Things you shouldn't have to tell your pet

[Morning]

Max,

If the food I am eating starts out as watermelon it will remain watermelon during the entire eating process. The food in the bowl also will remain watermelon. The food on my fork will remain watermelon.

No matter how often you paw at me and try to grab the fork.... it will stay watermelon.

Really.

She Who Opens the Cans

[Psihala]

Bear,

I intervened because Enoch clearly didn't consider it a game anymore.

Knock it off.

~Psihala

[kit_n_caboodle]

Pablo, it's just thunder. It can't hurt you. I don't know where you go this sudden fear of storms sweetie. I wish I could comfort you. But you hang out in the basement and it will be over soon.

Love, the food lady.

[Lainie]

Our Pebbles (dog) developed a fear of storms out of nowhere when she was about 8 or 9 (I did some research at the time and apparently it's not as weird as I thought it was). Then Rin (calico cat) "caught" the fear. By the time Pebbles died a few years later, Rin was more afraid of storms than Pebbles was, and now she's even afraid of wind.

[kit_n_caboodle]

THis summer we've had some pretty spectacular storms, maybe that's it. Each storm seems to have a least one crack of thunder that sounds like a bomb going off. At that point, both cats dematerialize, if they haven't already hightailed it to the basement.

I shouldn't laugh, poor Pablo is terrified. his little furry body is all tense and shaking.

[Kitsune27]

I have been told by quite a few animal behaviorists that the best way to get a critter over a fear of storms is to act like it's no big deal.
Pet them and speak to them like you normally would, rather then fuss at them and baby talk them to try and reassure them.
One they see you're not upset, they realize that a storm is not something to be worried about.

[Chloe]

Apparently those incredibly scary storms that make you wriggle under the bed and cower there all night are just fine when you're outside.

[Lainie]

Originally Posted by Kitsune27

I have been told by quite a few animal behaviorists that the best way to get a critter over a fear of storms is to act like it's no big deal.
Pet them and speak to them like you normally would, rather then fuss at them and baby talk them to try and reassure them.
One they see you're not upset, they realize that a storm is not something to be worried about.

That's the advice I read when Pebbles first started being afraid, and we've tried to follow it. It seemed to keep Pebbles from becoming any more afraid, but it hasn't helped much with Rin. She's a calico, though, so she's inherently mentally unstable.

Originally Posted by Chloe

Apparently those incredibly scary storms that make you wriggle under the bed and cower there all night are just fine when you're outside.

Maybe they're afraid they won't make it to the house, so they wriggle under a bush and cower there all night?

[DawnStorm]

Flanders, if you insist on snoozing between the wall and the bed, you risk getting accidentally stepped while I am making said bed.

[llewtrah]

Mr Minns, I thought I was going to lose you. Not eating, not drinking, just lying there, a lump growing on your neck almost overnight .... 8 hours later (one lanced abscess + antibiotics) you're not only back to normal, you're enjoying it when I bathe the incision even though your neck used to be a "no go" area for my fingers! You are an odd moggy. Add this to your on-again-off-again diabetes, and you're going to worry me into an early grave!

Admittedly Kitty isn't so pleased to have you back.

[Chloe]

Originally Posted by Lainie

Maybe they're afraid they won't make it to the house, so they wriggle under a bush and cower there all night?

More like "continue to sniff things in a leisurely way as if the giant thunder rolls aren't actually happening, even though their person is now getting rained on."

[Lainie]

Well, cats are weird.

I took a photo of my Cheeto last night (I'll try to upload it to Pet Pictures later) and it confirmed our impression that his head is oddly small for his body. This may explain why he is so profoundly stupid.

[Minstrel]

Pasha, no, that's a dust bunny... no, that's not food--NO DON'T EAT THAT IT'S DIRT!

(I sat down on the floor to play with him, noticed some dust on the baseboard, & scraped it off with my thumbnail. It formed into a dust bunny and fell on the floor, where Pasha promptly ate it. Dogs are weird. )

[TallGeekyGirl]

Dearest Ash,

You used to be such a good kitty about dispensing with your hairballs on the tiled kitchen floor. Why have you suddenly decided to start doing that on the sofa?

Your faithful, but somewhat disgusted, humble servant

[Psihala]

Bear,

You've got a serious catnip addiction, kitty.

~Psihala

[Psihala]

Kitties,

Help me to understand things... please.

You hiss at me when I'm outside. You come up to me all day long for snuggles, but won't let me scratch your cheeks or stroke your fur anywhere but on the tummy.

So why in the name of everything that is holy do you wait for me to finish my shower and insist on cheek/ear rubs before I've even reached for the towel and I'm still dripping wet? I can do these things at almost any other time I'm home... can't I??

~confused
(*Can't this wait just a few more seconds?)

[Gayle]

Originally Posted by Lainie

Well, cats are weird.

I took a photo of my Cheeto last night (I'll try to upload it to Pet Pictures later) and it confirmed our impression that his head is oddly small for his body. This may explain why he is so profoundly stupid.

Yeah, Lizzy's looking something like a Kilbrahn cat these days. But it's not because her head is too big. It's because she eats everything in sight and then begs for more.

[JoeBentley]

Bailey

What does every position and place you decide to take a nap in look like the single most uncomfortable place in the world to sleep in? And yet you couldn't look more content.

[Gayle]

Joe, Dude. Welcome to catdom.

Isn't it treat time?

Step it up, human.

Your " ya, whatever" Cat

[GenYus234]

Dear Payson,

You have been here 4 years now. At no time during that period did I try to eat you or shave you bald. GenYette is the one that grabs you and puts you in the hated, hated cat carrier. So why do you bolt under the bed like I'm a kitty ax murderer except when she's around? And then you can't get enough of my kitty head scratches.

PS. And if you bat at me with claws extended when I continue to pet you while you roll over, I'm going to stop petting you when you roll over. Giving me that hurt look isn't going to make me pet you.