# Hi from Rhode Island!



## Larry (Jul 10, 2011)

Hi everyone! I have a total of 6 cats, 2 adopted, 2 strays and 2 sisters my sister in law bought at a pet store but decided she didn't want them. 
Actually I adopted all of them but in different ways(if that makes any sense).

Names are:

The two from my sister in law are:

Patches and Shadow

The two strays I took in are:

Mason and Waffle

I got two unadoptable cats from a local non-profit organization.

Fred and Popcorn.

The organization had Fred up for adoption but couldn't get anyone to adopt him. He's friendly enough but the gal I spoke with said it's hard to find homes for black cats. I don't understand why but maybe superstition or something. Got him a month ago. He warmed right up to us and the other cats nicely. The only problem I see is he's allergic to fleas. I put frontline plus on the cats every month but two weeks after, Fred's going nuts. I have to check to see if it's safe to apply frontline plus more frequently then once a month. Living near the water makes it hard to avoid fleas completely but don't want him to suffer like this.

Our newest cat Popcorn was taken out of the wild and was unadoptable so we adopted her. I'm not sure if I did the right thing taking her in like this because she's so used to the wild. She's the invisible cat in the household. Not much to say at this point but when everyone's quiet and no movement, she leaves her hiding place and sneaks around the house. I was concerned so I put some food and water close to her secret hiding place so she could grab some chow when she hungers. I'm sure she's using the liter box because we've had her a week and I can't find any messes or detect any odors.

All my cats are fixed(I prefer to say they're broken), had their shots and are strictly indoor cats.


----------



## cooncatbob (May 27, 2011)

Welcome aboard Larry, I like advantage over Frontline but it made Samantha lethargic for several days after applying so I only used it if necessary.


----------



## Larry (Jul 10, 2011)

Hi Bob! I thought advantage was for cats within a certain weight range so I shied away from it. I just got my order(a 6 pack)of frontline plus but I'll weigh my cats then next time I'll give advantage a shot. To be honest, I had best results with revolution(I think that's what it's called) but I need a script to get it. I'm worried about catching the little girl I just got because she's always hiding and I feel privileged whenever I see her sneaking around. Can't even get a picture of her so catching her would take some doing. I might have to get a cat trap to catch her but with 6 cats in the house and not knowing who's gonna walk into the trap, it's a shot in the dark unless I lock the rest of the cats in a room with plenty of food and water. Dunno. I'll have to come up with a plan.


----------



## cooncatbob (May 27, 2011)

Larry said:


> Hi Bob! I thought advantage was for cats within a certain weight range so I shied away from it. I just got my order(a 6 pack)of frontline plus but I'll weigh my cats then next time I'll give advantage a shot. To be honest, I had best results with revolution(I think that's what it's called) but I need a script to get it. I'm worried about catching the little girl I just got because she's always hiding and I feel privileged whenever I see her sneaking around. Can't even get a picture of her so catching her would take some doing. I might have to get a cat trap to catch her but with 6 cats in the house and not knowing who's gonna walk into the trap, it's a shot in the dark unless I lock the rest of the cats in a room with plenty of food and water. Dunno. I'll have to come up with a plan.


Larry, they make Advantage for cats over 10 lbs and a smaller dose for cats 5 to 10 lbs.
What you might try is go into the room where the cat is hiding and sit on the floor where she can see you then get one of the cats she plays with and pet and treat them, flick some treats her way.
She'll see the big scary guys feeds and pets the other kitties, you want her to associate your presents with good things, this might take a while.


----------



## Larry (Jul 10, 2011)

Time is one thing I have plenty of. She's such a beautiful cat too! When she's out I make it a point to pet Fred because he loves to lie on the table next to my desk and she's seen the other cat patches lying on my wife's lap. Little girl seems less fearful now. I'll just have to work a little harder to earn her trust. If I ever do, I'll feel so good about myself because she deemed me worthy.


----------



## cooncatbob (May 27, 2011)

Meme, my previous cat was dumped at the office park where I was shop manager.
The girls rescued her and she chose me to be her human.
She didn't get along with Riley the Alpha office cat and escaped into the warehouse, she went into the loft above the office and refused to come down.
I feed her twice a day at first at the top of the stairs and later she'd come down to the bottom of the stairs.
I'd pet her for awhile then go to the shop at the other end of the warehouse.
Then one days she followed me to the shop and spend the day at my desk.
After that every mourning I'd bang on the stairs and she'd follow me to the shop.
All this time she'd never exhibited a desire to play, then one day she started batting my hair and wanting to play.
Shortly after this she got locked out when I was not there, after a frantic search in which I came back in the evening when it was quiet I called for her and heard her mewing in the bushes across the street.
That Christmas when the office closed I took her home and she spent the remaining 5 years of her life at my apartment.
She was a wonderful cat and an excellent judge of character, she didn't like my girlfriend who turned out to be no good.


----------



## Larry (Jul 10, 2011)

That's a heartwarming story Bob! Cats are so smart about things and I think they see and understand things we don't. Very perceptive animals.


----------



## EyjesMom (Jul 14, 2011)

I don't understand why it's so difficult for shelters to find homes for black cats. My one year old is all black, with the exception of one small white tuft on her chest, and no one wanted her but me. Her brothers and sisters were all white white grey ears and those guys went fast. I prefer black kitties. Welcome!


----------



## Larry (Jul 10, 2011)

The adoption agency usually asks for a $100 donation to help offset the cost of fixing them and giving tests and shots etc, but they called my house and just gave me Fred because nobody else wanted him and they knew I wanted to adopt a cat. He's such a good cat too.


----------



## Bebi (Jul 16, 2011)

I love black cats, I've had more black (or mainly black) cats over the years since I was a kid than any other colour. 

After a little mental gymnastics, the count since I was born of the cats we've owned is:
Black or mainly black: Eight (three "tuxedo", two black with white patch on chest, two pure black, one black with copper tones)
Other colours: Five (two black and white, and two tabby and white, one pale gray "tuxedo")
We fostered some tabby kittens for a neighbour when their female rejected them, but I don't class those as having been "ours".

I'd definitely adopt a black cat from a shelter over a different colour by choice.


----------



## dunkindonutcats (Jul 18, 2011)

Hi Larry,
On the flea issue my cat is also allergic to fleas and frontline never worked well on him so I moved to a less expensive Hartz I use the drops that kill everything the first time for 1 month and then1 day later I put on a hartz flea collar and it worked so well I started using Hartz on both cats and my dogs using the drops then putting on a flea collar and it worked wonders. We used to have such a hard time because we have alot of land and live next to a farm but since I started to use Hartz no flea problem and Donut doesnt need his regular bath for the skin condition that was caused by the fleas it is wonderful. The best part of it all was that for 3 dogs and 2 cats using 1 caplet per each dog and a collar it cost me $40. Not bad I would say I use to spend any where from 90 to 120 a month for the frontline drops. Oh and I forgot the best part, drops from hartz meant to kill but the collars prevent and they last 7 months.


----------



## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

NONONONONONONONO!!!!!!!!!

Hartz kills!!!! Please don't use Hartz products on your pets!

http://www.catforum.com/forum/38-he...rous-flea-treatments-shampoos-permethrin.html


----------



## dunkindonutcats (Jul 18, 2011)

OMG I had no idea thought it was ok?! I read the other forum thank you for telling me but how can they get away with that I just don't understand:?


----------



## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

You know, I honestly don't know how they are still selling their products. I didn't know about Hartz until I joined Cat Forum. But if you Goggle "Hartz bad", wow, it's out there, everywhere. 

If I'm at a pet store and I see someone reaching for a Hartz flea product, I say something. I've never gotten a rude response, but I'm also not all frantic and preachy. I just tell them that they should really look into Hartz products before buying them. If they ask for more details, I give them.


----------

