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Puddles posted:So, I don't know where to ask and don't think starting a new thread is appropriate, so I figured I'd try here. Does the vet think this is acute or chronic? Do you have the results of the blood work? Unfortunately there isn't a specific timeline if it is chronic. It will progress as fast or as slow as it does. There may be times where the cat feels/looks great and times where you wonder if it is time (usually referred to as crashing.) I wish I could be of more help but of my two that eventuality passed due to CRF there was little commonality in the progression. The 6 year old girl was diagnosed and passed 3 months later. The 13 year old male was diagnosed, had cancer and passed 2 years later. There are a ton of resources online and a lot of people here with experience with CRF. Get as much information as you can and hug the kitty a lot.
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Dec 10, 2011 21:51
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Thanks for the info guys, I'll look through that CRF thread when I get the chance (I'm leaving the city tonight for work) Little bit more news, I'm unable to get actual numbers right now because my girlfriend is obviously upset. It looks like it was ARF that lead to CRF. I only got a little bit of information from my GF over the phone. The vet was unable to give a timeline because it varies between cats, but said that right now it's quite sick and has a 50/50 chance of surviving the month. As for what caused it they're not sure. It's a cat that is allowed to be outdoors during the day (night time there are coyotes) so he said it could have eaten / drank something that might have caused it.   Happy thoughts for Amber 
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Dec 11, 2011 00:48
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Does anyone here have any experience with long term treatment for Stomatitis with prednisone? Rosie went back to the vet yesterday for her followup on her dental surgery, and while it's gone from where her teeth were, it didn't go away in the back of her mouth and in the saliva glands. China only has the short-term pills, so the plan is for her to take it for a week and then stop until the next flareup and repeat. My only experience with it is with my Dad's MS, but I feel like that's a different case.
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Dec 11, 2011 02:25
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Dilber posted:Does anyone here have any experience with long term treatment for Stomatitis with prednisone? Rosie went back to the vet yesterday for her followup on her dental surgery, and while it's gone from where her teeth were, it didn't go away in the back of her mouth and in the saliva glands. China only has the short-term pills, so the plan is for her to take it for a week and then stop until the next flareup and repeat. My only experience with it is with my Dad's MS, but I feel like that's a different case. Don't have any expeirence, but it could be that there's a systematic response to the old trigger that hasn't fully resolved. Be sure to ask about tapering the predisone dosage. I personally have experience with allergies/eczema/asthma and predisone. when things get really bad, you need to do a round or 2 of steroids even when the trigger is gone. tapering means reducing the dosage over a period of time so the system doesn't go into a rebound response. a normal course for a human is 1 -2 weeks. I really recommend the tapering, even for a short course.
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Dec 11, 2011 07:09
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My neighbours have an outdoor cat, and last Friday he showed up around here with his tail shaved, like a lion cut but just the tail part. For the past few days he's been hanging around here frequently and I've noticed that his tail looks to have a pretty big scab on it. Because I've been seeing him repeatedly I can say that it looks like it's getting worse, and to top it off he won't stop biting/licking it. I'm planning on talking to my neighbour tomorrow to make sure she is aware of what's going on with her cat. If she's not home tomorrow, is this serious enough that I need to take the cat to the vet, or can it wait a few days? Also any ideas as to what is going on? I also remember him biting/chasing his tail a couple days before it got shaved. Is shaving a common treatment for fleas or something?
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Dec 11, 2011 07:51
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pinkgingham_19 posted:My neighbours have an outdoor cat, and last Friday he showed up around here with his tail shaved, like a lion cut but just the tail part. For the past few days he's been hanging around here frequently and I've noticed that his tail looks to have a pretty big scab on it. Because I've been seeing him repeatedly I can say that it looks like it's getting worse, and to top it off he won't stop biting/licking it. I'm planning on talking to my neighbour tomorrow to make sure she is aware of what's going on with her cat. If she's not home tomorrow, is this serious enough that I need to take the cat to the vet, or can it wait a few days? Also any ideas as to what is going on? I also remember him biting/chasing his tail a couple days before it got shaved. Is shaving a common treatment for fleas or something? It could be he was shaved BECAUSE of the scab, if he was showing skin irritation it could be they shaved it to allow easier treatment. I'd ask your neighbour about it and if you know her vets phone up and let them know if you can't get a hold of her. They legally can't tell you information about it since it's not your pet but they can let you know whether it's something they'd want to look at. Scabs are a good thing in a way, it means the wound is healing over and eventually scabs fall off when it's all healed underneath. Do try your best to talk to the neighbour first though, if she knows what it is then that's better than you spending money and a vets time just to find out that it's already being treated.
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Dec 11, 2011 09:57
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McKracken posted:Is 6 months the appropriate time to transition kittens to adult food? I was always told around a year was about the time you transition from kitten to adult food.
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Dec 11, 2011 16:05
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How quickly does Revolution expire? I'm thinking of buying a multipack from 1800PetMeds.
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Dec 11, 2011 18:39
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Long story short, I have a cat that's been showing increased breathing effort consistently for about a month and sounding congested on and off for a couple months. He's been to his regular vet twice, the emergency vet once, and a third vet once (this past Friday.) At each visit his physical exam turned up nothing unusual and he also had a chest x-ray that was normal. I have repeatedly tried to get blood work done on him but he was too agitated at his regular vet, and when I took him to the new vet on Friday they elected to give him a steroid shot and an antibiotic shot to see if it cleared up the problem before they tried to draw any blood. The shots don't seem to be working as he is still having the same problems. I will be calling the new vet first thing tomorrow to discuss this. I also called the emergency vet tonight to ask their opinion since he has been sleeping more since the shots, but is still alert when awake and is eating/eliminating normally. Actually, he's eating a lot more, which I was told was a side effect of the steroids. The emergency vet said he should be OK until he can be seen by my regular vet, since he's not displaying any symptoms of distress, no open mouth breathing, not difficult to rouse from sleep, etc. However, this is why I'm posting: for the past couple days (previous to receiving the shots) I've noticed he is grunting/groaning in his sleep and when he switches positions while sleeping, and also while grooming himself. He never makes this noise while up and about and his mobility is still normal... he'll jump, walk around normally, etc. I have known other cats that make this kind of noise while sleeping, but my cat has never been known to previous to a few days ago. I've noticed he is making these noises a lot today... however, when he was seen on Friday, the vet said he didn't appear to be suffering or in any pain, so I don't know if these noises indicate pain or not? He doesn't appear to be in pain to me either, but I'm no expert. I was just wondering if anyone else has had this experience with their cats and had any opinions or ideas. Here's his info: Age: 6 yrs Sex: Male How long have you had your cat? Since he was a kitten Is your cat spayed or neutered? Yes What food do you use? Iams dry food, though I've recently learned this is not great for cats so I am planning on switching him. I also feed him wet food on occassion but the dry food is his regular food. He is free-fed and a normal weight. When was your last vet visit? This past Friday Is your cat indoors, outdoors, both? Indoor only How many pets in your household? No other pets How many litter boxes do you have? One
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Dec 12, 2011 01:26
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Nevermind-
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Dec 12, 2011 02:56
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So I adopted 2 kitties yesterday and was starting to get worried as they hadn't come out from under the couch to eat/drink or use the litter box all day. They finally both came out and are playing with some of the toys I bought them  I need to go to bed but I don't want to get up and scare them 
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Dec 12, 2011 05:28
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So, Isobel has this... habit of biting. Like, she'll meow and demand petting, and she'll rub against your hand and be really happy, then she'll lick... and then bite. Every time she does, I yelp and slowly remove my hand for a minute (trying not to make it into a fun-chase thing, but also trying to make it clear that biting means an end to petting), but then she's right back demanding love again... until she bites again. It doesn't seem to be related to touching a specific area, or in a certain way. That was what my first thought was, so I started watching carefully for anything I was doing to trigger, or any signs she might be making that she wasn't enjoying it. I haven't noticed anything. Is this something that anyone's familiar with? Should I be concerned, or is it just part of cats-being-cats-and-therefore-weird? Edit: fknlo posted:So I adopted 2 kitties yesterday and was starting to get worried as they hadn't come out from under the couch to eat/drink or use the litter box all day. They finally both came out and are playing with some of the toys I bought them The thing I keep reading again and again is that it'll happen at their pace, so just sit back and enjoy it. Aelia fucked around with this message at 09:35 on Dec 12, 2011 |
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Dec 12, 2011 09:32
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Has anyone else with a Litter Robot ever had problems with it stopping mid-cycle or turning all the way around but then not realigning? I've tried adjusted the sensor, but it didn't seem to help. It seems as though the gear is getting stuck or something.
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Dec 12, 2011 15:48
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At what age is it safe to use clumping litter or is it a cat by cat decision? We're adopting a 3mo old girl as a buddy to our 1.5yr old girl and I wasn't sure if the kitten would need special litter in her isolation room (i.e. the half bath).
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Dec 13, 2011 02:03
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fine-tune posted:At what age is it safe to use clumping litter or is it a cat by cat decision? We're adopting a 3mo old girl as a buddy to our 1.5yr old girl and I wasn't sure if the kitten would need special litter in her isolation room (i.e. the half bath). Usually after about 8 weeks old, it's only really a concern with kittens because they eat it on purpose and accident, ingest it and it expands in their stomachs causing problems but at 3 months she should be fine to use it. Doing a bit of research apparently 3 months is the perfect age to move to clumping. On that same note, WHY DOES MY DOG KEEP EATING CAT LITTER? It can't be loving tasty it's cat litter! Your food is right in the other room, quit it!
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Dec 13, 2011 12:44
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Does anyone have any input on cat trees? I'd like to purchase one for my two tuxedo kitties but I'd like to make an informed choice. Armarkat was recommended to me already. Do any of you have any personal experience with EliteField? Amazon has their stuff up and it appears a fair bit cheaper than Armarkat which makes me a bit wary but if its good stuff the price is right.
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Dec 14, 2011 04:36
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Trast posted:Does anyone have any input on cat trees? I'd like to purchase one for my two tuxedo kitties but I'd like to make an informed choice. Armarkat was recommended to me already. Do any of you have any personal experience with EliteField? Amazon has their stuff up and it appears a fair bit cheaper than Armarkat which makes me a bit wary but if its good stuff the price is right. Also any links to how to build them would be awesome too!
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Dec 14, 2011 14:59
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Question on vaccines. I'm going to be merging households in the next few months, which means moving my 12yr old DSH in with a 3yr old chihuahua and a 4-5yr old calico. Neither cat is currently allowed outside and that will not change. The chi is mostly indoor, but we do take her for walks to give her a larger area to work out her legs. In the summer we take her to a dog park where she can play off leash with other small dogs and we don't have to run with her in triple digit heat. On holidays she comes up when I stay with family where there is a cairn in residence. But these are pretty much her only times of contact with other animals. My 12yr old hasn't been vaccinated in about 7 years. As soon as her vet gave her the all clear to stop I did. She's been in a similar living situation and didn't need vaccinations, so I'm assuming I'm safe to continue not to subject her to them. She gets a new vet clinic this year and it's time for her annual next month, so I know her new vet will ask and wanted the opinion of others before hand. Thanks!
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Dec 14, 2011 15:59
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Ok. Need ideas. How do I make my cat stop unraveling a whole roll of toilet paper on top of his shits? The cat box is right below the toilet paper holder. I can't move the box. I can't get a covered box. I can't install another TP holder away from the box. I will probably get a standalone TP holder later, or SOMETHING, but I'm hoping someone can give me a suggestion to deter my stupid cat from doing this at least temporarily. Usually I've put double sided tape on stuff I don't want him to gently caress with, but it's toilet paper! I have guests coming soon and I just want to be able to put toilet paper on the holder instead of the counter. Also, yeah, my cat covering his poos with toilet paper was hilarious at first, but the novelty has worn away quickly. edit: I already tried putting the roll on backwards, he figured that one out too
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Dec 14, 2011 19:22
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spatula posted:Ok. Need ideas. How do I make my cat stop unraveling a whole roll of toilet paper on top of his shits? The cat box is right below the toilet paper holder. I can't move the box. I can't get a covered box. I can't install another TP holder away from the box. I will probably get a standalone TP holder later, or SOMETHING, but I'm hoping someone can give me a suggestion to deter my stupid cat from doing this at least temporarily. Usually I've put double sided tape on stuff I don't want him to gently caress with, but it's toilet paper! I have guests coming soon and I just want to be able to put toilet paper on the holder instead of the counter. Use a bulldog clip or something to secure the loose end of the TP to the middle of the roll? Or tuck the loose end inside the middle of the roll if you think he won't figure that out.
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Dec 14, 2011 19:28
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When do you guys recommend getting teeth cleaning for cats? How often? Once a year? Do any of you find that brushing your cats' teeth help?
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Dec 14, 2011 19:37
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spatula posted:Ok. Need ideas. How do I make my cat stop unraveling a whole roll of toilet paper on top of his shits? The cat box is right below the toilet paper holder. I can't move the box. I can't get a covered box. I can't install another TP holder away from the box. I will probably get a standalone TP holder later, or SOMETHING, but I'm hoping someone can give me a suggestion to deter my stupid cat from doing this at least temporarily. Usually I've put double sided tape on stuff I don't want him to gently caress with, but it's toilet paper! I have guests coming soon and I just want to be able to put toilet paper on the holder instead of the counter. Maybe flipping the roll around will help. So instead of having the loose end go over, have it go under. I realize this is against human nature (and if you don't do it the over way you're weird as hell), but maybe it will make it more difficult for the cat to spin the paper down and he'll become disinterested.
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Dec 14, 2011 21:35
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Trast posted:Does anyone have any input on cat trees? I'd like to purchase one for my two tuxedo kitties but I'd like to make an informed choice. Armarkat was recommended to me already. Do any of you have any personal experience with EliteField? Amazon has their stuff up and it appears a fair bit cheaper than Armarkat which makes me a bit wary but if its good stuff the price is right. As far as Amarkat goes, my parents got me a cat tree from them for Christmas ( ), but they got it from https://allpetfurniture.com instead of Amazon. The same tree was ~$50 cheaper from there instead of Amazon, so if you're worried about prices I would definitely check there.
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Dec 14, 2011 21:54
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I have a 6ft Armarkat that my kitties love, but it is extremely wobbly no matter how tight I put the screws in. My cats will still use it, but I had to wedge it between a couch and a corner to keep it remotely steady.
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Dec 14, 2011 22:30
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Maximusi posted:When do you guys recommend getting teeth cleaning for cats? How often? Once a year? Do any of you find that brushing your cats' teeth help? Brushing their teeth will definitely help! It will drastically cut down on the number of dentals that your cats need.
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Dec 15, 2011 00:20
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Radio! posted:As far as Amarkat goes, my parents got me a cat tree from them for Christmas ( Nice I will check it out. I wasn't planning on going huge on the trees but maybe two midsized ones.
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Dec 15, 2011 03:01
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What could be the reason for extreme hunger? Aneta is probably 9 months now (very rough estimate). Anatoli seems to have grown out of the "try to eat everything" phase but she's only getting worse. I've caught her chewing on the plastic of a trash bag, trying to get at zucchini, and she seems to spend most of her time licking the floor or the inside of the kitchen sink. I'm afraid she's going to make herself sick. But she's getting enough food--more than enough, the other week the vet told me she was getting too chubby. She has timed feedings but I'm afraid to restrict her portions further because her food-seeking behavior is already so desperate. It shouldn't be worms as they just got treated for that a few weeks ago. She's going to a different vet tomorrow for ongoing issues with one of her eyes. I'm going to bring up the hunger then. Any suggestions on what it might be?
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Dec 15, 2011 04:49
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My kitty likes to lay in my lap and be pet, but does not like it much when I hold her. She tolerates it, but she does not like to be held and will squirm out after a few seconds, is there anything I can to persuade her to not mind it?
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Dec 15, 2011 05:14
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Diogines posted:My kitty likes to lay in my lap and be pet, but does not like it much when I hold her. She tolerates it, but she does not like to be held and will squirm out after a few seconds, is there anything I can to persuade her to not mind it? Otherwise, you just have a cat. Some cats just don't like stuff. Time and treats may help, though. Edit: Oh, and when she wants to go, let her go. Forcing her to stay makes it an unpleasant experience, and won't be conducive to her liking it. SupahCoolX fucked around with this message at 07:18 on Dec 15, 2011 |
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Dec 15, 2011 05:36
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We gave our kitties Revolution last Thursday, but we're still finding fleas here and there on them. It's their first time on flea control; should this be happening?
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Dec 15, 2011 09:45
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Flea meds usually take 2 waves I think? It kills the live ones right away, but it can't kill the eggs. When the eggs hatch you get a second wave but those ones won't be able to lay eggs so that's the end of it. I know this was last page but I've used the no plug, no heat air fresheners you can find at Walmart for like 5-7 bucks for months. You can pick one up and throw it and it won't spill or break, so it's about as safe as an air freshener can get. I just put it on a shelf near the litter box, my cats have no interest in it. (I use the non-smell one.)
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Dec 15, 2011 12:27
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The internet talks about treating their environment, but we live in a 2 story house so it's not great.
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Dec 15, 2011 12:45
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Josh Lyman posted:The internet talks about treating their environment, but we live in a 2 story house so it's not great. That's a bit defeatist! Get some of the massive cans of flea killer and just coat your soft furnishings in it, it won't take long. You should also give the cats something like Program, which makes sure any living flea won't lay viable eggs for the next month. It's a good supplement to Frontline/Advantage.
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Dec 15, 2011 13:23
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SupahCoolX posted:How are you holding her? Don't hold her belly-up like a baby. That makes them feel vulnerable and they hate it. Keep them feet down, well supported in front and back, and held close. That is the way I hold her. She will tolerate it for a second or two, but then wants to squirm free.
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Dec 16, 2011 04:46
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Diogines posted:That is the way I hold her. She will tolerate it for a second or two, but then wants to squirm free. Isobel dislikes being held until she decides it's time. I've been trying to get her to like the idea by gently picking her up while she's super relaxed and petting her and giving her treats. No major differences yet, though I think her escape efforts are slower to come and a little less violent. Just let your girl squirm free when she decides it's done, and with some luck and a little time/effort, you may end up with a cat who's at least OK with being held.
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Dec 16, 2011 10:29
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Try to make it so she doesn't HAVE to squirm, hold her but make sure she can literally just walk/jump off you with a seconds notice. It may make her feel more comfortable if she doesn't feel smothered. Even my cats who love being held don't like it for extended periods unless they fall asleep or snoose. Cats unless they're asleep don't really stay still so being held is totally against what they want to be doing.
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Dec 16, 2011 12:53
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Aelia posted:Isobel dislikes being held until she decides it's time. I've been trying to get her to like the idea by gently picking her up while she's super relaxed and petting her and giving her treats. No major differences yet, though I think her escape efforts are slower to come and a little less violent.
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Dec 16, 2011 13:18
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Max took 5-6 months to be ok with just being picked up (I figure it is a good thing to have a cat that doesn't freak out when picked up, and it makes sticking her in the carrier easy.) Nowadays (3yrs later) she's so chill I can baby-cuddle and rasberry her belly and she just gives me this nonplussed look like: "Are you done? Good." Sam is still a work in progress. He's to the point where he doesn't cry and try to escape when held normally (I never baby-hold Sam, he's still scared of just a normal hold.) but his back paws just splay straight out when you pick him up so it's hard to get him comfortable on your arm. He's getting better about it though. I don't think he'll ever like it, but I'd settle for tolerate without fear.
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Dec 16, 2011 16:14
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One of the most tolerant, laid back cats I've ever had could only be picked up and held by me. Everyone else he would squirm away from but I could pick him up and as long as I held him in a very specific way he'd hang out with me for hours. Another cat who freaks out at his own shadow you can pick up and do whatever you want to him. Sometimes that means the "upside down Dargo" -- hold him by his back legs, he just hangs there and looks up at you with a mixture of and  -- he really just doesn't give a poo poo. Being able to handle a cat is important but not being able to pick them up and hold them is their decision really. Some like it, some don't.
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Dec 16, 2011 16:56
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Esmerelda posted:One of the most tolerant, laid back cats I've ever had could only be picked up and held by me. Everyone else he would squirm away from but I could pick him up and as long as I held him in a very specific way he'd hang out with me for hours. Yeah, my cat Jackie is a bit like this. She's incredibly tolerant and laid-back about pretty much everything, but the only one she's ever allowed to pick her up and hold her is me. And even then, only sometimes. It's honesty odd. She used to live with my parents, and when they would pick her up she would just yowl and cry immediately, making that sort of pathetic, wailing "mrrOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWRRRRRrrrrrrr!" sound, as she squirmed and clawed like crazy. So picking her up back then did not work out. But she's been much more relaxed since moving in with me, and she now lets me baby-hold her without much trouble. She *never* meows at me when I pick her up, no matter what, but she might squirm away a little bit if she's not into it. But she still won't let anyone else hold her so I feel a bit special I will say that I think it's a little obnoxious for people to pick up cats when they obviously loathe it. Whenever I see someone do that, especially like a kid who is very clumsy and rough, part of me just wants to intervene and rescue the poor kitty, and say "That cat obviously hates it when you do that! Leave that poor thing alone!" It just activates this primal thing in me. But at the same time I get it, because there's something immensely satisfying about just scooping up a nice fluffy kitty and cuddling him/her to you. kaworu fucked around with this message at 17:43 on Dec 16, 2011 |
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Dec 16, 2011 17:41
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