(no subject)

[shadowkat]

1. I posted this on FB..."how would I go about adopting a kitty?" And...for some reason people interpreted that as meaning, I want to adopt a cat right now. (Uh no. I wanted to know how to go about it, because I've been considering it and want to explore the idea. If I wanted to adopt one right now, I'd say -- I want to adopt a cat, can you help?)

One friend emailed an ad from a real estate friend of hers, who'd apparently rescued a cat from a chimney. Apparently the rescuer can't take care of said kitty. The kitty is two weeks old, had just gotten some stitches on her chin from falling down the chimney. "See," said friend, "an incredibly beautiful kitty just fell from the sky for you."

I wrote back..."uh, thanks, but I need to figure out a few things first, such as where to put the kitty litter, etc..."

Her response..."well, I know someone who put the kitty litter in the bathtub and took it out when she needed to take shower. Always thought that was a bit dirty and gross myself, but worked for her. And when the time comes remember to buy 'The World's Best Kitty Litter'. "

Sigh. I told this story to my Mom.

ME: "I posted on FB about how to go about adopting a cat. They interpreted that as meaning adopting a cat this minute or this weekend. So now, people are throwing cats at me."
Mother: They clearly don't know you very well.

Yes, I plan on doing it eventually. I just have to work my way up to it. Just as I have to work my way up to buying new furniture.

It's not that I don't necessarily like change...I just have to worry my into it.

2. Finally watched the televised version of Dirty Dancing all the way through, from beginning to end, instead of snippets.

Mother: Why did they feel the need to do a televised remake of the film?
Me: Well it's actually adapted more from the musical version of the film.
Mother: Except it's more like the film version -- I can't see how they could do the logs and lake bit in a stage musical.

We both agreed the original movie was better. Although we liked certain add-ons, such as Debra Messing and Bruce Greenwood's singing of "You Can't Take that Away from me", and who knew Bruce Greenwood could sing? And Baby's sister, Lisa and her romance with the black musician, singing "Don't Think Twice It's Alright" on the ukele and guitar. Katy Sagal is good in this, but her dance number to the song "Fever" with Johnny Castle doesn't quite work -- because there is no way a family establishment like Kellerman's would have allowed it. It jars you out of the film.

It's an odd musical -- more like the 1980s version of musicals, like Flashdance or Purple Rain, where people sing as part of a performance. They have a framing device
that explains why people are singing, but it's not needed. And I think they'd have been better without it. It also left the same bitter taste in my mouth that the ending of La La Land did. With the woman wandering off with her family, while her love looks on, somewhat pained, after accomplishing greatness in his career. I don't like that ending.
The original film's ending was better ....with everyone singing and dancing to "Time of My Life." And just leaving us wondering what happened next. I prefer open-ended endings.

Also, the televised version while succeeding in developing various characters more, and making others less relevant and far less annoying, sort of fell into cliche a lot and also lost some of the tension and friction of the original film version. There was more conflict in the film version, and more emphasis on class. Here the emphasis is a little more on race. But everyone in the television version is almost too civilized.

It also made me feel old, because the little girl in "Little Miss Sunshine" played Baby.
Damn. That couldn't have been that long ago. But apparently it was. Time tends to blur together more when I get older. The years are somehow less distinct from one another, not like when I was younger...when they felt longer somehow and more eventful. Not that this is a bad thing...it just is.

I felt like Abigail Breslin (the little girl in Little Miss Sunshine) didn't quite work. Also her lines...weakened the character a little. She smiled wistfully a lot. While Grey's version was a bit sharper, tougher, and looked more embarrased or shocked, and far more expressive. Breslin just didn't grab me. While the guy who played Johnny was rather good, and a fantastic dancer. No Swayze of course, but close.

3. Very happy it is Friday. Work has been making me crazy all week long. Overslept this morning. But there was an early quit due to the holiday weekend. So hurray.
Yay -- three day weekend.

Comments

[cactuswatcher]

Running into people who'd like you to adopt a cat from them at some point in your life is pretty common. It was certainly how I got mine. But choosing the time you are ready can be important. They can be both a joy and a big commitment. There are undoubtedly shelters on Long Island each of which would love for you to take a cat of any age you'd choose off their hands. Extremely young kittens, like the one you mentioned above would not work for you, they need round the clock feeding, just to survive. You can still get a kitten, but you'd want one that has been weaned.

Things you would need before you'd pick one out.
1. A carrier to bring it home and to take it to the vet
2. A litter box and litter, you don't know when the cat will need it so it should be in place when you get home.
3. Something for the cat to scratch its claws on. A scratching post or something similar. Understand that over time the cat will scratch lots of thing you don't want it to. But, you need something it will always be allowed to scratch or both you and the cat will go nuts.
4. Food, a suitable dish for the cat to eat out of and a water dish.
5. As Petzipellepingo, says you'll need to make sure the cat can't get out of the apartment, especially before it sees your place as home. If you normally open your windows, you'll need some way to keep the cat in and cats are both slippery and clever.

Things to think about
1. All pet cats should be neutered. It will make your life a lot simpler. Usually the substantial fee charged for shelter cats, includes a charge for neutering, but depending on the age of the cat you may have to take it back to the shelter to have it done.
2. Cats do things on their own schedule. You can choose when to feed them, but they will decide when you can pet them and when they will get lovey in turn with you. Unlike a dog you can't keep petting a cat over and over when you are feeling blue. They don't understand and will eventually scratch and bite. They will love you and you will know it, but it's a love that's always somewhat on their terms.
3. Speaking of scratches, cat owners get scratched sometimes. It's a fact of life. (You can discuss declawing with a vet, but generally it not recommended.) The cat doesn't mean you any harm, but doesn't understand your skin won't protect you like its mama's fur. Sometimes it will pat you gently with just its paw and sometimes gently but not gently enough with its claws out and leave marks on you. Some cats will try to knead your nonexistent fur with their claws and cut the skin but good. (My current cat doesn't do this! But my sister had a one that did.)
4. I'm sure you've heard much about cats trying to get their owners attention. Get a cat and it will get between you and your lap top at bad times. Just understand, it does want your love, too.
5. Cats shed, especially in the spring and the shed fur is something you'll have to deal with along with claw sheaths (exactly like bits of clipped finger nail) that fall off and get everywhere.

[shadowkat]

I'm beginning to think that I should have told everyone that I was raised with cats as a child. We had them until I was 18.

[cactuswatcher]

Oh well, at least you know you've got friends who want to look out for you. ;o)

[shadowkat]

Or trying to talk me out of getting a cat? LOL!

The FB people are trying to shove one at me, as in NOW. (I'm like, eh no.) "Come on, get a kitty. You know you want one. Don't think about it."

While the Dreamwidth folks seem to want to scare me out of it. "Now, are you certain you've thought this through...this is a major commitment."

It's actually quite amusing.

I miss having a cat. I haven't owned one for a long time, because I know what it is involved. They get sick, you have to feed them medication. There can be huge vet bills, etc. And what do you do when you go away? My brother carted his cat all over the place. He got one in college, and he carted that cat to a summer film internship in Dallas, to Nova Scotia, to Kansas City, to LA, to Ohio, and to NY. In a shoebox on the plane, half the time.

We made the mistake way back when of declawing our cats -- this was back in the 1970s and 80s, before people knew it was a bad idea. It disrupts the cat's balance. As a result one of our cat's had no balance. The other one did though...so maybe not for all cats.

I also learned not to try for specific breeds, I love Siamese. But they are wickedly hard to find. We had to hunt for them. And it was a mistake, because also inbreed, so one of them had epilespy, heart arrythmia, dandruff, cross-eyes, and no balance. She was adorable. The other was fine.

You're right about not getting a kitten that is too young. Two weeks, too young. They need to be weaned. Been there, done that. We got a cat from my Aunt who was too young, and we didn't know which sex the cat was until later, we thought it was female, actually male. (I was 7 at the time,). That cat sucked on everyone, because he hadn't been weaned yet. We called him Bella, because we thought he was a she. The only person who got along with him, was me. I bonded with him. Scratched my brother a lot though. But he ended up taking off and becoming a tom cat. Came back once, when we had a huge bunny rabbit and a new cat. We thought he'd been killed. We had outdoor cats, but kept losing them, so went the house cat route.

I miss my cats. Loved them to pieces. They made great companions. I'm more of a cat person than a dog person. I don't want to constantly stroke the pet, or play with it. Cats have always made sense to me. They are independent. And they like to take their time to get to know you. I've always gotten along very well with cats. Rarely gotten scratched or bitten. Mainly because we sort of understand each other. I don't really understand dogs.

I probably have enough room for one, considering the couple in the apartment below mine, with the same one bedroom floor plan and square footage, have two huskies (dogs) and a kid. (I told my mother who has seen my apt this and it shocked her.)

[cactuswatcher]

My brother and his wife had a very nice Siamese when they were first married. I'd call over there and hear that Siamese cat 'baby crying' and wonder what the heck was going on! The next cat they had was a black Siamese-mixed-with-who-knows-what with a similar temperament that lived about twice as long. My sister had an absolutely beautiful Himalayan someone gave her as a kitten. It was never very friendly, no doubt because of its health problems. My family has not had great luck with pure breeds, dogs or cats.

[shadowkat]

We never had any issues with the Siamese and found them to be friendlier than tabby cats, which we had previously. Our Siamese, scratched less, were more personable, and very affectionate, while the tabby's scratched more and were less affectionate and more stand-offish.

We also liked the babish cry, or "Yow-ran-an-ow" as opposed to "me-owww".