The Cat FAQ/Megathread: buying a second, clean broom just to use on him

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Meow Cadet: May 2, 2007; friendship is magic
in a pony paradise
don't you judge me

YggiDee posted:

Hey there, Goons of PI. My family's tiny cat turned fifteen this year. She definitely isn't as active as she used to be, and is much more affectionate than she was when she was younger. She'll still chase after the occasional laser pointer, but it takes some effort to get her attention now.

She's always been a pretty healthy beast, but is there anything specific I should keep in mind about taking care of an old-rear end cat?

She mostly sleeps a lot nowadays

Like Eggplant Wizard says, monitor that weight. I take my skinny old cat into the vet every 3 months for a weight check (free of charge). I also really worry about arthritis. My vet says if I see my cat starting to second guess jumps up and down from windowsills, couches, etc., that there might be some joint pain that needs treated.

Nostalgia4Infinity posted:

When does the adolescent rear end in a top hat phase usually end? My cat is 6 months old and crazy.

There seems to be a marked improvement in assholeishness around a year old, but most cats don't fully mature until around 2ish.

# ? Oct 18, 2010 03:12

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# ? Jun 12, 2024 10:30

Planet X: Dec 10, 2003; GOOD MORNING

I went through the thread looking for an answer to this, but couldn't find it, so apologies if this is a repeat.

I'm relocating in a few weeks, flying, taking my cat with me. When I did that last time, the vet gave me a pill for her to take that was a sedative. Current vet says that's not really necessary.

Any advice as to get a sedative pill or not? Its a 3.5 hour flight. Cat is 9ish years old, healthy.

# ? Oct 18, 2010 03:21

Meow Cadet: May 2, 2007; friendship is magic
in a pony paradise
don't you judge me

Planet X posted:

I went through the thread looking for an answer to this, but couldn't find it, so apologies if this is a repeat.

I'm relocating in a few weeks, flying, taking my cat with me. When I did that last time, the vet gave me a pill for her to take that was a sedative. Current vet says that's not really necessary.

Any advice as to get a sedative pill or not? Its a 3.5 hour flight. Cat is 9ish years old, healthy.

Depends on the cat. Many cats will react badly to a sedative, and the woozyness they feel just stresses them out even more. It's not a very long flight, and I wouldn't bother with drugs personally, but if your cat did well on a sedative last time, and you know exactly what it was, you should be able to ask your vet for a prescription.

# ? Oct 18, 2010 03:43

Culinary Bears: Feb 1, 2007

I'm thinking about adopting a cat, but I have a few more questions since I don't know any cat owners that are the prime caretakers of their pets.

- Do cats generally make people less lonely? Or should they be viewed more as something to take care of for the sake of taking care of something; rather than something that, with some care, would fulfill a want for extra company?

- How important is the "get two" clause? I would like an adult or an old chill-out cat and right now I'm home almost all day, though I'll start classes in several months (which means being out for a couple to a few hours at a time). Would it be good to ask a shelter for a cat that does not like/care about other cats, or do those tend to be less friendly with humans too?

- The apartment isn't very well insulated, and the heating's very inefficient/expensive, so the only room that constantly has it on is the bathroom (for the pipes). Would a cat be alright if the temperature dips to 16C/60F during the night (usually a bit warmer but just want to be sure) as long as it can sleep by the bathroom heater?

- How much "cat-proofing" is generally needed for an older cat? There's a door under the bathroom sink with stuff like detergent and cleaning products there... Are there simple ways to make sure it doesn't get in there (e.g. double tape the door to the edge), or would I have to make sure that everything is always out of reach?

- Sometimes I have to plastic seal the windows in the wintertime, and it can get pretty stuffy. Would having a cat around make the air quality even worse, or can this be taken care of by things like brushing it every day and/or an air filter?

- How long does a pound of high quality dry food last for an average medium-sized cat? Just want a general frame, e.g. "a day/a few days/a week". What about wet food?

- Do cats need a bed? If yes, should I buy one, or would it not care if it's just something like a (cardboard?) box with towels/blankets/sweaters/etc.? If something like that is okay, does anyone have any particular suggestions on how to set that up?

- I don't have a whole lot of space here. Are there cat trees that don't take up much more than a square foot or two of horizontal space? Do I really, really need a cat tree, or can I set something else up to entertain it? Can I just make something simple but entertaining myself out of some wooden boards/posts/carpeting?

- How long do cats tolerate being left alone? If it's a cat that can free-feed, would it be alright if on some rare occasion nobody is home for one day? Two?

- How often should you brush a cat with short to medium hair? How often should you brush its teeth?

- How much would a cat shed even if regularly brushed? Let's say it's a short hair that's brushed every day (or however much is necessary for the most effect); would it still mean a lot of extra cleaning?

- What are the chances of the cat getting sick, vomiting, and/or peeing/pooping where it shouldn't, as long as it's properly taken care of? I know these aren't very predictable, but I just want to know if they're e.g. an inevitability that will happen a few times a year; or if a cat that's fed good food, brushed, and indoor-only can go a few years without problems.

- About how much of a budget should I have for stuff like food, supplies, and vet care? The initial stuff as well as yearly recurring costs.

- Do some cats like walks? Would it enrich its life as an indoor cat if I could get it to work with a harness/leash and take it out on occasion? Or would it not really make much difference and just serve to expose it to disease?

# ? Oct 18, 2010 19:10

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

Goddamn posted:

a million questions

Loneliness -- This probably really depends on the person. Personally I find it really depressing to come into my apartment alone at times my cats haven't been here because the whole place just seems dead and empty. That said, cats certainly don't replace my need for interaction with people.

Getting two -- I'd check out shelters and see if they have a 5+ year old cat, particularly one that needs to be an "only cat". These guys can absolutely be just as friendly to people, if not more so -- some of them simply don't want to share their person.

Temperature -- 60F is fine. Your cat will naturally gravitate toward warm spots, possibly including under the covers in your bed at night. Cats successfully live outdoor in places much, much colder.

Cat-proofing -- depends on the cat. A common problem is cats who like to chew strings or electrical cords, but this is more common in kittens. My cats are both capable of opening cabinets, but have never shown any interest in eating cleaning products; hair ties and strings are another story.

Food -- A pound of good-quality dry food probably lasts about a week for a average cat. For canned food, it depends on how much you feed it. Some people feed a combination and some people feed only one or the other. I feed only canned food and my cats each get one 5.5oz can per day. To give you a better idea, most average indoor cats (9-11 lbs) will eat about 200-250 kilocalories per day of a high-quality diet.

Beds -- Your whole apartment will become your cat's bed, and the more money you spend on a cat bed, the more likely your cat will never use it. Cats seriously love cardboard boxes, dirty laundry, and assorted garbage.

Oops I have to go but I bet someone else will answer the rest.

# ? Oct 18, 2010 19:41

Meow Cadet: May 2, 2007; friendship is magic
in a pony paradise
don't you judge me

Goddamn posted:

I'm thinking about adopting a cat, but I have a few more questions since I don't know any cat owners that are the prime caretakers of their pets.

- Do cats generally make people less lonely? Or should they be viewed more as something to take care of for the sake of taking care of something; rather than something that, with some care, would fulfill a want for extra company?

You get what you put in. If you spend time and pay attention to your cat(s) they will alleviate loneliness. If you treat them like furniture, they will politely ignore you. That being said, cats have personality, and if you get an older cat, you will know what type of personality the cat has (friendly, playful, spazzy, aloof, loner, etc.) If you know you can only handle 1 cat, that's fine. Plenty of love bug cats want to keep you all for themselves.

Goddamn posted:

- How important is the "get two" clause? I would like an adult or an old chill-out cat and right now I'm home almost all day, though I'll start classes in several months (which means being out for a couple to a few hours at a time). Would it be good to ask a shelter for a cat that does not like/care about other cats, or do those tend to be less friendly with humans too?

2 times the cats gives 10 times the enjoyment. But a single cat is OK. Especially if it is a loner cat that wants to be a single cat (many of these exist). But having a bonded pair is such a satisfaction, not only do you get two pets, you won't ever feel guilty leaving them alone for a while, since they enjoy each other.

Goddamn posted:

- The apartment isn't very well insulated, and the heating's very inefficient/expensive, so the only room that constantly has it on is the bathroom (for the pipes). Would a cat be alright if the temperature dips to 16C/60F during the night (usually a bit warmer but just want to be sure) as long as it can sleep by the bathroom heater?

Have blankets and cat beds available, and the cat will be fine. If you can tolerate the temperature, so can the kitty.

Goddamn posted:

- How much "cat-proofing" is generally needed for an older cat? There's a door under the bathroom sink with stuff like detergent and cleaning products there... Are there simple ways to make sure it doesn't get in there (e.g. double tape the door to the edge), or would I have to make sure that everything is always out of reach?

Depends on the cat. You can always put baby proof locks on cabinets, but I have never bothered. And my cats get into all the cabinets and drawers. I think with a little time, you will know of you have a cat that likes to eat everything no matter how harmful, or if you have a cat with a little common sense. It's always better to be safe than sorry, though.

Goddamn posted:

- Sometimes I have to plastic seal the windows in the wintertime, and it can get pretty stuffy. Would having a cat around make the air quality even worse, or can this be taken care of by things like brushing it every day and/or an air filter?

I don't know. I don't have any allergies. But having a cat will not make tha air any better. Brushing helps, but I'm not sure of the extent of your concerns.

Goddamn posted:

- How long does a pound of high quality dry food last for an average medium-sized cat? Just want a general frame, e.g. "a day/a few days/a week". What about wet food?

I have 4 cats, all normal to thin. A 5 lb. bag of Taste of the Wild lasts roughly 2 weeks. We also supplement with 6 oz. of Fancy Feast (2 cans of wet) each day.

Goddamn posted:

- Do cats need a bed? If yes, should I buy one, or would it not care if it's just something like a (cardboard?) box with towels/blankets/sweaters/etc.? If something like that is okay, does anyone have any particular suggestions on how to set that up?

Cats will make a bed out of anything, but mine do actually like the fake sheepskin cat beds you see at the petstores for $10. One of my cats loves to make a little nest out of a paper bag. I giver her a new one every few weeks.

Goddamn posted:

- I don't have a whole lot of space here. Are there cat trees that don't take up much more than a square foot or two of horizontal space? Do I really, really need a cat tree, or can I set something else up to entertain it? Can I just make something simple but entertaining myself out of some wooden boards/posts/carpeting?

Tall cat trees are worth their weight in gold. Cats like to be high up. Higher than you. You CAN make your own, but it's usually cheaper to buy one outright. Amarakat.com has some cheap tall ones. Making some kitty shelves like http://www.katwallks.com/customerphotos.htm might be cost effective.

Goddamn posted:

- How long do cats tolerate being left alone? If it's a cat that can free-feed, would it be alright if on some rare occasion nobody is home for one day? Two?

Again, depends on the cat(s). But I feel OK about leaving my cats alone for the occasional long weekend. Though I prefer to ask a neighbor to check on the cats once a day and replenish food/water, make sure they're not dead, etc. If you're gone for more than 4 days, I'd strongly suggest boarding, if you have no trustworthy neighbors.

Goddamn posted:

- How often should you brush a cat with short to medium hair? How often should you brush its teeth?

They say that short haired cats actually shed more than long haired cats. I just randomly brush my cats when the cat brush and me and the cat all happen to be in the same area. Of course, I also have cat hair all over everything all the time.

I have never brushed my cat's teeth, although my vet recommends it. I have had dental cleanings done on my two older cats, around 8-10 years of age.

Goddamn posted:

- How much would a cat shed even if regularly brushed? Let's say it's a short hair that's brushed every day (or however much is necessary for the most effect); would it still mean a lot of extra cleaning?

Cats shed. It mostly depends on the weather. Brushing helps, but you cannot eliminate it completely.

Goddamn posted:

- What are the chances of the cat getting sick, vomiting, and/or peeing/pooping where it shouldn't, as long as it's properly taken care of? I know these aren't very predictable, but I just want to know if they're e.g. an inevitability that will happen a few times a year; or if a cat that's fed good food, brushed, and indoor-only can go a few years without problems.

Even with the best of care, some cats pee poop and vomit in inappropriate places. If you're like most people, cleaning up those messes just become par for the course and you start to not even notice. If you have a weird phobia, pets might not be for you.

Goddamn posted:

- About how much of a budget should I have for stuff like food, supplies, and vet care? The initial stuff as well as yearly recurring costs.

I don't want to think about what I spend on my cats. But several years ago when I just had 2 cats, it seemed like we spent about $50 a month on the two for food, litter, and toys. Plus roughly $100-200 per cat in routine vet expenses per year.

Goddamn posted:

- Do some cats like walks? Would it enrich its life as an indoor cat if I could get it to work with a harness/leash and take it out on occasion? Or would it not really make much difference and just serve to expose it to disease?

Some cats do like walks, other cats are terrified of the outside. Hopefully you can provide an enriching life indoors, and supplement with walks only if needed or desired by you.

# ? Oct 19, 2010 02:36

duckfarts: Jul 2, 2010; ~ shameful ~; Soiled Meat

Here's my 2 cents on some of these questions:

Goddamn posted:

- How important is the "get two" clause? I would like an adult or an old chill-out cat and right now I'm home almost all day, though I'll start classes in several months (which means being out for a couple to a few hours at a time). Would it be good to ask a shelter for a cat that does not like/care about other cats, or do those tend to be less friendly with humans too?

Not that important, particularly if you get a lazy/chill cat, but it's nice, especially if you have a more active cat. This thread's all about 2 cats 1 home though.

Goddamn posted:

- The apartment isn't very well insulated, and the heating's very inefficient/expensive, so the only room that constantly has it on is the bathroom (for the pipes). Would a cat be alright if the temperature dips to 16C/60F during the night (usually a bit warmer but just want to be sure) as long as it can sleep by the bathroom heater?

Should be fine; you can leave a towel or blanketing out near the heater, and chances are your cat would hang out there. They can deal with the cold pretty well anyway. In the winter, my family's cat still likes to hang out occasionally in a part of the basement where it's cold cold cold.

Goddamn posted:

- How much "cat-proofing" is generally needed for an older cat? There's a door under the bathroom sink with stuff like detergent and cleaning products there... Are there simple ways to make sure it doesn't get in there (e.g. double tape the door to the edge), or would I have to make sure that everything is always out of reach?

Normally, the most cat-proofing you'll need to do is to watch out for curtains/climbables and to keep breakables off of surfaces that cats can get up on to and push off of if they're being dicks. It took me quite a few broken glass cleanups to learn this. As for your cabinets, just make sure that the dangerous liquids are in clean, tightly capped containers and aren't leaking. Most cats won't bother with cabinets, but I've had several cats that learned to open doors and cabinets. This can make it awkward if the cat gets into a bathroom cabinet and you close the bathroom door, and all the food and litterbox stuff is elsewhere. You'll need to make sure the cat's not in any room before you close it off.

Goddamn posted:

- Sometimes I have to plastic seal the windows in the wintertime, and it can get pretty stuffy. Would having a cat around make the air quality even worse, or can this be taken care of by things like brushing it every day and/or an air filter?

Unless you're prone to allergies, you'll be fine.

Goddamn posted:

- Do cats need a bed? If yes, should I buy one, or would it not care if it's just something like a (cardboard?) box with towels/blankets/sweaters/etc.? If something like that is okay, does anyone have any particular suggestions on how to set that up?

No. You can buy a bed, but you can't make your cat sleep in it if it doesn't care about it, so keep that in mind.

Goddamn posted:

- How long do cats tolerate being left alone? If it's a cat that can free-feed, would it be alright if on some rare occasion nobody is home for one day? Two?

I'd say a weekend without human contact at most. Some cats are totally fine, but some will start to stress out after 2 days or so(my jerk cat bites my pillow, so I have to close the bedroom when I go). If I'm going to be out for a while, I usually have a friend come over to make the cat has enough food, hasn't knocked over the water, and hasn't started a fire.

Goddamn posted:

- How often should you brush a cat with short to medium hair? How often should you brush its teeth?
- How much would a cat shed even if regularly brushed? Let's say it's a short hair that's brushed every day (or however much is necessary for the most effect); would it still mean a lot of extra cleaning?

This really really depends on the cat and their coat type. I know some shorthair cats that rarely need brushing, but my cats need more brushing than I give them because they shed all the drat time. If you brush them say, every day, it'll help quite a bit. You'll still have cat hair on a lot of stuff though, and it would be best to keep clean laundry somewhere where your cat won't lie on it. Using a clothes dryer (vs hanging them to dry) helps get rid of a lot of cat hair on clothes too.

Goddamn posted:

- About how much of a budget should I have for stuff like food, supplies, and vet care? The initial stuff as well as yearly recurring costs.

It's not bad, but it may add up over the course of a year. A bigass bag(the kind you sling over your shoulder) of cat food lasts over 2 months for my 2 cats, and big bucket/sack of kitty litter lasts just about 2 months(loose calculations). So I'd say for every 2 months, $50 for food and $24 for litter ~ $75 for 2 cats, so I run a minimum of $450 a year for a medium and a small cat, not including vet checkups. I don't think it's bad at all - it's basically $9 a week.

Goddamn posted:

- Do some cats like walks? Would it enrich its life as an indoor cat if I could get it to work with a harness/leash and take it out on occasion? Or would it not really make much difference and just serve to expose it to disease?

Depends on the cat; some are more wild and like to explore outside, some are afraid of it and don't even want to get near the door. The easiest way to tell would be to pop a window(with a screen) and see if your cat likes it. If you do want to take your cat outside, you should use a harness and make sure that your cat gets FLV shots(they're normally optional because indoor cats don't really need them) during the yearly checkups. You should take note that if your cat does like the outside, you may have to be careful when leaving the house so you don't have a runner(this poo poo is a pain in the rear end).

# ? Oct 19, 2010 07:34

Power Dips: Feb 6, 2008; hey bobby malone, it's good to have you home, a couple months on the couch while you figure things out, won't do you wrong.

I answered the questions I can, just for another point of view

Goddamn posted:

Do cats generally make people less lonely? Or should they be viewed more as something to take care of for the sake of taking care of something; rather than something that, with some care, would fulfill a want for extra company?

I have 2 boy kittens, I rescued them when they were 8 weeks old and now they're 6 months old. They definitely make me less lonely as someone who's home a lot just now job hunting

I had them at the vets yesterday to get neutered and the house was noticeably quieter and different. I kept expecting one of them to jump up on my lap or come and ask for a treat.

Goddamn posted:

How important is the "get two" clause? I would like an adult or an old chill-out cat and right now I'm home almost all day, though I'll start classes in several months (which means being out for a couple to a few hours at a time). Would it be good to ask a shelter for a cat that does not like/care about other cats, or do those tend to be less friendly with humans too?

I think other people have answered this pretty well but for me, I'm glad I took 2 as the foster woman was having trouble placing 2 together (they were feral brothers) and they love each other. I had to keep them separated all last night after the op and they were climbing the walls trying to get to each other.

Goddamn posted:

Would a cat be alright if the temperature dips to 16C/60F during the night

This one made me laugh. I live in an old house in Scotland, you're lucky if it reaches 16C inside my house during the day. Cats do fine

Goddamn posted:

I don't have a whole lot of space here. Are there cat trees that don't take up much more than a square foot or two of horizontal space? Do I really, really need a cat tree, or can I set something else up to entertain it? Can I just make something simple but entertaining myself out of some wooden boards/posts/carpeting

I plan on doing this soon for my cats http://ikeahacker.blogspot.com/2010/02/cat-climbing-shelf-in-one-compact-billy.html

Goddamn posted:

How long do cats tolerate being left alone? If it's a cat that can free-feed, would it be alright if on some rare occasion nobody is home for one day? Two?

The longest I've left my cats alone is 2 days but I've had people drop in and check they're okay. That's the bonus about having 2. They keep each other occupied and warm, I'd be more concerned about leaving them alone if I only had 1 cat. But then, maybe it would be alright if you had an older chilled out cat. You'll be able to tell what they can cope with. When I do go away, I tend to leave out food and water and enough litter boxes to last the time I'm gone, I figure it's nice enough of people to drop in and make sure the cats have got food without asking them to clean poop up too. Not had a problem so far.

Goddamn posted:

Do some cats like walks? Would it enrich its life as an indoor cat if I could get it to work with a harness/leash and take it out on occasion? Or would it not really make much difference and just serve to expose it to disease?

It depends on the cat. I thought that my 2 boys would want to go outside and I had them vacc'd with the optional feline leukaemia, even though I keep them as indoor cats, just in case they ran out. I have tried taking them out in my back garden on a harness and leash but I can't get near one of them with the harness and the other one sort of got used to it, but the sound of cars from the front scare him too much for him to really enjoy being outside.

# ? Oct 19, 2010 12:11

Polish: Jul 5, 2007; I touch myself at night

Hey, I asked about my recently adopted 8 week old kitten a few days ago. He was sneezing and had some soupy poopy but other than that he was fine. You guys told me to take him to the vet, and so I did last night. The vet gave me some powder to mix with wet food to firm up his poop.. and that stuff worked! About the sneezing though. She said as long as there is no gunk around his eyes and he is eating, playing, and pooping, there is nothing much she is going to do. He mostly sneezes when he just wakes up from a nap, but occasionally sneezes when he is around playing. Last night he decided to sleep on my face/arms/stomach/etc and was sneezing like crazy and covering me in kitten slime. When I woke up to take a shower he was sneezing a bunch. Should I still be worried about this sneezing? What could be causing it?

I did just get new carpets a month ago and there are still little fuzzys coming up now and then, but other than that our apartment is fairly dust free. The other cat isn't sneezing or anything. And speaking of the other cat, they started playing together yesterday! The big one still seems a little pissed off but they were playing around. Thanks for your help guys!

# ? Oct 19, 2010 12:54

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

Polish posted:

Hey, I asked about my recently adopted 8 week old kitten a few days ago. He was sneezing and had some soupy poopy but other than that he was fine. You guys told me to take him to the vet, and so I did last night. The vet gave me some powder to mix with wet food to firm up his poop.. and that stuff worked! About the sneezing though. She said as long as there is no gunk around his eyes and he is eating, playing, and pooping, there is nothing much she is going to do. He mostly sneezes when he just wakes up from a nap, but occasionally sneezes when he is around playing. Last night he decided to sleep on my face/arms/stomach/etc and was sneezing like crazy and covering me in kitten slime. When I woke up to take a shower he was sneezing a bunch. Should I still be worried about this sneezing? What could be causing it?

I did just get new carpets a month ago and there are still little fuzzys coming up now and then, but other than that our apartment is fairly dust free. The other cat isn't sneezing or anything. And speaking of the other cat, they started playing together yesterday! The big one still seems a little pissed off but they were playing around. Thanks for your help guys!

He almost definitely has a URI, which like a human cold, is viral. The vast majority of cats/kittens from shelters will show URI symptoms in the shelter or soon after being adopted. It's extremely common and typically aggravated by stress (e.g. getting adopted).
If it gets bad enough, the vet may want to put him on antibiotics or an antihistamine, but again like human colds, usually these things resolve on their own. If he's really congested, you can try shutting him in the bathroom with a hot shower running -- sometimes the steam helps break that crud up. I'd just continue to monitor his eyes and appetite, and keep in touch with your vet if you're not seeing improvement in the next few days.

# ? Oct 19, 2010 13:08

duckfarts: Jul 2, 2010; ~ shameful ~; Soiled Meat

Power Dips posted:

I plan on doing this soon for my cats http://ikeahacker.blogspot.com/2010/02/cat-climbing-shelf-in-one-compact-billy.html

This reminds me of an earlier comment about "I'm worried about my fatass jerk fat cat eating the other cat's food! What do I do?", and this sounds like a potential solution; make the openings large enough for the smaller cat, but not for the fatty fat fat mcfat fat cat, and put extra food inside near the top.

Goddammit, your link is making me miss my first cat, a Siamese.

# ? Oct 19, 2010 13:15

Polish: Jul 5, 2007; I touch myself at night

Crooked Booty posted:

He almost definitely has a URI, which like a human cold, is viral. The vast majority of cats/kittens from shelters will show URI symptoms in the shelter or soon after being adopted. It's extremely common and typically aggravated by stress (e.g. getting adopted).
If it gets bad enough, the vet may want to put him on antibiotics or an antihistamine, but again like human colds, usually these things resolve on their own. If he's really congested, you can try shutting him in the bathroom with a hot shower running -- sometimes the steam helps break that crud up. I'd just continue to monitor his eyes and appetite, and keep in touch with your vet if you're not seeing improvement in the next few days.

Thanks. I'll just watch him and wait it out.

# ? Oct 19, 2010 13:46

Power Dips: Feb 6, 2008; hey bobby malone, it's good to have you home, a couple months on the couch while you figure things out, won't do you wrong.

duckfarts posted:

This reminds me of an earlier comment about "I'm worried about my fatass jerk fat cat eating the other cat's food! What do I do?", and this sounds like a potential solution; make the openings large enough for the smaller cat, but not for the fatty fat fat mcfat fat cat, and put extra food inside near the top.

Goddammit, your link is making me miss my first cat, a Siamese.

That makes me feel sorry for fatty mcfatfat

I can imagine him looking in at skinny malinky chowing down on his food.

# ? Oct 19, 2010 14:53

Comrade Quack: Jun 6, 2006; Witty closing remarks have been replaced by massive head trauma and general stupidity.

Polish posted:

Hey, I asked about my recently adopted 8 week old kitten a few days ago. He was sneezing and had some soupy poopy but other than that he was fine. You guys told me to take him to the vet, and so I did last night. The vet gave me some powder to mix with wet food to firm up his poop.. and that stuff worked! About the sneezing though. She said as long as there is no gunk around his eyes and he is eating, playing, and pooping, there is nothing much she is going to do. He mostly sneezes when he just wakes up from a nap, but occasionally sneezes when he is around playing. Last night he decided to sleep on my face/arms/stomach/etc and was sneezing like crazy and covering me in kitten slime. When I woke up to take a shower he was sneezing a bunch. Should I still be worried about this sneezing? What could be causing it?

I did just get new carpets a month ago and there are still little fuzzys coming up now and then, but other than that our apartment is fairly dust free. The other cat isn't sneezing or anything. And speaking of the other cat, they started playing together yesterday! The big one still seems a little pissed off but they were playing around. Thanks for your help guys!

This sounds more like a URI than what my cat gets but I figured I'd add this just in case it helps. The dust from some litters bothers my cat more than others. He's fine if I fill his box with Kitten Attract, but with Arm & Hammer he gets a little raspy and sneezey. It doesn't get as bad as what you're describing, but I definitely notice a difference between the two litters.

# ? Oct 19, 2010 20:09

BeefofAges: Jun 5, 2004; Cry 'Havoc!', and let slip the cows of war.

duckfarts posted:

This reminds me of an earlier comment about "I'm worried about my fatass jerk fat cat eating the other cat's food! What do I do?", and this sounds like a potential solution; make the openings large enough for the smaller cat, but not for the fatty fat fat mcfat fat cat, and put extra food inside near the top.

Goddammit, your link is making me miss my first cat, a Siamese.

The solutions to my fat cat problem are as follows:
1. Keep a separate food bowl on the kitchen counter for the non-fat cat, because fatty doesn't like to jump.
2. Put golf balls in fatty's food dish to slow down her eating so that she doesn't vomit everywhere.

# ? Oct 20, 2010 03:49

duckfarts: Jul 2, 2010; ~ shameful ~; Soiled Meat

Check this poop out new pet owners - it's a visual diagram of how much different kinds of pets cost in a lifetime: (this could go in the puppy thread too if anybody cares enough about non-cats to post there)
http://www.visualeconomics.com/how-much-our-pets-cost-in-a-lifetime/

I remember somebody earlier in the thread was wondering how much cat ownership costs, and here we have a generic estimate graph which is handy(pay more attention to the per year costs rather than the overall costs though). Their estimates on food + litter are reasonably similar to mine with $270 compared to my $225 a year.

# ? Oct 21, 2010 05:50

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

duckfarts posted:

Check this poop out new pet owners - it's a visual diagram of how much different kinds of pets cost in a lifetime: (this could go in the puppy thread too if anybody cares enough about non-cats to post there)
http://www.visualeconomics.com/how-much-our-pets-cost-in-a-lifetime/

I remember somebody earlier in the thread was wondering how much cat ownership costs, and here we have a generic estimate graph which is handy(pay more attention to the per year costs rather than the overall costs though). Their estimates on food + litter are reasonably similar to mine with $270 compared to my $225 a year.

This led me to calculate how much I spend on food per year for 2 cats, and it's over $1000.

People's numbers are going to vary quite a bit, and honestly I think most PI people spending $10/month on cat food can afford to feed something a little better... but that's just me. Also, those are all bargain prices for spay/neuter. Spaying a large breed dog for $125? And I don't like the average lifespan of a cat listed as 15. But other than that it's fabulous!!!

# ? Oct 21, 2010 13:14

Polish: Jul 5, 2007; I touch myself at night

Got my 8 week old kitten on Saturday. He is playing with out 7 year old cat now and getting very comfortable around the house. He is getting into everything and being a little rear end in a top hat kitten like he should. We are teaching him to not bite, and to not play with wires, and to not scratch up my shoes, and etc etc.. At night we are keeping him in our bedroom so he doesn't get into everything at night. We block off the door so our older cat can jump in and out if he wants but the little one cant.

Anyways, onto last night he was playing like crazy and started playing with the big cats favorite blue mouse. It was time for bed so I pick him up to take him to the room, but I wanted the blue mouse to stay in the living room, so I start to take it out of the kittens mouth and he growls at me. So I take it away and he growls again. I tell him "no" and carry him off to the room and hold him for about five minutes until he calms down. This morning as my girlfriend is getting ready for work, the kitten is running around playing and the older cat goes to get the blue mouse from the kitten. The kitten growls at him and runs away with the mouse. My girlfriend took away the mouse from him and put him in timeout in the bedroom.

Are we doing the right thing? Why is he growling? Oh god we are failures at kitten parents.

# ? Oct 21, 2010 15:42

HondaCivet: Oct 16, 2005; And then it falls
And then I fall
And then I know

Polish posted:

Got my 8 week old kitten on Saturday. He is playing with out 7 year old cat now and getting very comfortable around the house. He is getting into everything and being a little rear end in a top hat kitten like he should. We are teaching him to not bite, and to not play with wires, and to not scratch up my shoes, and etc etc.. At night we are keeping him in our bedroom so he doesn't get into everything at night. We block off the door so our older cat can jump in and out if he wants but the little one cant.

Anyways, onto last night he was playing like crazy and started playing with the big cats favorite blue mouse. It was time for bed so I pick him up to take him to the room, but I wanted the blue mouse to stay in the living room, so I start to take it out of the kittens mouth and he growls at me. So I take it away and he growls again. I tell him "no" and carry him off to the room and hold him for about five minutes until he calms down. This morning as my girlfriend is getting ready for work, the kitten is running around playing and the older cat goes to get the blue mouse from the kitten. The kitten growls at him and runs away with the mouse. My girlfriend took away the mouse from him and put him in timeout in the bedroom.

Are we doing the right thing? Why is he growling? Oh god we are failures at kitten parents.

I wouldn't worry about the growling, let alone punish him for it. Unless he's actually attacking anyone then it's not a big deal. When he was younger, one of my cats used to growl if you tried to take something from him or even when you pulled back on a wand toy more than he wanted you to. It was all for show though. Even if you stuck your fingers in his mouth to pull the toy out he wouldn't bite or anything, just keep growling. He doesn't really do it anymore which makes me sad because it was sort of cute.

You probably shouldn't hold him as punishment either. If he's being bad then distract him from the bad thing and then walk away and stop giving him attention.

# ? Oct 21, 2010 16:01

duckfarts: Jul 2, 2010; ~ shameful ~; Soiled Meat

Polish posted:

He is getting into everything and being a little rear end in a top hat kitten like he should.

Oh god we are failures at kitten parents.

The first part is true, the second part is not.

So far, at least.

# ? Oct 21, 2010 18:15

Disco Anne: Apr 1, 2010; Assume you're going to survive.

Oh god, Gaius, don't make me delurk...

This is Gaius. I adopted him nearly two weeks ago, and he's mostly awesome. Opening kitchen cabinets from day 1, loves his Da Bird (and even better, a pet store fishing rod with a squirrel tail looking bait, go figure), cuddly, curious about everything, and even making friends with the vet.

- Age ~4 years
- Sex Male
- How long have you had your cat? Two weeks
- Is your cat spayed or neutered? Yes
- What food do you use? Switching shelter Science to Healthwise
- When was your last vet visit? Last Friday - chronically leaky eye, otherwise clean bill of health
- Is your cat indoors, outdoors, both? Indoors-only
- How many pets in your household? Just him
- How many litter boxes do you have? One, in the bathroom, which he happily uses.

Gaius bites. He's my first cat, and I figure there'll be a learning curve. Belly rub = nip. Fine. Petting too long = nip. Fine. Both controllable and pretty standard cat stuff. I instinctively yelled the first time, but the second time got it together and just walked away.

Last Sunday, I pick him up, he turns around and hisses at me, so I let him go and walk away. Fair enough, probably too soon. But when I go to sit down on the floor a few feet away, as I'm sitting, he bites my arm from behind. Deep, all teeth, lots of blood. We make up, and I figure he probably was heading my way behind me and thought I was going to sit on him. Cats are weird.

Last night, I got home early, spent the evening playing with him, finally convinced him that maybe being a lap cat is OK. As I get ready for bed, he's meowing at me - he does this a lot, and I don't have a baseline yet to know if it means "play with me" or "I hurt!" or "Get out of my territory!" As I'm finishing settling in, he goes around to the side where I'm not looking and bites my arm again. Deep, all teeth, lots of blood. Plus, it comes as such a surprise (and dammit, it hurts!) that I've wrapped him in my blanket pretty roughly and thrown him off the bed before I've even thought about not using physical force. So tonight he's very subdued although still happy to sit next to me, and I'm still on antibiotics from the last bite and nervous about when the next one's going to come.

So yeah, not even two weeks in, and at least one of us is making a hopeless mess of this. Can I salvage this, or did I adopt an unworkable cat, or am I just too hopeless with cats after growing up with dogs? I'm in touch with the shelter, who now that I've adopted Gaius is willing to talk about his shelter bite history (nothing reported by the surrendering family, who reported litter box issues from overcrowding), but seriously, deep bites aren't something I can learn to live with!

# ? Oct 22, 2010 05:09

Meander: Apr 1, 2010

OK a quick cat question for all of you.

My three year old black and white cat, Batman, recently got lost - I'd moved houses following the end of my relationship, moved him to the new place, and he managed to get outside on the first day. Thirteen days later (last night) he showed up on the doorstep of my old place - a distance of about 2 km as the crow flies, but about 3 km by road. He's okay I think, very skinny now but otherwise ok.

I was wondering what's the best way to help him recover from the whole ordeal? He's back at the new place now under strict house arrest for the time being. I was careful not to overfeed him in the first few hours, but now am leaving food out as normal and he's not overeating. He's still a bit scared and is hiding under my bed, but will purr if I go and pat him.

Also is it a good idea to take him to the vet's for a checkup? I'm not sure how much weight he lost, he was at about 4.5 kg and he feels much much lighter now (I'd guess around 3 but no idea).

And any tips for settling him in to his new abode?

# ? Oct 22, 2010 05:42

Gothmog1065: May 14, 2009

I have a quick (Hopefully) question. I'm kind of worried about my cats drinking enough water. We recently moved to a new house, and so far the love the house (It has carpet, and my two siblings adore it). We put their food and water out, and they find the food just fine, but the water they haven't seemed to taken to it. They try to get into my toilet and tub to drink any leftover water (I rinse the tub out good and keep the toilet lid closed, but sometimes I forget). The thing is we changed their watering system from one of the "auto waterers" to a stainless bowl. I change the water in the bowl daily, but they don't seem to want to drink from it. They would rather sit in the dry auto waterer than drink out of the bowl.

Is there anything I can do to make sure they're at least drinking water? I know it's bad if they don't.

# ? Oct 22, 2010 05:47

HondaCivet: Oct 16, 2005; And then it falls
And then I fall
And then I know

Dischorr_N posted:

Oh god, Gaius, don't make me delurk...

This is Gaius. I adopted him nearly two weeks ago, and he's mostly awesome. Opening kitchen cabinets from day 1, loves his Da Bird (and even better, a pet store fishing rod with a squirrel tail looking bait, go figure), cuddly, curious about everything, and even making friends with the vet.

- Age ~4 years
- Sex Male
- How long have you had your cat? Two weeks
- Is your cat spayed or neutered? Yes
- What food do you use? Switching shelter Science to Healthwise
- When was your last vet visit? Last Friday - chronically leaky eye, otherwise clean bill of health
- Is your cat indoors, outdoors, both? Indoors-only
- How many pets in your household? Just him
- How many litter boxes do you have? One, in the bathroom, which he happily uses.

Gaius bites. He's my first cat, and I figure there'll be a learning curve. Belly rub = nip. Fine. Petting too long = nip. Fine. Both controllable and pretty standard cat stuff. I instinctively yelled the first time, but the second time got it together and just walked away.

Last Sunday, I pick him up, he turns around and hisses at me, so I let him go and walk away. Fair enough, probably too soon. But when I go to sit down on the floor a few feet away, as I'm sitting, he bites my arm from behind. Deep, all teeth, lots of blood. We make up, and I figure he probably was heading my way behind me and thought I was going to sit on him. Cats are weird.

Last night, I got home early, spent the evening playing with him, finally convinced him that maybe being a lap cat is OK. As I get ready for bed, he's meowing at me - he does this a lot, and I don't have a baseline yet to know if it means "play with me" or "I hurt!" or "Get out of my territory!" As I'm finishing settling in, he goes around to the side where I'm not looking and bites my arm again. Deep, all teeth, lots of blood. Plus, it comes as such a surprise (and dammit, it hurts!) that I've wrapped him in my blanket pretty roughly and thrown him off the bed before I've even thought about not using physical force. So tonight he's very subdued although still happy to sit next to me, and I'm still on antibiotics from the last bite and nervous about when the next one's going to come.

So yeah, not even two weeks in, and at least one of us is making a hopeless mess of this. Can I salvage this, or did I adopt an unworkable cat, or am I just too hopeless with cats after growing up with dogs? I'm in touch with the shelter, who now that I've adopted Gaius is willing to talk about his shelter bite history (nothing reported by the surrendering family, who reported litter box issues from overcrowding), but seriously, deep bites aren't something I can learn to live with!

Have you taken him to the vet lately? They might have a better idea than me, especially if it's health related, which it could be.

Dang, that's pretty weird though. Since it's only been two weeks I'd guess that he's still settling in and is maybe getting a bit overexcited or nervous sometimes. Maybe keep a close eye on him and see if you can see signs of those sort of feelings before you approach him.

And yeah, as you have discovered, cat bites are serious poo poo. This is mostly because cat saliva is pure evil. Disinfect bites as well as you can and keep an eye on them for infection.

# ? Oct 22, 2010 06:09

Exelsior: Aug 4, 2007

Gothmog1065 posted:

I have a quick (Hopefully) question. I'm kind of worried about my cats drinking enough water. We recently moved to a new house, and so far the love the house (It has carpet, and my two siblings adore it). We put their food and water out, and they find the food just fine, but the water they haven't seemed to taken to it. They try to get into my toilet and tub to drink any leftover water (I rinse the tub out good and keep the toilet lid closed, but sometimes I forget). The thing is we changed their watering system from one of the "auto waterers" to a stainless bowl. I change the water in the bowl daily, but they don't seem to want to drink from it. They would rather sit in the dry auto waterer than drink out of the bowl.

Is there anything I can do to make sure they're at least drinking water? I know it's bad if they don't.

Sometimes cats will be totally fine and then they will all of a sudden stop drinking still water and only want to drink moving water. There are a hundred cat fountains out there that you can try, or you can rig your own using a pump and a large bowl. Cats also don't like to drink water that is next to their food bowl, put the water bowl far away, or have two or three water bowls throughout the house. Steel bowls can also make the water taste metallic, try a ceramic bowl.

Good luck, one day my cats just stopped drinking from the bowl (we didn't move or stress them or anything) and now they will only drink moving water.

# ? Oct 22, 2010 10:51

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

Meander posted:

OK a quick cat question for all of you.

My three year old black and white cat, Batman, recently got lost - I'd moved houses following the end of my relationship, moved him to the new place, and he managed to get outside on the first day. Thirteen days later (last night) he showed up on the doorstep of my old place - a distance of about 2 km as the crow flies, but about 3 km by road. He's okay I think, very skinny now but otherwise ok.

I was wondering what's the best way to help him recover from the whole ordeal? He's back at the new place now under strict house arrest for the time being. I was careful not to overfeed him in the first few hours, but now am leaving food out as normal and he's not overeating. He's still a bit scared and is hiding under my bed, but will purr if I go and pat him.

Also is it a good idea to take him to the vet's for a checkup? I'm not sure how much weight he lost, he was at about 4.5 kg and he feels much much lighter now (I'd guess around 3 but no idea).

And any tips for settling him in to his new abode?

I would definitely take him to the vet. If he has lost anywhere close to 1/3 his body weight in 13 days, his liver and other organs may be struggling, and your vet may recommend medication to help him recover. As for getting settled in the new home, it will probably just take time.

# ? Oct 22, 2010 12:00

duckfarts: Jul 2, 2010; ~ shameful ~; Soiled Meat

Meander posted:

And any tips for settling him in to his new abode?

On this side of the question, keep your cat in a small room, then when they get comfortable with that(i.e. not hiding all the time), open the door and allow them to explore the house on their own. Don't forget that vet thing others mentioned.

Dischorr_N posted:

my cat bites the gently caress out of me oh god

This is reminding me of a cat I know that was bi-polar. She would rub against your hand, purring and doing that happy cat face thing, then she'd bite it. Hard. You know how you're supposed to jerk your hand away and yell(like you wouldn't normally...)? The cat came with my hand and hung from it. :frogsiren:

As for the meowing thing, if it ever sounds hoarse at the end of the meow(the owwwww of the meow, vs. a mew), that's closer to being impatient/annoyed/pissed. Also check ears(pulling back = attack time) and the tail; if it's flicking around, it's also closer to impatient/annoyed/pissed. If it's still, it's closer to calm/fine. That said, nothing prepared me for bi-polar cat.

Deep bites though... man. :whoptc:

# ? Oct 22, 2010 12:44

Gothmog1065: May 14, 2009

Exelsior posted:

Good luck, one day my cats just stopped drinking from the bowl (we didn't move or stress them or anything) and now they will only drink moving water.

Toilet water isn't moving! :aargh:

I'll try to move their water bowl into the bathroom, where they seem to think that their water source is.

# ? Oct 22, 2010 16:07

Koth: Jul 1, 2005

One day our cat just decided it no longer wanted to drink from her water bowl and would only drink out of a measuring cup. :iiam:

# ? Oct 22, 2010 22:25

Braki: Aug 9, 2006; Happy birthday!

Dischorr_N posted:

bitey cat

I was reading a blog written by a veterinary behaviourist and came across a post that may be helpful to you. The cat in this post is fairly similar to your cat, and she gives some (hopefully helpful) advice.

http://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/cat_bites_seemingly_randomly/

# ? Oct 22, 2010 22:51

Meow Cadet: May 2, 2007; friendship is magic
in a pony paradise
don't you judge me

Gothmog1065 posted:

Toilet water isn't moving! :aargh:

I'll try to move their water bowl into the bathroom, where they seem to think that their water source is.

I have also heard that cats in general prefer their food and water to be in different areas of the house. I know in my house, I have food and water at the left, and again at the right of the kitchen. The food from the left gets eaten way faster than the right, and the water on the right gets drank way faster than the left.

So if you move your water into the bathroom, I'd keep the food where it currently is.

# ? Oct 23, 2010 00:18

shark farts: Nov 28, 2007

Hopefully a quick question!

My roommate recently got a cat of her own and we made sure to keep him isolated in a separate room for a week before trying to introduce him to my own cat, switching rooms occasionally and trying to acquaint each cat with the other cat's smell. Yesterday we opened the door and finally let them see one another. They've both been wandering around the apartment like they normally would, but whenever they cross paths they hiss at one another and have a staredown. They will tolerate each other in the same room but once they get too close, they growl and hiss and spit at one another. It never really escalates into anything more serious; my cat swatted at the new guy a couple of times and chased him off, but other than that, neither one of them has been super hostile.

I figure that the hissing and growling is normal, but it's been 24 hours and they haven't gotten any better. Neither one has been overly aggressive or anything, which I thought was promising, but they haven't shown any progress, either. Is it too soon to tell? My roommate and I figure that it'll just take time and we should let them ride it out, but are we making a mistake by letting them get growly and pissy at one another? Should we separate them again? I just don't want to make a mistake and have them hate each other forever

Here is my kitty, who seems to be the bitchier of the two:

Edit: Also, when my cat does go after the new one/acts aggressively, should I scold her (I can get a spray bottle or something) or is it bad to do that?

vvvvv: also thanks

I had a feeling that it's just going to take time, I'm just glad that I'm not doing the wrong thing by continuing to keep them together. They're both eating, playing and using the litter box normally on their own, so I figure they're not too stressed out.

shark farts fucked around with this message at 05:08 on Oct 23, 2010

# ? Oct 23, 2010 04:43

HondaCivet: Oct 16, 2005; And then it falls
And then I fall
And then I know

shark farts posted:

Hopefully a quick question!

My roommate recently got a cat of her own and we made sure to keep him isolated in a separate room for a week before trying to introduce him to my own cat, switching rooms occasionally and trying to acquaint each cat with the other cat's smell. Yesterday we opened the door and finally let them see one another. They've both been wandering around the apartment like they normally would, but whenever they cross paths they hiss at one another and have a staredown. They will tolerate each other in the same room but once they get too close, they growl and hiss and spit at one another. It never really escalates into anything more serious; my cat swatted at the new guy a couple of times and chased him off, but other than that, neither one of them has been super hostile.

I figure that the hissing and growling is normal, but it's been 24 hours and they haven't gotten any better. Neither one has been overly aggressive or anything, which I thought was promising, but they haven't shown any progress, either. Is it too soon to tell? My roommate and I figure that it'll just take time and we should let them ride it out, but are we making a mistake by letting them get growly and pissy at one another? Should we separate them again? I just don't want to make a mistake and have them hate each other forever

Here is my kitty, who seems to be the bitchier of the two:

It can take a long-rear end time. Months even. As long as they aren't murdering each other or getting really stressed out about it, it's fine.

# ? Oct 23, 2010 04:47

duckfarts: Jul 2, 2010; ~ shameful ~; Soiled Meat

HondaCivet posted:

It can take a long-rear end time. Months even. As long as they aren't murdering each other or getting really stressed out about it, it's fine.

^^^ This, pretty much word for word. Initially, there will be a bunch of hissing and poo poo because 1) they're being territorial, and 2) they're simultaneously scared. After a while, they'll walk around and just try to avoid each other in general, and keep space between them. After a long time, they'll be fine.

Your cat looks a lot like my first cat. :gbsmith:

# ? Oct 23, 2010 05:35

HondaCivet: Oct 16, 2005; And then it falls
And then I fall
And then I know

Just wait, in a few months they'll probably be sleeping in a happy little cat pile.

# ? Oct 23, 2010 07:15

pandaid: Feb 9, 2004; RAWR

It's 3 am and I am awake after cleaning up another messy litter box episode. She got it on her foot again and decided that she needed to shake her foot as she walked around my apartment, because there was something funny feeling on it.

background: kitty is got a bad stomach from a long course of antibiotics. Giving some canned pumpkin daily and tried everything else I could think of. She goes 2x a day and drinks plenty of water and has wet food. Been in touch with vet, and have just gotten some Forta Flora cat probiotics.

I'm tired of cleaning up poop. She's going in the litterbox, but she's just tracking it everywhere.

Please, someone tell me it's going to get better. Tell me this is normal for antibiotics and her stomach will get better without heroic efforts. They said to give the probiotics a week. She's been a walking vet bill since I got her 1.5 months ago, and while I love her and will stick this out with her, I'm tired and broke.

# ? Oct 23, 2010 08:13

HondaCivet: Oct 16, 2005; And then it falls
And then I fall
And then I know

pandaid posted:

It's 3 am and I am awake after cleaning up another messy litter box episode. She got it on her foot again and decided that she needed to shake her foot as she walked around my apartment, because there was something funny feeling on it.

background: kitty is got a bad stomach from a long course of antibiotics. Giving some canned pumpkin daily and tried everything else I could think of. She goes 2x a day and drinks plenty of water and has wet food. Been in touch with vet, and have just gotten some Forta Flora cat probiotics.

I'm tired of cleaning up poop. She's going in the litterbox, but she's just tracking it everywhere.

Please, someone tell me it's going to get better. Tell me this is normal for antibiotics and her stomach will get better without heroic efforts. They said to give the probiotics a week. She's been a walking vet bill since I got her 1.5 months ago, and while I love her and will stick this out with her, I'm tired and broke.

Sorry to hear that, I'm sure it'll pass. Maybe it would help to move her litter box into an easily-cleanable space like a bathroom at least for now?

# ? Oct 23, 2010 08:23

mistaya: Oct 18, 2006; Cat of Wealth and Taste

Dischorr_N posted:

Cat wants my blood.

Don't pick it up. Ever. Both my cats had severe issues with being picked up that it took months to train out of. Tummy rubs can also be a big no-no if the cat doesn't trust you yet. It's been too short a time for that trust. Tummies are vulnerable and must be respected.

Yelling is actually not a bad thing, make sure when you get nipped it's the same yelp, high pitched if you can do it. It just reinforces that biting isn't OK.

For his mood, watch the ears and tail. Fast twitchy tail means excited. Excited cats get bitey. Ears forward is good (but can still be over excited and bitey.) Ears back, or worse flat to the skull, mean back away and come back later.

Noises should be real obvious. Purring is good, but again over excited can lead to violence! I've seen my cat get so happy she rabbit kicks herself in the head. Cats are weird. Meow is fine, mew is fine. Trilling (my cat rolls her r's at me,) is fine. Every cat has a "Do not gently caress with" noise though, a low nrrrrrow that sounds like that stock alley cat noise, usually accompanied by a low growl. The meowraowraow/hiss combo is also bad.

Max when I first got her was a biter and would get SO excited when I pet her more than 2 strokes that she'd latch onto my arm and claw me up. Lots of reinforcement and sweater with thick sleeves helped me train her out of it. There's also a place in the cat's mouth behind the front teeth you can get your finger in that he can't bite down on, if he happens to get your fingers. That spot saved me a lot of bandaids.

# ? Oct 23, 2010 12:09

Serella: Apr 24, 2008; Is that what you're posting?

pandaid posted:

It's 3 am and I am awake after cleaning up another messy litter box episode. She got it on her foot again and decided that she needed to shake her foot as she walked around my apartment, because there was something funny feeling on it.

background: kitty is got a bad stomach from a long course of antibiotics. Giving some canned pumpkin daily and tried everything else I could think of. She goes 2x a day and drinks plenty of water and has wet food. Been in touch with vet, and have just gotten some Forta Flora cat probiotics.

I'm tired of cleaning up poop. She's going in the litterbox, but she's just tracking it everywhere.

Please, someone tell me it's going to get better. Tell me this is normal for antibiotics and her stomach will get better without heroic efforts. They said to give the probiotics a week. She's been a walking vet bill since I got her 1.5 months ago, and while I love her and will stick this out with her, I'm tired and broke.

How big is your litter box? If it's a standard-sized one, you may want to try a Littermaid tub where she'll have enough room to do her business without getting it on herself when she buries it.

# ? Oct 24, 2010 01:17

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# ? Jun 12, 2024 10:30

VidaGrey: Mar 19, 2009; The more I see of men, the more I like dogs.

So, my boyfriend found this skinny scared kitten about two years ago and took her in. Vet estimated that she was about 5 months old when he found her. She was great at first. Very loving and even nice to other people. As time went on, however, she began to be aggressive to anyone that wasn't him. And now, she isn't even nice to him. She won't let you pick her up (solution: don't pick her up), she goes up to you to be petted but only tolerates it for a few seconds (solution: don't pet her!) but she's also constantly growling and hissing at everyone. She's also tried to claw and bite the poo poo out of me for no apparent reason. He doesn't enjoy her as a pet anymore. Rehoming her probably isn't an option since no one would take her and he's afraid if they did they would just abuse her. WShe's just a mean bitchy cat. Any suggestions. Oh, and she doesn't like treats at all so praising her with goodies on the rare occasion that she is nice isn't an option

we do have another cat that's just perfect in every way. Of course bitchy cat just sits there and growls at her every chance she gets.

# ? Oct 24, 2010 18:18

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Pet Island > The Cat FAQ/Megathread: buying a second, clean broom just to use on him

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