|
RheaConfused posted:This happened to me too Oh, this is good to know!
|
#
?
Jun 29, 2010 04:19
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 20, 2024 23:24 |
|
|
Other relevant info: Have done pinch test and she's still drinking water. Recently a ex-housemate abandoned a cat on us.(Two cats, but trust me the second one doesn't get along with other cats. We pretty much have to separate when we're not home, and supervise when we are) She's a smallish black kitty, about a year and a half old, and my partner and I decided to keep her. This wasn't a rash decision, we talked about costs, responsibilities and all that. We've got her up to date and on her shots, however we've had a series of rotten luck and accidents. About a couple of weeks ago I applied advantage to the base of her neck. She has a collar, and it ended up melting the plastic to her skin. Yes, I probably should've taken it off first. We got the collar off but there's thick plastic residue left in her fur that we try to cut off, my thought was it seemed like a mat. There were two of us, but she wiggled out of my partner's grip and ended up with a cut on her skin. We end up having to run her to the e-vet for stitches. This would've been avoided if I'd just had the matting removed professionally, so I feel guilty about that. This is where it just gets lovely. The injury got infected and had to be completely redone (the stitches actually burst). A couple of days ago I noticed a lump on her hip. It doesn't look like it's from a puncture/cut. And yesterday she threw up five times. I called the vet and he said as long as she was eating/drinking/using the box it should be fine. A housemate left some stew out, so I thought she got into that. She eventually stopped towards the evening so I figured the stew had passed and she started again. There's no fur, and it's mostly bile or partially digested food. I'm going to call the vet again tomorrow to see what's what. Also because of the spare cat, I'm not entirely sure she's using the box. It seems like she is but I haven't been watching enough to be sure. This whole situation has just been frustrating and it feels like what should be a "yay kitty  " moment has been snuffed out by "my cat is perpetually sick  . And it's my fault." She also managed to get vomit everywhere on the bed, but a good washing has taken care of that.Holy crap, sorry for the wall of text. RikkiTikkiTavi fucked around with this message at 11:31 on Jun 29, 2010 |
|
#
?
Jun 29, 2010 11:17
|
|
|
RikkiTikkiTavi posted:Holy crap, sorry for the wall of text. Wow, that's awful.  Please get her to the vet ASAP to check out that lump and to see what else is going on, that infection might have spread and could be causing other problems.I'm a little confused about why you can't tell if she's using the litter box, are the cats sharing it? Maybe you should keep them separated all the time until she gets better so you can more easily tell what's going on. It might reduce the stress on her as well since it sounds like they don't get along.
|
|
#
?
Jun 29, 2010 18:33
|
|
|
HondaCivet posted:Wow, that's awful. quote:I'm a little confused about why you can't tell if she's using the litter box, are the cats sharing it? Maybe you should keep them separated all the time until she gets better so you can more easily tell what's going on. It might reduce the stress on her as well since it sounds like they don't get along. We have a box upstairs and downstairs, but we swap them between upstairs and downstairs fairly regularly. That said, based on watching her I don't think she's been using the box. I ended up staying up until 4:00 keeping an eye on her and cleaning up vomit, and she seems okay now. Still the vet asked us to bring her in ASAP so as soon I have transportation she's going in.
|
|
#
?
Jun 29, 2010 22:13
|
|
|
HondaCivet posted:I'm not too sure about the poop thing but I'd probably just get him to the vet ASAP so that they can see how he's doing. He's pretty young and you don't now how long he's been alone, if he's been eating OK, etc. Well good news is he has pooped and is going in the litter box now. We've decided that we can't really keep him due to budget constraints and stuff, but we will find him a good home or at least see if a local rescue can take him. I wish we could keep him, he's too cute.
|
|
#
?
Jun 29, 2010 23:43
|
|
|
So my kitten (about 3 months) is puking. He did it like 2 days ago and then was fine until today when he puked up his wet kitten food maybe 20 minutes after eating it. The puke is basically just whatever he ate coming back up (he even tried to eat it again today  ) and he is still using the litter box. Should I bring him to the vet or is he just eating too much or something?fake edit: He is eating again as I type this.
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2010 01:50
|
|
|
Rotten Punk posted:So my kitten (about 3 months) is puking. He did it like 2 days ago and then was fine until today when he puked up his wet kitten food maybe 20 minutes after eating it. The puke is basically just whatever he ate coming back up (he even tried to eat it again today Of course, go to the vet if he's not acting right, loses his appetite, or doesn't improve.
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2010 02:19
|
|
|
Some cats are just pukers, and/or regurgitate when they eat too fast. But, it's not normal for a young 3 month old kitten to puke like that. I'd definitely call your vet, and ask them if they thought it was an emergency, or if there is anything you should be looking out for.
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2010 02:21
|
|
|
Just got back from the vet, so an update. The good: her stitches are healing nicely, and the lump on her hip area is a side effect from where they gave her a shot. It should go away in a month. She also wasn't dehydrated. The bad: They think the vomiting is pancreatitis so they're doing some blood tests to figure it out. In the mean time we have a medication to help calm her stomach. The adorable: The vet tech said Tonks was one of the best cats she's ever worked with, and would trade for her in a heartbeat. We'll have to wait a couple of days for the results, and figure out the treatment from there. My childhood cat had pancreatitis once so I feel a bit better knowing it might be something I've seen before.
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2010 03:10
|
|
|
RikkiTikkiTavi posted:Just got back from the vet, so an update. Pictures of Tonks would also help her get better faster!
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2010 04:15
|
|
|
My poor kitty had to endure a 17 hour car ride to a new home a couple days ago. She's been very scared, but has started to normalize. Before, I would have my roommate hold her while I clipped her claws, which she has always hated. If I try to do it alone she runs. I had my mom do it today, and she got a claw to the eye and a lot of hissing. She's never hissed at me, but she did today. I know she's just been scared, so I get it. How do I make her not hate claw clipping? She will get used to the place, but I don't think she will ever get used to the clippers. I would feel mean using SoftPaws because she doesn't get to scratch and shed her nails. Is there a way for her to get over it (she's 2 now) or am I doomed?
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2010 07:13
|
|
|
vaginadeathgrip posted:I would feel mean using SoftPaws because she doesn't get to scratch and shed her nails. Is there a way for her to get over it (she's 2 now) or am I doomed? We have SoftPaws for our cat. You still need to trim their claws to fit the covers on properly. She can still scratch things (like her scratching post and cat condo) but can't get enough of a grip to tear things up. Her claws shed like normal, and then you trim them again and put on new SoftPaws. Edit: I have no advice on how to get her to not hate it. I just snuggle up with Eva and pet her a lot while deftly trimming her claws. She doesn't seem to particularly notice since she gets tons of love at the same time.
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2010 07:32
|
|
|
vaginadeathgrip posted:How do I make her not hate claw clipping? She will get used to the place, but I don't think she will ever get used to the clippers. I would feel mean using SoftPaws because she doesn't get to scratch and shed her nails. Is there a way for her to get over it (she's 2 now) or am I doomed? For the time being, cat burrito so no one gets hurt. That should also make it so you can clip her claws solo eventually. As for acclimating her to claw trimming, you can try building up (e.g. touching paws -> holding her still in your lap -> holding her still while touching her paws -> extending the claws -> touching the claws while they're extended -> touching the clipper/having the clipper around -> touching the clipper to claws -> clipping a claw -> clipping a foot -> clipping all paws) over a period of weeks or a month or multiple months, pairing the step you're on with a treat she likes or petting, pick one, alternate between them or do both. When she gets to the point that her body language is still relaxed at the present step, it's time to move further. I suggest here holding her in your lap, but you don't have to do it that way. I'd work on this daily so she doesn't forget the progress in short bursts. The point is to extend her comfort zone gradually by pairing each step with something she likes. Engineer Lenk fucked around with this message at 16:04 on Jun 30, 2010 |
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2010 15:59
|
|
|
vaginadeathgrip posted:My poor kitty had to endure a 17 hour car ride to a new home a couple days ago. She's been very scared, but has started to normalize. Before, I would have my roommate hold her while I clipped her claws, which she has always hated. If I try to do it alone she runs. I had my mom do it today, and she got a claw to the eye and a lot of hissing. She's never hissed at me, but she did today. I know she's just been scared, so I get it. How do I make her not hate claw clipping? She will get used to the place, but I don't think she will ever get used to the clippers. I would feel mean using SoftPaws because she doesn't get to scratch and shed her nails. Is there a way for her to get over it (she's 2 now) or am I doomed? She's probably still super stressed from the move so I wouldn't try it until she seems like she's making herself at home in the new place. If it really really needs to be done right now then maybe you should just have a vet or groomer do it for the time being. Engineer Lenk's advice is good, it's just going to take a long time to get her used to the idea.
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2010 16:21
|
|
|
So you know where I'm coming from with this advice: I ended up with a nice puncture wound the first time I cut my mean cat's claws. We went back to the burrito method for about four months - first with someone else holding him, eventually he chilled out enough that I could burrito him by myself. I kept messing with his paws while he was super relaxed and all stretched out, while petting him. It wasn't as systematic as what I'd recommend now, but I've been able to clip his claws with no biting since then. The scruff/burrito/clip claws doesn't set you back as far as you'd think (even with pretty sensitive cats), and may be less stressful than a vet or groomer visit depending on the cat.
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2010 17:37
|
|
|
Engineer Lenk posted:The scruff/burrito/clip claws doesn't set you back as far as you'd think (even with pretty sensitive cats), and may be less stressful than a vet or groomer visit depending on the cat. Yeah, it just depends. I'm thinking of my mom's cat who is really easy to set off. She used to be so bad that the vet had to put her under before they could trim her claws or look at her teeth or anything. She's gotten better but it's still better for her for the vets to do it. They have a bit more skill with clippers of course, plus when she's there she's really hilariously mopey and will just tolerate any prodding as long as it gets her home faster.
|
|
#
?
Jun 30, 2010 19:06
|
|
|
Crooked Booty posted:How often are you feeding him? Some kittens like to eat too quickly and barf it up. If he seems like he might be gorging himself, I'd try feeding him smaller portions more frequently. Meow Cadet posted:Some cats are just pukers, and/or regurgitate when they eat too fast. But, it's not normal for a young 3 month old kitten to puke like that. I'd definitely call your vet, and ask them if they thought it was an emergency, or if there is anything you should be looking out for. Thanks for the advice. He seems fine again and is till eating, drinking, using the litter box, and running around like a maniac trying to kill everything that moves. I figure I'll use a three strikes policy, so if he upchucks one more time I'll call the vet.
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2010 03:35
|
|
|
The bloodwork came back fine but since her stomach is still iffy (she's thrown up and heaved since my last post) the vet told us to give tonks some special food and is adding an antacid to her currend medication regime. My question is how do I seperate the food? Currently they're both free fed. The rx food comes in wet so I was thinking I could pick up some wet and use a small amount of that to bribe her into eating at a set time. I could do the same for the other with her regular food. Any suggestions/tips on how to make this easier would be appreciated. Also I'm sort of afraid this is vet going "well your cat is just weird. let's throw this at her." I know there's probably more to it then that, but I just worry.
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2010 19:55
|
|
|
New cat owner here, first pet ever, two month old kitten; just picked her up six days ago. She's been getting used to me and now is being quite friendly. I'm having claw problems too, though they're not as severe as they once were. I got Pixel two scratching posts - one for the living room in front of the chair and couch I'd rather she not scratch, and she gets treats occasionally for scratching at that one. The other one I put in the laundry room where she sleeps at night with her cat bed. When she scratches something I don't want her to, I spray-mist her with a water bottle. Right now she gets scared and runs off when I have the water bottle in my hand, so I guess it's doing its job. She's getting better at not scratching stuff I'd like, but she's still in the stage where she either darts around like the world is ending or just lays on something soft being all mellow - and when she's darting around, the claws are out, and i don't think she's really paying much attention to objects or people in the vicinity. (I've been wearing long pants and socks around the house, which isn't really preferable in the summer.) So the scratching is something I'd like to take care of - right now she stays in the laundry room while I'm at work, which gives her a little room but not a lot. I'd like to be able to let her in the apartment proper while I'm at work, but first I'd like to be confident she isn't going to shred the place unsupervised. I got some soft paws but I haven't been able to put them on her. I can't get her claws to extend without her getting annoyed and struggling to get away, which indicates to me that I'm doing something wrong. Is there a secret to it? Are soft paws even the right approach, or should I continue the training and see if she even needs them? In addition, am I doing anything here that sounds totally cruel/inhumane? I'm new at this, and I want to take care of the critter. e: cat itself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRRsYIJfHk4 chardish fucked around with this message at 02:14 on Jul 3, 2010 |
|
#
?
Jul 3, 2010 02:02
|
|
|
chardish posted:I got Pixel two scratching posts - one for the living room in front of the chair and couch I'd rather she not scratch, and she gets treats occasionally for scratching at that one. The other one I put in the laundry room where she sleeps at night with her cat bed. When she scratches something I don't want her to, I spray-mist her with a water bottle. Right now she gets scared and runs off when I have the water bottle in my hand, so I guess it's doing its job. 1) scratching posts: get her a horizontal one too, some cats prefer them. The cardboard ones are very popular with every cat I've ever heard of. 2) "she's still in the stage where she either darts around like the world is ending or just lays on something soft being all mellow" I'm afraid this is the "being a cat" stage, you are stuck! 3) Clipping nails/softpaws: Touch her feet when she's mellow. She will gradually get used to it and stop hating it quite so much. When you need to clip her claws, try the cat burrito method (Wrap up in towel with paws & head out but not much else). Eventually she'll get used to it and you'll be able to do her claws regularly. Don't be afraid to hold her firmly; cats are tough little buggers and you're not going to break her (use common sense however). Obligatory "another cat would give her someone to play with & learn claw manners from!" post
|
|
#
?
Jul 3, 2010 08:47
|
|
|
So I read the OP and I love my two new kittens (3 months old now). They spent the first 2 months with their mother, who was a barn cat. It's time I get them vaccinated and I'm not a rich person and no vet actually advertises prices for this type of thing. What kind of ballpark am I looking at to get relevant vaccinations and a checkup for two kittens raised for 2 months in a barn.
|
|
#
?
Jul 4, 2010 02:20
|
|
|
zegermans posted:So I read the OP and I love my two new kittens (3 months old now). They spent the first 2 months with their mother, who was a barn cat. It's time I get them vaccinated and I'm not a rich person and no vet actually advertises prices for this type of thing. What kind of ballpark am I looking at to get relevant vaccinations and a checkup for two kittens raised for 2 months in a barn. That sort of thing varies so wildly from location to location, but you ought to be able to call any vet and get a price over the phone. My vet charges about $40 for an office visit, and then shots are usually $10-20 a pop. There are clinics that exist that will do shots only for cheap, but then you miss out on the whole exam, like the checking of the eyes, ears, heartbeat, temperature and all that good stuff. So you just gotta call around. Ask if they have any stray cat / barn cat discounts. Also ask your friends and neighbors, some vets will waive the office fee for a new client or a referral.
|
|
#
?
Jul 4, 2010 03:21
|
|
|
I'm hoping for ideas about my new kitty. Rusty Venture is accustomed to having his nails trimmed which is great for trimming his nails. But it kind of gives me problems teaching him where to scratch, he kind relaxes too much to really get the point. Any ideas on how to help him get it? I cant use catnip on them because he's only 5 months and doesn't seem to be effected by it yet. I have a cardboard scratcher and a door sisal scratcher. I've tried demonstrating myself but he just seems to think I'm as crazy as I probably am. Also he kind of digs his claws in to the carpet for half a second when he stretches. Any ideas for that or should I just give up on that being too vague to train out, and too spread out and quick to do much damage? For bonus/bribes/crazy cat ladyness:  Why does my iPhone insist on making this so red, those walls are white!  Oh and for some strange reason he loves licking my elbow pits
|
|
#
?
Jul 4, 2010 09:46
|
|
|
Comrade Quack posted:Noooo kitty don't kill Mariooooooo So where IS he scratching, if anywhere? Use that to give you an idea of what he likes. If he scratches the carpet, he probably wants a horizontal scratcher. If he's scratching the corner of a doorway, maybe he likes vertical scratching and the texture of wood. Also, when did you buy the scratchers? It might just take him a little bit of time to get used to them. Put them near where he normally scratches or likes to hang out and see if he starts using them eventually. I don't think you can probably do much about the stretching thing, I've seen lots of cats do that and it's probably just a reflex. I can't imagine it would ever do a lot of damage unless he always does it in the exact same spot. He is a little young for catnip but some cats never get into catnip so it's pretty normal either way. I think like 10% or so aren't effected by it.
|
|
#
?
Jul 4, 2010 14:33
|
|
|
HondaCivet posted:He is a little young for catnip but some cats never get into catnip so it's pretty normal either way. I think like 10% or so aren't effected by it. My kitten doesn't respond to catnip either. She's about 2 months. How old should a kitten be before they respond, typically?
|
|
#
?
Jul 4, 2010 19:24
|
|
|
chardish posted:My kitten doesn't respond to catnip either. She's about 2 months. How old should a kitten be before they respond, typically? I think the common number is around the 6 month mark / maybe a year
|
|
#
?
Jul 4, 2010 19:47
|
|
|
chardish posted:My kitten doesn't respond to catnip either. She's about 2 months. How old should a kitten be before they respond, typically? I think we should all be grateful that catnip doesn't work on kittens, they're usually crazy enough without it. If it did I think they'd just turn into glowing balls of pure energy.
|
|
#
?
Jul 4, 2010 21:24
|
|
|
Alright, my kitten seems to have settled in now. He's taken a liking to my older cat, so they hang out with each other. It's adorable. Problem is that once he realized that he's in love with my cat, he decided to not want to be near me. I lean down to pat him and he moves away. I get near him and he scampers off. He doesn't seem directly afraid of me - like if I reach for him with my finger, he moves a couple feet away but doesn't hide. It's still strange though. Any thoughts? Edit: Posting at 5am because they woke me up, playing with each other and a paper bag. Forgivable because it's so funny.
|
|
#
?
Jul 5, 2010 09:47
|
|
|
BLOG KING posted:Alright, my kitten seems to have settled in now. He's taken a liking to my older cat, so they hang out with each other. It's adorable. Ha, strange. Are there any other signs of him maybe not feeling good? Is he eating and using the litter box normally? Did you do anything that might've scared him, like accidentally stepped on his tail or made a really loud noise or something? Other than that, I'd just wait it out a bit, kittens go through lots of little phases when they discover new things.
|
|
#
?
Jul 5, 2010 17:13
|
|
|
BLOG KING posted:Alright, my kitten seems to have settled in now. He's taken a liking to my older cat, so they hang out with each other. It's adorable. You've had the kitten what, a week? Let the kitten come to you in his own time.
|
|
#
?
Jul 5, 2010 18:12
|
|
|
I'm hoping someone can help give me ideas about keeping my cat cool during the day. He's a long-haired Himalayan, and about 10 years old. I live in Toronto, and we're going through a massive heat wave right now, it's uncomfortable for me, I can only imagine how my cat with a massive fur coat is dealing. I'm filling up his water dishes in the morning and when I get home, and I've got 2 large fans going, and all the windows that have screens open. I don't have my AC in the window due to the windows and doors getting replaced shortly (super won't give a definite date) but I'm considering just putting it in anyway. So is there anything else I can do for him? Here's some bonus pictures of Cappuccino:  Click here for the full 1288x724 image.  Click here for the full 1288x724 image.
|
|
#
?
Jul 5, 2010 20:27
|
|
|
Unless it's really boiling hot like over 90 degrees in there, he'll probably be fine. I'm sure you have some nice cool tile floors or something for him to lay on. You could also give him a good brushing to pull some dead fur out.
|
|
#
?
Jul 5, 2010 20:43
|
|
|
You can fill a bowl with ice cubes, and/or put some in their normal water dish. It could get messy though, as many cats just want to bat the ice all over the floor. You could also take the cat to a groomer and get a lion cut. My mother tried to pawn off to me some sort of plastic bag that you put over your floor fan and fill up with ice. I thought it sounded ridiculous, but it may be worth a shot.
|
|
#
?
Jul 5, 2010 20:48
|
|
|
HondaCivet posted:Unless it's really boiling hot like over 90 degrees in there, he'll probably be fine. I'm sure you have some nice cool tile floors or something for him to lay on. You could also give him a good brushing to pull some dead fur out. Well, outside it's 95, and 110 with humidity, but you're right, it's probably not nearly as bad inside, and there are some cool tile floors for him to lie on. I do brush him every night, but you're right, he could probably use a thorough brushing. Meow Cadet posted:You can fill a bowl with ice cubes, and/or put some in their normal water dish. It could get messy though, as many cats just want to bat the ice all over the floor. You could also take the cat to a groomer and get a lion cut. Unfortunately I can't give him a lion cut anymore, he's gotten them in the past, but the vet discovered he's got a heart murmur now, and so putting him under any sort of sedation might be a bit risky. But good idea with the hanging ice, I'll see if I can rig up something like that. He doesn't like ice cubes in his water, but I may just do it anyway to cool down his water.
|
|
#
?
Jul 5, 2010 21:17
|
|
|
Meow Cadet posted:You've had the kitten what, a week? Let the kitten come to you in his own time. Yeah, it's just weird that he loved snuggling with me, then he became bff's with my other cat. V  V
|
|
#
?
Jul 5, 2010 23:29
|
|
|
BLOG KING posted:Yeah, it's just weird that he loved snuggling with me, then he became bff's with my other cat. V Kittens are dumb jerks. Again, it's probably a phase, he'll come back around (especially when he remembers where the food comes from). Kittens will do all sorts of annoying things the first time they discover something but they get over it generally.
|
|
#
?
Jul 6, 2010 01:26
|
|
|
When we first got Eva she loved sleeping on the bed with us. Then we got her a cat condo and for a couple of weeks she wouldn't sleep on the bed with us, would only hang out on her condo. Then she switched back and now sleeps on the bed again. I think cats just go for a novelty things and then will get back to "normal" again.
|
|
#
?
Jul 6, 2010 01:51
|
|
|
Could you put down something else filled with ice like a bottle of water or a bag of ice cubes for her to lay on? Ice cubes would be easier but a bottle of water would stay cold longer.
|
|
#
?
Jul 6, 2010 02:37
|
|
|
Ok, my cat has been doing something that baffles me to no end--a little over a month ago he broke out in a flea allergy, ended up with a number of scabs, so we flea-medicated (of course) and put a cone on him so he couldn't badger the scabs and they could heal up. Once they were gone, the cone went off, and he clawed open a small hole on the top of his head, dead center but about an inch back from his eyes. After cleaning it up it looked like two very narrow slices, obviously self-inflicted. So the cone went on, it healed up, scab dried up, came off, skin looked fine. I swabbed it some solution the vet gave after the cat sustained a little bit of battle damage. Cone came off. He opened it up again. Cone went back on, cleaned it up, again. I cannot figure out why he's scratching open holes in his head. It's driving me batty--he's an incredibly dumb cat, but he's like 7yo now and never been dumb enough to scratch so hard he hurt himself. Is it just that the skin is still tender there, and the cone's coming off too soon?
|
|
#
?
Jul 6, 2010 04:15
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 20, 2024 23:24 |
|
|
Couple of questions. Does the cat go outside? Have you changed the cat's food any time in the recent past?
|
|
#
?
Jul 6, 2010 05:30
|
|