Conference misery::feline

    Cheryl,
    
    Funny you should mention your cats being rambunctious, we've definitely
    noticed a big difference in Spike.  We figure they can sense Spring is
    on the way, day's getting longer.  
    
    ...Rania
      

    Around the cattery, you can *really* tell spring is in the air, if you
    know what I mean.
    
    Plus, the cats are shedding like crazy.  As a matter of fact, this was
    part of the reason my housecleaner quit last week.  She said that she
    can do another house in less time than mine, for the same money.  The
    cat hair slows her down.  Darn!  :'(  Time to find a new one.  And I
    really liked her too.  Oh well.
    
    Jo

    Jo,
    
     It would probably take me forever to clean your house, because I'd
    spend so much time playing with furfaces! ;-)
    
     My three have been racing around like banshees lately too. I hope
    spring gets here soon. We're buried in snow! :-(
    
    Yonee

    
    The 2 domestics think they are "manly men", and are even
    mounting each other once in a while, and someone is spraying
    in the house.  I have seen 3 out of the 4 neutered males making
    the "spraying gesture", but nothing is left behind. Fortunately, 
    the spray I have found has no smell, but when I find out who it is...
    
    Of course, it could be because of Nique coming in once in
    awhile.  Pepper has a "thing" for her, and she just growls and
    swipes at him....Heck...she could be the one spraying, since she marks
    territory outside.

    Well, my dear Kyra woke us up at about 3:30 this morning with a very
    prominent announcement that "SPRING IS HERE!!!"  Even though there's
    about 3-4 feet of snow on the ground.(-:  In fact, tonight she goes
    into the cattery until she decides to stop announcing it to the whole
    world.(-:
    
    And yes, there's hair everywhere as well!
    
    Holly
    

    Yup,  mine are long-hair cats and they love to rub faces with me.
    I don't mind usually but lately I come away with half their fur stuck
    to my face.  YUK, doesn't taste very good!
    

    We had to put Satin in a tokyo cage in our living room because she came
    into season and started spraying in the kitchen (on the toaster, no
    less).  Anyway, she is in the cage all by herself, and we came home
    last night and there were huge gobs of fur all over the floor of the
    cage.  I would have sworn there had been a cat fight in there, but
    there is only one cat in there.  It has to be from her rolling around
    on her back so much.  Her fur is coming out in gobs.  This is an
    excellent example of how girls lose coat when they go into season (we
    show folks have always used that excuse for why our cats are bald, and
    now I know that it is actually true! ;'})
    
    Jo

	Well out here on the West Coast we've had quite a few
	days of nice weather and Harley and the neighborhood
	rabbit who apparently don't know or don't care that they're
	of a differently species (yet the same sex) have been
	going after each other like mad!  They take turns being
	on top!  It's hysterical to see this male cat and bunny trying
	to make "cabbits"!  Doug tried to get them apart (he's
	a macho guy and his cat shouldn't be behaving that way)
	and the bunny promptly started in on his arm!  Harley has
	been so worn-out in the afternoons all he can do is sleep,
	and after the first episode, I swear he was having difficulty
	walking!  This has been the funniest week - I can't stop laughing!

	Lisa

	Harley's daylight-savings-time has already kicked in and his
	internal clock has been turned back and he's now waking us
	promptly at 6:15AM (rather than the usual 7:15AM).  When do
	we humans turn back out clocks? I don't think I can stand
	this early rising for too long!  I get up and feed him then
	go back to bed, but he wants me to stay up and play!

	Lisa

    My executive weekly minder says daylight savings time begins
    on April 4th.  Can you hold out that long?
    
    Jan

	In the Uk it's 28th March

	Heather

	Thanks...I think I'll last a couple more weeks - Don't
	know if my hubby will tho!

	Lisa

    Our new cat, Lady ELizabeth, is the most amazing shedder we have ever
    had.  You run your hand down over her back and your hand looks like a
    something from a horror movie.  The dead hair sticks to the skin.  
    It will also go for your the face as well.  When she sits on me I wear 
    a mask now as I'm tired of scraping the hair off my face. None of the 
    others have the same fine, soft, slightly kinky hair as she does, not 
    even Christopher and his coat is like spun silk.  Although they are 
    all shedding hair everywhere, Lady is leaving felt pads where ever she 
    sleeps.
    
    Just when we get use to one kind of cat, the great cat God sends us
    another kind to deal with.

    What kind of cat is Lady Elizabeth?  Marnie, our scottish fold sheds a
    lot too.  I run my hand on his back and the hair just flies.  
    
    Steffi

    Steffi,
    
    I think there is a big difference between the way shorthairs and
    longhairs shed.  Kelsey and Herbie, my longhairs, shed their coat in
    clumps, while Taja, my shorthair, sheds loose, fine hairs that fly all
    over the place.  Like Marnie, I can run my hand over his back and off
    comes a handful of fur.
    
    I would much rather have the clumps!!
    

    re:-1   Me too.  I prefer the Birman clumps of silky white, to the
    contant shorthair all over everything, all the time.  But I wouldn't
    trade those 2 shorthairs for anything.
    
    Steffi
    
    

    Gee, Steffi, if you want one less shorthair leaving that fur all
    over the place, I'll take Misty off your hands.  She's a blue
    cream, right? :^)
    
    Jan  (who desperately misses her blue cream Bailey furface)

    'Fraid not, Jan.  Misty is my special baby.  Besides she doesn't shed
    nearly as much as Marnie.  Misty is never on my hands, she's always on
    my lap. 
    I didn't realize that blue creams were so special, I thought it was just 
    Misty. ;-)  Jan, I hope you will find the purrfect blue cream for you.
    
    Steffi

    Steffie,
    
    Misty is special all by herself.  Being blue cream just adds to it.
    She's special to me because when I look at her face, I see Bailey
    in it.
    
    Jan

    My one longhaired cat, Raven, is shedding his fur in clumps, too.  He
    even has a couple of big bald patches on his side where huge clumps of
    fur have come off!  I'm afraid he's going to wind-up bald before it
    stops.  I've had him for almost 8 yrs. and I don't ever remember him
    shedding this much before.  
    
    I haven't noticed any extra shedding from my four short haired cats.
    
    Is it normal for longhaired cats to have bald spots when they're
    shedding?
    
    Lorna
    

    My longhairs don't get bald spots when they shed.  You might consider
    taking your cat to the vet.  There are some parasitic conditions that
    could cause bald spots and you would want to rule them out.
    
    Jo

    The FIRM has begun their spring sheding; unfortunatly, I'm trying to
    comb everyone once a day, but Harry is dropping it clumps, Pip is matting
    and Alex keeping herself well groomed and then coughing it up as a
    furball. The short hairs are doing their part, too; my white upolstry
    and the white border on my rug are covered with fur What was I
    thinking of when I bought that stufff with 8 dark furred cats!?!? Of
    course, Billy (mostly white) has seen fit to shed on the datrk areas;
    
    Deb

    I need some advice on how to manage my cat's shedding. Tigger is a
    Siamese mix with short hair that is constantly shedding. It flies
    everywhere! I manage to brush her about 2-3 times a week. I've had cats
    my entire life and cannot remember one that was as good of a shedder
    as Tigger. We're moving into a new apartment with new carpet, buying a
    new sofa and rocker and I'm expecting our first baby in November. So
    this is a problem I'd like to handle better then I've done before.
    
    Do those shedding combs work? They're very weird looking things, round
    in shape with little groves ^^^^^ .
    
    Would a fatty acid food supplement help to condition the skin and
    therefore help prevent the shedding?
    
    Is there a product to apply to the coat to help with the "flyaways"?
    
    Would an air filter help? Or does this just help with cat dander?
    
    What is the best kind of brush to use? And how often?
    
    What is the best way/product to remove hair from furniture?
    
    Does Static Guard sprayed onto furniture make it easier to remove the
    hair?
    
    Thanks for your help!
    Laura
     

    Well, I really couldn't find a better place to put this, so...
    
    I'M IN LOVE!!!!  I'VE BEEN "SWEPT" OFF MY FEET.
    
    I'm in love with my new Dirt Devil vacuum.  That little puppy is 
    just incredible.  I was just thrilled last night as I almost 
    effortlessly cleaned the cat hair off my bed and couches.  I used 
    to struggle to get all the cat hair loose from the velour couches 
    with a squeegee type thing or flea comb.  
    
    [Believe me, if I'd have known I was going to have cats in the future, 
    I'd never have bought velour.]
    
    I highly recommend this little tool if you have an excess of cat hair
    on your furniture.  With 8 cats...I really needed something.  The big
    vacuum was just too bulky to put on the couch (believe me, I've tried
    it) and the attachments just didn't provide adequate suction to suck
    up all that woven in cat hair.
    
    I just can't say enough about my new love!
    
    Jan
    
    P.S.  I did get The Little Green Clean Machine for Christmas.  I 
          haven't used it yet but am going to give it a try this week.
          Be prepared for a new love story. :^) Okay, so I'm fickled.

    
    
    	Ain't it great?  Mine is permanently plugged in in the living
    	room as I have to vacuum the couch every night when I get home.
    	(three cats and a black couch - duh!)  I actually have a "souped
    	up" model so that I can attach a hose to it to get into the corners
    	and suck up the dust bunnies too.  =)
    

> I'm in love with my new Dirt Devil vacuum.  That little puppy is 
> just incredible.  I was just thrilled last night as I almost 
> effortlessly cleaned the cat hair off my bed and couches.  I used 
> to struggle to get all the cat hair loose from the velour couches 
> with a squeegee type thing or flea comb.  
 
  Is this the full vacuum?  Or just the little Dust Devil.  I have a recurring
problem with my Dirt Devil getting clogged with kitty hair. That's probably
because I have three of the little furry critters.  And one of them is long
hair, the other is a short hair but all fur, and the other is obsessive
compulsive about cleaning!  They are always cleaning and shedding. <sigh>  If it
does clog on you, just pull up the hose and pull the fur out.  That fixes it
usually.  I like my Dust Devil better.

Jennifer

    This is the little hand held model.  I bought the attachments
    that go with it too.  It's soooo cool.  
    
    Just be glad you only have 3 cats.  I have 8 cats (4 short hairs,
    4 long hairs) and two burgundy colored velour couches.  
    
    I forget who said they had it permanently attached in the living room.
    Just wanted to let you know that accept for the time mine went into
    the bedroom to vacuum the bed, it has pretty much been hanging out
    in the living room too.
    
    Jan

> This is the little hand held model.  I bought the attachments
> that go with it too.  It's soooo cool.  

  Ah yes!  I like *that* one. I would use it exclusively if I didn't have to
crawl around on my knees! <<G>>

> Just be glad you only have 3 cats.  I have 8 cats (4 short hairs,
> 4 long hairs) and two burgundy colored velour couches.  

  YIKES!  Been there, done that, don't *EVER* want to go there again! <G>  I am
down to three, and they are terribly jealous.  We have one cat who just does NOT
get along with anyone except for the matriarch.  <smile>  But he's my baby.

  I guess I count myself lucky.  For now, I have two horribly upholstered
couches (my husband's parents have *NO* taste), so I am not too worried about
it.  I just never wear black in the house. <G>

Jennifer

    
    
    	re: Jan .27
    
    	That was me.  =)  With Chloe's white Himmy fur and Sasha's
    	Maine Coon fur, the couch usually has a nice coating on it
    	when I get home.  And like you, except when it's brought into
    	the bedroom to vacuum off the comforter, it's in the living
    	room.
    
    	JJ
    

    Hmmm...you guys need some Pat Brody Shelter kitty afghans to place 
    on the sofa to collect the hair.   They keep the sofa clean..looks
    nice...and the afghans wash/dry very nicely.  I think I have about 
    10 of them laying around the house and we wash them weekly!!!!
    
     Of course if you knit...you can make some yourself!!!
    
    Sandy

    RE: .24
    
    Jan, when you do use the little green clean machine, you should
    probably use distilled water. The water around here is hard and a lot
    of people wind up bringing it in for "repair" (cleaning) due to the
    mineral deposits.
    
    .RE: cat fur coating everything.
    
    I've just given up and have nice sheets on the couch/chairs and towels
    on all of the cat purches. Once a week they go right into the wash.
    Saves a lot of vaccuum time and energy.
    
    Deb

    >Jan, when you do use the little green clean machine, you should
    >probably use distilled water. The water around here is hard and a lot

    Thanks for the helpful hint, Deb.  I was sort of thinking along those
    lines already but I'm glad you've confirmed it for me.  Also, the 
    distilled water may help reduce some of the allergens in my house.
    They say a distilled water rinse helps reduce allergens shed by the
    cat.  Maybe it works on carpeting too.  
    
    Actually, have you noticed that Bissell makes an Allergy Control carpet
    cleaner.  I think it is for the big machines but I'm wondering if it
    can be used in the little one too.
    
    >I've just given up and have nice sheets on the couch/chairs and towels
    >on all of the cat purches. Once a week they go right into the wash.
    >Saves a lot of vaccuum time and energy.
    
    I've seen "the cat's towel" somewhere.  Maybe it was the Hep Cat
    catalog.  I've been considering investing in a few of them for the
    couches.  I wonder if they're cheaper by the dozen. :^)  As it is,
    I currently have a sheet the same color as my comforter covering the
    bed.  I can whip the sheet into the wash more easily than the comforter
    (or I can vacuum it :^)  [can you tell I'm overly please with this 
    prospect?]
    
    Jan

    I have been reading all your notes eagerly!  With 10+ cats, I am always
    open for new ideas on cleaning.  I actually have one of the big carpet
    cleaner, steamer things.  I once used Nolvasan with water in it and it
    did a good job.  It has an attachement for furniture which works well
    on the cat trees as well as the couch.  Vacuuming, I haven't done much
    of.  I gave up and went the sheet route too.  You can actually find
    some very nice patterns/colors to throw over your furniture.  After
    they are washed and come out of the dryer you just put them back on the
    couch. No folding!!!  And when company comes, whooosh.... they go into
    the other room.
    Karen
    ps, they also keep "Jimmy dirt" from getting on the couch, you know, 
    the stuff stuck to his clothes after fishing or working in the yard.
    :')