#BeforeTCS

So today is Facebook's 12th Anniversary and the hashtag #BeforeFacebook is trending with people posting about what their life was like before Facebook. Looking at @Anne 's profile, I see "Join Date: 10/23/00", so TCS has been around a bit longer.

#BeforeTCS, I had a lot more free time.
#BeforeTCS, my last cat ate 9-Lives and MeowMix dry.
#BeforeTCS I didn't know what declawing entailed.
#BeforeTCS I was a much less informed cat owner
#BeforeTCS I didn't have so many people around the world that I considered friends.


What is your #BeforeTCS story?

Funny thing, when I saw that "BeforeFacebook" thing, all I could think was, "I wonder how many of the users actually remember before FB?" :lol3:

Lessee, before TCS...

- Definitely more informed when it comes to food
- Learned about diseases I never even realized exist (FIP for example)
- Discovered the wonderful world of Chewy.com!
- More free time for sure :lol3:

I just made my FB status officially "Before Facebook"  I haven't had it on my phone at least a year maybe more.  And I have no intention of logging on any time soon.

I'm SO sick of it.  Most of my friends post such junk (not you Abby ).  I can't stand how people don't even check on a news story before assuming it's true. Yesterday, a good friend of mine posted something about Ted Cruz that he didn't check on first - who I hate also but in all fairness, the thing was a meme.  He went off like crazy about it, in all caps no less.  Ranting about it like he was writing in a blog.  I told him it was false and I'm sure he'll delete my comment because it seems each time I point out to him that he's wrong he can't deal with it.

I have so many people hidden not to see their timelines it doesn't even make sense to be there.  If anyone wants me there are other ways to get in touch.  And if they don't know how - shame on them.

Ok as for TCS LOL

Before TCS, I didn't make reading about cats a priority over my work

Before TCS, I didn't share photos of my cats 

Before TCS, I never got involved helping others with kitties

That's a few

sivyaleah said:

Ok as for TCS LOL

Before TCS, I didn't make reading about cats a priority over my work
Before TCS, I didn't share photos of my cats 
Before TCS, I never got involved helping others with kitties

That's a few

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I've been sharing kitty photos since I've had a digital camera :lol3: So file that one under "before Facebook" haha.

Before TCS I didnt know this many people love cats as much as I do.

Before TCS I didnt know you could make real friends online.

Before TCS my house was cleaner (to be fair; that was also before human kids).

Donutte said:

Funny thing, when I saw that "BeforeFacebook" thing, all I could think was, "I wonder how many of the users actually remember before FB?" :lol3:

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I thought that too! :lol3:

sivyaleah said:

 
I just made my FB status officially "Before Facebook"  I haven't had it on my phone at least a year maybe more.  And I have no intention of logging on any time soon.

I'm SO sick of it.  Most of my friends post such junk (not you Abby ).  I can't stand how people don't even check on a news story before assuming it's true. Yesterday, a good friend of mine posted something about Ted Cruz that he didn't check on first - who I hate also but in all fairness, the thing was a meme.  He went off like crazy about it, in all caps no less.  Ranting about it like he was writing in a blog.  I told him it was false and I'm sure he'll delete my comment because it seems each time I point out to him that he's wrong he can't deal with it.

I have so many people hidden not to see their timelines it doesn't even make sense to be there.  If anyone wants me there are other ways to get in touch.  And if they don't know how - shame on them.

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FB sure is an interesting place depending on what kind of friends you have. That's why I do a sweep once in a while and delete people I don't think I would ever have contact with again IRL. I know some people don't want to hurt other people's feelings but I'd rather keep my sanity than be subjected to half-baked rants about politics!

AbbysMom said:

So today is Facebook's 12th Anniversary and the hashtag #BeforeFacebook is trending with people posting about what their life was like before Facebook. Looking at @Anne 's profile, I see "Join Date: 10/23/00", so TCS has been around a bit longer.

#BeforeTCS, I had a lot more free time.
#BeforeTCS, my last cat ate 9-Lives and MeowMix dry.
#BeforeTCS I didn't know what declawing entailed.
#BeforeTCS I was a much less informed cat owner
#BeforeTCS I didn't have so many people around the world that I considered friends.


What is your #BeforeTCS story?

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I have to say, my list is similar.  

and

#BeforeTCS, it would have never occurred to me to seek out, or hang out with, cat people online.  Seriously.

#BeforeTCS, I'd never heard of 'integrating' cats and that there was a good way and not so good way to do it.  I have permanent scars on my arm to prove it.  

 #BeforeTCS, I had no idea there were so many people who cared so passionately about cats.  

Re: one point so many people made, I actually met people online and made friends with them for the last two decades (wow I feel old saying that). I have met sooo many of them in person at that! The main difference with how I met those folks was a mutual appreciate of a show in the one case, and of an actor in the other. Having people I consider friends from a message forum that have the same feelings I do about cats - living creatures that have been in my life since I was born - just feels so much more profound.

And I was lucky in the respect I have one person that I felt comfortable enough to talk about cats so openly with - my friend up in Toronto. She knew many of my cats and I knew many of hers. I even got one of mine from her (Maple)! Unfortunately my times seeing her are few and far between as she's in Toronto, and our schedules just hardly ever mesh well. She's a vet tech that volunteers at a TNR clinic, and picks up odd jobs as an extra or other parts in movies/shows to supplement her vet tech income. So yeah, not much time on her end. Actually this particular friend is one of the ones I met through the M*A*S*H fan page. Met in 1997 in person.

With that said, I truly find it amazing there are so many folks "in one room" so to speak that share my thoughts and feelings regarding cats. I have another friend who so often, when talking about his own pets, says, "She's just a pet." I hate that "just" word. It doesn't apply to me, and so glad it doesn't apply to so many other folks either. I feel "normal" here.

Two of mine I pinched from @AbbysMom. (great thread BTW!)

#BeforeTCS, I had a lot more free time.
#BeforeTCS I didn't have so many people around the world that I considered friends.

one from betsygee:

#BeforeTCS, it would have never occurred to me to seek out, or hang out with, cat people online.  Seriously

and I could probably steal everyone else's as well!!

but the one I'll claim as my own is the relief I felt when:

#BeforeTCS I realised that mine were not the only cats that simply would not wee where they poo!!

What an Ah Ha moment that was...!

#BeforeTCS, I watched things on TV that weren't newscasts.
#BeforeTCS, I had more time to read books.
#BeforeTCS, I didn't take photos.

Just like Swamplady, I didn't know there were so many people that were as crazy about cats as I am. I thought it was something weird about me, and I didn't talk about my cat at all. Except my sons, cat lovers both. There's a lot I've learned from the site, too, about cat food, diseases, pregnancies. I'm grateful to TCS for expanding my knowledge.

Before TCS I was totally clueless about TNR. I actually thought the best way to deal with all the feral cats in my neighborhood was befriend them and get them tame enough to pick up and put in a carrier! By which time, of course, they all had at least half a dozen kittens to take care of too. Trap, dear TRAP! It's the only way to do it.



Before TCS I thought a saucer of milk was a good thing to treat your cats to.



Before TCS I didn't know anything about cat enclosures or catios. My parents had always let our cats come and go as they please and I thought it was OK to let cats out unsupervised.



Before TCS I didn't have so many people to share pictures of my lovely furry little beasties with.



All the cats here would like to say Thank You to everyone on TCS, for making life with their stoopid human more bearable.

Swamplady said:

#BeforeTCS I did not realize just how much there are people out there that are crazy for cats like me.

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swamplady I couldn't have said this better. I totally agree with you.

Before TCS I spent my time doing Genealogy
Before TCS I didn't have any online friends because I am not involved socially on Facebook or anywhere else on the web.
Before TCS I didn't know a lot of things about cats and caring for them that I now know

Thank you, @Anne for this wonderful website that so many of us now call "Home".

Thank you, AbbysMom for this great thread. I will be following here every day. :lol3:

Mani said:

 
but the one I'll claim as my own is the relief I felt when:

#BeforeTCS I realised that mine were not the only cats that simply would not wee where they poo!!

What an Ah Ha moment that was...!

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 Indeed! I will claim that one, too, if you don't mind.

I was on another cat board, so I know that there are people who are just plain flat out crazy when it comes to their cats....and solely in a good way. I knew we weren't the only ones.

There are so many great people here and I think you're all fantastic. I really do consider you friends, not just acquaintances, but friends. I PM with some of you and I appreciate that more than any of you realize. There are times when I come here in the morning and I read a post and smile. Or giggle. Or snort (usually coffee) at something that was posted. There have been times that you've made me laugh out loud because you people can be hilarious. And I thank you for that.

Before TCS, I had more time. Now, I come to work and the first thing I do is come here. Actually, I come into work early just so I can come here for a while. Some days it seems that there are not enough hours in a day to do everything I want to do. If I didn't hang out here so often, I'd probably get more things done. But where's the fun in that?

Before TCS, I really didn't know much about declawing....honestly, it was something that we just did. And now I feel terrible. I will never declaw another cat. I simply will not.

I have integrated several cats into our clan, both before TCS and after TCS. Throwing a poor cat into the mix is not good. Not good for the cats, not good for us.After TCS, I learned how to do it right. (Not that it mattered with Mollipop and Muffin -- St. Francis would have been hard-pressed to successfully integrate those two -- but it really worked well with Tabby.)

Let's see. I found TCS right before Lilith and Sophie came to live with us from the shelter. I was looking for the best way to introduce them to my dog. I took notes, planned, set everything up and it was all going to go PERFECTLY. Unfortunately, nobody told Lilith that. She decided that she didn't want to wait and wanted to explore the house. They all ended up meeting within hours of them coming in the door and haven't been separated since. 

Before TCS I had never had a cat of my own before despite wanting one (or many) since I could ever remember wanting anything. My first true kitty love "belonged" to some friends of mine. He was a very handsome blue/gray DSH and he and I loved each other very much. Their apartment was everyone's hang out place and he used to spend so much time with me that they used to joke that he loved me more than them. They were right. He did. The feeling was mutual. 

Before TCS I had no clue about anything related to feline nutrition. I also had no real concept of feline body language. 

Before TCS, while I always adored cats,  I bought into the whole "crazy cat lady" nonsense. Now I am one and proud of it. I have more pictures of my cats on my phone than anything else combined. 

Before TCS, I didn't know that there were people out there than loved cats was much as I do. I also didn't realize how truly sorry I feel for anyone who has never experienced what amazing friends and companions cats can be. 

BTW. I am still before Facebook. I call it FAKEbook. 

Before TCS:
I thought declawing was just something normal that most people got done these days
I had no idea about the complexities of feline nutrition
I felt guilty about having indoor cats
I used to spray them with a water bottle as punishment for unwanted behaviour

I'm so glad to know that there are so many cat lovers all around the world. :bigthumb:

Before TCS..

I knew NOTHING about cats.