The cat I reference above, Sinbad, wasn't feral. He was being cared for
by everyone and no-one. The "everyone" who took care of him all moved
away at the same time apparently, and I started feeding him when I
realized what had happened. He was basically abandonned by multiple
sets of part-time "owners." He was totally socialized and adapted to
indoor life like he'd lived indoors before, which I think he had, with a
woman who later threw him out a fourth floor window. He was a great
cat, but always held one of his front legs funny due to the break that
fall resulted in.

Now, Sebbie was a feral kitten (12+ weeks old), and I brought him home
after he'd been in a cage at his rescuer's for about 2-3 days. He knew
exactly what to do with a litter pan.

Priscilla

We have a 16" sisal one.

Sharon........A book is like a garden carried in the pocket.

x-no-archive: yes


In article <Xns9415BD0CACFCAchakolatehotmailcom@130.133.1.4>, Chakolate
<chakolateDeathToSpammers@hotmail.com> writes:


Just a note on scratchers... both my cats LOVE the cheap, flat corrugated
cardboard kind infused with catnip that sits on the floor. It's the only thing
Zoe will use, Jasper also has a vertical sisal covered post he loves. Neither
of these cats scratches furniture, though Zoe will occasionally go for a rug;
that's how I know it's time for the herbal No Scratch spraying. Really works!

Susan

On 15 Oct 2003 23:34:53 GMT, Chakolate


The best scratching post I ever had for my cats was a big ole piece
of fire wood that still had the bark on it. They LOVED that thing.
It was a rather large piece and heavy, so it didn't move when they
applied their claws to it.

Cathering
-- "Everything I've ever let go of has claw marks on it." - Anne Lamott

.......You may reply to email in header but be sure to delete the word SPAMFREE from the address.

For my money, those are too short. I have one of those, and both my boys
ignore it completely. Well, except for when I smear catnip all over it.
Then they don't ignore it, they rub against it. :-P

My dad made one for me that was a limb of a cherry tree, about 4 inches in
diameter, and it's about 30 inches tall. They've scratched all the bark
off of it to a height of about 26-27 inches. They use it all the time.

A cat that's feral has used trees to sharpen his claws, so he's used to
that; those sisal things might not even tempt him.

Of course, as with any cat, whatever you expect will be the thing he won't
do, so none of it really matters, right?


Chakolate

--

On sadness:
The cure for this ill is not to sit still,
Or to frowst with a book by the fire,
But to take a large hoe and a shovel also,
And to dig till you gently perspire.
--Rudyard Kipling

Herrie was on older kitten, almost full grown when I adopted him. AFAIK,
he'd been living outside 100%, but knew exactly what to do w/ a litter box.

Clawing hasn't been an issue w/ him, thank goodness. I provided 2 of those
corrugated cardboard scratchers for him right away, & he's always used them.
The only things I catch him scratching/clawing at are the rug on the
staircase - but it's a very durable tiny loop Berber which shows no signs of
his efforts, & the wicker furniture out on the porch.

Anyone else notice those decorator lampshades that are "in" right now - the
ones w/ beads dripping off the edge or a sort of fringy-fluffy stuff on the
edge? Unless one could put them in a completely inaccessible place, I can
not even *begin* to imagine having those in a house that has any cats!

Cathy

--
"Staccato signals of constant information..."
("The Boy in the Bubble") Paul Simon

All 5 of ours use the sisal one. DH has replaced the rope on it about 4 times.


Sharon........A book is like a garden carried in the pocket.

In news:bmjtq4$per$3@pcls4.std.com,
Priscilla H Ballou <phb@shell01.TheWorld.com> composed with style:

I remember that thread from last year and started looking around for a
heating pad for outside. I never knew they existed. The things you
learn on Usenet! Here's hoping the Black family moves in post
haste.

When I had a mulberry tree cut down a few years ago, I had them cut if
up and leave the big pieces. I brought one in for the cats and they
totally ignored it! Oh, except for about an hour when they watched
little insects on it. *sigh*

Priscilla

I doubt Sebbie even saw a tree before he looked out the windows of my
house. The place he was raised was an abandoned roofing company site
and was pure concrete and metal. I say he "grew up under a dumpster"
which is almost literally true. There was a big dumpster there, but
they only hid under it, they didn't sleep there.

Priscilla