Love everyone's pics. They're all so cute.
I have a little problem I need help with. My sweet cat, Sasha, has a habit of flushing the toilet. A lot.
I have a well. I live in the desert. This must stop.
So I covered my toilet tops with flanel sheets, hiding the handles. This worked great for about a year.
This morning, at the lovely hour of 3:30, I hear the toilet flush.
I turn on the light and see Sasha run from the bathroom (where, I should add, her litter box is).
I went in to check things out and she followed. As I started to leave she jumped up and started to try to flush it again.
I grabbed a squirt bottle and sprayed a little water at her which got her off the toilet. I thought all would be okay. I went back to sleep.
At 6:30 I hear the toilet flush again. I jump out of bed, say a few words and well, I just don't know what to do.
I just know she's gonna try it again in the middle of the night tonight.
Any ideas????
Thanks!

Oh my, cats can be determined, can't they? Maybe someone else will have a more creative idea, but the only thing I could suggest is move her litter box to another room and keep the bathroom door closed.

Your new baby is adorable Jr. Sounds like she and shaggy are going to get along

Sweet looking dogs pfc.



My mom had a cat who went crazy for olives too lady_m. He also loved bengay.



I just saw a youtube video of a cat doing the same thing. I guess if you could have moved the litterbox somehwere else so you could close the bathroom door at night you would have. Sorry, I have no advice.

You have all seen a gazillion photos (doctored and not) of my rigs

here is a pic of the dog we had before Rigs.

The late, great Bubba:



He was 7 when we got him from a shelter. He had been abused the poor baby and when we brought him home he would spend most of his time either sitting in a corner shaking or pacing around and around the island in the kitchen. He got used to us and became very friendly and loved to be loved. He was very sweet and very smart. He gave high 5's, played peek a boo and other little games. We had him for 14 years. He lived to be 21! We had to have him put to sleep 2 years ago. He had a good (once he came to us) long life. My only regret is that if I had known that day we took him to the vet's was going to be his last I would have stopped at McDonald's and bought him french fries.

Heartbreaking and sweet.

pfchristine...your critters are so adorable. I'm very sorry about the loss of your kitty. She was beautiful! Mandy looks like a sweetheart, and Gracie Lou's eyes just make you melt. Is Gracie Lou a Rottie/border collie mix? So cute!

Hmm, I think ciaddict's advice is the best bet. Does she flush any other toliets in the house, or just that one? Is it the one closest to where you sleep? She may just be trying to get your attention. Our cat used to go into the master bath and "bounce" the cabinet door with her paw over and over again, opening it a little with her paw and letting go so it would slam shut. We finanlly figured out she wanted us to get up and play with her, feed her, or whatever, at 0-dark-thirty! We closed the bathroom door and she did it in the hall bathroom for a while, but that didn't wake us up as often so she finally quit. Now she just uses the direct approach and tramples us in the middle of the night. She's quite mad!

Bubba was a lucky pup to have such a good family to love him!

You do have a way with words LBD-that is so funny- love it.

Thanks re: bubba

Well, well.... everyone seems to be in agreement that kicking her out of the bathroom is the way to go but I'm loathe to do it.
Yes, she flushed the other toilet, too (I think it's a fun game for her to play when she's bored, in the middle of the night). I closed that bathroom. But this other one, it's a large room, she sleeps there in a basket on a table, drinks her water by the sink, and it's a perfect spot for the litter box. Every other room has carpeting and given her recent bouts with diarrhea, well, I just don't want to go there. I'm wondering if there's some protective thing I can put over the handle to make it really, really difficult to flush.

Thanks everyone!
Here's a shot at a more innocent time (now the lid is always closed!)

Thanks everyone. In case anyone else has a similar problem: My dad had a great idea -- tape a cardboard box over the handle. I cut a little box in half, taped it over the handle, the opening is enough for a hand to get in there and flush the thing and I think Sasha will be stumped for awhile.

Love all the pics, Shaggy loves potato chips and popcorn. Especially Peach Mango chips. He loves pizza, but leaves the mushrooms. When eating hotdogs, he won't eat them unless you drizzle it with chili, yes he is spoiled. This morning he had ham and french toast from IHop.

Oh my... what a sweetie! I'm sorry he's gone now, but it sounds like he was a lucky one in the end. Have you ever noticed how rescued pets seem to have an extra measure of gratitude and joy to finally be where they are loved?




Thanks! Mandy is a love. She's the perfect dog. But then it's easy to be perfect when you're old. LOL That pic of Gracie is a close up... she's a little thing, about 28 pounds. She's cocker spaniel mixed with something. Her face and body are all spaniel... but the shorter ears and coat and one blue eye... I suppose there could be some border collie in her! But she's small even for a cocker... so I'm thinking maybe cavalier. Basically... she's a mutt like me. Also, it's her solemn duty to make sure all of those squirrels stay up in those trees where they belong!




You know, if the little box thing doesn't work, you might check some of those websites for shild-proofing your house. I'll bet they have something you can put on there to make it impossible to flush without fingers.

I am torn, should I or shouldn't I have my cat Declawed? I have read horror stories, on how horrible it is for a cat. My last two cats were declawed, but that was before I knew any better. Just like circumcision, I am so glad I had my kids and had my son done, before I actually seen one done, and seen what can go wrong. Ignorance can be bliss sometimes. I want the cat to be an inside cat, but I don't want it to ruin my furniture either.

Joy!

I think declawing is pretty rough on a kitten, so I've never done it. My strategy is to always have lots of those corrugated cardboard scratchers all over the place because they love those. Then don't give her the run of rooms with good furniture when you're not home at first. I used to leave Mieux Mieux in my bedroom. She wouldn't go after bedspreads, just upholstery. Last, if there is a sp-ot she really seems drawn to, try putting double stick tape over it for a while. They really don't like the way it sticks to their paws when they try to scratch.

Good Luck!

Our Kitty Girl still has her claws. When we found her, the vet said she was about 6 months to a year old (she's 7-8 now). We had her spayed, and the vet asked if we wanted her declawed as well. We chose not to because I had a friend who had her cat declawed, and the vet did a horrible job causing the cat to limp the rest of his life. Instead, we bought several small carpet-covered scratching posts that we moved around the house in front of any spot she was interested in scratching (chairs, bedspreads, etc.). Then when we saw her scratching something she shouldn't, we'd just take her paws and show her how to knead a nearby scratching post instead. It didn't take her long to catch on. Today, she will still "happy scratch" the carpet/rugs when she wants our attention or is playing, but she doesn't do any damage. When we notice that she is catching things, we clip her front claws. My husband holds her and I clip them, telling her she's a pretty kitty...and a nice kitty...and I will give her fish when I'm done. She still complains, though!

Gee.. that was a little long-winded, but hope it helps.

Oh yeah... also when she was a baby, I clipped her nails every day, just a tiny bit, so she'd get used to it early on. That really helped when she got older and could fight harder. She was so good about it I could do it by myself. I also made a tiny harness for her and had her on a leash and took her for car rides every day so she never was afraid of car rides as an adult.

Oh my goodness...that picture is so funny! She's quite a stinker, isn't she??

I think your Dad has a good idea, fdl. Let us all know if it works!

Love the pet pix everyone...that black cat reminds me of my Sambo cat from when I lived with my mom...and I have to say, that's a beautiful quilt she is peeking out from under. Jryan the new kitty is adorable.

Here are a few new ones...Hopefully they are not too big. I just got home from working a double and I am too tired to figure out sizes tonight.

Emma, being a dork. She looks possessed, haha!Please excuse the paper shreds on the floor, I was packing ebay boxes which is why Emma looks scared to death.



Poochie doing what 16 year old doggies do best...sleep!


And the last two are Macy... 18 pounds and holding. She is a big girl, but not fat. You get her wet in the bath and she looks like she is starving! =)

"Who among us hasn't envied a cat's ability to ignore the cares of daily life and to relax completely?" Karen Brademeyer

So cute, KT !!! I'll try to get a picture of Kitty Girl in the same over the shoulder pose...they could be sisters.

I just love seeing pics of everyone's pets! I wonder if there are any photos of VDO's pets out there somewhere (I think I saw on an interview that he has cats).

For those who haven't seen it, here is a link to a video where you can see Kathryn Erbe's pound-puppy. It's a celebrity spotlight video promoting adopting a shelter dog. So cool!


http://www.muttigrees.org/

Thanks yall, I bought a scratcher thing, and found these plastic clip things you can put on their nails, she is a little to small yet for those, but will try that too. Also going to get one of those new pedi paw things, that is suppose to be better than clipping, anyone tried that yet?

Not being a cat I don't know how it hurts but I'm sure they put kitty to sleep and animals have a way of healing fast. A declawed cat is easier to play with and less wear and tear on the furniture. If she goes outside much where she might have to defend herself then I wouldn't do it otherwise I would. Just my opinion.

I haven't. I'm also curious to hear if anyone has tried it. Looks great in the commercials.

I bought one and I'm not all that impressed. You have to be very patient for it and my dogs aren't fans of the vibratey thing being patiently applied to their toes. It doesn't hurt them, but it jitters a little and they don't like that. I haven't tried it on a cat. They have such small, translucent nails that I find it easier to just grab my nail clippers. Also dogs are more cooperative with a stern admonition to hush and hold still.

I'm pretty sure Murphy did ok, he was a weird dog that one. . . LOL on the second comment




My old cat Boots loved the leftover milk from cereal, you'd literally had to hold the bowl away from you while you were eating cause' she'd get right up next to you.




Love the pics, especially the ones of Macy, she looks like she's hungover in the first one

I bought one of those...but my dogs won't hold still any better with that. Plus, if the nails get too long it takes forever to file them down. It is basically a little sander wheel that spins around. So it vibrates, which they don't really like. If you get animals used to the clippings, it is not too much of an issue. Just be firm, don't say baby things like "It's okay, almost done"...all those little whiney things we tend to say to soothe them...since that is just encouraging thier fears. Seriously, every pet owner needs to watch the Dog Whisperer. It really works for your dogs, trust me. Dachshunds are notorious for not liking their feet touched. My dogs will let me clip their nails, but they have all black nails and it is hard to see the quick. I take them to a girl here in town, 5 bucks a dog and she does them for me. Done. It is worth the 5 bucks. As for Macy. We started when she was a tiny kitten. She likes to be cradled like a baby, so I do that, then just clip her nails with finger nail clippers. Her nails are see-through so its very easy to do. She isn't bothered by it at all. The declawing is an optional thing, depending on what owners prefer. I know they DO cut off the first joint of the toes when they do it. Our first cat, a male, was declawed. He was sore for a couple days, but then was fine. He could catch frogs and such, even without the claws. He was an indoor cat, so we were fine with the declawing. The vet put it this way, when the things the cat is destroying..cost more to replace than having the surgery...then it's time to get it done. Macy has a large cat-house that is all carpet and that's the only thing she has ever scratched. She is gentle, so no scratching us....even when I bathe her. So it wasn't a problem not getting her declawed.



Agreed.



She woke up, just as the camera flashed...she does look like she has been on a 5 day catnip bender though, lol!

Today we added two furry bundles of joy to the family. Meet Casper and Linus!

Adorable babies, PFC. Congratulations! Didn't go with Bobby and Mike, huh?

Chimera speaking: Look at this crazy pic. I did not make it, I found it on
the Web. Isn't that VDO on a pug? The goatee is the perfect color. Who
did this? I thought I was the only one with this particular form of insanity.
I don't have the capability of joining two photos yet, so I can't even do it.

(Back when Det. B gave Twilight Isle a pink pony, I actually found a pic
on the web of a pug toy riding a pink pony toy. I didn't make that either,
and I was flabbergasted that someone else on the planet did that.!!!)

Hehehehe



They are beautiful, congrats!



Hehehe, a plaid collar for Mike?

They are so adorable! Congrats on your new babies!

Thanks everyone! I'm excited. If I'm not online much for the next few days, it's because I'm busy watching the kitties.

No... no little Bobby and Mike... lol. Much as I love the boys, there's nothing about them that reminds me of tiny kittens.

not his lips, eyebrows or nose. Nope not him.

Yeah I agree. Still, pretty darn close don't ya think?

yes, My kitty mina is getting very brave, lol. She was watching Shaggy lying on the floor and jumped on his back, lol. Like she was trying to ride a wild bull. She didn't stay on long. She loves for Shaggy to chase her. He is pretty gentle, but he gets so excited, I am afraid he will forget and hurt her.

I am guessing Casper is the white one? I have always had a soft spot for all white and ginger tabby kitties. Very cute!



Nope, that does not look like VDO to me. Funny though Chimera, that someone else has your pug obsession. I actually saw a couple of your pug pix while google searching Robert Goren, haha!




Isn't it funny how something so small and helpless...can take over a household?

So cute! I love Shaggy's expression in the second picture...he looks like he's thinking, " You know while you're busy taking happy-snaps, she's gonna attack my tail, don't you?" He sounds like he's being a good big brother.

Congrates pfc They are adorable! And congrats to Linus and Casper for finding such a loving home-lucky kitties!




sounds like they are etting along pretty well. The expression on Shaggy's face in the bottom photo is so sweet and funny. "Momma....tell it to leave me alone....please?..."

Hehehehehe, cute! Love the second pic, Shaggy looks like he's ready to bolt.

Looks like I jumped the gun with the introductions. After much heated family debate (my sister insisted they had to have buddy names) the kittens were renamed... Calvin and Hobbes. I have to admit, I love 'em! Also, they really fit because Calvin (the white kitty) is a little stinker just like the boy.

I like those names. Good choice. Little stinker huh? lol

Anyone ever train a cat to use a leash? If so any pointers?

I did. Use a harness, not a collar. Start by just following her around holding the leash. Then encourage her to follow you, a little Pounce works well here, while you're holding the leash but not pulling it at all. Then stop her from going where you don't want her to by holding the leash, but don't pull her in some other direction. Eventually you can work up to the point where you can use a little tug on the leash now and then to encourage her to walk with you. Whatever you do, don't drag her.

Good Luck!

I use a harness for my cat too, mostly so that she won't run off in the street in the summer when I let her out in the backyard. Getting it off is one thing, putting it on is another ^__^;

i just took a picture of that and put a caption. i do that to most of my pictures.

my kitty!

another one of my cats. i posted this pic on a website and put a caption!

Here are a couple more Calvin and Hobbes pics:

those are great. I love that site. I check it out everyday. always good for a smile.




Buddies.

Oh my gosh...they are immeasurably cute!!!!!