# My Pets' Routines



## katlupe (May 13, 2020)

One thing my pets over the years have taught me is that they get set in their routines. Fast. If you start feeding them at a certain time or sit in a chair every morning having your coffee, they will expect you to do it every day. Where I lived before I moved here, I had 4 cats but two stayed outdoors as much as they could. I would make them come in before it got dark because we were right in the middle of the state forest. We had coyotes and especially owls there at night. Every evening I would go out to the deck or porch and they would be there waiting for me to come get them.

I wasn't sure when I got my pet rabbit how that would work. I did not know a thing about having one as a house pet. Well he is very routine! Every morning when I go back into the kitchen to get my 2nd cup coffee, he comes running to sit outside the kitchen (he will not go in it). To wait for his banana treat. If I forget it, he will show me the floor in front of him is empty by putting his nose to it and then looking up at me. My horses used to do the same thing when they wanted more hay!

If I stay up on my computer longer than 9:00 PM, he will sit by the area going into what I call my bedroom (studio apartments don't have separate rooms but I made one here) waiting for me to go to bed. Then he wants me to give him some oats. Once I am laying down in bed, he will sit on the floor next to my bed wanting me to rub his nose and do some petting. He would sit there for an hour if I kept petting him. A few minutes is all I can manage or it hurts my shoulder. Then I watch YouTube or Prime Video on my television till I get ready to go to sleep. He then gets on his cushion and seems to enjoy the sound of the television. I know he loves music or for me to read out loud to him. (He really does!)

When you get a pet it is important to set the routine _you want _or they will train you to do it their way. One favorable thing about being retired for me is that by not having to go to a job, I spend all my time with Rabbit. He knows I am going to be here to take care of him. Probably when I go somewhere and am gone all day, he is thinking, "thank God, I can get some alone time!"


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## katlupe (May 14, 2020)

Cats can be the worse. Their routines are set in stone. I have always been a cat person. I don't have any now. Not sure I won't get another one when Rabbit dies. He is 6 and rabbits don't have a long life. Though I met a guy on FB who had one live to be 19 years old. He spent a lot of money on vet bills and I will not be doing that.


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## katlupe (Jul 14, 2020)

Rabbit is a little off today. When his routine is not normal, I can tell. So no oats, no fruit, no more greens for today. Just hay. I see he is back in his cage and that means he will nibble on some hay while he is in there. I gave him some water with a syringe and he didn't like that so well. His cage is always open so he can come and go as he pleases. Here he is in the cage where his litter box is, his water and his hay. He will lay in there for hours.


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## Devi (Jul 14, 2020)

Possibly repeating it incorrectly:
"The routine of Bob is not the routine of Poirot."
~ Hercule Poirot

Bob was a dog.

I'm kind of joking, here, but it's fun stuff.


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## JaniceM (Jul 14, 2020)

katlupe said:


> Cats can be the worse. Their routines are set in stone. I have always been a cat person. I don't have any now. Not sure I won't get another one when Rabbit dies. He is 6 and rabbits don't have a long life. Though I met a guy on FB who had one live to be 19 years old. He spent a lot of money on vet bills and I will not be doing that.


I had a cat in the past for almost 15 years.. he never developed any health problems except he lost one or two teeth.  

Kitty has a couple of routines:
Whenever I leave apartment, she's waiting when I return.. not because she misses me, but to see if I brought her anything.  If I went to the store, she puts her face and front paws in the bags, poking around to see if there's something for her.  

Whenever her food bowl is empty, she approaches me and starts poking me.  Doesn't matter if I'm working or sleeping!
One day I wasn't here when she emptied the bowl, so she chewed through the bag of cat food and helped herself to it.  Since then, I've made a point of keeping cat food and treat bags in closed containers.


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## applecruncher (Jul 14, 2020)

katlupe said:


> Cats can be the worse. Their routines are set in stone.



So true! Cats don't like changes of any kind, even a new placemat under her food & water bowls makes my cat suspicious.


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## JaniceM (Jul 14, 2020)

applecruncher said:


> So true! Cats don't like changes of any kind, even a new placemat under her food & water bowls makes my cat suspicious.


I've noticed that, too.. even moving furniture around they start to act squirrely.


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## Ferocious (Jul 14, 2020)

*My last dog saw me have a pee in the garden, he then only cocked his leg up and pissed over my favourite azalea, he then went behind the azalea and did a crap, and just to make it worse, he crapped in front of the azalea...........the plus side was that that azalea flowered better than all the others put together.  *


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## JaniceM (Jul 14, 2020)

Ferocious said:


> *My last dog saw me have a pee in the garden, he then only cocked his leg up and pissed over my favourite azalea, he then went behind the azalea and did a crap, and just to make it worse, he crapped in front of the azalea...........the plus side was that that azalea flowered better than all the others put together. *


I'm tempted to ask why did you do that.. but maybe it's better left unsaid..


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## Aneeda72 (Jul 14, 2020)

JaniceM said:


> I'm tempted to ask why did you do that.. but maybe it's better left unsaid..


Maybe the toilet wasn’t working


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## Aneeda72 (Jul 14, 2020)

My dog is going to board and train next week and if he whines about it one more time, I’m going to make him stay longer!

I dislike cats.  Can’t understand why they like me so much, but when I am around them they will not leave me alone.  I have wondered, several times, if I smell like catnip to them.


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## Ferocious (Jul 14, 2020)

JaniceM said:


> I'm tempted to ask why did you do that.. but maybe it's better left unsaid..


*Back then, I had a large garden, it was totally private, and I often had a pee on the compost heap............hmmm, nothing finer than having a pee in the fresh air. *


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## JaniceM (Jul 14, 2020)

Aneeda72 said:


> My dog is going to board and train next week and if he whines about it one more time, I’m going to make him stay longer!
> 
> I dislike cats.  Can’t understand why they like me so much, but when I am around them they will not leave me alone. I have wondered, several times, if I smell like catnip to them.


It's possible..  catnip does grow wild in some places.   You might be walking through it outdoors and not realize it.


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## SeaBreeze (Jul 14, 2020)

katlupe said:


> Rabbit is a little off today. When his routine is not normal, I can tell. So no oats, no fruit, no more greens for today. Just hay. I see he is back in his cage and that means he will nibble on some hay while he is in there. I gave him some water with a syringe and he didn't like that so well. His cage is always open so he can come and go as he pleases. Here he is in the cage where his litter box is, his water and his hay. He will lay in there for hours.
> 
> View attachment 113660


@katlupe , hope Rabbit is feeling better today.  Worrisome to hear he's a little off.


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## Aneeda72 (Jul 14, 2020)

JaniceM said:


> It's possible..  catnip does grow wild in some places.   You might be walking through it outdoors and not realize it.


I suppose but I doubt it.  Whenever I am around a cat, it constantly rubs up against my legs and will jump in my lap.  Dogs also love me, and kids as well.  I’ve never had a kid cry when I’ve picked it up, even those I just met.  When I fostered, social workers were amazed.

But ducks hate me.  I’ve been attacked by ducks, seriously.  I’ve beaten them off with a fishing pole.  They try to eat my toes, lol, cured me of wearing sandals to the park.


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## Kaila (Jul 14, 2020)

I love your OP, that began this thread, @katlupe  !

I will look forward to reading your other entries!

I also loved that photo of Rabbit, there with his banana treat, in your Post # 1 !


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## katlupe (Jul 15, 2020)

Aneeda72 said:


> My dog is going to board and train next week and if he whines about it one more time, I’m going to make him stay longer!
> 
> I dislike cats.  Can’t understand why they like me so much, but when I am around them they will not leave me alone.  I have wondered, several times, if I smell like catnip to them.


My cats always zeroed on the cat haters. It was as if they knew and decided to torment that person.


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## katlupe (Jul 15, 2020)

SeaBreeze said:


> @katlupe , hope Rabbit is feeling better today.  Worrisome to hear he's a little off.


He seems to be back to normal now. Very affection this morning. I usually read with my first cup of coffee and pet and brush him a bit at that time too. But today, he wants me to just pay attention to him.


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