The Venting Thread

RD

Are you dead yet?
Joined
Aug 1, 2004
Messages
15,572
Likes
0
Points
0
Age
34
Location
Ohio
It sucks being so in love with someone and knowing they don't give a **** either way. Bleh.
 

Fran101

Resident fainting goat
Joined
Oct 12, 2008
Messages
12,546
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Boston
While I was away house sitting there was a fire scare and the sprinklers in my apartment turned on.
Dousing and flooding everything I own.

All my food has gone bad
all my clothes smell
mattress is ruined
books are beyond ruined :( including textbooks I was going to resell.

it could be worse.
but it certainly could be better.

I am in a tight spot, every extra penny has gone to paying off loans so things are just..bad. especially when it comes to grocery shopping, so I was kind of really counting on the food I already had.

Things could be worse.
I know they could.

but I want to cry.
All my books :(

good news is I have a supportive family.
bad news is..everything else feels like it sucks.
 

Lyzelle

Active Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2012
Messages
2,826
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Colorado
I'm so sorry Fran. Major hugs. <3

My little vent is the cat. Oh, the cat. I'd prefer a puppy. You can train puppies.

We consistently wake up to the trash can overturned every morning even though it has food. This is THE most dangerous. It's eaten who knows what, definitely chicken bones, and Zander is not a bad dog, but he is an opportunist. If it's there, he'll get in it. Thankfully he sleeps with me in a bedroom now.
It tears up the carpet constantly even though it has scratching posts. Whole chunks of carpet have been destroyed. Also the blinds.
Has now learned to climb inside cabinet doors.
Purposely knocks things off shelves, bookcases, and counters.

It's like the cat from hell. It just DESTROYS everything. And whenever we try to re-direct or correct....it just goes right back to doing it. Runs away, comes back, goes right back to it. SIL is going to get it declawed and neutered, but it won't solve a lot of the behavioral issues and right now it's just a few more trash can tilting days away from being an outside cat.
 

stardogs

Behavior Nerd
Joined
Jun 13, 2009
Messages
4,925
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
NC
SIL is going to get it declawed and neutered, but it won't solve a lot of the behavioral issues and right now it's just a few more trash can tilting days away from being an outside cat.
Have they considered Feliway? That might help if any of the behavior is anxiety based.

Declawing and then putting him outside is inhumane. Please make sure they make a solid decision about him being indoors only if they declaw. Also, make sure they're aware that declawing may mean that he'll turn to biting and he may have more litterbox issues - it's not helpful at all behaviorally other than eliminate the clawing part, he'll still find ways to be destructive. Nail trimming or caps would do almost the same thing and be way less likely to result in behavior problems.
 

SaraB

New Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2011
Messages
5,798
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
St. Louis, MO
I'm so sorry Fran. Major hugs. <3

My little vent is the cat. Oh, the cat. I'd prefer a puppy. You can train puppies.

We consistently wake up to the trash can overturned every morning even though it has food. This is THE most dangerous. It's eaten who knows what, definitely chicken bones, and Zander is not a bad dog, but he is an opportunist. If it's there, he'll get in it. Thankfully he sleeps with me in a bedroom now.
It tears up the carpet constantly even though it has scratching posts. Whole chunks of carpet have been destroyed. Also the blinds.
Has now learned to climb inside cabinet doors.
Purposely knocks things off shelves, bookcases, and counters.

It's like the cat from hell. It just DESTROYS everything. And whenever we try to re-direct or correct....it just goes right back to doing it. Runs away, comes back, goes right back to it. SIL is going to get it declawed and neutered, but it won't solve a lot of the behavioral issues and right now it's just a few more trash can tilting days away from being an outside cat.
I have a cat like this. All of our cabinets, especially the one with the trash, have child-proof locks on them. Even with that, we will still wake up some mornings to shredded garbage bag and shredded trash from him sticking his paw through the gap in the cabinet. We have to hide all food and lock him up with there is food out. Carpet has been ruined because of said "locking up" as have doors. Couches have been ruined even though he gets his nails trimmed and has a fantastic cat tree with multiple scratching surfaces. Ribbon, fabric, garland, flip-flops have all been destroyed and consumed.

I thought it was a mental stimulation problem and made him a food dispensing toy for a while, but he got bored with that and it didn't decrease the unwanted behaviors.

So honestly, I'm at a loss as for what to do with him. I still think it's a lack of mental stimulation and so this summer he is going to try to be a barn cat at my mom's house. She lives on plenty of acreage that is bordered on one side by a lake and a 80 acre county park on the other side. Several miles from the nearest road. We'll see how he does, I think he will enjoy having so much to do.
 

Xandra

Active Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2009
Messages
3,806
Likes
0
Points
36
I'm so sorry Fran. Major hugs. <3

My little vent is the cat. Oh, the cat. I'd prefer a puppy. You can train puppies.

We consistently wake up to the trash can overturned every morning even though it has food. This is THE most dangerous. It's eaten who knows what, definitely chicken bones, and Zander is not a bad dog, but he is an opportunist. If it's there, he'll get in it. Thankfully he sleeps with me in a bedroom now.
It tears up the carpet constantly even though it has scratching posts. Whole chunks of carpet have been destroyed. Also the blinds.
Has now learned to climb inside cabinet doors.
Purposely knocks things off shelves, bookcases, and counters.

It's like the cat from hell. It just DESTROYS everything. And whenever we try to re-direct or correct....it just goes right back to doing it. Runs away, comes back, goes right back to it. SIL is going to get it declawed and neutered, but it won't solve a lot of the behavioral issues and right now it's just a few more trash can tilting days away from being an outside cat.
haha that sounds like my old cat who was my favorite pet ever. He would climb up to my window and howl all night long to be let in. THen he would howl inside my room and knock over everything he could. if I let him into the rest of the house he would howl outside my parents' room. If they opened the door, he'd run away. Rinse repeat. He wasn't too destructive, but then he got all the crazies out attacking trees and not my house lol

I'd try neutering him and letting him out (unless you have really close neighbors or are on a busy street or such). I mean you can train a puppy, true, but if you keep an energetic one in a house all day every day it'll act up.
 

Lyzelle

Active Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2012
Messages
2,826
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Colorado
Have they considered Feliway? That might help if any of the behavior is anxiety based.

Declawing and then putting him outside is inhumane. Please make sure they make a solid decision about him being indoors only if they declaw. Also, make sure they're aware that declawing may mean that he'll turn to biting and he may have more litterbox issues - it's not helpful at all behaviorally other than eliminate the clawing part, he'll still find ways to be destructive. Nail trimming or caps would do almost the same thing and be way less likely to result in behavior problems.
That's part of the vent. I know it isn't right, but there's not a whole lot I can do about it since it isn't my cat. But the behavioral issues DO need to be addressed. The cat works well with clicker training, but it seems to take 10x longer than even Zander. No one really has time for that. And he doesn't seem to apply rewarded behaviors to any other situation other than the clicker sessions.

Not sure about anxiety. Definitely doesn't seem anxious, just a normal crazy growing-out-of-kitten-phase teenager cat. He plays for HOURS, plays with Zander for MORE HOURS and then sleeps a good 8-9 hours in his kennel at night. But once that's over, it's right back to knocking things over and clawing everything up.

I'm not a cat person. I'm so lost. But I don't want him mistreated or punished for just being a cat, either. Boo. :(
 

Lyzelle

Active Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2012
Messages
2,826
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Colorado
I'd try neutering him and letting him out (unless you have really close neighbors or are on a busy street or such). I mean you can train a puppy, true, but if you keep an energetic one in a house all day every day it'll act up.
I have a cat like this. All of our cabinets, especially the one with the trash, have child-proof locks on them. Even with that, we will still wake up some mornings to shredded garbage bag and shredded trash from him sticking his paw through the gap in the cabinet. We have to hide all food and lock him up with there is food out. Carpet has been ruined because of said "locking up" as have doors. Couches have been ruined even though he gets his nails trimmed and has a fantastic cat tree with multiple scratching surfaces. Ribbon, fabric, garland, flip-flops have all been destroyed and consumed.

I thought it was a mental stimulation problem and made him a food dispensing toy for a while, but he got bored with that and it didn't decrease the unwanted behaviors.

So honestly, I'm at a loss as for what to do with him. I still think it's a lack of mental stimulation and so this summer he is going to try to be a barn cat at my mom's house. She lives on plenty of acreage that is bordered on one side by a lake and a 80 acre county park on the other side. Several miles from the nearest road. We'll see how he does, I think he will enjoy having so much to do.
I thought lack of exercise or mental stimulation too, since we have just an apartment. I wouldn't mind letting him out, I guess, I just don't feel like that's right, safe, humane, etc. Plus fleas, other cats in the neighborhood, we have an apartment complex right now, bad weather, loose dogs, one major road plus highway cornering us on two sides. Keep his nails trimmed and he has so many toys it's ridiculous. Loves playing catch me, keep away, and tag with Zander.

Sweetest cat ever, though, when it isn't destroying things. I'm hoping it's just a teenager cat phase. We might just keep up crating and supervised free-time for now.
 

SaraB

New Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2011
Messages
5,798
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
St. Louis, MO
I thought lack of exercise or mental stimulation too, since we have just an apartment. I wouldn't mind letting him out, I guess, I just don't feel like that's right, safe, humane, etc. Plus fleas, other cats in the neighborhood, we have an apartment complex right now, bad weather, loose dogs, one major road plus highway cornering us on two sides. Keep his nails trimmed and he has so many toys it's ridiculous. Loves playing catch me, keep away, and tag with Zander.

Sweetest cat ever, though, when it isn't destroying things. I'm hoping it's just a teenager cat phase. We might just keep up crating and supervised free-time for now.
Ya, I would never let him be an outdoor cat where we live for the same reasons.
 

thehoundgirl

Active Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2004
Messages
2,353
Likes
0
Points
36
Declawing could definately make his behavior issues worse. :( And a declawed cat can not defend its self outside. Is he a younger cat?
 

Locke

Active Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2010
Messages
1,919
Likes
0
Points
36
Shipping to Canada SUCKS sometimes! I realllllyy wanted a Tufflex or Everflex collar from gundogsupply, but I think shipping will cost as much as the collar. Crappy crap crap.
 

*blackrose

"I'm kupo for kupo nuts!"
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
7,065
Likes
3
Points
38
Age
33
Location
WI
Totally just booked it out of work (and left one tech with two doctors due to being short staffed), booked it to the house to let the dogs out to pee, put the dogs back in their crates after 2.5 seconds of being out to pee, high tailed it over to campus, practically ran to my group meeting...to find out we won't be doing anything today and will be reconvening on Sunday, which is my only day off for almost two weeks.

WTF? I told you all I had to let my dogs out to go to the bathroom, I told you all work was keeping me late...surely you could have said, "Hey, we won't be doing anything today, don't bother coming?"

Now I'm pissed. I could have been at home letting the dogs get some energy out, doing laundry, and fixing dinner. Now I have to walk BACK to my car. Which is 15 minutes away. And its raining.

:mad:

I think they can just have a happy little group meeting without me Sunday.
 

Saeleofu

Active Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2009
Messages
9,036
Likes
0
Points
36
After I got home from my exam, I dropped Logan off and told my mom I'm going to the zoo. Her reply? "It's too cold!"

WHAT. No. No it's not. But even if it was, it's not like I have an option! I have homework that needs to be done AT THE ZOO. I'm in a freaking ZOO SCIENCE program. I practically live at the zoo. And she knows this.

When I finally DID get to the zoo, I couldn't find the freaking Turaco I'm supposed to be observing. I did eventually find him and got about 10 minutes of observation in (supposed to be 20 minutes) before I lost him again. Last week I couldn't find him AT ALL. Stupid bird.
 

smkie

pointer/labrador/terrier
Joined
Dec 16, 2004
Messages
55,184
Likes
35
Points
48
I dont' know if you all remember about the cat my next door neighbor (their door is just about 40 ft from mine) threw out to die. Declawed, sick, emaciated, no food no water, no shelter, soaked in urine and blood. I called the sherriff and was told I could assume responsibility of the cat since it was at my door and I had been providing for it for 6 days, because the woman would not. As soon as I saw the blood I tried to get them to come get it, but in our county, there are no laws to protect cats, the AC officer was off for the day, and the cat coudln't wait. I took her to the humane society which would not have pts if she hadn't been mortalaly ill. It cost me, but somethings are more important than money.They gave me a very reasonable price. THe woman then called and tried to say I stole her precious kitty cat and thought she was going to sue me. But she got no response friom the three seperate police calls that she made, when they came to my door and I told them to check with the sheriff, i heard no more about it from them. This started what was already a neighbor dislike into an all out war.

The woman who is a drunk, moved in a bunch more drunks, one man in particular. He called Hyia a retard and threw a lighter at her, told her to go smoke. Calls me stupid, and mocks us when we are outside. I cannot get to my door without walking past theirs, and when I do, he tells his dog to GET EM GET EM which the dog of course not leashed, made a pretty good attempt tonight, snapping at my heels and growling. Two other dogs also off leash urinated on my freshly planted flower beds this morning. THere is so much more to this story, beer bottles being left in the middle of the sidewalk, people blocking our way..blah blah. I called the building owner and the beer bottles disappeared but the dogs remained. I paid 600 dollars for the right to have mine here, you know these drunks who can't even drive (the man has obviously lose his liscense since people are carting him around) have not. He is not even on the lease. So when I spoke to Mrs. Goodson she told me there was nothing she could do and to call the police.

I start watching my 3 year old grandson, and one year old grand daughter starting next week. I cannot have this when their mama tries to get two babies down the sidewalk. I cannot live without sleep...they argue, fight, and sit outside in their underwear. Last week they tied this dog out and he howled all night long. THey also emptied their ashtray in the back of my truck, and across the hood. THe man told me his uncle is the prosceuting attorney so it will do me no good to call. After thinking he "must be so proud" i said "guess we will see won't we". I don't talk to them, I don't reply back when they insult me. It would do no good. In the meantime my eye has begun to twitch and I wish for three thugs and a truck. I made a wish to my Dead SO to haunt them, you know if he was here none of this would be happening. Hyia is doing so well, sung acapella in the talent show, got 3 a
s on her tests yesterday, she is really starting to bloom. SHe says " I am a little afraid of that man. And I am too. I am going tomorrow to get a locking gas cap. I have no way of protecting my truck, it is on the other side of the building. Once I call the animal control, and the police, it will be hatfield and the mccoys bescause these are seriously stupid people and stupid people do stupid things, but I have no idea what else to do. SO if you know three thugs and a truck, or a way to make the ground open up and swallow them whole, I am all ears. I love my garden, the woods, my birds, my view, I don't want to move. I told the building owner that if their lease is renewed, however I will have no other choice but to go. I cannot live next to a drunken flop house. Would I take care of that poor cat if I knew all of this was going to happen, God yes. That isnt' even a choice, the animal came to my door for help and help she got. She should have got it a whole lot sooner. I put out food and water, made her a bin lined with coats, but once I saw her drinking and drinking and drinking and drinking and bloody urine coming out the other end, I knew she coudln't go on like this. WE begged the woman to care for her cat and all she did was tell us to f off, and let the cat die.

So that is my vent..if you have suggestions...let me know. If you read all that I apologize, I am just beside myself. I don't need this, and Hyia sure doesn't deserve it. THat poor little dog didnt' either, they have ruined him, they have only had him for a couple weeks because they were out there loudly discussing names. I dont' blame him for his aggressions. He is only about a foot tall, but little dogs can bite hard, and I don't want him biting mine, or worse, the babies.
 

JessLough

Love My Mutt
Joined
May 16, 2009
Messages
13,404
Likes
2
Points
38
Age
33
Location
Guelph, Ontario
A customer just asked me how my dog is doing. Which us fine, except when he asked last week, I told him she died. So, I replied with "she's just as dead as she was last week."

Apparently that was an insensitive answer...?
 

Red.Apricot

Active Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2011
Messages
2,984
Likes
2
Points
38
Location
Southern California
My mom: ZOEY PULLS ON WALKS.
Me: That's weird, she doesn't pull for me or dad. Have you tried xyz?
My mom: *doesn't do any of what I suggested*
My mom: *does nothing*
My mom: YOUR ADVICE DID NOT WORK YOU THINK YOU ARE SO SMART THIS IS JUST A BAD DOG YOU ARE WRONG.
My mom: ZOEY PULLS ON WALKS.
Me: Sorry, have you tried abc?
My mom: *doesn't try it*
My mom: *does nothing*
My mom: AGAIN YOU GIVE ME BAD ADVICE HOW DARE YOU I WILL NOT BE DISRESPECTED BY A DOG.
Me: ...
My mom: ZOEY PULLS ON WALKS.
Me: ... that sucks.
My mom: Why does she do that?
Me: ... no idea.
My mom: How do you fix it?
Me: ... gosh, you know I have no idea. Good luck.
My mom: ZOEY PULLS ON WALKS.
 

Members online

No members online now.
Top