Thank Zeus, we had no Hersheys where I grew up. Maybe my cat was a mutant, the first of its kind who can eat chocolate no problem. Unfortunately, she left no descendants, so there is no hope for adaptation.
As far as I remember my parents only took her to a vet once when she got a bad cold. She was never sick. She spent her first ten years indoors and after we emigrated she spent additional nine years of her life at my grandparents’ house. She never received any vaccines, nevertheless, she lived a long (and happy, I assume and hope) life. I’ll never forget the moment I went to drop her off at my grandparents’ house, knowing I wouldn’t probably see her ever again. Luckily, after communism had collapsed and I got a chance to go back I saw her for the last time the year before she died. She didn’t recognize me; or maybe she did and never forgave me for abandoning her. Her name was Lucia, she was white with beautiful blue eyes. I’ll stop now—not sure what got into me…
Never heard about that before,the cat I had would eat almost anything,grass,leaves,bugs,paper but he never touched chocolate or anything sweet,in fact he seemed disgusted by them! He lived for almost 20 years though;his half brother only made it a few years,if I remember correctly he did like chocolate
Interesting, George. Quite a few years ago, a white, female, short haired stray cat we used to feed got pregnant and when the two kittens got old enough, she dropped them off with us and disappeared. The neighbors stole the black male, but we were able to keep the long haired white, blue eyed female. She had a pleasant, easy going personality and never got annoyed except when I had to give her a bath. She lived a long healthy life but never had the opportunity to get chocolate, although she did enjoy eating, lizards, mice, crickets etc. She got pregnant before we got around to having her sterilized, and she had four kittens, one while long haired male with one blue and one yellow eye. He was completely deaf. I learned that blue eyed white males are just about always deaf and about 50% of the females are. Lucia was lucky not to be so.
Interesting, George. Quite a few years ago, a white, female, short haired stray cat we used to feed got pregnant and when the two kittens got old enough, she dropped them off with us and disappeared. The neighbors stole the black male, but we were able to keep the long haired white, blue eyed female. She had a pleasant, easy going personality and never got annoyed except when I had to give her a bath. She lived a long healthy life but never had the opportunity to get chocolate, although she did enjoy eating, lizards, mice, crickets etc. She got pregnant before we got around to having her sterilized, and she had four kittens, one while long haired male with one blue and one yellow eye. He was completely deaf. I learned that blue eyed white males are just about always deaf and about 50% of the females are. Lucia was lucky not to be so.
Occam
Depends on the breed. If they are Siamese, even males can be hearing.
I’ve been following the studies on how effective placebos can be. Last time I saw my G.P. I said, “I’m officially giving you permission to give me placebos and not tell me”. She replied, “I would never do that”. I was really annoyed at her for a few days until I realized she had given me the perfect answer. I feel better already.
That’s interesting, Occam. I actually don’t know if my cat was deaf. I guess I would have noticed, but then, even cats who can hear sometimes pretend that they don’t.
That’s interesting, Occam. I actually don’t know if my cat was deaf. I guess I would have noticed, but then, even cats who can hear sometimes pretend that they don’t.
My 1/2 siamese, mostly white with Siamese markings has two blue eyes and she is not deaf. My hemi he’s not deaf either.
Chocolate is indeed toxic to dogs and cats, though the caffeine and theobromine levels are quite low in milk chocolate, so it’s the dark and baking chocolate that really cause problems. Cats almost never seem to have a problem because they don’t care enough about sweets to eat much of it. The usual cases I see are young labradors who eat entire boxes of See’s candy of bricks of baking chocolate and then come in having seizures. Like most toxins, it’ all in the dose.
Asanta,
What prompted you to ressurect this thread? Just wondering since I last posted about my two dogs at 11 and 13yrs old. My older one died about a year later of, yup, cancer. My other is now 14 1/2 and creaky but still healthy. Tempus fugit, eh?
What prompted you to ressurect this thread? Just wondering since I last posted about my two dogs at 11 and 13yrs old. My older one died about a year later of, yup, cancer. My other is now 14 1/2 and creaky but still healthy. Tempus fugit, eh?
LOL! I clicked on it because it had a new post (I think it was a spammer), then I read the ones behind it, not realizing it was an oooold thread. Must. Check. Dates!! On top of that, I just had a conversation with my friend about alt meds for dogs, which also reminded me of your fights about that. This is my first run in with anyone promoting alt meds for animals. Very frustrating!! I see what you have to deal with now
What prompted you to ressurect this thread? Just wondering since I last posted about my two dogs at 11 and 13yrs old. My older one died about a year later of, yup, cancer. My other is now 14 1/2 and creaky but still healthy. Tempus fugit, eh?
LOL! I clicked on it because it had a new post (I think it was a spammer), then I read the ones behind it, not realizing it was an oooold thread. Must. Check. Dates!! On top of that, I just had a conversation with my friend about alt meds for dogs, which also reminded me of your fights about that. This is my first run in with anyone promoting alt meds for animals. Very frustrating!! I see what you have to deal with now
I think what is bad or worse are people who want to turn their dogs and cats into vegetarians/vegans, because they are and think all creatures should be. While I’m a vegetarian, cats and dogs systems are not cut out for a diet of vegetables, fruits, grains, and nuts. While they might nibble on grass and/or lettuce (my cats do), their diets cannot be without meat. In fact, they have to have mostly meat, unlike humans, in order to be healthy. While a vet could explain it far better than I can, one cannot turn a cat or dog into a vegetarian or vegan and expect them to be healthy. If they want a vegetarian pet, then they need to get a rabbit, gerbil, or guinea pig. That’s all there is to it. Humans can be vegetarian or vegans without forcing their pets to be one.
Asanta, your mention of alternate medicine for pets reminds me that three days ago I found myself behind an SUV with an advertisement covering the rear window. The driver was apparently a chiropractor for horses and dogs. weird.
Asanta, your mention of alternate medicine for pets reminds me that three days ago I found myself behind an SUV with an advertisement covering the rear window. The driver was apparently a chiropractor for horses and dogs. weird.
Occam
For horses that’s kind of silly. I’ve read that humans aren’t strong enough to actually adjust anything on a horse. Maybe the horse likes being petted though.
Maybe my cat was a mutant, the first of its kind who can eat chocolate no problem. 
Unfortunately, she left no descendants, so there is no hope for adaptation. 
