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From: wjr@frog.UUCP (STella Calvert)
Newsgroups: net.pets
Subject: Beads! was Re: Cat Bathroom Habits
Message-ID: <677@frog.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 3-Mar-86 21:08:49 EST
Article-I.D.: frog.677
Posted: Mon Mar  3 21:08:49 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 7-Mar-86 08:00:23 EST
References: <1176@alvin.mcnc.UUCP>
Reply-To: wjr@frog.UUCP (STella Calvert)
Distribution: net
Organization: The Church of the Holy Starship
Lines: 42
Summary: a hairy problem

In article <1176@alvin.mcnc.UUCP> mendell@mcnc.UUCP writes:
>is that Desper doesn't always leave everything that he is supposed
>to leave in the box.  He walks away with feces dangling from his
>rear.  If I am around when he uses the box, I check him and clean
>him up right away.  Sometimes I am not around though, and I come
>home to find smeared evidence on the carpet, on the bedspread, etc.

Yeah, I have the same problem with Luna.  The problem seems to be that
she likes to chew on brushes, which means she eats hair.  Which means
that she $h|ts beads.  I've been attempting to teach her that if she
draws it to my attention I will _instantly_ stop whatever I'm doing,
grab the scissors, and "debead" her.

One person has told me that adding a bit of sugar (about 1 t./day) to
her diet would fix this, but I haven't noticed any effect.

You might try giving her kitty-mushies (semi-moist catfood) though,
since it does produce a somewhat softer stool than kittycrunchies do.

Or you, your SO, and the sprout could shave your heads, to minimize
the hair available.  (I prefer to believe that I don't NEED a smiley
after such an absurd suggestion....)

At least, it's not a serious health problem for the cat, and if you
put a screendoor on the baby's room, it won't be a problem for the kid
till it gets bigger.

I use surplus carpet samples for bathmats and Luna has been seen to
head for that rather than the living room floor when I was too slow
grabbing the scissors.  (Sure glad we don't have wall-to-wall carpet!)

I wish I had a _real_ fix-type answer....  Hope someone on the net
does!  _Please_ post if you come up with a trick that _WORKS!_

				STella Calvert

		Do what thou wilt -- not just a good idea, 

				it's the law!

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