Dark Lover's Friends

10:58PM - kitty dental disease

I took my kitty with the swollen lip to the vet. Thank you for the advice. The DOc mentioned that my cat needs to have some teeth removed because of dental disease. I AHVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS!!! Really? Cats go to the dentist, and I have to pay $500 for my kitty to be put under so he can have his teeth cleaned and pulled. Is there anything else I can do? Thanks again!

(1 slap | slap me)

6:48PM - Raid Flea Foggers

About a month ago, I took in three kittens for fostering and about a week and a half into it, I found out they all had fleas! Though I got the kitties treated and they are elsewhere, my apartment is infested with these suckers, and it seems like the sprays I used are not working...With that said, I have no other choice but to bomb the apartment (though I do NOT look forward to doing this, LOL) and shampoo/DE my carpet.

My questions are:

Do you know if Raid Flea Foggers work?

and

Where can I order DE online?

Thanks in advance,

~K.

(4 slaps | slap me)

5:27PM - best/fav cookbooks!

Hello fellow vegetarians!  I've been a vegetarian for about 3+ months now, and I'm anxious to start cooking some serious vegetarian main dishes.  Can anyone recommend their FAVORITE all time vegetarian cook book and tell me why it's your fav?  


Thanks! ***** I should also mention that I DO NOT eat any meat or by products, but as of right now I do eat dairy and eggs(sparingly!)  I am hopefully going to go VEGAN, but not right now, I'm too poor for that :( 

*cross posted*

(15 slaps | slap me)

3:20PM - MALEDICTION SOCIETY SUNDAY (Discount Pass, Los Angeles)

21+   $8   Full Bar   Street & Valet
3100 Wilshire Blvd, L.A., CA 90010
MySpace Profile   |  Map & Directions

Join our email list for better discounts...

LADEAD: LOS ANGELES DARKSIDE
www.LADEAD.com

(slap me)

11:08AM - From the vaults.

ihatesnard realized the other day that she's been on LJ for 7 years. That caused a few of us check how long we've been on here, and it looks like we all jumped on board around the same time. The second half of 2001 was a crazy time, when this "Live Journal" thing was exotic and new. But some of us had "journals" before LJ. Remember pitas? Lindsey had one of those. I had a Diaryland that I'd forgotten all about until Daniel mentioned he had one too. So I looked mine up and LULZED (and cringed) for days. No one needs to read all of that crap, but here are some CHOICE CUTS with present-day commentary. I wish I could go back in time and tell 19/20-year-old me to chill the hell out.

...

8/31/2000: Today is Thursday, otherwise known as my only day to have fun. There's this 'club' in hollywood every week called Cafe Bleu where they play all kinds of brit pop, 60s soul, etc. I love dancing, not to say i'm good or anything (but i think i am). I've met 2 really swell girls there. Maybe someday i'll explain how we met, but for now, all you need to know is Martina just dumped me (one week ago today) and i'm back on the 'prowl'. [I can't believe I wrote "back on the prowl" and put prowl in quotations. Anyway, Martina was a girl I met at Cafe Bleu. We went out for a couple of months and then she blew me off with the ol' "I don't want a boyfriend" line. But she got me into Smile, which came in handy later on.]

9/2/2000: My summer concert schedule is shaping up nicely. I've got Jets to Brazil, Saint Etienne and Travis in the next 5 weeks. And who knows who else will be coming to town.... [I miss Jets To Brazil!]

9/5/2000: Slept in till 11. Got up. Drove around Los Angeles. Went home. Read old newspapers that had been piling up in the corner. Listened to some cds. Watched TV. Tried to go to sleep. Had insomnia. Then, had a nightmare. Woke up this morning slightly less than refreshed. [Wasn't my life FASCINATING?? Oddly enough, this was actually written two months ago.]

9/9/2000: I've been thinking. A little too much. I've noticed how i'm slowly going insane. Well, maybe not insane, but i don't like the road i'm headed down. If i'm this neurotic at 19, imagine when i'm in my 60s. I think i need to seek professional help to 'de-program' the way my brain works. [Rad emo ramblings!]

9/9/2000: Yesterday i got a page from a girl who i used to know. Actually, no, i didn't know her. She's someone that i knew for a while, but then couldn't run fast enough away from.

I met Stephanie late last year/early this year, when i was taking the bus to work. We took the same bus and transferred at the same place. I thought she was sorta cute (from afar). I mean, the catholic schoolgirl uniform does it for me every time. One day she came up to me and we started talking. I didn't mind. I had some time to kill while waiting for my bus. I thought she was alright. Not really my type (a little too immature) but i nonetheless gave her my pager number, unaware that i would be making a great mistake.

She started asking me really personal questions (do you like sex? do you think about sex?, etc.) The nail in the coffin was when she wrote me a letter saying that she wanted to get married really young and have lots of kids. It was implied that she wanted ME to have these kids with her. How creepy is that?

Thanks to her, i purchased a car a little sooner than i would have, had i not had a stalker. With my car, i could now avoid taking the bus, and thus, avoid this seriously creepy girl. [The thing I take away from this story is that I'd almost forgotten I had a pager. Also, I can't emphasize how creepy that girl was.]

9/11/2000: I'm now car-pooling with a girl here at work. When i picked her up this morning, she told me the story of how her dad found my pager number next to the phone and didn't know who this "michael" character was. So he pages me and hears my outgoing message. I have primal scream's "swastica eyes" playing in the background and i go "heyyy it's Mike, leave me a message"... i admit, i sound a little stoned, or tired. Anyway, he asks her who "michael" is and she says it's just the guy i work with. Her dad then said, "ok, but otherwise i really wouldn't want you hanging around with this kid"... [Hahaha, I would pay good money to hear that outgoing message on my pager. "Swastica Eyes" = still a jam! Oh, and I also forgot that I tried to pass myself off as "Mike" for a while. That phase lasted about three seconds.]

9/29/2000: Since by now i know all the songs, i can incorporate my own little moves. My dancing inspiration is Beck. [BECK though! I've never even seen him in concert, but I guess I got it in my mind that I danced like him? What the fuck was I talking about?]

7/24/2008: Today I realized the Internet will never let you forget what a tool you once were. Well played, Internet.

(50 slaps | slap me)

1:45AM - I am in love...

...with a cat litter.

I found this sort called "World's Best Cat Litter". It's basically corn cob. It's flushable, there's practically no smell, and if my dog manages to get in there (which she does, because she is sneakysneaky, and it seems no matter what we try, she manages to Houdini her way in there occasionally) I don't have to worry much about her ingesting a bunch of horrible chemicals or clay.

Sooo. Is there a downside? Does anyone have input on this litter? I feel like I've found the Holy Grail of poopbox filler :P

(26 slaps | slap me)

11:50PM - Why is there fruit in my cat food?

I just started my cats on Solid Gold. The lady at the pet store said it was the most economical of the corn- and wheat-free dry foods. So far two of my three cats like it; the third does not. (It's mixed in with the Science Diet I usually feed them.) It does have a higher minimum protein content on the label. It still has a lot of grains, though (millet, barley, flax, amaranth, quinoa), so I'm not sure it's really any better. And what is with the blueberries, apples, cranberries? And chicory root? Actually, from the ingredients list, this looks more like human food...

Lamb | Chicken Meal | Millet | Brown Rice | Ocean Fish Meal | Cracked Pearled Barley | Canola Oil | Natural Flavor | Salmon Oil (source of DHA) | Flaxseed | Potassium Chloride | Choline Chloride | Taurine | Dried Chicory Root | Amaranth | Parsley Flakes | Spearmint | Almond Oil | Sesame Oil | Yucca Schidigera Extract | Kelp | Thyme | Blueberries | Cranberries | Apples | Lentils | Quinoa | Vitamin E Supplement | Iron Proteinate | Zinc Proteinate | Copper Proteinate | Ferrous Sulfate | Zinc Sulfate | Copper Sulfate | Potassium Iodide | Thiamine Mononitrate | Manganese Proteinate | Manganous Oxide | Ascorbic Acid | Vitamin A Supplement | Biotin | Calcium Panthothenate | Manganese Sulfate | Sodium Selenite | Pyridoxine Hydrochloride | Vitamin B12 Supplement | Riboflavin | Vitamin D Supplement | Folic Acid |

(28 slaps | slap me)

7:23PM - a flea question

Both of my cats have fleas, one goes outside so she gives them to my indoor cat. We usually use frontline and the fleas do go away but my mom doesn't like putting strong chemicals on my cats, especially because last time we used frontline, my indoor cat's fur starting falling out where we put it on. So my mom got this all natural flea stuff from the grocery store and from what I've seen, it's not doing anything. My indoor cat has so much flea dirt, it's getting everywhere. My outdoor cat, I don't know because she's usually outside.
Is there any other all natural remedies for fleas that work? Or maybe something like frontline but with less harsh chemicals, I don't want my cat's fur to fall out again.


P.S.
Posted a few days ago about my cat having a cold but she's fine now :)

(5 slaps | slap me)

4:15PM - An update

Hi!

Here's an update on the kitten my dad rescued from drowning. To refresh your memory - here's the entry I posted last week.

She's doing remarkably well. She's growing very fast and she feeds a lot. She's starting to play around a bit and I am VERY happy to see that - considering her situation last week. However, there's several concerns I have.

1) I'm now supposed to feed her every four hours - according to my Vet. But she meows a lot. All the time. Am I supposed to feed her every time she meows? Or just stick to the schedule? I kinda feel bad about neglecting her.
2) I was browsing the Internet and found something. According to this article, bottle-fed kittens often grow up to be simply destructive and "monster-like". Is this true? If so, what should I do to prevent this?
3) Also according to this article, I am also not supposed to cuddle with the kitten. Again, is this true? I don't know, that kinda is depressing. :-/

Despite the fact that I grew up with PLENTY of cats, this is actually my first time taking care of a kitten. I am VERY new at this and I want this kitten to grow up to be a sweet cat. :) Thanks in advance, guys!

(10 slaps | slap me)

3:34PM - Petra, Arabah, Aqaba Governorate, Jordan

I'm pretty sure this hasn't been posted on here before...if it has my apologies. I also did resize the photos in my photobucket account but when I check the preview of this entry they are still showing up as huge so if they kill your browser I am sorry and please let me know ASAP so I can fix them :)

( + 9 )

(14 slaps | slap me)

12:34PM - Cats and furniture

I know this question has been asked before.  And I remember I usually came down on the side of getting non-upholstered furniture.  However I'm tired of replacing the mattress on my tired old futon and have been shopping for some adult (non-college student) furniture. 

A little background: I have 2 enormous orange tabbies that are not declawed.  One has chronic cystitis and the other has chronic bowel obstruction.  I can treat both at home with minimal fuss.  However both conditions tend to have annual kitty accidents at various locations around the house.   I also have a large dog that sheds all the time but does minimal damage to furniture, except for the very rare accident.  We have a carpeted cat tree, a scratching pad on the floor (one doesn't like to reach up to scratch) and lots of space with windows for them (about 1500 square feet they can roam) and some high-up spaces too.

So what is your experience with human furniture?  Does leather last longer in a multi-species household?  If you have fabric do you Scotch-guard the heck out of it?  Should I install some kind of guards to keep them from scratching the heck out of a couch?

Thanks in advance! 

(8 slaps | slap me)

11:29PM - The stupidest thing I have read in a very long time...

I frequently read a consumer-advocacy web site called consumerist. well today, they had an article about how KFC's "Vegetarian Sandwich" isn't vegetarian. (I didn't even know kfc had that...)

The title of the article: KFC's "Vegetarian Sandwich" Isn't, Stop Kidding Yourself That Fast Food Restaurants Have Vegetarian Options

And within the article it says, "It's nice that KFC made the attempt to offer a non-meat menu item, but vegans and vegetarians shouldn't be eating at fast food restaurants."

WHAT????????????? That is the most absurd thing I have read on consumerist, ever. So someone that restricts themselves to a non-meat diet should not be able to grab a quick bite to eat? Accompany non-veg friends and have maybe an option or two?

I have never expected to be catered to, but goddammit people, look at the fricking food pyramid. See the big wide vegetable section there at the bottom? That means human beings should consume more of that, so I don't think it's unreasonable to be able to find AN OPTION at restaurants... even :gasp:... FAST FOOD restaurants. So go comment there if you ever do and tell them that was a stupid ass thing to say, and clearly written by an ignoramus.

(156 slaps | slap me)

9:11PM - [C14] Convergence Jumps the Shark!

( bathing beauty contest, fop-off and Convergence jumps the shark! )

(slap me)

6:13PM

So, I have a leukemia-positive kitty, about 11 months old (he tested positive when I adopted him). Obviously he is strictly indoor :)

Now, I posted a while ago about a kitten I was bottle feeding. Kitten is doing very well, is a month old and now is starting to eat real food and use a litter box :)

Ok... ALL of the bottle-fed cats i have met have been NASTY. And all the bottle fed cats my vet has met have been NASTY. When I say this, I include a kitten I bottle fed previously. And by nasty I don't mean they're out to completely kill you...they are very opinionated abiut getting their own way (moreso than regular cats :) and bite/use claws without warning.

So my sweet little kitten, who is purring in my lap right now...

Am I being morally lax letting him interact with my FeLV+ cat? Knowing also that this kitten COULD potentially have FIV or whoknowswhat. (for the record, my cat--you would never guess he has FeLV by looking at him. He hasn't so much as sneezed since I've had him. Plus kitten seems totally healthy as well)

I was thinking about this today. My thoughts are both cats do enjoy each other-they wrestle and play and have a really good time. So, the disease factor-being that neither are symptomatic for anything-is less important than the happy-cat factor. Plus I'm hoping my cat will teach the young kitten some manners, so he's not horrible when he gets older.

Just wondering your opinions on this decision...

I'm a vet tech, so vet care is not a problem for me.

EDIT: I DO plan on keeping the kitten. I guess the way I look at it is this: He was dropped off at my clinic by animal control. I work at a military vet clinic. When strays that are unadoptable, like the kittens--whose eyes were closed still and they had their umbilical cords-- are found on base by animal control, they are brought to us to be euthanized (The county takes our adult strays). So, if I hadn't been there, he would have been a dead kitty. I figure a live kitty that may develop FeLV but is at least happy and well cared for while healthy, and then when it's apparent his quality of life is gone he is euthanized, is better than a kitty with no chance at all.

When I wasn't sure about keeping the kitten, I was very careful to keep them seperate.
the kittehs in question: ( Read more... )

(13 slaps | slap me)

5:04PM - hyperthyroid

Hi, my cat has hyperthyroid - not a bad case yet, but I can't see that the tapazole pills he is taking is making him any better - and I gather the trajectory just goes to bad, than worse and in no way resolves the issue.

Does anyone have any experience or advice they can offer with natural or homeopathic remedies to treat hyperthyroidism in cats? Or even how to go about getting a vet with a homeopathic practice?

TIA

(13 slaps | slap me)

2:40PM - Dreaming

Please pardon me if this is either off-topic or stupid (or both) but I'm quite interested in hearing what you all have to say! I've been veg since last February, and last night I had my first meat dream. In the dream, I was at a buffet and accidentally served myself a dish that turned out to have ground beef in it. It was very vivid and I can remember exactly how it felt in my dream to be chewing on this ground-up meat. Even in the dream, I was horrified, but I was in a restaurant so I didn't want to be gross and spit it out, so I forced myself to swallow it. It totally grossed me out, and I was really intrigued that I'm already having bad dreams about accidentally eating meat. I would have thought they would be good dreams, like the ones that ex-smokers have about having a cigarette, hehe. Have any of you had a similar experience?

(20 slaps | slap me)

12:47PM - carnivorous partners

Hey everyone! I'm new to this community (been lurking for a few days), but not new to the idea of being meat-free. I recently graduated college and will be moving in with my partner in two weeks. While I am at my parent's house I eat some meat (because we live on a small farm and raise our own, so I have less qualms about it... etc that's another discussion). Over the four years I was at school I ate less and less meat, and the last two years I haven't bought any meat for myself. And I didn't miss it! So when we move in together we'll also be moving to another state, and I've made the decision to go permanently meat free when we get there. He looooooves his meat, though, and I'm not sure how to tell him. I'm not planning on preaching to him or making him change his diet, but I am sort of hoping to lead by example. Basically I'm not going to buy or prepare meat, like I've been doing for the past few years, and if he wants it he will need to buy it and cook it for himself.

If you have a partner or other family members who are not veg*n (or, who REALLY love their meat), how did you let them know about your decision? Was it a gradual change or sudden? How did they react? Did it get easier? What was the transition like?

Thanks for any help!

(10 slaps | slap me)

9:24AM - Bratty cat problems

I have three problems I hope you guys can help me with.
Problem One!
I have three cats, one has always been indoor and two were previously outdoor cats. I now live in an apartment building where, unfortunetely, the decks to four other apartments are linked by a narrow path(Which all three will use) and a very wide concrete shelf(Only one is brave enough to use this). All three have taken to 'visiting'.
While I can get chicken wire to block off the path and keep two of them in their own deck I'm at a loss for the shelf. The brave cat has been known to go indoor visiting as well. Most of our neighbours have been understanding but people move in and out. We recently got a neighbour cat as well. My cats are scrappers and Will start fighting. Specially the brave one.
I've read that there are plants that cats will avoid and act as a repellant but how safe is that for my cats? How well do they work? I don't want him to just attempt to jump over it and end up falling. and how well can this work in the winter? Though with windows and doors closed I don't think it'll be as big as a problem as the summer.

Problem Two!
Moths. We have a Ton of them. While I appreciate the constant entertainment they give three fairly active cats, it seems the largest variety of moth isn't going down so smoothly. Within minutes my cats are puking up the moth. Very messy but it worries me. I can't keep them from eating the obviously poisonus or stomach upseting moth but how dangerous is it for my cats to be constantly puking all summer? I know it's bad for humans!

Problem Three!
Litter boxes. Very important to have clean litter boxes for their health. With three cats I could clean them twice a day and still have a mess on my hands. The biggest issue is I can't use box liners, the one cat likes pulling it up and ripping it to shreads. Resulting in plastic in poop a few times. No plastic eating cats please! Leaving them empty of liners doesn't work as I get nasty residue that spoils in the summer and we end up with cats in planters not littler boxes. After having my mothers favorite flower die due to becoming a cat box, I'm desperate to find a clean solution! I've heard of some litter boxes where you completely remove one level to clean it, than put it on the bottom. This sounds like something I could wash completely on a regular basis without having to empty the empty the entire litterbox but does it work? Any other solutions?

(8 slaps | slap me)

7:16AM - Tapeworms

I have two cats who got tapeworms within a week of each other about three-four months ago. One was medicated with the over-the-counter pills while the other fought us to death. We took him to the vet for a shot. We also used some flea meds I got at wal-mart (I know!)

Fast forward to two weeks ago, the cat who took the over-the-counter pills got tapeworms again. We took her to the vet, got the correct pills, got Frontline, all is well. Yesterday, we gave her the second of the pills from the vet. Yesterday, I also discovered that the other cat has tapeworms again.

I am almost 100% certain we don't have fleas in the carpet and that they don't have fleas anymore. Regardless, I'm buying carpet powder today to use on the carpets, continuing the Frontline at least two more months, and calling to beg the vet to let me have more pills for the other cat (he freaks out when we go to the vet, poor thing). If not, of course, I'll take him.

Does this sound reasonable to you? Do you think it will stop this vicious cycle? Does anyone have any other advice? I can't find anything on the internet that deals with two cats. I know that one cat is getting it from grooming the other.

(11 slaps | slap me)

10:34PM - poisonous plants

My mom recently sent me this list of plants poisonous to cats. Thought I would share it for reference.

( poisonous plants )

(12 slaps | slap me)