All About Our Pets(Pics, Advice, Etc)

Veterinary Science Graduate Certificate from UofI
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that redhead said:
I got a Betta fish. I can't decide between Fergus or Arther for his name...help?
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What color? If he is more red I'd go Arther, more blue/ purple or black I'd go Fergus.

ETA: I have enough food and tank accessories for 8 bettas if you want some stuff for the little guy.
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He's blue with some purple-y/pinky undertones. I think I like Fergus :)

I got him a little 1 gal tank that came with a plant, food and filter, but the filter is waaay too strong (as you will learn about in fish health ;)) so I'm going to return it for either a larger tank with a hopefully less powerful filter or a tank with no filter and do water changes.
 
I have mine in a 5 gallon with filter. I got the tank at Walmart for $35 three years ago and it's been a good investment. Survived moving 4 times :) I think Petsmart has inexpensive tanks without lids. With 3 cats my tank must have a lid.
 
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One of my cats peed on the living room carpet last week. :rolleyes: This is exactly what I was afraid of with having wall to wall carpet. I get it when they pee on my bed (smells like us the most) but random spot in the living room? What the heck is that about cats?!

It took us a while to find the exact spot so it was dry by that point, but we flooded it with nature's miracle. I kind of want to buy a carpet cleaner now (and I'm eyeing a $130 model on amazon right now...) because although I like the nature's miracle I think a shampoo'er would work so much better to actually suck it UP. It's been humid as heck too for the past few days so our house smells LOVELY. :mad:

Edited to add: Any tips for cat urine + carpets?
 
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My SO has a carpet cleaner that is so nice. Totally worth it, I think.

Got my fish a 2.5gal glass tank with no filter. Will be returning the one he's in now, but giving him time to adjust so I don't dump him right into his new home after only 24hrs in this tank. Don't want to stress the little bugger too much.
 
My dog seems to be developing a hot spot on his tail. I think he chews at it while I'm sleeping and while I checked recently, I didn't see any scabbing/sores until today. He's super itchy in general besides taking Claritin every day and Benadryl doesn't touch it. We're going in Tuesday to see what I can do for him. Not sure if it's food allergies (he does lick at his paws a bit) or more seasonal. He's been on pred before and that only helped when he was on BID dosing. I just hope we can find a way to manage it without excessive use of steroids, but he seriously itches like every 20 secs for a few minutes and then stops for a while and then starts back up again.
 
felinelvr44 said:
One of my cats peed on the living room carpet last week. :rolleyes: This is exactly what I was afraid of with having wall to wall carpet. I get it when they pee on my bed (smells like us the most) but random spot in the living room? What the heck is that about cats?!

It took us a while to find the exact spot so it was dry by that point, but we flooded it with nature's miracle. I kind of want to buy a carpet cleaner now (and I'm eyeing a $130 model on amazon right now...) because although I like the nature's miracle I think a shampoo'er would work so much better to actually suck it UP. It's been humid as heck too for the past few days so our house smells LOVELY. :mad:

Edited to add: Any tips for cat urine + carpets?
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My family uses this: http://www.amazon.com/BISSELL-ProHe...8&qid=1378160553&sr=8-3&keywords=little+green with Nature's Miracle in it. Works like a charm!
 
BlackDog17 said:
My family uses this: http://www.amazon.com/BISSELL-ProHe...8&qid=1378160553&sr=8-3&keywords=little+green with Nature's Miracle in it. Works like a charm!
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Awesome! Thanks for the tip.

Well, we just met the outdoor kitty who *I think* has been causing our lady to act so territorial (ahem, peeing on the carpet). Outdoor kitty is suuper sweet, seems young, but not too skinny. No collar of course. I've seen her on the next door neighbors porch before but I don't know if she actually belongs to them. They don't have a kitty door. We've also seen this little lady almost get hit by a car crossing the street in front of our houses - she doesn't seem great with traffic. Sigh. I do not get the indoor/outdoor thing, especially if there is no way to identify that this cat has someone who looks after her.
 
felinelvr44 said:
One of my cats peed on the living room carpet last week. :rolleyes: This is exactly what I was afraid of with having wall to wall carpet. I get it when they pee on my bed (smells like us the most) but random spot in the living room? What the heck is that about cats?!

It took us a while to find the exact spot so it was dry by that point, but we flooded it with nature's miracle. I kind of want to buy a carpet cleaner now (and I'm eyeing a $130 model on amazon right now...) because although I like the nature's miracle I think a shampoo'er would work so much better to actually suck it UP. It's been humid as heck too for the past few days so our house smells LOVELY. :mad:

Edited to add: Any tips for cat urine + carpets?
Click to expand...

To find spots get a black light. I have a tiny one that actually came with a bottle of carpet cleaner.
 
WelshCob said:
To find spots get a black light. I have a tiny one that actually came with a bottle of carpet cleaner.
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Got one a few days ago! And have been having far too much fun with it ever since. :laugh:
 
My husband and I have 2 dogs, 3 cats, a frog, and a horse!

Here are "the bears"--Kolin is a Rott/Lab mix and Frank is a pit bull mix. They are both rescues. Kolin is 1.5 years old and Frank is almost 3.5. They are a great pair and bring us so much joy!
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Next is Lola. She is almost 4, and a bit of a diva.
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Monkee is 1.5, and a total nut. She's a little like a crazy, yet harmless, bag lady.
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Oliver is the baby. Currently 18 weeks old.
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Pedro is an 18 year old Hanoverian gelding. He is bone-on-bone in his right stifle, and thus just hangs out in a pasture, torturing ponies and getting pets from little kids.
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And this is Michigan J. Frog!
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Ibecktell, wow! They are all very gorgeous. You live the life!

I adopted the most beautiful and well behaved pitbull (she certainly didnt seem well behaved in the shelter though, a nice surprise!) about a month ago. I already had a cat at home. Now my cat has known some foster dogs but never lived with one for a long time. He is chasing the poor dog around! Things are not that bad, they seem to tolerate each other - up until our pit wants to smell him. Then the cat gets irritated and chases her to my room, almost cornering her there. We are cutting his nails, making sure he doesn't hurt the dog but if anyone else has experience with this, I would love some insight! When I google "cat chases dog" "dog chases cat" comes up and not one thing about cats chasing dogs... A rare case? Lol. The cat also have scratched my boyfriend when he start living with me.

Other than that, I have a california king snake, and a leopard gecko!

Love all of them much :)
 
My doggie is now being switched to Zyrtec once daily (possibly up to BID if it doesn't help) and is on flea prevention every two weeks now in case he just has a severe reaction to single flea bite. Found a generic Zyrtec online for $22 (for 400 tablets) which is awesome since that's what I take and the Community Practice was nice enough to give me 6 months of Advantage for free.
 
catnips said:
Ibecktell, wow! They are all very gorgeous. You live the life!

I adopted the most beautiful and well behaved pitbull (she certainly didnt seem well behaved in the shelter though, a nice surprise!) about a month ago. I already had a cat at home. Now my cat has known some foster dogs but never lived with one for a long time. He is chasing the poor dog around! Things are not that bad, they seem to tolerate each other - up until our pit wants to smell him. Then the cat gets irritated and chases her to my room, almost cornering her there. We are cutting his nails, making sure he doesn't hurt the dog but if anyone else has experience with this, I would love some insight! When I google "cat chases dog" "dog chases cat" comes up and not one thing about cats chasing dogs... A rare case? Lol. The cat also have scratched my boyfriend when he start living with me.

Other than that, I have a california king snake, and a leopard gecko!

Love all of them much :)
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We had a similar issue when we brought Frank home. He'd never seen a cat before, and when he met ours, he had the unfortunate luck of meeting Lola first. She slapped him so hard across the nose with her tiny paw and claws that I'm sure he saw stars. Now, keep in mind--he weighs 85 lbs, and she weighs 8 soaking wet. After this fiasco, Frank began to display aggressive, tense behavior towards the cats--stiffening, hair-raising, and intense staring, followed by chasing. It was very scary! One trainer told us it was "kill-zone" behavior, but I am glad to say we consulted several other trainers and vets before making any decisions.

We hired a behaviorist and force-free trainer to work on getting him desensitized to the kitty. The behaviorist was able to show and tell us that his behavior was based on a combination of fear and extreme interest, as well as a poor understanding of how to appropriately approach the small, furry, sharp creature. We installed tether points in the baseboards at key points in the house where we spent a lot of time, and he lived in a Freedom Harness for a couple of weeks when he was not in his crate sleeping. We kept a treat pouch and a clicker in our hands at all times. If Frank wasn't tethered to the wall, he was tethered to one of us. And the minute a cat came in the room, or walked by the gated-off living room where we were watching TV with him, he got a party thrown and lots of treats. Eventually (it did take time, patience, and work) we were able to get him to elevate his threshold for the cats to where he could actually look away from them, then look away and sit, then look away, come away, and sit, etc. Cats became a good thing...time for praise, treats, and happy sounds. When he was unable to focus on us, or reacted negatively to the cat (and the kitty wasn't in any danger) we simply shooed the cat out of the room and asked him to perform a simple task (sit) before rewarding him.

The other half of this was understanding that our cat was less trainable than Frank. We had a duty to keep both of them safe. When Lola was being pushy or rude, taunting him in the doorway and elevating his excitement level to an uncomfortable and un-trainable point, we would put her in the bathroom with a scratcher and a dish of water for an hour or two to let Frank roam around and settle in the house without her teasing. He is much bigger than she is, and could have hurt her easily, but it's also not fair to him to be tied up constantly.

Maybe try putting kitty in a room so that pup can settle. Let him/her sniff lots of things that smell like kitty. Kitty will be old news soon enough, but take it slow and err on the side of safety for the weaker party.

BTW--all my animals get along great now. :)
 
orca2011 said:
My doggie is now being switched to Zyrtec once daily (possibly up to BID if it doesn't help) and is on flea prevention every two weeks now in case he just has a severe reaction to single flea bite. Found a generic Zyrtec online for $22 (for 400 tablets) which is awesome since that's what I take and the Community Practice was nice enough to give me 6 months of Advantage for free.
Click to expand...

you can get it dirt cheap at costco as well :) i take generic claritin and its like $12 for a years supply
 
Watching my SO's dog for a few weeks or so while he's living at work. She (the dog) about gave me a heart attack just now. I had a large chocolate brownie cookie with chocolate chips on the kitchen counter. I was gone for an hour. Came back and the napkin was on the floor that previously contained the cookie. Freaked out til I eventually found the cookie in between the couch cushions (she likes to bury things). I'd never hear the end of it if she got sick or worse while I was watching her...
 
Argh! I am not a good housekeeper and my kitten is one of those children that puts everything in his mouth. He is licking beer bottle rims, trying to get a lick of day old coffee, eating dropped cheerios, and dragging endless crickets in from the garage and leaving body parts everywhere. I must get myself together and clean. This is ridiculous.
 
I moved Fergus the betta to his new, 2.5gal stagnant tank last weekend. I tried to move his little bubble nest to the new tank but it disintegrated. I came home to a new, bigger one today, woo. He's much more active, too - think he likes all of the space :D
 
Just signed my Geordie up for a Canine Good Citizen's class being offered through our Behavior Club. $75 for 6 weeks of classes and the test. I was planning on getting him CGC certified anyway, but figured this might help me accomplish it quicker since I can ask questions as needed and get actual help for our trouble areas. Plus, I get credit for it since it can go towards my Human and Animal bond course.
 
Little frustrated that Geordie is becoming a bit reactive while on his leash. I can sometimes redirect him treats and a command, but it doesn't always work since he hasn't mastered anything yet. He's been perfectly fine with all kinds of dogs if he's off leash. Thinking of getting a consult with the behaviorist at school to work on it since I might need a little more help than what I get through the CGC class.
 
Does anyone have fabulous advice on introducing a new dog (who is supposedly really great with cats) to resident cats? Especially when two of the cats are older (11) and none of them have ever met a dog before?

I've read all the websites, but personal stories and advice would be great.
 
Has anyone ever used Soft Paws on their cats? http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=19945

They look funny and they're a nightmare to apply (used to have to apply them for a client at the vet hospital and it was not fun!) but my kid has gotten in the bad habit of scratching the couch when I'm away. Since I'm gone to class all day it's next to impossible for me to stop it, and I'm renting a furnished apartment so the couch is not mine - not okay!!! I've ordered some Sticky Paws double sided tape to deter him, but I'm wondering if the Soft Paws might be a good idea as well. I'm a little hesitant because they have to be reapplied every 4-6 weeks, according to the website, and I'm worried he might just chew them off and swallow them. Anyone have any feedback on these?
 
Yup, I've got blankets thrown over both arms of the couch right now. Looks like crap, but at least it's not getting torn apart. :p

Turns out I can't order the Sticky Paws tape because shipping to Canada costs a fortune . . . grrrrrrr. Guess I'll just get regular double sided tape from the hardware store and hope that will work.
 
BlackDog17 said:
Has anyone ever used Soft Paws on their cats? http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=19945

They look funny and they're a nightmare to apply (used to have to apply them for a client at the vet hospital and it was not fun!) but my kid has gotten in the bad habit of scratching the couch when I'm away. Since I'm gone to class all day it's next to impossible for me to stop it, and I'm renting a furnished apartment so the couch is not mine - not okay!!! I've ordered some Sticky Paws double sided tape to deter him, but I'm wondering if the Soft Paws might be a good idea as well. I'm a little hesitant because they have to be reapplied every 4-6 weeks, according to the website, and I'm worried he might just chew them off and swallow them. Anyone have any feedback on these?
Click to expand...

When I worked at a shelter, we had a cat returned to us a couple days after adoption who'd had them put on. They stayed fairly well, but it's a bit of a unique situation because he was confined into a 2foot by 4 foot stainless steel cage. He wasn't walking around a house or anything. He didn't bother them that I noticed, but I'd think that was a bit dependent on the cat's individual personalities. I had a cat growing up who'd refuse to move if you put a collar on it...I can only imagine what she'd have done if we tried caps on her claws.
 
BlackDog17 said:
Has anyone ever used Soft Paws on their cats? http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=19945

They look funny and they're a nightmare to apply (used to have to apply them for a client at the vet hospital and it was not fun!) but my kid has gotten in the bad habit of scratching the couch when I'm away. Since I'm gone to class all day it's next to impossible for me to stop it, and I'm renting a furnished apartment so the couch is not mine - not okay!!! I've ordered some Sticky Paws double sided tape to deter him, but I'm wondering if the Soft Paws might be a good idea as well. I'm a little hesitant because they have to be reapplied every 4-6 weeks, according to the website, and I'm worried he might just chew them off and swallow them. Anyone have any feedback on these?
Click to expand...

I haven't tried soft paws, but the thing that totally stopped my cats from scratching furniture was making my own scratching post for them and putting it right next to the couch. Cost me ~$25 to make and was super easy.
It looks like this:
IMAG1053.jpg


Kitty very nicely inserted himself for scale. Now it isn't even by the couch and they ONLY use this thing. Happy to type up some instructions for you (or anyone else) if you're interested in making one.
 
I have the same scratch posts as wildcat (though I didn't make mine) and my cats LOVE them! Never had an issue with them scratching something they shouldn't :) (knock on wood)
 
I am officially a foster failure.. meet Snickers!

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Thanks for the input guys! My kid has a giant carpet cat tree with a sisal post on it, plus one of those cardboard scatchers, but he just prefers the couch. I'll probably try another kind of scratcher eventually (in that mythical future when I have some extra money on hand!) but in the meantime hopefully the double sided tape will help deter him. Fingers crossed.
 
BlackDog17 said:
Has anyone ever used Soft Paws on their cats? http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=19945

They look funny and they're a nightmare to apply (used to have to apply them for a client at the vet hospital and it was not fun!) but my kid has gotten in the bad habit of scratching the couch when I'm away. Since I'm gone to class all day it's next to impossible for me to stop it, and I'm renting a furnished apartment so the couch is not mine - not okay!!! I've ordered some Sticky Paws double sided tape to deter him, but I'm wondering if the Soft Paws might be a good idea as well. I'm a little hesitant because they have to be reapplied every 4-6 weeks, according to the website, and I'm worried he might just chew them off and swallow them. Anyone have any feedback on these?
Click to expand...

One of my good tech friends swears by them. I would always put them on while she stretched the cat ("Happy" was not happy about the application process). They would usually last 6-8 weeks. It does take some practice and finessing.

I'll help you if you get them! :)
 
BlackDog17 said:
Thanks for the input guys! My kid has a giant carpet cat tree with a sisal post on it, plus one of those cardboard scatchers, but he just prefers the couch. I'll probably try another kind of scratcher eventually (in that mythical future when I have some extra money on hand!) but in the meantime hopefully the double sided tape will help deter him. Fingers crossed.
Click to expand...

I worked at a clinic where 95% of the patients were cats...and I applied many, many soft paws during my 2 years. Some cats would get them off in no amount of time, some cats would keep them on for 4+ weeks. It just depended on the cat and its environment. The tape ("Sticky Paws" I think it was called) or aluminum foil worked for some owners, while others were all about the sprays or would rub lemon juice into the upholstery where the cat was scratching (apparently cats don't like citrus smells). If you don't already, really reward your kitty when you see him using the scratching posts/cardboard--scritches or treats, whatever works. My one cat enjoyed catnip, so I would rub that into the posts from time to time to entice him to use it over the couch. I hope the tape does the trick for you! :)
 
TooLove said:
One of my good tech friends swears by them. I would always put them on while she stretched the cat ("Happy" was not happy about the application process). They would usually last 6-8 weeks. It does take some practice and finessing.

I'll help you if you get them! :)
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Thanks! I will probably take you up on that!

I just put the tape on the couch and suddenly realized that my cat is waaaaay too smart for this crap. He's probably just going to move over and scratch the untapped part instead. I don't know what I was thinking. Looks like I'll be headed back to Petsmart for some repellent spray and possibly some Soft Paws this weekend. :rolleyes:

At least he's enjoying playing with all the little strips of paper that came off the tape.
 
HELPPPPPPP

Any advice on what could cause a dog to suddenly start defecating in the house AND eating it? My roommates dog started pooping in the house, we scolded her, started taking her out more, and even watching for BMs in the yard. Now she has started eating it (presumably to hide the evidence and avoid scolding). Trying to figure out how to handle the situation.
 
obviously non medical advice.
 
Foxhunter said:
obviously non medical advice.
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My main thought is that something medical is going on to cause such a sudden change in her elimination behavior. I don't know why she would be eating it, it may well be to hide the evidence but I don't see that as the mail issue. I'd tell your roommate to get the dog checked out by her vet. My dog did something similar last year-began urinating in the house which he never did before. It was a UTI. I know feces isn't urine, but still, it is my best hunch.
 
CanHardlyWait said:
My main thought is that something medical is going on to cause such a sudden change in her elimination behavior. I don't know why she would be eating it, it may well be to hide the evidence but I don't see that as the mail issue. I'd tell your roommate to get the dog checked out by her vet. My dog did something similar last year-began urinating in the house which he never did before. It was a UTI. I know feces isn't urine, but still, it is my best hunch.
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Yea. I'm assuming she'll do this, however the defecating in the house started first and the eating it came later (after the scolding) which is what makes me think its a hide the evidence situation. Literally the other morning roommate immediately takes her outside to our fenced in yard, walks her on a leash, watches her poop, brings her in, 10 minutes later she poops on the floor.
 
Foxhunter said:
Yea. I'm assuming she'll do this, however the defecating in the house started first and the eating it came later (after the scolding) which is what makes me think its a hide the evidence situation. Literally the other morning roommate immediately takes her outside to our fenced in yard, walks her on a leash, watches her poop, brings her in, 10 minutes later she poops on the floor.
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Hmm...I want more information but it feels like history taking and I don't want to break SDN rules ;)
 
BlackDog17 said:
Yup, I've got blankets thrown over both arms of the couch right now. Looks like crap, but at least it's not getting torn apart. :p

Turns out I can't order the Sticky Paws tape because shipping to Canada costs a fortune . . . grrrrrrr. Guess I'll just get regular double sided tape from the hardware store and hope that will work.
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Duct tape bubble wrap around the parts he claws. One pop is all it should take. *evil smiley here*
 
Foxhunter said:
HELPPPPPPP

Any advice on what could cause a dog to suddenly start defecating in the house AND eating it? My roommates dog started pooping in the house, we scolded her, started taking her out more, and even watching for BMs in the yard. Now she has started eating it (presumably to hide the evidence and avoid scolding). Trying to figure out how to handle the situation.
Click to expand...

Definitely get her checked out if this started recently. She may be trying to tell you guys something.

Try confining her during feeding time. Leave her confined, where you can watch her for 10-15 minutes. When she starts doing the "potty sniff", calmly bring her outside. When she goes outside, praise her and give her a treat right there(bring with you obviously).

If she soils in the house, scolding usually does more harm than help(like her maybe eating it to hide evidence). Bring her outside(and treats if she does go outside) and clean it up without reacting(or letting her see you clean it up).
 
thedrjojo said:
Lol. No, we got him from a shelter, 'domestic shorthair' is what we were told and the vet calls him, but he does have most of the Bengal characteristics...
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He looks like a brown tabby cat from the picture... I see a bit of tabby marking on his face. The rest of his body looks rather solid, medium-dark brown, almost too dark to be a bengal.. It is hard to tell from the picture though, but I highly doubt he is bengal... My cat looks Russian Blue, but she has a small spot of white on her chest that definitely indicates she isn't Russian Blue.

He does look quite content in that sink though. My cats love sleeping in the sink and my one cat likes to play with the water if you turn it on.
 
DVMDream said:
He looks like a brown tabby cat from the picture... I see a bit of tabby marking on his face. The rest of his body looks rather solid, medium-dark brown, almost too dark to be a bengal.. It is hard to tell from the picture though, but I highly doubt he is bengal... My cat looks Russian Blue, but she has a small spot of white on her chest that definitely indicates she isn't Russian Blue.

He does look quite content in that sink though. My cats love sleeping in the sink and my one cat likes to play with the water if you turn it on.
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My cat has been trained to hate water, or at least spray bottles... But he has never been in a sink before this time... My wife was all concerned he was getting wet and that he was so scared, I was just laughing at the ridiculousness of it and taking pictures. He is a funny fat cat. But yeah, I agree I don't think he is a bengal, but he does have the black paws, gold tips on his fur, he is actually striped, and he looks like he is smiling, so he has that going for him, but clearly I only know from the stuff my mom has shown me (she has a cat that looks identical and is convinced she has a bengal too...)
 
thedrjojo said:
My cat has been trained to hate water, or at least spray bottles... But he has never been in a sink before this time... My wife was all concerned he was getting wet and that he was so scared, I was just laughing at the ridiculousness of it and taking pictures. He is a funny fat cat. But yeah, I agree I don't think he is a bengal, but he does have the black paws, gold tips on his fur, he is actually striped, and he looks like he is smiling, so he has that going for him, but clearly I only know from the stuff my mom has shown me (she has a cat that looks identical and is convinced she has a bengal too...)
Click to expand...
Those are also characteristics of a brown tabby
 
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