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Fremry posted:Any reason why pork plasma isn't good? This is a legitimate question. My first reaction is that it's mostly water with some protein. Because a large portion of the group of people looking at ingredients probably don't want to see Plasma used. Other than that, I agree with you and personally I don't have an issue with it.
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Apr 14, 2014 19:48
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I feel like I only ever swoop in here with a problem, so here's a happy picture of my fat, fluffy cat to get us started instead.  Kevin (the latter cat) is about 2 years old and is down to about 4.5 pounds now. She was having episodes of sneezing and wheezing about a month ago, so I took her to the vet. He suspected a viral infection and sent us home with an antibiotic in case there was an underlying bacterial infection, which unfortunately didn't do much. A week later her condition had worsened and she was very lethargic, so we went back to the vet. He ordered a CBC, which he expected to return with a low WBC, due to infection, or something else related to a possible allergy problem. It came back very grave; critically low hematocrit and RBC, high WBC. The vet suspected some sort of anemia, particularly an Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia. He prescribed prednisone to suppress her immune system on instructions to give 1x5mg twice daily. Her condition did improve slightly, so the next week we bypassed the CBC and cut her down to 1x daily prednisone (at the doctor's suggestion). Two weeks later, her condition was worsening again and CBC confirmed it, so we returned to 2x daily. We went back last week for a follow-up CBC, which showed some improvement. The vet suggested we stay the course and try to put some weight back on her. She does eat what is offered, which is good. We've been giving her Friskies wet food with a nutritional supplement mixed in a couple times a day, along with their always available dry food (Felidae grain-free). She hasn't gained anything noticeable yet. Also, the drat cat is still sneezing. I'm nearing the end of my rope with this. So here are the questions: 1. Does anyone here have any experience with this sort of illness? Reading online points to a possible blood parasite, which I need to discuss with the vet, as she has not had diagnostics to check for that yet. 2. Is there a preferred wet food for getting some meat on this cat. It's pathetic how light she is and petting her feel like a skeleton with fur draped over it. 3. Is there anything else I'm not thinking of that I should be asking or doing?
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Apr 14, 2014 20:57
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My downstairs neighbor brought home a kitten a month or two. She left somewhere over a week ago and I haven't seen her since. This kitten has been howling at the door for days. I don't know if he has food or water, but the crying sounds more desperate and urgent every day. It's just short of screaming, which gives me the impression that this isn't just a lonely cat. I don't know what to do. I don't know if there's anything I can do. Does anyone have experience with this?
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Apr 14, 2014 23:40
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Call your landlord and see if he/she will check on the cat.
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Apr 14, 2014 23:42
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Hummingbirds posted:Call your landlord and see if he/she will check on the cat. I would phrase it as a noise complaint, because if the landlord cares about tenant rights at all, he's less likely to go in there just to check on the cat.
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Apr 14, 2014 23:44
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My landlord isn't worth a gently caress. I've complained to him about this neighbor about other things before (smoking, fighting, slamming doors at 2:00AM, etc.). His solution was to not confront them at all and to let me out of my lease. And the local police weren't too helpful when she was fighting with her boyfriend. I doubt they'd care about a cat. Long story short, there aren't many resources I can turn to. I may be powerless. OneThousandMonkeys posted:because if the landlord cares Nope. He didn't even read the lease that he signed. He has told me this multiple times.
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Apr 14, 2014 23:47
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Maybe call animal control or the humane society?
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Apr 14, 2014 23:55
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Raimundus posted:My landlord isn't worth a gently caress. I've complained to him about this neighbor about other things before (smoking, fighting, slamming doors at 2:00AM, etc.). His solution was to not confront them at all and to let me out of my lease. Well, then it's time to call animal control?
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Apr 14, 2014 23:55
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I'm not even sure what this town has as far as animal control, but I'll look into it. Hell, the last city I lived in didn't even have an animal control officer after daytime business hours.
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Apr 15, 2014 00:14
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Anyone know what's up with my katten's nose? It looks like a burn or scab on her left nostril. I'd be more concerned, but it looks like she's had it for at least 5 months. She's never seemed ill, lethargic, or feverish. She could stand to gain a little weight, but that's about it.  Is this something I should check out with a vet, or is it nothing to worry about?
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Apr 15, 2014 00:34
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Is it sensitive? Is it swollen? Does she recoil when you touch it, even lightly? Is it dry and/or flaky while the rest of her nose is slightly moist?
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Apr 15, 2014 00:37
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Raimundus posted:And the local police weren't too helpful when she was fighting with her boyfriend. I doubt they'd care about a cat. I wouldn't be so sure of this. Police tend not to care about domestic disputes because 99% of them go absolutely nowhere because no one will ever testify against their lovely spouses. However, cats can't refuse to press charges and the state can get involved then.
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Apr 15, 2014 01:02
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Raimundus posted:Is it sensitive? Is it swollen? Does she recoil when you touch it, even lightly? Is it dry and/or flaky while the rest of her nose is slightly moist? It seems a little swollen, but taking a closer look at it, it looks like her nose is actually colored black on that portion. She doesn't recoil in the slightest when touching it. She was actively purring as I rubbed her nose. It's not flaky, but it does seem a little dryer when compared to the rest of her nose. Similar to how chapped lips feel.
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Apr 15, 2014 03:23
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Duct Tape posted:It seems a little swollen, but taking a closer look at it, it looks like her nose is actually colored black on that portion. She doesn't recoil in the slightest when touching it. She was actively purring as I rubbed her nose. I found you this whole big list of cat bumps: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+2141&aid=204 And here's another from a more renowned site: http://pets.webmd.com/cats/ss/slideshow-skin-problems-in-cats Read about one called "Eosinophilic Granuloma" and see if that fits what you're observing. And yes, get her to a vet.
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Apr 15, 2014 04:30
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The blue bunny posted:Ok new kitten question.
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Apr 15, 2014 05:19
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The blue bunny posted:She has started to hiss at me for trying to control her which isn't great because she also will sleep with her head leaning against your hand. What are you doing when you're "trying to control her"?
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Apr 15, 2014 05:57
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I'm back with an update with the situation of scratchy Benjamin and another question. We bought another horizontal scratcher for B cat and it seems to be working. The first night I was up and out of bed, putting him on the scratcher about 30 times. Now he goes to it himself, on occasion. Small steps of progress. The question I have is about the relationship of Arthur and Benjamin. When we got Arthur he was about 3, we got him from a rescue centre. He was very timid but warmed to us quickly, even now he still gets startled and rockets off upstairs with sudden movement. He is very attached to me, I nursed him back to full health when he rejected both solids and liquids. Arthur felt a bit pushed out when our daughter arrived. Because of this, we decided to get him a playmate, Benjamin (he was 3 months old). Initial introductions went very well, both cats intrigued with each others smell. We swapped blankets and toys and had controlled meets. They were very inquisitive but got on ok. Since then they both have some rough and tumble, mostly initiated by B-Cat and his youthful exhuberance. Arthur seemed content ignoring him for the most part, but would swipe him when he got too annoying. Benjamin would continue and things would escalate into biting and rabbit kicks, playing I'm sure of it until they got carried away and the hissing and growling started. Arthur has since started to stand up for himself a bit more from Benjamins playful attacks but recently Arthur has taken to running up to B-Cat completely unprovoked and biting him on the face/neck and swiping at him. Benjamin is a very friendly cat, very tactile and loves fuss, while Arthur is a grumpy old thing who like fuss on his own terms, mostly at night before I go to bed. I think he is jealous of Benjamin and is trying to establish his dominant position in the household and his ownership over me. Here's the thing, I used to feel sorry for Arthur and wanted him to stand up for himself, however now I want him to leave Benjamin alone. I appreciate somebody has posted about a similar situation but I hope that people may have suggestions. Does anybody have any advice on how to help them tolerate each a little bit more? Thanks again for your help.
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Apr 15, 2014 16:13
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In regards to the abandoned kitten in someone else's flat - could you wet some cloth or paper and put it under the door, and same with with putting some catfood under there if you can't get anyone who's legally allowed to break the door down to interveve? *1 Anyway, I have a question of my own - I'm going to be getting my second cat in a couple of days - he's a four year old male, and my current cat is a 2 year old female. Both parties are neutered, so no problems there. I've read up on cat introductions, and was just wondering how rescues and shelters do it for their multi-cat enviroments, as due to space they can't possibly be taking the upto weeks that all the guides recommend. *1 I'm not sure I'd be able to resist just breaking the door down if there was an animal screaming behind it.
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Apr 15, 2014 16:24
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Blinks posted:I appreciate somebody has posted about a similar situation but I hope that people may have suggestions. Does anybody have any advice on how to help them tolerate each a little bit more? How old in Benjamin now? It sounds like he's not getting a pass for being a stupid kitten anymore. Does the drive-by bite/swat turn into a screaming mess or is it more of a rough invitation to play? At any rate, if you want that to die down, add more toy play with you to get them to work their energy out elsewhere. Beyond that, you can add vertical escape routes to areas that are ambush prone so Arthur doesn't corner Benjamin anywhere.
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Apr 15, 2014 18:38
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Engineer Lenk posted:How old in Benjamin now? It sounds like he's not getting a pass for being a stupid kitten anymore. Does the drive-by bite/swat turn into a screaming mess or is it more of a rough invitation to play? Benjamin is about 14 months old now. If I see it, I break the drive by's up by clapping, but normally Arthur is in and out without Benjamin retaliating. It just seems uncharacteristically vicious, especially as Arthur is so placid Thanks for the suggestion of more toys/play, I need to factor in more playtime anyway as I don't do it enough. I'll grab a new laser toy amongst other things and play with them both individually.
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Apr 15, 2014 20:24
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Has anyone tried the potty training kits for cats? Not necessarily this brand but something like this? It seems too good to be true. http://www.wag.com/cat/p/citikitty-cat-toilet-training-kit-105073
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Apr 15, 2014 20:32
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Name the kitten Cordelia What does PI think about using a squirt bottle for bad teenage cats. I used one on mine when he did stuff like eat electrical cords or jump on the stove, but not when he was a real little kitten. Haven't had to use it recently
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Apr 15, 2014 21:17
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In response to the cat in the flat, report it to the humane officers or the police department who would then contact the humane officers. If you want to be sure something gets done ask for badge numbers when you give them a call and hold them accountable?
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Apr 15, 2014 21:56
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EXTREME INSERTION posted:Name the kitten Cordelia It generally seems like a good idea for aversion training. It distresses the cat without doing any actual harm, so they learn to avoid getting squirted.
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Apr 15, 2014 22:00
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Drythe posted:In response to the cat in the flat, report it to the humane officers or the police department who would then contact the humane officers. If you want to be sure something gets done ask for badge numbers when you give them a call and hold them accountable? I'm having a good  visualizing that part of the conversation.
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Apr 15, 2014 22:00
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I've used squirt bottles to good effect on my cats. It lets them know what is okay and what isn't, though whether they actually listen vs just do it when you're not around depends on the cat.
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Apr 15, 2014 22:07
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turbomoose posted:Has anyone tried the potty training kits for cats? Not necessarily this brand but something like this? It seems too good to be true.
TL;DR: it can work, but there's a lot of problems that make it not worth trying for most people, and success isn't guaranteed.
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Apr 16, 2014 03:21
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That spreads toxo to sea creatures though. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080602103404.htm
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Apr 16, 2014 03:43
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For the kitten, the only thing that stopped him from destroying things was playing with him and getting him toys Get her some toys from the pet store that look like cords, but, uh, aren't electric haha Kittens can be annoying! I got mine too young from the shelter and it was a rough couple weeks!
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Apr 16, 2014 05:03
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turbomoose posted:I've used squirt bottles to good effect on my cats. It lets them know what is okay and what isn't, though whether they actually listen vs just do it when you're not around depends on the cat. Totally this. I only need to shake the bottle now and Decoy will stop what he's doing. Of course that only stops him doing annoying bad habits when I'm around, and I know for sure that he does naughty stupid cat stuff when I'm out. Also re: Arthur being a big bitch to Benjamin, have you tried a feliway diffuser? It won't solve his dislike of the new addition but it could make him a little less violently inclined. If it doesn't stop long-term, some cats are just dicks. Decoy is an rear end in a top hat and constantly playfights way too hard with Hugo, and it's not a dislike thing because they sleep together, eat together and hang out like cat bros most of the time. He just has zero manners, and Hugo is too uncoordinated to fight him off. Tamarillo fucked around with this message at 12:43 on Apr 16, 2014 |
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Apr 16, 2014 12:35
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Hey cat megathread. Anyone have experience with cat flap training? We have one cat who uses the flap out to our (enclosed) back balcony without a problem, but the other will only use it to come back in, never to go out, unless it's held open for him. Is there any trick to this? He's not very responsive to treat training unless he's hungry, and I've tried gently putting his head through the flap until he takes over and does it himself, but he still won't do it on his own. Also, since I'm here, we got some of that squirt stuff [though I'm not sure the brand] for that spot between the shoulderblades. However, our cats are brothers and groom each other like crazy (it's super cute  ), and I'm worried it might be toxic. Is it ok? is there a brand that is ok?Here are the jerks in question:  Sal:  Henri: 
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Apr 16, 2014 17:30
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I assume you're talking about Revolution, which we use on our cats. The whole point of it is that it's deadly to invertebrates (mites, ticks, insects, etc.) but largely harmless to mammals. It can cause problems in large doses, but you're not giving large doses. Thus, toxicity isn't a major concern. The bigger problem is that it can't survive the digestive system, which is why you squirt it on their backs to be absorbed through the skin. A cat licking it off will prevent it from being absorbed, so it loses its effectiveness. I would recommend keeping them apart for a few hours after dosage to prevent one licking it off the other.
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Apr 16, 2014 18:03
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MindSet posted:Henri: I thought only dogs were allowed to do that expression
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Apr 16, 2014 20:20
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Ema Nymton posted:I thought only dogs were allowed to do that expression He purrs with his mouth open. It's pretty much the greatest purr. I'll have to record it someday. Deteriorata posted:I assume you're talking about Revolution, which we use on our cats. The whole point of it is that it's deadly to invertebrates (mites, ticks, insects, etc.) but largely harmless to mammals. It can cause problems in large doses, but you're not giving large doses. Thus, toxicity isn't a major concern. Awesome, thanks. Our place has a weird layout with a lack of doors but we'll see what we can do.
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Apr 16, 2014 21:31
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Hey cat megathread: For about two weeks now I've been noticing an orange and white cat lurking around our neighbourhood. The cat has always been rather timid and shy and recently she started sitting outside my house and meowing repeatedly. On Saturday she did this until I went down to check on her. She's very sociable in terms of being picked up and climbing on to your lap on her own accord. On Monday I noticed that she is still hanging around and after saying hello she doesn't appear to have a collar or anything else. I've asked around in the street and no one seems to know who this cat belongs to. Today after finding her meowing and trying to get into our house I decided to take her inside and take her to the vet tomorrow to see if she's chipped. I've been frantically trying to make sure the house is decent enough for a cat to live in (child proof) but I could do with any advice on what to do when suddenly looking after a cat without basic cat stuff. I've made her a bed in a cardboard box with towels and put out water and milk for her (I tried plain cooked chicken but she licked at it and made a funny noise when trying to eat). Please help! Any suggestions on what to do for a litter tray? She's adorable: 
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Apr 16, 2014 21:34
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MindSet posted:Henri: I like this cat.
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Apr 16, 2014 21:54
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Sods Law posted:Hey cat megathread: Sounds like you're doing a good job so far, and cats don't need much. I would go to the store and getting a few cans of wet cat food to give her, milk isn't that great for cats. A plastic bin with dirt in it would be okay for a litter box, but actual cat litter would be easier to clean up.
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Apr 16, 2014 21:59
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Cats are lactose intolerant, consider taking the milk away. I also second the suggestion to buy some wet food, to tide kitty over until you can find out if it's chipped/belongs to someone. For a litter tray, any old plastic box with cat litter in it will suffice, as long as it's big enough for her to stand in comfortably. E: just realized I've mostly re-posted everything from the person above me, but it's worth noting that some cat food and cat litter brands do have relatively small little bags you can buy for cheaper than a huge one.
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Apr 16, 2014 22:07
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Schmeichy posted:Sounds like you're doing a good job so far, and cats don't need much. I would go to the store and getting a few cans of wet cat food to give her, milk isn't that great for cats. A plastic bin with dirt in it would be okay for a litter box, but actual cat litter would be easier to clean up. Huntersoninski posted:Cats are lactose intolerant, consider taking the milk away. I also second the suggestion to buy some wet food, to tide kitty over until you can find out if it's chipped/belongs to someone. Thanks to both of you! I've taken the milk away but what shall I feed her until I have cat food? I'll grab wet cat food tomorrow (currently 10PM here). Ordered a litter tray to arrive tomorrow also. Girlfriend will take her to the vet in the morning and we'll see if she's chipped. Currently she's half-dozing on the beanbag and purring like a little motorbike: 
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Apr 16, 2014 22:11
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If she doesn't seem sick, she may be fine toughing it out until tomorrow morning without food. If you have any simple one ingredient meat baby food (for instance, just chicken or just turkey) that'd be okay. Things cats are famous for liking like tuna and milk are fine for treats but not really nutritionally great for them. If cat's going to the vet earlier than you're going to the store, the vet may even possibly have some food to give/sell you to tide you over...I've been to some vets who would, some who would not.
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Apr 16, 2014 22:18
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