Conference misery::feline_v1

    Thanks for that warning.  I also know of a cat that got into
    thread and required extensive surgery to save, and Tree House
    Animal Foundation ran a story of a poor kitty who didn't survive
    eating string.  So folks, be very careful.  That old stereotype
    of the kitten with the yarn is dangerous.  Cats and yarn do *NOT*
    go together.
      Nancy DC
    
    

         Also, with the holidays coming....do not put tinsel on your tree.
    Many cats like to play with it and eat it.  Not only can it tangle,
    but is has verysharp edges.  
         I remember hearing that pointsettas are poisonous for cats.
    I'm not sure if this is true or not.  Maybe someone else can confirm
    it.
         I have one cat that goes after any kind of ribbon or string
    she can get.  Not to play with, but to eat.  I have to be very careful
    with her.  My other cat plays with strings but never tries to eat
    it.
    
    
    					Mary
        

    It's true -- poinsetta (and several other common household plants) are
    poisonous to cats.  There's probably already a note here on the ones
    to watch out for....
    
    Todd

    The December issue of Cat Fancy has a brief article stating that
    Poinsettias are *not* toxic to pets as originally thought.  This
    information according to a recent report in the Animal Health
    Newsletter published by Cornell University.
    

    Is this Backtalk of Cattyshack's Backtalk....with Khaszar's Double Talk
    as his Dad???  
    
    or maybe you didn't get his papers, is he a Flame Point Himmy???
    
    If so, then, I'm his breeder!!!!!  Did you get him from Chery
    Ogilvie???
    
    looking for my grandkids!
    cin
    

    Yes, this is THE Backtalk.  We actually call him Tocka.  Yesterday
    we were even discussing how we should call him Tocka-Moose.  He
    is one sturdy looking cat and with his winter coat, I'd say he is
    quite magnificant.  His breeding days are over (per agreement with
    Cheryl) and he lives like a king, as well he should.  Our little
    Ashley came from Cheryl a year later.  She's the little princess
    and she knows it.

    I found a piece of red yarn in my kitties' litter box about a week
    ago, it was only 3 inches long.  Should I take them to the Vet and
    find out which cat ate it, or if there is more yarn still inside
    their intestines?  Since it's been over a week, would I notice any
    problem if my cat was not healthy from eating the yarn?  I'm pretty
    sure it was Maui since she chews up everything I give her to play
    with.
    
    Any advice is appreciated.
    
    -Jill-

    re: .6
    
    Well, I have no doubt that he is magnificent.  He was quite a beautiful
    kitten, and he comes from excellent bloodlines.  I'm glad to hear news
    of him, since I lost touch with Cheryl quite a while ago.  
    
    I figured there can't be too many kittens named Backtalk in the
    world!!!  His littermates were named: Sweet Talk, Smooth Talk, Shout,
    and Whisper.  I used to be "creative" in those days!!!  ;-)
    
    I look forward to hearing more stories about Back Talk and Ashley.
    
    cin
    

    
    Please forgive my barging in on your NOTE, but I just had to write
    and tell you about a cat my parents had, who got into a similar,
    amazing jam...  Daphne, who was about 2 yrs old at the time,
    unbeknownst to us, swallowed a NEEDLE and thread!!! She was playing
    with my Dad when he suddenly noticed two white threads with a knot
    tying them together, protruding from her bum, about an inch long.
    He pulled gently, and 8-10 inches later, out came a sewing needle
    on the other end!  Of course, we took her to the vets immediately
    to check for damage, but she was absolutely fine!  ... whew!....
      

    Re: Backtalk 
    
    Just thought maybe Lil should have been named 'Backtalk' ??
    or Chatterbox??

    DO NOT PULL.
    
    If you see a cat with string, etc, protruding from its behind, DO
    NOT PULL the string, gently or otherwise.  Take the cat to the vet.
    You guys were VERY lucky that it wasn't tangled around the
    intestines in such a way that pullin git ruptured them.
    

    re: .7  If your cat is showing no signs of ill health then I'd
    say you have nothing to worry about.  As you've probably already
    figured out cats can, and do, ingest and pass string, thread and
    yarn with no problems.  Unfortunately, there are times when the
    string doesn't pass but rather becomes entangled in the intestine.
    In that case you would know that there was something wrong.  I
    would expect nausea and vomiting, and pain - symptoms of an
    intestinal blockage.  
      Just try to keep your knitting etc out of the cats reach.  Bumpy
    has got me very well trained because if I leave my knitting around
    for her I am guaranteed to find it all over the living room with
    pulls in my hard work, when I get home.
      Nancy DC
    

    A friend of mine found half of her macrame belt gone and her cat
    had eaten it.  Didn't take her long to figure it out so she took
    him to the vet immediately - thank god she DIDN'T pull on it!! 
    There was yards of the stuff when they removed it - amazing!
    
    
    Giudi in SF (Pippin, Gino & Stitch Too)
    
    

    I just realized that you have to be as careful with kittens/cats
    as you would with a baby (of course I'm not a mother yet so I don't
    always think of these dangers).
    
    Last night I heard Zula playing with something.  I had no idea what
    it was.  Later on I got up and went into the bathroom and looked
    in the tub (since he loves to play in there).  Well I saw my razor,
    which I always keep in the corner of the tub, on the bottom of the
    tub.  I thought "Oh Oh".  Then I looked some more and found about
    25-30 drops of blood.  I called Zula and checked over his mouth
    and paws and couldn't find anything.  Must have been just a nic,
    thank God.  I learned a lesson though.  If I had a 2-3 year old
    running around, I would never leave something like a razor out.
    Guess the same thing applies with cats.  
    
    Pam

    Pam, yup, you're right!!  Kelsey's favorite place is the bathtub
    and I had to move my razor to a different location as well.
    
    It's amazing what these crazy kitties find to play with, isn't it?!