moved their food and water and
    litter boxes in there for them.  
    
    As long as the room has all the necessities, there is no reason
    not to confine them from time to time.  Just be sure to get them
    lots of attention during their confinement.  Confining the cats
    is really a good way to teach them the rules of the house.  That
    way, they don't have access to the things that they might try to
    destroy when you aren't there to correct them. Of course, when you
    are there, you must correct them for chewing the plants, etc.
    
    Speaking of African Violets, mine don't try to eat them, but they
    do "fuzz" them!  Ever try using a lint brush on an african violet?
    It isn't easy! :^)
    
    Jo
                                                                 

    re: .31
    "	NDC - How do you let all your monsters run around and not have
    them knock any plants over?  I tried to put the smelly spray around
    the plants, but it doesn't really work."
    
    Actually, the plants rarely get knocked over - believe it or not.
    I have a big window in the kitchen with a nice wide sill and when
    we first moved in I tried lining plants up along there.  I was
    picking them up daily.  I finally realized that the cats considered
    that a "kitty pathway" and I simply couldn't keep plants there.  So
    now I have three hanging plants in that window and the rest sit on
    the buffet that's in front of the window.  The cats take the high road
    and the plants get the low road.
    
    How old are your little monsters.  Mao was an absolute TERROR when 
    she was a kitten.  Plants destroyed all the time!!!  I swear she 
    ran around the apartment on the walls instead of the floor. 
    Fortunately, as she got older she calmed down considerably - AND
    she got more coordinated.  At 10 1/2 she's the best jumper in the
    house.  Her aim is just about perfect.  
    
      If your "monsters" aren't neutered yet then that may help calm
    them down some.  Otherwise, you'll just have to wait them out.
    Bob at about 13 months, has an annoying habit of pouncing on anything
    that moves under the covers from 4:30am on.  He also bites and
    kicks my kitty blanket that's on the bed.  I am NOT pleased and
    we're working on him.  But Bob isn't "operating on all thrusters",
    if you know what I mean, and it may take a bit of time.  :-)
    
    BTW - I don't see anything wrong with confining your kitties to the
    basement when you're not around to supervise them.  Some basements
    are Very very nice.  And they probably sleep most of the day anyway.
    So you won't get any flames from me.
      Nancy DC
    

    One other point - I have run into too many people who think that
    having pets means letting your house be destroyed.  This type of
    attitude can lead to lots of nasty things including justification
    for dumping pets or not allowing them at all.
    
    We all know that this just isn't true.  With a little work, and
    perhaps a kitty area for when we arent around to supervise, you
    can have your furry family members and a nice house too!
    
      Nancy DC

    
    Boo, Hiss,BBBBOOOOOO!!!!!   No Cellers for cats! Cats have rights
    to freedom of liberty too! Say NO to lock-ups! Freedom of movement
    for cats! Cellers have stale air! Boo,Hiss.......
    
                ;-)
    
     But seriously folks........
    
    I tried to ock the crew in one night..... I ended up with the spare
    bed being torn apart,the window broken and last saw the wrecking
    crew sailing into the night on the glider they had made..........
    
    Phil[]
    
    feline daft...

    re: .31
    
    You'll get no flames from me......since i still live w/ my parents,
    and there is a full house, I don't have the luxury of letting
    Nippa have a kitty room.....however she does have the run of the
    basement.  Her box is down there, as well as her food, water and toys.
    SHe has her own couch w/ tons of blankets too!

    ON nice days I do let her out (I do have the luxury of living in a
    quite neighborhood w/ lots of woods ect.) but on rainy days she is
    confined downstairs.  She doesn't seem to have a problem, as soon as
    someone comes home they let her up (sometimes she decides she wants to 
    stay down there) and everyone gives her lots of attention.  Because of
    allergies. she is not allowed on the second floor (although I have
    brought her up to my room).
    
    So what I have is a very well behaved cat.  SHe does not climb
    curtains, claw rugs or furniture, eat plants (we have tons).  She'll
    sit on an available lap, the floor, or in her kitty condo.  SHe will 
    not jump up on tables or chairs (well she does have 2 acceptable chairs 
    on the first floor).
    
    And I know she knows wrong from right......one day, a few weeks ago, I
    was doing something in the kitchen - with milk, and she recognized the
    container and started asking for some.  well being in a lazy mood, I 
    poured some out in a dish on the counter, picked her up and put her in
    front of it.....WEll the look she gave me was priceless!  It was ` we
    both know I'm dead meat if I get caught up here- so WHAT ARE YOU
    DOING!!???'....she wouldn't touch the milk until I put it down in `the 
    treat spot'......what a good girl!
    
    SHe will also retire to the basement when she want to go to sleep,
    or be left alone (we always leave the door cracked so she can get
    down).
    
    
    Your cats will enjoy having their own special place they can call
    their own, and do what they want to do in there (kinda the same
    principal as crating a dog?)  When you come  home, you'll find no
    `suprises' and probably enjoy their company more.
    
    I wouldn't have been able to keep her if she didn't behave - and I
    don't think I've deprived her of anything.....(no one's home all day
    anyway, so what is she missing?  At least she stays out of trouble).
    
    Michele & Nippa                                                     

    Re, .36
    	Nancy, I had both Pixie and Dixie fixed in January of this year
    and they are both about 8 1/2 months old.  The kitties are getting
    a little bit better, but I still like to make sure that things are
    okay, before letting them run the house all day.  When I get home
    from work, I plop down in a chair to read my mail and Pixie knows
    that this is the time to make a beeline for the lap.  Dixie wishes
    she could come up too, but Pixie being the dominant gets his way
    (typical male eh :^{).  When he tires of laying around, he takes
    off then she comes up.  Aren't they cute?

    re: .40  Weeeeeeellll.....I'm thinking more in terms of 2 yrs old or
    older before they really calm down.  Like I said, Bob is about 13
    months and gets into all sorts of trouble  :-)  He's SUCH A KLUTZ!
    
    Hey Phil!!  We know your gang is going to be the exception to the
    rules.  We don't call them the "Terrible Trio" for nuthin' you know!

    I don't confine my cats to any one room but one thing I have noticed
    is that they actually prefer the unfinished cellar to the rest of
    the house.  It is full of boxes and hiding places and the floor
    is nice and cool.  I often hear them playing down there and jumping
    out from hiding spots at one another.
    
    No flames from me either!  As long as there is adequate stuff in
    the cellar to keep kitties happy, I see nothing wrong with confining
    them there.
    
    
    --Roberta
    
    P.S.  I also agree with Nancy that as they get older (like around
    2), they do calm down.  Kelsey is 1 1/2, and I have noticed that
    he is a lot more dignified now than he was at this time last year.
    

    It's nice to hear that we don't have the only cat who has a built-in early 
    morning alarm!
    
    When he stays in for the night we currently get a five o'clock call.  But he
    does vary...a few weeks ago it was something like three o'clock!!
    
    And he has a mania for snuggling up on the bed...with or without us!
    
    Cats!  Who'd have 'em?!?
    
    Karen

    "It's nice to hear that we don't have the only cat who has a built-in early 
    morning alarm!"
    
    Are you kidding!  Cats ARE a built-in morning alarm.  :-)
    The only problem is you can't set them when the clocks change!!
     Nancy
    

    
    speaking of which...the time changes this weekend.  'twill be
    interesting to see how the dynamic duo reacts.
    
    my cissy used to think that it was her sacred duty to get me up on
    time, even if it meant breathing in my face <ack! that gawd-awful cat
    breath>  but she would get mixed up for a few days after every time
    change.  and i swear she seemed "embarrassed" if she missed the time
    and i got out of bed without her as alarm. same thing in the evening-
    she always waited in the window for me to get home.  she would miss
    that, too, for a couple of days and would give me such an apologetic 
    look when i came through the door and she wasn't in the window!
    
    diane, stella ,stanley (and cissy still in my heart)
                             

    Mine go off at sunrise, so I am often late to work when the weather is
    crummy (I'd rather use a cat alarm than an alarm clock)...
    
    /Charlotte