The Chillout Zone (Off-Topic Thread)

bluecherry74

I'm so excited for you tk123! You're going to love having a second dog and Lucy is a perfect name (I'm a big Beatles fan).

Hayfever is rearing it's ugly head with me this year too. I've been lucky the past few years and been able to keep it under control, along with my other allergies. I need to look into some of the meds ye mentioned; I've possibly built up a resistance to what I'm currently on.

My hens have been stressing me out a bit. Three of them (I have four now) have had various health issues - a weird overgrown beak on one, some kind of respiratory infection with another and a swollen eye on a third. I'm so new to owning hens that I have no idea what warrants a visit to the vet and what doesn't. Luckily my vet is very helpful over the phone. They all seem to be fine now thankfully. They're gas fun to watch... I've been giving them dried mealworms as treats and whenever I walk into the garden there's a mad hen stampede towards me looking for more!

Pumpkinseeds

I stick with the piriton, I keep meaning to try the stuff you rub on your nose to stop the pollen going up.

tk123

Ah my poor baba - drying him yesterday after a swim and HIS allergies are coming back - a couple of hot spots on his tummy! Straight in with pirotin and cortozin cream so hopefully it nips it in the bud

muddypaws

Am away from home for a while, really miss the dogs and cats, but sitting out in the sunshine not worrying about walking and cleaning the house after them has its compensations. Odd to be somewhere with no dog hair though.

SillyMangoX

Cream has a new house! My uncles house is in the same garden as mine, and he always has his door open for the dog to go in and out. Cream decided today that he doesn't mind the dog anymore, strolled into my uncles house, checked to see was there anything tasty in the dogs bowl, jumped up on the couch and slept! Little brat

tk123

We saw a dog on our walk this evening - it was like a mouse with a lead on compared to Bailey lol!!

nala2012

My poor nala has an upset stomach. We were at the beach today and she ate some rotten seaweed. She's eating it before but this must've been very bad because she puked at 2.30, 6.00 and again at 10 i haven't given her anything to eat, she wasn't looking for anything when we were eating our dinner. She's been drinking water throughout the day and has peed but not poo'd. Anything i can give her to settle her stomach or am i better off not giving her anything?

honerbright

Started feeding a stray kitty and she's come backl to the 'feeding spot' for the second day in a row. Delighted.
Going to put out the cat carrier without the door on with a blanket tomorrow so she's somewhere warm to sleep.
She's a frightened we thing, which is so sad because one of her eyes is so gunky and has a big stain under it from weeping and all I want to do is sort it out for her

Bit worried though, a few weeks ago there were some male cats hanging around, I can only assume the poor girl was in season (I assume she's a she, because I fed her out back with a big fluffy ginger boy who had come around that I had never seen before, and haven't seen since, and they weren't fighting like I imagine two males would if there was an in season female nearby). So hopefully there won't be any babies soon

Pumpkinseeds

It's lovely when they come back and hopefully you'll manage to get puss to the vet soon. We were relieved to get Toby done last week. When they're sick it's more worrying. We lured him into the cat carrier by putting catnip and cooked chicken inside. Ours is a zip up carrier though.

We were heartbroken looking at him sleeping in the rain in our garden. Now he's constantly trying to get upstairs for a snooze. If only my other 2 would give him a break and let him in. It's gonna be a long slow process. At least once they're neutered and vet checked you can relax and hope they'll choose to become part of the family. Good luck, let us know how it goes.

Pumpkinseeds

SillyMangoX wrote: »

Cream has a new house! My uncles house is in the same garden as mine, and he always has his door open for the dog to go in and out. Cream decided today that he doesn't mind the dog anymore, strolled into my uncles house, checked to see was there anything tasty in the dogs bowl, jumped up on the couch and slept! Little brat

I think he likes the limelight, I turned to this months calendar page and there he was yawning at me. Gorgeous cat:)

SillyMangoX

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

I think he likes the limelight, I turned to this months calendar page and there he was yawning at me. Gorgeous cat:)

My little celebrity

honerbright

I think we're a long while away from getting her to the vets, she comes in the yard and always stays at the back by the hedges, and then when I take the food out she hides until I've gone back inside. I can't imagine what she's gone through to make her to scared of people
The neighbors across the road moved out some months back and I used to see her hanging around their front door after they left and before they left she used to often be around their house so I wonder if she were a stray they were feeding or if she was a pet they just left behind.

This is her anyway:

Pumpkinseeds

honerbright wrote: »

I think we're a long while away from getting her to the vets, she comes in the yard and always stays at the back by the hedges, and then when I take the food out she hides until I've gone back inside. I can't imagine what she's gone through to make her to scared of people
The neighbors across the road moved out some months back and I used to see her hanging around their front door after they left and before they left she used to often be around their house so I wonder if she were a stray they were feeding or if she was a pet they just left behind.

This is her anyway:

She's stunning. I used to sit on the doors step and read while our feral chap first started coming around. He was terrified and used to take off as soon as he saw us. Sitting quietly having a read let him get a good look at me and suss me out. The food is a good start and she'll start to associate you with good things. If her health gets any worse you could contact Cats Aid or Cats Friends if you are in Dublin and they might lend you a trap to help you catch her.

bluecherry74

Jess just came limping in with a nice big gash on one of her paw pads. I've bathed it in warm salty water (I got about as wet as her paw in the process) and will be keeping an eye on it in case it gets infected. Should I get a bootie for her to wear outside until it heals? Its a pretty big gash, there's a flap of loose skin about the size of a 5 cent coin. No long walks for a while I'd say.

tk123

bluecherry74 wrote: »

Jess just came limping in with a nice big gash on one of her paw pads. I've bathed it in warm salty water (I got about as wet as her paw in the process) and will be keeping an eye on it in case it gets infected. Should I get a bootie for her to wear outside until it heals? Its a pretty big gash, there's a flap of loose skin about the size of a 5 cent coin. No long walks for a while I'd say.

It might need to be stitched or the flap cut off if it's that big? Bailey cut his paw when he was almost 1 and it was stapled..then back a few days later with our normal vet and she said there were too many staples and took them out..back a few days later it still hadn't closed so she stitched it..back when he stepped in a puddle at pet expo :rolleyes: and finally back again to have the stitches removed and it hadn't healed at all so flap cut off what a saga!!

Anyhoos if you have tiles or wooden floors Pennies do baby socks with non slip dots on them. Maxizoo do the booties or order on amazon and use parcel motel.

bluecherry74

tk123 wrote: »

It might need to be stitched or the flap cut off if it's that big? Bailey cut his paw when he was almost 1 and it was stapled..then back a few days later with our normal vet and she said there were too many staples and took them out..back a few days later it still hadn't closed so she stitched it..back when he stepped in a puddle at pet expo :rolleyes: and finally back again to have the stitches removed and it hadn't healed at all so flap cut off what a saga!!

Anyhoos if you have tiles or wooden floors Pennies do baby socks with non slip dots on them. Maxizoo do the booties or order on amazon and use parcel motel.

Thanks tk. It hadn't occurred to me that it might need to be stitched/stapled. It doesn't look as bad this morning as I thought last night though and the loose flap if skin is sitting properly inside the wound. I'll pop down to Maxizoo when they open for some booties.

tk123

At least you have Maxizoo near you lol - when Baiey cut his I had to settle for a silver bootie while I waited for the black ones from zooplus - he looked like a clown lol! I still remember the vet - 'it hasn't knitted together at all see??' And he shoved the paw in my face as he pulled both sides of the wound open and closed a few times - puke puke puke!

SillyMangoX

Dude has gotten very big in the last week, his collar finally fits him! Which is fantastic cos it gives Cream warning of his sneak hump attacks!! I think I'll miss having a small kitten in the house though! He's in a stage of being extremely cuddly and sleeping on my chest at every available opportunity and also trying to kill absolutely every foot or hand he sees unexposed!

muddypaws

My arms ache from carrying in the 10 bags of dog food that were delivered this morning, and then rehanging my big wooden gate so that I can contain the dogs in one half of the back yard. Have to put weedkiller down, tried a homemade one of vinegar, salt and washing up liquid, but had no effect, so unfortunately no alternative but to go with Roundup. Unless anyone has any other safer suggestions?

tk123

muddypaws wrote: »

My arms ache from carrying in the 10 bags of dog food that were delivered this morning, and then rehanging my big wooden gate so that I can contain the dogs in one half of the back yard. Have to put weedkiller down, tried a homemade one of vinegar, salt and washing up liquid, but had no effect, so unfortunately no alternative but to go with Roundup. Unless anyone has any other safer suggestions?

Patio slabs lol - we have a small garden though that's one thing less to worry about - new puppy digging up nails, glass, rotten wood as well as the piddle muddy patch that used to be our garden! :pac:
...waiting for a mail from the breeder with puppy pics!

Pumpkinseeds

Felix and Jazzy are worn out with the heat. I've changed the outdoor water bowl twice and put some ice cubes in it. The wandering black cat sneaked into the kitchen for the Applaws kibble this morning and was promptly caught by Toby who chased him out the gate screeching at him all the way.

I got back from the doctors and put the parasol out for Felix and Jazzy, no sign of Toby and within minutes there was fighting in the alley with Felix and either Toby or black puss, I didn't see which. Felix had a few tufts of fur loose but nothing major. He's still not letting Toby indoors, he chased him upstairs and under the guest bed last night when he saw him. He's taken to guarding the back door now. Ahh the joys of it, Toby spraying everywhere still and I'm trying to get rid of the smell before my new cooker is delivered tomorrow:rolleyes:

Layinghen

All our four legged friends seem to be effected with the heat. My JRT loves nothing better than to lie in the sun for hours unending playing what we call 'dead dog' (legs stretched straight out in front of her whilst lying on her side). I put out water for her and try to make her drink - waste of time. I put shade over her and that is the only thing that makes her move - to a sunnier spot :eek:Then I just give up and join her. We have to make the best of this fantastic weather.

SillyMangoX

Had dude out in the sun for about 4 hours today and he hasn't woke up since, he's absolutely flaked out! Unfortunately he isn't made for heat, he was panting like a little dog . Cream is on a spray rampage at the moment, I didn't realise and walked barefoot into a puddle. Yuck!!!

Kablamo!

I'm lying on the couch dying of a hangover and just heard a massive BANG from upstairs followed by the small cat tearing through the living room at the rate of knots with a huge grin on her face...
WHAT HAS SHE DONEEEE

Whispered

Kablamo! wrote: »

I'm lying on the couch dying of a hangover and just heard a massive BANG from upstairs followed by the small cat tearing through the living room at the rate of knots with a huge grin on her face...
WHAT HAS SHE DONEEEE

What did she do?

Kablamo!

Whispered wrote: »

What did she do?

Tore my curtain pole off the wall. I don't even know how she managed that one! I can't handle this right now, the brat

mymo

Happened in our house once, this time of year is full of flying things, sends the cats mad.
It could have been one of those killer wasps or something, she saved your life!
What's a curtain pole between your master and you?

littlebug

I''ll never make it as a dog trainer.

I have a barker. she'll bark at everything and anything passing the house when she's outside (whether we're out with her or not).
So when she does bark she's brought/ put back inside. So now... she'll bark at car/ person/ leaves blowing in the wind and then race back inside with a big happy head on her to "tell" me that she's just barked... and then races back out to bark some more. So instead of teaching her not to bark I've taught her to go inside for a minute after she's barked.... all happy with herself. I give up!

mymo

Little bug I feel your pain, I have a barker, not too bad but did the same as you, now I have the little dog running in and barking at me to tell me other fella is outside barking.
You just can't win!

honerbright

6 Days in a row the lovely stray cat has come by for dinner! Yesterday (s)he meowed at me for food, and today she made herself very noticable in the yard, sitting in the center staring at the window so we wouldn't miss her so she could get her food.
Doesn't mind me sitting out there while she eats (done it twice now) and today she let me get within about 1 1/2 meters of her dangling a toy bird on a stick at her. I took out some chicken to her after the attempt with the toy to make up for it.
(S)hes so timid. Not aggressive in the least, just very very scared. Close up her eye doesn't look great, I'm thinking it might be an old blood stain under the eye, as that eye is rather cross-eyed, for lack of a better description.
(S)hes very hungry, the poor mite. Today she had a pouch, half a pack of greenfarm chicken and was munching away on the cat biscuits when I came back inside.

Seems to be getting used to me and associating me with food which can only be a good thing. Here's hoping (s)he keeps coming back!