Conference misery::feline_v1

    1.  If your vet said its ok then its ok.  R/D is a reduction
    diet I believe so I don't think a little skim milk will hurt them.
    Watch for diarrea which is how a milk intolerance manifests itself
    in cats.
    
    2. As long s Midnight is eating the rest of the foods you're giving
    him then eating R/D also won't hurt him any.  You just want to be 
    sure he's getting all his nutrients which he is from the Lactol,
    Kitten food etc
    
    3. Perfectly normal.  Smacking a cat on the head without using claws
    is just saying "I'm the boss around here and don't you forget it!"
    I'd say things are progressing nicely if Bigfoot is educating Midnight
    in her place in the heirarchy.
    
    4. She'll start teething around 4-5 months.  Be sure she has things
    to chew on or she'll pick them herself.  Dundee chewed the heck out
    of my leather belts.  And her claws must be almost big enough now.
    I started trimming the kittens claws at least 2 weeks ago and they're
    9.5 weeks now.
    
    5.  She may outgrow this and she may not.  I believe it means she
    was weaned too early.  I don't think it will hurt her as long as
    the dyes used in the afghan are colorfast and it gets rinsed
    thoroughly when you wash it.  She may start chewing on it tho
    which won't be too good for the afghan ;-)
      I don't think I'd take it away from her yet, but continue trying
    to distract her from it.  Most likely its just something she does
    to feel more safe and secure.  
      Nancy DC
    

re: nursing on the afghan

a friend adopted a very young baby kitten and her technique for keeping the
little one feeling secure was to buy an animal shaped pajama bag -- a bunny
rabbit, if I'm not mistaken.  She installed an old towel wrapped around an
old fashioned, wind-up ticking clock inside the bag and zipped it up.  When
the clock was ticking, the kitten would contentedly "nurse" on the bunny
and feel all safe and secure.  You might try this - if you can find one of
those funny looking pajama bags....are they still selling them?

    My Poco who is over one year old never stopped nursing on the Afgan.
    Any time I try to rap it around me...Poco see's me from the other
    room and makes a mad dash for my lap.  It's almost like she is jealous.
    
    When Tamba was about 5 months old....we kept finding little teeth
    all over the house.  Well at that time...I never knew that kitties
    lost there teeth...so I telephoned the VET in panic stating something
    is happening to my kitty.  They got a big laugh!!!  
    
    Panicy Mom....
    
    Sandy

    re .2, Just before adopting Bandit I had bought my son a hand puppet of
    a Koala Bear, it was fleecy.  It was about day 2 after Bandid arrived
    we found him on the floor attacking the koala puppet, chewing on the
    head, nose in particular, front paws holding the thing in a hug, and
    back feet vigourously kicking the bottom part.  Then he'd change gears
    and carry it around in his mouth.  Which is how I suspect it got from
    my son's room to the livingroom.  So much for .2's thinking!
    Lyn
    

    Well, Isis has her "Fuzzy" - a fake fur dustmit, and Halie carries
    another piece of fake fur around with her too.  Garfield has Pookie,
    after all.
    

    .. And Preschie has her collection of Lingerie,, champgne colored
    for daytime and black for evening ..Happy has my red earmuffs,,
    or she did until I brought Preschie home.. grin,, 
    Kate

    C.L. Panther has a thing for the fluffy bathroom rug  (I gave up and
    bought another one). Boy, is it ever embarrasing to come into the house
    with company and find a bathroom rug on the dining room table, the top
    of the refirdgerator, the kitchen counter, the couch, ...
    
    Deb

    Well, I know someone, who shall remain nameless, who's neutered male
    likes to pull her dirty clothes out of the hamper and carry them
    all over the house.  Great when guests arrive and your dirty under-
    wear is in the middle of the livingroom floor.
    
    What's worse, this cat has taught his bad habits to his housemate!
      Nancy DC

yes, I DO TOO....I shall, of course, remain nameless...except this time it's
a spayed female brat cat named Hannah.  She drags them into the living
room WHEN SOMEONE IS SITTING RIGHT THERE.  She has only done this once...now,
I am very careful to put EVERYTHING into the new Hannah-proof hamper BEFORE
company arrives.  She was quite proud of her "achievment" -- dragging used
pantyhose into the living room, chirping and humming to herself the whole
time.  Needless to say, my guest was delighted to meet such a talented
cat.  I was truly embarassed.

    Well.....um.....the cat I had in mind, being a neutered male, had
    other ideas in mind for the laundry he hauled out of the basket.
    IFYOUKNOWWHATIMEAN.....and if you don't then perhaps you'll remember
    my stories about Flame and the fake fur catbed.  :-)))))))))))))))))