Looking for pet advice.

[Sharpe]

Guinea Pig or Chinchilla. Or one of those massive Deutsche Riese (sp?) rabbits.

 

[Fellina]

Here in the US the only family-bred cats you're going to find are purebred. People with mix-breed cats don't raise and sell those cats. Most people with a mix-breed or DSH/DLH cat that has kittens just give them to a shelter, or put them in a box by the side of the road with "Free Kittens" on the side.

Humane shelters like the SPCA aren't like the local pound. The cats and dogs they have available for adoption are, as a rule, out there simply because they are "adoptable". They have a careful selection process for their animals, so that only the ones with the best temperaments are brought into the shelter. The abused animals usually go to special rescue rehabilitation groups, where the animal that can be rehabilitated are often put into foster homes. The most abused and mistreated cats, which cannot be rehabilitated and are considered "unadoptable", are sadly most times simply put down.

I agree with separating the cats from the mothers too soon. Most often that's done by the people I mentioned, who are careless and don't spay/neuter their mix-breed cats, then just want to get rid of the kittens ASAP. Purebred breeders usually won't make a cat available until it's at least 16 weeks old. Shelters will allow you to adopt cats as young as 8 weeks, but generally these are the cats that had already been separated from the mother and dumped at the shelter by careless owners who didn't bother to spay their cat.

 

[Excalibur]

That's, once again, back to how you treat it. And about the screaming, the cat won't over trying to make you feel better when you are pissed off and screaming, because it gets intimidated by you. Cats don't like loud noises, it makes them scared and uncomfortable. That is why, when raising a cat, you can't scream at it when it does something bad. It will consider you a threat and get scared and run away.

Just one more reason dogs are better, cats are much weaker than dogs.

A dog, due to their hierarchy system, will think he did something bad, and will try to please you to get on your good side. A dog you can scream at, to some extent, as they are used to the alpha dogs barking at them to let them know who's in charge. However, the reason you are not recommended to scream at a dog when the dog is barking, is because the dog will think you're talking to him, and will respond by barking. As a general rule of thumb, you should not yell at a dog when he's done something bad. In either case, he don't necessarily run over to you because he's trying to make you feel better, its a high possibility he do it because he thinks he did something bad, and are trying to make it up to you.

That's a possibility, but then how do you explain why she does it when someone is sad? If someone is just sitting around all depressed and sad my dog always comes up and lays down next to em.

Once again, they will give a shit and listen if you treat them right. Sure, its harder to please a cat due to their lone wolf nature, and due to the reason they don't consider you higher then them. They consider you, at best, a good friend, as opposed to dogs, which SHOULD consider you a leader if you did your job right.

Exactly. I don't want just a good friend, I want to be in control of my pet.





If you're looking for a pet just because it's "cool", get an Emperor Scorpion, they glow under a blacklight, its fuckin sweet.

 

[Uzor]

Here in the US the only family-bred cats you're going to find are purebred. People with mix-breed cats don't raise and sell those cats. Most people with a mix-breed or DSH/DLH cat that has kittens just give them to a shelter, or put them in a box by the side of the road with "Free Kittens" on the side.

Humane shelters like the SPCA aren't like the local pound. The cats and dogs they have available for adoption are, as a rule, out there simply because they are "adoptable". They have a careful selection process for their animals, so that only the ones with the best temperaments are brought into the shelter. The abused animals usually go to special rescue rehabilitation groups, where the animal that can be rehabilitated are often put into foster homes. The most abused and mistreated cats, which cannot be rehabilitated and are considered "unadoptable", are sadly most times simply put down.

I agree with separating the cats from the mothers too soon. Most often that's done by the people I mentioned, who are careless and don't spay/neuter their mix-breed cats, then just want to get rid of the kittens ASAP. Purebred breeders usually won't make a cat available until it's at least 16 weeks old. Shelters will allow you to adopt cats as young as 8 weeks, but generally these are the cats that had already been separated from the mother and dumped at the shelter by careless owners who didn't bother to spay their cat.

Well, yes. That's a rather large difference between Sweden and the states. In Sweden, people usually don't spay their cats because they like kittens, and sell them when they get old enough. The only animal shelters that exist in Sweden, are for mistreated cats and dogs, or cats and dogs whose owners passed away, etc. Granted, I don't know exactly how much time the shelters in the state spend with their animals, but I doubt its as much as I'd recommend you spend with them to make them in to good pets. Sure, they can be good tempered, but you can't teach an old dog to sit as easily as you can teach a puppy to sit. A puppy or kitten is MUCH easier to shape in to a good, respectable pet then an old dog or cat. Spending a lot of time while they are kittens or puppies is an important part of teaching them that humans are OK, and to not be scared of them etc. We've sold mix breed cats for almost 20 years, and we've even had people that come back to buy more cats from us, just because they love the temper our cats have. How you treat the cats while they are kittens is extremely important in making a cat a good pet. That is why I don't like the idea of shelters, and is likely why Excalibur have had such bad experience with cats. The shelters simply don't have enough time to spend with the cats to make them in to excellent pets.

Just one more reason dogs are better, cats are much weaker than dogs.

Its not because cats are weaker. A cat is, technically, stronger then dogs. For example, dogs are more clumsy, and will get hurt easier then a cat. The cat's just smart enough to not attack something 20x its own size. Unless its to protect their territory from other cats, a cat tend to avoid conflicts more then dogs. Just because they don't like loud noises doesn't make them weaker. Dogs, too, don't like loud sudden noises. A lot of dogs are scared of the vacuum cleaner, and it can take months to train them not to be afraid of it. Most animals are afraid of loud, sudden noises. I can bet you $10000 that almost all animal shelters that put up dogs for adoption perform various sound tests for the dogs, such as dropping a bowl on the ground in order to see how the dog reacts. A good dog that can be adopted by a family with kids, have to not get scared by sudden noises, but run up to the noise to inspect what happened. If it jumps and puts its tail between its legs, it needs to go through training. Cats are the same way. Additionally, dogs can not, under any circumstances, think they own the food and get aggressive around food, if you are to sell it to a family with kids, as kids will always play with the dog and take the food away from it. Thus, it needs to go under training for that too.

The difference between cats and dogs here, is that I bet most shelters don't actually know how to train a cat to not do these things. They simply don't have the experience to do it. And, once again, old cats are close to impossible to teach this to. That's why, once again, training the cats while they are kittens is so important.

That's a possibility, but then how do you explain why she does it when someone is sad? If someone is just sitting around all depressed and sad my dog always comes up and lays down next to em.

Because when you are sad and depressed you don't make loud noises and shout. A dog always assumes you talk to the dog if no one else is around. When you're angry and shout in an empty room, the dog will think you're shouting at it because it did something bad, as I mentioned earlier. When you're sad and depressed, the dog can smell it. Animals are also sensitive to small changes in everyday routines, and can also feel that you don't act like you usually do. That's why it'll come to keep you company and make you happy. A cat can do the very same thing, its nothing that's unique to dogs. Animals aren't stupid, they can help other animals out, either from the good of their heart, or to achieve a common goal. There's a rather interesting story about a dolphin that comes to mind. A whale had got stuck in a fish trap, and after humans had given up trying to rescue the whale, and they were sure the whale would die, a dolphin came and helped the whale free. Basically, the dolphin saved the whale's life. This is not all that uncommon, and dolphins are known to save various creatures from death, including humans. A lot of animals have sympathy and empathy, and can help other animals out that they think need help, or just keep them company to make them feel safer.

Exactly. I don't want just a good friend, I want to be in control of my pet.

While I agree you can't be in control of a cat in the same way you can be in control of a dog, a cat can still be an awesome pet. That's why some people just prefer cats, while others prefer dogs. Personally, I like both.

 

[Sabia]

Rat's are supposed to make great pets.

I'd recommend greyhounds to anyone - they're lazy, they don't stink and they make goofy faces like this when they run at you at 45 mph.

 

[Hitaru]

hahahha nice pic sabs but pasq isn't allowed dogs in the condo

 

[Fellina]

Greyhounds are incredibly awesome. They're the only dog where you can dress them up in doggie clothes and not be a total douche for doing so.

 

[Excalibur]

Sure, they can be good tempered, but you can't teach an old dog to sit as easily as you can teach a puppy to sit.

Actually Mythbusters disproved the "you cant teach an old dog new tricks" thing.

Its not because cats are weaker. A cat is, technically, stronger then dogs. For example, dogs are more clumsy, and will get hurt easier then a cat.

You cannot sit there with a straight face and tell me that in a death match between a housecat and a large dog, or lets say even a bobcat vs a wolf that the cat would win. The dog would have to be exceptionally stupid for the cat to even have a chance.

That's why, once again, training the cats while they are kittens is so important.

What exactly can you train a cat to do?

When you're sad and depressed, the dog can smell it. Animals are also sensitive to small changes in everyday routines, and can also feel that you don't act like you usually do. That's why it'll come to keep you company and make you happy.

Exactly, so why cant the same apply for anger? I'm not always alone in the room when I start yelling at inanimate objects and Pudge(my dog) picks up on it anyway.

A cat can do the very same thing, its nothing that's unique to dogs. Animals aren't stupid, they can help other animals out, either from the good of their heart, or to achieve a common goal. There's a rather interesting story about a dolphin that comes to mind. A whale had got stuck in a fish trap, and after humans had given up trying to rescue the whale, and they were sure the whale would die, a dolphin came and helped the whale free. Basically, the dolphin saved the whale's life. This is not all that uncommon, and dolphins are known to save various creatures from death, including humans. A lot of animals have sympathy and empathy, and can help other animals out that they think need help, or just keep them company to make them feel safer.

Oh I know all animals can do the same thing and its not unique to dogs, dogs just do it waaaay more often than cats, dogs are much more sympathetic and caring. I've never once seen a cat try to help or comfort anyone but itself.

While I agree you can't be in control of a cat in the same way you can be in control of a dog, a cat can still be an awesome pet. That's why some people just prefer cats, while others prefer dogs. Personally, I like both.

I understand that people are different and like different things, what I can't understand is the thought process behind it. But that's just part of being human. Some people like green and some people like orange, the person that likes green can never understand WHY the other persons favorite color is orange, that's just the way it is.

Greyhounds are incredibly awesome. They're the only dog where you can dress them up in doggie clothes and not be a total douche for doing so.

....how do you figure?

 

[Uzor]

Actually Mythbusters disproved the "you cant teach an old dog new tricks" thing.

I never said you can't. I said its harder. Besides, its a saying.

You cannot sit there with a straight face and tell me that in a death match between a housecat and a large dog, or lets say even a bobcat vs a wolf that the cat would win. The dog would have to be exceptionally stupid for the cat to even have a chance.

I didn't say a house cat. An ant versus a human, the human would win. If the ant was the size of a human, the ant would win. Besides, I never said that the cat would win. I said the cat is stronger. The cat is less prone to get injuries.

What exactly can you train a cat to do?

I didn't say you could train cats to do tricks. I said training the cats while they are kittens is important. No where did I state oyu could train them tricks like you can dogs. I'm talking about things like litterbox training (which they learn from their mother), and most importantly, basics like not being aggressive while they eat, not to be afraid of the vacuum cleaner, not to be afraid of dogs which is a common house pet, etc.

Exactly, so why cant the same apply for anger? I'm not always alone in the room when I start yelling at inanimate objects and Pudge(my dog) picks up on it anyway.

Because the dog thinks you yell on him. Its just how the dog reacts. I explained the talking part to show you how dogs think.

Oh I know all animals can do the same thing and its not unique to dogs, dogs just do it waaaay more often than cats, dogs are much more sympathetic and caring. I've never once seen a cat try to help or comfort anyone but itself.

Which is , again, most likely because the cats you've met are bad house cats.

 

[Alyada]

Whatever you do, do not get a ferret. They may seem cute but do not be fooled. It's a trap.

However, a cat is probably the kind of animal you'd want. They're cute, loving, don't require a lot of work, AND:

JUST WUUK AT TEH WITTLE FACE!

A dog, on the other hand, while kind of high matienence can poop in your neighbors yard. Plus, if you look around, and don't pick the first one that starts humping your leg, you might find a life long companion out of it. I love my dog Shale.

 

[Alyada]

What exactly can you train a cat to do?




Oh I know all animals can do the same thing and its not unique to dogs, dogs just do it waaaay more often than cats, dogs are much more sympathetic and caring. I've never once seen a cat try to help or comfort anyone but itself.

Firstly, you can train a cat to use the toilet. While it does take a lot of work, the pay-off-hilarity is completely worth it.

Your second quote is a common misconception. Cats seem to be only concerned with themselves, and more likely is that they've developed an attitude that the owner didn't seem fit to fix. My cats are treated like dogs: we wrestle them, play with them, and force them to be around us pretty much 24/7. In this way, they act completely different than any other house cat I've encountered. In fact, whenever I was upset and still living at home my cat somehow found his way to my lap. Even my new cat is starting to pick up on it.

It's all how you raise them.

 

[Fellina]

Regarding greyhounds, because they were bred for speed their fur is incredibly short. Because of this they actually have to wear special greyhound clothes when they go out in cold weather or a lot of sun, as they're prone to frostbite and sunburn. Seeing a greyhound in his little fleece coat and boots is the best thing ever.

As for cats, I've had two cats in particular who were exceptionally smart, the siamese my parents got when I was 12. Ptolemy loved to go outside, so I trained him to take a harness and leash and go on walks with me in the backyard. He wouldn't heel in obediance like a dog would, but he would come back to me when I called him (as long as he didn't see a bird or bug anyway). Akhenaton, his housemate, wasn't to keen on the outside, but he did love to play fetch. My dad would make a ball out of a scrap of paper, and throw it down the stairs for Akhenaton to chase. The cat would then bat it around a bit before picking it up in his mouth and carrying it back up the steps to drop at my dad's feet.

 

[Stine]

My cat Buncy will come comfort me when I'm sad or sick. She's still kind of young so she still runs around like crazy but she is becoming a lap kitty more and more every day. She does listen when I call her and tell her no but she protests sometimes but still listens. I have had dogs do this too. It's more of when they don't get enough attention they (both cats and dogs) sometime tend to do something that they know that they shouldn't do because you will come running. My sister has a cat that I swear he is a dog trapped in a cat's body. He is the ultimate lap kitty and will come up and love on you whether you want him to or not. Still not as hyper as a dog but very, very affectionate. Then her other cat is a priss (his name is Ash and we call him Ashhole). Really either way it depends on how you train the animal. I personally don't have a preference and love both dogs and cats. Tristam isn't too keen on dogs and we don't have enough time to devote to fully training a dog anyway.

 

[Pasquale]

I had a dream last night that I got a cat. It had a long rat-like mouth, and was pure evil. Also, it was enormous for some reason.

Freaked me the fuck out.

 

[Hitaru]

That's prolly your subconcious(sp?) self saying not to get a cat...

 

[Eilistrae]

All small animals (ferrets, gerbils, hamsters, mice etc) are smelly and need daily care.

I also agree that a cat is your best option. With a cat, you don't have to worry about giving it attention all the time. All you have to do is check your litter box, food and water supply and provide toys lol. Cats can have endless fun with simple shoelaces XD

Also, a great advantage to having a cat over a dog or any other animal, is that you can leave them for several days to their own devices, as long as they have food and water.

Some people say cat boxes stink, I honestly think that depends on the type of litter you choose to use though.

I personally LOVE ferrets, but they do get smelly if you don't keep up with it XD

 

[Excalibur]

You can leave a dog home alone for several days too as long as they have food and water.

 

[Tim Wakefield]

You can leave a dog home alone for several days too as long as they have food and water.

Except a dog is going to piss and shit all over your house.

 

[Pasquale]

Except a dog is going to piss and shit all over your house.

yeah really. leaving a dog home alone for more than an 8 hour work shift is tempting fate, I couldn't even imagine coming home after leaving a dog in a house for a few days.

 

[Eilistrae]

You can leave a dog home alone for several days too as long as they have food and water.

that is true though, if it is a small dog and you get it as a puppy, you CAN litter train it.

BUT dogs get mentally BORED. They are going to get into things if left to their own devices.