Dog's Dinner - Do animals know what's going on?

Abbey · **Posted:** 12 Jun 2015, 17:50

Gosh, I'll definitely look out for that, Mary! I don't actually know how old Lucy is; it's on my list of questions to ask.

tartan-belle · **Posted:** 12 Jun 2015, 18:12

Abi - bouncy balls and a laser pen

I hope Lucy and you will be very happy together - cats are very cool!

My cat definitely knows what's going on sometimes - she knows "out" when she has been naughty and "settle down" when she is going back and forth near me but not sitting down (I've probably stolen her spot).

Finn · **Posted:** 12 Jun 2015, 18:32

Don't buy cat toys. Cats play with things to find out what they are, and when they are adults they know pretty well what things are so go off them quickly. You can save masses of money by doing what I do - screwing up paper or tin foil, bringing home conkers, or laying out sheets of wrapping paper like a tent (though it may just be Pippin that likes that!). Freebie toys are the best. Better still is to get a bit of ribbon or string - interactive play is the best and most fun sort for you and the cat in question

I've never had pet insurance and we've only been caught out once with the old Moppet when she broke her leg. We may well have just been lucky to have such healthy cats though

Abbey · **Posted:** 12 Jun 2015, 18:39

I like the free toys idea! Goodness knows I have plenty of crap I can use as toys.

Think I really do need insurance, though, because I seriously have no money at all, and am doing less then full time at the moment so probably won't even be able to save up a lot for a while.

Finn · **Posted:** 12 Jun 2015, 18:41

Oh yes, it's sensible for you. I wasn't recommending you do the same as us!

emma t · **Posted:** 12 Jun 2015, 18:43

Cats are good company

When I went to visit my brother for the first time, the youngest of the kittens followed me everywhere - this was after my brother saying that they don't really like people and not being picked up!

exile · **Joined:** 30 Jan 2013, 15:57 **Posts:** 947

I also recommend pet plan, Henry was insured with them and they were great. Orange chaps aren't insured but the charity we got them from pays some of their vet bills.

JB · **Posted:** 12 Jun 2015, 19:37

Seconding Pet Plan. When we had to make a claim for Milly it was very quick and easy.

cal562301 · **Posted:** 12 Jun 2015, 20:18

I grew up with cats and we never had to take them to the vet except for spaying/neutering, so I guess we were lucky. These days I would definitely take out insurance, as vets' bills seem to have gone through the roof.

Until my mum's last cat was 12, she'd never been in a cattery, because my brother was always at home to look after her when Mum was away.

Then my mum took her first holiday after my brother moved out and the cattery (understandably) asked for vaccination certificates. The vet was amazed that he hadn't seen Nugget in his 10 years in the practice (she had been spayed before he joined it). He said she'd probably built up immunity to cat flu, etc., but he gave her the jabs anyway.

Talking of catteries reminds me that a previous cat we had when I was much younger bit one of the workers at the cattery where he was staying and escaped, never to be seen again.

These days, I can see that turning into a court case with claim and counter-claim for personal injury and loss of cat (though he wasn't pedigree). At the time, we just got another cat and used a different cattery. I think my parents may have got a refund of the fees.

Joey · **Posted:** 12 Jun 2015, 22:12

See whether your vet has a healthy pet club. We pay a very small amount - I think it's something like £20/ month for both cats - and that covers two health checks a year, four annual flea and worm treatments (which Lucy will need if she goes outside at all, all the annual vaccine boosters, and something like 10% off any other treatment. Oh, and 10% off prescription cat food, which hopefully Lucy won't need, but my delicate Lia does. It doesn't replace insurance, but is also useful. They also have occasional competitions and draws for the pet club members: Vai won a set of catnip toys recently.

I concur with all the advice about toys, but would add that if your cat likes catnip (some cats don't care) it is a really good occasional treat.

whitequeen · **Joined:** 24 Jul 2010, 20:24 **Posts:** 471

Definitely seconding the laser pen idea (we use a phaser... just pressing the sound button brings all the cats charging in to play!) but ours also like bottle tops, milk rings, boxes of any kind or size, Amazon flat envelopes, the strips of plastic that come off pouches that you tear open, any paper left lying around or dangled in front of them, and any kind of drawstring or belt on clothing. You don't actually have to buy anything but they can be tempting when you go into a pet shop! The best toy we ever bought was the "pom on a stick" - a pom-pom dangling from a stick, they go mad for it.

(Some of the above will probably be things to make sure the cat DOESN'T get rather than things you offer her! I suppose you don't want her swinging off your dressing-gown cords, for example!)

Joey · **Posted:** 12 Jun 2015, 23:40

Sorry to be a nay-sayer, but lasers don't work for all cats. My nervous Lia gets overexcited when she sees a laser beam and within minutes she is horribly stressed because she knows she caught it, it was right there under her paw, only it isn't. After only five minutes she is practically hysterical. My terrifyingly intelligent Vai looked at the light, looked up at SLOC's hand, and concluded that since she knew who was responsible for the light there was no point chasing it. I know lots of cats love laser pointers, but not all do!

Fizzan · **Posted:** 13 Jun 2015, 00:12

Seconding catnip, don't give it to them all the time, but they really do love it! Sky always gets some for her birthday and I swear she knows when it's coming up...

Apart from that, I think Finn is right, the best toys are those they find themselves. Both cats I've had have simply loved playing with pencils/newspaper and have had very little interest in shop bought toys

Finn · **Posted:** 13 Jun 2015, 00:15

Mine have never taken to them either, Joey, though my old Shelley once went loopy over the reflection from dad's watch but it was only a brief phase. She was always a faddy cat, bless her - went through a Doritos phase for a while (flavoured ones) but it petered out as quickly as her broccoli phase.

Fizzan, pencils are my cats' favouritest things in the whole wide world! Especially pencils on a glass table - it takes them ages to work out they can't catch them from below.

Monty also likes fishing things out from under my bookcase. I keep random bits there safely out of sight and I can always tell when he's been into my room because they'll be all over the floor - thanks, Mont

Audrey25 · **Joined:** 19 Sep 2011, 22:32 **Posts:** 1047

We have a dog and I was caught out through not having pet insurance. Kept meaning to get it and had thr leaflet in my bag but the computer was not working and so it went on and she was only a puppy so would not be ill and lots of time etc. Then dog ate a stone and had to get an op costing £800 nine years ago. We insured her very quickly after that which was good as she ate something else a year later. Insurance is a terrible price now she is 10 but scared to stop it now. My main fear is that she will be put permanently on some hideously expensive pills for life. Have happy times with your kitty!

cestina · **Posted:** 13 Jun 2015, 08:55

Audrey25 wrote:

We have a dog and I was caught out through not having pet insurance. Kept meaning to get it and had thr leaflet in my bag but the computer was not working and so it went on and she was only a puppy so would not be ill and lots of time etc. Then dog ate a stone and had to get an op costing £800 nine years ago. We insured her very quickly after that which was good as she ate something else a year later. Insurance is a terrible price now she is 10 but scared to stop it now. My main fear is that she will be put permanently on some hideously expensive pills for life. Have happy times with your kitty!

I was hugely relieved that we had our Newfie insured - he went onto exactly such hideously expensive tablets for arthritis for the last few years of his life....

Noreen · **Posted:** 13 Jun 2015, 09:32

A friend's boxer dog also swallowed a stone and had to have an operation to remove it, Audrey - I always think pet insurance is important, but for dogs it's essential!

As it's axiomatic that those who need insurance most are those who can least afford it, in the early days we used to have a building society account for the purpose of paying for vet's bills, and put small but regular amounts into it. Pathetic interest rates and soaring vet's bills mean that this is now not really an option, sadly.

In fairness to the insurance companies and the vets, cat life expectation has also soared (in the 1980s, anything over 12 was considered a bonus but 20 years is now not unusual) and there are many more treatments available for various conditions. Still no alternative to extraction in the case of decaying teeth, though - I gather that fillings have been tried, but cats usually manage to remove them!

Abbey · **Posted:** 13 Jun 2015, 10:45

Lucy has arrived! She was a bit scared at first but seems to be settling down already... she keeps coming over to me for strokes... apparently she's been alone for the last few weeks so has got pretty lonely. She is currently having something to eat. She also seems quite interested in the budgie!

Noreen · **Posted:** 13 Jun 2015, 11:39

Welcome, Lucy! Good to hear that you're making yourself at home...

Annied · **Posted:** 13 Jun 2015, 12:03

Sounds like she's taking it all in her stride, I'm really pleased for you.

Dog's Dinner - Do animals know what's going on?

Who is online