vlys ~ your username doesn't look familiar but that's the beauty of cyberspace....any name anywhere....glad your here!

Sally ~ glad to see you!

Let me give this a shot....OTH = Over The Hill - I'm ducking ( Sally maybe good at throwing things) in case I'm wrong

Thanks.

Good guess.

I'm Doydie, been a member on old BT for more years than I can remember. Was dx in '97 and became member shortly after!!!!!! I'm 56, married 34 years (to the same man!) two daughters ages 25 and 29. One daughter has a 5 year old and one on the way. The other daughter is finally deciding that she will follow her dream of becoming a vet. She is also buying her first house. Her husband comes home from Iraq next month. I am a retired RN. Oh, i miss my kitty cat!!!!! She is at the vet, I had her 'fixed' and declawed this morning.

My next animal has got to be a kitten, Doydie, because I don't think I could house train another Pooch. I'm a dog person, basically, but I've had Cats too, and love them all.

Congrats on the long happy marriage. We were married for 35 yrs, until DH passed in 2004.

Nice to meet you Doydie, sounds like you have a real nice family.

Sally I'm with you - my first choice has always been a dog, mine is 13 years old, but I just don't know if I could handle house training at this point. We have a cat that is 7 years old and has the nic-name of trouble. I'm finding cats are so much less care/work than dogs.

Congratulations to both of you on your long marriages - Sally I'm very sorry about your husband...I can't even imagine.

I am 45, married for 25 years, two kids - 14 & 16. No grandkids thank goodness dx'd in 1986 but I can take symptoms back to my early teens and maybe farther.

Well my husband was always a dog person and me the cat person. We had a dog for about 15 years and finally had to put him to sleep. So we are finally healed long enough I wanted to get another pet. Plus I am lonely. So of course my first choice was a cat. Finally my husband said OK, but it would be mine only. Well, you know what they say. You own a dog but a cat owns you. Well this kitten owns my husband. And he enjoys every minute of it!!!!!!Adora knows when his car is coming in the driveway, she jumps off my lap and can't wait to get on his. She has him wrapped around her cute little paws. If I knew how to put her picture beside my name like you all have, I would.

Doydie,

I'm looking at getting a cat.

Why did you declaw yours?

Just wondering about whether that's something to think about or not.

Hope your cat is resting well and will be back home soon!

Wannabe,

I also have a cat that is declawed.

Some believe in declawing and others think it's the worst thing you can do. I have family members who do not believe in declawing...nope, I wasn't on their most favorite person list

We had our cat declawed because simply, I didn't want my lace drapes and furniture torn apart by her nails and cats have a natural instinct to scratch - she still scratches, we refer to it as sharpening her imaginary nail.

Be sure your cat is content being indoors if not do not declaw.

Our cat is 7 years old and is content being in doors. We have an RV and take her with us...she has never tried to get out the door.

Thanks snoopy. good info.

I had her declawed because of her scratching in her playing with me. She loves to jump back and forth between love seat and couch and doesn't really care how she lands. I have holes in my shirts that correspond with big scratches on my belly. They don't heal easily and my dermatologist says they are potential places of psoriasis. She has let us know that she NEVER wants to go outside. She is petrified of the open door.