catwhispers

I am currently fostering a kitten that is about 4 months old who has a cold and eye infection. I have to give it 2 pills a day, and eye drops.

I have had and fostered cats for more years than I'd like to admit. I know how to do it, and am pretty good at it. Until this little spitfire ....

He fights like crazy. He twists and bolts and yanks and I'm afraid I'm going to accidentally end up hurting him if I hold too hard.

I have tried wrapping him in a towel. He gets out of that.

I've tried two big towels. He gets out of that.

I am all scratched up. I don't really care about that, but he needs his meds.

the sad thing is he's terrified of me now because every time is a major struggle and it breaks my heart that he's so scared of me. even just trying to catch him to give him the meds is now a major struggle.

I've been fostering for years and have never had a cat or kitten afraid of me before. I've even work with and socialized aggressive ferals.

this guy has me stumped. In all other ways he's a sweet, loving kitten. He's wonderful with everyone else. and even with the struggling he's never aggressively tried to bite or scratch.

and he's small and skinny and you'd think I could control him, but man, he's good. and strong. even when he scratches me up I don't let up my grip yet he still gets out. I'll let him finally go if I think he's in a position where he might end up hurting himself.

I've taken to renaming him Houdini because he can twist and claw his way out of anything.

so, if anyone has any suggestions on how I can get these pills and eye drops in him a little easier and more efficiently (many times he's spit out the pills or bolts just as I squeeze the bottle and he doesn't always get the meds), it would be very appreciated.

Are Chicken Makhani and Butter Chicken the same thing?

If so, does anyone have a really good recipe for it?

If not, I would sure love a really good recipe for the Chicken Makhani.

I had it the other day and it was pretty much the best thing I've ever eaten!!!!

I have lived in this apartment for almost 2 years with no problem. I am disabled, and receive home and community based services.

the landlord has recently made changes to the outside of the building for a new tenant (for his dog) which has affected my access to the garbage bins, is allowing the dog to be let loose in the yard so it stinks in my apartment, which means the garbage has had to be moved to under my windows, which stinks more, and is making it a horrible living situation for me. I am autistic, and these kinds of things make it terribly difficult for me to live.

They allowed the new tenant to build a fenced in yard which causes all these problems, and I have protested from teh beginning asking them to at least make the fence smaller to allow me access to teh bins so they can be left where they always have been.

This also causes other problems because some of the workers who come to help me are afraid to go in the back to the garbage or laundry because they are afraid of the dog (it is a mastiff and huge).

they are afraid, regardless of whether the dog is dangerous or not.

I am also on section 8 and since I just got on it after a 10-year wait, I am stuck here until January. For me, being autistic, this is an impossible situation.

I emailed the landlord today that I will be contacting a lawyer since I believe they are violating my rights under the americans with disabilities law, and they emailed me back a 30 day notice to vacate.

Can they do this?

I am 58, live in PA, and just recently came home from the hospital a few days ago with other unrelated physical issues.

This new tenant is a friend of one of the landlords. During this whole process, they have lied about the extent of the changes being made until it was already done and too late to change it.

When I came here and read some of the questions, there were references to characters and books being referred to as a "Mary Sue."

I fell a little dumb because maybe I should have heard that term, but never have. Could someone explain what it means for a character and for a story?

Thanks.

My cat hissed at me today, and I've seen her do this maybe 2 or 3 times before over time. It's not a normal hiss, and I was wondering if anyone has seen a cat do this and knows what she's trying to tell me. It's never been a matter of illness or pain, she's fine.

I was petting her and she was enjoying it. Her ears were up, she was purring, rubbing against my hand, her tail was curled and relaxed. She suddenly stiffened her neck up but her tail was still relaxed and her ears up and she showed no other reaction. This is her way of saying "I've had enough," so I stopped and pulled my hand back to avoid the swat I'd get if I didn't.

Up until this point is something that happens often, no biggie. I know her moods.

But today she did this hissing thing which she has done in the past (but only a very few times). I'm just wondering what it might mean.

She opened her mouth and hissed, but every other part of her body was relaxed. Again, ears were up, tail curled and relaxed, she stayed in the same laying position (with her head up) and her fur didn't ruffle. And the hiss lasted a good 8 to 10 seconds. That's a long time for a hiss.

Then she just stared at me with wide eyes and looked sort of angry.

I opened and closed my eyes a few times, and she did it back, I waited a few minutes and was able to pet her again and all was forgiven.

But I didn't do anything that would have upset her.

I know a little about cat body language, and this is different from anything I've ever come across. She is wierd.

I know she's trying to tell me something other than what a more traditional hiss would be and wondered if anyone has any clue.

It's really comical when she does it. It reminds me of someone telling you off and complaining.

Just curious.

And so you know the personality I'm dealing with, it's the cat in my avatar.

Sorry this is so long but wanted to explain as much as possible.

When I got Snowflake as a foster 4 years ago. He was the worst they ever had. He'd lay in his cage curled up in a ball. If anyone came anywhere near him, he'd hiss, swat & was dangerous. they gave him to the new person because I didn't know what I was getting into. Then they washed their hands of him, and I never heard from them since, so he became mine whether I liked it or not (good thing I liked it :)).

At the start, all he would do is hide behind the refrigerator, would only come out when he knew I wasn't there, or sleeping, so I left him his litterbox, food and water nearby.

Eventually, little by little, he ventured farther out. The one interesting help I had was the stray cat that I discovered one day "talking" to Snowflake through my door. I took him in, he never left, and he actually has helped me work with Snowflake. The few times I've had progress with him was when the new cat was next to him. It was interesting how attached he became to this other cat, walking next to him most of the time, always wanting to be right up against him even while walking. He would coo and purr each whenever he was with this cat, and that's how he eventually came into the bedroom, following that cat (but he'd stop when only a foot or so in). He just (and still does) love him like crazy. But if I ever tried to approach him, or had to walk anywhere near him, he'd hiss and run.

Now, 4 years later, here's where we are at. Turned out that Snowflake LOVES to play with toys, and I used that. I started out with rod toys, and he loved it so much. One day I ried to pet him along his back with the stick from the toy, and he cooed, purred, stuck his butt up. When he was used to that, while playing with him, I used the toy to get him to face away from me. I started to pet him with the rod toy, and when he put his head down/butt up and couldn't see me, I pet him near his tail with my hand instead. He LOVED it, but as soon as he turned and saw it was my hand, he got terrified and ran! I was able to do this until he got used to it. I then tried it with a brush, brushing him, and he loved that so much, now I can actually do the toy thing, then pet him, and he'll see it's my hand and be okay with it, probably because of the brush. He loves the attention, and still coos and purrs & sticks his butt up.

Lately there has been one more step of progress. I sit on the edge of my futon where I also sleep when I'm at the computer. Recently I turned around and was amazed to find him laying down about 1 to 1 1/2 feet from me, curled up on my bed behind me. If other cats are on the bed, he's always the closest, but as soon as he knows I'm looking at him, he up and runs.

He's even got the nickname of "The Treat Getter." When they are all ready for treats, he's the one who comes into the room, stares and me and mews. And when he wants to play, he'll stare at me and make a demanding meow sound.

But I still can't approach him. I can only pet him right next to the bed where he's used to me playing with him with the toy, and most of the time I'll need the toy in my hand to do it (although recently he's let me pet him without it, but it has to be next to the bed). If he's on the bed, only way I can touch him is if i start with the toy, but usually, if I have to reach for it, he's off.

If I approach him anywhere else in the apartment, or even walk by him, he acts like he used to. He hisses (although no swatting) and will run and hide.

I've tried with the toy, but unlike in the bedroom, in any other room he will run if I move, or shift, or stand up.

What's sad is this cat so craves the love and attention. You should see him react when I pet him or brush him by the bed. It's like he's in ecstasy.

I'm mostly concerned about him getting sick. I would have absolutely no way of getting him into a carrier. He would never let me catch him, even near the bed (tried it once). I finally was able to get him up-to-date on his shots only because the rescue asked their vet as a courtesy to come out here. We had to catch him with a butterfly net, tighten it enough to keep him from not moving, but a vet here again is not always an option.

If any of you who have experience with feral cats & behavior have any ideas or suggestions on techniques I can use to finally get him to lose his fear and let me interact and approach him, I would very much appreciate it. I know he wants the attention and loves it. I don't know how to get him over that hump. He must have been very traumatized.

One other odd thing. He absolutelyl will not take food from my hand. The best he'll do, if I hold it palm out, is occasionally swap it out of my hand, but that's rare. He's terrified of hands.

Poor l

A new tenant moved downstairs from me in a 2-apt. building with a small yard that has always been shared. Although he was allowed to have a dog, he didn't tell the landlord it was a mastiff. This dog is huge!

This guy pretty much decided the yard is his, and he lets his dog out there to do its business. Although he has been told by the landlord and me he has to clean it up immediately, and he has promised to, he does not, and he is planning on fencing off part of the yard to let his dog stay out all day when he goes to work. He won't leave it in his house because he doesn't want it to ruin his stuff, and because he, and I quote, "is used to living in his own house and the dog is used to having run of the yard."

I am disabled and have aides to help me with chores, and they are now hesitant about going back there to the dumpster and the door to the laundry room, because they're either afraid of the dog, or afraid they'll step in dog poop, especially in the darker hours.

In addition, the yard is below my back windows and it stinks now when I open them. When the summer comes, it's going to be horrible because of the sheer volume, and I'll be miserable having to keep my windows closed in the warm weather.

I've already had a food delivery person not willing to deliver because he was standing out front with the dog with no leash or collar.

The landlord (who is absentee) simply doesn't care nor want to get involved, and says she can't tell him what to do. I'm not afraid of the dog -- I like dogs -- and although it's gentle, others don't know that. Its sheer size will frighten off some of those who work with me, limiting my ability to get the help I need. It's not easy to find people as it is.

And the dog poop piles and smell is disgusting and will get worse. Not to mention the flies and insects it will bring in the warmer weather, which will find their way into my house as well.

When I've complained to the landlord, she's gone as far as to threaten to make it into a no-pet apartment building, so I'd have to get rid of my cats (which are indoor cats, and kept meticulously clean) just because she doesn't want the hassle.

Do I have any rights here? Is there anything I can do to ensure it will not impose on my needs and my life, or my enjoyment of my apartment, especially considering the fact I am disabled?

Thanks.