he wasn't fat, just very big and long! Would stretch out like that in any key household pathway...so he could keep an eye on us or our travels to the 'kitchen'... Step on a cat who's 4foot long head to toe stretched out [not including tail] in the dark and you have one BIG cat wrapped around your leg...not a happy one either! Learning to do the 'cat shuffle'...sort of a scuffle in slippers, so as not to step on an recumbant beasts...actually helped me get mobile after my onset. It's hard to trip on stuff if you are working hard not to step on creatures! Sometimes pet training pays off? - j

The leg twining thing...well, that is definitely NOT FUN! Nor, is it an adventure!

Brian - Jay Leno is the guy with that really prominent JAW. Don't know how else to put it..

The cat that jumped in the tub with my daughter weighted 38 lbs.
My daughter wanted a cat i thought of everything i could,(love cats)
but just wasn't in the mood. 2 days later she found him in the paper.
So off she went with dad,i couldn't believe that cat he was 3 months
old and huge. He had braces,ran out and was hit by a car,he had been
rasied with dogs. Every night he would climb under the blankets,both would
have there head on the pillow and she would read to him. When she fell
asleep he would groom her hair,she would wake up with very wet hair
and screaming,he played fetch with those fuzzy balls. I would throw it
down the hall and back he would come and lay it on the floor until the next
time. Your right laughter is better than meds. Sue

Wow, i thought ours was a big cat, its a kitten compared to yours, 4 feet long & a 18 pounder and Sue's 38 pounder now thats big.
I wouldn't like to accidentally step on either cat, they sound something like those mountain cats and Yeah, i think that is the guy i am thinking about, he's a comedian, we don't get his show, only Letterman's, well in my part of OZ we only get him.
Its amazing some of the antic's that some of animals get up to, i haven't seen a cat groom anyone's hair though , but it wouldn't surprise me if i did.

I have a cat question. We are going out of town for 3 weeks. Do you think my cat would be happiest at home with someone coming over 2xweek to change food and water, or in a kennel? I thought he would be better at home where he was familiar, but now I am worrying he might get just too lonely.

The kennel would be my last choice, i am no expert but i would think that home sweet home would be the cats choice out of the two.

Cats that big would definately rule the house! (and I'd hate to try to give them meds or trim their toe nails!) Yikes!

Brian, I'm watching Leno right now, went to bed early cause have to get up early to have medical tests - but hard to ignore my beast licking me frantically in the face cause he wanted company going to the kitchen (yes, theres food in the bowl - just didnt want to go alone) - geez... but anyway, Lenos a comedian on same time as Letterman, he really likes having creatures on the show, and is fearless of of them - I saw him get bitten by a scared taratula (I had a tarantuala - they have very big teeth and can hurt) - he barely flinched - just said "hey, it bite me" - but didnt even try to shake it off.... aside from being funny he wins the comedian wars at this hour cause he seems to really love animals... too bad you cant see him down under!

Dakota, if you are home all the time with your cat or at least at great deal of the time - I think I'd try to have someone come by more freuqently... I think animals are happier at home - but they do know when you are gone (I used to work very long days and combined with classes, social life etc. would often be gone from 7am to 11PM every week day)... and had two cats that played with each other.... yet when I was out of town or in the hospital and didnt have someone checking on them every day - they got very upset, lets just say lots of hairballs.... etc... leaving on music, video, etc... can help alleviate their lonliness - and make sure they are items around like a sweater or blanket that you used or wore recently so they recognize your scent.. also, if leaving him alone for more then a day I'd worry too about food and water - I'd have a couple bowls of each out in case one gets knocked over (obviously very important with the water)....

Just some cat thoughts....

Children live all over US now. My oldest have 2 sweet 5 year cats
They are called Stan and Peaches. They are so close my son and
his wife have pictures of them hugging each other. I have 4 grandcats
and 2 granddoggies and 1 grandson, Ha. They leave music for the
cats when they travel,also have friend check in on them. The dogs aren't
so lucky,they go to kennel,unless the ones in MN. can talk the other
grandparents to watch him. All of the above answers are great ideas.
I think it's so funny about the cat,who doesn't want to go in kitchen
alone. Sue Oh my Grandson travels with Mom and Dad,he's 3 weeks
old now..

Brian, I'm watching Leno right now, went to bed early cause have to get up early to have medical tests - but hard to ignore my beast licking me frantically in the face cause he wanted company going to the kitchen (yes, theres food in the bowl - just didnt want to go alone) - geez... but anyway, Lenos a comedian on same time as Letterman, he really likes having creatures on the show, and is fearless of of them - I saw him get bitten by a scared taratula (I had a tarantuala - they have very big teeth and can hurt) - he barely flinched - just said "hey, it bite me" - but didnt even try to shake it off.... aside from being funny he wins the comedian wars at this hour cause he seems to really love animals... too bad you cant see him down under!

Yep, i am sure he was the one that had the late Steve Erwin [crocodile man] on his show, they did a show in OZ in his honor after the accident, showing places all over the world he had been to.
It is a pity we don't get to watch him too, it sounds like a good show.

Thank you Brian and Kmeb, I wouldn't have thought about leaving the radio or tv on. Great idea. I guess I'll just beef up my visitors. I checked around and we don't have any of those fancy kennels around here like my sister has in the D.C. area. There is one that has a big screened room that they let the cats out in during the day to play and watch tv. Ha.

If you are traveling, it is important to keep a timer on some of your lamps. Otherwise your animals will be in total darkness for extended periods of time.

We did this when we went to Mayo. It also helps anyone who is coming in to feed them. We left a radio on in the bedroom and a tv on in the den area. I also threw my husband's tshirt on his chair and my robe on my lounge area. All this helps with their loneliness and security.

Billye