The "what's On Your Mind?" Thread -2019

[kashmir64]

Kumal is up to 9 lbs 5 oz. Yay. I can still feel all his bones, but now there's some padding.
He also has PTSD and I am not getting much sleep. Every time I fall asleep, he comes running and shoves his face into mine. Checking to see if I'm breathing? I love him to death, but I need to sleep kitty, and I can't do that with your face in mine.
He also has issues being alone for any length of time.
Poor baby.
If I didn't know better I would think he's female. He walks around the house and sounds just like a mama cat looking for her kittens. So much so, I had to check to make sure he's male. I wonder why he does that.

 

[Margret]

Oh Lord, I'm SO angry and upset and freaked out.

Thank God there are good neighbors, and that the bad ones are gone! I can "hear" your anger from way over here, and agree with you!

I doubt it. And it would probably go off all over the place with the pipes under the ground, wouldn't it?

It depends on how old the local buildings are. When we bought our house we got my Uncle Wally to vet the house first, and I asked him about tree roots getting into the plumbing, the way they did in the house I grew up in (that my father had built in the mid-1950s). Uncle Wally said that that doesn't happen with more modern houses because they use PVC pipe for the plumbing lines. To quote Uncle Wally:

You know, people say "They don't build 'em like they used to," and they're right. They build 'em better now than we used to!

(Uncle Wally, like all the able-bodied men on my dad's side of the family, was also a builder. That's why we asked him to check out the house before we bought it. My dad was out of state.) To give you some kind of time reference, this neighborhood was built in 1980, less than 30 years after my dad built a neighborhood with metal plumbing.

Has anyone ever held their cat and rubbed their chin on them? Kinda like a momma cleaning a kitten? Felix seems to like this now...

Roger does that sometimes, but Roger has a beard. I'm not sure whether it's everybody with a furry face bonding or whether the cats like the scratchy feeling. Or both. Or something else.

No go with fixing the shade with online instructional videos I think the mechanism is broken. I contacted Levolor but they want a copy of the receipt and order number. I bought the shades about 9 years ago from Lowes as a custom order. I don't have the receipt anymore. I'll have to find a local window shade company to fix it.

It would be worth getting Levolor to do the work if it were still under warranty, but if it isn't it will probably be cheaper to get a local company to fix it.

I just applied for a job at a Morgantown hospital as a centralized scheduler. The chance that I'll even get an interview is extremely slim, but still . . . wish me luck

Luck!

* * * * * *​

Well, I lost an earring last night. Not one of my really expensive earrings, just a gold stud with a 5 mm cubic zirconia, but I still hate having to replace it. Even very small gold earrings cost more than I like to pay, though I found a pair on Amazon for about $25 that I may spring for.

Anyway, I got to thinking that there are some much cheaper earrings available that look just as good, but the posts are some base metal so probably the setting itself is just gold plate or some such - the biggest problem with these is that the posts turn your ears green, or black, or whatever. So I began wondering whether there's something you can paint on your jewelry to keep the metal from oxidizing, and did a Google search, which got quite a few hits. The one that seems most promising (though not the cheapest) is this: ProtectaClear - Coating Only : Everbrite Coatings - Metal Restoration Products, How to Restore Metal, Protect Metal and Keep Metal Looking Its Best. Has anyone ever tried this stuff? Does it work as advertised? If it does it could be very useful for our members who are allergic to jewelry.

Margret

 

[Mia6]

Kumal is up to 9 lbs 5 oz. Yay. I can still feel all his bones, but now there's some padding.
He also has PTSD and I am not getting much sleep. Every time I fall asleep, he comes running and shoves his face into mine. Checking to see if I'm breathing? I love him to death, but I need to sleep kitty, and I can't do that with your face in mine.
He also has issues being alone for any length of time.
Poor baby.
If I didn't know better I would think he's female. He walks around the house and sounds just like a mama cat looking for her kittens. So much so, I had to check to make sure he's male. I wonder why he does that.

what a sweetie. Sounds like he is really attached to you and is a mama's boy.
Wish we could see into a cat's mind.

 

[Alicia88]

Well, I lost an earring last night. Not one of my really expensive earrings, just a gold stud with a 5 mm cubic zirconia, but I still hate having to replace it. Even very small gold earrings cost more than I like to pay, though I found a pair on Amazon for about $25 that I may spring for.

Anyway, I got to thinking that there are some much cheaper earrings available that look just as good, but the posts are some base metal so probably the setting itself is just gold plate or some such - the biggest problem with these is that the posts turn your ears green, or black, or whatever. So I began wondering whether there's something you can paint on your jewelry to keep the metal from oxidizing, and did a Google search, which got quite a few hits. The one that seems most promising (though not the cheapest) is this: ProtectaClear - Coating Only : Everbrite Coatings - Metal Restoration Products, How to Restore Metal, Protect Metal and Keep Metal Looking Its Best. Has anyone ever tried this stuff? Does it work as advertised? If it does it could be very useful for our members who are allergic to jewelry.

Margret

I would be interested in trying this stuff. I can't wear anything but gold in my ears or I get an immediate reaction. And like you said, gold is expensive.

 

[kashmir64]

what a sweetie. Sounds like he is really attached to you and is a mama's boy.
Wish we could see into a cat's mind.

He's not a mama's boy. He's the one I got about a month and a half ago. His owner died and he was left alone in the house (with another cat) for some time and then was in the shelter for over a month. He was skin and bones. I think he actually has PTSD.

 

[Mia6]

He's not a mama's boy. He's the one I got about a month and a half ago. His owner died and he was left alone in the house (with another cat) for some time and then was in the shelter for over a month. He was skin and bones. I think he actually has PTSD.

It was very traumatic for him to be left alone like he was. He probably does have PTSD. Maybe he's looking for the other cat he lived with when he walks around the house sounding like a mama cat looking for her kittens?

 

[LTS3]

Does anyone know if a handyman can fix a cordless honeycomb shade? I called two local window treatment places and neither do repairs on the particular brand of shade I have. Other places will only do repairs if the shades were bought directly from them. The manufacturer requires a copy of the receipt or order number, neither of which I still have because the shades were a custom order done through Lowes 9 years ago. Lowes doesn't do repairs or assist with getting a repair done through another company.

I would rather not buy a whole new set of custom shades if I don't have to. I just need three but because of my window set up, it has to be a custom order.

 

[kashmir64]

Does anyone know if a handyman can fix a cordless honeycomb shade? I called two local window treatment places and neither do repairs on the particular brand of shade I have. Other places will only do repairs if the shades were bought directly from them. The manufacturer requires a copy of the receipt or order number, neither of which I still have because the shades were a custom order done through Lowes 9 years ago. Lowes doesn't do repairs or assist with getting a repair done through another company.

I would rather not buy a whole new set of custom shades if I don't have to. I just need three but because of my window set up, it has to be a custom order.

Does Lowe's have a bulletin board? There might be someone who knows how to do it. Maybe Lowe's knows of someone that can.

 

[kashmir64]

It was very traumatic for him to be left alone like he was. He probably does have PTSD. Maybe he's looking for the other cat he lived with when he walks around the house sounding like a mama cat looking for her kittens?

That's very possible.

 

[Margret]

Does Lowe's have a bulletin board? There might be someone who knows how to do it. Maybe Lowe's knows of someone that can.

Or a bulletin board at the grocery store, or ask at Home Depot, or check Angie's List.

Margret

 

[NY cat man]

I would be interested in trying this stuff. I can't wear anything but gold in my ears or I get an immediate reaction. And like you said, gold is expensive.

Tell me about it! Several years ago, I had to cut my wedding ring off because of the swelling from arthritis. I wanted to get it repaired and resized. It was a size 10 1/2 originally, but needed to be a 14 to fit properly. It cost me over $400 for the repair and resizing, but the ring only cost $120 when new.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I would be interested in trying this stuff. I can't wear anything but gold in my ears or I get an immediate reaction. And like you said, gold is expensive.

Could be worse...I'm allergic to gold. MOST people with gold allergies are actually allergic to copper, which is what give yellow gold its color, but I'm allergic to the actual gold. Yellow, pink, white...can't wear any of them. THAT becomes an issue when I have to have surgery, because gold is the go-to metal in many surgeries, simply because it is so hypoallerginic. I have to list "GOLD ALLERGY" very clearly on all paperwork. Luckily, I actually prefer silver to gold. Not platinum, actual silver.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

OH! I ALMOST FORGOT!!!

 

[Margret]

I would be interested in trying this stuff. I can't wear anything but gold in my ears or I get an immediate reaction. And like you said, gold is expensive.

I just checked the negative reviews on Amazon (always read negative reviews before buying), and I won't be getting it.
Amazon.com: Customer reviews: ProtectaClear 4 Oz. Clear, Protective Coating for Metal

Margret

 

[Margret]

Went back to the reviews of the Protectaclear coating. The link I gave was to page 2 of those reviews, but on page 1 a jewelry maker strongly recommended Rust-Oleum Clear Enamel. A Google search reveals that it's available only in a spray can (I'd prefer something that I can paint on with a brush, for small earrings and such, especially if there are gems involved that I don't want to coat, but it's probably possible to work around the problem). The review didn't say anything about it being hypoallergenic.

Rust-Oleum's website strongly recommends several light coats. They also provide a store finder, which produced an Ace Hardware stone in downtown Denver as the closest store (to my house) that carries this product. But I already know that buying at Ace Hardware is a good way to pay too much, so I proceeded to do a further Google search. It seems that Home Depot also carries Rust-Oleum Clear Enamel, at $4.27 per can, and one of the Home Depot's near me has several cans in stock. I also downloaded a YouTube video demonstrating how to use this - haven't watched it yet, but I plan to, in hopes that it will have something about spray painting small objects. I also plan to do a YouTube search on "how to spray paint very small objects" and see what turns up.

Here's the video I downloaded, which I was directed to by Rust-Oleum's website:

Margret

 

[Alicia88]

Yeah, I check negative reviews, too. And compare them to the positive reviews and take note of when the reviews were posted. If all the negative reviews are old and the positive are new, I assume the issues were fixed.

 

[Willowy]

I think you can spray the spray paint into a dish and then use a brush to put it on a small item. I wouldn't spray it unless you want the entire thing coated.

I'm always talking myself out of something based on the 1-star reviews. But on the other hand, I've sometimes just gritted my teeth and bought something without looking, or despite the bad reviews, and liked it just fine. So idk.

 

[Margret]

I'm always talking myself out of something based on the 1-star reviews. But on the other hand, I've sometimes just gritted my teeth and bought something without looking, or despite the bad reviews, and liked it just fine. So idk.

The only place where I don't check 1-star reviews is in the book reviews. There I immediately check the 3-star reviews. When all of those read like 5-star reviews you just know it's a good book, and when all of them read like 1-star reviews it's horrid. And when they genuinely read like 3-star reviews the better reviewers will tell you exactly what they did or didn't like about a book - sometimes something a reviewer absolutely hates is exactly what I'm looking for.

I think you can spray the spray paint into a dish and then use a brush to put it on a small item. I wouldn't spray it unless you want the entire thing coated.

I don't know. I'll certainly give it a try (though not in one of my good saucers), but this stuff is advertised as quick drying so I'll have to see. If it works, I should be able to simply dip the post into it, on condition I have a good place to let it dry without touching the enamel. Have to think about that - maybe a bit of window screen on top of a jar and I could (very cautiously) drop the earring post through one of the gaps in the screen.

Time for another Google search - I used to have some plastic window screen material (sold for makeshift screen repairs, but I used it on the top of Mason jars for sprouting seeds), but it's been a long time and I've no idea where I originally bought it. Home Depot sounds likely for this, as well.

Update: Home Depot has rolls of screen, but they all seem to be either fiber glass or metal, neither of which is what I want, and you have to buy them in large rolls. I may eventually get some plastic mesh screen from eBay, but I do not want to wait for shipping on this. I think I'll just go past JoAnn's and get some plastic "canvass" (that they sell for needlepoint). Cheap, and the holes are enough bigger that not touching the edges should be easier.

Margret

 

[Furballsmom]

He also has issues being alone for any length of time

This kitty has been through some incredibly difficult and challenging things

Can you try some music for him? There's an app called Relax My Cat, and there is MusicForCats . com or even low volume classical harp music.

Also, from mamanyt1953,
you can use chamomile tea as a calming agent. Brew a cup from commercial tea bags, chill it, and administer via syringe. Use up to 3 teaspoonfuls (or up to 3 tablespoonfuls for very large cats) per dose, up to 3 doses a day. I always recommend the commercial tea bags from the coffee/tea aisle of the grocery store because those are always German chamomile, which is safe for cats in those amounts. What grows in gardens is often English chamomile, which is toxic to cats. It's easy to confuse the two.

 

[Mia6]

I know people who use Valerian to calm their cats. Brit's cat was so fretful when they moved that the vet prescribed a collar for him to wear which calmed him.
It lasted for 30 days. A liquid Valerian is available if it is difficult to pill your cat.