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Rabbit Hill posted:I did a little research and it seems that heart murmurs can cause coughing and lethargy, so I'm hoping he just has a heart murmur and not a murmur and asthma, because that would loving suck for the poor guy. If a heart murmur is causing the coughing it is NOT a good sign. Murmurs are a sign of underlying heart disease, not a disease themselves. Heart disease, particularly in cats, has to be pretty drat severe to be significantly affecting breathing/lung function. You should actually kind of be hoping it's asthma because at least that is somewhat treatable.
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Aug 9, 2013 14:41
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Update: My dad took Raphael to the vet so that I didn't have to take off work, and he just called me with a report -- The murmur is less severe than originally reported, but he has an appointment with the cardiologist next week to confirm. It's probably asthma, and they gave him a prednisone shot and told me to film his attacks. I already use a corn-based litter that doesn't create dust, and I'll look into getting an air filter and otherwise de-dusting and de-allergening my place. Yesterday, Raphael started flinching when I would touch his back right paw, so I asked my dad to mention that. Turns out, he has/had a fever and possible infection in his back paw. No injury or broken skin is visible (I asked my dad if they had taken X-rays and he didn't know, but he also said the vet left notes and instructions for me so hopefully I'll get the full story later). The prednisone shot should also take care of the fever, and my dad said he was already more alert and wanted to eat (although that just might be because of the steroids). So...good news, I guess?
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Aug 9, 2013 16:38
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Any have experience with buying a used Litter Robot? Been seeing some on CL the past couple days around $40-70, which is a steal for how much a new one is.
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Aug 9, 2013 18:04
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Quick question: Is this little dude a long-hair, or just fluffy? I'm considering adopting it to give Rosie some company in our two-bedroom Manhattan apartment, which is not the most entertaining of places for a cat. I don't think I want to put up with the hassles of a long-haired cat, though.
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Aug 9, 2013 18:40
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Hey guys, I have a bit of a problem with my adopted kitties, hopefully it’s not too e/n. I moved in with my boyfriend and we recently adopted two cats from a kill-shelter – a 1 ½ year old grey tabby and a 3 year old black cat. My boyfriend is new to cats but I’ve been around them for over 20 years now and I considered myself somewhat experienced. We adopted two at the same time, because I figured it would be easier than getting one now and introducing another one in a few months when the first cat’s already established his territory. Our apartment is basically one large room which serves as the living room/kitchen, one small bathroom and one bedroom. There are also a bunch of walk-in closets. I don’t exactly have a spare room to separate the cats in to properly introduce each other, but hey, if they’re both new to the house it won’t be that hard to introduce them, right? I guess I was wrong. Almost immediately after coming home the grey cat settled in comfortably whereas the black cat took to hiding in cupboards and our bedroom closet. After a few days of this the grey cat already acted like he owned the whole drat place, and the black cat hadn’t come out of hiding yet. One week later and he’s exploring a little more but still runs back to his current hiding place – the bedroom closet – all the time. I’d love to make the bedroom ‘’his’’ personal space for now until he settles in, but my boyfriend doesn’t want a litterbox anywhere in his bedroom. To get to the litter, black cat now has to traverse the living room, complete with grey cat who is none too amused, usually resulting in a fight when we’re trying to sleep. I think this might be related to his issues when he eventually does return to the bedroom – the constant meowing and scratching the sides of the bed, which, if I’m not awake already, certainly doesn’t help much for getting a good night’s sleep. My boyfriend also has unrealistic expectations of him, it’s not his fault because these are his first cats and after seeing the grey cat settle in so easily I think he expects the same for our other cat. In turn putting pressure on me to try and make the cats get along but I know I can’t really force it either. We have these cats for a week now but with the constant pressure of ‘why is it taking so long to make the black cat social? Can you get him to shut up and stop scratching at night?’ More and more I’m starting to feel like the black cat just isn’t suited for my lifestyle. I can’t go against my bf’s wishes and throw a litterbox in the bedroom, but the bedroom is the only room that could be used to completely isolate the two. I have been using Feliway liberally but it seems to have very little effect. I kind of feel like I’ve failed that cat. He’s probably stressed, unhappy and has no safe room to escape to, thus leading to him stressing out even more and trying to scratch our blanket to shreds. It’s unfair to expect him to be comfortable in his new home in just a week but him constantly scratching stuff in the middle of the night. Keeping him out of the bedroom is impossible as he'll just pound the door until somebody opens it. I haven't been sleeping much, my boyfriend's complaining and I feel so overwhelmed. I just don’t think I can provide the environment that the cat needs and he’s probably better off going to a different home, but he really is a super sweet cuddle beast when he’s not hiding and I’m scared that taking him back to the kill shelter will get him put down. Is there anything I can do to salvage this situation and make everyone happy, goons?
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Aug 9, 2013 19:11
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I may have mentioned this before, but when I took in my brother's cat as a foster for ten months, it took her literally 3 months to leave her closet, and she was still spending most of her waking hours hiding by the end of her 10-month stay. Some cats are just super timid. Forcing your black cat to socialize will be detrimental to making her feel comfortable in her new home. My foster cat's litterbox was downstairs in the bathroom, and she was too timid to have to leave her room and go downstairs to use it because that's where all the people hung out, so she took to hiding in corners of the various bedrooms and pooping and peeing there. Much rage was expressed until I had the bright idea to put another litterbox in her bedroom/fortress, right outside her closet. She immediately switched to using that, until a few months passed and she was comfortable using the one downstairs. So you can tell your boyfriend that the alternative to having a litterbox in the bedroom is having the cat use the bedroom as a litterbox. It's really not a big deal to have a litterbox in your bedroom if you clean it every day. We use World's Best Cat Litter, which has a neutral odor, we fed the cat good quality wet cat food so her poop wasn't that oderiferous, and we also used a baking soda deodorizer in the litter to keep odor at a minimum.
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Aug 9, 2013 19:37
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Irkenfox posted:Hey guys, I have a bit of a problem with my adopted kitties, hopefully it’s not too e/n. A week is a very short amount of time to expect a timid cat to get comfortable in a new place. I would suggest at least giving the cat a month to see if it gets more comfortable before you consider returning it. I know it is frustrating that the cat is unhappy, and this is probably doubled by the fact that your boyfriend is unhappy as well, but please try to be patient with the scaredy cat. Have you tried Feliway? It comes in plug in diffusers (like a Glade plug-in) and a spray bottle version. It imitates cat pheromones to help cats feel like they are safe wherever the Feliway is being used. You can use it in the living room, and perhaps that would ease cat tensions a bit. If/when the cat pees/poops in your bedroom, be prepared with an enzymatic cleaner (like Nature's Miracle brand) to get rid of any lingering odors that tell the cat it is okay to eliminate there. I would highly, HIGHLY suggest two litter boxes in the house especially if this shyness is combines grey cat is being a poo poo and picking fights in the living room when the black cat gets the nerve to try and make it to the current, single litter box. You can also read the book Cat Confidentials by Vicky Hall to read up on other cat behavioral problems, and to remind yourself that you're not the only one who has had to deal with stuff like this (just ignore her "cats need to roam outside!!!" stuff).
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Aug 9, 2013 20:17
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four lean hounds posted:A week is a very short amount of time to expect a timid cat to get comfortable in a new place. I would suggest at least giving the cat a month to see if it gets more comfortable before you consider returning it. I know it is frustrating that the cat is unhappy, and this is probably doubled by the fact that your boyfriend is unhappy as well, but please try to be patient with the scaredy cat. I love the cat a lot and I'm generally very patient with cats. I used to have a cat that looked and acted just like him and he took a month to really get out of his shell. Both cats get lovin' though, bf does cuddle with the black cat and generally likes him. It's mostly just hard to deal with at night. He hides out in the bedroom closet but he comes out at night and will fight/scratch the bed/meow uncontrollably. I did get the little Feliway spray and used it on the bed and in the living room to hopefully curb the scratching/fighting but it has little effect. I probably should have clarified this more but I did buy two litter boxes, unfortunately the only place I can put them is in the same living room closet. Originally it was outside the closet which I guess is a little better but that didn't last for more than two days before I got complaints about 'oh no poop particles will infect me now', and so it was moved. Personally I'm perfectly willing to be patient and give the cat it's own space, but it's hard as I can't do much about my current living situation. I don't blame the cat, but I do feel like he'd be much happier if I could give him a private space with a litter box. Right now he's stuck in a situation in which he's (probably) unnecessarily stressed and I feel bad for the little guy.
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Aug 9, 2013 21:28
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Irkenfox posted:I love the cat a lot and I'm generally very patient with cats. I used to have a cat that looked and acted just like him and he took a month to really get out of his shell. Both cats get lovin' though, bf does cuddle with the black cat and generally likes him. It's mostly just hard to deal with at night. He hides out in the bedroom closet but he comes out at night and will fight/scratch the bed/meow uncontrollably. I did get the little Feliway spray and used it on the bed and in the living room to hopefully curb the scratching/fighting but it has little effect. Well, it certainly sounds like you're doing everything you can for the cat. I hope that in due time the black cat will realize he's not in immediate danger of getting eaten and will learn to relax around the house. I'm sorry if I sounded stern/rude, I try to explain everything without assuming the reader knows what I'm talking about and I've only had cats for about 1 1/2 years, and they're my very first pets, so sometimes I just regurgitate info that's helped me out. Good luck with your scared little dumpling! Also, you should sprinkle litter on your boyfriend while he sleeps so he'll get used to it via osmosis. That's how it works, right? 
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Aug 9, 2013 21:51
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Irkenfox posted:I probably should have clarified this more but I did buy two litter boxes, unfortunately the only place I can put them is in the same living room closet. Originally it was outside the closet which I guess is a little better but that didn't last for more than two days before I got complaints about 'oh no poop particles will infect me now', and so it was moved. Be careful with this... I had a similar situation but didn't realize the new cat was so scared of the old cat (who was totally chill with the new arrival and not being a jerk at all) that the new cat preferred to poop on the floor, or in my laundry, or on my purse, rather than brave the old cat's territory... Personally I'd much prefer a litter box in my bathroom than poo poo everywhere. Good luck!
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Aug 10, 2013 01:23
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On the way to pick up 2 4mo old cats. We haven't had cats in this house before and was wondering the best way to allow them to adjust. Mostly looking for some method to let them know the location of the litter box. Should I keep them in the room with the box for a while? Should I let them roam around and bring them to the box occasionally? I fully expect to clean up pee and poop for a while, just looking for tips to get them familiar to the layout of the house most importantly where the litter box is.
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Aug 10, 2013 18:28
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My poor cat has an infected wound on his rear foot. The vet recommended soaking it in a saltwater antiseptic bath a couple times a day, but holy poo poo it seems downright impossible and he's a pretty chill cat. Any strategic tips/ideas? I can't see how the gently caress this could ever work, so far I have mostly just spilled water all over the floor... I'm trying, though...
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Aug 10, 2013 20:40
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poemdexter posted:On the way to pick up 2 4mo old cats. We haven't had cats in this house before and was wondering the best way to allow them to adjust. Mostly looking for some method to let them know the location of the litter box. Should I keep them in the room with the box for a while? Should I let them roam around and bring them to the box occasionally? I fully expect to clean up pee and poop for a while, just looking for tips to get them familiar to the layout of the house most importantly where the litter box is. Actually I'd like to know this too, if there's anything I need to be doing to help my new girls find the food and box. Paid my cat deposit so beginning of next week I get to go withdraw from the cat bank.  Also naming cats is hard and everyone has such great names for their cats I am petrified of doing it wrong.  So far the names I have gotten furthest out of my head have been Maddie and Cassie.
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Aug 10, 2013 21:48
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neongrey posted:Actually I'd like to know this too, if there's anything I need to be doing to help my new girls find the food and box. Paid my cat deposit so beginning of next week I get to go withdraw from the cat bank. Clearly pictures would help tremendously. Lots of them, like, at least 4.
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Aug 10, 2013 22:06
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poemdexter posted:On the way to pick up 2 4mo old cats. We haven't had cats in this house before and was wondering the best way to allow them to adjust. Mostly looking for some method to let them know the location of the litter box. Should I keep them in the room with the box for a while? Should I let them roam around and bring them to the box occasionally? I fully expect to clean up pee and poop for a while, just looking for tips to get them familiar to the layout of the house most importantly where the litter box is. Whenever getting a new cat, I keep the litter box in a close room to them and show them where it is by plopping the cat in there. Thdn a few days later I will move the litter box closer to where I want it it. Plop the cat back in there. Repeat every few days until the litter box is where you want it!  It took me 2-3 weeks to get the litter box from our bedroom to the basement of our new place, but that is because my cat is a big pansy and was afraid of the new place for a while. Good luck!
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Aug 10, 2013 22:22
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Blimpkin posted:Clearly pictures would help tremendously. Lots of them, like, at least 4. I don't have the kittens on hand yet but here's the pics I took when I met them last week. http://imgur.com/gallery/4v4Ti/
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Aug 10, 2013 22:52
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I just adopted my first kittens less than 24 hours ago.  Adorable little ragamuffins. The one on the left has adjusted very well. She eats and drinks eagerly, uses the litter box hygienically and pretty much has no sense of self preservation when it comes to meeting people/loud objects. She's perfect. The one on the right, on the other the hand, shits diarrhea everywhere. She's incredibly suspicious and flees at the speed of sound if anyone so much as thinks about approaching her. She doesn't eat or drink much of anything. Also her long bushy tail gets smeared with diarrhea and its extremely unpleasant to deal with poo poo smeared furniture, especially when the goddamn cat is dashing all over the place and smearing something you just wiped clean. Also, good luck holding her for more than five seconds without receiving a latticework of arm scratches. Is this just normal new kitten stress which will resolve itself, or could there be some horrible, horrible ticking time bomb here? Gormless Gormster fucked around with this message at 23:07 on Aug 10, 2013 |
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Aug 10, 2013 23:04
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Gormless Gormster posted:I just adopted my first kittens less than 24 hours ago. She's only had a day to adjust so far. Some cats can take a while to get used to a new environment. The diarrhea is probably from a switch in diet and will normalize after a while. Just give her time to get comfortable in her new place.
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Aug 11, 2013 00:56
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Pretty Pretty Pony posted:She's only had a day to adjust so far. Some cats can take a while to get used to a new environment. The diarrhea is probably from a switch in diet and will normalize after a while. Just give her time to get comfortable in her new place. Is it normal for her not to be burying anything when she uses the litter box? She just does her thing (messily) then leaves it uncovered, but the other kitten buries her crap just fine. Is this just due to the aforementioned stress or is it something I need to teach her to do?
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Aug 11, 2013 04:38
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Just a rant. My newest adoptee, Jasper, hates me. C'mon cat...I wanted you, took you in, feed your piggy rear end and scoop your horrifying kitten shits. If I dare pet him, he launches himself away from me. If I pick him up, he yowls like I beat him and gets out of my reach as quickly as possible. My kids, he loves. My boyfriend, they are bros. The little traitor. My 17 year old daughter likes to put him in a shopping bag and spin him and he loves her:  My black cat Jinx adores the little demon:  My orange cat Elmer is a good momma cat. They love each other deeply:  And another of Elmer, just because he's my spoiled favorite: 
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Aug 11, 2013 05:01
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Gormless Gormster posted:Is it normal for her not to be burying anything when she uses the litter box? She just does her thing (messily) then leaves it uncovered, but the other kitten buries her crap just fine. Is this just due to the aforementioned stress or is it something I need to teach her to do? Yeah I think you may have purchased the female version of my cat, so if you haven't named her already you should call her Hugetta. Hugo hates being held, shat diarrhea for four months (including tail spillage) and is inconsistent with his litterbox etiquette. First thing's first: give her a week or two to get used to her surroundings. Your issues may just be down to cat stress. However, if it's still an issue: - Diarrhea: don't be like me and be marooned in cat-poo poo-horror-land for 4 months. Go to the vet, get some Hills I/D bland stuff, feed it to your cat for about 4-6 weeks and then SLOWLY wean her onto your food of choice. Once the crap issues are sorted out, you shouldn't need to worry about her getting muck all over her fur; though you might like to ask the vet to give her a sanitary trim when you're there next time so she has less fur in her immediate rear end in a top hat area. - Scratches: Kittens are sharp and scratchy little bastards, who still nick you even when they DON'T mean to tear into your vulnerable flesh. If it's really bothering you, go buy some special cat claw trimmers and when Hugetta is sleeping you can gently extend her claws and trim the sharp tip off. The claw trimming diagrams etc say you can trim further back but with itty bitty kitten claws I wouldn't risk it. - Hating being held: This is just a thing. Hugo still hates being held, though has stopped shredding us as much and now just wriggles a lot. Some cats just don't like it. - Poor litterbox etiquette: Again, some cats just don't do it. Decoy is OCD about his litterbox and will cover Hugo's leavings. With any luck, your other kitten may sneak in and do this too. - Spooky over noises etc: This is just the new environment. She should get more confident as she gets used to you and her new surroundings.
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Aug 11, 2013 05:15
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So our large male tabby swallowed a sewing needle, that probably had some thread on it (just a couple feet of really thin stuff). This OF COURSE happened Saturday night at 11pm. I saw the needle in his mouth for a second but couldn't grab it before he thrashed away and then it went down, but from what I could see it would have gone down round-end-first so I don't think it got stuck in his throat at all. We called the emergency vet and he really played it down, said to feed him some vaseline to lube things up and call him again in the morning. But not to feed him in case surgery is needed, since that's better for them. He thought that unless there are signs of distress (vomiting, pain, odd positions, etc...) we can just wait until monday to get an x-ray and go from there (and save the almost $450 emergency fee for taking him in on a sunday). But it's not like I can't feed him for days, and if they need to do surgery won't we want to avoid food again? So is it stupid to wait until monday if we don't see any signs of distress? The horror stories of blockages or perforated intestines you see online make me think we should be bringing him in there immediately. On a semi-related note, this cat can pass some enormous turds, so I would say if the needle happens to stay round-end-first and he gets some food, he's got as good a chance as anybody of passing it.
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Aug 11, 2013 05:49
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Thanks for the advice, guys. She's really starting to mellow out, and her shits are starting to solidify AND stay in the litterbox so hooray. (She still wants to bleed me out though.) Have some cat photos (The best kind.) The one on the left is the shitter. We called her Latte, and we called her sister Cappucino.  I used to think everyone around here was a cat obsessed weirdo. And then this happened in my own house.  I once was blind, but now I see.
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Aug 11, 2013 07:14
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spatula posted:My poor cat has an infected wound on his rear foot. The vet recommended soaking it in a saltwater antiseptic bath a couple times a day, but holy poo poo it seems downright impossible and he's a pretty chill cat. Any strategic tips/ideas? I can't see how the gently caress this could ever work, so far I have mostly just spilled water all over the floor... I'm trying, though... The best idea I can think of is to burrito him, leaving the paw you need loose, and soaking it in a shallow container. If that doesn't work, the only other thing that might remotely work is putting him in a sink with a towel on the bottom so he'll grip onto something and try to keep him from escaping until the soak is done.
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Aug 11, 2013 08:23
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At what point does cat barf become a cause for concern? Our dude (about 2 years old) has taken to barfing every day or so, but he's still really active, has an appetite, is going to the bathroom and all that good stuff. Basically other than barfing on things he's acting normal. He doesn't appear to be losing weight, if anything he's regained some he lost during a bacterial infection early in the summer. He's got a history of food sensitivity, but previously it's usually manifested as poop issues rather than barfing. We have another cat of the same age that's not barfing, so it doesn't appear to be an infectious disease.
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Aug 11, 2013 16:33
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Arkham Angel posted:At what point does cat barf become a cause for concern? Our dude (about 2 years old) has taken to barfing every day or so, but he's still really active, has an appetite, is going to the bathroom and all that good stuff. Basically other than barfing on things he's acting normal. He doesn't appear to be losing weight, if anything he's regained some he lost during a bacterial infection early in the summer. He's got a history of food sensitivity, but previously it's usually manifested as poop issues rather than barfing. I usually start to worry if the barf looks different from the typical "partially digested food" barfs that all cats have. There was a time where one of my cats started puking multiple times a day this yellow, watery-bile stuff. Turned out his guts were all inflamed and he needed some help from the vet. Since it is a daily thing with your cat, I would consider a vet trip if it keeps going for an extended period of time. It might be a food allergy or one of those lovely, vague issues that pets love to throw at you. Right now I'd just watch his energy level and litter box to make sure there's no negative changes.
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Aug 11, 2013 16:42
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Arkham Angel posted:At what point does cat barf become a cause for concern? Our dude (about 2 years old) has taken to barfing every day or so, but he's still really active, has an appetite, is going to the bathroom and all that good stuff. Basically other than barfing on things he's acting normal. He doesn't appear to be losing weight, if anything he's regained some he lost during a bacterial infection early in the summer. He's got a history of food sensitivity, but previously it's usually manifested as poop issues rather than barfing.
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Aug 11, 2013 17:36
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We're about to join the cat-having world, and I can't seem to find any advice on this, so I wonder if anyone has any experience. We have found a lovely one or two year old cat at a local Cats Protection League who's pregnant at the moment. We're thinking about adopting the cat and one of her kittens. Does this sound sensible?
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Aug 11, 2013 18:08
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spatula posted:My poor cat has an infected wound on his rear foot. The vet recommended soaking it in a saltwater antiseptic bath a couple times a day, but holy poo poo it seems downright impossible and he's a pretty chill cat. Any strategic tips/ideas? I can't see how the gently caress this could ever work, so far I have mostly just spilled water all over the floor... I'm trying, though... Try holding a warm, wet washcloth over the area. My cat tolerated that pretty well when he had a similar infection.
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Aug 11, 2013 19:05
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Anyone want to recommend a good, sturdy cat ledge (the kind that attaches to a window) or additional means of securing a ledge? I had one for about nine months and yesterday it fell, and the sleeping cat on it hurt her leg. She is not a heavy cat (10 lbs), but I checked the back of the ledge and the support strut had literally ripped out of whatever material the ledge is made out of. This is the kind of thing I'm talking about : 
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Aug 11, 2013 20:04
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spatula posted:My poor cat has an infected wound on his rear foot. The vet recommended soaking it in a saltwater antiseptic bath a couple times a day, but holy poo poo it seems downright impossible and he's a pretty chill cat. Any strategic tips/ideas? I can't see how the gently caress this could ever work, so far I have mostly just spilled water all over the floor... I'm trying, though... You could do this: Pedestrian Xing posted:Try holding a warm, wet washcloth over the area. My cat tolerated that pretty well when he had a similar infection. And spray desinfectant on the washcloth. A few weeks ago my cat injured her own rear foot by fighting with the neigbhour's cat and I used a paper towel that way. Now I have a problem of my own, though: My cat could be pregnant. She was supposed to be sterilised, but apparently cats can still get pregnant if the vet didn't do a good enough job, as I learned today. And I don't even really know if my cat is sterilised: She was a stray I took in about a year ago and after the vet found a scar coinciding with a scar left by sterilisation, she decided to not cut my cat open again just to make sure. So to really be sure I'll have to take her to my vet again and pay for an ultrasound. After all, she sometimes gets those weird coughing fits so maybe putting on weight and getting lethargic is a sign of something worse. Then again I've seen her searching for new sleep/hiding places more often recently and that neighbour's cat's fixation with fighting my cat may have been something completely different...  In short, I'm worried a lot right now. Has anyone here experience with pregnant cats? Can I somehow determine a cat pregnancy myself? (I'll only have enough money for another visit to the vet in about 1-2 weeks, so it could be to late if I'm unlucky.)
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Aug 11, 2013 21:05
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turtlecrunch posted:Anyone want to recommend a good, sturdy cat ledge (the kind that attaches to a window) or additional means of securing a ledge? I had one for about nine months and yesterday it fell, and the sleeping cat on it hurt her leg. She is not a heavy cat (10 lbs), but I checked the back of the ledge and the support strut had literally ripped out of whatever material the ledge is made out of. Is it possible to get a small bookshelf and put it in front of the window? Putting books in it will make it too heavy to tip over, and you can put a cat bed pillow on top to make it level with the window.
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Aug 11, 2013 21:15
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turtlecrunch posted:Anyone want to recommend a good, sturdy cat ledge (the kind that attaches to a window) or additional means of securing a ledge? I had one for about nine months and yesterday it fell, and the sleeping cat on it hurt her leg. She is not a heavy cat (10 lbs), but I checked the back of the ledge and the support strut had literally ripped out of whatever material the ledge is made out of. What's the window sill itself like? If it is wide enough, and ideally wooden, you can probably just buy a shelf board at a hardware store and screw it directly into the sill. I did that in one of my old places, used two pairs of long screws, and the shelves tolerated my immense cat perfectly fine.
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Aug 11, 2013 21:36
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duckfarts posted:In addition to four lean hounds's advice, does he scarf his food down? You may want to try pacing his eating out by only giving him a bit of food at first to eat, then putting out the rest so he doesn't wolf it down at once (and then puke it because he's an idiot). He does if we give him wet food.
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Aug 11, 2013 21:43
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I have a question about cat fountains and this may be a good place to ask it. I've got hard water and between that and mineral buildup from cat saliva, there's buildup on the fountain itself. Is it safe to clean it with CLR?
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Aug 11, 2013 22:42
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khy posted:I have a question about cat fountains and this may be a good place to ask it. I wouldn't do it for fear of leftover chemicals. Try running vinegar (you can heat it before use) through the fountain, maybe? Then run several "loads" of clean water to get rid of the taste/smell.
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Aug 11, 2013 22:56
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This is my new (and first ever) kitten, Toast. He was abandoned by a Dumpster and is about 9 weeks old — he's got an appointment next week to get started on immunizations and such, he was given a clean bill of health at his first vet visit with my cousin around three weeks ago. He's been at my apartment since Thursday, and has done wonderfully so far — loves to play and explore, claimed the top of my chair as a perch and he finally figured out how to bury his poop. Bitey little poo poo, though. We're working on manners.He's adjusted really well to the two rooms he has access to (bathroom and den), but I'm not sure if it's safe to leave him alone with full access to the second room he's been exploring while I'm at work. He doesn't really mind being put in the bathroom if I can't keep an eye on him. How long should I wait before giving him free reign of the place, or should I do it now? I'm also worried about him getting stuck behind the fridge. It's blocked off and has tinfoil right now, and he doesn't go near it when I'm watching him. He's been using his litterbox exclusively here, though he has gone on rumpled clothes before. I haven't had that problem yet. He also meows like he wants to look in the remaining closed off rooms, but I don't know if that would overwhelm him or not. He's only been with me for three days. Basically, I'm a brand new cat owner and I have no idea how to read my cat yet.
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Aug 12, 2013 00:31
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Hey guys, this is Gimli. We just adopted him at this "cat drive" at the SPCA - cats going for $10. All 150 cats and kitten were adopted today! Gimli so far seems really chill and happy. He needs to get neutered and a clean bill of health before we start to let my other cat and Gimli meet. Gimli growls at everything. Is this normal? He growls are car horns, weird noises, and objects he is about to check out - he growled at the office chair before he decided to jump on it. Is he just tired from this stressful day and is letting everyone know he is tired and cranky? Or did I adopt a cranky fatty? He is 17 pounds and is right away on a healthy diet. He also sneezes a whole bunch, so when I take him in on his check up maybe the vet will tell me he has a cold, which very well makes me growly too. 
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Aug 12, 2013 00:53
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jacido posted:Hey guys, this is Gimli. We just adopted him at this "cat drive" at the SPCA - cats going for $10. All 150 cats and kitten were adopted today! The growl could be a congested throat if he has a cold? Mention it at the vet, but maybe that's just how he talks? Fitting for a cat named Gimli!
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Aug 12, 2013 01:36
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aghastly posted:He's been using his litterbox exclusively here, though he has gone on rumpled clothes before. I haven't had that problem yet. He also meows like he wants to look in the remaining closed off rooms, but I don't know if that would overwhelm him or not. He's only been with me for three days. As for looking in other rooms, sure, let him in there if you want to allow him to go there; it sounds like he's had a really fast adjustment and wants to explore, so I wouldn't worry about overwhelming him. General new cat advice I give to everybody: handle your cat and his paws now to get him used to it to make handling him and clipping his nails way easier down the road. Even if your cat doesn't like it, they can generally learn to tolerate it.
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Aug 12, 2013 04:48
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