Originally Posted by Mecca:
My mother in law had one of those, it was the biggest pain in the ass dog. I love animals but that one was tiring.
Healthy, they're not that bad.
We have 3, two of them rescued and those two are hairless, which requires a bit of extra care (but not much). They have to have lotion in the winter to prevent them from getting too dry and they sometimes have to wear clothes if it's too cold but other than that, they're mostly just like any other dog.
The one we have that's not a rescuer is actually a full-coat dog and you wouldn't even know he's a crested by looking at him. He looks like a little terrier. [Reply]
Not to be a downer here but think long and hard about what you are starting. It will be extra work for the rest of it's life. It will be harder/more expensive to find find pet sitters or boarding kennels and if you do get tired of doing all the little extra things the critter would be very hard to find a new home for. I was raised back in the times when animals didn't have their own health insurance and very few people would spend thousands on pets, more often they said goodbye to the pet and put it to sleep. Then when ready they'd go to a shelter or a neighbor that just had a litter and find another pet to become a part of the family. Not advocating for euthanasia at all here, just a slightly different perspective and you/your pet deserve to look at all sides. [Reply]
I had no idea so many people have experienced pets with diabetes. How on earth does a pet get diabetes? Did you fee them crappy food that the first ingredient is corn? [Reply]
Originally Posted by Lzen:
I had no idea so many people have experienced pets with diabetes. How on earth does a pet get diabetes? Did you fee them crappy food that the first ingredient is corn?
Much like people food, your average dog food has the nutritional value of a TV dinner and contains fillers, chemicals, and high fructose corn syrup. [Reply]
Reading this thread yesterday made me realize that I view cats as throw-away animals.
Sounds fucked up to say, i know. But between my mother and father in law and all these goddamn strays i've begun to view them more as rodents than pets.
I just wish they'd stop shitting in my front yard ffs. [Reply]
Originally Posted by htismaqe:
Much like people food, your average dog food has the nutritional value of a TV dinner and contains fillers, chemicals, and high fructose corn syrup.
And humans typically feed them way too much. [Reply]
Originally Posted by htismaqe:
Much like people food, your average dog food has the nutritional value of a TV dinner and contains fillers, chemicals, and high fructose corn syrup.
Yep
Originally Posted by Saulbadguy:
And humans typically feed them way too much.
And yep.
I feed mine higher quality food. If the food ingredient list starts with corn, it's garbage. And I also limit their food. They get fed a specific amount twice a day. Sure, they get a bit of table scraps here and there but that doesn't amount to much. Exercise is also important. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Lzen:
I had no idea so many people have experienced pets with diabetes. How on earth does a pet get diabetes? Did you fee them crappy food that the first ingredient is corn?
With my cat it's pretty simple really. He was a rescue. He was just this tiny little malnourished orange cat. He looked like he was at the end of his rope, rough hair, skin and bones. But he came up to my kids one day outside and he was just super friendly and I felt bad for him so we took him in.
He probably gained 10lbs in 2 months. He was kitten size and then full cat size in the snap of a finger. But because of that experience he's always been an overeater, he can't get out of his head that he's going to starve so he must eat as much as he can.
So basically if you free feed and he's a food hoarder this can happen. My other 3 don't eat like that so I don't worry about them.
But even with all that only about 1% of cats will actually be diabetic. [Reply]
Originally Posted by scho63: So found out my cat is alcoholic..
I was wondering where all my booze disappeared to!
Pets need boundaries. Especially cats. You just need to arrange your bar in a way so that he understands what's off limits. Maybe a sign that says "Human Booze" and another that says "Pussy Liquor." [Reply]
Originally Posted by Detoxing:
Reading this thread yesterday made me realize that I view cats as throw-away animals.
Sounds fucked up to say, i know. But between my mother and father in law and all these goddamn strays i've begun to view them more as rodents than pets.
I just wish they'd stop shitting in my front yard ffs.
Some cats are dicks like people, but if you find one you have a bond with it's very satisfying. [Reply]