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pandaid posted:Well this almost turned out to bite me in the rear end today. I took her collar off for the day to decide whether it was safe or not. My apartment was broken into today and they kicked in bottom part of the door. Luckily kitty was waiting for me at the door, but apparently she did wander the apartment building and visited some garbage because I found some bitten up foil in my apartment. Thank god she is attached to me and my apartment. Thank god she didn't get outside. 
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Oct 27, 2010 05:33
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pandaid posted:Well this almost turned out to bite me in the rear end today. I took her collar off for the day to decide whether it was safe or not. My apartment was broken into today and they kicked in bottom part of the door. Luckily kitty was waiting for me at the door, but apparently she did wander the apartment building and visited some garbage because I found some bitten up foil in my apartment. Thank god she is attached to me and my apartment. Thank god she didn't get outside. Oh no! I'm glad she stayed inside. I'd hate to think that I was responsible for you losing your kitten.  I hope things turn out okay about the break-in. That really sucks.
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Oct 27, 2010 07:13
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Cripes that's pretty scary, I'm glad your kitty is okay and hope everything else is too. I have 2 indoor cats who are microchipped and I had collars on them just in case for a while but one of them just always took his off and the other would just scratch where it was. I have a sun room out of my front hallway before it gets to the front door so I just decided to be super careful and have the hallway door closed in case they bolt but I worry about that sort of thing happening too. Power Dips fucked around with this message at 09:01 on Oct 27, 2010 |
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Oct 27, 2010 08:59
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vanessa posted:Oh no! I'm glad she stayed inside. I'd hate to think that I was responsible for you losing your kitten. Not your fault at all. I'm still debating if she should wear a collar. I think this episode made me realize that if at all possible, she should wear a collar. My neighbor saw her wandering around and didn't think another thing of it. I might even get a new tag for her with my address. Right now it's just my phone number (which is an out of state area code) and her name and my first initial and last name. If she gets stuck again, with me checking it for tightness, then I'll take it off. Things are getting back to normal. Luckily I'm poor and don't have too many items that someone would want to steal. Oh and I won a free cat tree today from <edited because of creepy goon stalker> So things are looking up for the 2 of us. pandaid fucked around with this message at 22:34 on Oct 28, 2010 |
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Oct 28, 2010 04:57
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Any chance I can get a quick sanity check to see if I'm crazy for wanting a cat? I live in a three-bedroom house with two of my friends, it's also got a living room, dining room, kitchen, and basement. Landlord allows us to have a cat in the house, although we currently do not. All three of us grew up with animals, and it turns out that we'd all enjoy having a cat in the house. So I've been thinking for a couple days about getting one. If I adopted a cat, then I would be very clear with my housemates that the cat is mine and I would be the primary caregiver, understanding that this means I'm socking out the money for food and vet bills and cleaning the litterbox, etc. It also means that when we leave the house and go our separate ways, the cat would come with me. The split would be happening in May of 2012, and I have no idea where I would be moving to, although I expect it would be somewhere on the west coast (as opposed to upstate New York, where I currently live). I do want to get an older cat, at least a year old, to avoid all of the issues that kittens have due to their inherently kitten nature. My big concerns are a) money and b) the move. How much of a financial sink is a cat? The shelter I would be adopting from covers all of the initial medical costs and such (spaying, deworming, vaccines, feline leukemia test, microchipping, rabies, etc), so aside from check ups, I'd only have to take the cat to the vet if something actually goes wrong. And I know it will, but I don't know how much it wold cost, on average. In terms of food and toys and litter, how much should I be expecting to pay for all of that as well? How well do cats handle large, multi-driving-day moves? I did some googling and found guides for how to handle your cat when moving across the country, which suggests that it's definitely something people do. If I know that the move is coming, should I just wait the extra time and adopt a cat when I'm in my new place and possible in a more permanent living situation? Or is it fine for me to adopt a cat, knowing that I'll be moving in around 18 months? I won't be adopting anything until January, just to make sure that it's not an impulse decision and to save up some cash so I have a safety cushion for the feline when she arrives. So there's plenty of time for me to realize I'm making a bad choice. Any advice?
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Oct 29, 2010 22:19
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Coca Koala posted:Any chance I can get a quick sanity check to see if I'm crazy for wanting a cat? Congrats, it sounds like you have a very reasonable mindset about the whole thing.  As far as costs, this might give you a better idea. It's not typically too bad week-to-week but you have to make sure that you can set aside some money for vet emergencies and checkups. Young cats don't typically have tons of vet emergencies but they can happen. A few hundred bucks in savings would be a good start. At the very least, have a credit card with some headroom on it so you can toss an emergency care charge on there and take care of it over the next month or two. Getting one cat is probably fine. However, if you plan on only ever having one cat, you should ask at the shelter/rescue about cats that can't live with other cats. They are just as awesome as any other cat but they need a special home where they can have the people all to themselves. If you think you might want more cats later, it might be better to just get two buddies now. It doesn't really take that much more time or money and they will be happy to have each other for company during the day. I wouldn't worry about the move, it's pretty far away. Those big moves suck but it's been done successfully by many so don't worry about it too much until the time comes. Oh, and since you came in here asking for help you have to show us pics when you finally pick up the kitty(s). 
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Oct 29, 2010 22:35
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I would be a little cautious of the move. It can be really hard to find pet friendly places, and they often have ridiculous deposits and/or monthly fees. Would you have new roommates at the new place? Allergies are common, and can be very severe. Plus, most rescues are going to ask to have the cat back if something happens to you and you cannot take care of the cat anymore. It's nice to have that safety net close to home. My rough guesstimate for monthly expenses is $30 a month for food/litter, $5-$10 a month for toys, and $100-200 for yearly vaccines/teeth/checkups. Then there's the initial cost of cat beds, cat trees, cat proofing, brushes, etc. which could run a couple hundred dollars. Many vets will ask you to put her on flea and heartworm meds, even as an inside cat, depending on your area, so that's another $? per month. For emergencies, you should try and put away another $20-$50 a month into an emergency fund. If you live in USA most pet insurance is crap, and you can use that emergency fund on yourself, if you have an emergency (needing a new outfit is not an emergency). Meow Cadet fucked around with this message at 22:48 on Oct 29, 2010 |
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Oct 29, 2010 22:45
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Meow Cadet posted:I would be a little cautious of the move. It can be really hard to find pet friendly places, and they often have ridiculous deposits and/or monthly fees. Would you have new roommates at the new place? Allergies are common, and can be very severe. This is true. Having a cat is awesome but it definitely makes things a little harder when it comes to housing. I wouldn't NOT get a cat due to this stuff but it's something you'll have to keep in mind when you move. Just imagine finding the perfect apartment and roommates after a long search but finding out that the building doesn't take cats/a roomie's deathly allergic. If you'd dump your cat in this situation, then don't get a cat.
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Oct 29, 2010 22:50
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HondaCivet posted:Congrats, it sounds like you have a very reasonable mindset about the whole thing. I'm doing my best to be a responsible adult about the entire thing. I'd really like to have an animal around again, but I remember from getting a puppy in high school that pets can be a lot of work. The chart you linked is super helpful, and exactly the sort of information I was looking for! I can definitely put aside two or three hundred bucks over the next few months without feeling the pinch. I also have a card with plenty of head room for whatever emergencies crop up. With regards to two cats, my concern would be space. I guess if I'm adopting two cats that are already friends, then they'd be cool with being in close quarters pretty much all the time, right? I feel like there's enough room in the house for one cat, but I'm worried that two might make it cramped for everybody. It's also hard to get over the mental block of "one cat = x amount of work and y amount of money, two cats will equal 2x work and 2y money". edit: If I got a cat, then the cat would be considered a permanent addition. Finding a place to live is a challenge anyways, it'll just be one more way to cross apartments or roommates off the list of potentials. I would certainly not get rid of the cat just to make my situation a little easier; if that were considered an option, I'd rather just save the money and spend it on myself upfront. Coca Koala fucked around with this message at 22:58 on Oct 29, 2010 |
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Oct 29, 2010 22:53
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Coca Koala posted:Cats don't really need a ton of space to be honest. They are not big animals and don't do a lot of moving. Really, cats value vertical space more than horizontal, so getting them a cat tree would really help if you are worried. You don't need to get cats that already know each other but it would be really helpful. It would be really awesome if you could find a bonded pair to adopt actually, they are traditionally very hard to home and are super awesome because it's fun to watch them cuddle and wash each other and wrestle.  I am glad you feel that way! Some people will get rid of their cats as soon as they set sights on a pet-free apartment, like the poor cat is just a piece of furniture that's too cumbersome to take with them.
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Oct 29, 2010 23:13
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Having two cats feels less crowded than having one. I say this because when my cat was alone, he'd bother me a lot, meowing constantly. He was bored and lonely. Now he has a buddy, and when they're not asleep, and it's not mealtime, they pretty much spend all their time hanging out with one another instead of in my face. I still get petting times though  If you do decide to just get one cat, ask the shelter to recommend a cat who prefers to be alone. There are plenty of cats who do, and they need homes too.
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Oct 30, 2010 01:42
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Coca Koala posted:It's also hard to get over the mental block of "one cat = x amount of work and y amount of money, two cats will equal 2x work and 2y money". My unprofessional guesstimate is that two cats will equal .5x the work, and 1.5 times the money. It's so so so much easier to have two cats (that get along and entertain each other), and you only pay for extra food and vaccines, as they can pretty much share litter, toys, etc.
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Oct 30, 2010 07:11
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I'm looking into getting a cat tree/condo/gym/something huge and fun for my four cats. I know everyone on here recommends Armarkat, and they do ship to Canada, where I live, so that would be all right, although I would prefer to find something Canadian. Mostly I'm looking for something really tall and sturdy - my two boy cats are both around 14 pounds, and the girls are still growing. I want something that will be fun and awesome for them all to play king kitty of the castle on, because that's what they do with their little scratching posts now. :3 So, any recommendations on any specific models? That ship to Canada? For four big kitties?
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Nov 1, 2010 01:26
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Eggplant Wizard posted:Having two cats feels less crowded than having one. I say this because when my cat was alone, he'd bother me a lot, meowing constantly. He was bored and lonely. Now he has a buddy, and when they're not asleep, and it's not mealtime, they pretty much spend all their time hanging out with one another instead of in my face. I still get petting times though Pretty much this. I got Max solo because the roommate had a cat so we had 2 in the house. Us owners still got tons of attention, but if we had work to do the cats were fine by themselves. Once we moved out poor Max went nuts and had to be in my lap or on my shoulder or climbing on my keyboard every waking moment. So I went and got another cat. They love each other and I can do my work again. Something I think is funny is how much Max mellowed over time. She was "roughly a year" when I got her from the pound, and she was quite the rear end in a top hat kitten still even if she looked like an adult. She's calmed down so much now you'd never believe it- but she's still got the same adorable attitude. Oh and Max came with me from AZ to NC and recently back again. 3 nights in hotels each way. She just slept the whole time thanks to the miracle of cat tranquilizers. Sam didn't even need them he just slept because he's a boring fatty. If it's 18 months till your move I wouldn't wait that long. It does depend on the cat, of course. A high strung cat who hates cars will not enjoy a long trip and he will let you know!
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Nov 1, 2010 08:33
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Just confirming that two cats are less work than one cat. My cats started to go off still water and were only drinking from the tap or the shower, and consequently getting all sick and lethargic. I bought them a fountain today and they are both deathly afraid of it. GODDAMMIT how do I make my cats drink water?
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Nov 1, 2010 10:58
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Exelsior posted:My cats started to go off still water and were only drinking from the tap or the shower, and consequently getting all sick and lethargic. I bought them a fountain today and they are both deathly afraid of it. GODDAMMIT how do I make my cats drink water?
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Nov 1, 2010 11:19
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I have random water bowls all around. I have one in the tub, one on the basement steps, a drinkwell, and a gravity fountain and a glass bowl in the kitchen. They seem to prefer different ones at different times, I have no idea why they want one over the other, and the tub one is a pain in the rear end because I have to remember to refill it after showers when I'm all groggy. It's absolute overkill and I wouldn't do it if my place were smaller.
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Nov 1, 2010 11:28
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Yeah, I have a few bowls of water around the house but they are really onto the running water thing now. Glad to hear it will get better after 2-4 weeks. I do have Feliway but I don't know if this is a feliway situation. Eh, I suppose I will just run the shower a few times a day until they get used to the fountain.
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Nov 1, 2010 12:41
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*sigh* new problem! Nova, who has been poopy for a month due to antibiotics, has been put on Metronidazole, which is another kind of antibiotic that kills only select things. Now she has the reverse problem - she can't poop! Apparently that's a common side effect of this medicine. How long until I really have to worry about the lack of poop? Back story: She might have an imbalance of too much bacteria, which took over after the antibiotics killed the good stuff. Or maybe she has a different sort of infection that took over. She was in a hoarding situation until July, and I adopted her in September. She stopped the first antibtioics 10 days ago after her lingering cough was finally cured. We tried a week of the Purina probiotics, but there was no change. Thursday I put her on a bland rice and boiled chicken diet. On Friday I got the Metronidazole. Normal gross poops that night, but she's only had 2 very small BM's since, the last being >24 hours ago. She's got to be feeling rather backed up at this point. She has 2 more days of this medicine. She got an ice cube worth of pumpkin last night, and I plan on giving her the same tonight. God I feel like the worst hover cat mom ever. Why is my cat so broken!
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Nov 1, 2010 15:10
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pandaid posted:*sigh* new problem! Fake edit: Just noticed you're already trying some pumpkin. More pumpkin, more vet?
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Nov 1, 2010 15:43
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duckfarts posted:Check with your vet about the "how long", try canned pumpkin for "poop, dammit"(just google "cat constipation pumpkin"). We have solid poop! I have never been so excited to see poop in my life. There's still improvement needed, but this is the best it's been for a month. Not sure if it's the bland diet or the medication, but I'm glad this is nearing an end. One more day of complete bland diet and I can start reintroducing her to her food. Just in time too, because I fear I'm getting too well known at my vet.
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Nov 2, 2010 03:29
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Just picked up a 5 month old persian! This little guy is not neutered (i'm going to get him neutered in a month) but he's doing great so far. He was extremely reserved his first day, only staying in the bathroom (his safe room) and not eating. However at night, he finally started pigging out and is now eating and pooping in his litter box, all's good. How long will it take for him to get acclimated to the apartment? And as a side note: After 2 days of getting to know my gf's apartment (his long term residence), we had to move him to my bathroom because of extenuating circumstances. This time he didnt take nearly as long to get acclimated and immediately started eating/playing/purring with me. Then 3 days later I'll have to bring him again to my parents house for the weekend, to get him acclimated to his 3rd villa where he will stay at times. I know it's probably super stressful for the kitty, but honestly I can't think of a better way to do it. He's a great little guy, and never ever meow's and is perfectly fine with sitting in a lap and getting brushed. Really low energy, I've never heard him peep and he doesnt really like playing with his toys. Am I doing permanent damage by moving him to 3 places within two weeks, each time spending a couple of days? I figured its best to get him used to it at a young age. He's a dollfaced persian and just absolutely super chill. Obligatory pics!   I've also noticed that he has that black fleck above his nose, and on his inner eyes sometimes. It can be peeled off, but I can't figure out a good way to do it without freaking the cat out. He lets me hold onto his head and play with his face, but when i start rubbing at the black spots he just jumps off. Any ideas PI?
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Nov 2, 2010 04:56
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Eggplant Wizard posted:If you do decide to just get one cat, ask the shelter to recommend a cat who prefers to be alone. There are plenty of cats who do, and they need homes too. Can't agree more. On the opposite spectrum I have seen people pick out cats that are marked as wanting to be alone, to be a friend to their other cat thinking they can make them get along. Only to be returned a week later. Don't do this!
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Nov 2, 2010 06:11
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Chim posted:I've also noticed that he has that black fleck above his nose, and on his inner eyes sometimes. It can be peeled off, but I can't figure out a good way to do it without freaking the cat out. He lets me hold onto his head and play with his face, but when i start rubbing at the black spots he just jumps off. Any ideas PI? These are probably just eye boogers. They won't harm him. As for moving him all the time, the main thing is to keep him from getting so stressed he doesn't eat. Cats can get very sick very quickly if they don't eat, like within 2-3 days, and cats also tend not to eat for the first 12-48 hours or so of being in a new place (much depends on temperament, of course). This could be a bad combination for you. Why do you keep having to move him? Where is his permanent home going to be?
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Nov 2, 2010 19:01
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Update on the fountain situation: After being really loving scared of the fountain and not going anywhere near it I eventually took the pump out, turned it right down and put in in a huge bowl. Now instead of a fountain with airborne water, there is just a bowl of water with a gently rippling surface. It has done the trick! My cats are drinking and no longer lethargic or whiny. If anyone is thinking of getting a fountain just buy a small pump from a fish shop or something and put it in a big heavy water bowl. Saves wasting money on a real fountain that your pets might then be afraid of.
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Nov 3, 2010 07:20
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I've never owned a long hair cat before and would like to know if there is anything special we should do. She enjoys being brushed, so that is easy. I don't see any fleas on her, but she does have little black specks I keep finding on her...dirt maybe. She was outdoors only until yesterday when we decided she had adopted us and perhaps we in turn should adopt her. So I guess my questions are, is there anything special we should do for a long haired cat? Do we need to keep her hair trimmed? I ask because I see some cats that have been shaven I don't know why. Will she have more of a messy bathroom problem since she is so hairy? Should we trim the hair in that area? I guess I really don't know where to start with a stray, we've always adopted cats from the humane society and they generally get to us litter trained, fixed and so on. Thanks!
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Nov 4, 2010 15:08
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digitalscribbles posted:I've never owned a long hair cat before and would like to know if there is anything special we should do. She enjoys being brushed, so that is easy. I don't see any fleas on her, but she does have little black specks I keep finding on her...dirt maybe. She was outdoors only until yesterday when we decided she had adopted us and perhaps we in turn should adopt her. Long haired cats usually get shaved because they're matted. The common problem areas are tummies, arm pits, and areas that come into contact with food or poop, i.e. butt and chest/chin area. Some furry cats have problems getting poo in their fur, so people shave that area -- it's called a sanitary or hygiene clip, and most vets and groomers will do it for cheap. I'd leave it alone unless she starts having problems. A lot of people end up shaving long-haired cats when they're older because dental problems and arthritis can make it harder for the cat to groom herself, and mats crop up. Mats also snowball, so if you find little ones on her, cut them out or take her to a groomer. When ignored, they'll just get bigger, tighter, and closer to the skin, which is uncomfortable and harder to fix. If you can keep up with regular brushing and get her to enjoy it, you should be in good shape. Btw I saw her in the pics thread and her tail is amazing.
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Nov 4, 2010 15:22
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Crooked Booty posted:If you can brush her regularly, that's great. Little black specs may be dirt but may also be flea dirt from an earlier infestation. Sometimes you can tell by getting some of the specs on a paper towel and adding water -- flea dirt will dissolve to be reddish brown. If she hasn't been dewormed, that might be a good idea since cats get tapeworms from fleas. She had her vaccinations on Tuesday, she was given deworming medicine then. Currently I don't see anything in her stools. She is massively stinky though. I mean seriously...earlier I smelled her before I saw her. As a stray, obviously she's been eating anything, right now we have her on crappy cat food mixed with a tish of Blue Buffalo. I suppose we should just give her tummy time to adjust right? She also doesn't jump. No joke, she pulls herself up or finds something to use as steps. We read that is fairly normal for some Maine Coons as well....if she continues not to jump...do we just leave her? As in, should we let her do her own thing or should we get one of those ramps or stair step things small dogs use. Our cats sleep in the bed with us, I would suppose when everyone starts to get along she might want to join us. I'm sure these are silly questions, at least they feel silly....but again, we've never done this type of thing with a stray before, and we certainly don't know anything about Maine Coon cats.
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Nov 5, 2010 14:47
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Is there anything I can do to prevent my two male cats, who have already been neutered, from spraying parts of the house? They are extremely friendly but since this is my parent's place, they have decided to force them to be outdoors all the time, though they at least have access to the garage. It's disheartening to think of all the time we could have spent with them if it had not been for my Mother's decision. I looked into Ssscat from the OP, but given that it costs around $22 per device and we'd probably need 3-5, I was not able to convince them to try it. They felt that the device wasn't complex enough, because we need to do more than just prevent them from coming near a dinner plate or walking on the counter. I still think the only way to train them, if they can be trained, is to use a scented spray that acts as a cat repellent and just spray the areas they use every 2-3 days, and ideally we could catch them urinating in the area when we use it, but we can't watch them throughout the entire day. I'd appreciate any feedback on this. They're incredibly nice cats and there's nothing else they do that's problematic (like digging into the carpet with claws, etc), it's just that they won't stop marking their territory throughout the house.
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Nov 6, 2010 01:06
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ductile escapist posted:Is there anything I can do to prevent my two male cats, who have already been neutered, from spraying parts of the house? They are extremely friendly but since this is my parent's place, they have decided to force them to be outdoors all the time, though they at least have access to the garage. No offense to ductile escapist, but I'm personally tired of typing out the list of things to try for cats peeing inappropriately... because it seems like half the people try that stuff, and then they just give up, instead of taking their cat to the vet first like everyone recommends. So anyway, the cats need to go to the vet first and foremost. There are lots of other things to try after you've ruled out medical causes.
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Nov 6, 2010 01:13
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ductile escapist posted:I still think the only way to train them, if they can be trained, is to use a scented spray that acts as a cat repellent and just spray the areas they use every 2-3 days, and ideally we could catch them urinating in the area when we use it, but we can't watch them throughout the entire day. I'd appreciate any feedback on this. They're incredibly nice cats and there's nothing else they do that's problematic (like digging into the carpet with claws, etc), it's just that they won't stop marking their territory throughout the house. First, have you had them checked out at the vet recently? Sometimes cats who are peeing in the wrong places are doing so because of medical issues, like urine crystals, which can be fatal. If they're both doing it and it's been longstanding, it's probably not this, but you'll want to get them checked out just in case. What you need to do is get some cleaning spray specially made to clean up pet urine. Nature's Miracle is a good brand that is available at pet stores and online. Use it EVERYWHERE they've peed. EVERYWHERE. Cats can smell places that have been sprayed even when a human can't, and that acts as a sort of "hey, this is a spot to mark territory" signal. You need to use a special cleaning agent that acts on the proteins deposited by pet urine. Use an ultraviolet light to look for spots around the house. Secondly, I'd recommend getting some Feliway diffusers. They are another smell signal for cats, and they tend to help with territorial or behavior problems. These are kind of pricey, but they might help with the underlying issues.
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Nov 6, 2010 01:16
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digitalscribbles posted:Well it seems she is a Maine Coon (or at least partly) cat... and we certainly don't know anything about Maine Coon cats. Your cat is not a Maine Coon. There are Domestic Long hairs that have very similar coat patterns. The chances of a mutt cat breeding with a pedigree Maine Coon from a cattery are really, really unlikely. Just saying to not looking into the "breed" of your cat, it's far more likely just a regular mutt cat.
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Nov 6, 2010 01:22
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Crooked Booty posted:Btw I saw her in the pics thread and her tail is amazing. Where is this picture thread I demand you link it immediately. I have a long haired cat and I am always having him shaved by the vet. I used to do it myself but once I cut him and have been too scared to do it since. In winter he gets a butt shave, and in summer he gets a lion cut, because the summers here are brutal and we don't have air con. Cats look really stupid with lion cuts. Sadly, at times even brushing once a day doesn't keep up with the fallout. You will have to accept that at certain times of the year your house will be covered in fur no matter how many times you brush her or how many times you vacuum. (Unless you get a lion cut!)
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Nov 6, 2010 03:04
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So my cat was at the vet the other day for some issues, and today he's sneezed a few times so I'm worried he may have picked up a bit of a kitty cold while he was there. He only sneezed 3 times all day, but I'm completely paranoid that he's getting sick two days before I'm going out of town because he's going to be boarded for 4-5 days. It may be nothing, but for reference, what do you do if your cat gets a cold/URI? Is a vet visit necessary, or do they just tough it out like people do? His appetite is still good and he's acting normal otherwise. Am I just worrying too much? He's my first cat and within only 3 months of having him he's already ended up with struvite crystals so I'm super concerned. 
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Nov 8, 2010 00:06
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Serella posted:So my cat was at the vet the other day for some issues, and today he's sneezed a few times so I'm worried he may have picked up a bit of a kitty cold while he was there. He only sneezed 3 times all day, but I'm completely paranoid that he's getting sick two days before I'm going out of town because he's going to be boarded for 4-5 days. It may be nothing, but for reference, what do you do if your cat gets a cold/URI? Is a vet visit necessary, or do they just tough it out like people do? His appetite is still good and he's acting normal otherwise. Am I just worrying too much? He's my first cat and within only 3 months of having him he's already ended up with struvite crystals so I'm super concerned. Most healthy cats will get over a URI on their own. The big worries (i.e. reasons to go to the vet) are 1) if their nose is stuffy enough, they can't smell their food, so they stop eating, 2) eyes get involved pretty often, and eye goopiness should usually be treated because eyeballs are serious poo poo, 3) if he gets spraying-boogers-all-over-the-walls snotty or wheezy, he may need antibiotics to treat/prevent a secondary infection. Where were you planning to board him? Since URIs are contagious, he will probably need to be isolated from other cats if he continues sneezing. If you're boarding him at the vet, there's really nothing to worry about. They see URIs all the time and will know how to take good care of him. You may want to give them a heads up about his sneezing before you drop him off to make sure they have room in whatever isolation area they have.
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Nov 8, 2010 02:10
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Crooked Booty posted:Kitty colds are pretty similar to human colds. One big difference is that most cat colds come from a virus that cats carry around for life, and then they have outbreaks triggered by stress. He may have picked up a new virus at the vet, or it may just be due to stress. Most shelter/rescue cats already have the virus. We just picked up a shelter cat a few days ago and were told that he has the virus. He was fine and very cuddly/purring within a few hours of bringing him home, but a few days later, he's got a raspy meow and a bit of a hacking cough. I'm making a checkup appointment for him this week anyway but I was wondering if it's just the stress of a new home, or if I should be more worried (mostly because the raspy voice sounds so sad )
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Nov 8, 2010 02:15
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plasmolysis posted:We just picked up a shelter cat a few days ago and were told that he has the virus. He was fine and very cuddly/purring within a few hours of bringing him home, but a few days later, he's got a raspy meow and a bit of a hacking cough. I'm making a checkup appointment for him this week anyway but I was wondering if it's just the stress of a new home, or if I should be more worried (mostly because the raspy voice sounds so sad Yeah, probably stress is bringing out the cold. Don't take it personally, moving's always hard, even if you're a cat. It's probably not an emergency vet but bringing him in early this week would be best.
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Nov 8, 2010 02:46
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Crooked Booty posted:1) if their nose is stuffy enough, they can't smell their food, so they stop eating Ha. My cat doesn't know the meaning of "stop eating." Thanks for the info, though. I'm not sure if he's actually sick yet. Also, one more question. Why the gently caress does my cat freak out and bite me sometimes? He just did this and now I have some angry-looking welts on my arm from being bitten twice, though it didn't break the skin because I'm wearing long sleeves. He was sitting on the other side of the bed, and I was shaking my hair out a bit to try and get the elastic band untangled, and a second after I finished and put my arm down, he rushed over, bit me, and hissed, followed by another quick nip. Needless to say, I shoved his rude rear end off the bed, but he was back 10 seconds later looking for love and purring like nothing ever happened. What the hell. Do all cats do this?
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Nov 8, 2010 05:25
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Serella posted:Also, one more question. Why the gently caress does my cat freak out and bite me sometimes? He just did this and now I have some angry-looking welts on my arm from being bitten twice, though it didn't break the skin because I'm wearing long sleeves. He was sitting on the other side of the bed, and I was shaking my hair out a bit to try and get the elastic band untangled, and a second after I finished and put my arm down, he rushed over, bit me, and hissed, followed by another quick nip. As you get to know your cat better, you will start to see the warning signs of a 'love bite' coming on. You don't want to overstimulate your cat.
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Nov 8, 2010 05:41
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Serella posted:What the hell. Do all cats do this? I am a total novice cat owner, but I've noticed that at certain times the kitten is freaking insane. In the morning right around dawn she loses her tiny little mind, she bounces off the back of the couch like it's a trampoline, she begs for love and then flings herself down and grabs any invading hand with all four feet and every possible tooth. This is an incredible cat and she restrains herself; she keeps her talons sheathed and never bites hard enough to even leave a dent (this amazes me, as I'm used to parrots, who aren't satisfied until they've left some nerve damage behind). Anyhow, the kitten goes through crazytime around dawn and around dusk. We just avoid her then, or throw toys until she wears herself out, because touching her during that timespan makes her thud herself onto the floor with all her paws and mouth aimed for predation, and if she were any less sweet we would all be in bloody tatters. I think it's just a cat thing.
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Nov 8, 2010 06:06
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