How have cats changed your lifestyle ?

[lisa77]

Ive done the tube thing too.. i cut & filled a cling film tube with rice & taped it up for a toy Leo loves it ..

I have a special cat ball for the food fun !

[Dawn F]

mine is a loo roll pyramid with dry food inside that the have to find - not my invention but Vicky Halls supposed to mean they have to hunt for food!

[unseeliechylde]

Ah yes, I too grow cat grass - or try to, since its almost impossible to find anywhere "safe" for it to be allowed to grow at all before its demolished 

I am intregued by this feeding toy out of loo roll tubes - assembly instructions, anyone? 

[lisa77]

1. I rarely entertain or go out socially - never in the week...
2. I only hoover as Leo is facsinated with it !!!

4. I feel guilty if I'm late to bed and usually retire early to maximise my time with Leo
5. I get up extra early to give them their food, change cat litter & dedicate a full half hour of play before I get ready in the morning.. (however hard it is to keep my eyes open !!!)
6. I choose my friends on their attitude towards cats.
7. I have arranged the furniture to afford them the best views out of the windows.
8. I do food shopping trips exclusively for them.
9. I have bought soft furnishings especially for them.
10. I wont be going on holiday for years !
11. I had whiskers anyway 

Much the same edited to suit !  I also go to bed later. . . .have to place Leos towel on the clothes airer as he loves to sleep up there... Have cellotaped up every single cable in my flat... Go out & spend hours on a sat looking for new toys for him !.. Grow cat grass every 2 weeks... Sit with him while he eats his dinner.. & stir it for him when it gets all flat to the dish from his nose (if I dont now he will meow untill I have stirred it !) No one is allowed in my kitchen without shutting the door behind them....I could go on forever.. BUT I love him to bits & I am more than happy to do al of this & more if need be... xx   

[J (Indoorcatsuk)]

Never not had a multi-cat household as a grownup so can't remember !
Always had a cat as a child too, so maybe I shouldn't have bothered with this post at all ...

[LeighK]

I love these  

our garden looks like feltham young offenders to stop them getting out

I've lost all use of the sofa.

I've forgotten that I ever owned one  

10. Redecorating the house because they don't like wallpaper!

did they choose pattern from one of those "swatch" books ?  

learning to love my books being all over the floor as opposed to the bookshelf, as that's where he always seems to put them  

I never get the time to read mine, only to look at the pictures, no, not what you're thinking, I have a lot of coffee table type Geology books from my Uni studies with big pictures in them  

I have to wear scarves a lot more nowadays, to hide love-bites on my neck from Monkey. 

A sad old git like me actually wears my cat love-bites with pride it makes me look like I've got a life!  

Collect toilet rolls to make elaborate feeding devices

Thank god I'm not alone, I thought this was only my pet perversion   I'd love to know more about the "pet" hoover.

2. The vet can now afford world cruises
 because of them I joined Purrs!

My vet sends me postcards from exotic holiday locations just to rub salt in my open wounds. Joining Purrs has been a great consequence of having the puds for me too.

Cheers

Leigh

[Teresa Pawcats]

They transformed me from an immaculately groomed business woman( always wearing a suit)
to a Scruffy old bag who is so much happier.

[unseeliechylde]

Just off the top of my head:

1. Have learned to interpret at least 20 different meows / trills / chirrups and to respond appropriately
2. Don't really go on holiday, or out, much.
3. Rarely invite people over, and when I do, choose guests based on the cat's preferences.
4. Spend more time and money shopping for cat stuff (food, toys, beds) than on me & boyf combined
5. Rarely hoover bcoz they don't like
6. Have relinquished the top 3rd of the bed and a pillow each side so they can sleep about our heads
7. Endanger life and limb daily due to number of ping pong balls around the place...
8. Keep old shoelaces to make toys
9. Throw little paper balls everywhere rather than put them in the bin (tho I do eventually!)
10. Get up early to feed fluffies / scoop trays
11. Cook steak, turkey, fish, squid etc especially for the cats around twice a week
12. Put the heating on when I'm out so they won't get cold
13. let them into the bed for a snuggle at any hour of the night so they can put their freezing little paws and wet noses on me and warm up
14. Regard with deep suspicion anyone who does not like cats in general, and mild dislike those who do not like my cats in particular
15. am always prepared to alter any aspect of my life / routine to safeguard their welfare
16. I smile and laugh much more when around them

I could go on, but quite simply, my cats have improved my life immesurably. I have Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), and the autumn / winter is a really difficult time for me. I have a lightbox, which makes things more bearable, my the real thanks goes to my cats. They are always there when I feel I can't cope with the world in general, and remind me that there are little furry people who make it all worthwhile. I can get up in the morning for them when I struggle to get up for anything else, and can get through the hardest of days knowing they will be there to welcome me home at the end of it.

[puddypaws]

No of course they haven't! Except for:
1. Time spent hoovering up cat litter
2. The vet can now afford world cruises
3.  Shopping bill grows weelky
4. Spend more time playing with them than anything else
5. Nervous breakdowns trying to remember to keep doors and windows closed

I don't have to worry about being away for a few days as my daughter looks after them and best of all, because of them I joined Purrs!

[Kittybabe (Ruth)]

Collect toilet rolls to make elaborate feeding devices



I forgot that one!!

oh yes I recall that one.  Collect egg cartons to hide food in, go bankrupt with all the money spent on them..

[Dawn F]

Collect toilet rolls to make elaborate feeding devices



I forgot that one!!

[Mojo]

Well this thread certainly made me think!

I seem to have turned into "Crazy cat lady" amongst my friends
Bought a specialist "pet" hoover
Pick the friends that can come to my house based on whether they like my cats
Go to bed early so I can have "bedtime cuddles" with Chutney
Constantly have remote in one hand, Da bird or laser pen in the other
OH's mum comes to cat sit when we go on holiday so good relationship with her!!
Collect toilet rolls to make elaborate feeding devices
Always leave used towels on the bed as kitties like to lie on them  

[littleKitten_(alex)]

Eh... well, I used to have a life, and now I'm a full-time slave to Poppy & Monkey. 

Oh, and I have to wear scarves a lot more nowadays, to hide love-bites on my neck from Monkey. 

[carl (billy and baggys dad)]

Can't think of anything else really, apart from he is always in my thoughts every minute of every day ....

Lovely is that Clare 

[clarenmax]

What a great thread  

The main lifestyle change I've had with Max is that I don't go on proper holidays any more.  I've not had more than 3 days away in over 7 years, but you know what, I don't care.  Unless I could afford someone to live in, and I could implicitely trust them 100%, the only people I'd trust with Max are my parents, as they dote on him like the grandchild they know they're not gonna get  

I still entertain at home, but make sure that there's not too many people, especially so I can keep an eye on people not leaving the door or a random window open where my boy might get out.  

I guess I've had to get used to being woken up a lot during the night, and learning to love my books being all over the floor as opposed to the bookshelf, as that's where he always seems to put them  

Can't think of anything else really, apart from he is always in my thoughts every minute of every day ....

[madkittyrescue]

Good thread this one....  here are some of mine....

1. Have to hoover daily... racals destroy and throw litter everywhere.
2. They make me smile every time I look at them.
3. rarely get out to socialise or have time to phone friends.
4. They drive me crazy chewing wires and knocking things over... and yet I clear away more stuff to allow them to lie where THEY want.
5. Dedicated shopping trips just for cat food and litter!!
6. Going out of my way to find a 'special' food if they are ill.
7. Worrying sick about them if they are ill and spending all the time I can with them.
8. Going to bed really late just so we can have our 'play time' with the cats before bed.
9. We love our Saturday morning cuddles with the cats and wake up early to open the bedroom door to let them all in.
10. Redecorating the house because they don't like wallpaper!
11. Diving out to buy them new toys constantly because they hide all the old one's in thin air!
12. Plan any breaks away around getting my mum to cat sit at our house.
13. Out in the middle of the night hunting for cats.  Yet come home with a smile when we have them safe and sound.
14. Broken sleep... waking through the night for bottle feeds!  Yet, wouldn't have it any other way.
15.  Its gone from being Our House... to THEIR house!  lol

 

[carl (billy and baggys dad)]

Hell, thats a good question Leigh.

The main thing is I'm infinately happier than I was pre Bilbo and Baggins.

The other things (in no particular order):
Whenever I go shopping I get their bits and bobs first.
I've lost all use of the sofa.
Used to jump on the bike and go visit a friend for the weekend without any planning - now I don't (I prefer the cats company anyway  )
I've worn out more torch batteries scouring fields for Bilbo than would be needed to light a small village for a year.
I'm a dab hand at burying poor departed shrews.
I get up 30 minues earlier to feed em, and clean the litter tray.
I'm my vets best mate now 

I think in general, they now take priority whereas before I could please meself. Its worth it mind.

[Dawn F]

we've stopped having our annual christmas party incase someone lets them out the front door
we never go away for longer than a week and its mostly long weekends now
I often shop just for them
our garden looks like feltham young offenders to stop them getting out
there are furry toys under nearly every bit of furniture

but yes I love it!

[Kittybabe (Ruth)]

Fab thread Leigh!

Well I would agree with all of your points.

1. I run the hoover regularly but move Lexy from room to room.
2. I certainly do food shopping for her only (usually when I have to buy more litter).
3. I plan my business trips around when I can get someone in to look after her.
4. I don't go on holiday anymore so she doesn't have to go to a cattery.
5. I look forward to my 5am morning wake up call (without the bat!) because that's when she's most lovable.
6. Am planning to rearrange the furniture to a) make the room more pleasant and b) so Lexy can view the windows more easily.
7. She has more beds than I do!
8. I've been happier with her in my life than before. 

[LeighK]

Hi folks,

I was wondering how cats have changed your lifestyle, here's a few of mine in no particular order.

1. I rarely entertain or go out socially
2. I only hoover when I have to because they hate the noise.
3. I never run my cooker hood as it scares them.
4. I feel guilty if I'm late to bed and usually retire early to maximise my time with Suzie.
5. I get up extra early to give them their food, change cat litter etc. etc.
6. I choose my friends on their attitude towards cats.
7. I have arranged the furniture to afford them the best views out of the windows.
8. I do food shopping trips exclusively for them.
9. I have bought soft furnishings especially for them.
10. I've not been away on holiday for years.
11. I have grown whiskers, headbut the furniture and like my tummy stroked (I made that one up, on second thoughts maybe I didn't) 

Cheers

Leigh