The Official HTF Cat Thread (3 Viewers)

[Sam Posten]

Sorry for the fuzzy cell phone photos but I'd say these are two happy kitties despite tonight's Tornado watch! Happy Kitties 1 by Kadath, on Flickr

 

[Johnny Angell]

That's charming. It is amazing how they find their ways to communicate. He taps you on the shoulder - that's wonderful.

My first cat had a ritual we did every night. I like to read in bed and as I lay their on my back with the book on my stomach, he'd wriggle his head under the book and scootch through until he had my undivided attention. He'd get his dose of love and once he was satisfied, he'd lay elsewhere on the bed, usually by my side, and I'd continue reading. This happened every night and I loved it. His name was Sam. We rescued an abandoned newborn and bottle fed her. At some point in her kitten hood her sinuses became infected and because of the limitations of the antibiotics back than and because the best ones would effect her development, and because the sinus cartilage doesn't have very good blood circulation, we could never get rid of the infection. She lived her life a a constantly snotty state (but she was a loved cat). Squiggles liked to nuzzle up in bed next to my left ear. She would put her little muzzle into my ear and go to sleep like that. It was like a mini-tornado in my ear. Well, I acquired a taste for that and soon found it was no hindrance to a good nights sleep. When she passed, it was difficult to sleep for a while and I still miss my little tornado. I always will. Kevin, your tale of your childhood cats had reminded me of something that recently occurred. I rescued an 8-12 week kitten and a friend of my wife's adopted it. She has a child less than 6 months and Willard has taken to sleeping with him and just being an all around good friend to him. I hope that years from now he will remember his childhood friend, and that he will have have had many feline companions.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I just thought of one more tale. We have two blind cats. One was rescued as stray adult. Not only is he blind, his skeletal structure is poor and his front left leg bone is curved and he can put very little weight on it. So he's blind, basically 3-legged, and has never ran anywhere, because he can't. He was named Wonder because its a wonder he survived to be an adult. Wonder is a shy, timid, but loving cat. He will come up to me on the couch and if I don't respond to him and pickup him up, he will give me a meow telling me to pick him up for some face-time. If I still don't respond, he will graze my leg with the paw of his curved left leg. He does it very gently, but it sends a very powerful message. He gets picked up and held till he's had his fill. For the first couple of minutes he's a face rubber, sometimes rearranging my glasses. Then he settle in, draped over my left (usually) shoulder and he'll sleep there. He is a Wonder.

 

[DaveF]

Love the cat give-me-attention stories! I'll have to come back with mine Sam, you got a furrminator? You need a furrminator http://www.amazon.com/FURminator-Long-Hair-deShedding-Large/dp/B0040QS3PO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360376363&sr=8-1&keywords=cat+brush+furminator

 

[Sam Posten]

I have a cheap pet store hair brush. That one looks pretty badass. Since I have one short hair and one semi-long hair, which would I get?

 

[ChristopherG]

By buddy up this street uses the furminator on his lab - wow! It is incredible how much loose hair that thing grabs.

 

[Jay H]

I just thought of one more tale. We have two blind cats. One was rescued as stray adult. Not only is he blind, his skeletal structure is poor and his front left leg bone is curved and he can put very little weight on it. So he's blind, basically 3-legged, and has never ran anywhere, because he can't. He was named Wonder because its a wonder he survived to be an adult. Wonder is a shy, timid, but loving cat. He will come up to me on the couch and if I don't respond to him and pickup him up, he will give me a meow telling me to pick him up for some face-time. If I still don't respond, he will graze my leg with the paw of his curved left leg. He does it very gently, but it sends a very powerful message. He gets picked up and held till he's had his fill. For the first couple of minutes he's a face rubber, sometimes rearranging my glasses. Then he settle in, draped over my left (usually) shoulder and he'll sleep there. He is a Wonder.

That is awesome Johnny. I sometimes read in bed, just by proping the pillow on the headboard and reading with my legs under the sheets, sometimes, my cat feels that I must not be paying attention to him and attempt to climb up over the book and into my arms.. That must be interesting, shoulder sleeping! My 20lb cat would probably rearrange my head if he slept on my shoulder! jay

 

[bryan4999]

Thanks everyone for the pics and stories. Back when I was in college it was just about the time PC's were becoming common, but I was still using an IBM Selectric for writing papers, etc (gosh, that was a beautiful machine). I had a female cat who, when she felt she wasn't getting enough attention, would climb right up on top of the typewriter and lie down. It couldn't have been comfortable, but she sure got her point across. Also, reading the newspaper was nearly impossible as she would come charging right through it into my lap.

 

[Sam Posten]

As most of you know I'm a diehard amateur photographer. But this weekend I scheduled a shoot with a co-worker who is an amazing pet photographer! Will be posting the results of them as soon as I can. The proofs I have seen are very encouraging =)

 

[Todd Erwin]

Victoria used to have a nightly ritual with me when getting into bed. As soon as I got under the covers, she would jump up on the bed, run up my chest, and nuzzle her face in my beard for a few minutes before curling up and sleeping on my chest.

 

[DaveF]

Probably the short-hair brush. We've got two regular / short hair cats and have the short furrminator (he says, having checked with his wife). Mango is very fine, but Dash is pretty thick. Your cats look similar-not like a long hair calico. When the cats want to get brushed, they love the furrminator. And it pulls out so much hair. We also like lint rollers to catch loose hair after furrminator-ing. And Mango likes to get rolled by the lint roller. Then he likes to chew on the tape; he's got a thing for adhesives.

 

[Sam Posten]

Ordered, thanks!

 

[Johnny Angell]

Victoria used to have a nightly ritual with me when getting into bed. As soon as I got under the covers, she would jump up on the bed, run up my chest, and nuzzle her face in my beard for a few minutes before curling up and sleeping on my chest.

There is nothing like a purring cat to help you to sleep (even if you do have a pressure on your chest).

 

[Sam Posten]

My coworker has a VERY different style than I do, so very glad I had her come take these while they were still little!!!! COLORCOLLAGE2 by Kadath, on Flickr COLORCOLLAGE1 by Kadath, on Flickr BLACKWHITECOLLAGE1 by Kadath, on Flickr And one I took of my onw. Not a big user of filters but I like this look: Rough day kitty by Kadath, on Flickr

 

[Johnny Angell]

Sam, your coworker is a good photographer. I love the logo.

 

[Sam Posten]

Thanks Johnny, I love her work and have learned a lot from how she does things differently than I do! Definitely want to do more natural light stuff now!

 

[Johnny Angell]

Natural light is always preferable to flash, IMHO. Specially if you don't have a pro light rig. Even if you do, how you gonna keep the cat where you want him? When I'm taking pictures of my cats, I try have them take at least 2/3 of the frame. Actually, for most of my photography, I decide what the subject is and get close to it. When photographing cats, you take a bunch of shots to get the one good one. I love to take pictures of feline yawns and have noticed that if a cat yawns, chances are another will follow in 30-60 seconds.

 

[DaveF]

Love the cat photos! We're calling in a cat behaviorist. Dash is peeing in all corners of the (finished) basement. We're at a loss for the cause or the cure. This behavior had developed at the last house, continued somewhat in the apartment, and is worse in the new place. Hopefully we can get a solution with a little professional input.

 

[ChristopherG]

Originally Posted by DaveF
Love the cat photos!
We're calling in a cat behaviorist. Dash is peeing in all corners of the (finished) basement. We're at a loss for the cause or the cure. This behavior had developed at the last house, continued somewhat in the apartment, and is worse in the new place. Hopefully we can get a solution with a little professional input.

That sucks. Definitely would be interested in hearing how things go with the kitty shrink.

 

[Jay H]

Love the cat photos! We're calling in a cat behaviorist. Dash is peeing in all corners of the (finished) basement. We're at a loss for the cause or the cure. This behavior had developed at the last house, continued somewhat in the apartment, and is worse in the new place. Hopefully we can get a solution with a little professional input.

Marking territory? Is he neutered? Jay