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Frosty, The Wandering Vagabond Cat


FROSTY, THE WANDERING VAGABOND CAT
Copyright 2004, Michael LaRocca

For a long time, we had a four-pet home. Daisy the border collie mix and Bebe the dachshund/doberman mix. Witchie and Taz, the Siamese couple. Pumpkin wandered into this mess for a disruptive while. What was especially disruptive is that Taz and Pumpkin, two males, became best buddies. Then Pumpkin left us.

Weeks later, Taz was still depressed. No more running up and down the stairs and making weird noises at three in the morning. Always looking out the windows or at the doors as if Pumpkin would show up at any moment. Witchie was happy, damn her, but Taz was miserable.

Finally, we visited the Humane Society to bring home a new little buddy for my son Taz. Once again, things didn't quite work out as I'd planned.

A skinny white male with some black and brown highlights, one year old, told me with his eyes to stop looking at those other cats.

"You know you want me. That's right, me. Over here, you idiot. I'm the cat you want."

Who was I to argue?

It seems that this fellow, Lucas, was adopted from the Humane Society at six weeks of age. A year later, his parents moved into an apartment that didn't allow pets, so he was back.

We changed his name to Frosty. Don't ask me why.

There were two things I didn't realize about Frosty. He was much larger than Taz, and he had never lived with any animals except humans.

He adapted to the dogs quickly. They tried to herd him like Pumpkin, but he simply stood his ground until they rushed past. Sometimes Bebe, being uncoordinated, crashed into him. This became the new ritual, the failed herding of Frosty.

Frosty first walked into my house knowing that he owned it. That was fine with Taz, but not with Witchie. Frosty was a bit taller than the Siamese, and as I fed him he quickly grew larger than they were. He also had youth on his side, since he was one and Witchie was at least seven. She didn't care. She had to teach him his place, and that was that.

The war of wills was fun to watch. He trained Lisa and me quickly enough, and the dogs, but Witchie was untrainable. So was Frosty, it turned out.

Witchie decided that Frosty wasn't allowed on the floor. Whenever he sprang down from a piece of furniture, she charged at him hissing and swatting until he ran for dear life and sprang onto something else. This went on for months.

I think Taz tried to play with him once, but Frosty wasn't interested. Also, given his size and his attitude, he was scary. Taz was torn in his loyalties again, upsetting Witchie. If looks could kill, Witchie would be the world's finest assassin.

In the year that I owned him, Frosty left me one mouse, but that's only because he didn't catch very many. When he hunted, he got fat. When he was fat, he was too slow to catch mice. When he lost enough weight, after failing to catch mice, his speed returned and he caught them again. Lacking Pumpkin's natural camouflage, he didn't catch very many to begin with.

Finally, Witchie accepted him as a King worthy of Her Majesty the Queen. They ruled their domain together, as reluctant equals. I'd have bet real money that such a thing was impossible. Young Taz, meanwhile, accepted his new role as Court Jester.

The rules at feeding time changed when Frosty arrived.

At a certain time of day, usually too dang early, Witchie demanded a can of food. Nobody can demand anything like a loud squawking Siamese, as their owners and neighbors can attest. I fed her and she ate her fill, which wasn't much. If the food didn't meet with her approval, she ate none at all. She resumed demanding food instead, even more insulted than before. What a terrible affront it is to her dignity to feed her inadequate food.

I eventually learned that cats don't eat what they can't smell. As they get older, their sense of smell fades. In other words, stinky food is best.

I always fed Witchie on the counter, for the very obvious reason that the dogs would steal her food otherwise. I also kept the litter box off the floor, because the dogs were obsessed with it as well.

When Witchie finished eating, Taz ate two bites. He preferred crunchy dog food, which was fine with the dogs, but he had to put in a little showing just on general principle. Then Daisy and Bebe fought for the leftovers.

I was able to determine who won those fights. If it was a plastic bowl, Bebe carried it away and ate the food. If it was ceramic, Daisy ate the food. Thus I could regulate their weights, and ensure that they alternated.

When Pumpkin arrived, he ate after Taz was done. He never emptied the bowl, having gorged on mice. Then Daisy and Bebe fought for the leftovers.

With Frosty, everything changed. Witchie still ate first, with Taz sitting guard duty and keeping Frosty away. Then Frosty ate next, at which point Daisy ran to the kitchen and waited. This was because Frosty pushed the bowl all over the counter. Daisy knew it would soon hit the floor, or at least make its way to the edge where she could steal it.

I didn't mind that Frosty didn't eat much, since he was fat. Taz didn't mind not getting any, because there was always a bowl of dog food. Bebe lost weight, which was good because overweight dachshunds wind up with broken backs. Daisy was getting fat, but eventually I worked that out too. It took me two years to do it, though.

When Lisa and I worked out the terms of our divorce, we quickly decided that I'd keep Daisy and Bebe, and she'd keep her horses and her Siamese cats.

Frosty, she decided, would have to go. She would be smuggling her two precious Siamese into a no-pets apartment, but Frosty wouldn't like it at all because he was an outdoorsman and a free spirit.

I was selling the house and moving into an apartment myself, leading to the same problem, but if she couldn't find Frosty a good home I'd find a way to keep him somehow. He deserved the best.

Lisa gave Frosty to Shannon, owner of the boarding stable where the horses were living. We thought he'd be much happier there than with me, since he'd grown so used to the company of other cats, so Frosty moved in with Shannon's barn cats. I figured he'd be ruling the roost before the day was over, and when I visited him a week later, he was.

About a week after that, I was typing at my computer when I heard a familiar noise out on the porch. It was a meow. I recognized the voice, as did Taz and the dogs. Witchie recognized it as well, and she scowled angrily.

He'd lost a bit of weight, yes, but Frosty had returned home. A mile or so down the road, and he'd simply decided he didn't like it there. I assumed I'd be keeping him after all, but he had other plans.

A few days later, one of Lisa's coworkers dropped in because we were selling furniture and such. Frosty, now fat again, decided he would go home with her. He rubbed all over her legs, purring loudly, looking up with lovesick eyes.

"He's free if you want him," said Lisa.

"Oh, he's beautiful, but I can't take him. I already have two cats."

"Frosty won't mind. He lives with two now."

"Oh, but these are males. They'd fight."

"Frosty's big enough to take care of himself."

"My cats are pretty big, too."

This conversation lasted another two or three minutes, during which Frosty continued to woo and charm the lady as only he can. Heck, I didn't realize the old boy had it in him. But he was in love.

Come to think of it, I didn't choose him when I visited the Humane Society. He chose me.

Finally she picked him up. I suspect she already knew what a big mistake that was.

"Well, the other two stay outdoors," she finally said. "Maybe Frosty could be an indoor cat. Do you think he'd be okay indoors?"

"Oh yeah," Lisa lied, "He loves it indoors. He'd be great."

This is the cat who, on his first day in the house, howled and clawed the inside of the door until I let him out. When he was ready to come inside, he leaped onto the window screen behind the TV and yelled. He usually found himself on the wrong side of the door about once every five minutes, as if he'd had a cat door at his previous home. He never stopped doing those things.

But I'm sure Frosty made his own rules, as always, and lived happily with his new love and her two cats. Really, I think Frosty is just one of those who likes to move to a new home every year.

But he has to choose his new home, you see. Shannon -- no. This woman -- yes.

By now he's probably tired of her and moved onto greener pastures yet again. Maybe one day, if you're very lucky, he'll come spend a year with you.


About the Author

Michael publishes a free weekly newsletter, WHO MOVED MY RICE?, which is dedicated to proving that you can't eat grits with chopsticks. http://www.chinarice.org


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Multi-Vitamin for Cats

Many pet owners wish to provide their animals with the best health possible by giving them a multi-vitamin for cats. Cats require a certain careful balance of vitamins and minerals as well as other nutrients in order to function at their best. By ingesting the proper combination of these vitamins, your cat will remain healthy and strong and is more likely to enjoy a long, happy, and illness free life.

The exact vitamins which your cat will need are slightly different from the vitamins which you may see in a human multi-vitamin supplement, however, so it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with the basics of feline nutrition before you purchase anything.

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Ideally, a good cat food will provide your pet with all of the different vitamins and nutrients that he needs. However, there are a number of reasons why he may still require a vitamin supplement as well. First, many cat foods do not provide the highest quality nutrients as a result of lower quality ingredients in the food. Second, sitting on the shelf for weeks or even longer can mean that the vitamins and nutrients which are naturally in cat food are reduced in quantity, thereby not giving your cat the nutrition he requires. For this reason, multi-vitamins are a good supplement to help your cat overall.

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Cats have A, B and AB (rare) blood types. Most cats in the United States have type A blood - something like 99% of domestic shorthair cats have Type A blood. This ratio varies from country to country. Other cat breeds have a much higher incidence of Type B blood. As the popularity of purebred cats increases it is likely that the ratio of cats with Type B blood will also increase.

There is no "universal donor" blood type in cats - a very small amount of the wrong blood type can kill a cat if is is sensitized to the blood. This can be an issue in some cat breeds. In particular, British Shorthair, Cornish Rex and Devon Rex cats, where the percentage of Type B cats is much higher, perhaps as high as 50%. Other breeds with significant percentages of Type B blood include the Abyssinian, Himalayan, Japanese Bobtail, Persian, Somali and Sphinx breeds. (preceding information from Urs Giger, University of Pennsylvania, Kirk's XI).

If a Type B queen (mother cat) gives birth to Type A kittens, severe reactions can occur in the kittens
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Cats require blood work tests when they need to diagnosed for different diseases. Blood tests are widely used in veterinary medicine. The results are measured against normal values, which are typically present in healthy pets; these values differ across species. The lab test results may be influenced by certain drugs, so always inform your vet about the medication of your pet prior to blood tests. Prior to certain blood tests, your cat should fast.

Complete Blood Count
The complete blood count is a blood test that is very frequently employed to inform the vet about the amount of different types of cells in the blood flow of the cat.

The red blood cell count as well as the white blood cell count and the hemoglobin are important values to determine the condition of the cat. Red blood cells transport the oxygen to the vital organs, while white cells help fighting infections.

A low red blood cell count can indicate anemia, while a high amount of white blood cells can indicate an infection or a viral disease.

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Hematocrit or packed cell volume (PCV) may also measure the red blood cell count.

Commonly Performed Blood Tests There are numerous tests that can be performed on a cat to determine his health condition. Some tests will show how a particular organ functions, while other tests will give a general overview.

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The history of the Birman cat is steeped in mystery. According to legend, the people of Asia built a temple to worship a golden goddess with sapphire-blue eyes. A priest often knelt in meditation with a white temple cat. One night the temple was attacked at the priest killed. As the priest died, the cat placed his feet upon the priest and faced the golden goddess. As he did, the hairs of his white body turned golden, and his yellow eyes to sapphire-blue, his four white legs turned brown, but where his paws rested, they remained white. Where this legend ends, history begins.

The temple was raided at the beginning of the 20th century. Two westerners, Auguste Pavie and Major Gordon Russell, came to the aid of the priests. As a gesture of gratitude the priests later sent the two men a pair of Birman. The male cat did not survive the trip but the female, who was pregnant, did. The Birman is an average size cat (males generally ranging from eight to twelve pounds, females seven to nine pounds).

Birmans have a medium length coat that requires very little grooming. The coats are usually a light color on the face and darker over the rest of the coat, with golden shades being the most popular.
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Are There Better Cat Breeds as Pets?

Cats have been a part of human life since ancient times. Today they are second only to dogs in popularity. Taking care of cats is easy to do, even if you are away from your apartment for long periods of time during the day. If this sounds like your schedule, a cat as a pet is a good choice.

The majority of felines don't come with a pedigree because most cats are derived from multiple breeds. Actually there are only a small 3% of felines that are purebred. This is because they cost a lot more than the mixed breed cat and have no significant advantages or disadvantages over the mixed breeds. Across the globe, there are now just over one hundred purebred cats that have been identified.

There are notable distinctions between the unique breeds. There are distinct types of body shapes, coat lengths, color of coat, eye color, personalities and size of the animal. Cats can be categorized as the short haired or long haired variety. The most common of the two being short hair varieties.

Long haired cats take more time to care for. They require more daily grooming and are more prone to hairballs. Also, the long fur makes it more challenging to get rid of fleas, and harder to care for any cuts they may have.
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Grooming Tips for Preventing Matted Cat Hair

Matted cat hair is entangled hair that ends up in tight knots. Long haired breeds are more susceptible to the condition than other pets. Cat hair is divided into three categories as each type of hair performs a certain role. The types of cat hair include awn hair, down hair and guard hair. The various function of cat hair involves protection from environmental contaminants, heat and cold. The uppermost layer of cat hair also determines the color of individual pets.

Cat Hair Conditions
Cats shed their fur during specific periods. However, fur loss that's caused due to skin conditions such as alopecia, dermatitis or skin allergy needs medical treatment. Although cats routinely groom themselves to maintain their fur coats, pets also develop conditions such as cat hairball due to the ingestion of hair during routine grooming. Pet owners should thus groom the cat with a brush to avoid excessive self-grooming and cat hairballs. Cats that appear sick or lethargic may avoid their routine grooming which in turn leads to matted hair. Thick knots are difficult to detangle with a comb and may cause the pet pain, if the mats are located towards sensitive areas of the body.

Tips to Separate Matted Cat Hair
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Sick Cat Symptoms - Recognize the Signs of a Sick Cat
To many peoples pets are part of the family. It's never fun when a family member isn't feeling well. How can you tell if your cat is sick? You don't need to be a doctor to recognize the common symptoms. Cats may have some of the same symptoms as humans when they aren't feeling well. Some of these common symptoms include:

Feline Acne – Causes, Symptoms and Treatments
Feline acne is a common problem seen in cats. It is found on the cat's chin & lips. It is generally accepted that this is caused by plastic bowls and for many cats the solution is simply substituting the plastic bowl for a stainless steel bowl or a glass bowl. The problem may be caused by the inability of the cat to clean his chin properly after drinking the milk resulting in a nutrient rich habitat for bacteria. Several factors appear to be associated with its development including stress, a suppressed immune system, poor grooming habits, the presence of other diseases, contact or atopic dermatitis, and skin conditions in which abnormal amounts of oils are produced.

The Advantages of Neutering Your Male Cat
Most male animals that are not used for breeding purposed are castrated, neutered, so that they can no longer impregnate a female. For cats especially, this is crucial, since there are hundreds of kittens every year that go without homes. There are many advantages to neutering your male cat, and the process is quite safe, so you should consider it if your furry feline friend is male and not yet neutered.

My Special Blueberry Muffins
This is my special blueberry muffin recipe that I created over 30 years ago and I like it so much that I have never stopped using it. It has a magnificent flavor and a wonderful texture, the freshness life of this muffin is about 4days but if frozen it will last for months. The part that I like about this muffin is that it is very versatile, you can use any kind of fruit in it besides blueberries, for example you can use cranberries, raspberries, apples, and if you add some solid pack pumpkin with seasonings you have pumpkin muffins and so on, let your imagination run away with you.



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I know that almost everyone has had potato pancakes but did you ever try zucchini pancakes, when I was a child I was a very picky eater and there was very little things that I would eat, my favorite was potato pancakes, I just loved them so much I could eat them every day so one day I came home from school and my mother had potato pancakes or so I taught, I sat down to dinner and began eating my favorite food but something seemed a little strange, I said to my mother these pancakes taste different and she said I used a different kind of potato this time and so I was satisfied with her explanation and kept on eating my fill as usual, when dinner was over she asked me how I liked dinner and I said it was wonderful as usual, then she replied these were a new zucchini pancake recipe that she just got from a neighbor and decided to try it on me. I was never so surprised in my life and since then I have been making the same zucchini pancake recipe and now I am passing it on to you.

Jewish Coffee Cake
Now here is a coffee cake that will make you want no other coffee cake, and once you prepare this coffee cake and get a real working idea about this cake you can become very creative and use some different jams, jellies, fruits and so on. Always remember that there is a lot that you can do with a recipe providing you don't exceed the parameters of the original recipe. I have prepared this recipe hundred's of times and still I cannot believe how good it comes out. All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Recipes for Poulet Aux Peaches and Refrigerator Dinner Rolls
Here is a 1970s recipe for Poulet aux Peaches or poultry with peaches. The Refrigerator Dinner Rolls are an easy to prepare batter that is kept in the refrigerator, making homemade rolls at dinnertime a snap.



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I'm Allergic To My Cat!
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