Conference misery::feline_v1

    It is very likely that they picked up thier virus from you. Since
    Felines and humans seem to have almost identical germs, colds and
    things like that can be transmitted back and forth between humans
    and thier owners. If they aren't feeling better in about a week
    I would take them to the vet.
    
    							Geoff

    .1 is exactly the opposite of what I have been told -- human and
    feline colds are not exchangable.  If they were mine, I would hop
    them into the vet.  Possibly they have something that can be treated
    with antibiotics and that should not be neglected.  If they have
    stopped taking in moisture, they can get dehydrated very rapidly.
    

    I'd like a clarification from .1 also.  I've read numberous times
    that, for the most part, human/cats do not exchange diseases/ill-
    nesses.  Some exceptions are ringworm and toxoplasmosis(transmitted
    via infected feces only).   Colds and viruses are not transmitted
    from one to the other, as far as I know.
    
    Donna

    Owner's of humans? ? ? ? ? ? ?
    well, to each his own, (only joking - i couldn't resist)
    in regards to question .2, i have noticied them drinking an awful
    lot of water lately too.  i guess its time to call the vet.  but,
    now that we're on the subject of verne and shirl, how do i get
    rid of the fur all over the place?  do kitties have brushes?
    and, can i bush them?
    cja
    

    Re: .4
    
    yes, kitties have brushes.  (I think you want to get yourself some
    pussycat care books.  I speak as some one who was adopted by a
    cat and found herself asking the vet "Why is he rubbing all over
    everything?  Does he have a skin problem?" ).  Mine have two kinds
    of brushes, a soft one sort of like a people's hairbrush and a fine
    toothed metal one, for when we're chasing fleas.  The fine toothed
    one is also very good for undoing tangles and straightening one
    dense coats.  Don't yank.  It may take them awhile to get used to
    being brushed, so ease into it.  Later it will become a petting
    session.  It is good for them to be brushed, as it removes excess
    hair, which will not only reduce the hair all over everything problem,
    but make them less prone to getting hairballs.
                                 

    HI..Pookie just loves to be brushed.. she is brushed 3 times per
    day.. ....as amatter of fact she wiil pester you to death ...until
    you do comb her.. when I come home .. i have at least 5 seconds
    to take my coat off and then if it takes longer than that.. she
    will howl her little kitty lungs out.. persian style!!!!!!!our sessions
    are about a 1/2 hour or so... she purrs and talks... she wants no
    interruptions either.. a friend of mine and i were out shopping
    one day.. we went back to my house for tea,, and my little pookie
    was waiting for mummy.. my friend could not believe it.. she dragge
    her comb out.. crying and meowring.. because I took off my coat,
    hung up my gueat's coat, and turned on the teakettle... I DID PICK
    HER UP AND HUG HER... so Isaid to my guest.. do you mind if I comb
    pookie for a bit.. if i don't do this.. we will not have a peaceful
    moment...my friend was amazed.. Pookie was happy.. and she even
    let my friend pat her..(My freind is her god mother..) any way
    you had to see the look of contentment on the Pookies little furry
    face.. tee -hee. I DO COME FIRST...NA! NA NA!!!..you may be company..
    but I STILL GET ALL MY MUMMYS ATENTION..... MEOWR. it was sooo cute
    she let my friend watch... and my friend did the oldd.. you are
    apretty baby..etc.. and she just loved it..
    regards
    kate

    gee, im glad to see there are other kitties out there that demand
    as much attention as shirl and verne.  when it comes to petting,
    shirl out meows verne any day.  usually when i am laying down on
    the couch she will start meowing for me to pick her up.  when i
    do she starts purring real loud and pricks and pricks and pricks.
    then she'll start licking the hand that is petting her and diggs
    her face into other one that isn't doing anything (kinda like a
    hint that i should be using both hands).  verne on the other hand
    doesn't like to lick and prick and purr.  instead he'll just lay
    with all his weight on my chest and rub his face next to my chin.
    what a bunch of cuties eh?  well, my boyfriend doesn't seem to give
    them as much credit as i do.  maybe thats cuz they dont cuddle as
    much with him and they do me.
    
    anyways... i think kitties are great friends.  ive become quite
    the kittie lover just because of them.  and, i would like to do
    as much as possible to make them happy.  obviously, the cat brush
    is just what they both need.  (so do i, believe me!).
    
    now, where does one purchase them?
    
    
    cja

    you know, my boyfriend and i had the same conversation a while ago.
    he thought we would be able to purchase one anywhere.  but i haven't
    been able to find one.  we shop at victory and i have even been
    to a small pet store, never asked, but didn't see one either.  i
    guess ill stop at iga after work today, they'll love it im sure.
    thanks a bunch 
    
    from verne, shirl and
    carla jeanne
    

    I can tell from your node name that your in the MLO, so you might
    try Erickson's Grain Mill at lunch some day.  I'm sure they carry
    them.
    
    purrs
    cin
    
    BTW, I don't think I've seen them at Victory Market either.
    
    

    Both my cats love to be brushed.  Spaz did not, however, until I
    bought her a cat brush with soft bristles.  Now she loves it.
    Fuzzball, however, is a long hair, that absolutely loves being brushed!
    I use an old round very stiff brush on her, and she does just what
    the other cat mentioned previously does, rubs against it and finally
    starts biting it (better it than me!).  
    
    I have a question about long hair cats, since we're on the subject
    of removing hair.  Fuzzball got her name because she leaves fuzzballs
    all over the house.  I'm not talking one or two.  She doesn't shed.
    She loses clumps of fur (fuzzballs) all over the rug.  Is this normal
    for long hairs?  Spaz leaves the normal millions of singles all
    over the place that only show up when you wear black or white. 
    Fuzz doesn't seem to lose singles, only balls of fur.  
    
    dr
    

    Yup, it's a real joy, eh?  My two leave these clumps all over the
    house, but particularly when they wrestle.  I go thru more vacuum
    cleaner bags....geeezzzzzeee...
    
    You might try a nice comb on Fuzz instead of a brush.  I use several
    different types on my boys, but for general grooming, I use a nice,
    metal comb with well spaced teeth.  I got it at a pet shop in Nashua,
    but you can find them at any pet shop.  It does a terrific job getting
    out whatever clumps are left behind before they turn into mats.
    
    Good luck!
    
    Mary

    RE .13:
    
>    I have a question about long hair cats, since we're on the subject
>    of removing hair.  Fuzzball got her name because she leaves fuzzballs
>    all over the house.  I'm not talking one or two.  She doesn't shed.
>    She loses clumps of fur (fuzzballs) all over the rug.  Is this normal
>    for long hairs?  Spaz leaves the normal millions of singles all
>    over the place that only show up when you wear black or white. 
>    Fuzz doesn't seem to lose singles, only balls of fur.  
    
    My Persian, Jasper, sheds the same way, in clumps.  At first, I thought
    it was really bizarre, since I was used to a shorthaired cat who sheds
    tons of individual hairs.  Now, I'm used to Jasper's clumps, and figure
    they go with the longhaired territory.  I notice that the more often I
    comb him (which isn't as often as it could be because he hates it), the
    fewer clumps he leaves around.   How odd.  :-)

							-- Nina
    P.S.  I use a metal comb, a la Mary (in .14).

    o.k. now that we have determined where to purchase and what to purchase
    please tell me how i can get them to stay still for a minute to
    realize that it just might feel good.  they both are really hyper
    kitties and well verne, the larger and longer haired one is getting
    used to it slowly but shirley won't give it a try at all, she just
    bites it a few times after you've tried to comb her and then jumps
    away.  i purchased a gentle short wired brush made especially for
    kittens and puppies.  and, boy was it expensive, $10.00 at the boston
    discount pet store on main street/moody street waltham.  it was
    no discount, believe me.  i have never paid $10 for a brush mine
    or the kats.
    

    Re: .16
    It takes a while.  Do they stay still and relatively calm for petting
    and cuddling?  Then you can sneak in starting to use the comb. 
    Try "palming" it so they don't see it.  My guys love to be combed,
    but if they see the comb right in front of their faces, they grab
    for it and try to bite it.  So I'm sneaky.
    

    I also had this problem with Trouble when I first got her.  My solution
    was two-fold.  First, she has "HER" petting spot (the arm of the
    couch which is wide), so I would do it there.  Secondly, she gets
    treats when she is good and not when she is bad.  A funny side of
    this is that now when I say "treats" she runs to "HER" petting spot.
    
    Bernice
    Mother of Trouble