They are NOT little dogs!

[sohni]

I have four cats and only one fetches. When I talk about her though, I tell people she fetches better than any dog I know. She brings it right to my hand, or my foot, or my face if I am sleeping, and pats it with her paw, and then pats me to get my attention. She would fetch 6 hours in a row if I had the energy, and she purrs her heart out the whole time. She also drops it the second she gets to me, and never plays keep-away. The toy is always nice and dry and not slobbery (unless she dunks it in her water bowl, which she does sometimes for some reason).

Other than that, my cats are cats and my dogs are dogs - I make no comparisons. They all have different personalities.

 

[sohni]

Originally Posted by Penstemon

This touching on a subject that has become a pet peeve of mine. How often do we hear "My cat can't be trained to a leash".

I homed one of my non-breeding Maus with my Mom and I gave her a leash and harness for Christmas. My Mom had been saying that Fii wanted to go outside so bad, but she wasn't allowed. My parents both laughed and said she'd never wear the harness so I zipped her up into it and showed them. She had been trained to harness as a kitten and walked around the house like she had nothing on.

They also said that Fii wouldn't let them clip her claws and she freaked out as soon as they got the clippers. I showed them how to approach her when she was half-asleep and calmly nip each claw. I think it's a lot to do with expectations. My parents expected Fii to act like a scaredy-cat and so she did.

People comment on the good manners of my Chihuahua as well. From a puppy I treated her a dog, just like the bigger ones. She learned to sit, stay, come and walk on leash. She is socialized with all sizes of dogs and cats and has never shown any of the neuroses that a lot of Chihuahua's seem to have. Never would she be carried around like a baby or in cute purse or carrier, unless it was for her safety. We live in an area where eagles could possibly carry away a small dog so we take precautions.

 

[otto]

Originally Posted by Penstemon

This touching on a subject that has become a pet peeve of mine. How often do we hear "My cat can't be trained to a leash". For over 40 years we had German sshorthair pointers and all came to us as puppies. Each one had to be train with the collar and leash. they didn't suddenly become leash train. We had to work with each puppy. When we got Kato we heard you can't leash train a cat or train him for anything. We didn't listen and Kato was train just like our puppies. Let me tell no cat is so dumb he/she can't be leash trained. Kato has a same since of smell like any of our German shorthairs and is as intelligence as any of them, if not more so. So don't insult cats by saying they can't be leash train. They can. society demands dogs

be leashed and there are no laws about cats. A cat who managed to get out of his harness is not dumb; but smart.

Yep, my cats are all harness trained too, past and present. Thanks for posting!

 

[nurseangel]

Originally Posted by otto

Yep, my cats are all harness trained too, past and present. Thanks for posting!

Marshmallow was a stray and he walked on a leash automatically. My other cats have no interest in it and I don't try to force them. But Marshmallow is a calm and kind gentleman, and he accepted it without question.

 

[ebrillblaiddes]

Originally Posted by Penstemon

This touching on a subject that has become a pet peeve of mine. How often do we hear "My cat can't be trained to a leash". For over 40 years we had German sshorthair pointers and all came to us as puppies. Each one had to be train with the collar and leash. they didn't suddenly become leash train. We had to work with each puppy. When we got Kato we heard you can't leash train a cat or train him for anything. We didn't listen and Kato was train just like our puppies. Let me tell no cat is so dumb he/she can't be leash trained. Kato has a same since of smell like any of our German shorthairs and is as intelligence as any of them, if not more so. So don't insult cats by saying they can't be leash train. They can. society demands dogs

be leashed and there are no laws about cats. A cat who managed to get out of his harness is not dumb; but smart.

Most cats in my family haven't been leash-trained just because we didn't find it useful. We had one cat, though, who liked to jump in the car and go along on a ride...we didn't mind this, but if he got out somewhere else he could get hurt or lost, so we got a harness and leash and walked him around in it. He took to it pretty well.

Then he started jumping into my aunt and uncle's car to go with them. Never tell me cats can't generalize.

 

[mystik spiral]

I had thoughts of leash-training Holland when she was a kitten, but she's such a dang scaredy-cat that I think it would just be too terrifying for her to go on a walk. So I scrapped the idea. She's an inside kitty and she loves it that way.

 

[otto]

Up until 10 years ago my cats were, had always been indoor only cats. But my life changed, I was working very many hours, and had little home time. What home time I had of course I devoted to the cats, but when summer came I wanted to be out pottering in my gardens.

However, if I was out in my gardens, I was not with my cats, so I was taking away from their time with me. They would sit in the window and watch me and I couldn't bear it.

So I bought some fencing, had a friend help me install it, and harness trained the three cats I had then. (Tolly is the only one left of the original harness trainees.)

This way, I could have the pleasure of gardening, without depriving my cats of myself. Since then Mazy, and then Jennie, came and also were taught to wear a harness and drag a String (1/4 inch lightweight polyrope, pink).

 

[katkisses]

Awww, what a cute picy!

 

[mystik spiral]

Originally Posted by otto

Aw, look at them, they look so well-behaved! I'm guessing that's not always the case...

I have considered getting a cat fence type thing for my patio, but I live in a condo and my patio isn't that big. And I'm on the third floor, so even if Holland could go out to the patio it wouldn't make much of a difference from her looking out the window. If I ever move into a place with a yard I will DEFINITELY get her a cat fence so she can go outside.

 

[otto]

Originally Posted by KatKisses

Awww, what a cute picy!

Thanks! They do each have their favorite spots in the yard, but often just hang out together. They are all three such good friends.

Originally Posted by Mystik Spiral

Aw, look at them, they look so well-behaved! I'm guessing that's not always the case...

I have considered getting a cat fence type thing for my patio, but I live in a condo and my patio isn't that big. And I'm on the third floor, so even if Holland could go out to the patio it wouldn't make much of a difference from her looking out the window. If I ever move into a place with a yard I will DEFINITELY get her a cat fence so she can go outside.

Actually they are pretty well behaved kitties. I will probably sound insufferably smug but I spend a lot of time working with them and training them.

Jennie is really the only one who does "naughty", and that is stealing food. My food. But she was a stray surviving on her own for a long time, and raised a family of four kittens too, all by herself, so she has some food anxiety.

Mazy was my biggest challenge so far of all the cats I've ever had. She was 6 months old and completely unsocialized. But that's another story, a long one, won't post it here.

I think you are wise to not take Holland out to a third floor balcony. I know I wouldn't do that. Cats can be perfectly happy staying inside all their lives. I am sure Holland gets all the stimulation she needs from you. I am positive of that, in fact!

Like I said, mine always were inside only cats until my life got complicated I had to work 70 or more hours a week for quite a few years, but really needed the outlet of my gardening to keep me sane. (not to mention, to feed myself)

Now I have a little more leisure time, but we all love being out there in the nice weather. I even have an apple tree, the apples aren't good for eating, but I make a ton of applesauce from them every fall.

I don't let the cats climb the tree. I put a little fence around it. Had to lay pieces of fence all around in the lower branches too, to keep Jennie out of it.

Is there a thread here with how you and Holland came to be together?

 

[mystik spiral]

Originally Posted by otto

I am sure Holland gets all the stimulation she needs from you. I am positive of that, in fact!

Thanks! She is actually SO much more playful since I've had her dental problems worked out, it is amazing.

Originally Posted by otto

Is there a thread here with how you and Holland came to be together?

I don't think I ever made a thread about it, but here is a copy and paste from her kitty page. I also would add that I always had dogs when I was a kid, but living in a condo I knew a dog wasn't an option and I missed having an animal companion, so I made the plunge into the feline world for the first time.

I adopted my girl from the shelter on 23 October 2008. I went in seeking a kitten, as I've always had allergies to cats, but not kittens, and was hoping that getting a young one would help. Holland was almost 5 months old, and one of the oldest kids in the kitten room. She was so skittish I didn't even get to touch her until I got her home. But I fell in love with her, and when my adoption counselor told me "Holland just needs to go home", I was sold. I spent the first few days trying to coax her out of hiding places, but she warmed up to me pretty quickly. She is my little love, and most times I wonder what I did before I had her!!

She was a challenge for me, as she is the first cat I've ever had. I spent a lot of time in tears in her first few days at home because she was SO skittish, and I felt that I'd gotten completely in over my head. I am such a softie that the first time she came to my lap and fell asleep I completely broke down in tears.

I adopted her with next to NO knowledge about cats, but a lot of researching has helped me immensely, and needless to say I am SO happy that I found this forum.

I always say that I never knew I was a cat person until Holland came into my life.

I bless my stars every time that she falls asleep in my arms, or when I wake up to her laying on my chest, or even when she gets "snippy" with her talking because I didn't feed her on time.

She is such a special little girl to me, I really don't know what I did before I met her.

Sorry this is so long... I will go on and on and on about my baby if someone will let me...

 

[3catsn1dog]

I dont remember who said it but when someone said about their cat being like them it just made me think about how ALL my babies walk or run like me. SUPER HEAVY you can hear all of us walking down the hallway because it sounds like we all stomp and slam our feet down. Even GiGi the smallest of the cats sounds like an elephant walking...Go figure though Fatman is the most graceful of everyone! I dont think Ive ever seen him miss a jump or fall like the dog or other two cats.

 

[my3grrlz]

ya know....
after reading some of the above...i have thought of something to tell my friends/family about Sassy. rather than mentioning DOG in any of how she acts..i will just say that she is well trained.

she does follow me around..even waits at the bathroom door every time i am in there..greets me every time i come home..cuddles..loves to play..talks to me..etc.
 

i was agreeing with the statement that describing a cat as dog-like to a non cat lover was a good way to have them understand.......
but now i agree that it is a bad description, since that will confuse others..rather than helping them understand that all the above it natural behaviors for a cat on their own.

thnx for helping us understand a better way of informing others who do not understand cat behaviors.

 

[binkyhoo]

But on the other hand,  I had a coworker who said that her dog thought he was a cat.