General Chat

Dogs are remarkable animals and have senses that we humans have difficulty in appreciating. They do not hear quite as well as cats but their olfactory senses are phenomenal. A bloodhound is recorded as having detected a drowned person, under 300ft of water in a disused quarry. It was taken in a rowboat up and down the man-made lake and detected the spot when they passed over the body. They sniff out drugs, explosives and even banknotes if in large quantities. If you are on holiday without your dog, put a card next to you skin - inside your clothing - for a while, seal it in an envelope and send it to your canine who will recognise who the card is from. There are guidedogs for the blind, hearing dogs for the deaf, and now there are dogs being trained to detect epileptic fits in their owners 20 minutes before they occur thus being able to give warning and allow the sufferer to find a safe place. No scientific apparatus is able to do this. It has been reported that some dogs are able to know when their owners are leaving work for the day and about to start for home, often over considerable distances. On cue, they give signs of pleasure and head for a window or door to await the arrival. Tests are being conducted. On this point, when I lived with my parents, my sister and her husband had a mongrel called Scruff who was left in our care when sis and hubby went on holiday. On the day of their return, maybe 3 weeks later, Scruff would sit in a bay window for several hours seemingly knowing they were coming for him. Moreover, the house could be approached from two directions - and he knew which way to face. Having said that, I do not like their smell and much prefer cats. Len

Hello I'm Cracker - a black and white cat. My owners particularly like the white 'brackets' I have - one on each side of my mouth - and my HUGE white feet. I like to sit on mum's lap while she's on the computer, too, but her lap's not really big enough for me, so she has to open a drawer on the desk so I hve somewhere to rest my front paws and my head. (I particularly like nudging her arm suddenly when she's typing) I've lived here for a year now, after my previous owner died. I lived on the streets for about a year, until I found someone with a nice warm barn, who gave me food. I couldn't go into the house though, as his wife was allergic to cats. When he told the story to his brother, he came over to see me, said, "My god - he's a big bu**er!", put me on his lap in the car, and after about half an hour I arrived at my new home, where there were already 3 other female cats. Two young whippersnappers, Chocky and Monroe, and an old lady, Callie. My new owners thought I was so big that I might be responsible for all the Big Cat sitings round this way, and weighed me! They said I weighed just over a stone - but I'm NOT Fat - just big boned. They say I must have missed out on my kittenhood, as I love to play and tear around the house at top speed. I'm just very happy now, and I don't care even if they do say I sound like a herd of stampeding buffaloes! I know they love me really!

Hi Cracker and Tommy, Pan here, Welcome to the cat's writer's circle....Oh well, I guess I'd better not forget the dogs too-ugh!! Who would have thought such a lot of literary talent was hidden away in our furry little heads. Okay, so we're no Will Shakespeares, but you try typing with paws, you humans!! Tommy, was your first owner's name Saddam, by any chance?!! Sounds like he was a relative at the very least. Happy Christmas, and a nice snug, safe, warm home with lots of cuddles to all cats, and dogs too I suppose, everywhere. Love Pan and Kitty.xxxxx

Our dog, Mutley, is always getting stopped when he's out for walks and being told how gorgeous he is. It's definately gone to his head-he even poses when a camera comes out! He's had to have a bath today, so had a mad half hour and went off to sulk. He wishes all dogs and cats a very merry Christmas! (He's a cross between a Golden Retriever and an Irish Terrier, he asked me to add).

Jonah, female black cat (mis-named after a famous All Black rugby player) family tree unknown, born c1999, last known address, RSPCA, census details missing. would like to wish everypuss a very merry Christmas and hope you all get your fair share of Christmas dinner....oh yes and your daily quota of 50,000 tummy tickles (promises not to sink the teeth in...for at least the first few tickles)

Hello all my friends and admirers. Sorry I haven't been able to chat the last couple of days. Mum says our internet provider was unavailable!!!!! WHATEVER!!! I have been very busy, helped decorate the tree yesterday, helped Dad with the new floor he's installing. He was quite grouchy when I brought him pieces of wood. Mum & Dad had quite a discussion about moving the big china cabinet in the dining room. Dad thought they could move it without taking everything out. Mum was real adamant about that idea being a typical male idea, no way was that going to happen. Of course Mum was right and they spent ages taking china and glasses out and moving them into another cupboard. Must go now and see what needs organizing around here. Talk to you all soon. Dede. P.S. Clooney is already asleep and its only 9.30 am!!!

Hello my name is Kate and I'm 2. I live with my twin sister Molly and my mummy Kim. I ran into the side of a van last week and had to go to the vets and now have a big pink bandage on my paw as I broke a couple of bones. I'm very bored at the moment as I am not allowed to go and play in the muddy fields or help my human mum with the sheep. I like working with my human mum and always follow her about when she feeds the animals. In the summer we had some pigs and I liked to sit on the wall and watch them, but one day I fell in the sty and got rather smelly, mum was not best pleased and I had to be hosed down and shampooed. I also like playing ball and frizby with my mummy Kim and Molly. We also have to live with 4 cats - Misty, PC (short for pussy cat), Tigger and Thomas. Thomas has just been diagnosed as diabetic and has to have insulin twice a day. I hope Santa fills your stocking full of goodies. Mine is already hanging up and I'm wishing, wishing, wishing for a new squeaky toy. Lots of love and licks Kate.

Woof woof from Cinderella (dont laugh, it was going to be Barbie!), but Cindy for short, im a little Westie causing mayhem wherever i go.

Hi there gang, Pan checking in again. Are you guys allowed out after dark, the best time for mousing! We're not, cos there's racoons living next door in the bushes and our mum throws a fit if we don't get home before dark, because they can be vicious. One of them caught poor old Kitty the other night and sat on her and our human brother Steve had to come downstairs and rescue her. She couldn't open one eye for a few days, but she's okay now. Still light outside so I'm off, see what I can catch. The Osborne gang, Pan, Kitty, Fuzz, Iddles, and that darned dog, Rossi!!

Hello - my name is TOBY and I'm a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with attitude! My mum and dad think I'm a dog (how simple can humans be?). I am now 10 years old, and have lived with them for 8 years (having been returned to the kennels aged 2 as being "unwanted) Unwanted! - I ask you? that was when I decided that canine intelligence is far far greater than human intelligence, only surpassed (grudgingly) by feline intelligence. I bow to the superior knowledge and craftinesss of those soft fluffy things called (I think) cats, but only because they never ever seem to get their nails cut!! I am fluent in Spaniel (which sounds rather like Taiwanese to the uninitiated), have the looks of a film star, could do with losing a few pounds (just call me cuddly) and am a Blenheim and proud of it!!! My Kennel Club name is - and get this folks - Star Veld Cavalier Chief - and my canine mummy was a champion, so of course the looks are there, and you can't take away breeding.......... I have liquid brown eyes that would melt a heart of stone (and I know it!) and my two slaves and countless admirers tell me every day that I'm the "prettiest boy in Tollerton" - that's where I live, and let me tell you there is no other canine in the vicinity that can hold a candle to me!!! Oh, by the way, I am also very conceited - did you gather that? love from Toby-dog

I've seen the members board and how some humans hide behind the sofa. I guess you could say that I do that, too. My mum wrote about me a few days ago, but let me properly introduce myself. I am Jaws and when I am not sitting in the window watching the neighbourhood birds, I am walking about the house, seeing what I can get into. You know, it's not really my fault that I seem to get into mischief, there are just too many interesting sites in this house. Mum still talks about the time, all right, it happened twice, that I tried to climb the chimney. I was just checking out the neighbourhood and making sure there wasn't a stuck Santa or anything. The family hasn't trusted me since, and now every night before bedtime, I have to get locked on the bedroom side of the house, because they don't trust me. Honestly, I just got a LITTLE dirty and just a LITTLE stuck. It wasn't like they had to call the fire department, or anything. They also don't seem to appreciate when I start to nibble on that big green tree that sits in the living room in December. Last year they tried to outsmart me by purchasing one of those artificial trees, but know what I've found out? They can get a little kitty even more sick than the real trees! Mum REALLY gets mad when I try to nibble on that fake tree. Yup, you guessed it, I'm shut on the bedroom side of the house during the day now, when no one is about. Hope that tree goes away soon. Oh yeah. I mentioned hiding behind the sofa. Well, I'm thinking of joining some sort of self-help group to find out why I have to do this, but when someone, anyone, knocks on the door -- bam! I'm so outta there! My family knows when someone is coming up the walk, as I RUN to hide under the bed. Well, why do you think they call us scaredy-cats? Duh. I've enjoyed reading about you guys -- so much that sometimes I sit right in front of the monitor, staring at the screen. Geez, mum gets mad when I block her view. I live in California where we have a diverse population, so keeping that in mind, I won't wish all you kitties and dogs a Merry Christmas cause I wouldn't want to leave anyone out -- so have a happy holiday. Love, Jaws. PS Any of you guys have a chimney you need checked? Hey, Spike and Buffy -- isn't it fun to walk on the keyboard? Chuckle, chuckle, I get such a kick out of doing that!

hello again its annie here.ive just got back from the vets.ive got something nasty up my bottom.steph the vet (hes a lovely man)says ive got to go to a specialist because its a bit risky. looks like im gonna be pampered for a while..yeeessss!!!! see you alll soon annie

Hi Annie, Pan THE cat here. I'm sorry that you're not well, but you'll enjoy all the fuss and cuddles that you'll get. I know cos 2 years ago I had my jaw broken, when "something" grabbed my head. I crept away and hid all day and when it got dark mum and dad kept calling and calling, and I felt so dreadful I decided I'd better go home. They didn't know what was wrong and said I had to go to the vet in the morning. The vet said my jaw was broken and I had about 6 little holes round my head where "something" had grabbed me and they were infected, so I had to be shaved there and have medicine. And I had to have my jaw wired for a month and eat broth, but I didn't feel much like eating anyway. And I got really skinny. But they sure did pamper me, and I loved it once I felt a bit better. They kept trying different kinds of food, and they cuddled me all the time and said what a lovely fellow I was and I was worth the $500 for the vet. So you enjoy it too Annie. Look as sad as you can, and whimper a bit occasionally, it gets you more cuddles and kisses. One day I'll tell you about my other operation, when I was little. That's 2 lives gone, seven left! Pan.

HI ANNIE. Its Dede, I hope you are feeling better soon. Its almost Xmas you need to be well for the holiday season. I have been so busy the past couple of days hardly time to read the messages. Mums been baking, have to help never know she may drop something. I sure love the smell of chocolate, Mum says its poison for dogs, so we never get to have any. She did make us an extra pancake each for breakfast, it had blueberries in it, I forced it down any way, no syrup or butter though. Its quite a nice sunny day today, so we are going to go for a wander round in the woods. I love the smells. Have a nice day all you critters in cyberspace. Talk soon. Dede and Clooney

hi everyone its annie here again,just giving you an update thankyou so much for your messages mummys read them out to me. mummys had a phone call today from the soft skin specialist in milton keynes.ive got to go and see them on tuesday. in january i had to have my tail removed because the bone at the top of it was in grown and it had punctured my bowel(ouch!!)i had a long operation.being a british bulldog i didnt have much of a tail anyway but now i havent got one at all!! my vet steph(hes a hunk)had a look at me on tuesday and decided it was something to do with my last problem so im going to see caroline,shes nice as well grampys going to take me with mummy as daddy cant get the day off work and mummy doesnt drive i'll keep you informed of my progressed love annie

Hello all you doggy friends. Rowan the (ever so beautiful!!) golden Cocker Spaniel here. Am I the only one that regularly gets run over by the wheels on my mums computer chair when she suddenly moves??! I can tell you it hurts and I tell her every single time and she says I'm a daft dog for always sitting under her feet. She just doesn't seem to realise that I have to. I mean if I didn't I might miss every move she makes to the loo, the kitchen and possibly even the park, so I have to keep a close eye on her at all times. It's not normally a problem unless that pain of a child of hers wants her attention too! Then I really do have to move as I think he thinks I'm just a rug or something! There are three children altogether but only one who walks over me and tries to get her off nice quiet GC and onto the Thomas the Tank Engine website instead! What a god awful noise that is! I don't think mum likes it much either though as we normally seem to go to the park not long after that as he starts crying when she turns it off so we all go to the park to calm him down. RESULT!! I had a girl friend called Honey (and believe me she really is a honey!) but she's recently fallen in love with a new, demanding admirer - a tennis ball. So now I all I can do is chase after her when she chases the ball and she doesn't want to play with me anymore (sob sob!) So any young beautiful bitches out there who are looking for a handsome fella (even if I do say so myself!!) just let me know! I'm only 17 months old and full of energy for the right lady (if you know what I mean!!) WOOF! See ya! PS from his Mum, I can't believe I just wrote that! Do you see what this site is doing to us? It's turning us all into complete nutters! (if we weren't already!) Aye, it's good to laugh! Eleanorxx

Hi Friends. Its Dede, guess what I was sick this morning, threw up all over the rug. Mum said I had gulped my breakfast down to fast, she said I wasn't having anymore until later today, blamed Dad giving us shortbread last night. What's a dog to do when your offered shortbread. Mum was on the rampage this morning, she always get's like this around holiday times, cleaning the house and moaning about dog hair everywhere, she says that she feels she brushes and vacumns extra dogs up from behind the doors. How could 2 dogs loose so much hair. Yada Yada Yada!!! I am going to the lake this afternoon for a walk, get to smell all the moose and deer tracks, Emmh!! Think I will behave quite well and come back right away when I am called, don't want to be in any more trouble. Only a couple of days left before the peace and quiet is over for a week. Grandkids arrive, no peace then for ages. Better get of the computer as its time for more cleaning. Bye for now. Dede

hi dede its bella here,annies sister. i love it when mummy gets the hoover out.i have great fun chasing it...lol mummy had to get mr.dyson out to repair it(well he repaired it when hed stopped laughing)i kept biting it as mummy was hoovering my hairs up and one of the wheels came off..lol she wasnt happy with me!! i now bite the front of it and ive bitten the front bumper off!!! ooops in the dog house again.at least mr dyson gives me a cuddle when he comes,why else do you think i do it!! mummy keeps threatening to get rid of me but i know she wont because im irresistable!!! bye dede love bella

hello girls and boys its bella here again(annies sister) annie is in milton keynes at the moment having an operation on her bottom.she has got a growth which hopefully is just a polyp,but the vet wants to investigate and test it ,incase its anything nasty mummy and daddy are very sad right now and mummy keeps crying.i keep jumping on her lap for a cuddle.i hate it when mummy is sad.annie might be home tomorrow.it depends how she is. i'll let you know how she is later love bella

Hi Bella, Pan the cat here. I don't usually like dogs too much, but I've been to the vets and had 2 operations myself, so I just want to say, on behalf of Kitty, Fuzz, Iddles and Rossi the dog that we all hope your pal Annie gets better soon. And tell your Mum that we are all feeling so sad for her today and we are all saying a prayer in our house for Annie, that she will feel good again soon and be chasing around with you again. Love from the Osborne menagerie, (my mum spelled that word for me), Pan.xxx