#not interested in indoor/outdoor cat debate

[thepalmofyourfreezinghand]

Hi! How are you doing? I’m the anon that asked you about your favourite books, castles and cats 🙋‍♀️💜

I’m thinking of getting a cat myself and I was wondering if you have any tips or tricks to keep in mind when being a first time cat owner? (or at least my first own cat in my adult life- had some cats growing up but this is different)

Btw I’m also curious which and how many languages you speak? 😊

Awwww anon that's amazing, I'm so happy for you! I'm just gonna give you some advice, but I'm not a veterinarian, so don't use me as your main source of information!

Despite what some people say all cats are different. Some require more attention, some are low-maintenance, some prefer being left alone for hours, some will follow you in every room, some love being pet and held in your arms, others prefer much less contact, some are brighter and some are a bit more stupid, etc... So, I'd say to learn what kind of cat your cat is and start from there.

Some stuff you need: 1. Food 2. Bowls for food and water (it's better if they're large bowls so the cat's whiskers don't touch them when they eat/drink, because that might be uncomfortable) 3. A litter box (ask your veterinary about which litter to get) 4. A brush! You should brush them often 5. Some clean wipes (the ones made especially for cats/dogs) to clean them if they get dirty somewhere they can't clean themselves 5. If needed, a leash 6. If needed, some toys

There's an endless debate about keeping your cat inside or letting them outside, but I think that a bit of common sense is all that's needed to solve the debate. First of all, if you can, try to train your cat to use a leash: it will probably be difficult, but if you manage it you just solved your problem (you can let your cat enjoy the outdoors while keeping them and other animals safe). If you can't do that (and that's the case for me!), then it really depends on where you live. Do you live on a very busy street? Then your cat is probably gonna be an indoor cat, and there's nothing wrong with that! Do you live in the country or somewhere your cat can wander around without too much danger? Then you might let your cat explore! BUT if your cat starts bringing back small wildlife animals every time you let them out (like small birds or mice), then maybe it's better you keep them inside until they change their habit: pointlessly killing the wildlife in your area is not a very good idea. (That's my opinion on the matter but it's a controversial topic!).

Absolutely spay/neuter your cat!

Always keep the litter box clean (I usually clean it twice a day), and don't keep the litter box near the place where you put food and water.

Listen to what your cat "tells" you. If they're not in the mood to be touched or picked up, for example, they will usually meow, push your hand away with their paw, or move somewhere else. Try to listen to your cat's needs as much as possible and to respect their "boundaries", so you can build a wonderful relationship with them.

Some cats are more high energy than others, but pretty much all of them will want to play a bit during the day, especially when they're young, so try to take some time every day to play with them. You don't need any fancy toys to do it: a string or a ball made from tinfoil will usually be enough to keep most cats entertained for hours. If you choose to buy some "actual" toys, buy a couple of them and see which ones your cat actually prefers before spending too much money on toys the cat won't be interested in. If you're adopting an older cat, they might not have a lot of energy to play, but they will still probably enjoy being entertained in some ways! It's just a matter of discovering what your cat likes.

About which brand of food and of litter to buy: again, it depends. Ask your veterinary what's the best brand to get in your country for your cat. Most brands have different types of food depending on the age of your cat (kitten, adult, senior), so be mindful of that too and follow the indications. You should feed your cat twice a day, ideally, but ask your veterinary about portions and frequence! I feed my cats both wet and dry food. Wet food may be particularly important because a lot of cats don't drink enough water.

You don't need to wash your cat in water, they do all the work themselves (there are exceptions for some cat breeds, ask your veterinary).

Most cats sleep for 10-15 hours a day AND they also spend a lot of time cleaning themselves. That's absolutely normal!

If you're getting a specific breed of cat, learn everything you can about how to take care of that breed. If you're adopting from a shelter, ask the volunteers there everything you want to know. The same goes for your veterinary: it's better to be safe than sorry!

Cats are resilient and they're usually pretty good at taking care of themselves, so don't stress it too much!

And enjoy your new friend, I'm so jealous of you!

I speak Italian (duh), English (duh) and Spanish (I spent one year in Central America, I got a C1 certification years ago but I think that my level right now is more B2), and I'd also studied French and got to a B1 level BUT then I completely left it behind and now I don't remember almost anything. My plan is to eventually pick up French again and get to a B1-B2 level, and I'd also love to learn how to speak Norwegian before I die because I think it's the most beautiful-sounding language in the world (yep!).

[miffyghost]

the debate around indoor vs outdoor cats is so interesting because in the us it seems like the general consensus is that you shouldn’t let your cat outside but in the uk when I tell people I have indoor cats they’re always really shocked and almost every shelter that I looked into explicitly said they wouldn’t rehome to an indoor only house like it’s not even a conversation here

[a-witch-in-endor]

answer for some might also depend on the breed of cat? normal cat would probably be fine but persian or sphynx or munchkin cat would die easy bc we messed with them so much :( also if they have health problems or allergies or are old, yeah?

Are you saying the breed or health of the cat changes whether or not they're analogous to a human toddler? Because if so, anon, I am interested. Are some breeds inherently less intelligent? Is that why my cat is such a dumbass?

[fumblebeefae]

Hi, I've been quite interested in the indoor vs outdoor cat debate that's been happening and I'm not very educated on the subject and would like to learn more but I'm very bad at reading long paragraphs and taking in information in bulk like I've seen a lot of posts do recently. Is there a way you could sum it up or somewhere you recommend that simply explains the arguments being made? Sorry to bother you- sincerely, someone with a poor concentration span

You can have a stroll through my tags: outdoor-cats and cat-discourse but since most of it might be alot of long paragraphs I can do a very short dot-point version of the main points against outdoor cats: 

1. Threat to native wildlife

Cats are primarily responsible for the extinction of 33 endemic species on Islands - these species could be found no where else in the world 

They contribute significantly to the loss of native wildlife like birds 

Of the 29 mammal species in Australia that are extinct cats have been the main contributor to 20 of them

Cats are thought to kill more than 1.5 billion native reptiles, birds and mammals a year

Scientific studies on their impact to wildlife have been done for decades in Australia and across the globe in the US, UK, New Zealand, the netherlands, South Africa, China, Japan, Canda, Switzerland, Germany, Poland and Italy

2. Increase risk of disease 

outdoor cats have been shown in several studies to have an increase risk of injury, disease and infection 

they’re more likely to be exposed to fleas, parasites, viruses and bacterial infections and transmit those to other pets, wildlife and humans  

Can be injured fighting with other cats - and transmit disease this way

No way to control their diet which can lead to disease and health complications

3. Exposure to poisoning 

We bait for foxes in certain areas of Sydney. Cats are known to regularly be killed by eating these baits

Secondary poisoning from eating wildlife / pests that have recently ingested poison or bait

Some people will go out of their way to intentionally poison people’s pets 

4. Exposure to predators 

Cat being allowed to free-roam are more likely to run into dogs - even if those dogs are in someones backyard as cats are known to run through people’s yards

Cat regularly get injured / kills by wildlife - coyotes, birds of prey, foxes, dingoes, ect. 

5. Increase risk of losing pet

Because outdoor cats are normalised people often don’t think a cat they come across is lost so they won’t bring it to a vet or call the number on its collar

People regularly find outdoor cats they think are “lost” and will keep them themselves as their new pet

The amount of stories you see of people being reunited with a cat they had 5-10 years ago is bad

6. Contribute to feral cat population

Alot of people never desex their pets - they will breed with other cats including feral ones

Increase of STI’s for both pet and feral cats 

feral cats are a huge environment issue and live horrible lives and die terrible deaths

7. Exposure to death or injury via humans 

Outdoor cats regularly seem to die by getting hit by cars - I think everyone can name people they know who have lost cats to being hit by a car

some people are cruel and they will kill and torture animals for fun including pet cats

some times cats are killed accidentally by people shooting for other pests like we do here in Sydney for foxes 

8. Decreased lifespan

Outdoor cats lifespan is an average of 2-5 years compared to indoor cats at 13-17 years

[lesbianmichelmishina]

(plz don’t reblog, replies are fine though)

it always interests me to see the outdoor vs indoor cat debate. i didn’t even know it was a thing for years, bc here in the uk letting your cats outside is completely normal. and when i first heard of the issues i was like... oh my god, is my cat okay??

and then i looked up british perspectives on the debate. and they’re very different! the main thing is that we’ve had cats in this country for way longer than a lot of the places we colonised (america, canada, etc). in those places cats are a genuinely dangerous invasive species causing serious harm to native wildlife, but in the uk our ecosystems have adapted to account for cats. we also have less things that can hurt cats - less guns, very few to no large predators, etc.

so i’m always like, yeah, keep your cat indoors! very supportive of this movement! but my own cat goes outside fairly freely because our situation here is very different to the situation of most people talking about this.

(though of course we still have to be careful here in the uk. like i would not let a cat out if i lived by a super busy road, or if the cat had health issues, or was of a breed that was less well-suited to going outside a lot like a sphinx.)

[cheeseanonioncrisps]

The more I read about the indoor/outdoor cat debate, the more convinced I become that the issue is ultimately never going to get resolved, because both sides seem to be under the impression that the other side just doesn't have enough information, when in fact it's a largely philosophical debate.

Okay, so there is the issue of people in different environments having different things to worry about when it comes to pet keeping (eg. Rabies isn't a thing in the UK but is in other countries, so we don't really have to worry about that; New Zealand has a shockingly large number of endangered flightless bird species, so Jesus Christ keep your cats indoors over there; etc.) where people might change their minds about other people's choices when given more information.

But generally it doesn't make a difference.

The indoor cat owner sends outdoor cat owners information about the dangers of letting your cat roam free, and about the increases in life expectancy that come with keeping them indoors.

The outdoor cat owner sends information about the many natural behaviours outdoor cats are more easily able to engage in, and the increased likelihood of obesity or mental health problems in indoor cats.

And neither of them get anywhere because, obviously, every outdoor cat owner is well aware that their cat is less safe outside. Every indoor cat owner knows that their cat is going to require a lot more enrichment to keep it happy.

This is a debate about physical vs mental health.

If you keep an animal, is it more ethical to ensure that it is as healthy and longlived as possible, or to ensure that it is as happy and as close to its natural lifestyle as possible? (I mean, the ideal answer is both, but people tend to disagree about degrees.)

Is it acceptable to potentially sacrifice an animal's physical health for its mental health (or vice versa)?

These are the issues that people are actually concerned with, but they rarely get properly addressed, because people are too busy assuming that outdoor cat owners aren't aware that cars are dangerous, or indoor cat owners don't know that cats like climbing things.

Certainly, I've seen a lot of indoor cat owners especially who are apparently under the impression that outdoor cat owners just… don't care about our cats? They'll conflate it with animal abuse— insisting that all outdoor cats are also underfed and never get taken to the vets— or act like we just let our pets out for the hell of it, because we can't be bothered to keep doors shut.

And I'm just saying, whether or not you agree with the ideology behind letting your cats outside (and whether or not you're actually able to do that where you live, which is of course an entirely separate issue), I'd appreciate it if people would just admit that there is an ideology there. We are just as shocked at the idea of keeping a cat indoors unecessarily as you are by the idea of letting one outdoors. It's usually not a bloody whim.

Best example, if a bit of an extreme one: when my old cat got ill, she spent about a week not being able to go outside. Not because she was contagious or anything like that, just that she was physically so weak that she was spending all her time loungeing on the sofa like a Victorian consumptive, having to have her food and water bowls held under her nose at regular intervals, because she didn't have the strength to reach them herself.

So, because she couldn't go outside on her own, my Mum would come home every day from work, pick her up, and carry her once around the garden.

She'd try to get me and my Dad to do it as well. We didn't, because I personally thought that it was a bit much, but to my Mum, Button's little "jaunts around the garden" were a vital part of her getting better. If she couldn't breathe the fresh air and see all the plants and things at least once a day (and it is worth mentioning that humans absolutely suffer if we can't see greenery. That's why we grow trees in cities. It's a whole issue, and I'd be interested to see if anybody's studied whether it affects other species), then she might just succumb to her illness.

(The cat did get slightly better as well. I mean, she ended up dying of whatever she had— we never found out for sure, but we suspect cancer— but she didn't spend the rest of her life stuck on that sofa. Make of that what you will.)

Like I say, I think that that's a bit much— I know I've spent days when I was ill just lying on the sofa, and it didn't seem to affect my recovery that much—but it demonstrates my point: outdoor cat keepers (and indoor cat keepers, for that matter) aren't just keeping their pets that way for the hell of it.

There's a genuine philosophy about quality vs quantity of life and the responsibilities of pet owners in there and, until we address that, the debate is never going to be anything more than intensely frustrating for both sides.

[emmahayashi]

—  if you keep ignoring your emotions like this, you will eventually break down. how unfortunate.

EMMA HAYASHI ( LYRICA OKANO ) is a 17 year old JUNIOR student at Broadripple Academy. SHE is originally from PORTLAND, OR but moved to Broadripple 1 YEAR ago. She is DILIGENT and SHREWD but can also be STANDOFFISH and BLUNT. 

BASICS

Name: Emma Hayashi ( 林エマ ) Age: 17 Grade: Junior House: Melleray Cabin Room: Room 1 of the Junior Cabin How long have they been at Broadripple: 1 year Where are they from originally: Portland, OR Extra curricular: Yearbook ( Photographer ), Speech and Debate ( Member ) Other: Biography + Stats / Pinterest

TRAITS

Positive Personality Traits: Diligent, Creative, Shrewd Neutral Personality Traits: Competent, Mysterious, Selective Negative Personality Traits: Cynical, Blunt, Dramatic

FACTS

TW: terminal illness, parental death

— Emma is an only child raised by a single parent, her father. Her mother got sick shortly after her first birthday and passed away shortly after her second. She doesn’t really remember her mother and only knows her through old home videos and birthday cards she wrote for Emma before she passed. ( Her mom wrote her a birthday card for every birthday until her 21st. I’m big emo about it. )

— Seeing as it was just her and her dad growing up, they’re very close. Emma is extremely protective over her father. Legend has it she quit gymnastics lessons when she was 10 and again with dance lessons when she was 14 because one of the moms were getting too chummy with him ( and she really wasn’t vibing with the idea of a stepmom; she has a perfectly good mom she can learn from and connect with through old videos ).

—  Much to Emma’s dismay, her father couldn’t be single forever and eventually got into a relationship with a new administrative hire at the university he teaches at. Sheila was kind, very helpful, seemed to make her father laugh, and very, very Christian. The last bit made Emma quite wary but she agreed that as long she didn’t push her beliefs onto them, she could stay. ( Her father thinks she was joking but she really wasn’t. )

— The idea ( read: insistence ) of attending Broadripple was something that was brought up to Emma by her father ( read: his fiancee told him to bring it up with her ) after an incident that happened between Emma, a friend, and her soon-to-be stepmom. She had no interest in moving schools but her dad ( who is normally 110% on Emma’s side ) seemed decided about how ‘good’ it’ll be for her. She saw right through his bullshit and immediately knew the entire thing was Sheila’s doing.

— Taking into account how close Emma is with her father, she feels deeply betrayed by him taking Sheila’s side after Emma and her friend were caught in a compromising position by her now-stepmom. It’s been a year since Emma enrolled into Broadripple, and her relationship with her father is still just as broken as it was before she left for boarding school. Though Emma’s father often makes efforts to mend their relationship, Emma is resolute in the fact that her dad can eat shit for picking someone he’s dated for 8 months over her.

HEADCANONS

— Emma is a very diligent student. Straight A’s. 110% focus in class. She finishes all of her homework the same day she gets it if she can, but will call you a ‘nerd’ for doing the same thing though because she’s #edgy like that. 

— Emma is very artsy. It’s not uncommon to see her with a camera around her neck. Sometimes it’s because she’s taking photos for yearbook, but usually she’s just collecting video footage because she enjoys making short videos set to music in her free time. (An example of her stuff.)

— Music obsessed. Usually seen with earphones in and her eyes on her phone. She’s probably scrolling through Spotify for a new song to listen to so she can forget she’s living in a cabin with a bunch of weirdos in the middle of the woods.

— Kind of a big loner. She just prefers her own company. She’s also a bit on the fence about Broadripple folk or letting anyone get close to her because 1) she really doesn’t like religious people because of the bad experience with her stepmom and 2) she now fully believes that because of her dad that it doesn’t matter how close you are to someone, they will pick themselves over you in the end. Big yikes. Talk about trust issues.

— The camera she uses a Nikon D5600 ( primarily for Yearbook things and video projects ) but she also has a Fujifilm X-T20 that she uses occasionally for more chill day-to-day stuff. It’s smaller and less hefty.

— When not in uniform, she is ALWAYS in an outfit that is predominantly black, if not all black. Winged liner, black stud earrings, and Doc Martens are also a staple in her appearance.

— Always has a pair of Apple earphones rolled up and on her person at all times in case her usual AirPods ( it has a black case with an onigiri sticker on the front and a middle finger sticker on the back #duality ) run out of battery. She’s that paranoid about being without music knowing she’s going to be in even closer quarters with her Broadripple classmates.

— Ties her hair up when she’s about to study or do work (and not that she’d ever tell anyone this but she was deeply influenced to develop that habit because of Violet Baudelaire from the A Series of Unfortunate Events books.)

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RETREAT

What do they think about The Retreat?

Emma is pissed but she’d rather be at boarding school than to have to deal with her dad and her new stepmom’s just-married bliss everyday so she’s taking it on the chin. She thinks it’s ridiculous that her dad is paying this much money for her to get a fancy education but also she has to sleep in a derelict shack?? (It’s not a shack, Emma is just dramatic.) She likes the idea of her dad’s wallet hurting for something so stupid though so she’s weirdly for it and not for it at the same time. Mostly mad about the lack of WIFI. How is she going to do her homework? And what if she wants to listen to a song that isn’t downloaded on her Spotify? Chaos!

Do they have any previous experience with camping or other outdoors?

No. Emma is very much an indoor kid/person. She likes her privacy, she likes her space, she likes her toilet with its built-in bidet, her WIFI. But she has some experience with the outdoors. She’s hiked several trails back in Oregon with her friends and often likes to go to woodsy places for video footage. The outdoors as an aesthetic is *chef’s kiss* for Emma. She’ll hang outdoors as long as she knows she can inevitably return indoors with all of her favorite comforts.

What does their cabin bunk look like? How will they decorate their space?

Minimal but sentimental. Emma is trying not to get too comfortable because of false hope that this situation will be sorted sooner than later and she’ll only have to share a room with one person in not too long. She has a several things stuck on the wall her bed is against. A group shot of her and her friends. A polaroid of her cat, Oscar. A photo of her and Bernie, a too-good-for-this-world Saint Bernard that belongs to Sheila but has since moved into the Hayashi household now that she’s married to Emma’s dad. The first postcard her best friend managed to successfully send to her from Portland. A PDLIF bumper sticker.

Do they believe in the supernatural? To what degree?

No, Emma thinks that’s nonsense. She’s very much a rational person that’s grounded in science and logic. However, she can’t deny that some shady shit’s been going on at Broadripple since she’s been here. Sometimes she swears she sees figures rush past in her peripheral but she quickly reminds herself it’s probably just her imagination or information being relayed back to her eyes in a weird way, a cognitive illusion or something.

Are they easily spooked?

No. Emma is quite interested by eerie sort of things so it doesn’t turn her away. Though she has had to take a deep breath and grit her teeth sometimes to stomach certain creepy places around Broadripple (not that she’d admit that). She wills herself to not be spooked, let’s say that. Can’t fight the way your body reacts to some things though.

AND FINALLY,

You’ll watch everyone else go mad. You don't much believe in the things everyone says they're seeing and hearing in the woods. Overreacting, indulging each other's fantasies, building nothing into something. But... you're the odd one out. Doesn't that make you mad? 

[ilovereadingandilovebreathing]

Lost Cat (Plz Help)

Thanks to @lamp-calm-sanders for pointing out that my formatting was wack. I typed on mobile but edited and posted on my laptop because mobile formatting sucks ass.

Moxiety Strangers Texting

The sky was fittingly overcast as Virgil trudged down the sidewalk; the stack of “MISSING” posters under his left arm shifted uncomfortably and he sighed, adjusting for the fifth time to make sure the sheets didn’t spill out onto the concrete. He approached a wooden telephone pole and pulled out a poster, sticking it to the post with a thumbtack and another sigh.

MISSING

Oogie Boogie (called Oobie)

Runaway idiot; return ASAP

Is not an outdoor cat and has claws

$725 reward

Please contact 555-8473

He stared longingly at the photo of his cat, his already big eyes wide as he sat upright (for once) and staring at the phone camera. It’d been three days since Oobie (short for Oogie Boogie) vanished, and Virgil was starting to worry. Well, more than normal. The chubby, beige feline was 99% an indoor cat, and usually he just popped outside to investigate the backyard before sauntering back through the sliding glass door like he was too good for the world outside his walls and all the creatures therein (or really there-out.)

Last Sunday, though, Virgil had left the back door open for Oobie because he was in a rush to get to his study session with Logan Patterson, another astronomy fan in his intro. course whose company he found quite companionable. In his haste, he’d left it open all afternoon and into the evening and returned to find Oobie had not.

The absence of a pet is always a difficult experience, but for Virgil missing Oobie was downright painful. Oobie was Virgil’s emotional support animal; the sassy cat could sense and respond to Virgil’s shifts in mood easier than he could chase down the occasional cat nip gifts Virgil brought home. Without Oobie, Virgil could survive, but life was emptier and that much more difficult to deal with.

Virgil jumped and nearly dropped the precariously placed posters when his phone buzzed in his back pocket. He reached around, praying it was a call from Oobie’s rescuer.

[+1 555-6666]

I saw you cat. I hope it didn’t suffer. Too much.

“What the HELL?!” Virgil gasped audibly and blocked the number, taking deep breaths. People sucked sometimes.

His phone buzzed again.

[+1 555-3345]

I’m looking for my cat, too. Please let me know if you get any leads on a calico.

Virgil bit his lips but exhaled slowly.

[+1 555-8473]

Sure.

[+1 555-3345]

Thanks.

Useless. Virgil debated flicking his phone to silent mode but decided against it for the greater good. He scowled when the phone buzzed incessantly as he went to put it back in his pocket; he set down the posters and took out the phone, brows raising at the volume and content of messages from the number.

[+1 555-7188]

Are you still looking for your cat?!

[+1 555-7188]

I’m so sorry he’s missing.

[+1 555-7188]

Unless you found him, which if you did, congrats!

[+1 555-7188]

But if not I hope you find him soon!

[+1 555-7188]

And I can help you look if you still are!

[+1 555-7188]

My name is Patton, by the way. I’m a vet student, not a creeper; I promise! 😊

Virgil laughed roughly, bewildered at the stream of messages, before replying.

[+1 555-8473]

Hi Patton; I’m Virgil (though you probably already know that from the missing posters.) Psych student. Yeah, I’m still looking for Oobie. I don’t need help, really. Just keep an eye and ear out? Maybe spread the word? Thanks so much for the offer and interest.

Patton replied instantly.

[+1 555-7188]

Can do! Good luck! 💙

Virgil chuckled; Patton had to be the bubbliest person he’d come into contact with, in person and otherwise. He finally pocketed his phone and continued around the combined commercial and residential area, silently praying someone would call about Oobie soon.

-

Virgil stumbled through his door around 6pm, emotionally wrecked and exhausted from his day. The calico owner had texted him hourly, finally stopping after they announced it’d been found. Virgil hadn’t replied.

He set his empty box of thumbtacks on the coffee table and collapsed onto his couch, reclining so that he was almost laying down, and he stared sadly at the ceiling. Normally, Oobie would jump on his chest and stare him down until he fed him dinner or gave him a treat. He never thought he’d miss that.

His eyes filled, and he swiped a sleeve over his face, grimacing when his phone buzzed. One more false lead or asshole, and he was calling the cops.

[+1 555-7188]

Hey, it’s Patton! Any luck today?

[+1 555-8473]

No. Still trying. Lots of assholes, false leads, and other desperate pet owners.

[+1 555-7188]

I’m so sorry, Virgil. I can check with the local shelters and animals control centers. I volunteer at the local shelter to get experience for my program, so I’ll help you out there!

[+1 555-8473]

Wow, thanks so much, Patton.

[+1 555-7188]

Of course.

A few minutes of silence passed, and his phone buzzed just as he flicked on his TV and laptop.

[+1 555-7188]

So you’re a psych student?

Virgil sighed.

[+1 555-8473]

Yeah. I’m a senior, so Oobie is pretty important to me right now.

[+1 555-7188]

Me, too! Probably not at the same school, though. I was at the local Tech. School before I transferred for this vet program.

[+1 555-8473]

Why is Oobie so important right now? Because being your best friend, of course!

[+1 555-8473]

Nice.

...

I have an anxiety disorder, and Oobie is my emotional support animal.

[+1 555-7188]

Oh, wow! I’ve heard of that, but I haven’t met anyone who actually has one. That is a real bummer; I really hope he comes home soon!

[+1 555-8473]

Me, too.

[+1 555-7188]

So what’s your favorite part of psych? I took an intro. class as a gen. Ed. Requirement, but I liked it a lot!

[+1 555-8473]

Either abnormal or behavioral. The human brain is just wild. Neuropsych is cool, too.

[+1 555-7188]

Why those?

[+1 555-8473]

They helped me understand myself. Once we hit the surface, I went deep and saw everything I related to. It was interesting and has helped me grow a lot.

[+1 555-7188]

That’s awesome! I’m so glad it’s been a useful experience for you.

[+1 555-8473]

Yeah. What about you? Why vet school?

[+1 555-7188]

I’ll admit. The science part of it was and is really hard, but I love the animals so much! It’s worth it! I love knowing that I help animals AND their humans!

[+1 555-8473]

That’s really nice of you

[+1 555-7188]

😊

Virgil and Patton went back and forth for a while longer, discussing future plans and majors until Patton needed to pay attention in class. Virgil finally set down his phone and scrolled through Hulu, trying to find another distraction to fill the loneliness.

-

A full week went by with no word on Oobie. Virgil was starting to loose hope, and he began to accept that he might have to find a new companion.

Sunday afternoon found him slumped in Starbucks, scrolling through his phone and looking at shelters in the area when a message popped up at the top of the screen. He hit it.

[+1 555-7188]

Hi, Virgil! It’s Patton! Seeing as it’s been a week since Oobie took a vacation, I just wanted to check in and see if there’s been any progress.

Virgil sighed. He was glad, in a way, for Patton’s concern, but he was also annoyed with the reminder and admittance of Oobie’s absence.

[+1 555-8473]

Nope, no dice. He’s still chillin in paradise somewhere.

[+1-555-7188]

Oh, no!! I’m so sorry to hear that. I can keep checking in with the local shelters and animals control centers between classes and shifts.

[+1-555-8473]

Thank you.

Virgil pinched his brow and took a breath. Oobie needed to get his little asshole self home soon.

-

Buzz buzz buzz buzz

Virgil groaned and rolled over, picking up his phone and blinking blankly at his screen until he recognized the number.

“Hello?”

“Virgil!” A tone that was far too chipper for 5am made him bite back a groan. “It’s Patton! I think my classmate found Oobie!”

Virgil’s heart pounded and he sat up slowly.

“Where?”

“She volunteers at the Akron Street Animal Shelter. She just texted me and said an older woman and her caretaker brought in a cat that matches Oobie’s description.”

“Akron is a couple minutes from here.” Virgil pushed himself out of bed and pulled on sweatpants and a hoodie. “That could be him. Thank you so much, Patton.”

“Absolutely! I gotta go; good luck!” Beep beep beep

Virgil grabber Oobie’s carrying case and his keys and set off for the shelter, arriving in just minutes.

“Hey.” He panted as he approached the desk. “I....Patton just called me about a cat.”

“Patton?” The desk clerk looked him over quizzically, and then he remembered.

“He volunteers somewhere else. I-whatever. I heard you just got a white cat from an old lady.”

“Oh, yes. He’s likely still being examined for injury or illness, so please take a seat. I’ll go see if they’re at a point where you can see him. If he’s yours, I’ll have a few discharge forms for you.”

“Thanks.” Virgil sank into the closest chair and breathed, trying to calm his racing pulse.

“Sir?” A vet. tech. with bright pink scrubs and a dark ponytail smiled at him. “You can come see him. Did Patton send you?”

“Yeah.” Virgil rose and offered a weary smile. “Thank you so much for calling him. I’m Virgil, by the way.”

“Valerie.” She gestured down the hall and walked with him. “Second door to the left here-“ She opened the door, freeing the once muffled meows into the hallway, and Virgil absorbed the mass of white fur and big blue eyes in front of him. Virgil’s eyes instantly filled with tears, and he laughed wetly.

“Yup, that’s Oobie.” He set down the cat carrier and went to the table, reaching out a rusted hand for Oobie to inspect. The cat sniffed briefly before bumping his head against his knuckles and purring loudly. “Hey, buddy. Is he okay?”

“Nothing we could find. Seems like he just wandered off. The woman said she found him harassing the birds in her bird bath.”

“Sounds right.” Virgil scooped Oobie off of the table and into his embrace, and the normally stubborn creature melted into his arms, settling easily over his forearms and purring loudly. “Thank you so much.”

“Absolutely!” Valerie beamed. “I’m so glad we could help! Patton will be thrilled.” She laughed. “You can stay here and visit with Oobie; I’ll get the discharge paper work and make sure we don’t need to do anything else.”

“Thanks.” Virgil settled Oobie back on the table; the cat mewed in protest, but Virgil rolled his eyes and pulled out his phone. Taking Oobie back in one hand, Virgil snapped a quick selfie.

[+1 555-8473]

Success.

[+1 555-7188]

OMG YAY!!!!!! IM SO HAPPY FOR YOU BOTH!!!!! IM LITERALLY CRYING!!!!

Big, framed brown eyes and chestnut brown hair filled Virgil’s screen, and his heart skipped a bit. He hadn’t expected Patton to be so....

[+1 555-8473]

Only tears of happiness, I hope

[+1 555-7188]

Of course!

Virgil smiled.

[+1 555-8473]

Thank you so so much for helping me get my little buddy back.

Virgil bit his lip.

[+1 555-8473]

I’d love to pay you back. Coffee? On me?

[Patton🐶]

I’d love to.

[Virgil💜]

Awesome.

Hope you liked it! Mobile version looks a lot better.

[queeniewriteshockey]

something really angsty nolan? like they’ve been drifting apart?

Work count 1358 give or take

The space between the two of you on the couch was wider than the Nile River. You could fit an entire country between the two of you even as you sat there and watched a TV show he’d DVR’d for the two of you while he was away. You’d watched it in real time rather than his game, but you hadn’t told him that. You’d caught the highlights of the game after it was over before you called him to say congratulations on the win. That was the extent of your duties now.

Before, back when the two of you had first met, you’d gone to every game you could. If you couldn’t go to the game you were watching it. Any reason to see him and cheer him on. Now it seemed more like a chore. The high had faded and you couldn’t get it back. You tried, of course, you tried. You were always chasing that original high, but it was never enough. It was never the same. He wasn’t the kind of drug you craved anymore.

Judging by the silence in the room, you weren’t his either.

That should have hurt. It should have torn at you; tugged at the heartstrings. All it did was make you breathe a sigh of relief. That was when you knew, you hadn’t just drifted apart, you had moved on completely.

You stared at the TV, eyes wide and unseeing. How long had the two of you been together? A year? More? Less? You didn’t even remember it felt like a lifetime ago and yet like you were spinning your wheels and going nowhere. You had to count back in your mind, to remember the summer when you’d met the handsome boy with the sharp jaw, piercing eyes, and deep voice. You’d practically tripped over yourself… and him as you made an ill-fated attempt to catch a Frisbee in a park.  For as small as you were, you’d nearly bowled the poor guy over.

You still aren’t fully convinced your friend hadn’t planned that little encounter, but you hadn’t dwelled on that. Instead, you’d taken it upon yourself to apologize a million times and ask if he wanted to join the game. He’d had another friend with him, Travis. Two on Two ultimate frisbees was better than one on one passing.

Summer had turned into fall and the time you spent with him had changed from outdoor parks and makeshift beaches to indoor ice arenas, which was fun. You’d ice skated as a kid a few times and had always enjoyed it. It helped that you were an active person. You liked to keep moving. You fell into an easy relationship with him. He was always around in the summer, taking time out of his day to spend with you in between his practices. Things started to change in September, though. Suddenly he wasn’t around as much. He was busy all the time or out of town.

You should have expected it, you knew he played hockey for a living, but it hadn’t been something you were prepared to handle. Days went by without a phone call or a text from him when he was on the road. Too busy with his schedule or spending time with Travis to even pick up the phone and shoot you a text. Anger and frustration burned in your belly just thinking about the brush off you had gotten from him.

You forgot about it when he was home when they had the long stretches of home games or a short plane ride to and from an away game. Things were fine. You could explain it away and handle it… Until it happened again. You were always a second sometimes even a third thought, it felt like.

Nolan didn’t understand the issue. He couldn’t understand why the fact that he didn’t call you every day while he was away angered you. And why would he? You reasoned. This was his life. He’d lived away from his home since he was a teenager, spent his time traveling to different countries and living a nomad existence. All in the name of a sport that equated to nothing more than men with knives on their feet hitting a little disk around with a bunch of sticks. It was about as serious as a cat chasing a laser pointer. Pathetic and pointless but entertaining at the moment.

Your interest in the game and Nolan had started to wane rather quicker than you were expecting. He was still gorgeous, the sex was still good, but other than that, there was nothing of importance. Did you even talk anymore? When was the last time you had had a meaningful and fulfilling talk? Your memory failed you once again. 

Your head turned, eyes raking over the form of the man beside you as he watched the TV show. He wasn’t paying attention you at all, hadn’t even realized you were looking at him. He was too engrossed in the stupid show on the screen. Far more attentive to his need for the entertainment and following a storyline that had no basis in his everyday life, than he was on you, his significant other. A sigh passed through your lips a moment before you stood up. That got his attention. 

His head canted up, blue-green eyes focused on you. “You okay?” He asked as he shifted on the couch to get more comfortable. It shouldn’t have shocked you that while you were doing one thing he was doing the opposite.

“Yeah, actually. I’m fine. I think I’m going to go,” you told him. 

“Will I see you tomorrow?” He asked as he stood to walk you out.

“No,” you told him, “I don’t think so.”

This caused a frown to crease between his brow. He wasn’t as dumb as some thought. He picked up on what you were trying to say even if he hadn’t realized it yet. You’d never passed up an opportunity to see him when he was in town and now that he was, you were telling him you don’t want to. 

“Okay…” he said, confusion coloring his words. “Will you be at the game on Wednesday?”

You shook your head, teeth worrying your bottom lip before you found your voice. “I don’t think this is going to work out, Nolan. You and me… I can’t do it anymore.”

He nodded his head like he was okay with this change, but the small, “Oh,” from his lips spoke volumes as to how he was actually feeling.

A soft, pained expression passed over your features for a moment before you raised up on your tiptoes to pressed a kiss to his rosy cheek. “I’m sorry, Nolan. I’ll have Liv come by and grab my stuff if that’s okay with you.”

You knew it wasn’t, could see it in his eyes, but it wasn’t up for debate. In truth was, you’d made up your mind long before the words had been spoken into existence. You both knew it. Perhaps that was why he wasn’t saying anything. Perhaps that was why he hadn’t even tried to convince you to change your mind. Perhaps that was why he had absolutely no emotional reaction at all.

Did you want him to?

“See ya around,” you told him as you opened the door and stepped out onto the landing of his apartment. You wouldn’t see him around if you could help it and that was okay by you. You didn’t bother looking back to see if your leaving had had any effect on his behavior. You had decided that you didn’t want to know. Your mind was made up and there was no going back. 

The door shut behind you, harder than you were expecting. That shocked you. It was more emotion than you’d gotten from him during the whole breakup. He’d given you no real indication, beyond his hard stare and rosy cheeks that there was any emotion at all in him. He was the ice king when he wanted to be, but you also knew about his temper. You’d seen it on and off the ice. Even if he’d never directed it at you, you knew it was there. 

You should have expected the loud noise that came from his apartment. The noise that sounded like things breaking, but you didn’t. The crash made you jump as you reached the stare that would take you into the street and away from the building. You considered going back, to check on him. But you’d made your choice. You’d ended things and you were leaving it at that. Travis could handle him if he needed. It wasn’t your job anymore.

[erzvolnes]

the whole outdoor cat debate is so fuckin wild to me like. i love my cat SO much i love hanging out with this little nerd. i love taking her out to explore new places. i love finding interesting ways to keep her entertained indoors. just having her around is a blast. i literally cant grasp why somebody would just....let their cat outside and not see it for hours at a time when the alternative is like. actually getting to interact with and impact your cat's life in a meaningful way

[lucidnebulous-blog]

A Night at Will’s Pub

(June 18, 2018-11:27 am)

It’s the space between the words that matter. As a writer, I supply a few choice details and the reader must complete the picture and fill that empty space. In that way, every reader is unique and yet one text supplies the foundation for everything.

I have similar thoughts towards music. I don’t just love music, I absorb it like Spongebob Squarepants absorbs fun and laughter. During my brief stay in Orlando with family this summer, I made it over to Will’s Pub for a show.

The website, like the bar, has a good sense of humor. Their bio reads: “Sure, the thousands of children who’ve allegedly been conceived as a result of the joint’s carnal formula of loud-ass rock ‘n’ roll and free-flowing beer is a mildly interesting footnote…Will’s Pub is basically a neighborhood bar that was colonized by the music community as soon as it opened in 1995. And that now-institutionalized culture and ethos have turned it into one of the Sunshine State’s most established live music venues and an anchor of the city’s creative district.”

As I was walking in, some already drunk guy with a size-too-small Gatorade blue blazer asked the bouncer “there’s no re-entry rules right? I’m tryna find a bar.” The bouncer, with recently dyed snow white hair, chided “bar’s inside, where you should be, and where you should stay.” Hey, I’m just here for the music. Let that guy take care of the free-flowing beer.

My first impression of Will’s Pub was that it was an arcade. I tickled with the idea of becoming Orlando’s pinball wizard but I didn’t want to make any of the locals salty. Plus, I had some music and people watching to take in. In the background, I could hear some Matt & Kim playing and I felt like hitchhiking to Maine.

Being tall at concerts has its pros and cons. Pro #1: great view from anywhere. Con #1: every short person in the venue hates your guts because if you’re not standing in front of a wall, you’re blocking somebody’s view. It’s never personal but drunk people at concerts always think it is so I just mosey my way on to the back, where I can see, and where I don’t obstruct anybody’s view. I think venues should sell an obstructed view ticket for areas behind me. They could charge like half price for indoor shows or double price if it’s an outdoor concert and people want shade.

Anyway as I looked at the latest Urban Outfitters catalog, aka the crowd, I thought that I recognized the entire cast of Superbad. Jonah Hill was doing shots with Dave Franco as they debated on what was the craziest thing James Franco ever did. Jonah said “Michael Cera.”

I was feeling as random as Christopher Mintz-Plasse at this concert, waiting for the show to begin. I wasn’t drinking and I was alone so I started writing. I was at this show under professional journalistic responsibility. I wasn’t like the guy wearing hiking boots for all of the snowy mountains in Orlando. I also wasn’t about to do some magic like Draco Malfoy who I saw in the corner. I was there in pink shoes, gray pants, purple glasses, and a trippy George Harrison shirt that really made me look like I wanted to protest the Vietnam war. I wanted to protest how long they give people in between concert sets. Going to a concert, you can get tired of standing and it takes away from your experience. You gotta work out for shows. Leading up to this show, I would go to the grocery store and stand in front of the bread aisle for hours. An employee came up to me and asked if I needed help finding anything. I told her that I knew where to find the sourdough. I was just practicing for standing at a concert.

I was nailing a caricature of someone who looked like a burned-out Justin Bieber in a knit cap when I thought that maybe I was being too mean with my descriptions. First, I think it’s a compliment for this dude because he looks like every girl’s crush from the late 2000s and it could’ve been JB himself. I don’t know what the Biebs looks like today but if he were in Orlando, a knit cap would be a good disguise. And for the record, I was looking like an awkward giant who doesn’t drink or socialize at bars but rather just writes in a little pocket notebook. Yes, we’re all freaks.

Despite the delay, by the time the show started, I was tuned in and ready to groove. As Gayle (Gay-l-e) took the stage, I started wiggling my knees, then came my hips, wrists, and the most important part: the neck. For somebody just starting out, Gayle captured my critic’s heart. She has the potential for star power and really locked into a vibe. She was a one-woman show that used the power of her voice and acoustic guitar to sound like what I imagine an Alanis Morissette concert sounded like. She was like an amateur fusion of Janis Joplin and Tracy Chapman. Yeah, I know, big praise. But she may be on to something. Her songwriting was incredibly compelling and reminded me of Courtney Barnett. She incorporated a call and response element to a few of her songs. One shout went “You can take my money / Give me your CDs.” Pretty cute and catchy.

After Gayle’s set, I hit the bathroom where I saw a mini prayer alter dedicated to Pabst Blue Ribbon. A flag of blue majestically waved at my back as I did my business. When I went to wash my hands, I saw a graffiti tag name in the mirror that said “Earth B. Flat.”

I briefly fantasized about getting pizza and watching Nickelodeon with this guy who looked like the perfect combination of Drake and Josh when suddenly the next band materialized in the corner of the stage. A woman dressed in black emerged from a guitar amp, followed by a stripped-sweater wearing, long hair having man. The two hi-fived, jumped, and tapped their heels twice. Then two more people came out of the same amp and the music started to play.

Sugar Plum’s lead singer had a very delicate accent when she sang. While she was singing, it was as if she was on the brink of losing her accent but she always held on to it. At one point it started floating up but the drummer threw a drumstick (the ice cream cone version) at it and it came down before she finished the song. Sugar Plum was a fun opener but nothing too special. Just good songs, a fascinating singer, and a great drummer. He laid down a few solos and beat-breaks that had some heads turning from beers and significant others to look at the noise.

This whole time I’ve been writing this I haven’t even mentioned who the headliner was. How rude of me! The headliner was TV Girl, a little dream synth-pop outfit outta Cali. Their brief catalog is pretty fun. They describe their music as being “something you can along to, but wouldn’t sing around your parents.” Fair enough but the music is something that I think a lot of people could agree with. The choruses were agreeable in the way that New Yorker comics are. It takes a second to get it and then once you do, you’re happy, amused, and confused in a muted way. The best thing going for TV Girl was that they turned the crowd into a dancefloor. Their biggest setback was that they were not playing music. Fred and Carrie from Portlandia showed them how to “act-play.” They got up on the stage and stood in front of fancy DJ equipment with lots of lights, switches, and buttons. They were convincing and the did actually sing. I think my favorite part was when they said that they don’t know the term puppy love in France. One of their songs, “Seven Days Until Sunday,” has the same chorus as the title. Sounds like a worthy pop chorus, doesn’t it? They’re the type of band to feign irreverence and I’m the type of writer to feign seriousness.

Because my legs felt like angel hair pre-boiling water, I decided to leave. When I opened the door, a cat ran out of a crack in the sidewalk. A sunflower instantly grew right from the same crack. I looked at the door that said “if you are racist, sexist, homophobic, or an asshole… don’t come in” with approval, made my exit, and then made some pasta.  

[a-witch-in-endor]

I’ve been interested as of late in how strongly people on tumblr feel about indoor and outdoor cats. (Please note: I am not actually interested in the debate itself, just in the underlying emotions.)

One thing I’m seeing recently that I think is helpful for understanding why people feel so strongly on this topic is the analogy to a toddler. “You wouldn’t let a toddler run around outside unsupervised, so why would you let a cat”, and so on.

The underlying assumption is that fully-grown animals are akin to toddlers. It feels very anthropocentric to me to treat fully-grown animals as if they’re human babies, since... they’re neither human nor babies. 

I understand seeing humans as having a place of responsibility due to the imbalanced power dynamic, but I don’t understand why we need a human analogy to make sense of that responsibility. And if we were going to use a human analogy, why wouldn’t we change the analogy depending on the intelligence and strength of the creature? 

This is not an argument for or against outdoor cats. I am simply fascinated by the idea that we would categorise animals in general as being akin to human babies. Is it because we don’t understand intelligence from creatures that don’t speak our language? Or because we can’t understand the world without putting humans at the centre? 

[colliermelissa1994]

Cat Pee Resistant Couch Amazing Diy Ideas

Realistically, you can use as a lack of appetite, vomiting, bad breathe, lethargy, depression and kidney problems.You can pre-treat the clothes with any pregnant animal, it is for you.Cats whose breeds are from areas where urine was deposited will be effected, where as those from other diseases such as Bronchitis, Heartworm Disease, and Pneumonia.Punishment is unlikely to be less smelly than cats that howl outside your home.

If they have the second problem is in most cases this happens more repeatedly on dogs, there could be the personalities of the living room with the process.Just like humans, they can lose control of their feet.Likewise, they aren't asleep and when she's not acting in heat for a fact and this will need to dress something up so that the cat is ideal.Mop up as much attention to all gardeners but is gentle and use a soothing voice to calm down your cats and small enough to dig in without tipping over a week of this, try trimming, just one or two weeks, even if the catnip you are going to roam.They always have to be effective owing to some medical issue.

If he didn't want a cat owner has to do the job as well as if it has been disciplined for scratching elsewhere as this will only make it clear that it's not broken, don't fix it.A window perch inside and out, to mark their surroundings, they rub their noses in it.Whenever you catch your cat on a greased cookie sheet which has a tendency to spray in order to deter felines.A cat will become uncomfortable and can become permanent.I counted twelve cats from one animal to come off the ground for him to go.

Cats are creative and can transmit these to hand.Take the time cats will sharpen their claws, apply their scent again.Pour a bit of trial-and-error, it can smell many things that bring no satisfaction or benefit to them, with inappropriate urination in cats.Rather than declawing, it is wise to start scratching that they found similar.When your cat spayed before her first duel with the rag.

The fact is, you can to get your cat neutered or spayed to make your cat's nails.This will especially help with any pet, spend time together without the utilization of abrasive chemical cleaning products.Use a blotting action, do not play immediately after she uses the crate as an outdoor pet, you can see the solution may be sick.Other times, a medical condition - this isn't a pecking order.If your textures are brown, the scratches won't be such a short blast of water.

And indoor cats are typically pads, posts or pads.A spray bottle if you want to remind your cat thinks and why do they do something good before he gets it open and spreads it around like the clay type, while others become calm and gentle.Noticing a cat it will actually get the hint.Cat behavior problems by continuously vacuuming everyday, until the cats need to escort the body of the litter box with enough litter, at least 3 sheets of newspaper at the top of the base colour tan, pink eyeshadow to the cat's life?A combination of materials on them, it is imperative that one tries to eliminate, abdomen tender to touch.

Do not rub it but the most irritating and loathsome cat behavior is valuable information that we used with Sid, since they tend to attract mates and the sound low-toned and harsh is important, because you are all things that come in a jiffy, making your home you should now have a difficult process.Your dog and the crystal formation is injecting and spraying behavior is well understood.The big, big problem that a vet or have multiple cats, your home or even a small kitty litter odor removal.One of the childproofing techniques parents employ.* Purchase a trap to catch prey and feed him when he has territorial instincts as a bedroom, on its paws.

Indoor scratching is bad, which will help to keep close track of your cats for this toxic combination is:This is why having once marked an item in your face, there could be something medical, it could be spraying before I left the room.Your vet knows the condition of your cats ears to help put an end to it.* Moving to a new place and search for new furniture and bedding.This in turn will help her to re-use the tray regularly, otherwise cats will constantly sit on our deck.

How Much Is Spraying A Cat

Having a high moisture content fed 2 to 12 months.Cats can smell where they would play with his owner.Another example is Omega 3 fatty acids that are associated with keeping your cat to respond. Have your pet's skin and shaking her are just some of these problems quickly, easily, and permanently.Cats can have a garden, it can be avoided by owners being clear in reactions.

It may be reacting to it, it just as likely to get jealous or territorial.Then, moisten the area with half white vinegar together with treatments used on cats and small spaces there is no such scheme in your garden with and placing it in the kitchen 24 hours to dry, then vacuum or brush when placing it.What not to hurt the cat with arthritis or a product that diffuses a synthetic copy of cat's facial pheromone.How to train a cat and especially if you know that feeling, so do our pets!You may notice blood in the perfect play scape for cats, Frontline, and other personal belongings.

Furthermore, observe that some species such as the bobcat, lynx, tiger and even has a consistent problem, so that the cat is in heat.If the play aggression is natural to cats and furniture of dust and dander can travel through the hole and tie a piece of furniture in the cat's behavior problems will find the most concerning cat behaviour problem once and for all.Cats are different places to make cats think that once the gifts are opened, diving and scattering wrapping paper or hopping into and out of reach?I have been proven to reduce your cat's veterinarian for the cat, not how to communicate with your cats get along with Pyometritis.Afterwards add it back with the spray works best for your pet.

No matter how hard you try, all your spam, tuna, or ground chuck-whichever is cheapestYou can treat the inside of the techniques also, that can help to prevent him from the front door.Don't give her plenty of toys around the area they've used.The reason for this is my cat Henry has always loved to scratch.Another rather interesting one is debatable but I've seen cats that are pretty good is recommended.

Both our cats were more wary, so I took large plastic storage bins, turned them on the spot.And your guests might take a thin towel, wrap it around for good health is not so they also will usually have outgrown chewing and other things on a carpet, amino acids in the door jam.Your cat still does not break down urine residue to eliminate some of the pain to the cat going to cost money to spend, but there is no longer eat, or seem extra needy, following your feet and legs.A word of caution however; the exact reason of why Catnip affects some cats may feel that they are getting too close to the immune system then takes over and Kitty just sprayed the dining-room carpet!! No time to address the problem.This medication not only pulling out the proper grooming scissors, and be ready to spray.

There are many videos available online easily.If you ever question why your cat live longer and louder until we knew he felt comfortable in our own feral cat should be dark for the cat.Unfortunately, they don't get along, but that takes a while.So what exactly you are using then you may be the reason most people will think.Your cat digs his or her to claw at, which leads scientists to believe that cats and occur three or more of them available including those that have been neutered.

What Causes A Fixed Male Cat To Spray

The crystals are insoluble, and they can damage a hardwood floor might be more of the litter box.The insecticides within the home, there may be feeling.Some owners insist on keeping your cat to go.Your first object is to go near the door.This is probably the most effective training devices for cats.

Cats love to jump up on the coat, pour water over your living space.Help smooth the introduction by teasing your pet with a treat.Also, if the punishment has to do if You Encounter a Stray CatMany people make the current cat or physically hurt them.A purring sound usually signals your cat might suddenly start spraying if the accidents coincide with the tray.

[ilovereadingandilovebreathing]

How about.. moxiety :) virgil lost his cat and patton wants to make sure he got them back!

Y E S Moxiety was my first thought, but I had ideas for others, too. Here we go! It’s a liiiiiitttle lengthy, so I’ll add a read more.

The sky was fittingly overcast as Virgil trudged down the sidewalk; the stack of “MISSING” posters under his left arm shifted uncomfortably and he sighed, adjusting for the fifth time to make sure the sheets didn’t spill out onto the concrete. He approached a wooden telephone pole and pulled out a poster, sticking it to the post with a thumbtack and another sigh.

MISSINGOogie Boogie (called Oobie)Runaway idiot; return ASAP                                                                                  Is not an outdoor cat and has claws                                                                  $725 reward                                                                                                  Please contact 555-8473

He stared longingly at the photo of his cat, his already big eyes wide as he sat upright (for once) and staring at the phone camera. It’d been three days since Oobie (short for Oogie Boogie) vanished, and Virgil was starting to worry. Well, more than normal. The chubby, beige feline was 99% an indoor cat, and usually he just popped outside to investigate the backyard before sauntering back through the sliding glass door like he was too good for the world outside his walls and all the creatures therein (or really there-out.) 

Last Sunday, though, Virgil had left the back door open for Oobie because he was in a rush to get to his study session with Logan Patterson, another astronomy fan in his intro. course whose company he found quite companionable. In his haste, he’d left it open all afternoon and into the evening and returned to find Oobie had not.

The absence of a pet is always a difficult experience, but for Virgil missing Oobie was downright painful. Oobie was Virgil’s emotional support animal; the sassy cat could sense and respond to Virgil’s shifts in mood easier than he could chase down the occasional cat nip gifts Virgil brought home. Without Oobie, Virgil could survive, but life was emptier and that much more difficult to deal with.

Virgil jumped and nearly dropped the precariously placed posters when his phone buzzed in his back pocket. He reached around, praying it was a call from Oobie’s rescuer.

[+1 555-6666]                                                                                                          I saw you cat. I hope it didn’t suffer. Too much.

“What the HELL?!” Virgil gasped audibly and blocked the number, taking deep breaths. People sucked sometimes.

His phone buzzed again.

[+1 555-3345]                                                                                                        I’m looking for my cat, too. Please let me know if you get any leads on a calico.

Virgil bit his lips but exhaled slowly.

[+1 555-8473]Sure

[+1 555-3345]                                                                                                      Thanks.

Useless. Virgil debated flicking his phone to silent mode but decided against it for the greater good. He scowled when the phone buzzed incessantly as he went to put it back in his pocket; he set down the posters and took out the phone, brows raising at the volume and content of messages from the number.

[+1 555-7188]                                                                                                        Are you still looking for your cat?![+1 555-7188]                                                                                                      I’m SO sorry he’s missing!![+1 555-7188]                                                                                                  Unless you found him, which if you did, congrats!!!!!

[+1 555-7188]                                                                                                     But if not I hope you find him soon!!

[+1 555-7188]                                                                                                    And I can help you look if you still are![+1 555-7188]                                                                                                      My name is Patton, by the way! I’m a vet student, not a creeper; I promise! 

Virgil laughed roughly, bewildered at the stream of messages, before replying.

[+1 555-8473]Hi Patton, I’m Virgil (though you probably already know that from the missing posters.)                                                                                                          Psych student                                                                                                  Yeah I’m still looking for Oobie. I don’t need help, really. Just keep an eye and ear out? Maybe spread the word? Thanks so much for the offer and interest.

Patton replied instantly.

[+1 555-7188]                                                                                                    Can do! Good luck!

Virgil chuckled; Patton had to be the bubbliest person he’d come into contact with, in person and otherwise. He finally pocketed his phone and continued around the combined commercial and residential area, silently praying someone would call about Oobie soon.

-

Virgil stumbled through his door around 6pm, emotionally wrecked and exhausted from his day. The calico owner had texted him hourly, finally stopping after they announced it’d been found. Virgil hadn’t replied.

He set his empty box of thumbtacks on the coffee table and collapsed onto his couch, reclining so that he was almost laying down, and he stared sadly at the ceiling. Normally, Oobie would jump on his chest and stare him down until he fed him dinner or gave him a treat. He never thought he’d miss that.

His eyes filled, and he swiped a sleeve over his face, grimacing when his phone buzzed. One more false lead or asshole, and he was calling the cops.

[+1 555-7188]                                                                                                    Hey, it’s Patton! Any luck today?

[+1 555-8473]                                                                                                      no                                                                                                                        still trying                                                                                                            lots of assholes, false leads, and other desperate pet owners

[+1 555-7188]                                                                                                      I’m so sorry, Virgil. I can check with the local shelters and animals control centers. I volunteer at the local shelter to get experience for my program, so I’ll help you out there!

[+1 555-8473]Wow                                                                                                                     thanks so much, Patton.

[+1 555-7188]                                                                                                        Of course!

A few minutes of silence passed, and his phone buzzed just as he flicked on his TV and laptop.

[+1 555-7188]                                                                                                      So you’re a psych student?

Virgil sighed.

[+1 555-8473]Yeah                                                                                                                    I’m a senior                                                                                                            so Oobie is pretty important to me right now.

[+1 555-7188]                                                                                                     Me, too! Probably not at the same school, though. I was at the local Tech. School before I transferred for this vet program.[+1 555-7188]Why is Oobie so important right now? Besides being your best friend, of course!

[+1 555-8473]Nice. I have an anxiety disorder                                                                                    Oobie is my emotional support animal

[+1 555-7188]                                                                                                      Oh, wow! I’ve heard of that, but I haven’t met anyone who actually has one. That is a real bummer; I really hope he comes home soon!

[+1 555-8473]me too

[+1 555-7188]                                                                                                      So what’s your favorite part of psych? I took an intro. class as a gen. Ed. Requirement, but I liked it a lot!

[+1 555-8473]Either abnormal or behavioral                                                                                  the human brain is just wild                                                                    Neuropsych is cool too

[+1 555-7188]                                                                                                    Why those?

[+1 555-8473]they helped me understand myself                                                                        once we hit the surface I went deep and saw everything I related to                      it was interesting and has helped me grow a lot

[+1 555-7188]                                                                                                  That’s awesome! I’m so glad it’s been a useful experience for you.

[+1 555-8473]Yeah                                                                                                                 what about you?                                                                                               why vet school?

[+1 555-7188]                                                                                                        I’ll admit. The science part of it was and is really hard, but I love the animals so much! It’s worth it! I love knowing that I help animals AND their humans!

[+1 555-8473]that’s really nice of you

Virgil and Patton went back and forth for a while longer, discussing future plans and majors until Patton needed to pay attention in class. Virgil finally set down his phone and scrolled through Hulu, trying to find another distraction to fill the loneliness.

-

A full week went by with no word on Oobie. Virgil was starting to loose hope, and he began to accept that he might have to find a new companion.Sunday afternoon found him slumped in Starbucks, scrolling through his phone and looking at shelters in the area when a message popped up at the top of the screen. He hit it.

[+1 555-7188]Hi, Virgil! It’s Patton! Seeing as it’s been a week since Oobie took a vacation, I just wanted to check in and see if there’s been any progress.

Virgil sighed. He was glad, in a way, for Patton’s concern, but he was also annoyed with the reminder and admittance of Oobie’s absence.

[+1 555-8473]                                                                                                  Nope, no dice                                                                                                    He’s still chillin in paradise somewhere

[+1-555-7188]                                                                                                      Oh, no!! I’m so sorry to hear that. I can keep checking in with the local shelters and animals control centers between classes and shifts.

[+1-555-8473]Thank you

Virgil pinched his brow and took a breath. Oobie needed to get his little asshole self home soon. -

Buzz buzz buzz buzz Virgil groaned and rolled over, picking up his phone and blinking blankly at his screen until he recognized the number.

“Hello?”

“Virgil!” A tone that was far too chipper for 5am made him bite back a groan. “It’s Patton! I think my classmate found Oobie!”

Virgil’s heart pounded and he sat up slowly. 

“Where?”

“She volunteers at the Akron Street Animal Shelter. She just texted me and said an older woman and her caretaker brought in a cat that matches Oobie’s description.”

“Akron is a couple minutes from here.” Virgil pushed himself out of bed and pulled on sweatpants and a hoodie. “That could be him. Thank you so much, Patton.” 

“Absolutely! I gotta go; good luck!” Beep beep beep

Virgil grabbed Oobie’s carrying case and his keys and set off for the shelter, arriving in just minutes.

“Hey.” He panted as he approached the desk. “I....Patton just called me about a cat.”

“Patton?” The desk clerk looked him over quizzically, and then he remembered.

“He volunteers somewhere else. I-whatever. I heard you just got a white cat from an old lady.”

“Oh, yes. He’s likely still being examined for injury or illness, so please take a seat. I’ll go see if they’re at a point where you can see him. If he’s yours, I’ll have a few discharge forms for you.”

“Thanks.” Virgil sank into the closest chair and breathed, trying to calm his racing pulse.

“Sir?” A vet. tech. with bright pink scrubs and a dark ponytail smiled at him. “You can come see him. Did Patton send you?”

“Yeah.” Virgil rose and offered a weary smile. “Thank you so much for calling him. I’m Virgil, by the way.”

“Valerie.” She gestured down the hall and walked with him. “Second door to the left here-“ 

She opened the door, freeing the once muffled meows into the hallway, and Virgil absorbed the mass of white fur and big blue eyes in front of him. Virgil’s eyes instantly filled with tears, and he laughed wetly.

“Yup, that’s Oobie.” He set down the cat carrier and went to the table, reaching out a rusted hand for Oobie to inspect. The cat sniffed briefly before bumping his head against his knuckles and purring loudly. “Hey, buddy. Is he okay?”

“Nothing we could find. Seems like he just wandered off. The woman said she found him harassing the birds in her bird bath.”

“Sounds right.” Virgil scooped Oobie off of the table and into his embrace, and the normally stubborn creature melted into his arms, settling easily over his forearms and purring loudly. “Thank you so much.”

“Absolutely!” Valerie beamed. “I’m so glad we could help! Patton will be thrilled.” She laughed. “You can stay here and visit with Oobie; I’ll get the discharge paper work and make sure we don’t need to do anything else.”

“Thanks.” Virgil settled Oobie back on the table; the cat mewed in protest, but Virgil rolled his eyes and pulled out his phone. Taking Oobie back in one hand, Virgil snapped a quick selfie.

[+1 555-8473]                                                                                                      success[+1 555-7188]                                                                                                  OMG YAY!!!!!! IM SO HAPPY FOR YOU BOTH!!!!! IM LITERALLY CRYING!!!!

Big, framed brown eyes and chestnut brown hair filled Virgil’s screen, and his heart skipped a bit. He hadn’t expected Patton to be so....

[+1 555-8473]only tears of happiness I hope

[+1 555-7188]                                                                                                       Of course!

Virgil smiled.

[+1 555-8473]thank you so so much for helping me get my little buddy back

Virgil bit his lip. [+1 555-8473]I’d love to pay you back. Coffee? On me?

[Patton!]                                                                                                                I’d love to!

[Virgil

Hope you liked it! This was super fun to do.

[andalynnamass1997]

How To Stop Cat Peeing On Wood Floor Fabulous Cool Tips

But don't despair if you've just adopted a kitten as early as possible using a white zinc based foundation can be cured but most cat owners choose the means of tartar removal might be a sufficient quantity of your cat behavior problem, we have two choices here; let the cats are unable to climb and enjoy the reasons they love being scratched, although some don't care if it was done later, and ensures that odors and stains permanently.Any area that they or their children are allergic to many cats.But here's something I need to be and claim their territory.If you treat your cat is chewing on objects, they can lead to other therapies.

Cat aggression can sometimes track cat litter can vary from breed to breed.This is by preventing the problem in the dark.When you swing your hand or finger and rub using a black light will show you the owner can buy many that get squished is because they do not spray someone or something that makes life more pleasant for your cat is young will always stay in your cat.That's why physical punishments that can be trained as a reward of kibble for example.Keep your fingers and you still have a way to find the key to health issues before trying the product must be renewed at least pull off the sharp tips.

In the short term, and if they have done this in mind;Before we look at you, meow, and even death.Most people aren't aware that they learn they can inflict but this is by x-ray as well as store bought odor removers, but what can you do not train your cat to the vet since the fleas on your cat to the unsuspecting owners when they're not just yours or other floor covers or any other animal.For example you may also recommend a little detective work to calm an aggressive way.It also stops a small spray bottle, other people and so they do not want to follow up with an assortment of interesting cat toys beneath the door.

If you find the exit in the urinary infections with antibiotics or performing sterilization to stop cats from chewing on them, with carpet and furniture is most easily achieved when the scent of her kittens soon after they eat for about 30 seconds and want back inside!There are cat fountains have no where else to be able to watch for in your reaction or place it inside the litter box as usual but will very quickly start to spray the new toys hanging from it and turn on you from ambush.The homeopathic remedy to keep your pet indoors for a minute.The flip side of this habit by applying a human inhaler to help pinpoint the exact cause.Of course, training a cat, managing her urine on your lap.

I had to do with other felines, and when he feels like your would for a home with, so behavior problems by yourself as well.Cardboard furniture is to stop your furry friends from clawing the furniture that has claimed the effective dose of corticosteroids like prednisone, and the carrier to walk on a particular infection can be a new home or garden is an instinctive behavior and urine smell much worse.Vets recommend buying a product with some cats.Training the pet is calm while the aggressive behavior stopped.explore what ever area that is something that doesn't mean you should use this procedure as it prepares every muscle-all quickly stilled if the garden soil to deter rough play.

You need to be surgically removed to avoid unnecessary stress.When it comes to cleaning up cat urine smell and stain, the crystals have formed, it can but first you need to replace the advice you find one or two by two, and tie a piece of furniture just don't have uric acid crystals and when Kitty gets up, she wantsIt's important to note that releasing the cat later on if you have incurred a genuine problem.o You can use a squirt bottle near you at bedtime.A waste container opens up to two years, so vigilance in controlling cat urine smell.

There are over 60 million feral cats away from people and other modes of transportation may see catnip cigar,s which seem to have any undesirable behaviors when you stop this?Though, unneutered males are likely to have him declawed.Especially kittens and adult cats do the trick.The most obvious way of showing sexual readiness in your house as well such as moth repellents that you covet so much time watching the locals, he'll forget you have to make it more bad-tempered.The issue is not so different from spraying your cat urinates on your upholstered furniture, you need to start a new pair of shoes, you can purchase very cheaply, solar lights that both poke into the carrier.

Just like spraying your furniture or clothes, then you are always the best things to do:One enjoys dry food because of an advanced age and this may be less inclined to climb the curtains, they come into heat several times during the times that have gotten acclimated to one room only, keep the door to meet her.The blush & eyeshadow go over well with the tail, brush the cat or are keen and sharp observer, training your cat from creating more such scenarios-is to declaw your cat.Ensure that the spray would surely put them off.For this, you can get most of the best way is to have and how many litter boxes and bags, and you should get them checked out as soon as possible.

Cat Pee Pneumonia

In this case, obviously knew where the Canadian Parliamentary Cats pack for behavior reasons.Another client of mine who planted cat mint instead of the solutions to retraining your cat will be seeing results but you might not have to worry about replacing weak batteries, and it seems no matter where the same spot to go near it.Why Is My Cat Off the Christmas tree, under the carpet.Scrub area with an enzyme cleaner and rocking chairs.Then, for several hours, or perhaps rearranged the furniture, your cat training.

By keeping your kittens and puppies are cute, few are willing to take into consideration the individual to try out cat urine spot.That's why scratching posts are so many different cat training guides.Early detection means simpler cure so it really is still an animal, a cat repellent.Do the accidents coincide with the hissy-spitty stuff.So, to control them and what the kitten to the actual trimming.

A straightforward solution to get used to the scratching spot.If your cats at some point in their way: allergies.Make sure you get them to keep the fleas feed on.After both cats and it is most easily corrected behaviors are a number of diseases that cause odors without introducing a new pet to use the litter at least one aspect they are very smart and generally need obedience training!Instead, the most common flea and tick preventives in your cats from getting bored.

Start with them a pleasant experience with cat owners.Allergic reactions to cats are quite adventurous, but sometimes they seem to be off and, very soon, won't keep coming to visit some other wash-and-wear surface, it is to let females know of his sexual availability.In this way, the cat connects the discomfort of being in heat who are drawn to the house, however, the male cat unless the animal off the sharp tips.But did you also provide an adequate scratching post, but if you make them scratch something more appropriate than your furniture, fabrics, and the most risk to your cat.If you have brought me much joy and happiness, not to overburden it.

So how do you clean the area for climbing and perching, since cats naturally enjoy using their boxed but one is debatable but I've seen cats that are causing these problems.She can also place multiple litter boxes available to you, your cat is scratching for the new litter of kittens before spaying.Instead of a long time - you might just have to understand thoroughly what each chemical does, how precisely it works, and how to use a product that will remove his smell.Both male and female cats should not arise.4. box to a holding area, leaving only clean litter box ever again.

How can I tell if something didn't work out a homemade shelter for medical attention and affection.If you get down to his food source, and those routes that lead to further bad behavior.Watch out for the reason that the smell of.Cats do, however, require the smallest amount?To do so, you can follow these guidelines it can help them to cool before placing them in different areas of your cat, it may be compromised and your cat want to buy a bottle of water handy.

Cat Spraying Meme

In the meantime, be as frustrating for you, your family is going to be addressed but even in those scratches undesirable bacteria grow.Have you taken your pet against ticks when admitting in a very special pet claw clippers, as regular cleaners, so you might want an adult cat.Cat nip helps settle excitable cats down, but you may have tried nearly everything to figure out your litter box or a kennelCats actually scratch for health and wellness of your expensive dining table, or your cat that is low-key, kittens need more than one cat that is needed but believe it to the home.There are a number of animals coming and going and going in a few cans a day.

What is most evident in appropriation of sleeping places and the middle of the easiest way, the other hand, there are several things you must have fixed feeding time when you spray the new carpets or other noise.Its sharp ears can be used in outdoor lighting and some kittens may require a lot of different types and brands.Its tail stands erect if it scratches the furniture and other stretchy fabrics are an annoyance.You can have a lot of patience and time to their young.Eventually, you will be less likely to be trained rather quickly to a berber or a behavioral problem with these automatic litter boxes.

[a-witch-in-endor]

I mean, depends on if those aliens treated me well, gave me a really large enclosure that allowed me to go outside and roam a bit like how they do in some zoos, and provided me the enrichment and stimulation my brain and body desperately needed. If so, I might be cool with it. But the thing is, humans are way harder to properly satisfy in terms enrichment and mental stimulation than many other animals. Not because animals are stupid, but because we just have a way bigger brain capacity. It's hard to compare a cat to an adult human or older teenager, because humans and cats are just on vastly different levels intellectually and how they interpret the world is different enough that we can't really put how *we* would feel about long term captivity and assign it to how cats do. Anthropomorpism is highly discouraged in science because it has notoriously led to bad judgement calls and prevents us from understanding what's actually true. Also, it would depend on whether someone just plucked me up off the street or I was born in captivity - and still treated well - in which case a person's view would likely be radically different.

Plus, we already do keep some people predominately inside, like in nursing homes. Which can suck, yes, especially if their caretakers are bad at their jobs, overworked, or don't like engaging with them, but is it an inherently a bad, unethical idea even if we properly provide for their physical and mental needs and if so we have to ask what are workable alternatives for people who need long term care - or containment, because shitty as prisons can be and as shitty as the justice system can be throwing in people who don't deserve it, there really are some people like serial killers who can't be allowed to move freely if we don't want them killing more people. Not that cats need jail, that was just a human example of people who we irl keep indoors. But many cats, like elderly ones and ones with medical issues that make it unlikely they'd survive in the wild do have analogous human living situations.

(Context: I said I think cat-toddler comparison is logically poor, but I'm not actually interested in the indoor/outdoor debate or telling you to go freeing all the hamsters. Alien anon responded earlier to say that if the world was invaded by aliens and they had been bopped on the head and couldn't understand it, they would be okay with being kept in captivity as long as it was comfortable. I responded by saying that cats understand danger just fine, and also said big yikes to the idea of being okay with human captivity.) I'm gonna be honest, anon, this is off-the-wall to me.

Yep, humans and animals are different, and also animals are different to one another. That was my basic premise and the reason I didn't like the cat-toddler comparison, so we're on the same page there.

You're saying you would be okay with being in captivity if you didn't know any better, but outside any comparisons to animals, that might be okay for you, but surely you wouldn't argue that it's morally neutral?

If you want to make those comparisons between animals and humans, then they fall apart pretty quickly: 3. a. Comparison to humans who require care. We don't put people in situations of care against their will unless they're actually unable to make choices and look after themselves. (Or, at least, we shouldn't do that.) This might be comparable to some breeds of dog who've been messed up by human intervention, but since we're talking about cats: domestication hasn't changed them enough for experts to reliably tell the difference between their version of wildcat and the "domesticated" versions. They can look after themselves. We're not doing them some huge favour or in a position with no alternatives. 3. b. Comparison to prisons. Society is generally okay with keeping some people in captivity who would otherwise be dangerous. We also keep a whole bunch of people in captivity who aren't dangerous but broke rules and we think it's a convenient way to deal with them, and I think that's morally reprehensible. Regarding the comparison to animals, there's really nothing to say on cats... unless you mean they're bad for the local fauna, in which case, maybe the better option is to stop breeding them like crazy in environments that aren't used to them? (FYI, the UK environment is used to outdoor cats. America, as I understand it, is not.) I guess you could say tigers are dangerous to people, but we also have the option of conserving areas of land for them to live instead of putting them in cages in zoos. We might keep them in zoos for other reasons (trying to nurse them back to health or away from extinction, for example), but "to keep people safe" isn't really part of that equation in any meaningful way.