Should Men Living Alone Get a Cat?

[Stephen Tashi]

So she's long haired. Does she have thick legs and big feet? I'm cat sitting such a cat - a Norwegian Forrest cat. They are very talkative.

I doubt TV will keep a cat company. Cats have exceptional hearing. It might mask sounds that disturb her if there are any.

Does she have a good "perch" in front of a window? Most cats like to look out windows, especially if they can see other animals outside. Don't open the window unless you're sure she won't claw through the screen. The ideal window perch would also be a place where she would feel hidden.

 

[Math Is Hard]

So she's long haired. Does she have thick legs and big feet? I'm cat sitting such a cat - a Norwegian Forrest cat. They are very talkative.

Yah, my Skogkatt never shuts up. :)

 

[Math Is Hard]

Okay, my new nutty cat obsession is combining with my olde-tyme engineering obsession to create a wallet-obliterating combo-attack on my bank account.

Hey Flex, have you seen these Cat Exercise Wheels? I always wanted to build one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_2qYNadEYg&feature=related

 

[turbo]

My cousin's Siamese "talked" all of the time. Simon was one chatty cat, especially when he wanted attention. And when he was upset about something, the whole house would know - he'd make these "yowling" noises until somebody figured out why he was upset and help settle him down. He was quite a sweetie, though. I would have kidnapped him (in contrast to my sister's cats, which I would have given up to a shelter in a heartbeat) because he was so calm and collected. Some cats are quite flighty and unpredictable - not Simon.

 

[turbo]

Hey Flex, have you seen these Cat Exercise Wheels? I always wanted to build one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_2qYNadEYg&feature=related

Wow! Hamster-wheels for cats!

 

[AlephZero]

Should I be leaving the TV on while I'm at work? Would that help her not feel lonely? I have no idea if she is lonely, but I would be.

Cats are naturally nocturnal animals. Given warmth and shelter, they are quite content to sleep all day.

Pixel will soon figure out where is the warmest place in the apartment (apart from yourself!), at which point your best option for a quiet life is just let her "live" there and reorganize the rest of the house for human use.

 

[rhody]

Should I be leaving the TV on while I'm at work? Would that help her not feel lonely? I have no idea if she is lonely, but I would be.

Cats are naturally nocturnal animals. Given warmth and shelter, they are quite content to sleep all day.

Pixel will soon figure out where is the warmest place in the apartment (apart from yourself!), at which point your best option for a quiet life is just let her "live" there and reorganize the rest of the house for human use.

I wouldn't sweat the TV or radio, Flex, Aleph is right, being left alone they alternate between sleeping and eating and patrolling their territory, that's their job and they are damn good at it. If you have any bugs or crawly things scurrying about, you won't for long. Don't forget about changing the litter with a scoop to filter it every two days, you want to start on a good foot. Be aware of things that might disagree with her. My cat eats dry food, dry treats with occasional table scraps, small amounts. Since she is long haired, think about hairball food as well, you will find them about when she coughs them up. Not to worry, no big deal. As for toys, stuff you make and invent is just as good as store bought stuff. I made an aluminum ball out of tin foil and get a lot of mileage out of that.

She will sharpen her little claws on carpets, etc... you can't stop it, usually when she is having a cat crazy moment when running around the house like being chased or chasing an imaginary predator. A loud "No" with a stomp of your foot will usually stop the scratching. I have posts where she can scratch if she wants. You can buy trimmers to trim the needle sharp claws, but if she is going outdoors I would suggest not doing it. That is her only form of defense, in addition to being able to launch herself four feet off the ground when frightened. I know people who have declawed their cats. I think it is cruel personally, would never do it myself. If ripping up furniture becomes a problem, you can install an electric fence indoors. I am told they work well, however, I don't need one myself.

Aleph is right about finding warm spots too. If my heat mats for plants are exposed, she will skootch into protect my pepper plants. Not that the hottest pepper plants need any protecting, they can fend for themselves quite nicely.

Oh yeah, you being a techie guy, they love laser pointers, you can be sure Pixel's cerebral cortex is properly programmed with horizontal and vertical movements of the pointer (healthy cat brain).

That's it for now. Here is a video for a few laughs... It's old, but the audio makes it worthwhile.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTasT5h0LEg"



Rhody...

 

[TylerH]

You should get some catnip and see how your cat reacts. Not all cats respond to it, and even most that do don't go entirely crazy, but you never know.

 

[FlexGunship]

So she's long haired. Does she have thick legs and big feet? I'm cat sitting such a cat - a Norwegian Forrest cat. They are very talkative.

I doubt TV will keep a cat company. Cats have exceptional hearing. It might mask sounds that disturb her if there are any.

Does she have a good "perch" in front of a window? Most cats like to look out windows, especially if they can see other animals outside. Don't open the window unless you're sure she won't claw through the screen. The ideal window perch would also be a place where she would feel hidden.

She doesn't have thick legs or big feet, and other than one yelp when she ran from the sound of heat (take that thermodynamics) she's never said a single word.

I bought a simple cat cave with a bed on top the day I got her and placed it next to the window part of the sliding glass door that leads to the patio. I have chipmunks that run through there so she should be entertained.

Hey Flex, have you seen these Cat Exercise Wheels? I always wanted to build one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_2qYNadEYg&feature=related

Hmm, no... looks more like someone's cray idea for perpetual motion. "You just put the cat in here..."

Cats are naturally nocturnal animals. Given warmth and shelter, they are quite content to sleep all day.

Pixel will soon figure out where is the warmest place in the apartment (apart from yourself!), at which point your best option for a quiet life is just let her "live" there and reorganize the rest of the house for human use.

She hasn't really picked a place. I've decided the sound of the front door frightens her. I can usually find her hiding upstairs under a wooden plank (not comfy or cozy, and not even well protected), or under my bed (well protected, but doesn't seem comfy, maybe cozy). She'll come trotting out though if she realizes its me walking around. If I'm around, then her favorite place is either on the stairs, in front of the TV, or directly under my feet.

I wouldn't sweat the TV or radio, Flex, Aleph is right, being left alone they alternate between sleeping and eating and patrolling their territory, that's their job and they are damn good at it. If you have any bugs or crawly things scurrying about, you won't for long. Don't forget about changing the litter with a scoop to filter it every two days, you want to start on a good foot. Be aware of things that might disagree with her. My cat eats dry food, dry treats with occasional table scraps, small amounts. Since she is long haired, think about hairball food as well, you will find them about when she coughs them up. Not to worry, no big deal. As for toys, stuff you make and invent is just as good as store bought stuff. I made an aluminum ball out of tin foil and get a lot of mileage out of that.

I left the radio on today. She just enjoys watching TV with me so much that I can't help but think she gets something out of it. I ordered some Baby Einstein DVDs for her (kidding). If I sit down for Dirty Jobs, she'll come to my lap for some petting, but ultimately set up camp on the arm of the chair and just watch. She doesn't attack the screen, or get startled by noises... she just watches. We watched the whole lightning-rod-installer episode together.

I've been cleaning her box after every, uh, incident. She's very polite about not scattering the litter everywhere, so I try to be polite about keeping it clean for her. I wouldn't want to use a half-flushed toilet; especially if I had to stand in it to use it. Besides, she's just barely learning to use it (at 4 months old) so I don't want to give her any excuse not to.

She looooooves her ball. An aluminum foil ball might even be better! I have a video of us playing fetch that I'll share in my next post.

She will sharpen her little claws on carpets, etc... you can't stop it, usually when she is having a cat crazy moment when running around the house like being chased or chasing an imaginary predator. A loud "No" with a stomp of your foot will usually stop the scratching. I have posts where she can scratch if she wants. You can buy trimmers to trim the needle sharp claws, but if she is going outdoors I would suggest not doing it. That is her only form of defense, in addition to being able to launch herself four feet off the ground when frightened. I know people who have declawed their cats. I think it is cruel personally, would never do it myself. If ripping up furniture becomes a problem, you can install an electric fence indoors. I am told they work well, however, I don't need one myself.

I'm not worried about her claws, she's been doing fine with the scratching post I've given her. We have had a few incidents, but I think some of them are because her claws aren't long enough to actually help her climb. She sort of scrambles up the side of the sofa. Every time she does it, she has the goal of getting to the top, so I don't bother punishing her for it.

I clap my hands loudly if she's doing something I want to discourage. The only bad behavior she really has is she plays with the tag on my subwoofer power cable which I think is dangerous. I clap my hands to stop her, wait for her to run (or sulk) away, and then give her a toy to play with instead.

I don't want her to think playing is bad, I want her to think playing with that specific tag is bad.

I have absolutely no plans to declaw Pixel ever, but I specifically avoided the Cocheco Valley Humane Society because you must sign a form promising never to declaw your cat if it's adopted from there. Just my stupid libertarian ideals... it's going to be my decision not to declaw her.

Aleph is right about finding warm spots too. If my heat mats for plants are exposed, she will skootch into protect my pepper plants. Not that the hottest pepper plants need any protecting, they can fend for themselves quite nicely.

Oh yeah, you being a techie guy, they love laser pointers, you can be sure Pixel's cerebral cortex is properly programmed with horizontal and vertical movements of the pointer (healthy cat brain).

Rhody...

Maybe I should get something then, there's really no "warm spots" in my condo. I leave the curtain open a little which warms the floor in the morning, but does nothing in the evening. I have a laser pointer, but it's... hardcore... I wouldn't want to risk burning her little kitty paws or retinas. I'll buy a few cheap ones from Wal*Mart next time.

You should get some catnip and see how your cat reacts. Not all cats respond to it, and even most that do don't go entirely crazy, but you never know.

I think one of her shelter toys had catnip in it. It wasn't my plan to give it to her until she was comfortable in the house. I hate being dragged to an unknown place and drugged.

 

[FlexGunship]

We normally play with me out of sight, but for the purpose of the video I had to be seen. If you look at 1:05, that's usually how we play. I think she was putting on a show for the camera wrestling the ball all the way down the steps.





No need to watch past 1:30 or so... it was just hard to turn off the camera while still playing.

 

[FlexGunship]

Look at this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GA7J8A/?tag=pfamazon01-20:

Product Features

• Modular & Expandable - Unlimited Designs
• Easy Assembly
• Easy Cleaning - Machine Washable Parts
• Sturdy & Lightweight - Easy to Move
• Replaceable Pieces

We ordered this yesterday. I can honestly say Pixel was the one who finalized the order.

 

[rhody]

She just enjoys watching TV with me so much that I can't help but think she gets something out of it. I ordered some Baby Einstein DVDs for her (kidding).

that one just kills me... (kidding)

BTW. The link for your video appears to be broken, at least for me. Luna does not care for TV at all, nor does she meow loudly, like the cat Turbo mentioned, she is a mellow, sometimes bordering on timid, but very sweet. Heat mats for plants work great too (for cat couch), especially in the winter on cold floors, you could put a small cat bed on top of it as well.

Rhody...

 

[Stephen Tashi]

Heat mats for plants work great too (for cat couch), especially in the winter on cold floors, you could put a small cat bed on top of it as well.

I haven't ever seen a heat mat for plants, but I've seen electric blankets and other types of "warmers" for people. Their directions warn not to put things over them. Are the plant heat mats safe for putting under towels and blankets?

 

[rhody]

I haven't ever seen a heat mat for plants, but I've seen electric blankets and other types of "warmers" for people. Their directions warn not to put things over them. Are the plant heat mats safe for putting under towels and blankets?

Stephen,

I have one under a plastic box that regularly gets water spilled on it, and another one with three large thin walled plant containers on that gets wet also. IMHO an electric blanket is way too big for a cat in a small cat bed, whereas a small heat mat 14x6 inches wide fits nicely. The heat mat never gets over 80 degrees F and if it is UL approved I assume it is fairly safe as well. An extremely cautious person would not use one just to be safe. I have had mine almost two years with no trouble UL listed so I would feel safe putting a small cat bed on top of it only when I was home to watch it just in case.

Rhody...

 

[FlexGunship]

BTW. The link for your video appears to be broken, at least for me.

Should be fixed now?Like my cat.

 

[rhody]

Should be fixed now?

Nope, just post the real link above it.

The youtube format is: ignore the x at the end of youtube



[youtubex]nTasT5h0LEg[/youtubex]

Rhody...

 

[FlexGunship]

Nope, just post the real link above it.

The youtube format is: ignore the x at the end of youtube



[youtubex]nTasT5h0LEg[/youtubex]

Rhody...

Got it, I did both... provided the link AND tried to fix the embedded video. I'm at work, so all YouTube links are blocked, it's impossible for me to tell if it worked or not. Thanks.

 

[rhody]

Got it, I did both... provided the link AND tried to fix the embedded video. I'm at work, so all YouTube links are blocked, it's impossible for me to tell if it worked or not. Thanks.

Yep, you did it thanks.

Rhody...

 

[lisab]

We normally play with me out of sight, but for the purpose of the video I had to be seen. If you look at 1:05, that's usually how we play. I think she was putting on a show for the camera wrestling the ball all the way down the steps.





No need to watch past 1:30 or so... it was just hard to turn off the camera while still playing.

Clearly, Pixel is the luckiest cat, ever .

 

[rhody]

Clearly, Pixel is the luckiest cat, ever .

Clearly Flex, there is a lesson here, Pengy could stand to benefit by showing his sensitive caring side, instead of his hilarious ... busting obnoxious side once in awhile, if you get my drift, are you reading this Peng ? (Don't worry, he will be, hehe...)

Rhody...

 

[Pengwuino]

Clearly Flex, there is a lesson here, Pengy could stand to benefit by showing his sensitive caring side, instead of his hilarious ... busting obnoxious side once in awhile, if you get my drift, are you reading this Peng ? (Don't worry, he will be, hehe...)

Rhody...

I am perfectly awesome in every way imaginable. If you can't simultaneously see my sensitive, caring side simultaneously with my hilarious, sexy side, then you just aren't looking hard enough.

 

[FlexGunship]

Weekend upgrades:

• Larger litter box with higher sides and removeable top
• Litter Locker II (you think you can handle just throwing it into garbage bags, but you can't)
• Laser pointer

In the time I've known Pixel, she has never really "meowed" until... we played with the laser pointer. It makes a loud clicking noise and has a jingly key-chain on it, so I think she associates these sounds with the laser pointer. Anyway, after our first 15 minute play session, I turned it off and she turned to look at me and say, clearly, "meow"...

... which started the second 15 minutes of the laser pointer game.

Ugh, I didn't play nearly enough Skyrim.

 

[turbo]

I have a cheap green laser-pointer, Flex. If Duke sees me take that out of my desk drawer, he's all over me. He LOVES chasing that green spot all around. I like shutting off the beam when the spot reaches the furnace's floor-vent. He'll look in there and start "snuffing" trying to figure out where the green spot went.

 

[FlexGunship]

I have a cheap green laser-pointer, Flex. If Duke sees me take that out of my desk drawer, he's all over me. He LOVES chasing that green spot all around. I like shutting off the beam when the spot reaches the furnace's floor-vent. He'll look in there and start "snuffing" trying to figure out where the green spot went.

OMG, I did that to Pixel, but I made it disappear into her cat cave. That was a mistake. She was mucking about in there (removed all of her other toys) for a good five minutes before setting up shop just outside and staring into it.

I didn't really want to encourage that type of disappointment, so we played a bit more and I just ran up her up and down the steps in the same pattern until she got bored. Then it was okay to stop and she went back to normal cat activities.

Incidentally, I have a weird problem...

Pixel plays very well. I wasn't sure I wanted her to get used to playing with a person's hand, but she does a good job: she will open her mouth but won't bite (like a dog), and she'll bat at your hands with her claws tucked safely away. If she starts to get overly frisky, I just say (in a stern voice) "hey, be nice" and apply firm pressure to her belly; she calms right down. So far we have had zero biting or clawing incidents while playing.

However, I think she will ONLY bite when she's eating hard food which brings me to my problem: she won't eat treats. I think she loves the smell and taste, but she just gnaws on them a bit, and them spits them out. There aren't even tooth marks on them! She'll pounce them, bat them around, put them in her mouth and (basically) suck on them and spit them back out. This is true of both the salmon ones and the lamb/chicken ones.

She was eating some garbage called "Science Diet" in the shelter which is what I've been feeding her (came free from the shelter), but it's all fillers like wheat and animal by-products. (For the record I bought some good canned food with actual meat in it, but she'll only lick at it.) So I think she thinks it's only okay to bite into hard crunchy things. Are there any hard crunchy treats?

 

[turbo]

My wife makes all of Duke's treats, and they are all hard and crunchy. I don't know how cats would react to them, though. She makes them just like she would cook for us, omitting the onions which can be harmful to dogs. A typical "cookie" might contain beef liver, bacon, carrots, whole-grain flour, and other stuff. She has a collection of dog-themed cookie-cutters, so most of his "cookies" have a cartoon-y bone shape.

Can you get Pixel to eat some or your own food? Some animals are quite willing to learn by example, so if you are eating some plain canned tuna for example, she might be tempted to follow suit.

 

[AlephZero]

I didn't really want to encourage that type of disappointment

That's not "disappointment", it's normal hunting behaviour. Cats will sit watching "nothing" for hours, if they think there might be some food hiding somewhere.

I know a cat that is fascinated watching the hammers moving inside a piano when it's being played. She spends a lot of time sittiong on the piano lid it's not being played, in the hope that whatever was moving about inside might come out.

I don't think having a pet that doesn't eat treats is a big deal. At least it won't get fat on too many treats. But not eating your idea of "proper" cat food is more of an issue. Have you tried mixing some "real" meat or fish with the stuff she does eat? You could always ring the shelter for some advice.

But then, I know a "vegetarian" dog - if it gets a plate of scraps from the dinner table, it will ferret out all the vegetables and ignore the meat. Its favorite "treat" food is a banana. You have to peel it first and hold it so it can nibble at the end. Eating a whole banana can take half an hour, and woe betide you if you get bored with holding the banana before the dog gets bored with eating it. Go figure.

 

[FlexGunship]

Can you get Pixel to eat some or your own food? Some animals are quite willing to learn by example, so if you are eating some plain canned tuna for example, she might be tempted to follow suit.

That might work... I shared a piece of a ground turkey burger with her when she didn't seem to be eating and she liked it just fine. But up until this point, she hasn't tried to steal any food or begged for anything I was eating. I think I'd like to keep it that way.

Maybe I could grill her some treats?

 

[turbo]

My dog would quite willingly go vegetarian, as well. He loves bananas, apples, tomatoes, raspberries, blackberries, green beans, peas, etc, and he will dig up carrots out of the garden for himself if you let him. I don't know how long he was on his own after he was abandoned until Animal Control picked him up as a stray, but he is not picky about his food in the least.

Still, if Pixel trusts you, she may be willing to eat what she sees you eating. You can try.

 

[turbo]

That might work... I shared a piece of a ground turkey burger with her when she didn't seem to be eating and she liked it just fine. But up until this point, she hasn't tried to steal any food or begged for anything I was eating. I think I'd like to keep it that way.

Maybe I could grill her some treats?

My wife doesn't use any cookbooks when cooking for us, but she has a hard-bound copy of "the Organic Dog Biscuit Cookie Book", and she tries lots of those. I'll bet that if you made Pixel some of the liver and bacon cookies and kept them "bite sized" for her, she'd pile right in. You need very basic skills with pan-frying, a decent knife to chop all the meat nice and small, and a bit of patience to make up the whole-grain dough to hold the meat together. Put the cookies on a sheet and set a timer. Little cookies can bake up very quickly in a pre-heated oven.

 

[FlexGunship]

That's not "disappointment", it's normal hunting behaviour. Cats will sit watching "nothing" for hours, if they think there might be some food hiding somewhere.

Hmm, okay.

I don't think having a pet that doesn't eat treats is a big deal. At least it won't get fat on too many treats. But not eating your idea of "proper" cat food is more of an issue. Have you tried mixing some "real" meat or fish with the stuff she does eat? You could always ring the shelter for some advice.

Yes, a little bit of ground turkey just because she wasn't eating anything at first. I tried adding a little beef the other day (cooked) to her dish of dry food and she ate around it. She might have gnawed on it, but I couldn't tell.

But then, I know a "vegetarian" dog - if it gets a plate of scraps from the dinner table, it will ferret out all the vegetables and ignore the meat. Its favorite "treat" food is a banana. You have to peel it first and hold it so it can nibble at the end. Eating a whole banana can take half an hour, and woe betide you if you get bored with holding the banana before the dog gets bored with eating it. Go figure.

Yikes. Everything I've read about cats says they get all of their nutrition from meat, and since she's an indoor-only cat, I really just want to make sure she's not suffering in her forced-upon-her home. Maybe I shouldn't care so much. My goal is to get her eating dry food in the morning (for her teeth) and canned food in the evening. All of the treats I've tried are just bits of dried meat; I can't imagine they're bad for her... just expensive for me.

Her canned food is Max Cat Kitten food. The first ingredients are: "Turkey broth, turkey, chicken, chicken giblets, beef liver, beef, and ground rice."

But the Science Diet stuff is: "Chicken By-Product Meal, Ground Whole Grain Corn, Animal Fat, Corn Gluten Meal, Brewers Rice, and Chicken Liver Flavor."

 

[FlexGunship]

Still, if Pixel trusts you, she may be willing to eat what she sees you eating. You can try.

Good idea. I'll grab a spoon and have some canned cat food. Frankly... it doesn't smell all that much worse than a Hot Pocket.

Joking... I know what you meant.

I'll bet that if you made Pixel some of the liver and bacon cookies and kept them "bite sized" for her, she'd pile right in.

Hmm, get rid of the liver, and you've got a cookie we can both get behind!

 

[turbo]

Hmm, get rid of the liver, and you've got a cookie we can both get behind!

Don't get rid of the liver! Liver is a great source of iron and protein and animals love it. Plus, it can often be cheap to buy - lots of Americans have an aversion to organ meats.

The local butcher shop often has hearts and livers on sale - all from local grass-fed Angus. Duke has the best cookies ever, if my wife buys enough of the organ meats so that I get my fill! Thin-sliced beef heart sauteed in butter with onions... I'd have thirds!

 

[FlexGunship]

Thin-sliced beef heart sauteed in butter with onions... I'd have thirds!

I don't get it... do you gain their courage or something?

 

[turbo]

I don't get it... do you gain their courage or something?

Thin-sliced heart (beef or venison) sauteed in butter with a little onion is food for the gods! If you have never had it properly prepared, you just don't know.

My neighbor likes shooting deer and he is REAL squeamish, so I have to go gut out his deer for him whenever he kills one. In return, I get to take home the heart and the liver, and he brings me some steaks after the meat-cutter packs them, and some ground venison from time to time.

When I bring home a heart and a liver like that, my wife and I plan our next few days' meals around those organ meats. One time, a couple of decades back, I dragged a deer home (about 1/2 mile uphill) and my wife asked "where is the liver?" I had to trudge all the way back down there and recover it to keep her happy.

 

[FlexGunship]

Thin-sliced heart (beef or venison) sauteed in butter with a little onion is food for the gods!

Surely you jest; it's also appropriate food for serial murderers and futuristic genocidal mechanical abominations.

One time, a couple of decades back, I dragged a deer home (about 1/2 mile uphill) and my wife asked "where is the liver?" I had to trudge all the way back down there and recover it to keep her happy.

Now I'm sure you're joking.

You'll drag home, across broken glass and dirty syringes, a deceased animal you just find lying around and then, when, unbeknownst to you, its disparate organs tumble from its bloated, disease-ridden corpse, faithfully trot back to the pile of dead plague rats in which you found the carcass to retrieve them?!