Panther pride here

[tarasgirl06]

Hey Panther Pride and Pride:

Well, cats rule. Personally, I'd never want a dog, given any choice in the matter -- cats are just so much better in every way, to me -- cleaner, more fastidious with hygiene, they don't jump on a person with filthy feet and lick a person, something I have a real aversion to!, they don't smell awful if not bathed, as they bathe themselves very well, and when they love someone, they REALLY love them, it's not just a pack-mentality thing and an obedience thing. And so many more cats need homes!!! So, for me, it's cats all the way.

Funny about teeth -- four of my babies are at the vet today getting their teeth cleaned! Wish us luck, okay?

 

[panther pride]

I wish you luckhttp://www.thecatsite.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif.. Hay do you know anything about the Raw/BARF diets I started looking into them. Right now Bindi eats wet Innova Evo and dry Solid gold but sometimes I give him tuna and raw humburger. In summer when I go fishing I often take sunfish home on a stringer to cook and clean. Is giving Bindi the guts from these fish a bad idea?

 

[tarasgirl06]

Hey Panther, Bindi, Tom, and fams:

Well, funny you should mention that -- a dear friend of mine in Canada, who actually adopted one of my rescued cats, feeds him and her other two furbabies raw diet plus vitamin supplements, of course -- her eldest just had his 21st birthday and is going strong (and I'm talking about a cat here, not a human lol); another good Canadian friend who has a shelter feeds raw diet pretty much exclusively, and her cats thrive

. BUT, I just picked up a Cat Fancy at the vet yesterday and read of the dangers of a raw diet, mainly germs and pathogens (yes, cats can and do suffer as we do from diseases like salmonella and food poisoning brought on by improperly handled meat!) and vitamin deficiencies if the raw diet is not supplemented in a balanced and complete way. You'd need to probably talk to a vet about this issue, which is complex; a lot of vets are negative on it, partly because, I believe anyway, the commercial food companies work closely with vets

! It's kinda a no-brainer there; but I'm really not sure what I personally think about a raw diet

. Of course, cats in their natural state/habitat eat raw diet exclusively --they don't have little hibachis in their dens lol

! But our "domesticated" friends are NOT in their natural state or habitat, so I opt to feed "premium" cat foods including Solid Gold, Nutro Max Cat, Pro Plan, Natural Balance, Optimum Nature's Recipe, Trader Joe's, Triumph, etc. Nutro Max Cat is our main brand, wet and dry.

I'd be very careful with the raw fish and BE SURE NOT TO LET ANY BONES GET INTO Bindi's portion! And I'd probably opt not to give raw hamburger,because of its questionable cleanliness and purity (we've all heard about mad cow, haven't we?

). For treats, I sometimes COOK chicken and mild fish such as tilapia, and crumble into a bowl for them; and I give the water from tinned tuna, along with some of the tuna itself, crumbled.

Thanks for your good wishes -- Nikki T., Calo, Samuda and Seesh are all home and doing pretty well. Seesh is taking the longest to "bounce back" and Samuda is feeling it a bit, too -- but they're home and surrounded by their buds, which can't be bad!

 

[panther pride]

Thank you for the advice. I'll only give him the fish guts once, just to see if he likes it. I picked up Dr pitcairns book on natural pet care, Its really informative. Talks about whats really in pet food, the way to enhance your pets health and happyness. Last night I have an adventure with one of my friends, charles. We went hiking at crosby state park just as the sun was going down. I had my digital camra with me hoping to take some pictures. Well we went on this island- called pike island in search for deer/coyotes and other wildlife. as we crossed the bridge charles saw a coyote run off into the trees it was on one of the three snowy paths you can take to explore the island. In daytime which is when I useally go you can see large herds of deer in the forest that will let you walk within a couple hundred feet of them they are pritty tame. Last night we didnt see any deer but charles saw alot of coyotes. My vision isnt that good but once even I saw one with him. It was a tiny dot in the distance and as I stared the surounding sky trees and snow seemed to blend in as one image and the dot never really left my mind. Next time I go there I'm going to go as the sun sets not when its dark out already that way I'll be able to see things better I was with a buddy so I wasnt afraid, the coyotes all were very skittish. During the daytime you never really see the like you see the deer sunset would propbabl;y be the best time to see things.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Hey Panther and Fams!

That sounds great about your trip -- and funny how many things we have in common. My vision is pretty yukky even with contacts. But out here where we are, in the Mojave, this is a tiny community of about 2,000 people (probably more now -- quite a few newbies moving here) and, I always say, 2,000,000 coyotes. This land is all fenced, but you see 'em running down the road frequently; and many nights, you hear big packs howling. Then the dogs start barking, and it's a cacophony of sound! We have deer in the area, especially up in the mountains just to the south of us, but I haven't seen any on our land although I think I did see some tracks once. We have jack and cottontail rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, wood and kangaroo rats, mice, snakes (venomous and non-venomous, including the Mojave Rattler, which no one wants to mess with!), lizards, lots of birds including hawks, eagles, falcons, and owls (love the raptors! There's a little prairie falcon who lives here and I really love her! She has a messed-up wing, which is how I recognize her -- and she stays around close, sometimes just hanging out with me!), and insects like you wouldn't believe. It's such a great place to live! I'm gonna miss it so much.

You know, Panther, if you ever want to see photos of here, you can Private Message me and I can give you my main email addy; I can send embedded photos through my email then. I have some great snake pix, too!

And sunsets? WOW! We can see from horizon to horizon out here, and on clear days, four ranges of mountains to the north -- you can imagine the sunsets we get!

Oh, and before I forget, Dr. Pitcairn's book is wonderful and yes, it pays to buy premium, "human-grade" cat food for Bindi and Tom -- keepin' 'em healthy means fewer vet bills, longer life, and happier Panther and fams!

 

[panther pride]

Yeah my vision isnt good http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/images/smilies/rolleyes.gifI'm legally blind in my right eye. Have a birth defect called optic despayshia(think I might have misspelled) basicly the opic nerves running from my eyeballs to the brain are short curceted like a tv without antenas. Never knew anything differant./ my hearing is also impaied, but I can taste and smell very good

I'm looking forward to seeing your pictures and maybe when I can (discover how to use the "wonders of technogaly".http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/ima...es/blush.gif/I will show you.)

Tom, sadly, is never really going to be eating as well as Bindi. He's
addicted to lower quality foods(whiska's pouches,meow mix) and on good days only eats solid gold dry that I give him from Bindi's budget. Tom is my dads cat and he doesnt feel the same way I do about diet. However as long as I live with Tom I will give him dry solid gold and whatever else we have as well as what my dad gives. Due to his advancing age we decided a drastic change from lower quality to higher quality would be very stressful on him, though he does occanionally eat Innova evo. we will just let him eat whatever he wants. I think his life might be ending sooner then we'd hoped, I found a mysterious lump on his shoulder a few months ago and sense he doesnt seem uncomfortable and given the fact that he hates cat cariers and that the cold is too much for a fourteen year old cat we will wait for warmer weather before taking him to the vet to see if its really serious. I brush his teeth and just let him be/hopefully this lump is just fatty deposits/ Do you think its fair to have Tom wait until warmer weather to see a vet? I dont but I can understand my dads point of veiw about waiting for warmth.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Hey Panther Pride, Tom, and Bindi:

Hmmm. Well, if you take him in a car, with the heater on, it shouldn't be a problem. I would probably want to take him sooner rather than later, to rule out injection-site sarcoma or any other serious problem (not meaning to scare or be negative -- but this is what comes to mind with lumps on the shoulder. Likely as not, it is NOT that. But yes, I'd want to be sure.) Nicolas T. Cat, who's pushing 17, went to the doctor last Wed. for teeth cleaning, checkup, and boosters with no problem -- 14 is not really old these days, with good care; and you can gradually mix high-quality food in with whatever Tom normally loves, increasing the "good" and decreasing the "lower quality" day by day until he is eating 100% premium -- that is one tried-and-true, recommended way of switching diets, but your vet can probably advise you best, as he knows Tom and his history. What cat doesn't hate carriers? But maybe by putting a favorite toy in there, and leaving it out in a room, lined with soft towelling, Tom may investigate and even "hang out" in it, finding it comfortable as long as he is not associating it only with trips to "you-know-where"! That's wonderful that you brush his teeth -- that's so good of you to do that! and amazing that he lets you!

Well, as to our senses, my vision ain't too good either, though my other senses are acute -- hearing, very much so. But not one of us is "perfect", and you're so right that when one sense isn't 100%, another may be better than 100%. As far as I'm concerned, you shine in the most important sense of all -- caring/compassion! To me, that's the #1 thing that's important -- and there are a lot of people sadly lacking in it, but not Panther Pride!

 

[panther pride]

Your right about caring and compassion/I'm very good in it and I thank you deeply. Caring and compassion make us human.http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/ima...lies/agree.gif

I've decided on giving Tom solid gold dry/he can eat whatever wet he wants(from my dad or me).

I have a question about diet change. I brought (Natures Varity) and innova evo dry along with my useal foods(Innova evo wet and solid gold dry), Natures varity is a pre made raw diet for dogs and cats. I took out one signal cube and put it in the fridge to thaw out for tommarow. Would mixing this and some innova evo wet from the can be a good way towards having him eat an all wet innova evo/natures varity mix? I figured by doing this change I would go through less wet food. I'm mixing in more evo dry in his dry food with the soild gold dry in order to get Bindi off the solid gold dry 'it has grain' and onto just Innova evo dry/Innova Evo wet mixed with Natures varity raw. Give me a good guideline for diet trainsition/ cups of new/old food verse bowl,ect. math is not my strong point. http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/ima...s/confused.gif

Toms diet will remain pritty much the same due to his age/the richness of the food and the fact he is my dads cat. He has a singel bowl of solid gold dry, both cats have fresh water and both take turns switching foods.
http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/ima...s/rolleyes.gif

Also do you know any stores in the twin cities area that carry Innova evo dry/wet plus Natures varity raw/barf diet. (I live in MN) If your not familar with the area please put down online sites that sell these products for cheaper prices then $19.00 (Innova dry) $10.99 (Narturhttp://www.thecatsite.com/forums/images/smilies/angryfire.gifes varity raw) Today I spend wwaayyy too much on cat food.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Hey Panther Pride, Bindi, and Tom:

Well, I'm not sure about the wet formula you describe; as to the ratio, I'm not positively sure, as I haven't done this. But I think the object is to add a small amount of new food (of whatever type) to the food a cat normally eats, and day by day, increase the new by small amounts, decreasing the old, until after, say, a couple of weeks, your cat is eating exclusively new food. The reason is that you want to avoid stomach upsets that can cause diarrhea and/or vomiting.

As to outlets in your area, gosh! I dunno, as I'm out in the Mojave in California. But Petco and PetsMart are outlets I shop, and they are competitive in price. Drs. Foster and Smith also feature their own line of premium foods in wet and dry, plus other supplements and foods; you can visit them online at http://www.DrsFosterSmith.com to check out what they have. You may want to post on the cat care forum on TheCatSite, too, because someone on there may be from your area and better able to help you on outlets.

BTW, did you email me? Is that you?

 

[panther pride]

Yes I emailed you. Today I fed Bindi a cube of the Natures varity mixed with some Innova Evo wet. He turned up his nose at it. In fact he didnt eat any wet food at all yet today even with new just old food yet the dry is disapearing.http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/ima...s/confused.gif I'm thinking of not giving him any wet until friday, on thursday night taking like 1/4 of the new wet and tawing out for for next morning before mixing it with much more of the old wet. The gradualy over time increasing the new until its 50% new 50% old. and 100% dry Innova evo. Spending over $30 on cat food is alarming to me for one cat. I need to find cheaper sourses of food yet still buy the same brands. http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/ima...s/rolleyes.gif

Harness training is going wonderfully for him he runs around the house with his lesh and harness on. I take it off before I leave for safety reasons. Sometimes I walk him around the house and he follows me or I follow him.http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/ima...laughing02.gif. I cant wait until summer to let him wonder around at hidden falls park(With leash and harness, me and another person of course). We can go to beaches by the Mississippi, explore grassland/savanah, and woodland. He will love it and I am also going to be giving a three month supply of Frontline to Tom and Bindi/over all summer to help with fleas and ticks if this is attempted . I'm wondering do cats that get to go outside on harnesses and leshes live shorter lives then all indoor cats? My dad says having a cat go outdoors can take years off life, I think what he means is if you just let them run out and come back whenever they feel like it, this to me is wrong and shouldnt be premoted but I find nothing wrong with suppervised outside time. Will the satistics be the same if his outdoor time is strictly supervized? because if it is I'm not doing this. http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/ima...lies/agree.gif

 

[tarasgirl06]

Hey Panther and Fams:

I think your interpretation of what your dad was saying is correct; letting a cat roam outside by himself or herself might mean a shorter lifespan, but walking him or her on a harness and leash, and staying with your cat, would not pose any dangers at all, unless your area is terribly polluted and you spend all day walking outside with your cat, or your cat gets into something dangerous, which isn't going to happen as you are very careful of Bindi! So I wouldn't worry -- as long as you're there with him, it should be just fine and he should have as long a life as if he stayed exclusively indoors. Anyone else out there have any feedback on this subject, I wonder?

Is the price you're quoting per month, or week, or ??? I know, feeding premium diet can seem steep; but actually, if you worked out how much it cost to feed "supermarket" foods plus the cost of all the vet visits you'd make, you'd almost surely find that feeding premium is LESS expensive -- your cat will stay healthier on it. And for another thing, premium foods don't contain fillers and "junk" ingredients, so almost all of what is fed is actually utilized in production of tissues and energy, not thrown off as waste. It's like with us -- if we eat well, we're healthier and we use what we eat, but if we eat junk food, well, I think we all can see evidence of what THAT can bring!
Check out those sources, though -- and you may want to Google Premium Cat Food/Minneapolis and see what you can get there. Also, did you put something up on the cat care forum on TheCatSite about this? Someone else in your area may be a member and may have some good leads.

Did you get my photos okay? I sent two in an email reply to you last night.

 

[panther pride]

No I didnt know that. The food I brought was for at lest two months. it was pricey but in our society you get what you pay for.http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/ima...lies/smile.gif. I also during that spending spree got a new diet I'm not happy with, will try harder but if it fails I'll give some to Adams dog and trade in the rest of the product for some cash back. Its a raw cat/dog diet. Living on as budget isnt easy and its something I'm going to have to master.http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/ima.../angryfire.gif.

My right uper wisdom tooth is coming in fine though I wish it would hurry along with its eruption/ the others are still under the gums..... and next Monday the darkness of the dentist awaits me.http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/ima...ilies/wink.gif. My checkup should be fine, got good storytelling phrases though.http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/ima...laughing02.gif. I have a great dentist though like him alot have nothing against him.

I will bring Bindi's cat carier with us on the first few days and line it with catnip to help him ease into these outdoor adventures. Hes a pritty outgoing fella so I think he'l get used to exploring the vast outdoors..

 

[tarasgirl06]

Hey Panther, Bindi, and Tom:

Well, $30 for two months is good by Cali standards, but yunno, economies are different all over the country, like I have people in TX, and it's a lot cheaper to live there than here, but the salaries are less, too, so it all works out to be just like you said -- and then some. One way or another, they try to bleed ya dry, right?

But do Google, and do run some comparisons, and you may be able to save some. I know all about budgets -- I've done that most of my life, my folks have, too, and I'm now embarking on a phase of my life where I'll have to be real careful again.

But we get creative when we have to do that, right?

and we can get good at it, too.

ROFL

about what you say about the dentist!

I feel for ya, man -- do you have/use clove oil or Ora-Jel on the painful tooth? Either one would help, even if only a little...

Bindi the Brave sounds like he's gonna have some big adventures and I know he's gonna be safe while having them!

 

[panther pride]

never used the stuff might have too I guess.http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/ima...s/rolleyes.gif

I have good news and bad news about today. The good news is that my long boring and mentally challgeing math class is ending in two weeks! I'm doing better at math also. http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/ima...ilies/clap.gif I posted about it in another forum but misthoughtluy used a couple months.http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/ima...laughing02.gif When I leave class I can go vulnterter at my local shelter to build up my reasume and have fun. I cant wait to care for the animals and help educate people. I saw a grapefruit almost as big as a cantalope! it must have weight over two pounds.

The bad news is that a after work hobby of mine(feeding the pigeons at the bus stop) has become an opinion struggle and a costly passion. My supervistor/we go on the bus as a group/ has told me once and some of the other students that the pigeons I love to feed and collect feathers from are just rats with wings. I find it an annoying/and a bad statement and am finding very hard not to form that negitive opinion myself.http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/ima.../angryfire.gif I think its a misplaced human socal instinct to believe others opinions to fit in, I saw a show about ice age man and it expained about human socal orgins/ect. It was very good and educational. I havn't talked to him about it would have if he was just another student but he's my supervisior. Gentually I keep my veiws to myself and make up songs in my head to drive away that veiw plus talk to others that share my own veiws and use their voices to drive off the bad one. Where I once got bird seed for free now I have to spend cash/ I didnt remember cupons and used the birdseed to quickly. http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/ima...lies/frown.gif

 

[tarasgirl06]

Hey Panther, Bindi, and Tom:

Well, you are right and he is sadly limiting himself from loving and caring for other living beings with whom we share our planet -- that is sad. Pigeons are actually members of the dove family -- rock doves, as they are known -- and they are beautiful birds. I've rescued a couple myself, though sadly, they did not survive. I've always enjoyed feeding them, too, and love seeing films of Paris, Rome, London, and other beautiful places where the pigeons are not only part of the landscape, they help create the beauty of the place, and lots of people love feeding them, seeing them, and knowing they are safe there. We share the same feeling about the subject and about keeping our own thoughts, even when they are not the same as others' -- "go along to get along" may work for some people in some instances, and I guess we all have to compromise and keep our feelings to ourselves in some instances, but following the crowd, especially when the crowd is being cruel, inhumane, insensitive, ignorant, callous, etc., is just messed-up.

I'm the same way as you about that. Don't give up your love for the birds just because this guy is being an ignorant oaf -- he's got a right to think whatever he wants, but so do you, and no matter what anyone says, it's not messed-up to care about other beings -- it's actually healthy and whole and NORMAL for us.

We're mammals --that's hardwired into our brains.

And yeah, birdseed isn't cheap.

I know. I buy it by the 40-pound bag, and I buy the "bird bells" and suet blocks, too, to put in the trees, because up here, we get so many different kinds of birds, and they love all these foods!

Pigeons don't live here in the desert, but we get all kinds of finches, sparrows, jays, mockingbirds, thrashers, ravens, woodpeckers, owls, hawks, nighthawks, and my favorite is my little prairie falcon friend with the damaged wing.

Oh, and the chickens, of course!

 

[panther pride]

Thank you. I was a little afraid I was being to personal, but Its good to talk about this and to get your feelings out into the open with friends that care about you. ttp://www.thecatsite.com/forums/images/smilies/wink.gif thank you. I will just ignore it the best I can/ human brains can be nasty http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/ima.../angryfire.gif. I have a necklace of feathers from the pigeons that I made I will post pictures. I have witnessed instresting flock behavior,sometimes they will form bands and go fly to tell others about the food or to keep watch for danger other times they will wait for me to get there with food/sometimes they will come real close to me and I've often wondered could they eat out of ones hand. They are streatwise souls however,some have died sense we started feeding them I think from poison/ Kenny one of our group has taken a sick one in with his dad once but it didnt survive. Luckly none have died in over three months and the are putting on weight. http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/ima...lies/smile.gif

 

[tarasgirl06]

Hey Panther, Bindi, and Tom:

Oh yes -- I love to watch them!

Once at work I was having lunch in the courtyard with three friends, and there were some pigeons there -- and one SNEEZED!

Have you ever heard a pigeon sneeze?

At first I couldn't believe my ears -- but hey,why not? I expect the pollution in the city gives them as much grief as it does us...But on the upside, I love to watch a flock flying as one -- they change direction on a dime, and it's so beautiful!

Where I'm moving, they have a "do not feed" policy on pigeons.

BUT they have adopted TNR as city policy for feral/homeless cats, which is GREAT.

Hey, did you notice a little star somewhere?

 

[panther pride]

Thats good TNR is being more widey used. No, I probably will never hear a pigeon sneeze I'm hard of hearing, But today as I was on the bus home,I forgot bird seed today, I saw the flock nesting in the window stills of some buildings.http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/ima...lies/smile.gif. Tommarow I will bring the birdseed. Bindi is doing well tommarow I give him a mix of the new food and the old wet food. I'm doing better at keeping out the bad opinion on pigeons but its still a struggle though I know with time I can tame it out and only have good thoughts. I'm fixing on becoming an Art teacher when I grow up., having Autism means I can not only think in words but also in images with the colors and everything, this will be great because I love Art. I'm very talented at art and ficton writing. I make up stories on prehistory,people changing into leopards,pigeons,dolphins. Can't wait for the weekend. http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/ima...lies/agree.gif. What are you doing?, the cold keeps me indoors though I am fixing on goping to the island again to look for deer or coyotes.

 

[panther pride]

Sadly my friend Patrick doesnt like going out into the cold as much as charles/ so no island adventures this weekend.http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/ima...lies/frown.gif.


Yesterday when I fed the pigeons I wanted them to eat out my hand, so I closed my eyes and stayed really really still. They didnt eat out of my hand but came within inches of it, so close that I felt the whush of the air made by their wings. I heard them cooing to each other and I gave them alot of birdseed. I saw all kinds of color variations. tan and white,white with gray specklled necks,green neckd ones that were dark gray,some were small and some were fat, I scattered around the birdseed so that none would miss out. Can pigeons eat bird seed like the more backyard type birds? blue jays,cardnals,chickadeees, orails, They seem to eat the whole seed not deshell it, I wonder if it might be bad for them having shells inside like that.http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/ima...s/confused.gif

 

[tarasgirl06]

Hey Panther, Bindi, and Tom:

That's great -- you're gonna be successful soon, I know it!

They will take food from your hand if you're still and be real patient. That's so neat!

I'm not sure about the seed thing -- I looked up Rock Dove in my Audubon bird guide, and it doesn't say anything about diet except that they like acorns, and that they can drink and swallow without raising their heads, and that city pigeons largely exist on handouts from humans. Wow, you get cardinals there -- we don't have them here, but my mom always talked about how beautiful they are (she came from Illinois). We have jays orioles, but I'm not sure about chickadees. All the birds here love the wild bird seed, especially the black oil sunflower seeds!, and the bird bells and suet blocks. They go through so much food! Little flying gluttons.

The cats love watching them -- it's like Animal Planet all day long for them!

Too bad you're not going to the island, but hope you have a good weekend anyway...best to Bindi and Tom!