NationStates Jolt Archive

I've been looking to get a cat lately and since I don't have that much money (but have enough to pay vet bills) I've been looking on kijiji (online classifieds) and I have found some of the most despicable and/or irresponsible people.

There's one woman whose ad went something along the lines of "I bought a cat last week and decided I don't have time for it, now I'm giving it away." another goes "Three year old male, outdoor cat. Not neutered, no shots." then there's "Our unfixed cat has had her third litter of kittens and we've decided this time to get rid of her too."

I mean, there are lots of really sad ones about people giving birth to unfortunate children with cat allergies, seniors who can't take care of their pets anymore, people finding strays that their other pets hate et c., but some people are just terrible.

What's wrong with people who seem to think that pets are just objects that can be discarded when they become inconvenient or picked up on impulse? Or who think that keeping an outdoor cat unfixed is a good plan?

I mean, I'm only just getting a cat now because I can afford to take care of one and feel like I have enough time to look after one. On that note, I responded to a listing for an older cat today who likes to take walks on the leash (yay!) I can only hope that the current owners respond and he and I get along.

Good for you!

I can't believe how people do that. They treat pets like a piece of furniture, to be given away when they find something they like better. It makes me sick. :mad:

Good for you!

I can't believe how people do that. They treat pets like a piece of furniture, to be given away when they find something they like better. It makes me sick. :mad:
Indeed.

I mean, I do understand that you can't get rid of your kid who just developed allergies to the pet and these sorts of situations are crappy, but some people seem to give up on their pets at the drop of a hat.

And the people who don't neuter their pets and let them run amok making more pets that they don't have a home for...

There are all sorts of people in the world, some were just not meant to be pet owners.

Personally, I've had three dogs and a fish in my life, all but the current dog died when they were really old and led happy lives. The current dog, Daisy, was adopted from the local humane society, was in really bad shape, yet care and treatment helped her recover and now she is as happy as can be.

There are all sorts of people in the world, some were just not meant to be pet owners.
And yet these people acquire pets.

Personally, I've had three dogs and a fish in my life, all but the current dog died when they were really old and led happy lives.
I had cats most of my life, but they were really my parents cats.. and there were some dogs later there too. On my own I've had two mice and a goldfish. The mice did well while they lasted (their lifespans are like 2 years), the goldfish wasn't particularly healthy when I got him I don't think... he was always a little lopsided and funny in a way.

There are people on my local freecycle group who give away sick pets......WTF?!

"Offer: dog, nearly dead needs halp now!"

Then when nobody jumps at the chance to take a sick dog, they go into details about how it was hit by a car and they can't afford to take it to the vet and so it's suffering and they need someone to pick it up.

sick.

I emailed them and explained that they should take it to the pound. Not that I like that solution but it's better than letting it die in pain because their dumb ass can't figure out how to take it somewhere and get it treatment. :mad:

kids with allergies need to suck it up and take some benydrl

There are people on my local freecycle group who give away sick pets......WTF?!

"Offer: dog, nearly dead needs halp now!"

Then when nobody jumps at the chance to take a sick dog, they go into details about how it was hit by a car and they can't afford to take it to the vet and so it's suffering and they need someone to pick it up.

sick.

I emailed them and explained that they should take it to the pound. Not that I like that solution but it's better than letting it die in pain because their dumb ass can't figure out how to take it somewhere and get it treatment. :mad:
Oh yeah, one person who is giving away a perfectly healthy cat states at the end of their ad "It would be a shame to bring Fluffy back to the shelter." to guilt trip people into taking the cat.

kids with allergies need to suck it up and take some benydrl
I personally think that if I had this issue either the kid or the cat would be sent to live in the basement.

Granted, the basement would be renovated with grown up toys if the cat's down there, the ultimate in child proofing, imo.

I personally think that if I had this issue either the kid or the cat would be sent to live in the basement.

Granted, the basement would be renovated with grown up toys if the cat's down there, the ultimate in child proofing, imo.

lol agreed

Sadly the animal is commonly a stepping stone to child or wife abuse. I think this is the real tragedy when an animal gets harmed by a person. Sooner or later the person will be harming another person

My youngest kid is allergic to our cat. Solution?
Vacuum cleaning every day and taught him to wash his hands whenever he pets her.
Yes, it really is that easy.
Also remember that allergyes change up to puberty, with some completely disappearing and some new ones coming out.

I will never understand that kind of mindset. EVER!
I mean, if you're not sure if you can take care of an animal, start out by looking after a bloody Tamagochi, and work your way up. Don't start out with a cat or a dog, they need care and attention, more than once a month.
They do need food, and it costs a bit. And they do need to go to the vet now and again, and that costs, too.

Things like that make me sooooo angry... and at the same time sad, cause I don't have the time, money and space to take in all those poor things... :(

I will never understand that kind of mindset. EVER!
I mean, if you're not sure if you can take care of an animal, start out by looking after a bloody Tamagochi, and work your way up. Don't start out with a cat or a dog, they need care and attention, more than once a month.
They do need food, and it costs a bit. And they do need to go to the vet now and again, and that costs, too.

Things like that make me sooooo angry... and at the same time sad, cause I don't have the time, money and space to take in all those poor things... :(


Weeeeellll now , I can understand that mindset, I can't agree with it but understand it I do.

It's all about speciesism. We are at the very top of the food chain, we posses the power and the skills to make any other species our food.

Some people just can't get behyond that thought, and they sorta have a point. It is only our sense of morality that goverens this, and objectivlyspeaking I can see no reason why we should not treat all other speices how we wish, including ill treatment if that is our desire.

Weeeeellll now , I can understand that mindset, I can't agree with it but understand it I do.

It's all about speciesism. We are at the very top of the food chain, we posses the power and the skills to make any other species our food.

Some people just can't get behyond that thought, and they sorta have a point. It is only our sense of morality that goverens this, and objectivlyspeaking I can see no reason why we should not treat all other speices how we wish, including ill treatment if that is our desire.

Personally, I've abandonned specieism when I became a vegetarian.
There is no excuse and no need to abuse species who can't defend themselves, same as there is no excuse for violent abuse of human beings.

It's like having drunk unprotected sex.

It's like having drunk unprotected sex.

Yeah, I thought this thread was about bestiality as well, 'sucky' threw me.

Personally, I've abandonned specieism when I became a vegetarian.
There is no excuse and no need to abuse species who can't defend themselves, same as there is no excuse for violent abuse of human beings.

Well I see things the same way but others don't, and as we all know when it comes to conflicting moral POV, there is no 'correct' objective answer.

Yeah, I thought this thread was about bestiality as well, 'sucky' threw me.

:eek:

I don't think my mum wants me to be friend with you anymore :(

:eek:

I don't think my mum wants me to be friend with you anymore :(

That's a shame, I was hoping to play with your pet rabbit.

Yes, they are "troublesome" when you want to go on vacation (like kids).
Yes, they get sick at the most inconvenient times (like kids).
Yes, they cost money to keep (like kids).
Yes, their regular doctor visits cost money (like kids).

;) See a trend here?

I would never, ever BUY a pet. Adopt one from a shelter -- it puts an animal in need in a loving family and discourages backyard breeders (from whom you will generally get inbred, ill animals anyhow.)

Yes, they are "troublesome" when you want to go on vacation (like kids).
Yes, they get sick at the most inconvenient times (like kids).
Yes, they cost money to keep (like kids).
Yes, their regular doctor visits cost money (like kids).

;) See a trend here?

I would never, ever BUY a pet. Adopt one from a shelter -- it puts an animal in need in a loving family and discourages backyard breeders (from whom you will generally get inbred, ill animals anyhow.)

So far, I've always had cats from the shelter/from the litter of a cat owned by someone we know. Best thing to do, most definitely.

However, we've been to a pet expo on the weekend (mostly stuff FOR pets, but a few pets as well), and there was a Bengal cat... and now I'm in love.
I dearly love the 3 little paper tigers we've got now, but if I ever wanted another cat, I'd probably try and get one of those Bengal ones. *sigh*

So far, I've always had cats from the shelter/from the litter of a cat owned by someone we know. Best thing to do, most definitely.

However, we've been to a pet expo on the weekend (mostly stuff FOR pets, but a few pets as well), and there was a Bengal cat... and now I'm in love.
I dearly love the 3 little paper tigers we've got now, but if I ever wanted another cat, I'd probably try and get one of those Bengal ones. *sigh*

I've got to admit, they are pretty.... and they have a price tag... well, not to match...

Maus are pretty too.

Sadly, it could still be worse. At least the people on Freecycle are putting forth some minimum effort to find their pets homes. Since I live in a rural area not far from an urban area, I not infrequently encounter dogs and cats that have been dumped by the side of the road by their jackass owners as a responsibility-free way to get rid of them.

(On the bright side, my darling dog was a dumpee, so I have to have a certain amount of disgusted gratitude towards the asshole who abandoned her, since it did mean I ended up with the most wonderful dog in the world and she ended up with a good home. Most dumped animals aren't lucky enough to encounter me while they're wandering around confused and starving, though. :( )

I've got to admit, they are pretty.... and they have a price tag... well, not to match...

Maus are pretty too.

I'm sure they will have.
Which is something that somewhat puts me off the idea again. All my cats so far have been outdoors cats. I find it weird having cats just sort of lounging around the house. But with such an expensive one, I might worry about it getting stolen. Then again... pet theft in Ireland isn't much of an issue I should think...

I'm sure they will have.
Which is something that somewhat puts me off the idea again. All my cats so far have been outdoors cats. I find it weird having cats just sort of lounging around the house. But with such an expensive one, I might worry about it getting stolen. Then again... pet theft in Ireland isn't much of an issue I should think...

http://www.bengalcathelpline.co.uk/
http://www.bengalrescuenetwork.org/
http://www.bengalcatconnection.com/rescues.html

Hope it helps!

I'm sure they will have.
Which is something that somewhat puts me off the idea again. All my cats so far have been outdoors cats. I find it weird having cats just sort of lounging around the house. But with such an expensive one, I might worry about it getting stolen. Then again... pet theft in Ireland isn't much of an issue I should think...
Letting cats roam the neighbourhood freely is bad for the bird population though since cats tend to kill for the sake of killing instead of doing so because they're hungry. Plus you have to worry about them getting hit by cars or injured in fights with other cats.

Which is why I'll be taking walks with my kitty... :P

http://www.bengalcathelpline.co.uk/
http://www.bengalrescuenetwork.org/
http://www.bengalcatconnection.com/rescues.html

Hope it helps!

Brilliant, thanks!!!
It's going to be another decade or so before I'll have to look for a new cat again, though, as Rakete (our youngest one) is only about 5 years old right now. And with her and my BF's cats not really getting on as it is, throwing another cat in the mix probably won't help anyone.
But it's good to know there are dedicated Bengal adoption sites out there! :)

Letting cats roam the neighbourhood freely is bad for the bird population though since cats tend to kill for the sake of killing instead of doing so because they're hungry. Plus you have to worry about them getting hit by cars or injured in fights with other cats.

Which is why I'll be taking walks with my kitty... :P

Not sure about that one. Any evidance, coz in my experiances cats that kill always eat their kill or bring it home for the family.

Letting cats roam the neighbourhood freely is bad for the bird population though since cats tend to kill for the sake of killing instead of doing so because they're hungry. Plus you have to worry about them getting hit by cars or injured in fights with other cats.

Which is why I'll be taking walks with my kitty... :P

The bird population here is well used to having to cope with cats, they've been around here for centuries.
We live in a quiet cul-de-sac, and the cat being able to go outside without running the risk of being run over will factor VERY high when we will move house.
:)

The bird population here is well used to having to cope with cats, they've been around here for centuries.
We live in a quiet cul-de-sac, and the cat being able to go outside without running the risk of being run over will factor VERY high when we will move house.
:)
It could be a bigger problem in north America... our continent didn't really have small felines (apart from lynxes... which aren't that small) until they were imported.

My ex had a cat that she got when we had only been together for a year. This was an OLD cat. Well, when she decided to move (Into a house) she didn't want the cat anymore and decided to send it to an animal shelter. Mind you, she rationalized this by saying they'd only send the cat to an animal shelter where they don't put the animal down. (Not sure how spending your remaining years in a cage is better than being euthanized on the spot, but whatever) This, knowing that the cat was 14 years old and people don't go to animal shelters looking for old pets.

So I took the cat myself because I thought she was setting a miserable example for our kids and I wanted to teach them the same lesson from the OP: A pet is a commitment that you don't just disregard when they become inconvenient.

Recently she wanted to get rid of the Beagle too because she'd started neglecting him to spend weekends at her boyfriend's house. The dog started to protest this by way of pooping on her new couch. Rather than, oh I dunno, start paying attention to the animal she started building up excuses to get rid of him too.

Then called me on the phone at work to talk me into agreeing with her... WTF? It's her dog...

My ex had a cat that she got when we had only been together for a year. This was an OLD cat. Well, when she decided to move (Into a house) she didn't want the cat anymore and decided to send it to an animal shelter. Mind you, she rationalized this by saying they'd only send the cat to an animal shelter where they don't put the animal down. (Not sure how spending your remaining years in a cage is better than being euthanized on the spot, but whatever) This, knowing that the cat was 14 years old and people don't go to animal shelters looking for old pets.

So I took the cat myself because I thought she was setting a miserable example for our kids and I wanted to teach them the same lesson from the OP: A pet is a commitment that you don't just disregard when they become inconvenient.

Recently she wanted to get rid of the Beagle too because she'd started neglecting him to spend weekends at her boyfriend's house. The dog started to protest this by way of pooping on her new couch. Rather than, oh I dunno, start paying attention to the animal she started building up excuses to get rid of him too.

Then called me on the phone at work to talk me into agreeing with her... WTF? It's her dog...

DON"T let her have children, you'll end up with them, too.

What's wrong with people who seem to think that pets are just objects that can be discarded when they become inconvenient or picked up on impulse?

Most people haven't read any Steinbeck.

You want irresponsible people? I'll tell you the story of my cat, Squinkey.
As a kitten, just a month or two old, she was tossed out of her owner's car window on the freeway. She was lucky enough that the people behind them saw this happen and they stopped and took her to the emergency vet clinic about 15 miles away. They discovered that she had a broken pelvis as well as many scrapes, bruises, and worst of all, head trauma. Squinkey now is almost completely blind in both eyes because of this and we need to feed her the hairball formula cat food to keep her from becoming constipated which could lead to more complications because her pelvis healed smaller than it should have. Although she was found be some caring people and the vet took her in and paid for her medical expenses, she is now forever handicapped because some people couldn't be bothered to take her to an animal shelter rather than the freeway at 65 mph.

DON"T let her have children, you'll end up with them, too.

Already have 3 with her...

And I WISH she'd get tired of them because I'd much rather have them living with me. It may yet happen...

Already have 3 with her...

And I WISH she'd get tired of them because I'd much rather have them living with me. It may yet happen...

A vagina is not a clown car...

I've always had two cats, though the two my parents had when I was born have died and been replaced since. We always get our cats either from the SPCA or animal hospitals when they have been abandoned. I don't understand that mentality of "screw it, its not human," and leave it by the side of the road.

We also had a great dane, and we do Great Dane rescue. We've taken in two abused/abandoned dogs and made them better so they can be adopted :D

What's wrong with people who seem to think that pets are just objects that can be discarded when they become inconvenient or picked up on impulse? Or who think that keeping an outdoor cat unfixed is a good plan?

Many people are impulse buyers who very rarely think before getting something their corpulent ids tell them they want. It is always unfortunate when it's a pet (or worse yet, a child). That said, there are some people who have a different minimum standard of care for a pet than others. Some of that can be helped with education, but most people are likely to think it's nobody's business but theirs. I've met these people, and met their miserable pets. I'm no fan of invasive enforcement of most any standard of behavior, but I truly believe that the license for a pet should be both for the animal and the animal in charge of the pet.

A vagina is not a clown car...

Do you ever read your posts before hitting "Submit Reply"?

Do you ever read your posts before hitting "Submit Reply"?

Sorry, wrong thread...

Good for you!

I can't believe how people do that. They treat pets like a piece of furniture, to be given away when they find something they like better. It makes me sick. :mad:

Seriously. I saw an 11 year old dog at the Human Society once - sweet as can be. The family had gotten a new puppy and the old dog didn't get along with the puppy. So did they find a new home for the puppy who would be easy to find a family for? Nope, they got rid of the old one. How could you just up and get rid of a dog that had been a part of the family for 11 years? Bleh


My youngest kid is allergic to our cat. Solution?
Vacuum cleaning every day and taught him to wash his hands whenever he pets her.
Yes, it really is that easy.
Also remember that allergyes change up to puberty, with some completely disappearing and some new ones coming out.

Depends on the strength of the allergy. I can't even be in a clean house that happens to have a cat in it without large amounts of antihistamine.

You're right about the changing allergies though, and it can even happen later than that. I had a cat as a child and was just fine. Now I can't be near them without tearing up and getting sneezy.

And I've developed an allergy to smoke sometime in the past 2 years or so.

I would never, ever BUY a pet. Adopt one from a shelter -- it puts an animal in need in a loving family and discourages backyard breeders (from whom you will generally get inbred, ill animals anyhow.)

Well, you generally still pay the shelter for them, so it's still buying. =)

But I agree. With so many animals out there that already need homes, I just don't see the point in going for expensive "well bred" animals. I like my mutts just fine.

You want irresponsible people? I'll tell you the story of my cat, Squinkey.
As a kitten, just a month or two old, she was tossed out of her owner's car window on the freeway. She was lucky enough that the people behind them saw this happen and they stopped and took her to the emergency vet clinic about 15 miles away. They discovered that she had a broken pelvis as well as many scrapes, bruises, and worst of all, head trauma. Squinkey now is almost completely blind in both eyes because of this and we need to feed her the hairball formula cat food to keep her from becoming constipated which could lead to more complications because her pelvis healed smaller than it should have. Although she was found be some caring people and the vet took her in and paid for her medical expenses, she is now forever handicapped because some people couldn't be bothered to take her to an animal shelter rather than the freeway at 65 mph.

=(

I saw someone do something similar once, although it wasn't on the freeway. We doubled back and looked around, but never did find the kitten. Hopefully, it wandered off and into someone's yard and that someone took it in or took it to a shelter.

Seriously, while I prefer no-kill shelters, even taking an animal to one where they only have a week to find a new family is better than just throwing them out the window of a moving car or something equally cruel.

Seriously. I saw an 11 year old dog at the Human Society once - sweet as can be. The family had gotten a new puppy and the old dog didn't get along with the puppy. So did they find a new home for the puppy who would be easy to find a family for? Nope, they got rid of the old one. How could you just up and get rid of a dog that had been a part of the family for 11 years? Bleh

...I can't even fathom that.

My dog's a sucky human owner.

A vagina is not a clown car...


Do you ever read your posts before hitting "Submit Reply"?

I was wondering the same thing.

=(

I saw someone do something similar once, although it wasn't on the freeway. We doubled back and looked around, but never did find the kitten. Hopefully, it wandered off and into someone's yard and that someone took it in or took it to a shelter.

Seriously, while I prefer no-kill shelters, even taking an animal to one where they only have a week to find a new family is better than just throwing them out the window of a moving car or something equally cruel.

If it was out of a moving vehicle, I doubt that it survived if the speed was more than 40 mph. Not to be negative, but that's true. And I agree that giving them at least some time to find a new family is better than leaving them to die.

Irresponsible pet owners... my sister comes to mind. My sister loves getting new pets; she has a 6 year old blond female beagle named baby, a 2 year old white male cat named Popcorn (its his favorite food), a 1 year old female Calico cat named Sundae, and most recently a 4 month old boxer/American bull dog female puppy she dubbed Nellie. All of which live with me... She DID pay for the male cats vet bills when he got severely injured by unknown reasons and payed for him to be neutered however I'm the one who takes care of them most often. As a result the beagle has decided she's my dog and wants nothing to do with 'mommy' and the other animals are starting to follow suite. She has interest in them for a few months to a couple years and then just suddenly stops caring.

Good for you!

I can't believe how people do that. They treat pets like a piece of furniture, to be given away when they find something they like better. It makes me sick. :mad:

Yeah, I never understood that attitude. To many people they're like toys or some sort of fashionable accessory.

Our dog is practically a member of the family (albeit, lowest in the pecking order, so it's not like he eats at the table and sleeps in beds or something, he has a water bowl and a food bowl, and sleeps in a doggy bed downstairs).

Having a pet is a serious responsibility (oh jeez, I sound hella old). Not as serious as having a child, but it's still being responsible for the welfare of another living thing. If one isn't prepared to at least spend a little effort taking care of a pet, one shouldn't have a pet. It's not an enormous amount of effort, but it's not none, either. Providing food and water, shots and trips to the vet, that sort of thing.

And seriously, spay and neuter pets, people. There are enough unadopted cats and dogs already, don't need to make more. The people with the outside cat who wasn't fixed are really fucking stupid. Bad plan there.

Irresponsible pet owners... my sister comes to mind. My sister loves getting new pets; she has a 6 year old blond female beagle named baby, a 2 year old white male cat named Popcorn (its his favorite food), a 1 year old female Calico cat named Sundae, and most recently a 4 month old boxer/American bull dog female puppy she dubbed Nellie. All of which live with me... She DID pay for the male cats vet bills when he got severely injured by unknown reasons and payed for him to be neutered however I'm the one who takes care of them most often. As a result the beagle has decided she's my dog and wants nothing to do with 'mommy' and the other animals are starting to follow suite. She has interest in them for a few months to a couple years and then just suddenly stops caring.

Next time she's going to get a pet, make it clear that you think it's stupid since she never cares for any of the ones she already has.

Next time she's going to get a pet, make it clear that you think it's stupid since she never cares for any of the ones she already has.

I already told her.

Depends on the strength of the allergy. I can't even be in a clean house that happens to have a cat in it without large amounts of antihistamine.

You're right about the changing allergies though, and it can even happen later than that. I had a cat as a child and was just fine. Now I can't be near them without tearing up and getting sneezy.

And I've developed an allergy to smoke sometime in the past 2 years or so.

Same. For me to go to my ladyfriend's house (she has two cats), and be only slightly miserable, requires three benedryl. And that's despite the fact that her house is clean.

I already told her.

Good.

You don't know abuse until you get into the reptile hobby... and the sad thing is that most of it stems from ignorance. Pet stores don't have a shitting clue how to take care of any reptile, no matter what they say, and it leads to a great many of them suffering with debilitating bone diseases from improper lighting to chronic infections from improper husbandry to death by choking or organ failure due to prolonged malnurishment.

I can't even walk into a pet store anymore it's so heart breaking to see the reptiles on the verge of death, skin and bones, and obviously in pain and have some idiot wage slave tell me that it's fine, it's just not active during the day, or, "that's how they are in the wild" Bull fucking shit! The wild isn't a 10 gallon aquarium with a bunch of frilly fake plants and a little water fountain. Animals die in the wild all the time from predation, starvation, injury and disease. If you own a fucking animal it is your duty to give it the BEST quality of life. Not just throw it in with a bunch of sand and shrug when it dies because the grains have turned to cement in it's gut.

Not saying that mammalian pets aren't mistreated too, but being one who is deep in the reptile hobby, I see the abuse more acutely.

Well, you generally still pay the shelter for them, so it's still buying. =)

But I agree. With so many animals out there that already need homes, I just don't see the point in going for expensive "well bred" animals. I like my mutts just fine.


We got our dog from the SPCA. We think he had been abused before that some time, because he was terrified of children when we first got him. He's gotten over that now, though. He's a pretty cool dog. He makes me wish that dogs had longer lifespans.

kids with allergies need to suck it up and take some benydrl

You don't have very strong allergies, do you?

Personally, I've abandonned specieism when I became a vegetarian.
There is no excuse and no need to abuse species who can't defend themselves, same as there is no excuse for violent abuse of human beings.

I'm no speciesist. However, I still eat meat. Jack (my dog) sees no reason not to eat meat, so I figure there's no reason for me not to either.

One of the pets I remember having as a kid was a dog we named Cowboy. Pure bred Australian Blue Heeler. We rescued him from the shelter after he was found running stray near a campground. When nobody claimed him after 2 days he was sent there. Awesome dog, had him for 7 good years. He would never touch anything off of a plate unless he was told it was ok so he never once stole food. (something gods are notorious for).

He would never touch anything off of a plate unless he was told it was ok so he never once stole food. (something gods are notorious for).

Those damn ragamuffins. Divine my ass!

One of the pets I remember having as a kid was a dog we named Cowboy. Pure bred Australian Blue Heeler. We rescued him from the shelter after he was found running stray near a campground. When nobody claimed him after 2 days he was sent there. Awesome dog, had him for 7 good years. He would never touch anything off of a plate unless he was told it was ok so he never once stole food. (something gods are notorious for).

Wow.... a think I had an attack dyslexia there.

Those damn ragamuffins. Divine my ass!

Yeah, damn gods want sacrifices but thats just not enough.

Sorry, wrong thread...

Really? Then why haven't you deleted your post?

Having a pet is a serious responsibility (oh jeez, I sound hella old). Not as serious as having a child, but it's still being responsible for the welfare of another living thing. If one isn't prepared to at least spend a little effort taking care of a pet, one shouldn't have a pet. It's not an enormous amount of effort, but it's not none, either. Providing food and water, shots and trips to the vet, that sort of thing.

I understand the reason why you felt the need to add that, but it chafes me nonetheless. The notion that responsibility is somehow something only parents/older people should worry about is kinda part of the overall problem when it comes to perpetuating things like bad attitudes toward pets.

I don't mean to wet-blanket your post because I agree with it completely, but I just wanted to point out that responsibility knows no age limit and should be instilled as early as possible. Also, "hella"? 1999 called and wants its slang back. :p

Really? Then why haven't you deleted your post?



I understand the reason why you felt the need to add that, but it chafes me nonetheless. The notion that responsibility is somehow something only parents/older people should worry about is kinda part of the overall problem when it comes to perpetuating things like bad attitudes toward pets.

I don't mean to wet-blanket your post because I agree with it completely, but I just wanted to point out that responsibility knows no age limit and should be instilled as early as possible. Also, "hella"? 1999 called and wants its slang back. :p

Hella is alive and well in its homeland, the Bay Area, in 2008. Almost everybody I know from here uses it.

Anyway, it just sounded to me like something a parent in a sitcom would say, about serious responsibility.

Anyway, having a pet is a lot like having a kid, though not as expensive.

Hella is alive and well in its homeland, the Bay Area, in 2008. Almost everybody I know from here uses it.

Anyway, it just sounded to me like something a parent in a sitcom would say, about serious responsibility.

Anyway, having a pet is a lot like having a kid, though not as expensive.

San Francisco is...behind the times? I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. If old hippies can still feel welcome, I guess old memes can, too.

Again, agreed on your pets stance.

Same. For me to go to my ladyfriend's house (she has two cats), and be only slightly miserable, requires three benedryl. And that's despite the fact that her house is clean.

Actually I was making it a little easier than it is. To have a house clean of allergenes you also need to have the right furniture. We removed from our house carpets, uphostery and such.

Ever tought to change antihystaminic? I tried lots of them before going back to hydrocortison because it's the only thing that helps.

Actually I was making it a little easier than it is. To have a house clean of allergenes you also need to have the right furniture. We removed from our house carpets, uphostery and such.

Ever tought to change antihystaminic? I tried lots of them before going back to hydrocortison because it's the only thing that helps.

So far benedryl is the only one that prevents me from basically being indistinguishable from a flu patient (not stomach flu, the other kind) when I go to her house. I've been with her for three and a half years, believe me, if it exists, is for allergies, and can be bought over the counter, I've probably tried it.

Cat allergens can remain in a home, even if the carpets are changed or removed entirely, for almost twenty years even in the absence of an actual cat. My allergies developed once I hit puberty. At that point, I would be very sick whenever I went down to my grandmother's house, despite the fact that at the time, she hadn't had a cat in over ten years. I of course got tested for all common allergies. I'm apparently allergic to nothing but dust, and of course cats, the latter of which I'm extremely allergic to.

San Francisco is...behind the times? I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. If old hippies can still feel welcome, I guess old memes can, too.

Again, agreed on your pets stance.

I've actually never met anyone over the age of 30 who understands "hella." As for actually using the word, I've never met anyone who wasn't from Nor-Cal who uses it. I think one of the reasons we say it is that it seems to annoy people from so-cal.

So far benedryl is the only one that prevents me from basically being indistinguishable from a flu patient (not stomach flu, the other kind) when I go to her house. I've been with her for three and a half years, believe me, if it exists, is for allergies, and can be bought over the counter, I've probably tried it.

Cat allergens can remain in a home, even if the carpets are changed or removed entirely, for almost twenty years even in the absence of an actual cat. My allergies developed once I hit puberty. At that point, I would be very sick whenever I went down to my grandmother's house, despite the fact that at the time, she hadn't had a cat in over ten years. I of course got tested for all common allergies. I'm apparently allergic to nothing but dust, and of course cats, the latter of which I'm extremely allergic to.

Lucky one... I got about 10-15 allergyes with maximum positivity. All of them to grasses. I am pretty experienced in the fight with allergenes and, believe me, cat dandruff is not much different from grass pollen to get rid of (actually easier). The problem is just that people usually get rid of the cat before studying the whole thing (you need special vacuum cleaners too, the usual pollen filters do next to nothing).

Anyway, my hydrocortison is a prescription drug. What is Benedryl? Cetirizini dihydrocloridum? In Europe they are marketing Xizal now wich is the same molecule, just symmetrycal. Looks that it has better results, although in my experience it's more one of those "washes whiter than white" things.

Lucky one... I got about 10-15 allergyes with maximum positivity. All of them to grasses. I am pretty experienced in the fight with allergenes and, believe me, cat dandruff is not much different from grass pollen to get rid of (actually easier). The problem is just that people usually get rid of the cat before studying the whole thing (you need special vacuum cleaners too, the usual pollen filters do next to nothing).

Anyway, my hydrocortison is a prescription drug. What is Benedryl? Cetirizini dihydrocloridum? In Europe they are marketing Xizal now wich is the same molecule, just symmetrycal. Looks that it has better results, although in my experience it's more one of those "washes whiter than white" things.

Not sure about the chemistry of benedryl. It's a pretty decently powerful antihistimine that works better than anything else for me around cats, but I really don't like taking it because it puts me in a drowsy stupor.

Not sure about the chemistry of benedryl. It's a pretty decently powerful antihistimine that works better than anything else for me around cats, but I really don't like taking it because it puts me in a drowsy stupor.

I've tried Zyrtec, and it seems to work (for me) about as well as Benedryl, sans drowsiness.

I've tried Zyrtec, and it seems to work (for me) about as well as Benedryl, sans drowsiness.

I'll have to try that one next time.

I've actually never met anyone over the age of 30 who understands "hella." As for actually using the word, I've never met anyone who wasn't from Nor-Cal who uses it. I think one of the reasons we say it is that it seems to annoy people from so-cal.

I don't think the problem is understanding it. At least, I hope not -- I'd hate to think that anyone was that resistant to understanding.

I think the problem is that it was very overused when it was in, and is, for the most part, really kinda stupid.

What is Benedryl? Cetirizini dihydrocloridum? In Europe they are marketing Xizal now wich is the same molecule, just symmetrycal. Looks that it has better results, although in my experience it's more one of those "washes whiter than white" things.

According to Wiki (Ymmv): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diphenhydramine

This article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racemic) might help. It's about mixtures of left- and right-handed molecules (enantiomers) and their uses in medicine. That might explain the European counterpart.

OK, I heard this at work today. One of my co-workers was on the phone with a rather frantic wife, or so it seemed from the side of the conversation I heard. He left to help her without explaining the situation. When he came back an hour or so later, he explained what had happened.

His wife was jogging, and had their bulldog along with her. The dog was on a leash, and she was jogging along a little-traveled side street. A retriever-type dog ran out of the yard of one of the houses along the street and attacked the bulldog. the bulldog naturally took offense at this unwarranted assault and began to teach the retriever a lesson in manners. My co-worker's wife is not a large woman, and could not drag the bulldog away from the fight because the retriever kept attacking again as soon as she pulled her dog out of the fight. the retriever's owner then has the gall to come out to the street and accuse the leashed bulldog in the street of attacking her retriever.

The animal control officer who arrived (apparently at the request of the retriever's owner) explained that a dog on a leash in the street isn't at fault when an unleashed dog attacks it. the bulldog didn't even draw blood when it whupped the retriever - according to my co-worker, his bulldog just wrestled the retriever to the ground and then sat on it. Still, the retriever's owner tried to claim that the bulldog was a vicious attacker and needed to be put down. It's a good thing the animal control officer had the sense to point out that the dog that left its yard looking for a fight was the dog that caused the problem.

As a side note, what do you think of the claims that bulldogs and other 'fighting breeds' are inherently dangerous? As this story shows, the bulldog showed restraint, and a famously good-natured breed initiated the fight. I think that no breed is automatically more dangerous than any other.

OK, I heard this at work today. One of my co-workers was on the phone with a rather frantic wife, or so it seemed from the side of the conversation I heard. He left to help her without explaining the situation. When he came back an hour or so later, he explained what had happened.

His wife was jogging, and had their bulldog along with her. The dog was on a leash, and she was jogging along a little-traveled side street. A retriever-type dog ran out of the yard of one of the houses along the street and attacked the bulldog. the bulldog naturally took offense at this unwarranted assault and began to teach the retriever a lesson in manners. My co-worker's wife is not a large woman, and could not drag the bulldog away from the fight because the retriever kept attacking again as soon as she pulled her dog out of the fight. the retriever's owner then has the gall to come out to the street and accuse the leashed bulldog in the street of attacking her retriever.

The animal control officer who arrived (apparently at the request of the retriever's owner) explained that a dog on a leash in the street isn't at fault when an unleashed dog attacks it. the bulldog didn't even draw blood when it whupped the retriever - according to my co-worker, his bulldog just wrestled the retriever to the ground and then sat on it. Still, the retriever's owner tried to claim that the bulldog was a vicious attacker and needed to be put down. It's a good thing the animal control officer had the sense to point out that the dog that left its yard looking for a fight was the dog that caused the problem.

As a side note, what do you think of the claims that bulldogs and other 'fighting breeds' are inherently dangerous? As this story shows, the bulldog showed restraint, and a famously good-natured breed initiated the fight. I think that no breed is automatically more dangerous than any other.

I've known some real sweeties of pit bulls, and I've known some pretty nasty cockers and golden retrievers.

It has to do with the individual animal's temperament, the temperaments of its parents, and most importantly, proper socialization.

If you don't supervise your animal meeting other animals, you're looking for trouble.

If you don't socialize it so it recognizes its place in the pack (aka your family) and how to interact with other humans, you're looking for trouble.

If you encourage aggression (wrestling, tug of war, letting it lunge to the end of its leash at other animals and people and laughing/praising it for doing so) in a breed that was bred with an eye toward fighting, you're an ass.

As a side note, what do you think of the claims that bulldogs and other 'fighting breeds' are inherently dangerous? As this story shows, the bulldog showed restraint, and a famously good-natured breed initiated the fight. I think that no breed is automatically more dangerous than any other.

Well, as with most things, the truth falls somewhere in the grey area. There's no doubt that certain breeds are more predisposed towards aggressive or territorial behavior than others, or that certain breeds can be much more easily trained to attack than others - but pit bulls, Dobermans, Rottweilers, and so forth are still generally big softies unless their owners encourage that aggression, either deliberately or through mistreatment. Long story short, if any dog is vicious or prone to attacks, there's about a 99.9% chance it's its owner's fault, which makes it silly to fear specific breeds.

OK, I heard this at work today. One of my co-workers was on the phone with a rather frantic wife, or so it seemed from the side of the conversation I heard. He left to help her without explaining the situation. When he came back an hour or so later, he explained what had happened.

His wife was jogging, and had their bulldog along with her. The dog was on a leash, and she was jogging along a little-traveled side street. A retriever-type dog ran out of the yard of one of the houses along the street and attacked the bulldog. the bulldog naturally took offense at this unwarranted assault and began to teach the retriever a lesson in manners. My co-worker's wife is not a large woman, and could not drag the bulldog away from the fight because the retriever kept attacking again as soon as she pulled her dog out of the fight. the retriever's owner then has the gall to come out to the street and accuse the leashed bulldog in the street of attacking her retriever.

The animal control officer who arrived (apparently at the request of the retriever's owner) explained that a dog on a leash in the street isn't at fault when an unleashed dog attacks it. the bulldog didn't even draw blood when it whupped the retriever - according to my co-worker, his bulldog just wrestled the retriever to the ground and then sat on it. Still, the retriever's owner tried to claim that the bulldog was a vicious attacker and needed to be put down. It's a good thing the animal control officer had the sense to point out that the dog that left its yard looking for a fight was the dog that caused the problem.

Excellent anecdote about how incredibly oyster-brained some people can be. The retriever's owner is clearly at fault, and yet, because the dog in question was a notorious breed (and her pup got pummeled -- ego extension, donchew know) this twit decides to try and punish the leash-holding, responsible dog owner. This kind of attitude is kinda what's wrong with America writ small. I'll wager that if the retriever had won the match, and/or the leashed dog was a breed not known for aggression, the authorities would never have been called.

The very notion that the retriever's owner was so willing to urge the taking of the bulldog's life is again, kinda indicative of where our society is.

Well, as with most things, the truth falls somewhere in the grey area. There's no doubt that certain breeds are more predisposed towards aggressive or territorial behavior than others, or that certain breeds can be much more easily trained to attack than others - but pit bulls, Dobermans, Rottweilers, and so forth are still generally big softies unless their owners encourage that aggression, either deliberately or through mistreatment. Long story short, if any dog is vicious or prone to attacks, there's about a 99.9% chance it's its owner's fault, which makes it silly to fear specific breeds.

Exactly.

To look at my Briard (http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc76/Infradog/100_0763.jpg), you'd never think she had a snarl in her body. But she's a herding/guard dog. My family is both her pack and her herd. Anything that comes at us is immediately something she takes very seriously until we assure her that it's okay. If we don't give her any indication that the encounter is desired, she will switch over to defense mode immediately.

And the Briard is legendary for excellence at its bred task. So we warn anyone walking up to let her see us interact with you before you try to interact with her. She won't bite at all, but her defensive posture is, by nature, fierce.

Exactly.

To look at my Briard (http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc76/Infradog/100_0763.jpg), you'd never think she had a snarl in her body. But she's a herding/guard dog. My family is both her pack and her herd. Anything that comes at us is immediately something she takes very seriously until we assure her that it's okay. If we don't give her any indication that the encounter is desired, she will switch over to defense mode immediately.

And the Briard is legendary for excellence at its bred task. So we warn anyone walking up to let her see us interact with you before you try to interact with her. She won't bite at all, but her defensive posture is, by nature, fierce.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/515WTHC6YGL._SS500_.jpg
I've found this guide helpful in seeing the tendencies of particular breeds, and knew Briards were guard dogs already. ;)

Exactly.

To look at my Briard (http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc76/Infradog/100_0763.jpg), you'd never think she had a snarl in her body. But she's a herding/guard dog.

I am torn between, "Awwwwww, cute puppy!" and "AAAAAH GLOWING WHITE-HOT TONGUE OF DOOM!" :p

I kind of have to be a sucky pet owner right now. My A/C is on the fritz, and to get it fixed, I have to stuff three cats into a small, hot room for 8 hours with food, water and a cat box.

I mean, I know that they'll either get out or eat something toxic if I let them roam but, still, it doesn't sit too well.

I don't think the problem is understanding it. At least, I hope not -- I'd hate to think that anyone was that resistant to understanding.

I think the problem is that it was very overused when it was in, and is, for the most part, really kinda stupid.

lies, it is a great word.

If it was out of a moving vehicle, I doubt that it survived if the speed was more than 40 mph. Not to be negative, but that's true. And I agree that giving them at least some time to find a new family is better than leaving them to die.

The one I saw was at a traffic light, and it looked like the animal managed to run off the roadway. The car was moving, but not very fast yet. Other cars swerved a bit to miss the animal.

It still may have gotten hit, but it also might have managed to get away relatively unscathed.


Our dog is practically a member of the family (albeit, lowest in the pecking order, so it's not like he eats at the table and sleeps in beds or something, he has a water bowl and a food bowl, and sleeps in a doggy bed downstairs).

My husband and I treat our dogs practically like they're our kids. We have pictures of them on our cell phones and we take them when we visit their "grandparents". They have car harnesses so that they're even belted in when they're in the car.

Having a pet is a serious responsibility (oh jeez, I sound hella old). Not as serious as having a child, but it's still being responsible for the welfare of another living thing. If one isn't prepared to at least spend a little effort taking care of a pet, one shouldn't have a pet. It's not an enormous amount of effort, but it's not none, either. Providing food and water, shots and trips to the vet, that sort of thing.

And attention! Too many people practically ignore their pets and don't see to it that they have a minimum level of training and socialization. Then they get upset when their pets have behavioral problems!

And seriously, spay and neuter pets, people. There are enough unadopted cats and dogs already, don't need to make more. The people with the outside cat who wasn't fixed are really fucking stupid. Bad plan there.

^This. Unfortunately, people with male cats and dogs often don't worry about it as much, since they won't be stuck dealing with the kittens/puppies. =(


You don't know abuse until you get into the reptile hobby... and the sad thing is that most of it stems from ignorance.

I saw an episode of the animal cops show recently where they rescued a snake that was so malnourished it couldn't shed its skin properly. The skin had hardened over its eyes and was making it go blind.

When they were explaining the problems to the judge, they had to put it in terms of other animals he had dealt with. "See how you can see this ridge along his belly? That's like being able to see the ribs on a horse...."

But they did manage to get it eating and back on the road to health.

As a side note, what do you think of the claims that bulldogs and other 'fighting breeds' are inherently dangerous? As this story shows, the bulldog showed restraint, and a famously good-natured breed initiated the fight. I think that no breed is automatically more dangerous than any other.

It is possible for a breed to be generally more aggressive than others and it is possible to specifically breed for that trait. However, that has not happened with most of the notorious "fighting breeds". In many cases, those breeds were actually specifically bred for non-aggression towards humans. In my experience, a properly treated and socialized rottweiller or pit bull is actually slow to anger - they'll put up with a lot before they even bare their teeth, much less actually snap.

These breeds generally have the reputation they do, not because the dogs are likely to attack, but because they do a great deal of damage on those rare occasions when they do. A rottie or a pit bull can seriously injure a person or another dog. Something like a chihuahua - which seems to be a breed prone to aggression (or maybe people just don't bother with the training) - generally won't do much harm when it bites. People just laugh it off.

It is possible for a breed to be generally more aggressive than others and it is possible to specifically breed for that trait. However, that has not happened with most of the notorious "fighting breeds". In many cases, those breeds were actually specifically bred for non-aggression towards humans. In my experience, a properly treated and socialized rottweiller or pit bull is actually slow to anger - they'll put up with a lot before they even bare their teeth, much less actually snap.

These breeds generally have the reputation they do, not because the dogs are likely to attack, but because they do a great deal of damage on those rare occasions when they do. A rottie or a pit bull can seriously injure a person or another dog. Something like a chihuahua - which seems to be a breed prone to aggression (or maybe people just don't bother with the training) - generally won't do much harm when it bites. People just laugh it off.

Indeed. I'd say that Chihuahua bites are far more common than pit bull bites. However, when a pit bull does bite, it's much more likely to cause serious injury.

Totally agreed. My family just got our first personal dog a few months ago and she is a joy. As a rescue dog, we all feel really proud that we saved her from euthanasia. I live in a fairly small town, but I just recently found out that our local shelters only keep animals for two weeks before they're euthanized, and that every day, 3,000 dogs alone are euthanized. I can't believe people would send beautiful animals to this kind of fate.

I am torn between, "Awwwwww, cute puppy!" and "AAAAAH GLOWING WHITE-HOT TONGUE OF DOOM!" :p

Yeah, that's the flash. Her tongue is that big, though, especially after herding the local barn swallows at the schoolyard.

lies, it is a great word.

Thou sayest. I think it sounds stupid and identifies the utterer as someone who's okay with sounding stupid. Then again, I think the Earth is round, so what do I know.

Indeed. I'd say that Chihuahua bites are far more common than pit bull bites. However, when a pit bull does bite, it's much more likely to cause serious injury.

This just reminded me of this YouTube video where a German Shepherd is lying down, a chihuahua comes up and starts yapping at it, the Shepherd pushes it away with his muzzle, the rat-dog starts flipping out, goes over to the Shepherd, pees on him, then kicks dirt on his back. Not totally relevant, but I just thought I'd share it.

According to Wiki (Ymmv): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diphenhydramine

Actually uncertain:
Benadryl
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
....
In the U.S., Benadryl is diphenhydramine, a first generation antihistamine. It is also formulated in combination with other active ingredients and sold under variations of the Benadryl name.
In the U.K., Benadryl Allergy Relief is acrivastine, a second generation antihistamine.
In the U.K., Benadryl Once a Day is cetirizine, a second generation antihistamine.

That's why I asked for the active component.
Living in more than one country I've learned to ask for the active component of medicaments instead of commercial names because the latter tend to vary even if the producer is the same (Droncit in Italy is the same as Drontal in Czech Rep. - Producer is Bayer in both cases).

This article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racemic) might help. It's about mixtures of left- and right-handed molecules (enantiomers) and their uses in medicine. That might explain the European counterpart.

No european counterpart... Zyrtec (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zyrtec) and Xyzal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xyzal) are two different medicaments.

You'll notice that the xyzal entry states:
It is claimed to be more effective and with fewer side effects than the second generation drugs; however, this claim is not clearly supported by the available clinical literature.
hence my whiter than white reference.

On the name conventions notice that:
Levocetirizine was first launched in 2001 by Belgian pharmaceutical company UCB with the brand name Xyzal in the UK, Ireland, Austria, France, The Netherlands and Romania, Xuzal in Mexico, and Xusal in Germany and Xozal in Greece. In India, levocetirizine is marketed by GlaxoSmithKline under the brand name Vozet. On May 25, 2007, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved Xyzal, where it is co-marketed by Sanofi-Aventis.