#Cat Urine Problems

[oh-look-car-horns]

Wondering what boop count your 3 letter word corresponds to? I gotchu:

Using a python script I wrote, I booped myself 50,000 times, saving an image of my boop-o-meter every 500 boops. Before we get into the results, there are two important limitations to this study that I should mention:

Firstly, because I only recorded the boop-o-meter every 500 boops, if a message appeared for less than 500 boops it may not have been caught.

Secondly, every now and then my computer would lose a boop or two when a click wouldn't register. This is seen in the 500 and 1000 boop images below, which in reality read 498 and 994 respectively. Because of this, boop values are slightly lower than they appear.

With that out of the way, lets dig in.

0-999:

From boops 0-999, the boop-o-meter displays your boop count, and changes color as you boop

Boop count: 0 Boop count: 500 Boop count: 1000

Boop fact: the colors do not change after 1000

LOL:

Between boops 1000 and 1500, the boop-o-meter changed to display 'LOL'. This likely took place at 1000 boops, but maybe it said 'MAX' or sumn for awhile at first? Idk this is already the misinformation website so not my problem.

Boop count: 1500 (actually more like 1490 ish)

More results below the cut

OMG:

Between 1500 and 2000, the boop-o-meter changed to display 'OMG'. Again, this probably happened at 1500 but who knows. Maybe staff made it 1523 for the bit or something.

Boop count: ~2000

WOW:

The boop-o-meter remained at omg until the 3500 boop readpoint, when it switched to 'WOW', meaning this transition happens somewhere between ~2980 and ~3480.

Boop count: ~3500

Boop fact: 'WOW' is the second longest reigning message

*-*:

Between 5000 and 5500 the boop-o-meter switched to '*-*'. You get the idea at this point so I'll speed it up.

Boop count: ~5500

WHY:

The boop-o-meter changed to 'WHY' between 6000 and 6500 boops. For science. That's why.

Boop count: ~6500

PLZ:

Next was 'PLZ', switching between 7000 and 7500.

Boop count: ~7500

AAA:

I'm not sure what bloody urine has to do with anything, but for some reason staff felt is was important to display, switching between 7500 and 8000.

Boop count: ~8000

;_;:

Huh the colon makes that one look weird. 8000-8500.

Boop count: ~8500

Boop fact: That fucking cat haunts me in my dreams

0_0:

I realized after I set my pyautogui script running that my computer wouldn't turn off its screen because of the clicking, so there was a strobing blue light in my room all night. This encapsulated my expression while trying to sleep (8500-9000).

Boop count: ~9000

MAX:

After 9000 it displayed 'MAX'. This was cap. (9000-9500 switch).

Boop count: OVER 9000 (9500)

<33:

I miss my wife. 9500-10,000.

Boop count ~10,000

TUM BLR:

THE HOLY GRAIL. The boop-o-meter switched to displaying 'TUM BLR' between 10,000 and 10,500 boops. Because my actual boop count was slightly behind my theoretical, I'd guess that this change happened at 10,000 boops.

Boop count: ~10,500 (likely switched at 10,000)

Summary:

When charted the boop curve looks as follows:

Boop curve: 0 - 10,000 boops

My script continued to run until 53,000 boops, but no further changes were observed. Again, there were quite possibly more messages at lower boop values, but my ass is not checking. Maybe I should have scaled my sampling accordingly, but it is what it is. Thank you for joining me on this journey, and if you have any corrections or more information, please add it to this post.

Boop fact: Terfs DNI

[talkbycolor]

john doe game headcanons . . . ↷

A/N; i'm actually really sensitive about john doe JHSAJHSAJAS

Pairing; "John Doe" x GN!Reader

CW; Just doe being the weirdo we love / PISSPISSPISS / implied cannibalism? not so much tho / ew stinky gay / sex with a hairball

john doe as a partner.

His love for you is pure, but the lack of understanding in humans makes it complicated, he doesn't know how to express it in a "correct" way.

He has little interest in humans but all his interest in You, do you want to learn to play an instrument? Doe too, he would learn to use a phone to call you although it would be useless since in the end he would follow you to work, he can't stand having you away for even a second!

He tried to eat you (unfortunately not in a sexual way), he wanted to bite, pull your teeth, and tear them out of your cheeks to eat them, you had to use a lot of patience to explain to him that this was painful and you could die

He likes your fluids, your sweat smells so good, it tastes great, your tears, he knows that tears mean something is wrong but he can't help but want to lick them, at least he's like a puppy in that way and that will make you laugh, Doe wants to help! your urine, he will drink it all without a problem, if you are both having a loving session in bed and you want to go to the bathroom, forget it, he will open your legs and help empty your bladder, he loved being your personal toilet, your blood is the sweetest of his paradise, be careful with accidental cuts or his mouth will stick like a leech to your wound

Ideas for romantic activities will probably come from television, be careful what he watches

At this point, Doe lives by and for you, he will adapt to your lifestyle and tastes, although he cannot understand most of them, the idea of "breaking up" does not exist in his head, you can walk away, even stop talking to him and he will continue behind you

But he has feelings, why don't you talk to him anymore? Did he do something wrong? He no longer leaves rats in the kitchen, he no longer tries to make You dinners with raw meat, is that the way he looks? Tell him your standards! Doe will change everything for you, even reality

He can definitely purr, he's more like an old, ugly, stray cat that will rest on your lap, but he's YOUR, old, ugly, stray cat.

He doesn't know how to give compliments, it's more like observations or comments about how you make him feel "You're wearing a big hat!" "A red dress!", "I'm so happy to see you!" but it's adorable that he reminds you that you are his whole life…somehow

It's like having a child at home, in the strangest way possible, he will try to make horrible crafts for you and help with housework without much success.

If you demand sex, Doe would probably do his best to make a nice cock, just for you, or a pussy depending on what you like, he will be submissive but if you ask him to take control he will try

And that will probably be the messiest and hardest sex you've ever had in your life, Doe always adores you like it's your last day on earth so in a sexual sphere it would be ten times worse

If you put on a movie at night, he will fall asleep halfway through, no exceptions, the sound of the television and your smell will be enough

Doe would definitely kill for you, he doesn't understand jokes so please don't say "Ugh I hate that guy, I hope he's dead" because yes, the guy will be dead.

In case You doesn't like the smelly boy, Doe will try to take showers regularly, at least to not smell like something out of the sewer, the pain doesn't matter if it's about you

Loves physical contact and quality time

Surprisingly, Doe has a driver's license, he would be your personal chauffeur, you may think it's an adorable gesture but he just wants to be sure where you are at every hour of the day… and help, of course.

Aside from adoring you, Doe actually has his own tastes and hobbies, he HAS feelings! He has tried knitting since the technology is very confusing, he really is like an old man

He tries to have a good relationship with your friends and family, if you have a big family he will probably feel overwhelmed but that doesn't mean he will stop trying to show that he loves you and wants to be with you.

Your younger nephews love it, they think of Doe as a weird-looking uncle who lets them play with his hair

Doe shirt always has hearts when he looks at You.

���

[projectcaramel]

Obey Me! Random Headcanon #10

Lucifer Edition

He is more prone to acting like a super-villain on a power trip every time he listens to classical music. It doesn't have to be a cursed record, although this does make it more obvious.

He likes all animals, though dogs are his favorite. That said, Cerberus belongs to a separate class of his own.

He has a problem deciding what shade of black to wear in the morning and will ask for a second opinion from Asmo, who is the only one other person in his family who can distinguish #000000 from #121212. (Hexadecimal color in case you're confused.)

Lucifer once got into a tickling match with Diavolo (they were drunk), and Diavolo badly lost. Only Barbatos actually remembers this incident, and he still chuckles about it.

Although the variety of apple he enjoys gives him severe migraines and breathing problems in excess, he will stress-eat them when they are in the house.

He thinks it's cute when his brothers get mad at him for reasons that are trivial to him, e.g. Mammon yelling at him for working himself to death.

He is incredibly sensitive to particular smells, such as cat urine (Satan's fault), demonus (Diavolo's fault), and MC's body wash (His fault, for reasons he refuses to disclose).

-- Caramel: Happy birthday, Lucifer! --

[l3irdl3rain]

Hi there! I just want you to know that your posts have always been endlessly inspiring to me through the years! A question, I'm also interested in providing hospice care to senior cats however I live in a carpeted house, do you have any recommendations on how to deal with potential accidents that may occur? Eg: cat pee stink

You’re not going to like my answer, but I pulled up all my carpets. If this is something you really want to do I recommend getting some sort of good carpet cleaner and accept the fact that you may not get all of your security deposit back.

There’s bound to be more accidents with senior cats. Even when they are litter box trained. Chloe used to hang her butt over the edge of the box. Also many chronic illnesses can cause more frequent vomiting.

That being said, Arthur is a special case. Out of the 19 cats I’ve owned I think I only had 2 that had actual, chronic behavioral urination problems. (Not counting Valentine). Everyone else pretty much tried their best, even if they weren’t perfect

[bardic-inspirjaytion]

Why do you call your cat piss king? Is he really good at it or something?

hi anon!

we're gonna learn a bit about cat urinary systems and issues! it may be a bit TMI for the scope of the question but, given how few cat guardians know about this, I'm always looking for chances to educate since being informed can literally save a cat's life.

the main takeaway: if you notice that your cat cannot pee, HEAD TO THE EMERGENCY VET NOW, DO NOT PASS GO! full stop.

if they cannot pee, that is one of the few true emergencies in a healthy cat, and you NEED to treat it as such.

usually you'll see a blocked cat straining and vocalizing in the box, licking themselves, whining and highly reactive to being touched on the lower belly, and - of course - you won't see any proper urine in the box. there may be dribbles or blood, but no pee. this is a problem that escalates really fast, and can easily be lethal. do NOT fuck around with it.

what qualifies me to talk about this? it's exactly what happened to pekoe (peek for short) about three years ago.

proper Storytime and more detail below the cut.

see, the thing with cats is that their bladders are tiny and their kidneys are, uh, bad! so if they can't pee, not only is it incredibly painful, but the liquid and toxins building up in their system can do a LOT of organ damage in a VERY short amount of time. this can get very bad, very fast, and it is very easy for them to die from it if the issue can't be fixed easily and promptly.

usually, the vet will be able to get a catheter into the blocked cat to relieve the pressure, flush out their bladder if there's a physical blockage (ex, if they've made bladder crystals/stones, we gotta get those out of there!), and give them medication to prevent spasms and infection as they heal. a cat then needs to go on urinary-friendly food to prevent additional blockages for the rest of their lives, and some other lifestyle adjustments should be made to treat any underlying risk factors that the animal might have.

sometimes, however, that doesn't resolve the issue, and they block again. and if you're extra unlucky, they'll block AGAIN after that. and maybe again, for extra spice. if you're extra extra unlucky, this will all happen in the same week.

this is the situation that peek and i found ourselves in.

picture the urinary system of a cat as a funnel, with the external bits being the tip of the funnel. when you ultimately need to make a funnel bigger because it can't drain anymore, what do you do?

you remove the tip.

this is an operation called a perineal urethrostomy, or a PU for short. it's a last resort salvage procedure that essentially removes the external genitalia of a male cat to widen the exit of the urinary tract and prevent future blockages. it's a difficult and delicate operation with a very long recovery time. it was also the only option left to save peek's life.

real talk before this next bit: i will never judge pet guardians for impossible decisions made in good faith based on qualified medical advice, in the interest of trying to do what's best for their pets. flat up, i don't stand for that shit.

okay? cool, let's keep going.

a PU is definitely not a surgery that has any guarantees, it can be very painful, it needs a very skilled vet to do it, and it's both expensive and difficult to see an animal through it safely. it was also the one option we had left to save peek, who was very very VERY sick at that point. the vet told me that she was also willing to do euthanasia, if the PU was not right for us, with zero judgment - the little guy had been through a lot of pain and several surgeries already, and doing this operation would be asking a lot more from an animal that was already very weak, with no guarantees of success.

he was briefly stable so i took him home to think about it and sat with him overnight. hours in the darkened living room, with my fluffy best friend sleeping fitfully in my arms like a sick baby. in the morning when he woke up he gave me a little lick on the face, and then a headbutt with a weak but undeniably hungry little meow. he hadn't had an appetite in a week, but now he wanted breakfast. in that moment, i knew he was letting me know that he wasn't finished fighting yet, so i knew the right decision for me was to keep fighting for him.

i called the vet, and we went ahead with the surgery.

i'll spare you the rest of the grisly details - the procedure was a success, and i was lucky enough to be able to work remotely and nurse him through the recovery. it was long and difficult and stressful. it sucked! it was crazy making. i would break down weeping with relief every single time i saw a dirty litter box for WEEKS. if you're reading this and going through it yourself, please feel free to reach out to me any time, okay?

but we persevered. i took care of him, and he rallied like a goddamn king. and hey. anon. guess what?

that was almost three years ago. his life went fully back to normal after he healed. you wouldn't know that this had happened if you didn't already know, because that fluffy little king still pisses like a champion race horse.

so, that's the story of how pekoe became

THE PISS KING.

[pseudowho]

Hi Mrs Haitch! First let me say that I adore your stories and the way you write the men in your fics. Not only are they hot and enjoyable to read but also they feel real and adult. I don't want to bash on anyone by saying this, but sometimes it's difficult to enjoy fics written by younger people when you're pushing 30 because they portray a different reality. Please, never stop writing!

Before getting into the next part of the ask I'd like to say that this is in no way a demand and I it's not my intention to trauma dump on you. I just felt like talking a little about my experience could provide a bit of context.

I just read the ask about the soft spot and, although I'm not a virgin, I'm a serial victim of bad sex. I would love technical (even if explicit) descriptions on how to find the famed spot. I think is really cool when women in the medical field talk about sexual health, and it could be good having this kind of knowledge on a famous fic blog like yours, since I imagine a lot of fic readers are either virgins or had less than ideal sexual experiences, like me.

I don't want to seem like I'm pressuring you though! I totally understand if you prefer to keep this kind of thing out of your blog. It's just that a while ago I read on another blog from a healthcare professional a post about how sex shouldn't hurt even in the first time and I was blown away (this happened years after I started having sex and after having deemed myself "defective" and doomed to painful sex to the rest of my life)

Sorry for the long ask. Sending lots of hapiness your way <3

Well, if it helps even one person, it is absolutely my pleasure to do so.

I'm sorry for your bad sex. Nothing excuses it, frankly, and I'm a firm believer that most people are profoundly shit at giving vagina-owners orgasms.

(you calling my blog 'famous' does not go unnoticed and I could blush. Shhhh.)

I think age comes with so much beauty. I am a staunch believer in the unifying power of people, and when groups of women support the ducklings of the group, the ducklings are far less likely to be led down the garden path, on what is 'normal' or 'abnormal' or 'good' or 'bad' in sex.

This is why men and the media fear strongly-bonded groups of women so much-- it's almost like we'll talk and start to take note of the real problems. Cats amongst pigeons, right?

Anyway...

Cw and tw: medical discussion, discussion of self-examination

So again, while the location of the g-spot varies in exact location from vagina-owner to vagina-owner, on average it is located 2-3 inches into the vagina, on the anterior vaginal wall.

What I mean by anterior vaginal wall is, if standing and facing forwards, it's the wall of your vagina closest to the front of you, rather than your back.

Picture posted again, for reference!

The g-spot is of variable size, usually the size of a large coin, and it may feel a bit rougher or ridged than other parts of your vagina, but becomes spongier or thicker and plusher when aroused or stimulated.

If you were to get two fingers on your dominant hand, reach inside the vagina up to the base of your fingers, and hook forwards, you should find it.

I suggest for the first time, finding it when you need to pee. This is because, the g-spot sits against the urethral canal (the tube you pee out of), and if you have a full bladder, you'll know you've found the g-spot because it will feel really sensitive and likely increase your urge to pee.

If you happen to orgasm with g-spot and clitoral stimulation while you have urine in your bladder, your chances of "squirting" (which, if you see my previous post, is almost certainly just pee) are much higher. It's a unique experience and you should try it. Put a towel down.

I find a good sized wand vibrator, inserted and positioned just-so, will give great continuous g-spot stimulation while you, or someone else, goes to town elsewhere.

Start combining all of the erogenous zones and it's party time.

As said previously, sensitivity is very variable. Exploring and knowing yourself is key to showing a partner how to pleasure you.

If you have sex with a partner who responds with anything other than "teach me" absolute enthusiasm, when you want to show them what works for you...if they 'try' for a short time, then give up? If they carry on doing their own thing anyway? If they're impatient?

Kick them to the curb. They can go fuck themselves.

Very much love as always,

-- Haitch xxx

[felinefractious]

do you know if theres any harmless tailless genes that can be present in american feral cat colonies? theres a big problem with feral cats where i live and recently a kitten (maybe 6-8 months) has appeared near my property but she has no tail at all, not even a little bob. im extremely worried that the manx gene might be present in the feral colony, even though she's the only one ive seen with no tail. she's too young for it to have been an accident or an amputation, i think, and it looks completely natural. she's super skittish so unfortunately i dont have any pictures

To the best of my knowledge there are 2 types of bobtail genes that have been documented.

The “asian bobtail” is caused by a HES7 mutation. This results in a short, kinked but not absent tail and isn’t associated with any health issues. This gene is responsible for Japanese Bobtails and likely the cause for other Eastern bobtail breeds such as the Kurilian and Mekong.

The “natural bobtail” is caused by a T-Box mutation. The expression of this gene is highly variable and not predictable, ranging from a decreased tail length to an entirely absent tail. This gene is responsible for the Manx and has also been documented in other Western bobtail breed such as the American Bobtail and Pixiebob.

The “manx gene” appears to be somewhat present in American feral populations, as evidenced by the presence of “manx syndrome” in affected moggies.

Bunni has a “stumpy” tail and is afflicted with manx syndrome effecting her gait and resulting in urinary incontinence, needing her bladder expressed manually throughout the day.

Cora has a “stumpy” tail and is effected by manx syndrome resulting in a degree of fecal incontinence which is managed reasonably well on a prescription diet.

Will doesn’t have a listed tail-length but is somewhere on the manx spectrum and has both urine and fecal incontinence due to manx syndrome.

Linguine has a “stumpy” or “longy” tail, based on the one image where it’s visible, and due to manx syndrome experiences urinary incontinence when she’s asleep.

Bob had a “rumpy riser” tail and is fully incontinent due to manx syndrome but wears a diaper without a problem.

Rumpie is a “rumpy” with no tail who has a gait effected by manx syndrome and a degree of incontinence.

Cece is a “rumpy” with no tail and has issues with constipation and doesn’t always make it to the litterbox as a result of manx syndrome.

Bunny, Monkey, Billy Cat and Olaf are all tailless “rumpy” cats with degree of incontinence. Bunny is also lame in a hind leg.

Research has indicated that tailless cats experience a significantly increased rate of manx syndrome - although it can effect any tail length where the gene is present, as seen by some of these adoptable cats.

So that does put your feral at a statistical disadvantage but it isn’t a guarantee she’ll have any clinical symptoms of manx syndrome. That’s part of what makes this gene so insidious, we know rumpy cats are most likely to be impacted but beyond that it’s anyones guess which cats will display symptoms and how severe.

I think these random-bred moggies being mislabeled as manx or manx mixes is the one time I’m not bothered by breed misrepresentation, as the issues the experience are the same as the real deal and it raises awareness of manx syndrome.

More information on manx syndrome for those interested:

Genetic Welfare Problems of Companion Animals: Manx Syndrome

Manx Syndrome in Cats

Manx Syndrome and Spinal Bifida

[natalie13390]

Imagine this.

A and B are in the woods looking for A's cat that recently ran away. A is looking around on one side and B on the other, B loves cats and decided to help but didn't take into consideration how long they would be out there.

After about an hour and a half of looking, B was finally sitting on a rock to help their bladder for a while, A notices this and walks over; asking B what's wrong. B has a very shy bladder so they just tell A they have slight stomach ache, standing back up to continue looking around.

After a while, B's bladder was starting to ache slightly as of then, they were holding it for six hours now. He wandered a bit further away from A and tried to duck behind a bush to go but as they thought, nothing; they couldn't. B stood back up and that's when they see a cat behind them, B picks the cat up and rushes to A; relief on their mind as that means they can get home and B can use the bathroom.

A smiles as they see the cat and hugs B; unaware of the problem B was having.

A, B and the cat all start making their way down the trail to the house, B was dragging behind; now having to grab themselves slightly.

After another hour of walking, A started to hear a small hissing sound and turned around, seeing B uncontrollably wetting themselves, the sound of the urine hitting the concrete was only making B's face more red. A looks at B sympathetically and walks over to him, taking his hand and the cat licks B as well.

A asks B why they didn't tell them they had to use the bathroom sooner and B's only reply was 'I'm sorry'. A hugs B and both of them start walking back to the house again.

(This is my first Prompt and I hope you liked it, please give me suggestions if you have any!)

[fel0ny-01]

Veterinarian! Ghost and Animal Rescuer! Soap (I am projecting)

At Soap’s rescue, he gets a shit tonne of animals with lots of chronic and undiagnosed health issues, so naturally he takes them to the vet to get them checked out, diagnostics, the lot.

He’s in the waiting room with one of the cats, Anubis, who is struggling to pee, and they need to find out why. Could it be Cystitis? Could it be bladder stones? Either way, this cat needs bloods and scans doing before John can even think about putting him up for adoption.

A few minutes goes by and he’s putting his finger through the bars so Anubis can rub his head against it, and suddenly a deep, gruff mancunian voice startles him out of his thoughts.

“Anubis?”

John looks up. This is the most attractive man he’s ever seen. The vet gives him a soft smile as John stands up with the carrier, before taking him through to the first clinical room.

“My name is Dr Simon Riley, and you are?”

“A’hm John.”

“Pleasure to meet you John, and of course this must be Anubis.”

“Damn richt, he’s bin causing me sae many issues lately, it's a guid job ah love him.”

This caused Simon to laugh, as John caught another look and studied the man’s face. Not too many scars, but enough that it looks sexy.

“So what’s the problem with him?”

“He’s bin struggling tae urinate. I’ve managed tae hulp him dae it manually bit a'm wanting' tae make sure we kin treat it properly so he kin git adopted.”

“Ah I see, so because he’s been able to urinate manually we can rule out Bladder stones, but we would probably need to do some scans and maybe an a ultrasound to study the shape of the bladder.”

John nods dumbly whilst looking into the eyes of this hot vet. He’s definitely taking it all in for Anubis’ sake, but God he needs to get this vet assigned to his case immediately.

After the consultation where they booked an ultrasound in for next week, John shifts to the front desk.

“Cuid ah have Dr Riley assigned tae mah cat’s case? A'm feelin' like it wid be easier if we hud th' identical vet juist so that Anubis gets familiar 'n' so that information doesn’t git muddled.”

“Of course, sir.”

[ask-a-vetblr]

is it effective to use Furosemide for post-spay seroma in dogs or cats?

GV here.

No. Furosemide is a powerful diuretic designed to reduce overall total blood volume and/or induce urine production in urgent or emergent scenarios such as congestive heart failure, certain types of shock including anaphylactic, certain severe edemas, and oliguric or anuric kidney failure. It's never the *only* thing you do, either. In each of those scenarios you would be throwing a book of treatments at the animal. Also, furosemide runs the risk of being quite damaging to the kidneys even when used properly and is not designed to be used to stop normal, non-life-threatening inflammatory processes. Just getting rid of the fluid in a post-spay/post-surgical seroma is not going to get rid of any specific discomfort and definitely not a life-threatening problem, nor will it address the underlying issue (typically a combination of the body's reaction to the suture + excessive movement +/- infection).

[heavenlybackside]

Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and they still smelled pretty good by June. Since they were starting to smell, however, brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women, and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it … hence the saying, “Don’t throw the baby out with the Bath water!”

Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof, resulting in the idiom, “It’s raining cats and dogs.”

There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed, therefore, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That’s how canopy beds came into existence.

The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt, leading folks to coin the phrase “dirt poor.”

The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entrance-way, subsequently creating a “thresh hold.”

In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire.. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while, and thus the rhyme, “Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old.”

Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could, “bring home the bacon.” They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and “chew the fat.”

Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.

Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or the “upper crust.”

Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial.. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up, creating the custom of holding a wake.

They used to use urine to tan animal skins, so families used to all pee in a pot & then once a day it was taken & sold to the tannery. If you had to do this to survive you were “piss poor.”

But worse than that were the really poor folk who couldn’t even afford to buy a pot; they “didn’t have a pot to piss in” & were the lowest of the low.

The next time you are washing your hands & complain because the water temperature isn’t just how you like it, think about how things used to be. Here are some facts about the 1500s.

England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive, so they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift.) to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be, saved by the bell or was considered a dead ringer.

And that’s the truth. Now, whoever said History was boring?

[froody]

I wasn't on Tumblr much for a bit, what happened with Daphne? Just not a good fit? Scrolled back but couldn't find anything and tag search is, predictably, useless

She had behavioral issues from the beginning. I spent 4 months working with her and made a little progress but nothing substantial. Finally, she developed a territorial pissing problem where she would urinate where guests had sat. It was ruining the furniture. That was kind of the final straw but I had been struggling and cried over her several times before that. She just wasn’t happy as an indoor cat around people.

[phantoms-lair]

49

Marvel + Ranma 1/2

Steve and Bucky hit the ground hard. But then again it's hard to judge landing when you're thrown through a random portal in space time. Now to look for context clues to figure out where and when they were. A forest was pretty nondescript in both regards.

Steve felt himself grew tense as he saw a sign reminding hikers not to litter. A sign in Japanese. Steve had no problem with the Japan of the 'modern' times(part of him still thought of it as the future). But he vividly remembered a time when Japan and America were lock in a bloody kill-on-sight war and there was no guarantee that wasn't the time period he had landed in. The best thing to do was just like when you were lost in a forest normally. Stay where you are and wait for rescue.

"Dad, please no! I don't want to go into the pit again!"

Steve and Bucky shared a look. They'd both become fluent in Japanese during the war and neither one were going to just sit back and ignore that.

They headed towards the sound of the cry, pushing themselves faster as it became a bloodcurdling scream. They broke into a clearing in the woods to see a fat middle aged man cracking open a beer. In front of him was a wooden cover over a pit, doing nothing to muffle the yowling of cats and the screaming of a child.

Steve ran to the pit while Bucky covered the man. He raised the lid and almost gagged from the combined smell of rot, urine, cat feces, and blood. Without thinking he jumped in and scooped up the small boy while the cats tried ineffectively to claw through his uniform.

"I've got you," he whispered in Japanese even as he heard the sharp retort of a gunshot. He climbed out of the pit and saw the fat man on the ground with a single gunshot wound to his head.

Bucky was giving him a challenging look, like he expected Steve to yell at him. But after seeing what this man had done to his own son, holding the bloody and injured boy who was looking ahead with blank unseeing eyes...all Steve did was give him a nod.

The sky broke above where they had initially landed. "Looks like our ride homes here." Bucky commented, but there was a question in his eyes. What do we do with the kid?

But there wasn't really a question was it? He needed medical attention and there was no telling how far they were from civilization. If they left him here, he'd probably die. "You get to explain this to the others." was all Bucky said as he took off towards the opening portal.

Steve rolled hiss eyes and followed. This kid was going to need a crapton of physical and mental therapy. And adults who were in it for the long haul.

Good thing Steve was the worst at giving up

[l3irdl3rain]

Arasha

Species: DSH Cat

Birthdate: 2012

Adopted: May 31, 2024

Arasha’s Tag: here

Arasha belonged to a client at the clinic I work at. Unfortunately she was getting bullied very bad by the other cats in the home. Her owner tried to work with them but it never improved. Arasha started urinating outside of the litter box because she was so stressed out Eventually Arasha ended up having to live in the guest bedroom to keep her from getting bullied and to keep the owner's furniture from getting peed on.

The client asked if we knew anybody who would take in an older cat with the potential of behavioral urination problems. I, being the fool I am, jumped at the chance.

Arasha actually ended up fitting into my house very well. She does sometimes get a little bossy with the other cats (which is probably why she had issues with her old housemates), but all my cats ignore her when she gets like that so nothing escalates.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Grain of Salt "Facts"

I don't know if these are true or not but they come from a source I tend to trust. Still, take 'em with a grain of salt and please excuse the word used for urination. The fact just doesn't make sense without it.

People used to use urine to tan animal skins, so families used to all pee in a pot & then once a day it was taken and sold to the tannery…….if you had to do this to survive you were "P*ss Poor". But worse than that were the really poor folk who couldn't even afford to buy a pot……they "didn't have a pot to p*ss in" & were the lowest of the low.

The next time you are washing your hands and complain because the water temperature isn't just how you like it, think about how things used to be. Here are some facts about the old days…

Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and they still smelled pretty good by June. However, since they were starting to smell … brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it … hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water!"

Houses had thatched roofs with thick straw piled high, with no solid roof. The cats and other small animals including mice, bugs lived in the roof to get warm. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes they would slip and fall off the roof … hence the saying "It's raining cats and dogs."

There was also nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and droppings could mess up their nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how our luxurious “canopy beds” came into existence.

The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying, "Dirt poor." The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entrance-way. Hence: a “thresh hold”.

In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire … every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and didn't get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme: “Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old.”

Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could, "bring home the bacon." They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and “chew the fat.”

Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered “poisonous”.

Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or the “upper crust”.

Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial.. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a “wake”.

England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive … so they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the “graveyard shift”) to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be, “saved by the bell” or was considered a “dead ringer”.

[beakers-and-telescopes]

These "smart sutures" are inspired by "catgut sutures", a type of naturally dissolving stitches first used by the ancient Romans (don't worry, they don't actually have anything to do with cats! Instead, they use collagen found in the intestines of cows or pigs- the stuff that helps to make your tissue strong and elastic). They are still sometimes used today, but they look a little different from the catgut sutures used in ancient times.

Once the catgut "string" is harvested from the intestines, they are purified by soaking in different solvents to remove all of the cells (which could react negatively with your body), leaving behind only the stretchy fibers of collagen and other molecules that are swimming around with your cells. Once this material is stretched, twisted, and dried, it is even stronger than a comparable weight of steel wire!

So what makes these sutures "smart" is their coating. This coating is made of a hydrogel (like these):

The hydrogel can be safely used to attach different molecules to the sutures, which can do a number of different cool things.

One application that was tested involved mixing the hydrogel with special nanoparticles that release a compound if they detect inflammation near the stitches. The compound can be detected with a simple urine test, and could be a great way to quickly catch problems with internal sutures.

The second tested application involved drug delivery. The hydrogel could carry and then slowly release a number of different drugs into the body, including antibiotics, anti-inflammation medication, or even chemotherapy drugs. The researchers have even started to test out if these hydrogel sutures could be used to deliver stem cells into the body (and so far it looks promising!)

So far, these sutures have only been tested in the gastrointestinal tract, but the researchers are now scaling up and trying to test out a wider range of applications, which could lead to some very exciting results.