On 10/18/2011 10:47 PM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
> On Tue, 18 Oct 2011 22:10:07 -0400, >
> wrote:
>
>> On 10/18/2011 10:02 PM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
>>> On Tue, 18 Oct 2011 21:35:24 -0400, >
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 10/18/2011 8:18 PM, A Moose in Love wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I'm just curious, what's involved in having a cat as a pet. I live in
>>>>> the city, and think that dogs should be unchained and running free.
>>>>> However cats, it doesn't seem to hurt them that they are cooped up
>>>>> inside for many days.
>>>>> How much are vets fees, do they shed, etc. The only experience I have
>>>>> are with cats that lived on our farm, and ran around outside. I don't
>>>>> want to declaw them, but is that necessary? etc.
>>>>
>>>> First, there is no reason to declaw a cat. They come with claws and if
>>>> you don't like that feature, pick another pet.
>>>>
>>>> They mostly do shed, and they scratch things. You can give them things
>>>> that belong to them to scratch on, and trust me, they learn that they
>>>> belong to them and they can scratch to their hearts content. You have to
>>>> learn what they like to scratch. Some like vertical, some like
>>>> horizontal. I offer both for scratching. I have cat trees that fit the
>>>> decor of the rooms they are in, and are located where they can climb and
>>>> love to look over their domain. I have smaller scratching posts at the
>>>> corner of furniture that the cats would like to scratch, but the posts
>>>> are more delightful for them so they use them.
>>>>
>>>> Vet bills are something you can't predict. I once used a vet insurance
>>>> policy but the first time they paid out it was so small it wasn't worth
>>>> it. I just plan for it in my budget. Regular exams for my cats are
>>>> about $35 but it can vary, and of course shots or other treatment will
>>>> be more.
>>>>
>>>> Go for high quality food because it will likely lead to lower vet bills
>>> >from better nutrition.
>>>>
>>>> Environmental enrichment is important. More than one cat will help them
>>>> have buddies. Sometimes they get along, sometimes they don't, but they
>>>> have their own kind around and usually bond even just for grooming or
>>>> playing (which can get rough). They may never be buddies but could
>>>> surprise you because their purrsonalities change and they can settle
>>>> down after they get comfortable.
>>>>
>>>> I just offer plenty of climbing places because they love to be on top.
>>>> They like windows to survey their outside domain even if they don't go
>>>> out their. I went one further step and had a screened in porch built
>>>> for them. I'm still getting things in there for them so for now, it's
>>>> just a chair and a couple of perches to be "up" which is what they like.
>>>> They like to chew grass but it always make them hork and the grass
>>>> hasn't grown yet in their outside thing so they fight over the few
>>>> strands that do grow.
>>>>
>>>> Here's a pic from part of a series from my deck renovation.
>>>> http://i54.tinypic.com/11cdson.jpg
>>>
>>> That's a nice deck, looks new. But I hope you're not going to always
>>> have such a crappy lawn. Take that damn grill off your deck before
>>> you have a disaster... put it on your crappy lawn, at least 15 feet
>>> from anything that can burn.
>>
>> Here's the rest of the "after" pics of the deck.
>>
>> http://i56.tinypic.com/2rc1hd3.jpg
>>
>> http://i52.tinypic.com/2iu9n3a.jpg
>>
>> http://i55.tinypic.com/2w69q3o.jpg
>>
>> http://i51.tinypic.com/1z8cpk.jpg
>
> Looks like a slum... get that propane tank out of there and get the
> grill off the deck. There's something wrong with your widdle brain.
>
>> http://i52.tinypic.com/2dh9njt.jpg
>>
>> http://i54.tinypic.com/11cdson.jpg
>>
>> http://i55.tinypic.com/14kd2qc.jpg

What about the weed growing over the screen door that doesn't belong there?

You can't see the chipmunk holes under there. Should I fill them in?