# Spoiling Them Rotten



## KierstenKitten (Dec 13, 2011)

In the past few months since our roommate moved out, my fiance and I have started spoiling our cats rotten. Its not that they didn't have toys and food and treats, or that we didn't play with or love on them before. I guess its that we don't feel as guilty anymore, because our roommate was a neglectful cat owner if I've ever seen one. His poor kitty would sleep all day, and get up and wait by the door for 10 minutes for his daddy to come home. Who proceeded to shower, leave again, come home at some ungodly hour, and only pay attention to whatever bimbo he brought home that night. The poor cat ate his emotions to the point of weighing 14 lbs (orange tabby american short hair, that's excessive weight) and dropping back down to 8 in about 2 weeks. Perhaps we felt too bad for Oranges that we didn't want to make Izzy and Boo-Bear too spoiled.

But now that its just our little family, we've spoiled our kids rotten. A month and a half later, and they have a 4 level kitty condo/tree in our bedroom. They have shelves mounted and covered with carpet so they can perch and watch us in any room. They have a "large" size pillow dog bed to sleep on in the living room. They have a full size bed that is literally their bed. They have over 100 different toys, that I struggle to keep in the wicker basket they're supposed to stay in.

And here's my point: does anyone else feel this undeniable urge to spoil their kitties rotten? Its nearly a compulsion; every time I go out I find myself at petsmart buying some new toy or treat or other distraction. My babies have their own stockings for christmas, and they will be filled with toys. But there's nothing left for me to get them anymore...

Ever experienced this? lol


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## Pixall (Oct 18, 2011)

NOPE. Never. Nuh uh, I have never spoiled an animal in my life. EVER.  

Our house belongs to the pets, they just let us live here.  For Christmas, I am making cookies and candies for everyone, the kitties and other animals already have gifts upon gifts of stuff.  And I couldn't wait to give them their gifts, so they have new this and new that as well as things I did keep for christmas for them and we are going to go get MORE stuff too! LOL


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## KierstenKitten (Dec 13, 2011)

I'm at a loss with how much we've spoiled them lately as to what to get them for christmas presents. They're siberians, so they're BIG kitties, and destroy anything flimsy instantly. Feathers on a toy of any sort are out, they just eat them and then ignore the toy. They have 3 different beds already. And they both have 7 or 8 duplicates of their favorite toys (Izzy's being a rubber based soft bouncy ball patterned like soccer balls, Boo-Bear's being the soft pom-pom balls of any color, with the tinsel-esque fringe).

I don't know what else there is to get them. Choices are pretty limited in small town Wisconsin apparently. lol


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## Pixall (Oct 18, 2011)

Shop on the internet then? My two love watching 'their' pet gerbils. Or you could get one of those fake fish tanks? Or an actual tank, lol. Maybe try different kinds of treats? I find pet stores don't have enough toys and treats to effectively spoil my babies, I wind up making a lot of things for them.


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## KierstenKitten (Dec 13, 2011)

The fish tank idea is intriguing; they would have to be fake or perhaps just a simulated picture because I'm not really inspired to take care of fish (they just aren't as personable as my babies). I'm going to keep looking and thinking. They won't go without, that's for sure.


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## Cats&Plants (Aug 20, 2011)

Oh no, no spoiled kitties in THIS house HA HA HA HA.

We just bought them all new beds, the soft and fuzzy ones, in green and red. Very festive lol. They have more toys than they can play with and get a weekly fix of the nip. Plus, I grow plants dedicated to their pleasure (spider plants) that they can chew and eat with abandon lol.

So no, no spoiled kitties here :mrgreen:


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## KierstenKitten (Dec 13, 2011)

I forgot about plants! I'm SOOOO getting them some catgrass now 

Wish I could get mine beds... but they only fit in dog beds. Which are a bit expensive for my limited budget, and my fiance doesn't want to get them beds because they sleep on the spare bed, on our bed, in their kitty condo, on the couches... lol perhaps someday, when I (hopefully) make more money and have less bills.


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## JillianS (Oct 17, 2011)

When I go to the grocery store/pet store for food, I feel sad if I can't come home and say "I have a present for you!". oye 

The one thing I DO want is to find Da Bird. I have no clue where to get it here (Canada, AB)..nor can I find an online retailer that ships up here...sigh. 

Our next purchase is a new cat tree 

My own struggle is I DO still want the apartment to be "mine" (haha, right)...as I look around the living room floor scattered with toys..I do try and keep it somewhat "controlled"..(failing).


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## Straysmommy (Dec 23, 2010)

I would advise you all to refrain from spoiling your cats. The only reason I brush my 2 cats' and my 2 strays' cheeks and chins for hours each evening with a slicker brush is that they complain bitterly of abandonment if I don't. And if I sleep in 1/4 of the bed because my cats prefer to lie across the middle of the bed (one axis each) it's just because I'm small so it doesn't make a difference. As to my business travel suitcase being the size of a car trunk, that's only because cat food, toys and assorted apparel purchased all over Europe and the US take up so much space.


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## Ritzpg (Dec 7, 2010)

Oh no, Straymommy just gave me another idea what to buy when I go to Greece on vacation next year......
I think long and hard before I buy something for myself; but as soon as I spy a toy I think Ritz will like, no thought at all. 
After two years, I kind of know what toys she will hate (feathers at end of stick--she just doesn't get the attraction) or love (she is on her third DaMouse) and toys she'll learn to love (a really long tunnel she flies through to get at said DaMouse).
I love the pet beds I see in the store, Ritz doesn't. Right now her favorite place to sleep when I'm not home is either her cat carrier (yeah, I know!) or my bed, um, excuse me, HER bed.
Ritz and her litter mates were rescued the day after Christmas after surviving a 20 inch snow storm. Best. Present. Ever.


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## OctoberinMaine (Sep 12, 2006)

Yep, sure do. Only I wouldn't call it spoiling them. I have this model in my head that goes like this: We took them prisoner in our homes. They have no choice where they go or what the conditions will be, and we've decided for them. So heck yeah, I'm going to do everything I can to make sure they have a good experience, since I've imposed myself on them so much and taken them prisoner. See, it's kinda warped, but the end result is the same thing, which is that they're spoiled.


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## heston (Nov 17, 2011)

No your not crazy for spoiling your cats. Anything we can do to make them happy indoor cats is ok. Most of them would love to be outside especially in the warm weather running after birds and such but we know it's safer for them indoors sooooooooo we make them as happy as possible. They bring us so much love and we just return it in anyway possible, at least that's my feeling.


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## Abbie (Jan 13, 2011)

Noo, no spoilt kitties here!

Ha.

They have so many THINGS that I have genuinely no idea what to get them for Christmas. They each have a stocking (infact they have one each and my OH has one... I didn't! Tells you something!) hanging up. I have bought them three bag/stockings of treats and two mixed bags of toys, their favourite 'snacky' treats and a feather toy. Yet, I'm still looking for other things- something big! But they don't NEED anything, and I know they wouldn't use it... This does not stop my urge to buy them things though!


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## LilyC (Aug 23, 2011)

We totally spoil ours. We even have a sign to atest to it.









Here are their own personalized stockings. Can't fit much into them but they've got a couple of BIG presents under the tree.


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## jusjim (Jun 30, 2009)

KierstenKitten said:


> They have over 100 different toys, that I struggle to keep in the wicker basket they're supposed to stay in.


Should you ever find a way to get the cats to put their toys away, do please post.:kittyball


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## KierstenKitten (Dec 13, 2011)

My kitten puts her bouncy soccer balls away... But only when she wants a new color one out instead! Lol I wish they'd put them away, but at least they don't hide them. Both my babies are more the "look what I've found, come pay attention to me" type with toys. Blackie will even yell as he's bringing them to you, then sit and wait for the treat he gets when he's brought a mouse he caught. Sorry bud, it's not the same. That was never alive, and it was put (by me) in a basket 20 feet away. Nice try.


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## littlesushi (Jun 8, 2011)

our kitties put the toys away, under the fridge, kitchen sink, and dishwasher.


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## KierstenKitten (Dec 13, 2011)

Went out today to finish up my Christmas shopping, with no intention of getting anything for the cats. But in the end I couldn't resist. They both got another catnip mouse and 4 sparkle balls each.

And I spent this morning embroidering their names on stockings, and regret getting one covered in glitter for Izzy. Because now I am covered in glitter. Now they have their own personalized stockings though.


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## princessbear (May 19, 2011)

LilyC said:


> We totally spoil ours. We even have a sign to atest to it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 LilyC - WHERE did you get those stockings? They are wonderful! I want one for Mimi


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## princessbear (May 19, 2011)

Mimi gets whatever she wants - She doesn't like to eat the same flavor of food twice in a row, so rather than buying the larger cans of food and splitting it into two servings, I get the smaller cans for one serving which, of course, is not cost-effective but she's my baby. She also gets control of the bed - and me while I'm sleeping. I was always a stomach sleeper until she came to live with me in August of this year, but she likes to curl up on my left side and rest her head on my shoulder/armpit area to sleep while I'm on my back ... so, yes, I'm now a back-sleeper. And God help me if she comes into bed and I'm on my stomach or side - she nudges and rubs and pushes until I roll over to the position SHE wants me in!


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## LilyC (Aug 23, 2011)

princessbear said:


> LilyC - WHERE did you get those stockings? They are wonderful! I want one for Mimi


I got them off ebay. At one time, you were able to find them in local stores but they are discontinued.


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## Goldtanker (Jan 9, 2011)

I just hate it when people spoil animals. That is why I have continuously refused to provide Midnight, the wild cat, with cable TV in any of his houses. You'll remember he even staged this fake accident, and threatened to call 1-800-CATRIGHTS!


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## Straysmommy (Dec 23, 2010)

I agree about the stockings, those photos are beautiful!


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

MowMow loves his new fuzzy bed so much he wants one for every spot in the apartment. He stands where he wants to lay on it and howls and howls and howls until I bring it to him. The he kneads himself to sleep again.

He's not spoiled though, just ....entitled...


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## princessbear (May 19, 2011)

OMG Goldtanker - your post had me laughing so hard!!!


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## bivlop (May 30, 2011)

Spoil them? Mine get warm towels every morning when I get ready for work as I iron my clothes. It started with one finding the warm clothes I laid on the bed. I grabbled a towel and gave him that instead. Now it is part of the morning routine that they wait for...spoiled you think? But I figure I don't have them to treat them like animals...


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