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SupahCoolX posted:I personally prefer Scoop Away litter, since it clumps the best, and leaves no odor. Fresh Step is also ok in my experience. I thought Arm & Hammer was terrible when I tried it (just get wet powdery lumps), and World's Best made my whole apartment smell like piss. Your mileage may vary, and everyone here will have a different opinion. How deep were you pouring the World's Best? It needs some depth to really do its thing. It works fast too, like it's a scoopable clump seconds after the cat is done and a hard chunk shortly thereafter.
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Apr 5, 2012 20:30
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HPL posted:How deep were you pouring the World's Best? It needs some depth to really do its thing. It works fast too, like it's a scoopable clump seconds after the cat is done and a hard chunk shortly thereafter. I will second the recommendation of WBCL, though I use it in a litter robot, I've used it in a booda dome when we had to go multi box a few times due to illness/whatever.
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Apr 5, 2012 22:48
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SupahCoolX posted:Fresh Step is also ok in my experience. Fresh step is incredibly dusty. I have a 700 something square foot apartment and there was always a healthy coating of dust on everything at all times when I used ti. I don't want to imagine what it would be like in a smaller place. I switched to Dr. Elsey's cat litter and am ok with it. Doesn't always clump the best, but it's dust free and seems to keep the smell down. Complaints about the smell are what keeps me away from trying World's best.
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Apr 6, 2012 01:02
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My (and Pooky's) favorite litter is a brand called Premium Choice. Seems like a generic level kinda thing, but it clumps well and is not terribly dusty, and best of all, it's relatively cheap.
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Apr 6, 2012 01:30
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Different clumps for different chumps. The moral of the story is to try a couple of litter brands to see what works best for you.
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Apr 6, 2012 01:40
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SupahCoolX posted:I personally prefer Scoop Away litter, since it clumps the best, and leaves no odor. Fresh Step is also ok in my experience. I thought Arm & Hammer was terrible when I tried it (just get wet powdery lumps), and World's Best made my whole apartment smell like piss. Your mileage may vary, and everyone here will have a different opinion.
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Apr 6, 2012 02:41
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I adopted a rescue kitten (13 weeks old) this week, and so far he has been no trouble at all, Eating, Drinking and pooping as with no issue as soon as we got home. Its the first cat I have ever owned. I started to substitute some newer food (Felidae?) into the food the shelter had him on (science diet) and putting some straight new food into a separate bowl. He then spent half the day digging the new food out of the science diet and eating it whilst completely ignoring the straight bowl  . Question: I have been given him small amounts of wet food a few times now to get him used to it and after he eats it he gets super aggressive and bitey which normally isn't a problem at all. Should I just stop completely until older or should I try to ween the behavior away from it with wet food, a spray bottle and disapproving looks while he is still young and learning? The shelter was giving him occasional wet food whilst he was there but I don't know if this was an issue. I offer payment for advice in cat pictures. His face is too small for his head, and his head is too small for his body, and his hair is just silly.  
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Apr 6, 2012 06:16
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Does anyone have any advice on pill pockets that might work for a cat who doesn't like the Greenies pockets? The vet just started our cats on antihistamine tablets for allergies, but one of them doesn't seem to like the Greenies (the standard chicken kind) at all. He won't eat them voluntarily and will spit them out when we attempt to force-feed him; he's a skittish cat by nature anyway, and we worry this is causing him undue suffering. Obviously, we'd like to find a brand/flavor of pill pocket that he might like enough to eat on his own, although any other advice to make pill-giving painless (and, y'know, actually get the pills in him) would be very appreciated. In case it's relevant: he's a 5-year-old DSH, and his name is Luke. He's a dapper little fellow, even if not terribly well-photographed here:  Thanks in advance for your help!
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Apr 6, 2012 09:44
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Dubs posted:I adopted a rescue kitten (13 weeks old) this week, and so far he has been no trouble at all, Eating, Drinking and pooping as with no issue as soon as we got home. Its the first cat I have ever owned.
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Apr 6, 2012 09:54
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Any tips for getting a good, clean cut when trimming a cat's nails? We had to trim our cat's because he was starting to stick to the carpet while walking, and we used a new pair of pet trimmers, but the nail didn't cut cleanly and there were threads of nail fiber hanging off that required filing. Also once he figured out he wasn't getting away he started crying at us. It sounded really sad and pathetic, and he's never that vocal unless he's hungry. There was no bleeding, but could the clipping have been hurting him? Or was he just being a sad kitty and going "Why would you do this to me?!" He seemed to forget about being sulky and mad at us as soon as he got fed, so I'm inclined to think the latter. Also regarding adopting our little dude-a friend who volunteers recommended I adopt him as his littermates had already been adopted out, but I was sold the moment he cuddled in my arms and tried to eat my coat zipper. He was not shy at all! Then fished the pen out of the petsmart manager's pocket and tried to play with that, too. The humane society around me DOES do same day adoptions, but from what I understand it's different everywhere.
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Apr 6, 2012 22:19
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He was basically just being a drama queen - it doesn't hurt cats to get their nails trimmed unless you accidentally cut the quick, which shouldn't happen at all if you're paying attention. Regardless, like 99% of cats just HATE getting their nails trimmed and act like it's one of the worst things in the world, and may hold a grudge for anywhere from ten minutes to several hours afterward. But not much longer than that. He probably meows and cries like he does when he's hungry because it's just what he does when he wants to bend you to his will. It's more of a psychological trick than anything else. Darn cats  As for tips to getting a good and clean cut - get a sharper pair of clippers, even though it'll probably be a bit more expensive and you may have to look online to find a really good one. That will make for a cleaner cut that doesn't splinter, but sometimes a little bit of splintering is going to inevitably happen. You get much better odds with sharp clippers, though. A dull set will almost always splinter. Also, wait until kitty is at his absolute sleepiest - this one really helps. He may not even notice what you're doing at first (because as I said, contrary to what your cat wants you to think it really doesn't hurt) and so it cuts down significantly on squirming. The less your cat squirms and struggles, the better your odds are of getting a nice, clean and even cut. kaworu fucked around with this message at 04:57 on Apr 7, 2012 |
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Apr 7, 2012 04:54
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Yeah two of our cats are fine with nail trimming but our big fluffy boy pitches a fit when we try to trim his. Fortunately he doesn't need it done as often and only ever scratches approved surfaces so it's not really a problem.
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Apr 7, 2012 17:44
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kaworu posted:He was basically just being a drama queen - it doesn't hurt cats to get their nails trimmed unless you accidentally cut the quick, which shouldn't happen at all if you're paying attention. Regardless, like 99% of cats just HATE getting their nails trimmed and act like it's one of the worst things in the world, and may hold a grudge for anywhere from ten minutes to several hours afterward. But not much longer than that. It's the restraint and the paw handling they're fighting about, not the actual trimming of nails, 90% of the time. They're not "being drama queens" generally it's likely a bit of actual fear response. I don't like the way that Sophia Yin handles cats, gonna get that out in the open right now, but she has an excellent video on youtube of desensitization and counterconditioning being used to get a small dog used to nail trims in one sitting.
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Apr 7, 2012 20:40
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What's the general vibe here on pet insurance? I plan to adopt a cat/kitten soon and every application I've seen asks about my current vet (don't have one) and what my plans are if the cat should fall ill. Insurance seems nice but you guys are more knowledgable about such things.
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Apr 7, 2012 20:45
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Smuckles posted:What's the general vibe here on pet insurance? I plan to adopt a cat/kitten soon and every application I've seen asks about my current vet (don't have one) and what my plans are if the cat should fall ill. Insurance seems nice but you guys are more knowledgable about such things. Generally advised to just have emergency savings. Some people have had good experience with pet insurance, but I think most people in PI just put that monthly fee that would go to insurance toward savings.
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Apr 7, 2012 20:57
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I have Petplan. It's like $130/year/cat, $300 deductible (you can change this & it changes the yearly fee), $8000/condition (I think you can change this too; they have a lot of options) but unlimited lifetime total. I got it after my cat Rupert's urinary blockage cost ~$2000 (and he died  ). I had savings so it wasn't a problem, but I like to have the peace of mind. Just do your research into what each one covers & how their payment per condition works. One place I looked at had a huge pdf with how much they'd pay out per specific condition and it really didn't look like it was worth much. Also, most of them just pay for illness & accident-- not wellness visits, vaccines, etc. If you want that it's extra if available at all, and it didn't seem worth it to me.As for the vet thing, ask the rescue for a recommendation. It's understood that you do not have a vet if you don't have pets. You may be asked to give the information for a vet your parents used or something, though.
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Apr 8, 2012 01:01
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Topoisomerase posted:It's the restraint and the paw handling they're fighting about, not the actual trimming of nails, 90% of the time. They're not "being drama queens" generally it's likely a bit of actual fear response. He doesn't seem to have a problem with us touching his paws otherwise, especially if he's just laying around, so I'm not so sure it's that. He doesn't like being restrained much, but I think that's related to the fact that he was sick when we got him and being restrained meant getting a squirt of gross-tasting liquid in his mouth. And he's not noisy when we medicate him or brush his teeth. For me pet insurance didn't seem worth it due to the lack of well visit coverage. As for vet recommendations, ask someone you know that has pets! Also, sometimes the shelter will provide a month or so of pet insurance for free.
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Apr 9, 2012 00:07
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I use Trupanion for both my cats and it's worked well. They have been really good about paying for things. It is, of course, a gamble as to whether it'll save you money in the long run. One of my cats is prone to blocking and developed asthma on top of it, and the cost of his asthma meds are more than the monthly premium, so for him it will work out well.
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Apr 9, 2012 00:26
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Arkham Angel posted:He doesn't seem to have a problem with us touching his paws otherwise, especially if he's just laying around, so I'm not so sure it's that. He doesn't like being restrained much, but I think that's related to the fact that he was sick when we got him and being restrained meant getting a squirt of gross-tasting liquid in his mouth. And he's not noisy when we medicate him or brush his teeth. Maybe try the cat burrito method, wrapping him up in a blanket. My cat complains less now that he can't see(but will still sometimes cry out in his "oh woe is me" voice.
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Apr 9, 2012 15:38
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Braki posted:I use Trupanion for both my cats and it's worked well. They have been really good about paying for things. It is, of course, a gamble as to whether it'll save you money in the long run. One of my cats is prone to blocking and developed asthma on top of it, and the cost of his asthma meds are more than the monthly premium, so for him it will work out well.
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Apr 9, 2012 15:43
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Duckie posted:Maybe try the cat burrito method, wrapping him up in a blanket. My cat complains less now that he can't see(but will still sometimes cry out in his "oh woe is me" voice. He was wrapped in a towel at the time, though he could still see what we were doing as we trimmed the forepaws. I'm pretty convinced he was just acting sad and pathetic. Manipulative bastard.
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Apr 9, 2012 19:49
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Arkham Angel posted:He was wrapped in a towel at the time, though he could still see what we were doing as we trimmed the forepaws. I'm pretty convinced he was just acting sad and pathetic. Manipulative bastard.  the second I grab a paw. He makes no sound, just stares and tenses up. Then, when I'm done, he goes back to being super content and happy. I can even grab his paws without getting a reaction as long as the clippers are not near him. Cats are weird.
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Apr 9, 2012 20:38
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I think it has something to do with trust and your relationship with the cat, as well as the type of cat you're dealing with. When Jackie lived with my parents, she utterly despised having her claws clipped - when they'd try and do it she would just go crazy and thrash around and claw at everything until she got free, and then she'd bolt to her best hiding spot in the basement and generally wouldn't come out for the rest of the day. It took three people to clip her - one just to keep Jackie from thrashing and running, another to hold the paw steady and help the first person, and a third to do the actual clipping. And Jackie was always highly sensitive about her paws - touching them or even looking at them too much was a good way to drive her away immediately. Thankfully this all changed when she moved in with me. She's no longer crazy-shy about her paws, and doesn't much care when I clip them - which I can do entirely by myself, now, I assume it's because she has a less stressful life in general, and for whatever reason doesn't feel threatened the same way she did before. I'm not entirely sure why - in the past I'd been one of the three who had to help with clipping her, so it's not my presence alone, clearly.
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Apr 9, 2012 23:33
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It finally occurred to me one day to clip the cat's nails while she was dozing instead of trying to collar her while she wide awake and running all over the place. This, combined with continually stuffing treats down her throat, really improved things. She still hates it - and makes this sort of sad, pitiful mewing the whole time - but now we're not actively fighting each other for the whole process. Incidentally, I've never been able to figure out how to do the cat burrito thing. The videos I've seen on youtube involve a fairly compliant cat who's willing to lie on the towel first, and Indy doesn't believe in sitting still unless she's asleep (or on window guard duty).
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Apr 10, 2012 01:19
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I kind of laid the groundwork for easy nail clipping by handling my cat's paws often as soon as I brought it home. I haven't actually trimmed his claws myself yet but the last time I brought him in to the vet for his shots and a trim, the vet said he was no trouble at all.
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Apr 10, 2012 01:25
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Is cat nail trimming really that big a thing? I'd never heard of it until I started reading PI.
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Apr 10, 2012 02:50
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Drink and Fight posted:Is cat nail trimming really that big a thing? I'd never heard of it until I started reading PI. So no, you don't need to clip your cat's nails, it's just nicer that way. and yeah, your cat can get his claws stuck on other stuff, so it helps him out too
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Apr 10, 2012 03:58
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duckfarts posted:Let me give you an easy example: your cat is hanging out on your lap and stretches his paws out. He makes biscuits on your arm. The needle-sharp claws silently pierce the surface of your skin, and cause the surface to lift taut as if hooked by a fisherman pulling in a prized catch. You yell in pain, which startles the cat, who tries to run away, but cannot, because his claws are still stuck in your arm. Your cat tries to pull his claws away, causing the claws to rend your flesh. (note that this can all happen through clothing as well) Eh, I don't mind it. Five ends are pointy, that's how cats are. I'd just never really heard of people clipping before reading this thread.
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Apr 10, 2012 04:20
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Drink and Fight posted:Eh, I don't mind it. Five ends are pointy, that's how cats are. I'd just never really heard of people clipping before reading this thread. Sometimes cat claws, particularly the dewclaws since they're difficult for the cat to work on their own, can grow so long that they curl into the pawpads too. It's not as common as it is in dogs for them to get to this point, but it can happen so you should really check your cat's paws every so often to make sure.
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Apr 10, 2012 06:43
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To chime in on the clipping thing; I got lucky in that I got my cats from a rescue-foster, and their foster handled their paws all the time. So they're good until I've actually got the clipper on the nail, which is when the bonito flakes come out to keep them busy. Sure, it's a two person job but I want them to think that clippers-equal-delicious-treats. But yeah, when they're passed out for their mid-afternoon naps, I sometimes sidle up and trim a claw or two and then back off before they wake all the way. They vaguely know what I'm doing, but they also don't freak out because they're still too sleepy to care. Still, it seems like my clippers are dull. Someone suggested getting sharper ones, but is there a way to tell without buying them on the internet and hoping? Do any of you have great clippers that you remember the brand of, or where you got them?
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Apr 10, 2012 09:52
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Robo Kitty posted:Incidentally, I've never been able to figure out how to do the cat burrito thing. The videos I've seen on youtube involve a fairly compliant cat who's willing to lie on the towel first, and Indy doesn't believe in sitting still unless she's asleep (or on window guard duty).
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Apr 10, 2012 14:41
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Aelia posted:To chime in on the clipping thing; I got lucky in that I got my cats from a rescue-foster, and their foster handled their paws all the time. So they're good until I've actually got the clipper on the nail, which is when the bonito flakes come out to keep them busy. Sure, it's a two person job but I want them to think that clippers-equal-delicious-treats.
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Apr 10, 2012 14:48
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Drink and Fight posted:Eh, I don't mind it. Five ends are pointy, that's how cats are. I'd just never really heard of people clipping before reading this thread. We never had to clip my childhood kitty's nails cause she'd wear them down herself. Usually, by scratching the furniture. However, Ash's front paws don't, so he'll stick to the carpet like velcro.
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Apr 10, 2012 22:47
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I've been having a problem with my kitty, Kiko. He came with me when I moved out of my mom's house a few months ago. She was feeding him Meow Mix, and I know it's terrible, so I've been trying to introduce new foods to him, but he won't touch anything but dry kibble meow mix. I tried even mixing the two foods together, but he knows it's not pure and won't touch it. Yet, when I give him the new food biscuit by biscuit in my hand, he happily eats it up. It's been terribly frustrating. I can't hand feed him all day. Why do you have to be so picky, you silly cat? Should I be more firm with him and leave his new food there until he learns I'm not his personal servant? I'm worried he might be stubborn enough to starve himself though.
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Apr 11, 2012 05:35
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Topoisomerase posted:Sometimes cat claws, particularly the dewclaws since they're difficult for the cat to work on their own, can grow so long that they curl into the pawpads too. It's not as common as it is in dogs for them to get to this point, but it can happen so you should really check your cat's paws every so often to make sure. Yeah, this. My cat is also very polydactyl, so this is a real problem because she's actually got 7 claws on each front paw, and 7 pads, and some of the extra ones are situated in such a way that the nail can very quickly grow right into one of the pads. I mean seriously look at this paw:  That's a lot of paw! Lot of claws to clip, and a lot of potential danger if those claws were to grow into some of that paw
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Apr 11, 2012 06:28
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Doused posted:I've been having a problem with my kitty, Kiko. He came with me when I moved out of my mom's house a few months ago. She was feeding him Meow Mix, and I know it's terrible, so I've been trying to introduce new foods to him, but he won't touch anything but dry kibble meow mix. I tried even mixing the two foods together, but he knows it's not pure and won't touch it. Yet, when I give him the new food biscuit by biscuit in my hand, he happily eats it up. It's been terribly frustrating. I can't hand feed him all day. Why do you have to be so picky, you silly cat?
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Apr 11, 2012 06:32
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My foster cat comes today 
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Apr 11, 2012 12:35
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Doh004 posted:My foster cat comes today Remember to immediately post pics or risk Kitten Explosion Syndrome
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Apr 11, 2012 15:05
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I have a cat poopin' issue that may actually be an owner issue.  This is my roommate's two year old grey tabby, Titus. Do not let his relaxed manner fool you - these pictures were taken during the only time ever stops moving. How long have you had your cat? - He has lived in our apartment for seven months now. Is your cat spayed or neutered? - Neutered. What food do you use? - No idea what my roommate buys. When was your last vet visit? - No idea. Is your cat indoors, outdoors, both? - 100% indoors. How many pets in your household? - Just Titus - I have been considering getting a cat, but I figure if I'm on the fence about pet ownership, then I'm not really ready for it. How many litter boxes do you have? - One, in his owner's bathroom. Titus poops outside of his litter box 3-4 times a week. He doesn't go far - normally he just poops on the rubber mat in front of his box. It's not a huge deal to pick it up and flush it (after all, the toilet is right there). However, I get the feeling he's not using his litter box because he doesn't like it. Here is where it veers into a possible roommate issue. Objectively, the litter box seems kind of small. It's also a covered model, because she didn't want to smell the used box all the time. As far as I can tell, she only scoops it once a week. I don't know about you, but I certainly wouldn't want to poop in a dark, unclean porta-potty every day. I think the problem is that he doesn't think the box is clean enough for him. The covered box only exacerbates this, because if my roommate doesn't have an immediate reminder to do something it doesn't get done. Is there a way to have an open litter box that doesn't smell like poo poo? Failing that, can anyone recommend a larger covered model?
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Apr 11, 2012 15:57
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I'll say that when I had my box in my bathroom, Shweat Scoop or Worlds Best Cat Litter is the best option(if you can flush the litter and don't live in like cali). I used Shweat Scoop and only scooped twice a day, but since it goes in the toilet to be flushed, it might be a lot easier for her if she is lazy and won't take it out to the garbage every day.(every time she goes into the bathroom, scoop the cat box right into the toilet) As long as you scoop regularly it didn't smell at all to me or others in my house.
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Apr 11, 2012 16:24
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