Critters!

[Sab]

@silverfox

I can confirm they are extremely, extremely fluffy, and their fur is so soft that they basically feel like something between silk and just like, air? It's ridiculous. I love them.

[Aria]

I have been horribly sick for days, and my dog has been at the foot of the bed watching me the entire time. At present, he's curled up there using a pile of blanket to prop his head up, but apparently the state of constant vigilance has exhausted the poor watchdog. His eyes have drifted closed and he's now dozing, but his ears and eyelids twitch every time I cough. He is SUCH A GOOD BOY.

[silverfox]

@sab

It's killing me to imagine the most wonderfulness of that.

[Selira]

I've been a little slower in scenes lately and more easily distracted. Sorry, not sorry.

This is Himiko. Her owner was hit by a car last week and is in recovery, so she's come to live with me for a bit. Am convinced she is not actually a cat but a soot sprite.

But she's damn cute, absolutely loves to be pet, does the most delicate murder pounces, whirrs instead of meows, chirps, and has a habit of jumping onto everything.

Other cat is very much not thrilled and has told her to take the gun, but leave the cannoli. He can deal.

[surreality]

@Selira They are both adorable. BUT OMG THE FLOUFY FACE. I am a sucker for all the floufy faces.

She looks like the soot sprite counterpart to my (swap the color concentration to heavy on the brown, light on the black) princess of dustbunnies flurftortie.

Flurftorties are true lurve, they really are.

[Auspice]

Random kitty moment:

Ike is usually a very very good kitty. Like, she is the goodest. Just well-behaved and perfection.

But today, as I was refilling the jar of kitty treats, she got up under my hand and shoved her face in to begin chowing down as if it was just cat food (their bowls are full, mind you, so she knew exactly what she was doing).

As I scooped her up to pull her away, she just sat up in my arms and began purring because she was so proud of herself.

That brat.

[Doozer]

Cousin could no longer handle a puppy. Guess I have a new buddy. This dog is weird lookin.

[Kanye Qwest]

@Selira omg that soot sprite SO CUTE. and chonky boi

[Testament]

@Selira So when it comes to new cats, I'm going to join you on that. Recently, I've been doing some thinking on my current cat, who's getting up there in years and basically is entering the twilight of his life. I'm aware he doesn't have many more years with me, and I'd like him as happy as he can be. But I also work a lot, and we don't get nearly as much together as I'd like. At the same time, I hate the idea of him being alone so much. And while I know that cats are fine being solitary creatures, he's always been the friendly sort who seemed to like having other cats around. So I decided it was time to get another cat.

Hence, enter Prospero(or as a friend calls him, Prospurro). Partly because the name sounds good, and partly because The Tempest is my favorite of Shakespear plays.

So, Prospero's story is one of woe once I heard it. Thusly, he was raised in a good home with an elderly man, Prospero's only desires was to lay in this older gentleman's lap and be pet. Sadly, his owner passed away in November and there was no to care for Prospero. So he went to a shelter where he languished. Until he was rescued by a local city project designed to work with local pet stores and animal shelters to find homes for. Prospero was in a shelter for three months until I came along and decided, after speaking with project members, I learned he had the traits I was looking for. He was older(five years), low energy, not territorial, and got along well with other cats. It was everything I wanted in a cat that could get along with older cat who likely doesn't have the energy these days to keep up with another cat younger, never mind a kitten. And besides, he was cheap. People don't like adopting adult cats, they want a kitten. Me? I had zero issue at all.

So I brought him home, making sure to keep him separate from my other cat. So he's been living in the bathroom for the last day, and initially, he made behind the toilet his home. I was able to put a blanket down to make him more comfortable.

And that was more or less how last night went. I hadn't seen him eat, or drink, or even use the litter box, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I was afraid he migh pee all over the bathroom. Thankfully that's not the case. Because when I woke up, he had used it and looked like he had eaten, though a little bit. However, he has become more friendly and more affectionate and has switched from behind the toilet to make top of the washer/dryer I have in the bathroom his new home. Suppose it's now is new perch.

Either way, it's gone on pretty well. The meetings with my other cat have gone well. No hissing or swiping, just a lot of unsure smelling. I have hopes they'll be decent friends, or that's my goal. Prospero has a lot of getting used to before he's comfortable, I think. It's all very new to him still, and I can understand him being stressed about it. Still. he's adorable and I love his fluffy tail.

[Auspice]

@Testament

Good for you on your adoption. And cats are a lot more social than people think! Many do prefer to be the solo cat in the home, but they see us as their fam. And many others (like my Ike) really do need other critters around to feel 'right.'

A companion kitty can also do wonders for a cat's later years. It gives them social comfort, helps encourage them to exercise (just like humans need to continue to exercise into their later years, so do kitties; even if it's just getting up and walking around after their companion).

When I got AJ, I was actually looking for a slightly older kitty myself. I still swear he tricked me at the adoption agency by being all sweet and cuddly and falling asleep in my hair, then turning into a hell beast later.

[Packrat]

I am in the process of moving into a new home, it was supposed to be unfurnished but apparently the landlady just sort of walked out of the front door and left everything but her clothing, bedding and TV? Like there are mugs in cupboards and towels still here. Needless to say this makes things profoundly awkward and there are now two houses worth of furniture crammed into the place while we try to contact the owner to ask her WTF.

Obviously my main concern was my cats though who, after a five hour journey in a pet carrier, were horrified and immediately glued themselves to the back of a cabinet where they could hide until they scary removal men stopped scarily moving furniture.

The plan was to keep them confined in one room for a day or two but the fluffy black thing escaped and started exploring, also lounging on stuff:

Now they are running up and down the stairs like lunatics but I cannot get a proper picture of that due to excessive scampering. They were in an apartment before so stars are new and exciting for them both.

The cats continue to explore, atop wardrobes:

Enjoying stairs:

Looking cute in front of windows:

[Wretched]

I got a new drawing tablet like 15 minutes ago, and now it's all set up.

[Aria]

My dog is being a lazy shit right now.

He doesn't chew random stuff while we're out all day, but if there is any kind of food anywhere in the house -- or even anything that might be food, like garbage -- he will find a way to get into it. Locking trash cans. The pantry. The cat food bin. The fridge. The backs of the counters. Inside cabinets. He will find it and he will eat it, to the point that Target has been sending me diaper ads for years because of the sheer amount of baby-proofing we've had to install in the kitchen.

Since he's going to a dog sitter's house for two days this week, I decided to try and curb this instinct by buying him some toys that can be filled with food for him busy himself with.

He is now laying at the foot of the bed giving me sad, pathetic faces as he pretends not to know how to get the treats out of the Kong. Apparently, I should come do it for him.

...Really, bud? Really?

[Auspice]

I have come to learn that every so often with cats, you play yourself.

I have to give AJ these allergy pills sometimes. Not every day, but sometimes. And he is an utter terror about being given medications. So I decided to try these 'pill pockets' (https://www.amazon.com/Feline-Greenies-Pockets-Treats-Chicken/dp/B001FSJCPK). And damn if they didn't work like a charm. He gobbles the things up. He loves them.

...he loves them so much he expects one every day and if he hasn't had his, he will start nipping at my ankle towards the day's end in demand for it.

Goddamnit.

[Doozer]

@Auspice What kind of allergy pills for cats?

[Auspice]

@Doozer said in Critters!:

@Auspice What kind of allergy pills for cats?

loratadine. I just end up getting the otc claritin type stuff vs. being like 'hey vet plz let me pay a crazy amount for what is essentially just plain claritin'
https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952347

He goes through bouts of getting rather congested and it'll help clear it up.

[Cupcake]

So yesterday, someone tried to break into our house, and while they didn't get in, they left the gate to the backyard open and Rock managed to get out.

At around 2:30 I got a text from someone saying they had my dog. I immediately excused myself from work and went to pick him up. He'd been spotted by the mall not far from my house, and the woman who found him got him into her car and took him to her place. He was uninjured and perfectly happy when I got him.

I drove home to find the gate open, promptly closed it, and queried my roommates. We recently got a new one and I thought maybe he had left the gate open in forgetfulness. He says he didn't and I believe him, and the kid in our household knows better. So what I think happened was someone tried to get into our house. They went in through the side gate, tried to get through the sliding door for the backyard, discovered it was blocked, and gave up. On the way out they didn't close the gate behind them.

It was really hard not to stay home from work today.

[sahin]

@Cupcake I'm very, very glad that your very best pup Rock is safe and sound.

[Cupcake]

@moth Me too!

[Killer Klown]

His name is Dyson, because he is round and rolls about and picks up stuff. He is currently in jail because his street name is 'DontEatThat'