Where's Greybear and Old Git

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Anybody heard from Greybear and Old Git lately? Or have they moved to a site without so many of us newbies? I value their insight and pontification.

-- (rick@ina.com), March 19, 1999

Answers

Old Git posted yesterday. Haven't seen GreyBear in a few days. Also haven't seen Kevin in a few. Hopefully just taking a break. <:)=

-- Sssman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), March 19, 1999.

Better fix my sig. I just ate my cookies! <:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), March 19, 1999.

Old Git is trying to nurse her cats through a severe illness, she said she would be in only briefly and once in a while 'til their illness was over.

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), March 19, 1999.

Greybear's still around.

I've just fallen on hard times. I'm having one of those runs of bad luck where the boss actually expects (he was long ago proven to be ENTIRELY unresonable) some actual work from the bear. So there has only been time to lurk and ocassional apply a half-witted comment.

--Pitifull Greybear, ...nobody knows de troubbils I seen, nobody knows my sorry...

- Got Troubles?

ps, there's no place I'd rather hang out than here - especially BECAUSE of the newbies

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), March 19, 1999.


I sure miss them when they are not active.

-- Watchful (seethesea@msn.com), March 19, 1999.


Gotta keep those cat's alive, fat, and happy. I'll be eaten 'em for food come Y2K. Here, kitty, kitty, kitty...

-- unprepared guy (comin'@foryourfood.com), March 19, 1999.

Thanks for asking. Sooty's okay with med, Nelson's got a kidney tumor. Not good. Y2K analogy--first vet grossly misdiagnosed problem (last October). Now Nelson may be too weak to survive kidney removal on Monday. Bright side: found out about misdiagnosis thanks to Net. Also found nourishing recipe for highly concentrated beef broth, keeping him alive until surgery. Thanks to Net we have a chance, even though a very small one. Sweetie is shattered. Please don't post good wishes, can't stand it. Just ignore. Am so pissed off, guilt-ridden and grieved, can't think straight for now.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), March 19, 1999.

Unprepared guy officially retracts his ill-fated attempt at humor.

-- unprepared guy (notcomin'@foryourfood.com), March 19, 1999.

Daddy Bear, they are working you too hard. Tell 'em you gotta have time to smell the roses.

Old Git, my sweetie, Mr. Keys and I have 4 lovely feline friends at our house. My heart hears how much you love them.

--Cyber Daughter Bear, soaking up the S. California sun.

-- Donna Barthuley (moment@pacbell.net), March 19, 1999.


What happened to E.coli and Runway Cat?

Is Ramp Rat related to Runway Cat?

-- Puddintame (dit@dot.com), March 19, 1999.



I think E. Coli went off to some other Petri dish to stew in.

And Runaway Cat....well, you guessed it..reminds me of a story....

I asked a friend one time how his wife was doing. He said "you mean my dear departed wife?"

I expressed sorry and regret at her demise and appologized for bringing up a painful subject.

He said "Oh no, she didn't die. One day she just up and departed"

I think that's what happened to Runaway Cat. (It was too easy to say he just ran way. And everyone knows I never go for the easy ones.)

Donna sweetie, Daddy Bear's afraid to stop and smell anything. From where he's sitting it looks like the smell might not be plesant. It's not news that I think we're all up to out noses in deep ........

--Greybear, who asks kindly that noone make waves.

- Got Life Boats?

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), March 19, 1999.


UGuy - s'okay, would have been pretty funny otherwise. Y'all, bless your cotton socks! Was able to tell vet about 80% of pharmaceuticals being made overseas and that there might be supply problems. He knew about overseas manufacture but hadn't made the connection. If you haven't seen your vet lately, please pass that on. Donna, we have 10 of the little buggers, from 3-17. Didn't mean to, they just kept coming to the door, sick and hungry. (Much like Sweetie. 'Cept I haven't had him fixed--yet!) Have to keep telling ourselves Nelson would have been dead 12 years ago if we hadn't found him and got him to a vet. We really worry about how we're going to care for them all come Y2K. If we can sell the house, I think we'll try to move next door to a vet! Am eye-dropping the broth every couple of hours, which is why I don't have much time or brain these days. Back when circs permit.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), March 19, 1999.

Old Git,

I've got 8 furballs, one sleeping on my lap right now. Two have severe cardiomyopathy, one is on Lasix 2x/day or he goes into congestive heart failure. The two youngest just started feline acne last month. I also wonder/hope that I will be able to care for them well during the upcoming times. Learned from one of my vets who practices Traditional Chinese medicine that in Chinese Medicine, they believe that if you have a problem with an organ, you should eat that organ (for nourishing the body). Therefore, my heart kitties get a chicken heart in their food everyday. I will probably be hard to find kidney by itself but I can direct you to a good source for a multiple organ glandular supplement (powder), one that has kidney in it. I believe that this company also makes a specific kidney formula. May help with Nelson's healing, esp if his body will have to go on one kidney now. Feel free to email me for the info.

Headbutts and healing prayers from my guys to yours...

-- Farmer Kat (ahimsa@premier1.net), March 19, 1999.


Old Git and Farmer Cat,...we have 4...we know we should not have more but I am skeptical. We had two...then three,...then it jumped to five when we rescued two 8 week olds and could not adopt them out. My old Queen died at age 12...

They rule...we clean litter boxes and make sure we get outside early enough in the morning to feed the two that eat out there. THEY WHO MUST BE OBEYED I have cat food stored... how are you doing on cat food storage? I'm curious....I'm way behind...ours eat dry mostly but the two outside prima donas split a half a can every morning. Sigh...My dog died over a year ago...I'd love another but can't think about preparing for feeding.

-- Donna Barthuley (moment@pacbell.net), March 19, 1999.


Donna,

All 8 get a homemade diet using antibiotic free/hormone free meat and organic veggies along with some supplements. I don't like the idea of going back to commercial cat food, but if things get tough for awhile, then they all get to eat canned cat food next year - much easier to mix in supplements with it. Haven't really bought any canned food yet (so 0% done on the cat food storage list). The one brand I like (Innova) has a one year expiration date on it, so if I buy it now, it should be used by next March. Just watching things closely and will probably start stocking up soon. Thinking about getting chickens for eggs (raw egg yolks are a great food for cats) but that is it... can't kill an animal myself (vegetarian here)... and yes, mine are pampered and rule too, but they are pretty flexible about life here.

We are planning on adopting a puppy soon... he will be a farm dog here. Thinking that since we are planning on growing a big garden, I may put him on a vegetarian diet... ??? Need to research this and get the recipes...

Thinking about starting a thread around what we are doing to prepare/ take are of out pets. Found a great treat for my cats this past month - they like the Earthrise Organic Spirulina tablets. At least, 7 out of 8 like them. Makes a great toy for them to chase across the kitchen floor and it also makes for a great "green" food supplement for them, esp if they are on a commercial diet where most of the good stuff has been cooked out if it.

-- Farmer Kat (ahimsa@premier1.net), March 19, 1999.



take are of out pets = take care of our pets

(sorry about the typos - hungry kitty tummys are calling)

-- Farmer Kat (ahimsa@premier1.net), March 19, 1999.


I pay teh rent for 3. One is, politely put, a slut. One is a typical basic cat with all the usual foibles on a 18 pound frame that CAN stretch up to my navel. And one is way more inteligent than the average bear. He has a vocabulary he understands of about 35-40 words and has been reliably heard (by more than Mrs Driver or me) using about 5. He is about 10, FIV pos and has been healthy as a horse (rap rap Hadda find some wood), and carries around about 15 pounds on a fairly lean frame. He has figured out door handles, which is a bit scarey at times.

Chuck, the catfood bringer and litter changer.

-- Chuck, a night driver (reinzoo@en.com), March 20, 1999.


Great to see all you cat people coming out of the closet! We like dogs too but don't have room for one right now. Home-made diets--good, but remember cats need taurine and other vitamins. See Drs. Foster & Smith catalogue (drsfostersmith.com) for vitamin supplements, first aid kits, vaccines, antibiotics, etc. Thanks for tip re meat to suit problem--can buy kidneys at whole food place here. Hate to mess with bits of dead animals, being a weed-eater myself, but I do understand that cats are heavily carnivorous!

Here's how to make that concentrated beef broth keeping Nelson alive (probably works for humans too): chop meat, put in mason jar, put on lid but not too tight. Put in pan, pour in water to level of meat in jar, boil, then simmer until meat is cooked. Pour off liquid, replace jar in pan. Keep pouring off liquid until no more remains. Meat in jar still has some nutrients and fiber, give to other pets or put in stew. Chicken doesn't sit as well with Nelson (too much fat?), but concentrated liver broth is palatable to him. Eye-dropper seems best way to administer. For now, freeze broth in ice-cube containers, 2 teasp in each section. Store in zip bag when frozen, defrost and heat slightly in microwave. The beauty of this stuff is that even a tiny bit is packed with vitamins and nutrients. If cat or human has no appetite, just a little bit can make the vital difference.

Petsmart has just opened up here--great prices on all kinds of food, including supermarket types like Friskies, Fancy Feast, etc. Plus you can buy cases of cat food and nobody looks at you funny. Seem to remember that dried Hill's Science Diet is good for 18 mos-two years. Best to buy from place like Petsmart, fast turnover, food not on shelf for weeks, longer expiration dates. Low-fat versions of chow will last longer than regular types.

Don't forget to get your pet's 3-year rabies shot before TSHTF.

Save lots of plastic grocery bags for litter. If you have only a few cats, the pine nugget type can be recycled by spreading on yard. Do not recycle if your cats go outside because of the danger of spreading oocysts--toxoplasmosis, giardia, etc.

Don't let pets be visible to strangers--if they see you can feed your pets, they know you have other stuff stashed. Plus, pets will make good stew. . . If you cut down any young trees or good branches, make some kitty scratching/lounging furniture, especially if you can find some scrap carpet (usually available at thrift shops), keep your furballs inside as much as possible. Don't use pressure-treated wood, of course. Lastly--did you allow water for your pets too?

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), March 20, 1999.


Donna, sorry, you asked about cat food storage. I'm not doing as well as I'd like but not too badly. Intend to buy some metal garbage cans to keep chow in--still in bags. When large bags are opened will transfer to smaller zip lock freezer bags, press as much air out as possible, return to cans. Don't want to put in plastic totes because I think the fumes will seep into the food. Besides, critters can't gnaw through metal. Well, maybe New Orleans and Miami roaches, but not much else. Must keep metal cans off floor, though--intend to, um, find some wooden pallets somewhere. May even paint the cans to help keep rust away. I suppose you could store chow in 5-gall buckets with oxy absorbers, should last very long time that way, yes? Of course, you mark the cans, "used cat litter" and "toxic waste" or something.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), March 20, 1999.

Wonderful thread!!!! We have 4 cats (we did have five, but our beloved Ruler of the Universe died last September of sinus cancer). 2 of ours eat store bought canned and dried food. We're buying canned food from Price Club. The other two are on Hills RX diet. I'm planning on storing dry food in unopened bags in metal trash cans too.

What's this about fumes from those plastic tote bins??? I've been storing boxed food (you know, pasta, seaweed, dried tofu, etc. in those (in original packaging of course) to keep mice away. Should I not be doing this????

-- Libby Alexander (libbyalex@aol.com), March 20, 1999.


Keeping containers off the floor -- pallets are overkill unless you get 'em free. 1x2's will do fine. Even rough lath will do the job -- laid out spaced so each container is supported by 2 lath.

We had a nice marmalade cat years ago (named Marmalade, too). She had no use for the TV except to lay on top of it when the house was cold and the TV was on. We were watching a program on PBS one night when we got quite a surprise. A documentary on China was running -- Canadian Broadcasting Corp. had somehow gotten permission to make it --- this was back in the 60's when China was virtually closed to Westerners. Marmalade ignored the program entirely (as usual) until a section came on exploring Shanghai. This cat immediately came to sit in front of the TV and she watched that whole segment like a hawk. When it was over she yawned and went away again. She lived a few years longer but never looked at a TV screen again. Go figure.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), March 21, 1999.


Sorry to tell you all that Nelson didn't make it through the surgery. I know you all were pulling for him but the cancer had spread just a bit too far. The moral here is to go with your gut feeling about a problem, even though an expert with diplomas from brand-name universities keeps telling you it isn't that serious. And check the Net first, not last as I did.

No response necessary, I think this thread is over now. Your thoughts have been appreciated more than you can imagine. Thanks from Sweetie and me.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), March 23, 1999.


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