Pet Debacles

[TDK]

My cat, ten years old at the time and a large orange tom, was very territorial. And all the other animals we had, including several dogs, saw him as the alpha male. The other cats would go away when he came to eat from the food bowl. We had two german shepherds who did the same thing if he chose to steal their food.

Hell, he drove a rottweiler out of our yard once. I loved that cat, he was so badass.

[Marelo]

Originally Posted by 42PETUNIAS

All I know is if my pet goes out and nearly gets itself killed several times, I stop letting it go out.

What Victus said.

How do you think its tail got lopped off? It darted out the door as the door was already in transit to the closed position. You just try keeping a cat indoors while a family of six use two different doors to go in and out... And put it on YouTube, for hilarity's sake.

What would you have us do, follow the cat around every second of every day, making sure it doesn't get so much as a kink in its fur?

That cat, and every animal my family has ever owned, have lived excellent and comfortable lives. But you know what? Things happen, especially when curious animals are involved; that's something you should know if you've ever taken care of one. So don't even try to tell me that I "should not be allowed to have pets."

Now, to stay on topic, I share the story of another cat of mine.

Violet is a Manx, which are just about the best kitties ever. Violet also happens to be very adventurous. Violet managed to get herself locked in a garage across our neighborhood for a few days. She lived by thieving that family's cat food, and it was several days before we managed to hear her yowling by chance. We hadn't gone to look for her, because she comes and goes as she wishes, often absent for several days at a time.

I have no idea how, exactly, the occupants of the house did not discover her. We heard her from across a flippin' lake, but they somehow managed to be ignorant of her presence until we knocked on their door.

Originally Posted by TDK

My cat, ten years old at the time and a large orange tom, was very territorial. And all the other animals we had, including several dogs, saw him as the alpha male. The other cats would go away when he came to eat from the food bowl. We had two german shepherds who did the same thing if he chose to steal their food.

Hell, he drove a rottweiler out of our yard once. I loved that cat, he was so badass.

Hehe, I had a German shepherd named Bob who was absolutely terrified of Violet for no reason at all. Eventually, they started buddying up, but, for the first couple of years, if the cat were in the room, Bob was not.

Here's another story about Mr. I was always his favorite, and one time, while I was in 3rd grade, he followed me 16 blocks to school... And just stayed there for a few days. Someone fed him while he was there, and we think he was waiting around to see me and follow me back. One of my fondest memories is seeing my cat walking around outside the classroom and asking the teacher if I could retrieve him. Eventually, my mother, then the librarian, snatched him up herself.

[CelesJessa]

My big cat Oreo is a pretty big goofball. I remember one time. We were all sitting at the table for one reason or another (I think we were playing cards) and Oreo jumped up onto the table. There was a candle lit and he just stuck his tail right into the flame. He didn't even notice. He looked kind of annoyed when my mom yanked his tail out of the flame and put it out though.

Oreo's always snuggled with my mom and dad all of the time, but he would rarely snuggle with me (only when he wanted food) but ever since our other cat died (my cat), he's been really nice to me, and snuggles with me just like he does to my mom and dad. <3 D'aww.

[Victus]

seconded on th <3 D'aww

I've had my fair share of cats and dogs (Not to say I don't take care of them, but I usually get dumb / spazzy / adventurous types). I remember my dad's irish setter, Bosco (He lived until about 18~) decided to take a jump out the back door glass window while we were away at a bbq or something. We were all hella scared because of his cuts, but he acted like they weren't there XD.

And I shit you not, one of my cats (He was a grey-striped one) took the tv as his territory. If he wasn't on top of the tv (Chances are he was), he would be on the couch, sitting on the remote, and would let no one touch it. XD

[Loyal]

Originally Posted by Victus

And I shit you not, one of my cats (He was a grey-striped one) took the tv as his territory. If he wasn't on top of the tv (Chances are he was), he would be on the couch, sitting on the remote, and would let no one touch it. XD

My larger cat (who has no name. :\)does this whenever catnip is involved. He will spread his body as far as he possibly can to envelop all bits of catnip in the area and deny the smaller cat (named Petey) from having any.

It's cute, but it makes a mess of his already messy fur.

[Lady Cygnet]

Originally Posted by Runswithnopants

Have you ever owned a cat?

They like to move around, you know. That sittin' still shit, they don't have none of that.

You obviously haven't met my cat, Sisko. He does his insane dashes on a very RARE basis; however, my cat is so inclined to pick a place to sleep and stay there FOREVER that I once had to make my bed AROUND him because he refused to move...I even have pics to prove it.

[h4x.m4g3]

I once had a dog that we posthumously renamed Houdini, because he really deserved that one more then what my 5 year old niece came up with when he was born. Anyway Houdini got his name because he could get out of anything. He was probably a foot long and 8 inches off the ground, but somehow he could jump/climb our 6 foot high fence. So we installed a runner, but everyday he would slip out of his collar and hop the fence again. So we hooked him up via a harness, which he somehow managed to pull off. Then finally my dad got tired of this and put him on a choke chain (as the god runs away the collar gets tighter, returning to normal tightness when the dog stops pulling on the chain) despite my protest (we had one dog that wrapped his leash around a pole and hung himself with one of those) and he figured out its mechanics, slipped out and jumped the fence. Unfortunately this was his last escape as this time he was hit by a car.

Houdini also had a great love for table scraps, so long as they weren't vegetables. I once saw him grab a scrap a lettuce that had fallen off a burger lick all the barbecue sauce off it and then spit back out the lettuce whole.

[Marelo]

Originally Posted by Lady Cygnet

You obviously haven't met my cat, Sisko. He does his insane dashes on a very RARE basis; however, my cat is so inclined to pick a place to sleep and stay there FOREVER that I once had to make my bed AROUND him because he refused to move...I even have pics to prove it.

Very clearly a devil in disguise!

[DarkDrgon]

Originally Posted by Runswithnopants

Hubba-wha?

The largest animal my pets have felled, to my knowledge, is a largish rabbit.

A deer? For serious?

yup. we were shocked. my tiny dog just tore the poor thing to pieces. (note, it wasn't a big dear, If I were to guess Id say it was young'in.)
EDIT: Mayber I should clarify, I have a large yard, and all examples happened during birthing season. only 1 was a confirmed kill (said youn'in, the first one) but the others were so mangled by the time my dog let go, there was no way they could survive.

[Sithdarth]

The newest cat type addition to our family happens of be the devil:


Notice the blurry face and the two extra toes on her front feet attached near the ankle instead of on the paw with the rest. This peculiar deformity gives her something approaching a primate type grip. Seeing as she happens to be the absolutely most energetic kitten of all time this can be a bit of a problem. Seriously she will stalk and otherwise ambush absolutely anything that moves and somethings that don't. When you go to the bathroom she'll lie in wait on the arm of the coach nearest the bathroom door and leap at you the instant you step out.

I have absolutely no idea what went wrong in this cat's head. Heck she even insists on meowing as loud as possible right before and right after using the litter box for no apparent reason. This wouldn't be such a problem except she manages to meow louder than our Rottweilers can bark. I have yet to figure out how something this small produces a sound that large.