Do NOT try this at home ...

[AmberLee]

In reference to several posts lately about cats and Christmas tinsel, I got to thinking about a favorite movie of mine but which has a couple scenes that pet lovers really shouldn't try at home.

In "While you were sleeping" the heroine played by Sandra Bullock, Lucy, is removing decorations from her tree and she drapes tinsel across Mel, her cat. As many have noted in other messages, this is a no-no. It can lead to severe health problems for the cat.

Same movie, they are trying to show what a wonderful, salt-of-the-earth type Lucy is. Due to limited amounts of milk in the house she pours it all in Mel's bowl, then dips her Oreo in it. Mel may or may not be allergic to milk, but there's a very high probability that the chocolate in the Oreo is no good for him.

Hollywood frequently uses fur-babies to either get the audience involved or as animate props. Can you think of any examples of some the things Hollywood implies/states about animals that really shouldn't be 'done at home'?

[wolflady]

Interesting topic!! Yeah, I agree about that Christmas Tinsel. After the tinsel-butt phenomenon last year...I doubt that we'll put some on this year...or if we do it will be up high!
Anyway, now that I think about it, I have noticed Hollywood put things in about fur babies that wouldn't be good for them. I see dogs drinking beer a lot in TV shows and movies. Uncle Buck...dog drinking beer and toilet water. Cats chewing on wires...National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation...but they did show that chewing on wires wasn't good for them! I think it's quite common that you see people giving their pet cats milk in movies and TV shows...which isn't so accurate because milk is actually not good for full grown cats! What other things have ya'll noticed??

[4 feline house]

National Lampoon really upset me. Even admitting that I'm more sensitive because I am such an extreme cat lover, I still thought that was in extremely poor taste, even for a movie endorsed by National Lampoon.

[wolflady]

4 feline, yeah...I thought so too.

[Cougie Wechsler]

I loved Mr. Jinx in Meet the Parents but I didn't like the scene of him eating the pills and then going nuts and destroying the wedding dress and the house. And also of them feeding him bacon since I heard that fried bacon is not good for cats. Mr. Jinx was a gorgeous Himalayan.

[ November 01, 2001: Message edited by: Cougie Wechsler ]

[wolflady]

Cougie, Mr. Jinx was absolutely an gorgeous cat!!

[Cougie Wechsler]

Wolflady, LOL, I now find myelf singing that little song that Robert Di Nero's character sang to Mr. Jinx to my guys....i.e. Cougie cat, Cougie Cat, where are you?? I love you!!!! lol, lol...

and another quote came out of the movie that I loved...when Robert Di Nero told Ben Stiller "cats make you work for their affection" lol

[AmberLee]

Wow! I hadn't heard about bacon being bad for cats -- don't often give it, but do use it is a special treat occasionally. Going to have to re-think that one! Thanks for the head's up.

[AmberLee]

Drivel alert!!! Just reminiscing about something that happened while watching a video with my cats. And HAD to share it with somebody ...

Was re-watching "A Chorus Line" some time ago with my Cassy and Sassy in the room. The scene where the Michael Douglas character is angry with/ deriding his ex-girlfriend, Cassie, on her dancing was VERY intense. "Cassie, STOP IT"; "Cassie, DO IT AGAIN" ... whatever. My Cassy got very aggitated and needed to hide in my arms from the angry voice. He'd look at me like, "Mommy, I'm being good, why is that voice angry at me?". It was one of the few times I was SURE he knows his name is Cassy. Any way, at that time when I was done watching a video I'd put it in the bookcase which was very near my trash can. Shortly thereafter I watched Cassy nudge "A Chorus Line" out of the bookcase and into the can. I keep telling myself it's co-incidence, but maybe Cassy is smarter than I've given him credit for!

[4 feline house]

Oh,Amberlee, that wasn't drivel. It was touching.

[wayne0214]

What does Hollywood present that isn't an exaggeration of reality?

........wayne

[BigCharles]

I have a confession.

During the "I'll go everwhere BUT the litterbox" era with Fifi, I got so mad at her. Then she would be so cute. She would come up on the couch next ot me while I was eating a chocolate ice cream bar and hook my wrist with her paw. I was down to the last bits on the stick. I said, "Here, be happy."

I knew that chocolate was supposed to be as bad for cats as Asprin. We were mad enough to be considering putting her down at that point. She servived several days of getting about half a teaspoon of chocolate ice milk per day.

We took it as a sign and kept the cat.

Now I say, "Cindy, when you go by the fridge please bring me a cone ... and a spoon for Fifi."