The Chillout Zone (Off-Topic Thread)

toadfly

Just had Lexi at the vet for her vaccinations and checkup. The vet heard a heart murmur and said she will need a cardio scan. Anyone any experience with this?

tk123

Ah poor Lexi - all the API animals are going thru the wars!

My patches came out ok i think. Hopefully the a) work and b) won't be needed for very long!!!

honerbright

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

The catnip toys I ordered arrived this morning. I got 2 boomerang shaped catnip filled toys, and a few other bits and bobs. Felix is rolling around like a mad kitten. Jazzy tried to have a sniff of it and promptly got chased under the kitchen table. I'm keeping one seperate for Toby until he shows up later. I want him to have a toy that no other cat has played with. I don't think he's ever had any toys, he doesn't seem to know what to do with them and runs away if you try to play with him. He does love the catnip though.

I was wondering earlier - What did Toby make of his toy?

Pumpkinseeds

honerbright wrote: »

I was wondering earlier - What did Toby make of his toy?

He loved it. Didn't get to play with it for long as his rolling around on the armchair, kicking it and biting the teddybears leg freaked Felix and Jazzy out so they had to investigate and he leapt over the worktop and went out to the garden. He gets to it most days and I always put a teaspoon of loose catnip inside the back door on the mat. He loves to roll around in it and lick it.

I usually buy the polloc fish. It's a cotton covered catnip filled toy fish thats about a foot long and lasts at least a year but they were out of stock. So I bought some banana shaped catnip filled toys. The 3 of them don't seem as impressed with them now that they've been out of the packaging for a bit, so it mustn't be as good. Both the polloc and the banana toys have no filling other than the catnip which is what appealed to me.

How're things going with George and possible sibling?

toadfly

tk123 wrote: »

Ah poor Lexi - all the API animals are going thru the wars!

I know there is always something How are Baileys legs now? When is the puppy arriving?

tk123

I honestly don't know how his legs are I thought he'd improved yesterday but this morning he went to step up on a small wall to get to grass on the other side - I think when he stepped up he put all the weight on the sore leg and kind of stumbled a litte/jumped but then he was ok again. He's jumpy on walks as well because it's not our usual route and to make matters worse there's free large item rubbish collections in our area this week (we have main roads and side roads all being done on different days) so he might afraid of the stuff piled up outside the houses and decide he doesn't want to walk beside it and try and go out into the road(!).... or the constant steam of white vans looking at the rubbish going past the rubbish is freaking him out. He has hydro this evening so I'm hoping it'll help and I can ask for advise there - it always takes the tension out of his back.
There's a seminar in PDT that is going over all of the issues Bailey has - was thinking of booking a place but wondering if the money would be better spent getting some one to one help!
Puppy is arriving in 3 weeks - hopefully to a less stressed out house!

honerbright

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

How're things going with George and possible sibling?

I finally got a job so I've been working this week so my OH has taken over George-duty in the mornings. He said he found a toy mouse that Cinnamon doesn't like (she's a fussy monkey) and he took it out to George and she was picking it up in her paw, hunting and playing with it. So sad I missed seeing it.
Still no joy on the catching her front, but she's getting so much better letting us near her.

No sign of her possible sibling since, but she seems to have a vocal cat following her around like a shadow. He or she wont come near or even eat food, it just sits under the bushes making noises.

Pumpkinseeds

Congratulations on the new job. It's lovely to see them playing, not to worry there'll be lots more of it to see. We have these toys called Spicy Miceys, they're 4 little red toy mice that come in a bag of loose catnip. Our guys love them and Toby has just been playing with one. It's handy actually as they're only about the size of your little finger and are great for them to throw around. Toby was inside the back door on the mat playing with one, I was sitting on the cold floor in the middle while Jazzy played with one on the other side of me.

They're all still nervous of each other,especially if one makes any sudden movements. Toby didn't show up until about 9 tonight, I don't where he was all day but he was hungry. I got to see Summer yesterday and today when I brought the food down. I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing, I keep hoping that someone will come over and tell me that she's there cat. I don't stay longer than a few minutes as it's a very busy area and I don't want to draw any bad attention to her.

Felix was 6 today, well he arrived here aged 1, 5 years ago so it seemed as good a birthday as any. Black puss showed up this morning and ate the 2 pouches and most of the nuts that I'd left out. So I know that he ate today too:)

tk123

Oh the excitement - the new soft/fabric crate I ordered has arrived - can't wait to get home and try it out...How sad is that!!

Pumpkinseeds

I've my eye on 1 from zooplus. We have 1 we got in Aldi years ago and its a huge 1 for the cats but the bars have gotten wrecked over the years. Felix is a big lad but he can stand up and walk around in it and see everything, as well as getting lots of air. It's dog sized really but they sometimes sleep in it at home too. I love a top opening, it saves so much hassle.

SillyMangoX

left a slice of water melon unattended for 2 minutes, came back to find Cream happily munching away! He has the weirdest tastes for food..

tk123

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

I've my eye on 1 from zooplus. We have 1 we got in Aldi years ago and its a huge 1 for the cats but the bars have gotten wrecked over the years. Felix is a big lad but he can stand up and walk around in it and see everything, as well as getting lots of air. It's dog sized really but they sometimes sleep in it at home too. I love a top opening, it saves so much hassle.

http://www.petplanet.co.uk/product_group.asp?dept_id=772&pg_id=1925

Delighted with it - It's very strong and sturdy. Definitely as well made as the one in Maxizoo for €129 and it was only €55 - I pretended I was thinking of buying one so I could try him in it for size! .

westies4ever

Scamp has a tick - its in his armpit (legpit?) and he wont let me near it! see previous posts about nail clipping., grooming etc. I'll have to take him to the vet in the morning to remove it. so not looking forward to it. in my nearly seven years of dog ownership this is my first tick!

SillyMangoX

westies4ever wrote: »

Scamp has a tick - its in his armpit (legpit?) and he wont let me near it! see previous posts about nail clipping., grooming etc. I'll have to take him to the vet in the morning to remove it. so not looking forward to it. in my nearly seven years of dog ownership this is my first tick!

Peach got her first tick yesterday too! Yuck! My mom decided to pull it out and left the mouth behind.. Whoops!

westies4ever

i'm too scared to try it and he's going mad at me if I go near it! uurrghh!

honerbright

This morning there was a ginger tom in the yard traumatizing George. He was chasing her around and she was hissing and hitting him and couldn't even stop to eat her breakfast because every time she did he tried to get behind her and she really didn't want him near her. The whole thing was quite horrific. Tried to scare him off but her wouldn't budge and George wouldn't come close enough for me to bring her in. I spent ages this morning before work trying to get him away/get her in but no joy at all.

I'm almost certain the ginger cat is owned as well, he's too big and healthy looking for be a stray as well. Why can't people just get their animals neutered?!
After seeing that display this morning I can understand a bit better the ad campaign they had in NZ a few years back about a sexual offender in the neighborhood.

On the bright side the cat trap has finally become available so hopefully I'll be able to collect it monday and I'll have her trapped by this time next week.

boomerang

Chilled out on the couch, watching 'Munich' on DVD with my three new rescue ratty boys, Diego, Stoner and Harry.

borderlinemeath

One of the pups that was born here on Good Friday is coming to stay tonight!:). Can't wait to see how much he's changed. I saw them at 5/6 weeks and at 8 weeks and he's 14 weeks now.

tk123

Bailey's been much much better since hydro on thurs so chanced a short walk on the beach this morning and he was fine! No pain and in his element with his buddy.. Yaaay!

Pumpkinseeds

honerbright wrote: »

This morning there was a ginger tom in the yard traumatizing George. He was chasing her around and she was hissing and hitting him and couldn't even stop to eat her breakfast because every time she did he tried to get behind her and she really didn't want him near her. The whole thing was quite horrific. Tried to scare him off but her wouldn't budge and George wouldn't come close enough for me to bring her in. I spent ages this morning before work trying to get him away/get her in but no joy at all.

I'm almost certain the ginger cat is owned as well, he's too big and healthy looking for be a stray as well. Why can't people just get their animals neutered?!
After seeing that display this morning I can understand a bit better the ad campaign they had in NZ a few years back about a sexual offender in the neighborhood.

On the bright side the cat trap has finally become available so hopefully I'll be able to collect it monday and I'll have her trapped by this time next week.

It's awful for the female cats being chased and for the males fighting with each other and roaming. I really don't understand why people don't get them neutered/spayed. Hopefully you'll get the trap next week, she'll be a lot happier when she's done. We had neighbours who's cats were all well fed but none of them were ever neutered until a couple of years ago. There were so so many cats from that house. Some were rehomed every year but most just wandered off on their own to who knows where.

I suspect that Jazzy was a runt of a litter that wandered off from there and became feral. I wouldn't be surprised if the black one I'm trying to trap originated from there as well. I remember a litter of black kittens there a couple of years ago.

They seem to have copped on and had them done as there hasn't been kittens for a good while now. I don't think they ever gave a second thought to were the cats went once they disappeared:(

tk123

Guys is 8 weeks too young to start puppy classes - if I wait she'll be 15 weeks which imo is a giant waste of 5 weeks? I want this puppy bombproof!

Dodd

to123
I would be worried bringing it to classes before it has all the vacinations sorted and two weeks.

tk123

Dodd wrote: »

to123
I would be worried bringing it to classes before it has all the vacinations sorted and two weeks.

They only need their first vaccination for puppy classes so I think we're ok?

Rommie

I would have thought they would need the full course of vaccinations before being around other dogs?

tk123

Rommie wrote: »

I would have thought they would need the full course of vaccinations before being around other dogs?

No they def only need the 1st for puppy classes - our own vet does puppy parties and they just need their 1st. Bailey had his second before one of the classes in fact...and then slept thru the class lol :rolleyes::pac: I've checked with the training center and they said they'll go with whatever the vet says so we're good to go but I'll double check to be safe

Until your puppy is fully vaccinated you can not take him into public places. Newer vaccines such as the one we use at Anicare allow your puppy to start his vaccination course as young as six weeks allowing for earlier socialisation than was once possible.
Also our puppy classes run at Anicare Clontarf Anicare Glasnevin & Anicare Palmerstown are open to puppies who have had their first vaccination allowing them a head start on the socialisation process.

DBB

Do you use Anicare tk? They're right to be cautious, of course, but it's not quite right to say that pups shouldn't go out in public before their vaxes have finished. It's okay, and indeed very much encouraged, as long as it's done with due care and consideration (e.g. you shouldn't bring a brand new pup into a dog park!)

Open the Puppy vaccination and socialisation link:

http://merial.co.uk/Dog/Pages/advice_dogs.aspx

This leaflet needs to get out into vet surgeries in Ireland.... Fancy printing off a few for Anicare? :-)

tk123

DBB wrote: »

Do you use Anicare tk? They're right to be cautious, of course, but it's not quite right to say that pups shouldn't go out in public before their vaxes have finished. It's okay, and indeed very much encouraged, as long as it's done with due care and consideration (e.g. you shouldn't bring a brand new pup into a dog park!)

Open the Puppy vaccination and socialisation link:

http://merial.co.uk/Dog/Pages/advice_dogs.aspx

This leaflet needs to get out into vet surgeries in Ireland.... Fancy printing off a few for Anicare? :-)

Yep we use the Botanic one as they're 2 mins from our house and more importantly our vet is brilliant!
Thanks for that - I knew it was ok to carefully take her out after reading it before when you posted a while ago but didn't have the link!

SillyMangoX

Cream has taught Dude to open the press under the stairs! I wouldn't mind if there was something the want in there but no they just open it and walk away!!! Silly animals!

Whispered

haha that's brilliant. They just open it because they can. Cheeky.

Here's a question - I was visiting my parents today and their usually very VERY polite male dog kept trying to hump my leg. He's 9 and not neutered. I had held a bitch in heat on Tuesday last, but had obviously showered numerous times since. Is there any way he could have smelled that or coincidence?

I bought a pool in tesco a while back for only 2euro. It's a lot bigger than I expected. It's great!

tk123

SillyMangoX wrote: »

Cream has taught Dude to open the press under the stairs! I wouldn't mind if there was something the want in there but no they just open it and walk away!!! Silly animals!

They're making sure there's no monsters hiding in the press for you lol! Why don't you put a toy or something interesting in the press to see their reaction when they discover it!