Breaking Cat News by Georgia Dunn for August 17, 2018

It’s for your own good, Elvis. A piece of string that long could prove deadly to a cat.

Burt is right.

Cats are professional string players!

I notice that Elvis is vital to the flossing process!

That was probably Bagheera’s logic when I had my hair long and he tried to play with it. “You have all those strings on your head and you’re not sharing!”

You’d better believe it Elvis and rightly so – string is a very dangerous thing for kitties. My Mozart, the witless wonder, had to have abdominal surgery to remove a cross stitch needle after he ingested the floss it was threaded on. Luckily no serious damage was incurred. My brother’s cat, the oh so aptly named Stitch, has had 3 trips to the emergency vet (he has pica) for removal of foreign objects including a shoelace and the threads from a curtain he’d been chewing on. They were able to make him hork up the shoelace and did endoscopic removal for the other 2 trips. Cats … we do love them so :)

Yeah, string… My Lady is a 40-year seamstress, and when her family dry cleaner closed all the sewing gear came home. Even the smallest single strand of thread now has become prey. One time I actually saw the little demon chewing on something that wasn’t there, only to grab her face and pull a thread that kept going like that magician’s trick with the handkerchiefs. It went on so long I swear I was about to pull her tail out of her mouth…

Well, this was front-page news. Tre-C was now of the opinion that there may be some good in ol’ dad after all. If he was being sincere, of course. After all, she just met him. What was that line the humans used about a tabby changing it’s stripes? OK, it was a tiger, but same meaning. “She misses you, you know.” Both Tre-C and Kip were reminded by this comment that Megan was still within earshot… and she missed very little. “In the time I spent with her, I got the feeling the babies she has now may be her last. She was talking about letting the People catch her. And she knows that if they catch her, they’ll have her fixed.” “NO!” Kip exclaimed, but Tre-C cut in; “Be realistic, Dad. You take a chance every time you go back there of the same thing happening to you. You know the Humans are not as quick as us, but they’re not dumb. They’d find a way to catch you.” Kip was thinking of something else, however. He was thinking of a word he had heard a thousand times but had never applied to himself. A word with deep meaning, signifying deep responsibility. And for once, for the first time, deep pride. He heard the word “Dad”.

I once entered a room just in time to see the last of a 10-inch length of string from a wool sock disappear down my Roli Poli’s throat. I’ve made sure he doesn’t find any loose string ever since then.

The all too famous Christmas tale of yesteryear, “The Holidays Aren’t Over Until The Last Bit Of Tinsel Comes Out Of The Cats’ Butt – or How I Paid Off My Vet’s School Loans.” I’m certain there were many, many copies sold.

Sorry, Elvis. I know it’s not fair (you were here first and should therefore be senior), but the cruel fact is, the Man can get away with things that even you cannot. Like he’s more trustworthy or something. Pfft!

Elvis- ‘Have you no sense of decency, man? At long last, have you left no sense of cat, decency?’

Purple Elvis toe beans!!

The Man is not abiding by the sharing rule.

Hi all!! This question has been in the back of my mind, faaaaarr back, and growing closer and bigger. It’s finally within my reach – so here goes!

MANY years ago, I was on my own with my soul sister Obsidian. I had one if those cat fishing rods, and came home to realize the closet door had come open, and she’d chewed and possibly chowed a length of line that had been dangling without a toy attached. In an absolute panic, I called my vet at the time. She told me that, if it was a short length, like, less than the length of the cat’s intestines, I had nothing to worry about. The reasoning was that it needed to make it out one end, while still being at least close to the other end, to pose danger to the cat. Now, in the comments here, it’s been slowly sinking into this addlepated brain (anyone else recognize “addlepated”? Did I spell it correctly?) that there seems to be lots and lots of concern regarding even foot long lengths, even with no needles or pokie things attached!

Would the Orb please, please educate me? Just how long (or short) does a string or floss have to be, to be a danger for a cat to ingest??

Thank you thank you!!-KOKO

Good morning and TGIF, orbsters and orbabies. Elvis, the man is allowed to play with string because he can be trusted not to swallow it, unlike you four-footed fuzzy little people.

Silly kitties to soothe a frustrated spirit…

I’m getting the van back today!

Woo Hoo!

This ride isn’t going to fall through.

An indignant Elvis, what a perfect way to start the day!

Well, at least I’m not the only one. Elvis doesn’t allow the Man to be in the bathroom by himself. Ember and Maverick don’t allow me to be, either.

Hey all!! I was trying to researxh the answer for myself, and fou d what looks amazing. It’s a 24/7 ask vet any questions about cat concerns! It’s www.justanswer.com and may actually apply to many animals. Seriously, check it out! Has anyone any experience with this? I know the conversation I found about cat swallowing ribbon was really promising looking. (Ok, I’m back to seeing only 2 lines of text again! Hope what I’ve typed is accurate enough!)

-KOKO

Brings to mind this comic…

https://www.gocomics.com/glasbergen-cartoons/2017/09/26

Zazzle: A few days ago I mentioned that Zazzle often offers discount codes. Today only, they are offering 40% off the tee shirts. Time to refresh your BCN wardrobe ? Code is IWANTTTSHIRTS.

OK boys here’s the deal, the people don’t eat the string. I know it’s hard to believe but they don’t. They just don’t get that excited about string as cats. Sorry. Maybe the Man will share though, People have been known to play with their cats overlords with that string when they are finished with it. Provided said overlord stares long enough.

Why the People have a securely covered waste basket in the bathroom.

This morning I found a 1-day (8/17/18) deal from Zazzle (home of Breaking Cat News stuff) for 40% off t-shirts. In spite of an unexpectedly expensive summer (cat, car, house, glasses for 75% of the family, dying appliances plus what was expected (college tuition)), I may actually splurge. The code (if anyone is interested) is: IWANTTSHIRTS and it looks like it costs $6.49 to ship within the US – but Zazzle seems stingy about their shipping info so your mileage may vary.

Shirtless and nothing but a towel. See! I told you this guy works for Chippendales now.

I’m going in for surgery on Aug 27. It looks like things are going to be alright.

Maybe not “crucified”, but they probably would start calling you “Flossy”.

My Domino (also an opinionated Siamese) would dine on my floss ends (short bits, an inch or less, that I would put in a small tray in my sewing basket until I would get up and throw them out)…this would lead to “confetti poop syndrome”, but no bad events. My orange tiger, Evinrude, ended up at the Emergency Vet after a session of tree garland dining (he broke into the box with the Xmas decorations) (he also once helped himself to the cooling tin foil in the broiler while we were eating in the dining room). So no string is probably best, but under an inch seems to be (mostly) harmless.

. . . BREAKING CAT NEWS! SURPRISE! Do you like surprises? Do you like to wait? Me, neither! lol! :D https://www.facebook.com/GeorgiaDunnStudio/photos/a.704306956281394/2035042409874502/?type=3&theater

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Once again I’m laughing out loud! Hooray for Georgia and BCN!

Pardon the phrase, BCN folks (I love all animals and most insects, too), but I kill two birds with one stone. My doctor prescribed that I take fish oil capsules every day, so I always have empty fish oil jars around. After I floss or use cotton swabs or cotton balls, I put them in one of the empty jars and screw on the cap. When it’s full, I toss it. I suppose I should recycle the jars, but they’re serving a needed purpose this way….

Great idea!

I’ll try that, too.

Cats don’t need flossing.

cat: (does cuckoo sign)