Saturday, January 30, 2010

Somene Peeing All Over Your House? I Can Help....



We had a situation yesterday that nearly broke my heart, and Janet's, director of Great Lakes Bengal Rescue. A blue silver Bengal boy, very young, named sadly, BUBBA, (which may be the source of his problems if you ask me) had been thru a few homes, where, from what I can gather, people did pretty much everything wrong.

Tho neutered and healthy, he sprays. Cats spray for Reasons. Mim did, and Magic really did. They don't now. I fixed them. This beautiful boy, who is a lover and a lapcat, was out of options. Shelter didn't want him, his foster home wanted him gone. I can't take another. We had no options.

I thought about it most of the day. How do I make an appeal to save him when it would look like this "Well, yes, he's great except for the spraying, I can help you fix that, but it is going to take a lot of love, patience, time and a pretty good outlay of $$, well yes, there are a LOT wonderful Bengals with no problems waiting for homes.." Do I let him go, and work on the Perfect Bengals that I can find homes for?

Like Magic, no one wanted him. Does he die (no, not "Put Down" or "Put to sleep" Die) for something that isn't his fault? I've never met him, it's one kitty, we save the ones we can, very sad, but really, who would take this on?

Not on my fucking watch.

Woodsman Hans has agreed to foster him. (Can't call him BUBBA) He did it because I asked him if he would, and his heart is as large and warm as the Birdchick's heated mattress pad. I'll pay for what the kitty needs, and we will fix him. And he will find a forever home. And he will live his life as he was meant to.



How to Fix Litterbox/Spraying problems...

1. Cats have litter issues because they are scared, unsure, unhappy, or have health problems. Check out the health angle first, to rule it out.

2. Kitty needs to feel safe. Those "Cat Boxes" that are WAY to small, and if they have lids, too confined. If your Kitty is fine with it, great. If not, get some plastic bins, the high ones. Don't make a "cut out" for a door, cats can JUMP.

3. You should have at Least one more box than you have cats. You should have a Bin, we will call it, on every floor. As many as you can have. Kitty may be nervous about getting to his bin. With a kitty with problems, even if he is in one room, he should have more than one, in separate corners. Magic has THREE in one bedroom sized room.

If you have multiple kitties, the more the better. Prevent wars, or one kitty from being afraid to use anothers bin.

4. Use only un-scented clay clumping litter. They will not smell if you clean them EVERY day. And you should. It takes 5 seconds to do it. If you leave it a week, kitty will not like it, and it's a drag to clean. Make it easy, have a scoop and bags by each bin.

5. Get some plug in Feliway diffusers. We can't smell them, but they mimic the pheromones of a happy contented kitty. Also get the spray, give a spray near the litter every time you scoop. Plug in the diffusers around the house, near boxes, food or high traffic areas.

6. If kitty pees or sprays you need to clean that up so they don't smell it. Soap and water will not work, neither will steam cleaning, or carpet shampoo. I like Anti Icky Poo best. There are also sites online that tell you how to make up a solution like it cheaply. Be diligent with this.

7. Many cats hate plastic and will spray or pee on it, say you have it on the floor, or under the bin. Get some rubber stair mats, you can buy it in huge rolls, and get some area rugs, big ones, you can get utility rugs cheaply, and put them over, to protect your floor, if you like. Kitty will like it better than walking around on plastic sheeting.

8. Play time, and toys are important. Cat trees for climbing, and feeling safe being UP are very important. Ebay has lots. Don't go for the "01 cent, plus shipping and handling!" ones. Go for the big ones that are around $70 to $130 with FREE SHIPPING. Less, far less than a pet store.

There are lots of toys, mostly for dogs, but they work for kitties, where you can hide treats, puzzle boxes, give kitty something to DO while you are gone. Have treats on hand, hide bits of steak (it's cheaper than you think, one steak cut up into tiny bits will last a week for a couple $$) on kitty's cat tree, in odd places, so he can hunt them.

9. If the problem has started with a new kitty, you need my "How to introduce kitties to eachother" advice, which is another blog. You can't toss 'em in together and hope for the best. I am working on Magic, Venus and Mim being friends now, have been for months, and will be for many more.

If you do these things, you have a very high chance of curing the problem. This will not, however, work overnight, You need a lot of time and patience and love. If you need help, killing kitty is not the answer, this CAN BE FIXED. Write me. Comment here.

If you have things that have worked, let us know in the comments. If you are a national cat behavior expert (Hi Marilyn!) feel free to add to this.

I have a feeling that you will be hearing more about the Silver Bengal Boy whose name cannot remain BUBBA.

I have a feeling that you, like me, will cry when he finds his forever home.

Love and Cat Pee,
Lorraine

88 Comments:

At 10:17 Blogger DataGoddess said...

Hans rocks, as do you. Next you'll be convincing Boss to open up a bengal shelter on the cat side of his house!

At 10:22 Blogger Roxanne said...

You are a Good Person. And you are blessed in your friends. Bengal Boy is a cutie. I wish you and Woodsman Hans luck helping this kitty grow to be happier--and more adoptable.

At 10:25 Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yay Hans!

I will put some bins up around the secrets-closet when Tibbles comes for a visit (that's my aunt Boneitta's skeleton cat). Not really sure if she really needs them, but I want her to feel comfortable.

At 10:25 Blogger Phiala said...

It's all about psychology: theirs, yours, and not mixing the two. Animals don't think like people, and you can't make them. You have to make the animal understand on its own terms what to do, and what not to do.

I know more about canine than feline psychology, having raised a very sweet hundred-pound wolfie, but the underlying principles are the same. You also see a lot more egregious violations with dogs, as people take them out in public a lot more often. Your rottweiler is not an extension of your dick, honest (and pardon me for being crude, but that's a big part of why aggressive breeds are aggressive: people psychology imposed on canines).

And hooray for saving another one! And good on Woodsman Hans for pitching in.

The dishwasher is running, the first load of laundry is in the dryer, the cleaning lady is cleaning the bathrooms (hooray!), and I'm just waiting for the coffee to finish brewing to settle in for A. getting caught up on email; B. bookkeeping; C. revisions. What a plan!

At 10:32 Blogger Precision Grace said...

That cat is gorgeous!!! I have a feeling he and Zoralina would get on great. Woodsman Hans is so lovely for taking this on. And you for sponsoring it. The boy cat is SO handsome! New name suggestion - Pretty Boy ;)

Those instructions are really useful if you have an indoor kitty. Mine are outdoor kitties and have only started scenting as they grew up into adult cats. Guess they are trying to make their mark. Trouble is, can't use Feliway as the oldest cat can't stand it (weird, I know).

It's not too bad anyway, so we are all good here, but those are Ace suggestions for anyone with indoor kitties. Specially plenty of litter boxes (and good for cats who have frequent 'accidents') i.e. one per cat + 1 at the minimum.


HAHA, Mainie just walked in, went straight to the coffee table, scented the underside, then proceeded to wash. I've just realised I NEVER see Louie scenting the furniture. Weird as he is the top cat. Or is he? How does one tell?

At 10:39 Blogger Laura B said...

Hurray for another save! You are awesome! Wonderful tips to keep in mind, too...things I probably would never have thought of, but that definitely make sense.

At 10:41 Blogger Unknown said...

Oh, he's a beauty! I'm sure a little bit of calm work will get him right on track.

We had a cat who was the Queen of Pee. The box had to be pristine before she'd use it, which meant scoop checks any time I thought to do it, or she'd pee elsewhere. The floor was "her" territory, and anything that was not a shoe or cat toy was fair game for pee. This meant no leaving a book or magazine on the floor, never forgetting to pick up the bath mat immediately, and no area rugs (yes, a 4 ft x 6 ft rug was also fair game). It was frustrating to try and figure out her quirks, but once I did, we were all much happier. I think that people forget that cats are living beings capable of psychological quirks, and just expect them to be perfect pets - or else.

At 10:46 Blogger Jane said...

Another cat in need who was lucky enough to cross your path, Q.

And Hans! How cool is he? (Very, evidently)

All good advice. I am amazed to hear about people who punish their cats for litter box transgressions. Hard to count the number of times I've said - Get them to a vet, if they're missing the box, the first thing is to make sure they're not sick!!! Some people should not be pet owners.

Rant over.

At 10:53 Blogger Morrica said...

Oh he's absolutely lovely, so beautiful! I love his face, somebody will fall in love with him and make a Good Home for him I'm sure. Thank you so much for sharing, me and our little part-Bengal here read every word and are happy to know there are other cats out there who find homes too.

At 10:53 Blogger spacedlaw said...

Bless Hans' sweet big heart for taking the poor kitty on board!

I am most intrigued by this feliway thing. I have seen it liquid in England but have never seen diffusers.

At 11:06 Blogger Precision Grace said...

ticky

- just went outside in the garden for a good walkabout with my cats. They are SO happy now. (apparently my lack of garden inspection lately has been upsetting them ?!)

At 11:06 Blogger Precision Grace said...

omg I'm useless. Ticky now.

At 11:08 Blogger Bill Peschel said...

God, I love Bengals. Wish I could take him, except we have three already (at one point, 4 kitties plus a border collie.

Here's what we learned:

* Agree on the litter boxes. We've done with 2 for 4, but if it'll make a kittie feel better, the more the merrier.

* Built a wall station in the basement, consisting of a plywood panel, scrub brush and hooks. Hung on it the litter scoop and a bag holding poop bags (bread and bagel bags are perfect for this). Keeps it all together and handy.

* We scoop on Wednesdays and replace litter as needed on Saturdays, washing out the box each time.

* Our cats seem to have divided up the house into zones and they follow their pattern. Ivan joins me at my desk in the morning; Olga joins us at night in the bed (otherwise standoffisih); Natasha jumps into my lap at the dinner table. Rarely shall the twain meet.

* Teresa swears by the harem set-up: one male with many females. Believes it cuts down on spraying.

* Any high places will make a cat feel comfortable. Vanessa (RIP) would make a dangerous leap across the dining room to scrabble atop a bookcase and glare down at us. Ivan adores the stack of fabric boxes by the sewing machine. Provide these opportunities, and the kitties should take advantage of them.

Best of luck. Bubba / Pretty Boy sounds like a wonderful lap kitty.

At 11:12 Blogger Lioness said...

I dreamt last night that my elderly step mother invited me over to see her new "kitty". It was quite clearly a Bengal and she also, clearly, had no idea and I was trying to figure out how to tell her.
I'm glad it was just a dream and not another cat that would need rescuing. So glad to hear of another successful placement and indeed, how wonderful is Hans.
Can anyone say no to you?

At 11:13 Blogger Precision Grace said...

Oooh, just remembered something I MUST share.
Back in summer, staying at Mum's friend's house in Berkley, we were charged with looking after the cat who WILL PEE ON EVERYTHING we were warned, and will hide and not come out at all. (and yes, our pillows and bedding smelled of cat pee)

Well.

I cleaned the litterbox which was probably never washed out and made sure to scoop out morning and evening.

The cat NEVER peed anywhere other than the box while we were there and came out for cuddles and was really sweet. She wanted to go out she told me but we were told not to allow her out.

I left notes with my thoughts and now cat is happily living outside (she has a bed in the garage) and no longer pees on pillows and such like. She is a Happy Kitty.

At 11:31 Blogger Ali Trotta said...

You are such a good person. It's uncanny and lovely.

I have a carpet cat pee smell solution. Recently, my cat peed on my rug while I was away. Sprinkle an ample amount of baking soda. Douse with white vinegar, until the whole spot bubbles. Scrubs with a stiff brush. Allow it to dry (you can cover it with a towel while it does; it will take up to two days). Vacuum the spot. Repeat. It should get the smell out by the second time.

At 11:33 Blogger vampi said...

i learn so much reading your blog. he is a beautiful kitty, huzzah for hans :)

At 11:59 Blogger Emily said...

Thank you for helping that kitty. People think I'm a nut b/c I have cat boxes in Every Room of my apartment. I have 3 cats. And 7 litterboxes hidden in various corners. Then again, these are the same people who are surprised my house doesn't smell like cats

At 12:09 Blogger Marjorie said...

Huzzah for Hans indeed!

The only thing I can add to the advice is that it may be worth offering one of the closed in boxes as well as tubs, esp. if he is nervy. When Tybalt first camw to me (and although I was, alledgedly, his first home, with hindsight I'm pretty sure he'd been somewhere else, had a bad time & had been returned, first) he was scared of almost everything and peed under beds etc. I got him a covered box & it solved the problem overnigt - I think he felt safe to pee there because he knew no-one could sneak up on him.

It was also useful as I was then able to use the lid part to teach him where in the garden to go, and let him feel safe there, before gradually giving up on it.

He is fine with an 'open' (but BIG) tray for when we visit people, but the covered one worked for him.

You'll put out the Bat-Signal if you need help to meet any vet-bills or similar, won't you?

At 12:13 Anonymous Anonymous said...

Is THIS what Bengals descend from?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlsA-BszHMI&feature=youtu.be


(so funny!)

At 12:16 Blogger Jess said...

Hooray for the Good Woodsman! And what a lovely kitty boy Not-Bub is.

Though you never know, with names. My parents named their cat Bob, but he has become Bub, and seems to like being a Bub. Some cats are just Bubs, no matter what you do.

We've only got one box for both cats, but they've been littermates all their lives, and don't seem to mind. (Though there is always a race to see who gets to pee first after I clean.) The price is that we have to scoop twice a day, but that's not so bad.

I didn't know they had Feliway diffusers! I might try those, just to see if it helps Ally relax. She does get nervous around her sister, who likes to play rough. Doesn't pee or anything, but she's always sort of tense, and on the lookout.

At 12:36 Blogger Na said...

Q, your heart is a sun.

At 12:47 Anonymous Amy D. Shojai, CABC said...

My friend and colleague Yasmine tweeted this...great advice! (Marilyn K is another friend/colleague *s*).

A couple of suggestions to add to the toolbox...might not be needed but nice for an "in case" scenario. 1) I'm a fan of Dr Elsey's Cat Attract litter/additive for helping cats re-learn litter box allegiance. It's pricy but a little top-coat can go a long way, and it's more for re-training than longterm use. 2) Look at the prefered pee/poop-surface. Sometimes placing a small piece of newspaper, carpet remnant, tee shirt, even leaves or soil in one of the boxes (if these are what kitty seems to target most often) can help get the notion across to the cat.

Thanks for helping this cat! and so many others.

At 12:54 Anonymous Morgawse said...

Oh no, he's definitely not a Bubba! Not sure what he does look like, something delicate and precious I think, but absolutely not Bubba... Well done to you and Hans for giving him a chance together.

And I find it's important with any animal, not just cats, that they have their own spaces to do their business and their sleeping. My rat cages all have at least one more hideyhole than they contain rats, as well as at least one litter tray (yes, you can littertrain rats, not so much for urine but absolutely for droppings) and they very quickly get the idea, provided you clean it out regularly.

At 14:12 Blogger Bulfinch's Aglaia said...

Thank you so much, Fablo and Hans. This is a A Good Post to read on the day we had to take our 19-year-old cat to the vet to have him mercifully and medically killed -- euthanized is the nicer sounding word, I know. That we were able to hold him in the car with no carrier and put him on the table and the vet look at him and move him all over the place all without one protesting "meeow" or movement pretty much proved to me it was definitely time, if not past time. He was a really really good cat.

At 14:12 Blogger Hellie said...

If my name was Bubba, I would pee everywhere too.

Yay for Hans and all kitty rescuers! I can't wait to have a house so I can help out someone that needs a home, I so miss having a cat.

My lovely relaxed weekend has turned into a yeuch I have a cold weekend. Atchoo.

At 14:22 Blogger Jane said...

So sorry about your cat. Even when it's the right time it is never easy.

At 14:28 Anonymous Lena said...

There is also this cleaning solution called PEE-PEE that works famously on kitty messes, dog messes as well!

At 14:32 Blogger Marjorie said...

(((Grace))) sorry to hear that. It's never easy, even when you know it's the right thing, is it?


To change the subject, I went out to lunch with family today, and my sister and her boyfriend told us they just got engaged!!

Very happy & excited :-)

At 15:09 Blogger EmilyLady said...

Thank you, Woodsman Hans.

At 15:57 Blogger Karen B. said...

@25 -- Oh, so sorry to hear that. My cats lived at least that long, and it's heartbreaking when it's their time.

Yay for Hans.

For litter boxes, sometimes creaky older cats need a cutout (lower jumping) AND taller walls (harder to point the butt down). Excellent to note that catbox options aren't just what are SOLD as catboxes.

At 16:14 Blogger Siri said...

Oh, Grace - I'm so sorry. Be sure to take care of you and your family now - this is a sad time. Hugs and more hugs.

At 16:24 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Wonderful advice! All of it.

Grace, been there, twice this year. It's the hardest thing we have to do as pet owners. And the bravest. Sparing them an ending in pain and suffering is the greatest thing we do for them.

Bengal Boy is staying Bubba, Hans likes it, and it doesn't sound silly when he says it.

At 16:57 Blogger Na said...

{{{{{Grace}}}}} A hundred hugs to you and your family.

"Bubba" isn't too bad - I understand it to mean "brother." Maybe what the kitteh needs is a second name to follow Bubba?

I am working all weekend, have been hard all week. To the point my body hurts from sitting too much - should be taking more breaks. The guy and monsters are watching the first episode of Lost (I can't help but peek some - it's so odd going back...). Anyway, keeping cozy indoors.

Slainte, all.

At 16:57 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Driving across Wisconsin tomorrow to pick up Bubba at the Kalahari (kid you not) hotel!

Just talked to his current Foster, poor women, it was her first Bengal and she gets a problem child.

Not a problem for me.

At 16:59 Blogger Na said...

Bubba Kalahari!

At 17:35 Blogger Bulfinch's Aglaia said...

Thank you for the hugs and comfort, everyone, and thank you, Lorraine, for your kind words and understanding. I knew you all would totally get this.

Bubba is "brother" down here in the south, and to me, it's charm depends on the person. :-) Blessings to you both for being so willing to help needy kitteys!

At 17:48 Anonymous Lysandwr said...

{{Grace}} I am *so* sorry for your loss; thank you for being good to your furry one and taking the care of him that he needed when he needed it most.....


Q--well done--another (unsurprisingly) successful mission accomplished. I rather like the idea of Woodsman Hans w/a cat named Bubba. The rest of us can certainly think of furboy as Bubba Kalahari (almost has a ring to it, neh?) in our minds :)

At 17:49 Blogger Jane said...

I've known 2 Bubbas who were absolutely wonderful. Steve's insurance agent when I met him was named Bubba. He always talked about "Bubba" and I had a mental image of overweight Southern good ol boy. Finally met him and OMG straight out of GQ and so nice.
The second was my parents' student minister at their church. Another cutie and my whole family loved him!
So my associations with Bubba are good ;-)

At 18:08 Blogger Jess said...

Like I say: some cats are just Bubs! :D

Hee! I like Bubba Kalahari. That works.

At 18:20 Blogger ariandalen said...

Such a beautiful boy! Glad Hans could step up to help him. :)

{{{Grace}}} ::sigh::

At 18:20 Blogger ariandalen said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

At 18:20 Blogger Bridget said...

Q, you are marvelous. Your heart glows.

Hans, thank you SO, SO, MUCH.

At 18:27 Blogger ariandalen said...

Hi, Bill Peschel, Emily, Amy D. Shojai, Morgawse, and Lena! New Fiends are so fun and informative. :)
Pick up a lovely white, buckled jacket over here. We each have at least one. There are also all sorts of supplies for you to personalize your jacket. :)

BTW, Amy Shojai, I graduated from Austin College. :)

At 18:59 Blogger EmilyLady said...

Oh. My. Fods. ANOTHER EMILY!

Grace, I am awfully sorry.

At 19:49 Blogger EmilyLady said...

Hey Fiends, I kicked ass today. I didn't take the creepy man's evil. Aren't you proud of me, Quiche?

At 20:13 Blogger Amy said...

What a gorgeous boy, I'm glad you are there for him.

Thank you also for this wonderful list of tips. One of my cats would pee only in the litterbox for a long time and poo in the general vicinity. The trick? Litterbox with no lid.

I know you will fix soon-not-to-be-named-Bubba-anymore and he will have a good home.

At 20:20 Anonymous Marilyn Krieger, CCBC said...

I'm going to add some more points, then go to dinner (I'm at a clicker training conference) then add more.
OK... about those cat boxes.
I recommend that my clients buy the 66 qt. Sterilite Clearview storage containers. No tops. They are translucent and 12 inches high. Makes cleanup easier for you, also allows the cat to see through them.
2. Placement is very important. Make sure that the boxes are placed in areas where the cat will not feel cornered. Closets, bathrooms are not good choices... we are talking instinct... cats can potentially be ambushed in closets... and as Lorraine said... we want this little kitty to feel secure and safe. The boxes should be in different areas around the house.
more later... have to meet friends for dinner.
Marilyn Krieger, Certified Cat Behavior Consultant...

At 20:49 Blogger Angelle Haney Gullett said...

(delurk)

He could always be Bubba-Ho-Tep. I get a young Bruce Campbell vibe off his chin!

Good on ya, Miss Q, and on Mr. Hans!

(relurk)

At 20:51 Blogger Siri said...

Emily Olive - you Rock! Good on you.

Also - Ocean state summer writing conference - June 24-26. University of Rhode Island, Kingston RI.

uri.edu/summerwriting. I think you should check it out.....

At 21:01 Blogger EmilyLady said...

Well, thanks, Siri!

At 21:02 Blogger Dragonsally said...

First off Grace - I am so sorry. Hugest of hugs for you and the family.
Second, Emily, I am always proud of you because you rock.
and not lastly...Quiche and Hans - you rock. As soon as I saw Bubba and read his name I thought of Bubba/Elvis in the Charlaine Harris books and the name seemed right. He is a beautiful boy.

I have declared this Sunday as a stay in pj's day...I didn't wake up until 1.30pm (shocked myself, is been a long time since I did that) and its hot and horrible outside so pj's in front of cooler. Yah for lazy Sundays.

On the litter box issue - once Tysie developed diabetes she started having issues, so I replaced her box with a huge underbed storage thing and its been great. Also put lino over the carpet so any accidents could be cleaned easily. She didn't ask to get sick after all.

At 23:04 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Home from my dinner party. Have to say it was quite fun. Saw Hangover and didn't eat pie.

The funniest part of the evening was right at the start, when Boss called, and far from being the "OH gods, what happened" call I thought, he was ringing to say he'd seen my tweet about going out, and wanted make sure it was really ME. lol.

Riding in the morning, then a long drive, to get our Bubba Kalahari.

I think She's Lost Angeles should de-lurk more often. Great name!

'Night.

At 23:17 Anonymous Lysandwr said...

Ah, someone beat me to the Bubba Ho Tep reference. I can see it though....a YOUNG Bruce Campbell, anyway :)

Our two furries are particular and *different* in their needs. Angus, having been raised in a loving cat-ful environment (thank you, G-household!) is more than happy to use whatever litter box is supplied as long as there is one and it is preferably cleaned daily. He has developed a taste for the covered box, but only the absolutely largest size. It is funny to watch him, as he disappears entirely into the box...prepares a poop site....pops his head back out and stares off into the distance while doing his business. If he had a newspaper to read (perhaps a pipe as well?) it would be perfect.

Jezebel (mom's Turkish Angora) was an abused kitten and has ....issues.

You cannot leave a blanket or sheet on the floor in any room...she will ruck it up and poop/pee. Especially if it is in a room that is less used, thus more often left in the dark.

But she will also use a litter box as long as it *is* under cover....whether that is in a closet, a big box w/a lid, or under the vanity counter in my mom's bathroom. We joke that she has privacy issues.

So we have multiple boxes, up and down stairs, and half of them are covered.

More boxes makes the cleanup easier, too.

The only way to keep Jezebel from pooping on sheets or blankets on the floor, however, is to simply not leave any there...even for 20 minutes. Fair enough, considering what she went through as a kitten. Not a lot of effort to expend on our part.

DS--you are leading the way. I shall head to bed soon, and upon waking tomorrow (my Sunday) shall remain in pjs all day. When anyone asks, they shall be told that DragonSally has decreed that it is PJs Sunday. Works for me! (might actually make getting homework done easier :))

At 23:20 Anonymous Lysandwr said...

*snicker* Q....you made me snort ice cream. "was it really you?"

You go out frequently, don't you? It is simply that you are usually making music when you are out. That is social, right?

Glad you had fun, however. The Hangover--was it better than expected?

At 23:38 Blogger Dragonsally said...

oh dear. Don't follow my lead Lys, I ended up having a shower and putting cooler clothes on because I was too hot. That wasn't until after 3pm, so that was nearly a day in PJ's, right?

At 00:17 Blogger Dragonsally said...

The world is shrinking in a strange way. A friend here in Melbourne just linked to Kimberly's photos of Zora and Ziggy...

At 01:24 Blogger spacedlaw said...

Well, I was about to suggest Kublai Khan for the name but Bubba Kalahari is fine.
My understanding of Bubba is that it is a diminutive of the Yiddish Bubeleh (child), used for when the kid is not a child anymore (at least that what's some friends of mine used, never mind that their kid was called Nathan to start with).

At 09:31 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

HEY! How did my morning turn into work? How many e-mails for work does one GET on SUnday morning? I'm up for it, but it tanked the get to the barn early notion I had.

Hmmph. Still get to go, before I make the cross state run for Bubba Kalahari, but in more haste than I had PLANNED.

Can't wait to meet this Kitty, tho I am a little irritated at people. This is NOT a kitty who needs to be put down, which was about to happen. His foster is very nice, but really doesn't know Bengals, or how to deal with this.

He is VERY saveable and may well end up a poster child for the breed. A Bengal LAP CAT? Such a lover.

At 12:15 Blogger Kimberly said...

Yay for tough rescues, Bengal and otherwise! I agree with all of the mentioned ways of stopping spraying. I want to emphasize Lorraine's first one - get the medical ruled out first! So much time is spent on the others, that it might be easy to forget that you REALLY want to do that - yes, even with the vet bill.

Also, someone else mentioned it, but not as a specific rule: If there's a pattern to what a kitty likes to pee on (we had one that really liked plastic bags, or plastic of any kind) just train yourself not to ever EVER leave that on the ground. You want to train the cat - but you may have to train yourself, first!

All that said - anyone want an update from THIS Bengal rescue?

I thought not...




what...

oh... you do? Sorry, I must have misheard!

Perhaps you'd like to see how happy mama Zoraline is when she gets played with? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ujDRXYvCU8

She might be a lapcat Bengal herself, given a little more room to stretch out in... in the meantime, she tries in her own goofy little way:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlyjennery/4318220416/

I will warn you about coming too close because Ziggy has very VERY fearsome CLAWS!!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlyjennery/4318232030/

Also, if you're subject to dying of cuteness, you might want to write out your will before clicking here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlyjennery/4318215392/

There's a video of Ziggy uploading now. It's awfully cute, too. I'll update with it later :)

Enjoy!

At 12:21 Blogger Jess said...

Yeah, I'm really baffled by that response. When did inconvenience turn into a reason to kill pets? Sure, pee is gross. But everything alive pees. Babies pee. You don't turn your toddler out of the house because she still wets the bed.

That argument assumes, of course, that pets are as important as people-- and to the sort of person who believes that pets are essentially sentient throw pillows with cute faces, it's not going to seem like sense. :/

Did you get to go ride in the end, Q? Hope so.

So last night I woke up and felt a tap on my shoulder. Thought it was a cat. Turned out to be my pinched nerve telling me it's pinched. O hai, it seemed to say. Lys said the shoulder thing would get entertaining. She did not lie.

At 12:26 Blogger Jess said...

Yay! More Zora and Ziggy! Kimberly, I think this one's my favorite. :)

At 12:39 Blogger spacedlaw said...

That kitty is so cute it is indecent!

At 12:40 Blogger Kimberly said...

Okay - this is gonna just turn people into blubbering puddles of goo ... Ziggy video. Watch him chew his own foot, and smack his lips.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEO9YQkT65Y

At 12:47 Blogger Jess said...

Aaaah, footnoms!

There, I am dead. You killed me. You there, with your Broccoli Cats and your Ziggy Footnommers. I hope you are happy. (I would be, but I am DEAD.) :D

At 13:02 Blogger Kimberly said...

Jess - I'm so sorry. Please let me know when you are back from the dead, and I will attempt to do it again? ;)

At 13:04 Blogger Jess said...

*regenerates*

I'm a glutton for cat-based punishment.

At 13:43 Blogger Marjorie said...

So, Jess is a TimeLord (TimeLady?) this is useful information.. Do you go all glow-y when you regenerate?

At 15:19 Blogger Kimberly said...

Jess, I hope this doesn't do permanent damage: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlyjennery/4319457507/

At 16:41 Blogger Dragonsally said...

Aaaawwwww, Kimberly I love you!

What a perfect way to start my week.

At 16:55 Blogger WereBear said...

What wonderful suggestions. I would add something I haven't seen brought up; that sometimes a rescue needs their world shrunk down for them to handle it.

If he's restricted to one room, he can't, and won't, be able to go "all over the house." This can calm him down, too; he's not responsible for a whole house, just one room. This can keep him from feeling like he has to mark the whole house.

At 17:10 Blogger Chantrelle said...

Spending as little time as possible on the computer today. It's sunny. It's warm. I gardened. I'm covered in dirt and compost. Sorry to all of you buried in snow! But days like these I remember why such a huge percentage of our income goes to mortgage and why I stay and keep paying.

Yay for going out Lorraine! I love that boss thought your twitter acct had been hijacked :P

At 18:52 Blogger Jess said...

Eeee! At this rate, I'll be out of regenerations.

*sets fire to sofa*

New teeth. That's weird.

At 19:47 Blogger DataGoddess said...

But are you ginger?

At 19:51 Blogger Jess said...

No. But I've got legs!

At 20:04 Blogger FabulousLorraine said...

Home!

And the new post , with Bubba pics is UP!

At 21:37 Blogger Bravely Barefoot said...

You and Woodsman Hans are wonderful people! I have my own zoo of slightly defective cats (2 we got as kittens, 2 strays, another who needed a new home after her human's baby was born allergic... Of course it's the one who came from a good home who's the psychotic one, not either of the strays.)

Reading this blog always makes me want to go out and foster some even more psychotic kitties (and then I remember, I already have 5!)

It's heartwarming to know there are people out there making sure these poor kitties find homes!

At 10:38 Blogger Unknown said...

Hey! As a vet, I find this is great advice, and I'm usually pretty touchy. You have mentioned just about everything I tell my clients! And the NUMBER ONE reason cats are euthanized in the US is because of litterbox issues. Only thing to add may be to have a vet see the kitty, as urinating outside the litterbox can be caused by a cystitis (ouch! the litterbox bit me, I don't want to go back there again!), or the behavior of urinating outside the litterbox can cause a cystitis.
Also, "Nature's Miracle" or "Oxiclean" are enzymatic cleaners which break down the scent, so try cleaning with that. Great job!

At 12:12 Blogger Jen said...

Hey!!!! I second and third Anti-Icky Poo..this is multi purpose stuff.. and works great!

At 12:12 Blogger Jen said...

Anti-Icky Poo Rocks!

At 11:27 Blogger Bill Peschel said...

Thanks, Monique, for your comment. I'm always nervous about sharing advice outside my specialty, so glad to see a vet confirm our comments.

And hey back atcha ariandalen!

At 01:56 Blogger Maureen said...

Is it just me, or does anyone else think Woodsman Hans will end up adding this beautiful boy to his family permanently :) He's irresistable!

At 02:00 Blogger spacedlaw said...

It would very much depend on how well the other cat accepts him, Maureen. But he is one loving creature for sure (and that was about Bubba; I wouldn't call Hans a creature).

At 02:21 Blogger Maureen said...

I totally know what you mean, spacedlaw. I have worked at an animal shelter for the past nine years and know how complicated these situations can be. For some reason I just have a good feeling about this one :)

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