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ayekappy posted:When I had a better roommate who actually did take care of his cat, his cat did the same thing. We were feeding him some innova evo and he loved the poo poo for a few months, and then just didn't want to eat much besides kibble. We just decided to do more of a variety of the evo flavors and throw in some other good brands while keeping evo kibble, and just switching from fish to chicken to beef to whatever else seemed to do the trick. I think the cat had just become bored with the same protein somehow? I don't know cats don't like variety as much as we do. I know back before the perscription days, and I was on unemployment, she was usually eating Blue Buffalo Salmon and Brown Rice flavor. Well I showed up and they didn't have Salmon and Brown Rice, so I bought Chicken and Brown Rice. I poo poo you not, every night until that bag was empty I would feed her, and she'd come back and harass me after discovering that it was not Salmon and Brown Rice flavor. Every drat night.
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Jan 21, 2014 15:27
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Iron Crowned posted:I don't know cats don't like variety as much as we do. I know back before the perscription days, and I was on unemployment, she was usually eating Blue Buffalo Salmon and Brown Rice flavor. Well I showed up and they didn't have Salmon and Brown Rice, so I bought Chicken and Brown Rice. Well this was a very strange cat. Very smart too. A short haired main coone. It liked being spanked on the butt. But the cat was practically smart as a dog when it came to naturally understanding commands and whatnot. Hell, seemed like he could practically understand conversations, or at least their tones.
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Jan 21, 2014 17:53
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Iron Crowned posted:But yeah, cat fur is really insulating, and as long as you keep the place sealed up and there isn't a ton of wind inside, they'll be fine. Alternately, they will discover as my cats did that under the covers is a lot warmer than on top of the covers, and if you stick your cold feet on people they make a loud noise but your feet get warm.
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Jan 21, 2014 18:46
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So i tried to snag some better profile pictures of Fattles and An this morning when I fed them.  I guess I'm getting to the point of am I trying to make both cats sorta equal or am I chasing breed differences? So as of now it's 1/3c dry in each bowl in the AM, then 1/2 5.5oz can in the evening. As I know the manufacturers tend to advise over feeding this is less than they say. recommended is: 1/2c for each 8 lbs and 1 full 5.5 oz can for each 8 lbs of cat)
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Jan 21, 2014 19:36
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My cat has been eating very little since Saturday. She's picked at her regular food a little bit and will eat treats with gusto. I dropped a cranberry on the floor and she snapped it up and ate it before I could get it. She's also trying to eat my lunch right now. Should I be alarmed about her not eating? The only thing I can think that caused it is I opened a new package of the same brand and type of food she's always had on Saturday and the moisture is slightly different. I don't want my kitty to die from fatty liver over her own pickiness 
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Jan 21, 2014 20:26
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Iron Crowned posted:Basically just cats. Okay cool just checking. Seriously though, when he showed up at my house a few months ago he was skin and bone and full of worms, and gobbled down all kinds of horrible crap. Now he's actually being pickier than the cat who's been treated like a princess her entire life.
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Jan 21, 2014 20:31
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Women's Rights? posted:Need a bit of emergency help If desperate: http://www.amazon.com/Thermo-Kitty-Heated-Cat-16-Inch-Sage/dp/B00176F9AM
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Jan 21, 2014 21:05
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Yeah, I've had cats who just decided that they were tired of their food after flipping out if we dared to change their food even just a little. I moved in the middle of the winter and had no heat for almost a week, my cat pretty much spent the whole time in a sleeping bag only coming out to eat/drink/use the box since we didn't have much furniture yet either and were using them until the beds arrived. And since Jimmy is a total diva about the cold (he thinks anything under 70F is freezing  ), he had that heated kitty bed that baxxy linked but he didn't really like the bed so we just used the pad and threw a blanket over it. Now since we have two cats and they were fighting over the tiny heated pad, we have two of this tucked under blankets. They love them and will spend most of the day lazing on them.
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Jan 21, 2014 21:43
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bwip, bwoop
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Jan 21, 2014 21:52
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In the course of reorganizing my room today, I accidentally moved my kittens' climbing tower to a place where it would enable them to reach the container of cat treats (Purina Whisker Lickins) on the mantle. I come home to find the smart little fuckers knocked the jar off and nearly emptied it. Now I'm obviously not worried these are poison or anything, but are there any health concerns I should know about besides some gnarly poops? They're about 16 weeks old.
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Jan 22, 2014 03:46
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I live alone and am considering a cat as a companion. I work most of the day, so the cat would be alone for 8+ hours at a time, and I can't be certain that it will remain indoors during that time (my previous cat liked to jump out of the second story windows). Is there a breed that doesn't mind being left alone for extended periods, or should I look for something simpler like a goldfish?
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Jan 22, 2014 04:48
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Apart from them lording it over you? I don't actually have an answer to provide though. Cats really are arseholes, though. We ended up adopting our foster cat, Pickles, and only days afterwards she started scratching the leather bed head and pulling our clothes off their hangers in the walk in robe. Here's a photo of her first:  Now, can anyone provide advice on how to stop her? We've used no scratch spray, but unless you remember to apply it every 10-12 hours it wears off and she starts again.
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Jan 22, 2014 04:49
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Get two cats that are best friends
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Jan 22, 2014 04:50
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Tom Yum posted:In the course of reorganizing my room today, I accidentally moved my kittens' climbing tower to a place where it would enable them to reach the container of cat treats (Purina Whisker Lickins) on the mantle. I come home to find the smart little fuckers knocked the jar off and nearly emptied it. Now I'm obviously not worried these are poison or anything, but are there any health concerns I should know about besides some gnarly poops? They're about 16 weeks old. I wouldn't think so, not that kitten poops aren't the stuff of malodourous legends. Mine knocked the fish-shaped dental treats from a ledge and then figured out that the packaging is thin plastic, which can be ripped open via tiny kitten claws. That packet of treats was gone before I came back into the room. Eyespy posted:I live alone and am considering a cat as a companion. I work most of the day, so the cat would be alone for 8+ hours at a time, and I can't be certain that it will remain indoors during that time (my previous cat liked to jump out of the second story windows). Dogen posted:Get two cats that are best friends This. Get two cats somewhere that are buddies, and let them be each others' best friend. Only marginally more expensive and in some ways less work. I work long hours myself, though many of them are in my home office. Even then, I'm behind a closed door and effectively absent, often 12+ hours a day, and I wouldn't dream of only having one cat right now unless he was obviously a huge loner, and neither of mine are that type of personality.
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Jan 22, 2014 05:34
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crowtribe posted:Apart from them lording it over you? Also, can you just close the walk in closet?
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Jan 22, 2014 05:36
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Eyespy posted:I live alone and am considering a cat as a companion. I work most of the day, so the cat would be alone for 8+ hours at a time, and I can't be certain that it will remain indoors during that time (my previous cat liked to jump out of the second story windows). If you get two they will usually entertain each other. Or, you know, close the window before you leave.
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Jan 22, 2014 13:08
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My cat was alone for a few years before I got my second cat. I was away 8+ hours a day, and he didn't seem to have any problems being on his own. Just keep dangerous things away from him/her and it should work out. Some cats don't get along with other cats. Some shelters know this. If you don't want another cat, adopt one of these cats.
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Jan 22, 2014 16:22
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My cat has always had seasonal allergies, his face would get all red and itchy as he kicked at it and then as time passed it'd heal again, rinse/repeat. Once or twice I took him to the vet to get a cortisone shot, but as it only lasts ~2 weeks I more often than not just let time work its magic. But this time, it's worse than I've ever seen it. He's scratched himself so hard that he has dried blood everywhere, his fur is falling out in chunks, his face is swollen, etc. He even has a spot on the back of his neck that he's taken to scratching, which I've never seen before. Now, a lot of things have changed recently. He's getting old and is on thyroid medication and is eating special food for his kidneys. I'm worried that if I take him to the vet, he'll just attempt to give him a cortisone shot. The medication and food is stretching my already thin wallet, so I'm not sure I can justify paying for something so temporary that doesn't guarantee he'll heal (or even stop the itching). Is it possible he's allergic to the medication? Is the medication just exacerbating his usually normal allergies? Is this just bad luck + old age? I'm lost, poor, and I hate seeing him suffer. What can I do?
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Jan 22, 2014 20:40
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Eyespy posted:I live alone and am considering a cat as a companion. I work most of the day, so the cat would be alone for 8+ hours at a time, and I can't be certain that it will remain indoors during that time (my previous cat liked to jump out of the second story windows). Try getting a "senior" cat. They become seniors at 7 years, which is still a good age with a potentially long life ahead of them, but they're way more chill than younger cats. They are often in need of homes because most people want kittens. A slightly older cat will be more inclined to snooze the day away while you're gone, but still be up for playing and snuggles when you're home.
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Jan 22, 2014 22:35
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asymmetrical posted:Is it possible he's allergic to the medication? Is the medication just exacerbating his usually normal allergies? Is this just bad luck + old age? I'm lost, poor, and I hate seeing him suffer. What can I do? If it's as bad as you describe it, you probably need to take him to the vet regardless of the cause. It sounds like he is miserable and needs something to be done, even if it's only two weeks of relief from cortisone to help break the itch cycle and let his skin heal. He may also have secondary skin infections from all the scratching, which will not resolve by simply waiting.
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Jan 23, 2014 01:41
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I ended up doing a 180 since I was sure the 'owner' wouldn't care one way or the other(do cats have to be registered like dogs? I'm sure this cat isn't registered anyways) and decided to use the Neosporin (plain) and the cat is already like a bagrillion percent better. Just dabbed 3-4x daily right in the eye. I think in another day or two there will be hardly any signs. The inner eye lid is already back to normal; that was definitely the worst looking part originally. I know this isn't something to do probably ever again unless it's a necessity, but sure worked in a pinch.
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Jan 23, 2014 03:05
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Crooked Booty posted:When did he start the thyroid medication? That drug can cause severe facial itching in some cats. It's a rare side effect, and obviously you should talk to your vet before changing up any medications. We started him on it mid / late December, so it's been a little over a month? He only got really bad about a week ago.
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Jan 23, 2014 07:02
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duckfarts posted:You need plenty of alternatives nearby, and I don't mean like "well, I bought a cat tree that's over there, why doesn't my cat use it?". I'd get a couple of those cardboard scratchers and put them by the sofa or walk in closet. If she scratches the sofa, pick her up and plop her on the scratcher. Can't close it, it's more like a walk-through robe on the way to the ensuite. But, more scratchy stuff, got it.
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Jan 23, 2014 07:10
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My cat kept pouncing on my feet at night as I slept, so I shut her outside my bedroom. Now she's crying outside my bedroom door, making me feel like a terrible cat mommy. I went to the vet today because my kitty hadn't eaten since Saturday. The cat even refused some special super tasty food the vet put in front of her. The vet said a medical cause was unlikely and said it could be stress. She asked if I was away a lot and I has to say yes - my lovely job makes me work 11.5 hour days. I'm a terrible cat mommy. Vet gave kitty an appetite stimulant, so she's eating now at least. 
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Jan 23, 2014 08:19
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Xibanya posted:My cat kept pouncing on my feet at night as I slept, so I shut her outside my bedroom. Now she's crying outside my bedroom door, making me feel like a terrible cat mommy. Unfortunatly, she's 8 months old, you'll need to get used to one or the other. Teen cats are assholes too. On the bright side in about a year, you'll wake up worried because you managed to sleep all night long, and get met with the baleful stare of a cat that you have just roused from sleeping all night.
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Jan 23, 2014 13:31
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Xibanya posted:My cat kept pouncing on my feet at night as I slept, so I shut her outside my bedroom. Now she's crying outside my bedroom door, making me feel like a terrible cat mommy. My cat is the same age and does the exact same thing. If he starts trying to attack me when I'm asleep, he immediately gets the boot and I pop in some earplugs. It sounds mean, but he's learned to wait until I'm awake to initiate battle, which is a whole other issue. On the subject of play, my cat doesn't really seem to play like I thought he would. He's not all that interested in toys anymore - what he really likes to do is stalk. He'll stalk me around the apartment, and if I'm sitting on the floor he'll stalk, run up to me, tap me with his paw and run off. If cats could cackle he probably would.  He was also not really taught manners from littermates - he was found alone by a dumpster at 6 weeks old and his only cat companion until he was 10 weeks was an ancient one who just tolerated his rudeness. He still bites and tries to wrestle me despite my best efforts  Also, any tips on trimming dew claws? I can't get a good grip and his are sharp enough to tear fabric.
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Jan 23, 2014 17:32
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aghastly posted:On the subject of play, my cat doesn't really seem to play like I thought he would. He's not all that interested in toys anymore - what he really likes to do is stalk. He'll stalk me around the apartment, and if I'm sitting on the floor he'll stalk, run up to me, tap me with his paw and run off. If cats could cackle he probably would. My boyfriend's cat does this, although she leaps out and sort of whaps your leg with both paws before scampering off. She does it over and over. It's pretty hilarious, especially when she actually manages to surprise us. We learned recently she loves playing fetch! She has this one toy that's a small cylinder covered in fuzz with feathers on either end - some cheap thing I got at PetCo. That's her fetch toy. Over and over and over and over. She doesn't bring it back directly to whomever threw it, though; she brings it back to a particular spot by the couch. If you don't grab it to throw again, she bats it until it goes under the couch, then flails around trying to retrieve it. Basically, cats are weird. For trimming the dewclaw... why can't you get a good grip? I just flip the cat on their back in my lap, using my legs and one arm to hold them in place, then go after the nails. I've trimmed a lot of cats' nails this way and only met two (both silver tabbies) that I couldn't. Those two, I had to sneak up on them while they were napping and basically lay on top and put them in a headlock and let someone else do the trimming. Those cats were vicious!
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Jan 23, 2014 19:38
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baxxy posted:My boyfriend's cat does this, although she leaps out and sort of whaps your leg with both paws before scampering off. She does it over and over. It's pretty hilarious, especially when she actually manages to surprise us. We learned recently she loves playing fetch! She has this one toy that's a small cylinder covered in fuzz with feathers on either end - some cheap thing I got at PetCo. That's her fetch toy. Over and over and over and over. She doesn't bring it back directly to whomever threw it, though; she brings it back to a particular spot by the couch. If you don't grab it to throw again, she bats it until it goes under the couch, then flails around trying to retrieve it. Basically, cats are weird. Mine has a favorite fetch toy, too, actually! It's just a little circular piece of fabric that he goes nuts for — and quite frankly, playing fetch makes my life easier after a long day at work because all I have to do is throw it. The fetching usually only ends when he manages to drop it behind the couch and he can't be bothered to bat it back out. As for the dewclaw, it's partly that he's a squirmy rear end in a top hat that flips his lid when burrito'd, and partly that I'm inexperienced in claw trimming. I haven't cut a quick or anything, but I'm not the best at clipping so it takes me longer than it probably should. I may just have to hold him down and go for the claws.
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Jan 23, 2014 20:20
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baxxy posted:
So yeah, sometimes burrito will make them more upset than the actual nail cutting. Just a word of advice for people going straight to burrito.
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Jan 23, 2014 22:13
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Is there any health-specific reason to clip cat nails if they're not seeming to cause any discomfort, and they're not causing an issue with people/dogs? Our cat mostly keeps to himself in the loft in our house. Once in a while he'll come hand out with me in the office, and he'll kneed on my stomach and then lay down and chill. NBD. But when I pay attention or look closely at his claws they're becoming straight-up daggers. This has been my fiance's responsibility (it's her cat) but obviously she's slacking. Do I need to pressure her to take care of it/do it myself, or (if it's not causing any issues) can he just chill out being a lethal weapon? He does have a few scratching posts/climbs and things that he will attack. None of them seem to really trim his nails down.
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Jan 23, 2014 22:57
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Xibanya posted:My cat kept pouncing on my feet at night as I slept, so I shut her outside my bedroom. Now she's crying outside my bedroom door, making me feel like a terrible cat mommy. Cats are not children, thus we can't be their parents. They're grown adults, so they're more like lovely roommates whom we love.
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Jan 23, 2014 22:57
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I've had a lot of cats in my life time and I've never had to trim their claws as long as they have lots of sisal & cardboard (those cardboard box ones at the pet store) scratching posts. For the indoor cats, I mean. Back when I used to live in an outdoor cat friendly place they clawed trees. All my cats have nails that, if you look at them, are loving needles (and the most angry and crazy one... her's are insanely scary). But, they have never EVER used them, not even on furniture. Even if I play with them I feel absolute nothing. Cats love to scratch and make their nails very pointy. They love their nails. Having a ton of places to scratch is the most important thing. Daggers honestly aren't an issue in my experience, I have 9 (ok 90 front paw daggers) and have never had any issue. IMO pretty much any claw attacks are behavioral/environmental but I won't get into it... In any case if it's never been an issue I wouldn't think twice about it. Keep the claws to make cat happy  side note: if you have a kitten where it's nails are growing past a normal point (image search this), you definitely have to clip them. Kittens are morons and sometimes don't realize they have claws, and that they have to bite them and take care of them. I've seen cases of kittens whose claws have almost dug into their paws I really don't think that's a problem with anyone here though.
Nurse Chapel fucked around with this message at 14:49 on Mar 23, 2014 |
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Jan 23, 2014 23:33
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This is going to be a bit wordy, but I'm genuinely concerned about something with my parents' cat - namely how it is behaving/ how my parents are treating it at the moment. First a bit of backstory - when I was little my parents decided to get two cats, Perzy and Evie, from the same litter. Me and my sister loved them when we were growing up, they were always very active/very playful etc. obviously both had different personalities, but normal run-of-the-mill kitty personality stuff. They have both always been outdoor cats - with beds + food etc in the garage where they would sleep if it was too cold. They have never been indoor 'house' cats. Anyway, fast-forward 15 years - both me and my sister have moved out, she's in uni - I'm still in education. Evie in the meantime has passed away sadly - she had cancer, and the tumour was causing visible pain so she had to be put down. Now since her death, Perzy's behaviours has been, from what I've seen, very needy and pitiful if that makes sense. In the times I've visited home, I've noticed that he spends a lot more time meowing in a really guttural and specific way - nothing like I remember he used to meow when I left home (sounds silly, but it's definitely very different since Evie went) Now this is where the part I'm worried about comes in, parents have told me that they've had to change the routine with Perzy's access to the garage, as new cats started to invade at night - and they can't afford one of those magnetic cat-flap things and so have essentially fully locked the catflap now. (It can let him out, but not back in). If Perzy is out and wants to come in, parents have to let him in physically - if both parents are out ( as they often are) then Perzy would have to wait a good 9-15 hours to be let in (be it through rain, or snow or whatever). At night, Perzy is locked in the garage. My girlfriend visited a while ago, and seemed genuinely shocked when she realized that the cat was locked in the garage, in pitch darkness all night - she mentioned how cruel it seemed - which I suppose didn't really occur to me until she pointed it out. As such, I went to talk to the parents about it, and they said that as long as its warm and fed then it should be fine. Aside from that, it's become apparent from what little I've seen while visiting, is that they don't interact with it at all, just feed it and let it in occasionally - I've also noticed they're both making jokes about "waiting for the cat to die" so they can remodel the garage. Now obviously, it's not my cat, my parents own it, and I only admittedly really interacted with it up until my late teens, at which point I just lost interest I guess. With moving out as well afterwards I hadn't really considered the changing circumstances that the cat has been going through. What I'm worried about now is, are my parents treating the cat well? Is locking it up like this with no attention the rest of the time a cruel thing to do? Apologies for the wordiness, but I've never really thought about these sorts of cat issues before and wondered if anyone knew whether this was cruel or not?
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Jan 24, 2014 00:24
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I would consider that cruel. Being locked in the garage constantly is horrible for a cat. Perzy lost his only friend and companion, and is certainly lonely and afraid. Unless the invading cats were causing a problem, there's no reason whatever to lock the garage door. Perzy would also do better as a house cat and have some companionship, even if he hides under the couch all day. Your parents seem to be treating the cat as more of a nuisance than a pet. They need to clean up their act.
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Jan 24, 2014 00:32
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I agree. Perzy is a senior citizen that has lost his only friend. He could be starting to even experience the beginnings of dementia. He needs to be brought inside.
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Jan 24, 2014 01:10
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Cat toy question: I bought one of those DABIRD a while ago. My cats seemed to like it but they're kind of bored with it. Instead I attached a piece of fluorescent string to the clasp thing and they love it. I don't think they can swallow it, is that the only danger for string? I keep it where they can't get to it when I'm not around. Is there anything else I could use that's brightly fluorescent and stringlike that they could play with?
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Jan 24, 2014 03:33
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Eeyo posted:Cat toy question: I bought one of those DABIRD a while ago. My cats seemed to like it but they're kind of bored with it. Instead I attached a piece of fluorescent string to the clasp thing and they love it. I don't think they can swallow it, is that the only danger for string? I keep it where they can't get to it when I'm not around. Is there anything else I could use that's brightly fluorescent and stringlike that they could play with?
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Jan 24, 2014 07:21
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I fell asleep watching cat videos and now I've got a litterbox, litter, catfood, bowls, a brush and some kind of scoopy thing with holes in it. What's happening to me?!
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Jan 24, 2014 11:51
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SynthOrange posted:I fell asleep watching cat videos and now I've got a litterbox, litter, catfood, bowls, a brush and some kind of scoopy thing with holes in it. What's happening to me?! I don't know; please post photos so we can diagnose your problem.
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Jan 24, 2014 13:38
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It'd be pretty boring without a cat. Heading to a shelter tomorrow and having a visit. Question about introductions, a lot of guides say to try confine the cat to a room for a few days while introducing them to your home. Options: either the main living area, one of the bedrooms (all carpeted) or the bathroom (which is tiled). Would one be as good as the other?
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Jan 24, 2014 15:08
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