[Marielou]

Hiya,

I'm always wanting to talk about my fur-babies, and know that quite a lot of us have them ...... just wondered if anyone fancied talking about theres?!!

I've got 3 cats - Jack, Emma, and Lola - the first two are 5 years old, Lola is 12 weeks.  Totally spoilt rotten, and loved to bits. 

Took Lola to the vets today, for her 2nd round of injections, and the poor little thing has a heart murmur.  Not sure how serious it is - the vet said she was considering sending her for a detailed scan to find out why, but as she is so young, will put it off, and we have an appt for 2-3 weeks time, to see if its still there.  I have to say, i did notice, from when I hold her, she has a very fast heartbeat, but never thought anything of it.  Poor baby, I hope she's ok!

Marie xx

 

[Mrs Nikki]

Oh Marie you must have been so shocked, you'll have to keep us updated.  I bet the vets will just put Lola on meds and she'll be fine.

I have 5 fur babies - 3 live with me and DH and 2 are at my parents in Gloucester for a million and one reasons but reasons best for them.  The two at my parents are Sofa and Freddy, my 3 with me are Sylvester, Elvis and Bunty.  All are rescue cats who had various issues and were in rescue centres long term until I came along, but all are now wonderfully settled and happy babies and I love them to bits.

I also have a ferret called Leya - she an albino beauty and she is living with my parents too - they have acres of land and she runs free and lives in my dads barn - so happy and free 

I'll talk for ages about my babies so I best stop here and let someone else get a word in for a bit!

 

[Dydie]

Hello Marie & Nikki
Oh fur babies my fav topic 

Marie..I would not worry too much about little Lola hun, did you know that as many as 90% of cats and dogs (and probably other animals too) have a heart murmer !
It only causes them problems when it's really bad and even then it can be easily controlled with tablets
but I am sure you will find she will not need meds and will live a perfectly normal happy spoilt life 

I have two boxer dogs Luie & Cally and I have four cats Guinness (the absolute love of my life) Midge, Jaffa and Daisy (Guinness is Ginger & Jaffa is Black  )

I also have an aviary outside with canaries and finches and I have two rabbits and five Guinea pigs.

It is only the past couple of years that I have not owned horses, they were always the love of my life and came before everything and anyone, I do still own two but they are happily in new homes on a loan basis, I miss my horses but they are hard work and livery is getting soooo expensive, I used to live on a 13acre smallholding with my parents and kept loads of horses mainly rescued ones, when we had to move I kept five to begin with but it was costing more than a mortgage to keep them and the fun just seemed to go 

I am going horse riding in a couple of weeks time, my BIL wants to try his hand at western riding and there is a place in the New Forest that does cowboy trails (yeeehaaa)

Anyway thats my fur baby introduction done, Hope all goes well with Lola, speak soon
Dydie xxxxx

 

[Mitzi]

Hi,

One of my fav topics too 

Wow, dydie, thought I used to have a menagerie before I went to Uni (1 dog, 2 cats, budgie, canary, two gerbils, 6 fish, 20 snails).  Sadly, now all but one of the cats and one fish have gone and they are living with my parents hundreds of miles away in the countryside instead of the horrible city  .

When met dh four and a half years ago, had cat, budgie and hamster.  Now, poor hamster is no more, budgie lives with my parents as dh is allergic and my lovely cat, Mitzi, lives with us here - dh also a bit allergic to cats but I refused to part with her - after all, that's what antihistamines are for    Seriously, dh allergy to cat not that bad so he agreed too. (BTW, in case you're wondering, I did borrow cat's name for FF - was running short on inspiration for something different  )

I've had Mitzi for 5 years now and she is a big fat lazy cat who loves being spoiled - mind you, don't they all?!

Marie, try not to worry about Lola, as Dydie says, heart murmurs are very common in cats and as she is still pretty young she might grow out of it or it might at least reduce.  Even if she doesn't, she'll probably live a perfectly normal life but keep us posted on how she goes.

We're currently considering getting a dog as I've felt lost ever since my lovely collie had to be put to sleep 4 years ago.  Poor dh has never had a dog so when we do get one it will officially be his but I have a strong feeling that I will end up doing all the looking after 

Dydie, I think horses are beautiful but haven't done much riding - admire anyone who does, I could hardly walk after my last lesson    You'll have to let us know how the cowboy trails go!

Anyway, looking foward to hearing about everyones fur babies.

Love, Rachel xxx

 

[Dydie]

Oh speaking of fish..don't know how I could forget it but I also have a 380ltr tropical fish tank
don't know how many fish are in there I lost count 
Mitzi You will have to let us know if you decide to get another dog we can help you decide what breed 
Dydie

 

[Nicky1 ☺ ☺]

Mitzi your house sounds like ours used too 

since moving into our house nearly 4 years ago we've had 2 cats, 2 budgies, 5 bengalise finches (we did have 2 buts things happened and we had 3 mini me's !!) 3 salamander newts, We had 5 fish tanks at one point - 1 with the newts in, one with warm watered fish, one with 2 large oscars, a small one with the baby fish we had bred and a huge one with 4 pirhanas in (these ate each other & we ended up with just one! )

Now we just have the 2 cats,Tiddles 10yr old and Diesel 1 yr old Our house is no longer a zoo, I would love a boa constrictor, or iguanas or some kind or lizards etc but I would have to divorce John first  he doesnt mind furry, feathery and watery things but not scaley ones 

Nicky x x x

 

[Thimble]

Just thought I'd jump on to tell you a little about our fur-babies (well more like Scaly-babies).

We have one large Green Iguana - 5yrs old name Iggi, two ickle biddie Anoles - 6mths old name Annie & Ole.  Five gold fish (can't remember what names DH kids gave them year ago but I like to call them Bob, Bob, Bob, Bob & Bob).  DH kids have recently got 2 mice (not yet named).

DH is also working on getting another lizard a Uromastyx, but we need to build it a home before we can go get one.  Our house is turning into a right little zoo .

 

[sarah...]

hello!!!!!!!

as you can see from my picture, i have a furry baby. his name is harley, he is an english cockerspaniel,2 years old and a right handfull! i think he thinks he is actually a little boy. he sleeps inbetween me and my dp, and snores like dp too. somtimes in the middle of the night he will howl in his sleep, and i jump about 20ft in the air having been woken up in blind panic! hes a very picky eater and loves being fork fed (like a little boy) he has a toy box brimming with all sorts of smelly old things and his favourite food has to be chicken tikka, he will actually eat lettuce onion peanuts etc etc he will eat almost anything, and will roll over and play dead for a peice of chocolate! any who thats enough from me...i sound like im entering him in an online dating game or somthing....(although i bet hed like that)  cherio folks.......sarah...xx

 

[Mrs Chaos]

Hiya
we have 4 dogs and 2 cats and the house is always chaotic with them around.
The cats, Felix and Max were a 2nd birthday present for my ds, who wanted a Postman Pat "Jess" cat....but the Felix cat food ad was on and he decided to call one Felix.
They're 11 years old now  and Felix is still my son's moggy, always sneaks into his room and snoozes under the bed 
Max was thought to be a boy too, but proudly produced 4 kittens 10 years ago...so much for me claiming to know how to "sex" cats
Sasha is our eldest dog, a terrier/heinz, and she's 7 years old. She's my lickle baby-girl, and is my shadow 24/7.
We did have a Jack Russell when she was 9 months but he died when he was 15 months old  so we got her a new pal, another JR Jake.
Jake is a typical JR and chases anything and everything, from the hoover to flies..to pigeons to geese...and would eat everything he could catch 
They produced 11 babies in 2001  and we have Gypsy, one of their pups.
Gypsy is my dh, Andy's shadow, she follows he everywhere, and even sits in his "trolleys" when he is sat on the loo! 
Finally, we have Zak, a Labrador cross who looks like a typical black Labrador, he's 15 months old and is MA-HUSIVE already 
Zak is the gentle giant of the household and is quite a Mummy's boy too, as we had him at just 6 weeks as his Mummy had a C-Section and rejected the litter.
He's into slobbery kisses first thing in the morning...(WAKE UP! CALL!) and doesn't understand why he can't sit on my knee now as he is too big...but not one to be ignored he just lunges onto your lap, pinning you down so you are powerless to resist...thrown in with some extra special slobbery kisses....and I wouldn't have it any other way he's my "Spesh-baby-boy" 
I'd love another Labrador but Andy would  and divorce would surely follow 
Marie hun, lots of love and kisses to Lola, hope she's ok  do keep us posted sweetheart?
Gayn
XX

 

[Marielou]

Well, I'm glad there are a few of us!

About Lola - apparently, in the leaflet the vet gave us, as Dydie says, up to 90% of cats/dogs have heart murmurs.  The vet told us that, but she said she is concerned about Lola, as hers sounds worse than they might expect or something?  Anyway, I'm trying not to worry, but its almost impossible, isnt it?  I'll ask more questions when I go back in 2-3 weeks time, but hopefully she will be fine.  Apparently, in the leaflet I have, worms can cause a heart murmur, she is regulary wormed, but maybe she still has one?  I don't know.  I have noticed she sleeps an awful lot - if you're sitting down, she will sleep on your lap, she sleeps in bed with us ... she does play, but I don't know if I'm being paranoid now!    What am I like?!

Gayn - wowee, 4 dogs and 2 cats?!  I bet the cats rule the roost    We saw a JR pup in the vets yesterday - 11 weeks od and teeny-tiny!

Sarah - Harley is gorgeous! When we were in Spain last week, we passed a Pet shop on the way to a supermarket, and I stupidly looked in the window ... there was a cocker spaniel pup, 10 weeks old, in a tiny cage, boiling hot (it was 45c over there last week) - in the window, in the direct sunlight.    I went back daily to see her - it broke my heart to leave her there.  Can I ask what Cocker Spaniels are like as a breed?  We were so touched by her, we were thinking of looking into getting one (after we lost our dog, we were thinking about it)

Shelby - My DH would love your house! He grew up in Australia, and always had pet lizards and geckos that he found and took around in his pocket    I think he'd like one now, but I am a tad squemish. 
In the pet shop I was telling Sarah about, there was an Iguana, in a cage no bigger than it was - it couldnt even turn round    So sad.

Nicky - Wow - I would be terrifed of a snake!! You'd do well with my hubby - he loves all things scaley - we shop swop hubbys! 

Rachel  - What breed are you looking into getting, if you do get a dog?  Another collie? 

Dydie - I'm another keen horse rider - I used to do it all the time when I was younger - helping out at a stables, and I did have horse on loan - William, until he sadly passed away.    Wow, the cowboy trails sound fab - do they have a website?  Mark has never been on a horse  but I would really love something like that. 


Marie xx

 

[Hope 2 B]

Hiya

Awww Sarah ....... i too have a 2 year old orange roan called Amber ............. your Harley looks lovely !!........... aren't they gorgeous dogs ..........i love Cocker Spaniels !!..............

Have to say shes spoilt beyond belief & sleeps in bed witrh me , DH is in the spare bed ........mmmmm maybe thats why im not getting PG !! ........

Wouldnt be without her thou .....although she gets me up EVERY day at 5am to go for a walk at a nearby farm .........

Love to all & your fur babies XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Love gailXXXXXXX

 

[Rachel]

Hi all

I have 3 fur babies. An almost 4 year old female cat called Charlie! When we had her the people we had her off told us she was a boy cause they knew we wanted a boy! How naughty   Anyway. On taking her to the vets to be checked over we discovered Charlie was infact a girl! We kept the name cause we liked it and she is now a shortened form of Charlotte!!   I also have a cheeky mischievious Samoyed called Zara and a very large German Shepherd called Rocky! Zara and Charlie get on like a house on fire but Rocky chases Charlie! It's like Tom and Jerry! Rocky did actually jump through a piece of plastic sheeting once to try and get Charlie! Left a mark like you see in Tom and Jerry!  

Marie - I do hope Lola is ok. Big hugs to her


Love, Rachel xx

 

[Dydie]

http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~burleyv/

Marie...The western trails website that you asked for

Dydie xx

 

[Dydie]

Marie...I hope Lola will be OK hun, keep us posted.

Everyone else, good to have so many introductions of your fur babies, I am starting to think we are all a bit mad 

Anyone fancy a Gerbil ? I have just seen on my local news that the RSPCA have rescued 580 Gerbils from
a one bedroom bungalow 

It is awful how many neglect cases are still coming to light, they said recently that cases of neglect and abuse have gone up, why do you think this is happening or is it just that the RSPCA and other charity's are getting better at their job, maybe the general public report cases more thesedays instead of turning a blind eye? whatever the reason for this increase it has to stop!

Dydie xxxxx

 

[cathyA]

Can't resist the chance to tell you about Charlie, my gorgeous blonde rough coated Lurcher.

He came from the Dogs Trust about 3 years ago. Before the Dogs Trust he was apparently a failed working dog who had then been sold off as a pet. Unfortunately as he ahd only been used to a kennel situation he made a dreadful pet and ended up at Dogs Trust in Darlington. They took him on ahd 'house trained' him in more ways than one. i met him at dogs Trust Kenilworth where he shoved his bum up agaisnt the bars of his kennel for a tickle. That persuaded me to have him. 

I walked him through our town centre recently and a little boy asked his mum if Charlie was a wolf?!!

Charlie is a complete big girls blouse and is particulary scared of the toaster. When we make toast he goes upstirs and hides behind the loo in the bathroom , which is as far away as he can get!

TTFn

Cathy

 

[Marielou]

Dydie - Thank you so much for the website - it really looks fab, have sent them off an email asking about it.  I notice they welcome beginners, so Mark should be fine   

Cathy -  about Charlie's fear of the toaster!! Our Old english, Max used to be scared of the iron! He'd just bark and jump around like a nutter!  Bless him, amazing what you miss when they've gone. 

Rachel  -  about Rocky and Charlie!  Max used to chase our cat Jack, but he only wanted to wash him bum when he finally caught up with him, but Jack was having none of it!  Can't blame him, really!


So ...... those with Cocker Spaniels - would you recommend them as a breed?  I don't know if you know what happened to us with Max, but he basically attacked my hubby out of the blue, and nearly killed him, so we had him put to sleep in May (Max, not my hubby!)  A very hard decision, and we miss him very very much.  He may have ended his life in a bad way, but he was a loving and loyal friend for 4 years, and we miss his good side.  I've been left terrifeid of dogs, and I don't want to be that way.  I'm terrifed of hearing that barking noise again, and of Mark being attacked again.    Anyway, we're thinking of getting a puppy in the New year -  we don't want a large breed again, more a medium breed - spainel size really.  Any ideas?

Marie xx

 

[Chandy30]

Hi Girls.....Loving this thread so thought i'd introduce my fur babies
I have 3 pussy cats, they were all 3 years old in May
Thomas - Ginger Tom he's very sensitive and always knows when im upset
Patch - Black and white female she is like a cuddly panda.
Tilly - Black with white paws she is my quiet cat...we hardly know we've got her and the other 2 bully her abit
We lost their Mum (she got run over) when they were 5 weeks old so i weaned them etc i was also there when they were born
My Ginger Tom is so funny, if we throw his cat bell ball he brings it back to us 
They make us so happy, dont know what i'd do without them abit like you guys on here
Channy xx

 

[Hope 2 B]

Hiya Marielou

Cockers are lovely ................ im sure you get good/bad in every breed , but have to say that Amber is very nice natured so is her 'boyfriend' Harvey who's Mom is Juels on this site .............

Are you still in the West Mids ??

If so you can always pop over & see me & Amber to see what you think !!

Love gailXXXXXXXXXXX

 

[Marielou]

Gail,
What a lovely offer! I would love to come and meet you and Amber - I'm sure it would do me the world of good, as I said, I'm terrifed of dogs at the mo, but I don't want to be.  It really only seems to be big dogs, but it would be fab to meet a cocker in 'person' (with the added benefit of meeting you too!)

I'm in Stoke-on-Trent - is that far from you?  Our clinic is in w'hampton, so not far from Juel (I did wonder if Amber was Harvey's girlfriend  )

Welcome Channy - I've also got 3 cats, who are the love of my life!

Marie xx

 

[Mrs Chaos]

This thread is so lovely to read, and it's nice to know that I'm not the only one who is crazy about their fur-babies.
Marie  I can imagine how what happened with Max has left you scared and unsure about what type of dog to get next.
We never know why they do such uncharacteristic things, and never will, all you have to do is remember him fondly, his good traits, the love he did give you, and try and let time heal hunny.
My Sasha is the most docile (horizontally-dormant) loyal, loving little girl you could wish to meet, but she scared the cr*p out of us a couple of years ago when she charged after a Westie at a country park/gardens.
The elderly owners almost had heart failure when she bolted after their dog, and although she never actually touched it boy! was she mad at it for "some" reason...she went ballistic at it, growling, snarling, curling her lip, barking and grumbling so fiercely she bobbed up and down with every bark.
I nearly wet myself as she looked so ferocious, and I was stunned that our little girl could be so nasty. She's never repeated that since (thankfully) but it did change the way I thought of all of my dogs, and to not take them for granted.
Try and get as much info as you can on as many breeds as you can, pet planet is a good starter. They tell you what various breeds' temperaments are, ease of training, food intake, exercise needs, how tall/big they will make, good with kids, etc, might be worth a look if you have a moment or two to spare 
Andy talked me into getting our first Jack Russell as I wasn't too keen, (they've had a lot of bad press as nuisance barkers, nasty etc) and I'm besotted with Jake now, although he can be a grumpy-ass at times.
Little dogs can be just as ominous as bigger breeds. Jake reminds me of a teenager with a chip on his shoulder, who is out to prove himself he was thoroughly socialised but we think he is simply acting as Alpha Male as he has a little "Pack" with the other 4, and he likes to be Boss-man Jake 
Which ever breed you choose hun, you will know in your heart of hearts which one it is to be, they choose you, all of ours did....but do think carefully about a terrier/type with the cats hun  some are ok, but JR, Fell & Fox terriers can be quite intolerant of cats. (Jake will chase ours at every opportunity and has to be chastised several times a day...but they tolerate each other out of necessity)
And....we want LOADS of piccies when you get your new fur-baby!
Gail, Jule is barking mad without poochies isn't she  and Harvey Monster looks as gorgeous as Amber. An old guy near us has one like Amber but a boy and he is just gorgeous! even Jake gets on with him 
Marie! I'm all  waiting to hear when you're gonna get this puppy-pooch 
Gayn
XXXX