# I'm getting a kitten

Category: Animal House

## Post 1 by Blue Velvet (I've got the platinum golden silver bronze poster award.) on Thursday, 11-Nov-2004 9:25:59

My last cat died of old age in September. I've been sort of enjoying not having any cats at all for the past couple of months since I had at least one, and up to three at one time, over the last 17 years. But I finally decided I was ready for another cat and will be getting a 7-month-old male kitten this weekend. I'm looking forward to it. I was told he is very affectionate and playful -- exactly what I wanted.

## Post 2 by _rory_ (predictable kryptic) on Thursday, 11-Nov-2004 9:31:18

Congratulations, Cat lover! I love kittens too.

## Post 3 by Caitlin (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Thursday, 11-Nov-2004 13:24:44

Awww I love kitties. I really really really want one, just like yours, Catlover, affectionate and playful, so I've heard males are better. I've heard the girls can get snooty? But oh well, basically I want a kitty to cuddle with lol! But my parents say it's too expensive to take it to the vet, and it will be horrible when it dies, and that I won't take care of it, which I will. Waaaa! What I owuldn't give ...
Caitlin

## Post 4 by CatWoman721984 (the Zone BBS remains forever my home page) on Thursday, 11-Nov-2004 14:06:43

AWw congrats. I love kittens and cats, that's so awesome that your getting a kitty :D
Good Luck.....send me pix if you can LOL e-mail a message and I'll give you my e-mail addy.

## Post 5 by Blue Velvet (I've got the platinum golden silver bronze poster award.) on Thursday, 11-Nov-2004 14:54:40

Sorry, I don't know how to do the whole sending pics on the computer thing and don't have the right equipment anyway. But I may have a naming contest. I forgot to ask the lady I'm getting him from what she named him and won't find out until Saturday. But if it has a name I don't like, 'll ask for opinions because I don't have much imagination when it comes to naming pets.

## Post 6 by Jess227 on Thursday, 11-Nov-2004 16:17:50

awwwwwwww! how cute! i love cats!

## Post 7 by Caitlin (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Thursday, 11-Nov-2004 16:56:23

Awww i'd love a naming contest. That'd be awesome! Hope we have one lol ...
Caitlin

## Post 8 by sparkie (the hilljack) on Thursday, 11-Nov-2004 21:50:09

awawaw.
Troy

## Post 9 by Caitlin (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Friday, 12-Nov-2004 0:39:13

I can't wait to hear about your kitty! And whether there'll be a naming contest ...
Caitlin
--The Excited One
Teehehehe...

## Post 10 by SensuallyNaturallyLiving4Today (LivingLifeAndLovingItToo) on Monday, 17-Jul-2006 15:34:15

So, what's the deal? What is his name? What color is he? What is his personality like?

## Post 11 by Blue Velvet (I've got the platinum golden silver bronze poster award.) on Monday, 17-Jul-2006 20:00:27

Good grief! I can't believe this topic is back on the first page. I have now had the cat for more than a year and a half.

## Post 12 by motifated (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Monday, 17-Jul-2006 20:56:05

Hi Becky and Smokey:
Well, our cat was named Spike, but I jokingly said we were changing his name to Advent as we got him around Christmas time. It stuck. He's a wonderful orange taby who likes to knit on my braille magazines. When he was younger, he'd jump from the floor onto m shoulder and sit there and purr. We took him to the vet, and the tech commented on his purring: "We're going to have to take you to a Nascar event, and harness that engine of yours." He knows his papa is blind, and stops purring when he wants to cause trouble or doesn't want to be found. Our only other cat was female, and she'll always be my favorite, but I wouldn' trade Advent for anything. Lou

## Post 13 by redgirl34 (Scottish) on Monday, 17-Jul-2006 21:17:00

I wish I could get a cat but my family don't like animals. I have a guide dog though. I would love to hold a cat again. I haven't held one for years. There used to be 12 cats accross the road from me.

## Post 14 by SensuallyNaturallyLiving4Today (LivingLifeAndLovingItToo) on Tuesday, 18-Jul-2006 8:32:24

Male cats are funny that way. When they're yung they are extremely effectionate, and then they cool off a bit. But, just wait until they get sick, coming down with a kitty cat cold, he'll be in your lap snuggled up so tightly you'll have trouble breathing. When they get old they also revert back to their kittenish effection. Smokey will probably start wanting to be picked up and cuddled again when he hits eight or nine. He won't want to play so much, but he will be very clingy. I've noticed this pattern with several nutered male cats, both those I've owned, and those of friends and family members.

## Post 15 by Blue Velvet (I've got the platinum golden silver bronze poster award.) on Tuesday, 18-Jul-2006 10:24:00

That's interesting to know, thanks. Before Smokey, I had only had females.

## Post 16 by SensuallyNaturallyLiving4Today (LivingLifeAndLovingItToo) on Tuesday, 18-Jul-2006 11:03:23

Yeah, females are rather more consistant. They hold grudges longer, and they change very little over time. If you have a rotten little bitch, then a rotten little bitch she shall remain. By the same token, if she is the world's greatest sweet-heart then sweet and loving will she remain.

## Post 17 by changedheart421 (I've now got the bronze prolific poster award! now going for the silver award!) on Tuesday, 18-Jul-2006 13:36:19

love cats. they're so cute.

## Post 18 by Blue Velvet (I've got the platinum golden silver bronze poster award.) on Tuesday, 18-Jul-2006 13:51:19

Actually I had a rotten little bitch who turned sweet and lovable after an older female died. Seems she was jealous all that time and felt herself to be in competition, but once the competition was out of the way, she was a new cat.

## Post 19 by SensuallyNaturallyLiving4Today (LivingLifeAndLovingItToo) on Tuesday, 18-Jul-2006 15:02:03

Female cats can change if the pecking order changes, but they, in and of them selves don't generally change in terms of personality.

## Post 20 by motifated (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Tuesday, 18-Jul-2006 17:42:36

Interesting to know. Our cat came from a vetrinary blood bank. He was the bully of all the cats. I guess he was in a house instead of a room, and he really mellowed out after he got over his fear. He's still a bit paranoid, however. the vet who ran the blood bank said you could see the pecking order change just as was mentioned in the last post. Cats who stayed hidden suddenly came out of their shells as it were.

## Post 21 by yellowcat (Zone BBS Addict) on Wednesday, 19-Jul-2006 17:24:37

I have a rescued cat - who was badly treated before I got her !!!! I was the first human she ever trusted... and she is VERY like me - comes and goes - and does her own thing LOL *wicked grin*

## Post 22 by motifated (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Wednesday, 19-Jul-2006 17:44:27

We've had two cats, and both were adopted. I wouldn't have a cat any other way!

## Post 23 by SensuallyNaturallyLiving4Today (LivingLifeAndLovingItToo) on Thursday, 20-Jul-2006 15:11:09

Adopted cats can be very tricky. You often don't know their past as well as you would like, and although it is a wonderful thing to give an unwanted cat a home you can be getting your self into a situation of endless new challenges. I have had both pure-breed cats and rescue cats as well. I have found that the best behaved and best trained cats come from the homes of breeders. These cats are taught along with their sibblings not to scratch furnature or carpets, that the litter box is the only appropriate place for releaving them self, how to deal with seperation, and how to get along with cats, dogs, adults and small children, by the large family of cats already in residence with the breeders. They are more adapted to change, and their bonds with humans are often much stronger. That and the breeder usually teaches them valuable commands such as, "Leave it.", "Sit.", "Stay." "Up.", "Fetch." and also how to stand for examination at the vet's office or in the cat judging ring. They are handled from birth and aren't upset by handeling of their feet in order to clip nails, manipulation of their mouths, ears, eye-lids, genetals, tails, and palpation of their ribs, abdomins or haunches to check for health and fittness of the animal. Kittens from breeders are raised, "Under-foot." which means that they are exposed to various situations, noises, dogs, kids, smaller animals, such as fish, birds or rodents, and are taught to walk on leashes in order to be taken outside and to interact with the public. Also, pure-breed cats tend to be healthier, and as they were genetically screened for potential health risks you can save a lot of money on vet bills, and a lot of heart-ache over loosing a beloved pet quickly and unexpectedly. Now, shelter cats can be wonderful cats, but they have a far higher chance of contracting or developing a severe illness and are more likely to be out-door cats, which is very dangerous and can shorten the lifespan of a cat by up to five years. Shelter cats can have far more distinct markings, personality querks and skills and abilities than ordinary pure-breed cats though, because they are unique and complex mixtures of various breeds and various lines with in those breeds. For instance you might get a cat that has the short velvity fur of a Siamese, with the body-type of a British short-hair and a beautiful macarol tabby coat. This cat might have the distinctive meow of a Pursian, combined with the cherp of a tortish-shell and the in-born interest in fetching that is charictoristic of the Oriental and Color-Point short-hair breeds. You can get a wonderful surprise, but you can also get a nasty shock. With pure-breed cats you can get a very good idea of what the cats will grow up to look like, act like and how they will fair medically, simply by observing the parents and checking the history of the lines. I have also found that whether the cat is from a breeder or a shelter, getting a kitten, or a very yung adult cat usuallly makes for a closer bond and a higher trainability.