Conference misery::feline

    
    
     Graziella, 
    
    
       What is the reason for not having the cats fixed?
    
    Shaw

    
    Ahem ... let's put it in DIGITAL terms .... lack of funding? Cost control?
    
    pick up the one you prefer ....
    
    :-( graziella 

    I feel if both cats are spayed....alot of the aggresion would
    stop.    I'm not sure where you live but there are some low
    cost spay/neuter certificates available which definitely cut
    down the cost.   If you live in the Lunenburg, Ma area...give
    me a call because I have access to our shelters low cost certificates.
    
    Just think what it will cost if your cat does have kittens???   More
    food, more litter, more medical bills for shots...never mind trying
    to find them all good homes!!!
    
    Good luck....Sandy
    
    
    

    Neutering definitely lowers aggression, the younger the better (of
    course not too young). The shots I know (there are different, I am
    sure) just stop heating, and additionally, they are hormonically
    dangerous on the long-term use - they harm the cat. Try to argue with
    cost control... I agree with -1.
    
    Good luck, Nat

    Well, I live in Italy. I did a bit of research and realized that there
    is no such a think like pets shelters or low costs vet assistance.
    
    The shot would cost me abt 20$ while the surgery would be abt 150$.
    This is per cat, of course. 
    
    I know all the cons of the shot versus the surgery but still my budget
    says no. I'm planning to have them fixed in the future but I guess I'll
    go for the shot once just to give my budget a bit of time.
    
    At the moment I'm more concerned with the fact that the two cats won't
    be happy to stay together anyway. The kitten seems to be very active
    and Mini seems to be annoyed and therefore reacting furiously. I guess 
    that if Vicky goes too far, then Mini will clearly teach her to 
    refrain the enthusiasm.
    
    Anybody had any experience in mother/kitten relation which didn't go so
    easily?
    
    Thanks for your concerns anyway
    
    ciao
    graziella 

    While this has nothing to do with the actual situation of .0, it has
    everything to do with the note topic, so I'm putting this here.  Mods
    if you have a better spot - go ahead!
    
    Spunky and I have a problem.  Spunky is my neutered male stray dumpster
    kitty, about 2 years old now.  He's a mostly indoor cat (altho he would
    *love* to be a mostly outdoor cat!).  I let him out when I get home
    from work and he comes back in about 2 hours later for his dinner.  
    
    Our next door neighbor has a multitude of cats.  Until June of this
    year I had a dog who would bark like mad at any cat/dog which entered
    our yard, so it hasn't been a real problem.  Since Cally died the
    neighbor cats have been comming over to our yard a lot, and they are
    always beating up on poor Spunk.  Spunk *never* seems to want to fight,
    he usually gets himself cornered and yells at the top of his lungs for
    help.  When I hear him I come running with a spray bottle, hose,
    whatever, and try to chase the other cats away.  
    
    I don't want to harm the neighbor cats, but I don't want Spunky getting
    beaten up either.  Is there anything I can to to permanently deter the
    neighbor cats from our yard?  We're eventually going to adopt another
    dog, but not until springtime.  Spunk stays in for the winter so its
    really only the next 2 months or so I have to worry about.
    
    I have had people tell me to mix ammonia and water and put it in a
    powerful squirt gun, spray the intruder cats a couple of times and they
    won't come back.  Sounds like it could harm the kitties?  Again, I just
    want to keep them away from our yard, not hurt them!
    
    Thanks for any advice
    
    Dana   

    I think squirting the cat with water would be sufficient.  No need
    to add ammonia to it.
    
    Jan

    I've managed to hit one of them - an orange long hair - with water
    several times.  He runs off but comes right back as soon as I turn my
    back.  I don't have a bottle that shoots a nice straight stream tho -
    so maybe he's only getting misted.
    
    This orange longhair is one that I *thought* was trying to make friends
    with Spunky (how *do* cats make friends, anyway?) but whenever he and
    Spunky get within 3 feet of each other the yowling/growling starts and
    if I don't break it up Spunky gets attacked.
    
    Dana

    Dana...do you have a hose near by!!   I have used a hose to
    keep dogs out of my yard...so it will probably work with cats!!
    
    How do cats make friends??  What I noticed is when a new cat approaches
    I can immediately tell if he will NOT be accepted because my cats
    ears go back....and their spine hair is raised.  If they are accepted
    they normally start by touching noses and sniffing!!!
    
    Sandy

    Might be silly the idea, but what about another dog? One who friends
    with yours and the others do not dare to come. Of course a dog who does
    not hurt them, just ceases them away.
    
    Nat

    I have had mother/daughter, mother/son kitty relationships and had no
    problems at all.  Smokey was a very good mother and having her kids
    around didn't bother her at all.  It's a good thing because at one
    point I had five full grown cats, including Smokey.
    
    It would be best to have your cats spayed as soon as you can.  It would
    probably help a lot.
    
    Good luck!
    
    Marilyn

    Hmm- the hose.  Well, it's currently around the side of the house, but
    I could get one of those pistol-type spray ends you screw on the end
    and leave the water pressure on.  Boy I betcha *that* would work!  
    Thanks!
    
    When the other cat is around Spunky really tries to avoid him.  When
    they get within 3 feet of one another Spunky's hair goes up, he arches
    his back, lays his ears back and starts yowling.  The other kitty is a
    longhair - I can't tell whether his hair is up or not!, but he doesn't
    look aggressive until he pounces on Spunk.  
    
    We *are* planning to get another dog, but because of the circumstances
    of Cally's death I'm not ready yet.  Too much heartache yet, and I
    don't want to start out on the wrong emotional foot with another pup.
    
    Thanks for the hose idea - I'll give it a try!  
    
    Dana