Four-Legged Friends

[twelvepaws]

Or Bi-Winged, Multiple Fins, Reptilian, Etc.

After waiting and hoping to see a thread devoted to non-human companions, I decided to be brave and start one of my own, hoping it will be judged appropriate for the General Discussion area.

I wanted to share a photo of my cat, but right now I'm getting a message telling me that the photo cannot be "moved or copied." It fits the size requirements. Have no idea why it can't be uploaded, so I'm going to look for suggestions in the hardware/software section and then will try again I hope today.

No luck again. Words will not suffice, but in the absence of a picture, I'll just have to try to describe Paloma de Oro (Golden Dove), a tortoiseshell with a large gold mark on her face that looks like a dove, with the head upright on her forehead and wings spread over her eyes, with the body running down her nose. After several failed placements, Paloma found her forever home with me in 2003.

When I joined under the username Twelvepaws, I had three other cats. Morgan was a domestic black with semi-long hair who liked to turn off light switches and do back-flips. Rina was a silverpoint Balinese who was almost at the point of figuring out how to operate doorknobs. She liked to sleep on the stove and curled up next to a burner that was still hot enough to make her tail start smoking. When I yelled at her to move, she just blinked her blue eyes at me and sat there, tail smoking. (I removed her, of course.) Bell was a flamepoint Siamese who liked to bring me presents, in the form of jingle bells or fluffy puff balls. When I was too slow getting the food out, she would climb up my jeans to investigate the delay. They all passed away in 2005-2006, but in their memory I retain the username Twelvepaws.

People keep telling us that they are just dumb animals, just pets, but it's hard to express the pain they cause when they pass on.

[KO Gilligan]

Upload the photo to tinypic.com in a second browser page (keep this one open)

When you reply in this thread, click the little picture of the mountain and you'll get a place to post a link. Use the simple link (it's the bottom one"direct link for layouts") provided by tinypic.

post it

... and in keeping it the spirit of this thread,

Here is my 4 legged friend. It's an African Tortoise named Parson.
Last time I weighed him he was 46.5lbs (about 21kg). Probably well over 50lbs now.
He's still young - they reach maturity after about 20-40 years, live about 100 years, and the average middle age tortoise is about 100lbs
We keep him in the basement under heat and UV light in the winter. He has a concrete pen (that's why his legs aren't more spiney - he likes to dig at the walls )

Parson with one of his many girlfriends:
(Yes it's a large full size trash can lid)

[crunchy superman]

Here's Dakota:






and this is Macy:

[Jeff]

Cosmo:



He's going to be 10 this year. Getting lots of gray fur around his eyes. Other than the gray fur, he's still the same cat when I got him. Always wants to be around me, and cuddly as always. Still puts his arms around me to give a big hug. Sleeps with me every night.

[crunchy superman]

Dakota earned his skunk merit badge this evening. Joy.

[twelvepaws]

Wow! I am impressed by the response and really enjoying the pictures posted by everyone. Thank you, all.

So did Dakota get skunked?

KO: Thanks for all your help! It was easier than I thought.

Here's Paloma, eleven years old, a baby who craves my lap at TV time. She has her moods; watch out when she starts whipping her tail! She's a little out of focus because I have a hand tremor and when I got the camera braced, she wouldn't stay still.

[KO Gilligan]

Originally Posted by Jeff

Cosmo:



He's going to be 10 this year. Getting lots of gray fur around his eyes. Other than the gray fur, he's still the same cat when I got him. Always wants to be around me, and cuddly as always. Still puts his arms around me to give a big hug. Sleeps with me every night.

He's tall and stout

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Originally Posted by twelvepaws

Wow! I am impressed by the response and really enjoying the pictures posted by everyone. Thank you, all.

So did Dakota get skunked?

KO: Thanks for all your help! It was easier than I thought.

Here's Paloma, eleven years old, a baby who craves my lap at TV time. She has her moods; watch out when she starts whipping her tail! She's a little out of focus because I have a hand tremor and when I got the camera braced, she wouldn't stay still.

HeHe - Ms. Funny Mask Face. It's cool how cat's have a personality that sometimes relates to the way they look and their markings. I'll bet she's a sneaky one.

[crunchy superman]

Originally Posted by twelvepaws

So did Dakota get skunked?

Washed him twice with Dawn dishwashing liquid, which I've found to be the best way as it effectively removes the oil. Still can smell it if you put your nose to him, but he doesn't carry it around now.

Went through this with Macy last Fall. Hopefully now they've both learned from this.

[twelvepaws]

Originally Posted by crunchy superman

Washed him twice with Dawn dishwashing liquid, which I've found to be the best way as it effectively removes the oil. Still can smell it if you put your nose to him, but he doesn't carry it around now.

Went through this with Macy last Fall. Hopefully now they've both learned from this.

Most frequent remedy I've heard of is to wash them down with tomato juice...maybe because of the acid content. Sounds like a sloppy job, but it might work to totally eliminate the odor. But if you and he are happy as is, it's probably not necessary.

Parson, Dakota, Macy and Cosmo: Welcome. You are all handsome folks that your people can be proud of.

[Thriller]

Wish I had a pet. A dog. I love cats as well, but mostly when they are tiny kittens.

Last pet I had died in her 20s. Only picture I had online:

Seems a bit rude to just post her head, but she wont mind, she knows she was awesome.

She lived alone for some time, and whenever she would have fish around her, she´d eat them quickly but save one each time. Always the same thing, the last fish left, she woudnt touch it.

[twelvepaws]

Originally Posted by Thriller

Wish I had a pet. A dog. I love cats as well, but mostly when they are tiny kittens.

Last pet I had died in her 20s. Only picture I had online:

Seems a bit rude to just post her head, but she wont mind, she knows she was awesome.

She lived alone for some time, and whenever she would have fish around her, she´d eat them quickly but save one each time. Always the same thing, the last fish left, she woudnt touch it.

Sorry you lost her. Really beautiful colors, and smart, too! It's a revelation to learn that reptilians can be so wise (saving for insurance against starvation).

My cat is insanely jealous of my daughter's three cats (with whom we share the house). She used to bite. I have her on GNC Calming Formula for Cats and used to carry a squirt bottle for when she would nip me. Now, when she narrows her eyes and starts whipping her tail, I evict her from my lap. Why do I put up with her? Too tender-hearted, I guess, thinking of all the people who rejected her. Actually, she can be really sweet and always likes to go wherever I go...out on the porch, to the garage...just to be near me. And I think maybe she just can't help having her moods. My vet tells me that Tortoiseshell cats have an evil gene.