BENGAL cats

"Steve G" wrote in message
oups.com...



It's one advantage they have over fruit flies. Plus, microchipping your
pet fruit fly can be a tense time.

Whatever you're on, I want some ;-)

As for what Sherry posted, "At one time I'd have probably suggested
you get
a Beanie Baby, but I'm starting to understand that *everyone* isn't
as
passionate toward cats as most of us regular posters are, but still
make
excellent cat owners with the right match." Sorry, but I disagree
with
that. The problem with the above statement is that if the cat
becomes ill,
injured, old, or just an inconvenience, which any living being is
likely to
do, then the cat will be abandoned or euthanized in a New York
second. If
you're not passionate towards a living being in your care then you
should
find someone to take it who is.

You misunderstood my statement. The discussion was whether to get a
kitten from a breeder, a kitten from the shelter, a kitten from a
breeder, etc. etc.

The fact is, there are people like many of us who take on an animal as
a lifetime commitment no matter what. And there are people who can't,
and won't tolerate certain behaviors and have no desire to invest time
in behavior modification. That's a fact. I didn't make the rules, but
it's a fact nonetheless.
My point being, if you talk someone like the above theoretical person
INTO taking the cat anyway, they won't be happy with it, and will
resent the hell out of the cat. The cat will end up back at the
shelter, or they'll give it to someone else. That's *exactly* what you
don't want to happen.
However, that doesn't mean that person wouldn't make an excellent pet
owner with the right match.
The lack of willingness to take on a cat that already has behavioral
problems doesn't necessarily mean a person is automatically going to
dump *their own* cat at the first little inconvenience.

I think you said yourself, "If you're not passionate about a living
thing in your care..." A person can be *very* passionate about the
living things in their care, and still object to *taking on* a cat that
already has problems.
Sherry

Steve G wrote:
wrote:
(...)
1. She "digs" at the door and windows, or pictures on the wall,
mirrors. Stands on her hind legs and paws like she's digging a
hole.

Ha! One of my cats does this - on the oven door! I figure he's either
1) had enough of this cruel life and wants to stick his noggin in the
oven and end it all (doomed to failure, it's hard to asphyxiate
yourself in an electric oven), or 2) he dimly remembers that once
upon
a christmas there was a giant tasty bird the other side of that door
-
yes, one year I roast Elle Macphearson. Ha ha, thankyeverymuch, I'm
here all week.

(...)
3. She plops at my feet if I'm in the kitchen and rolls on the tile
floor.

That's nuthin': If I point at my small and frantic cat and say
'bang',
he flops down onto his back.

(...)
a tiny little meow, and if I "invite her" she jumps up. If I'm
sewing
or reading the paper,

Man, I misread 'sewing' as 'screwing' which led to a surreal image,
to
say the least.


Cats. They're all so different.

It's one advantage they have over fruit flies. Plus, microchipping
your
pet fruit fly can be a tense time.

Steve.


ROFL!

Sherry

wrote in message
oups.com...


You misunderstood my statement. The discussion was whether to get a
kitten from a breeder, a kitten from the shelter, a kitten from a
breeder, etc. etc.

Ah, sorry if I misunderstood.

The fact is, there are people like many of us who take on an animal as
a lifetime commitment no matter what. And there are people who can't,
and won't tolerate certain behaviors and have no desire to invest time
in behavior modification. That's a fact. I didn't make the rules, but
it's a fact nonetheless.

True, as much as I hate the fact, you're right.

My point being, if you talk someone like the above theoretical person
INTO taking the cat anyway, they won't be happy with it, and will
resent the hell out of the cat. The cat will end up back at the
shelter, or they'll give it to someone else. That's *exactly* what you
don't want to happen.

Again, true. But I would rather try to talk them out of getting a cat at
all. I think for those people a Chia pet would be more approriate! ;

However, that doesn't mean that person wouldn't make an excellent pet
owner with the right match.

The lack of willingness to take on a cat that already has behavioral
problems doesn't necessarily mean a person is automatically going to
dump *their own* cat at the first little inconvenience.

That is the part I tend to disagree with. I don't know, maybe they would
come to love the cat enough to take care of it, but I've seen too many
people either dump a cat out on the street or turn it into a kill shelter.
I've become cynical in my old age, I guess.

I think you said yourself, "If you're not passionate about a living
thing in your care..." A person can be *very* passionate about the
living things in their care, and still object to *taking on* a cat that
already has problems.
Sherry

Again, true.

Hugs,

CatNipped

"Ashley" wrote in message
...

"Steve G" wrote in message
oups.com...



It's one advantage they have over fruit flies. Plus, microchipping your
pet fruit fly can be a tense time.

Whatever you're on, I want some ;-)



No you don't.

wrote:
You misunderstood my statement. The discussion was whether to get a
kitten from a breeder, a kitten from the shelter, a kitten from a
breeder, etc. etc.

The fact is, there are people like many of us who take on an animal
as
a lifetime commitment no matter what. And there are people who can't,
and won't tolerate certain behaviors and have no desire to invest
time
in behavior modification. That's a fact. I didn't make the rules, but
it's a fact nonetheless.
My point being, if you talk someone like the above theoretical person
INTO taking the cat anyway, they won't be happy with it, and will
resent the hell out of the cat. The cat will end up back at the
shelter, or they'll give it to someone else. That's *exactly* what
you
don't want to happen.
However, that doesn't mean that person wouldn't make an excellent pet
owner with the right match.

ITA. I think a lot of smaller "no kill" shelters get into this mindset
that if someone isn't interested in their "problem" cats, then they
won't be well-suited for any cat. So their cats sit in cages for years
and never get adopted.


The lack of willingness to take on a cat that already has behavioral
problems doesn't necessarily mean a person is automatically going to
dump *their own* cat at the first little inconvenience.

I think you said yourself, "If you're not passionate about a living
thing in your care..." A person can be *very* passionate about the
living things in their care, and still object to *taking on* a cat
that
already has problems.

Nothing wrong with that. There is a shelter cat that is a good fit for
almost anyone. Bless the people who are willing to take on the
pee-ers, the ferals and the biters. Most people aren't.

-L.

-L. wrote:
Philip wrote:
always hold true.

LOOK ladies ... get off the "guarantees" and "always" track. :^/
The
choice will be a "good fit". I know this will sound horrible in the
ears of the most eccentric here but ... cats are not an endangered
species nor are they children. If you really think otherwise, then
you need to visit a child abuse wing at your local hospital to get
your sensibilities adjusted. Please get a grip.

I don't think Sherry is one who equates children with animals.

-L.

Mine was a general warning to those using "always" and "guarantees" in the
context of expecting me to accept just any cat because it is a rescue
animal. If any of you conducted yourselves like that, you'd all have at
least 100 cats living in your homes at any given moment. Come on!

-L. wrote:
Philip wrote:

Ok, let's talk about this point. Here are some unacceptable
behaviors: Repeatedly urinating in random locations about the house.


Just some thoughts:


Any cat will do this if it has a urinary tract infection. Declawed
cats will often do this out of frustration and/or pain, and often the
inappropriate elimination cannot be stopped.


Defecating on a
pillow or other places beyond the litter box.


This is usually a medical problem - sometimes a behavioral one. Cats
don't have many ways to communicate, and sometimes peeping and pooping
are the two ways they do it.


Shredding furniture.


This can be avoided, and Megan (zuzu) has excellent ways to get around
problem scratching behavior on her site http://www.stopdeclaw.com.
But all cats or kittens will try to scratch furniture before they are
trained where to scratch appropriately.


Biting
visitors.


Cat ususally bite when they are overstimulated. That's their way of
saying "stop touching me."


Frequent / expensive vet bills due to physical / genetic defects.


Don't get a purebred, then. I can tell you that by and large, the
number of animals with thick files at the feline specialty hospital I
worked, were purebred.

Now THIS IS information that I have been looking for ... instead of some of
the judgmental barking I've been subjected to (Hey CatProphylactic). Thank
you. DOES the wild blood in a Bengal predispose them to some unusual
disorders or skeletal deficiencies? Ditto Ocicats? With the exception of
a pair of Siamese I owned (and lived to 19 and 18 years of age), all the
cats I've had have been mainstream shorthairs conceived in some alley. LOL


This is going to sound cold and unloving to read but here goes: An
indoor cat resides with me/us at our descretion.


Of course, but taking on the responsibility of a pet is a serious
decision, and should be seen as a life-long committment.

It has always been. But this time around, the cat might well outlive me!


Cats have always figured out the
simple behavior rules pretty quick. Even the rare times Rusty would
yak up a furball, he'd do it on the tile floor a few feet away from
the litter box ... not on a fabric surface. (you probably don't
want to know how I taught him where it was ok to yak).


Ok, well, that's a little anal, but some cats prefer to yak on tile.
All I hope is that you trained him with kindness.

Take that to the bank.


Just be aware that kittens stay kittens for a *long* time and the
training period may be extensive. It's easy to get frustrated because
by and large cats don't do what we want - that's part of the
attraction, IMO.

Did you get Rusty as a kitten?

Rusty ... In the beginning, I was walking in a regional park alongside a
lot of dense vegetation. I heard a squeal. I stopped. Heard the bird like
squeal again. I stepped into the underbrush to find a tiny, palm sized
yellow kitten. Was he tossed by some AssH**e or born of a ferule mother ...
there's no knowing. I stuffed the little critter under my motorcycle jacket
and took him home on the bike. That night I/we lost him in the house.
Found him in the dark with a flashlight under a chair. But something was
wrong. There was no green reflection in his eyes from the flashlight. Next
day ... to the vet. I told her of the light thing and she said that
suggests he is under 4 weeks. When kittens develop their night vision, the
reflected light phenomenon will appear. 4 days later ... night vision.
Rusty was the best cat I've ever owned for numerous reasons and so, I'd like
to repeat as much of that experience as possible. Rusty passed away about
10 days ago from an enlarged heart. He was 14.


You point here is a logical one. Thank you. :-)


Megan's suggestion of an older foster is a good one. In most adopt
situations, if the cat isn't a good fit, you can return him to the
foster home.

I am trying to avoid returning the animal like a Christmas sale item. I'd
like to make a good choice the first time. So that's why the questions and
research, Bengals in particular.

Obviously we (people who work in rescue) like to avoid
that as much as possible, so the screening process is often times
pretty extensive.

I received an adoption questionnaire today. The questions asked were WAY
beyond reasonable and were second only to a Census form with their intrusive
inquiries. That outfit can keep their animals until they croak for all I
care. And I'd be willing to bet there is a fair amount of animal returns
inspite of all that "screening" because with all that prequalification, the
adopting person(s) should develop higher expectations.


If you are willing to start from the beginning with
a hoolikitten, the rewards are great and the entertainment is
non-stop. But with the kitten comes less-than-cute kitten behavior
that has to be tolerated - scratching and biting are two. If you are
afraid to be scratched or bitten, don't get a kitten. That being
said, all animals will bite under certain circumstances.

Best of luck to you in your decision. Keep us posted.

-L.

Thank you -L :-)

-L. wrote:
Philip wrote:

Dear lady ... calm down. Contain your hostility.

From the beginning, I had no doubt that I would meet up with a
person or two operating with an unhealthy dedication to their pets.
You have suggested as much with your "birthing a baby" analogy.

Oh God. Please tell me someone didn't really say "birthing a
baby"...that is so disrespectful of children. Cats aren't children.
Cats deserve love and dedication like children do. Companion animals
are a life-long committment. But they are in NO WAY the same as
having a child. That's ludicrous.

Somewhere in THIS thread I believe, one of your more eccentric members
(CatNipped) used those words in that order! Really. It was in the last 2
days.

snip
Once I have sufficient input from those who have these
breeds, -I- ... not you, will choose a particular cat based partly
on what I have learned from owners of the breed and partly from what
a particular cat displays to me.

Just be aware that despite what breeders will tell you,
"pure-breeding" is in fact "inbreeding". Accumulation of negative
genetic traits happens with the positive ones. By and large
random-bred cats are more healthy due to hybrid vigor. If you want
to talk more about this, feel free to send me an email at gentleboa
(at) peacemail (dot) com.

-L.

Inbreeding. Yes, I understand and it concerns me. Six toes, hip dysplasia,
and all the blood stuff. Thank you for the address.

CatNipped wrote:
"-L." wrote in message
oups.com...

Oh God. Please tell me someone didn't really say "birthing a
baby"...that is so disrespectful of children. Cats aren't children.
Cats deserve love and dedication like children do. Companion animals
are a life-long committment. But they are in NO WAY the same as
having a child. That's ludicrous.

Oh what a craven coward you are Lyn. You can't even quote someone
*ELSE* who wrote my screen name. Watching you pretend you can't see
what I write cracks me up, but this is getting pathetic when you have
to alter what *other* people write in order to snipe at me "anonymously".

As much as Megan freaks me out with her outrageous behavior, she is
at least woman enough to address directly what I write and doesn't
try to hide behind someone else to take pot shots at me. How
cowardly is *THAT*!!! You're ridiculous!

Who wants to claim this post??:

----- Original Message -----
From: CatNipped
Newsgroups: rec.pets.cats.health+behav
Sent: Monday, April 25, 2005 6:26 AM
Subject: BENGAL cats
(snipped Philip's post)

Philip, *PLEASE* buy a stuffed animal and *don't* get a cat! There are *NO*
guarantees that *ANY* cat you adopt will not do any of the above (and *NO* I
DON'T* want to know how you taught him where it was OK to yak). *To* *me*
(and to a lot of us here) adopting a cat is like adopting, or *birthing* *a*
*baby* - you take what you get and love him/her no matter what problems come
along with him/her.