Conference misery::feline_v1

    
    T.C. does this after he's finished eating to apparently try to 
    hide what's let.  I've come to the conclusion he's trying to
    hide it from his brother Rocco so he won't eat it. 8^)
    
    Donna

    chubbo (oops, meant verne!) and shirl do that whenever they don't
    like the food that i gave them.  they are very picky and about every
    few months decide that they don't like the food that they usually
    do.  (you know, after you think you've found something that they
    finally like and you stock up on it?) well that is when they will
    decide to change their eating habits.  but anyhoo, that exactely
    what they do.  i'de try something else and maybe go back after a
    few days.
    
    cj

    Thanks for the advice!  I called the vet, and that's what he suggested
    too.  I guess that her cold has modified her taste buds.  :-)  I'll
    pick up some kitten formula Science Diet on my way home from work
    tonight and see if that works better.
    
    Carol
    

    When a cat has a stuffed nose the food doesn't smell as 
    appetizing to them.
      Bumpy always tries to scratch the refridgerator down on her food.
    Silly Bittens!
    

    This behavior is instinct.  Your cat is not going to eat the food
    right now, but he KNOWS that he will eventually want to eat again.
    Thus, he "buries" the food.  He is telling you, "I'm not hungry
    right now, but please don't take this away 'cause I'll eat it later".
    
    My parents' cat would eat his dinner while the dog was eating.
    Whatever the dog did not finish, the cat would immediately go
    over and bury.  He would work his way around the dog bowl, building
    an imaginary dirt heap on the leftovers, with great hopes that the
    dog would not return to eat the rest later.

    What neat creatures, these cats!  Coelura is feeling much better now
    (she's back to her "wake up mom is 6:00 a.m.!" routine) and has started 
    eating her Friskies kitten goop again.  :-)  I'm still going to try the 
    Science Diet stuff.  I think the variety may be good for her.
    
    I'm glad to find out that the "burying" habit is not something to worry
    about, but I couldn't help it since she was actually sick.
    
    Carol

    My oh my, your cat lets you "sleep in".  Mine want breakfast at
    5:15.  Ho hum, I'm getting up to go to work anyway....Wait a minute!
    Its Saturday!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    How do you teach them to get you up??  I get up late almost every
    morning, and could use a kitty to wake me up.  My crew is usually
    all sacked out with me.
    
    Jo

TEACH THEM TO WAKE YOU UP?!
How do you teach them not to?!

5:30 on Saturday is just too early!

Becky

    vernes wake-up call is at 5:00-5:15, he'll sit on the window sill
    in the kitchen and meow really loud until i give him the single
    of a smooch indicating that yes, i hear him!  shirl leaves
    my bed at 4:30 i think because she knows hes going to wake her up
    soon anyways.  this morning verne was cold, and snuck in under the
    covers for comfort.  try sleeping with an un-clawed cat in your
    covers, that would wake you up!
    
    cj

    Spot has been burying her food since she was a tiny piglet!  She
    tops the scale at a chunky 13 pounds.  She always eats everything
    in her dish when we feed her, so we have to be careful about how
    much we dole out cause old piglet will finish it.  No matter how
    long it takes her.  Then boy does she belch!!:-}  Panther is much
    more selective, she will eat until she is comfortable, she seems
    to like to leave a little in her dish for a snack.
    
    Weell old piglet will sashay over and bury waht ever Panther has
    left as if to say MINE!!  Panther doesn't usually get to finish
    her snack, Spot always helps!  It never fails, as soon as Spot hears
    Panther eating she is right there putting on her "starving cat from
    africa" routine, Panther is always willing to share!  (Unless they
    have been given a treat of milk or tuna, then look out Spot, *This
    is MINE*
    
    Funny Babies,
    
    Feline Hungry,
    
    Sue & Panther & Spot
    

    hey .11 i have the same problem with vern and shirl.  seems that
    shirl likes to leave alittle for a snack but never gets to eat it
    because verne always finishes it (and if he doesn't the dogs will
    for sure!) but i've never been able to stop it.  i've tried to feed
    them in separate rooms or putting the food in a place that the dogs
    can't get to it but no such luck, its one or the other.
    
    still trying though,
    
    carlajeanne (mother of the 16 pound verne) :)
    

    re: 5   INSTINCT
    
    I have read that this routine is instinctive, too.  My cats do it
    also.
    
    re: 6   VARIETY 
    
    Does anyone know if feeding a cat a variety  of foods is bad for
    them?  The reason I ask is that i recently switched my dog, Kipper
    (the Ripper), to Science Diet.  She was being fed a variety of stuff
    at my mother's house during the day (she goes to Dog Care Center
    every weekday) and I was feeding her Grand Gourmet.  Well, her stomach
    was doing the most incredible things.  Dr. Shaughnessy at the Acton
    Emergency clinic said that dogs should be kept on a consistent diet.
    (Plus, I think Grand Gourmet is *very* rich.)   This is to keep 
    the bacteria in their intestines balanced so that
    gastronomic ailments can be kept at a minimum.  I have definitely
    noticed a difference in the dog.  Is there any truth to this in
    cats?
    
    
    Anne
     
   
  

    Regarding the "wake up call" kitties--
    
    My crew also wakes me up in the morning.  When we had just Melody,
    she got to sleep with us and would start parading around my pillow
    just before my alarm went off.
    
    When Brittany and Missy came along, we moved them out at night to
    avoid overcrowding.  So now, as soon as it's been light for a short
    while, they start banging on the bedroom door and crying.
    
    We figured out that this all came out of the fact that I have always
    fed the girls as soon as I get up--before shower or anything.  They
    know that I usually get up once it gets light out (or they hear the
    radio alarm go on) so they come a-calling at that time.  (Weekends
    included--although sometimes they let me sleep a little later as long
    as they can sleep with me.)
    
    They are in such a routine with me in the morning that, if Bruce goes
    downstairs to feed them calling "kitty, kitty", they just turn their
    heads momentarily and then go back to whatever they were doing.
    
    They sure are "mummy's babies".
    
    Barbara 

    
    I'm beginning to realize how much cats are creatures of habit.  In the
    morning, my alarm goes off at 6:11.  I hit the snooze bar twice.  My
    Professor has the following routine to go with this.  The first alarm,
    she'll look up, then curl back up and go back to sleep.  The second
    alarm, she'll do the same.  The third alarm, she'll stand up, stretch,
    check to make sure I'm getting up and then leave the bed for the
    kitchen.
    
    On the weekends, the alarm time changes.  Professor stays right with
    the alarm.  It's like she knows that not only do I get the two snoozes,
    but so does she.
    
    Faith