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Edgar Allen Ho posted:TY cat friends. His constant talking is cute 20/24 hours of the day, I just want to make sure it's not a sign of anything wrong with him because we are new cat parents and he is our precious firstborn. Usually the best sign that something is wrong is a sudden change of behaviour, especially becoming withdrawn and hiding and such. Aside from any obvious symptoms like having trouble making GBS threads or black goop in the ear or whatever. Anything which is consistent but you think might be weird is likely to just be your unique weirdo.
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Jan 23, 2018 15:04
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My older cat chirrups a lot, the younger cat meows so infrequently that when he does it comes out weird and croakey sounding. Cats are weird.
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Jan 23, 2018 21:44
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Sleek talks all the drat time, while Fyodor despite looking like the tougher stronger one has the tiniest little kitten meow. Like how Mike Tyson and other big buff dudes sometimes have high pitched voices.
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Jan 23, 2018 21:54
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When I moved house my cats suddenly got it into their heads that if they don't start meowing LOUDLY AND CONSTANTLY as soon as I enter the kitchen at mealtimes I'll forget to feed them and they will starve to death. Cinnamon is usually pretty meowy but this amount of noise is quite unusual for Loki. He has such a precious mew too 
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Jan 23, 2018 22:53
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MacReady only meows on three occasions: a questioning meow if he wakes up and I'm in another room; a plaintive mew when he wants to be let out for the loo; and, when I call him for dinner, a dopplering, high pitched shriek as he gallops frantically into the kitchen. My sister's cat meows constantly from the moment she wakes up to the moment she sleeps. Cats are weird.
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Jan 23, 2018 23:28
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My cat Molly meows a lot, mainly because she's hungry, or that she hasn't seen me in awhile. She's a very vocal cat in general. They're very loud, stout meows. Raiden, on the other hand has a pathetic but lovable "purrow" sound. He loves to roll his Rs.
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Jan 23, 2018 23:39
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Our boy kitten doesn't really meow so much as yell, especially if you've made the grievous mistake(s) of a: closing a door without letting him come in and b: going to the kitchen, glancing at the fridge and not getting him an ice cube.
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Jan 24, 2018 01:46
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Don't spoil your cat
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Jan 24, 2018 16:54
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So we think our cat is peeing outside the litterbox because he hates the litter we use. Unfortunately the litter he likes his brother is allergic to. We're going to try having two separate litterboxes for them. Each with the litter they like and hope they don't use both.
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Jan 24, 2018 18:39
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Organza Quiz posted:See I call bullshit on that because Peridot talks to Pepper constantly and hardly at all to me. I don't think it's universal admittedly, plus it probably becomes cat intra-communication if they grow up used to it!
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Jan 24, 2018 21:01
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Tuna has a chirrupy "Welcome Home, Feed Me" meow, which is distinct from his "Feed Me/Pay Attention To Me" meow or his "You Went To Bed And I Don't Like It So I'm Going To Sit In The Other Room And Meow As Mournfully And Loudly As Possible". Important question: Tuna loves being scratched right at the top of the base of his tail. What's the right way to refer to this area? I feel like a cat's butt is distinctly below the tail, but referring to it as his lower back also seems wrong.
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Jan 24, 2018 22:56
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Rump, or tailbase!
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Jan 24, 2018 23:50
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I just always call it the base of the tail.
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Jan 25, 2018 01:38
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Any recommendation for a gate that will prevent a cat from squeezing through? Needs to be pressure mounted and have a swinging door. Everything I find either has no door or the bars are too widely spaced apart.
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Jan 25, 2018 02:37
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The Lord of Hats posted:Tuna has a chirrupy "Welcome Home, Feed Me" meow, which is distinct from his "Feed Me/Pay Attention To Me" meow or his "You Went To Bed And I Don't Like It So I'm Going To Sit In The Other Room And Meow As Mournfully And Loudly As Possible". I totally know what you mean by this. At this point I don't feel any real communication barrier with Jackie. I pretty much automatically know what she means based on meows (or other far more annoying sounds) or a wealth of body language,
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Jan 25, 2018 06:39
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Catpals, any suggestions on pourable bins or the like for my litter? I buy Dr Eisleys in 40 lb bags and half empty it isn't too bad but a full bag is a little unwieldy and I'd like to dump it into something a little easier to manage before it gets into the litter box. Any ideas?
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Jan 25, 2018 19:25
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My cat has pancreatitis. I've already spent 2k on vet visits and they have mentioned euthanasia. They believe with fluids we can get her through this episode. She's very lethargic currently. But I don't know much about pancreatitis other than what I've read online very briefly. I can't afford to keep bringing her in and paying 300$ a visit. There is no cure. At any point soon she could take a down turn and she will be gone. On paper it seems like an easy choice. But I just can't do it. I'm not ready to lose her. But then I feel so selfish, guilty and I just don't know what to do...
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Jan 26, 2018 16:54
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Darksidepsy posted:My cat has pancreatitis. I've already spent 2k on vet visits and they have mentioned euthanasia. I'm really sorry, that's the worst call to have to make  has the vet mentioned how much longer she has if she makes it through the episode?I think a general rule of thumb is if the cat isn't in pain, give them as much love as you can until their last days. If they are in pain and there's no cure, then it's time. I know financially it's a huge drain too. I blew $3000 in a month getting my cat's bladder blockage cleared twice. I wish I could give you an answer but there aren't any easy ones, unfortunately
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Jan 26, 2018 18:57
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Darksidepsy posted:I can't afford to keep bringing her in and paying 300$ a visit. There is no cure. At any point soon she could take a down turn and she will be gone. On paper it seems like an easy choice. But I just can't do it. I'm not ready to lose her. But then I feel so selfish, guilty and I just don't know what to do... I feel like in this situation there's no wrong answer. You rescued a cat and gave it a loving home. If you can't afford to prolong an incurable situation, in my opinion that's not a selfish choice. Giving the animal a good home and taking the best care you could was not selfish. From here, it's your own feelings and situation you need to consider. Cats don't have a concept of like, life regrets. You can put it down before the disease has the animal in constant pain, you can wait until you know it's in too much pain to continue, but the correct answer is what's going to make you feel least bad. You've done right by this cat.
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Jan 26, 2018 19:07
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We have 3 amazing inside cats. We love them and we wish we could have infinity cats. Of course we cannot. However, we do feed the local outside cats. There's several of them, and we put food out every day for them. Only one of them is truly friendly and likes to be petted and requests it. She looks about a year old, brown and black spotted tabby cat. Today she showed up to get food and her front right paw/leg is swollen somewhat and she's staying off of it. We brought her inside and sequestered her in our back room but she just managed to escape out a window I didn't realize was open. She will most certainly come back around though, she didn't even seem to mind getting brought in, and has in fact tried to follow me inside multiple times - she seems to want to be our kitty. I want to take her to the vet and get her checked out, but I'm afraid it's going to cost a shitload of money. She's still very active and eating and drinking despite her injury. Any ideas what it could be? I was thinking maybe a bug bite of some kind. She doesn't seem discouraged from doing much of anything but is clearly bothered by whatever it is. I couldn't see any marks or anything. I know this is probably nothing anyone here can really help me with but I thought I'd give it a shot anyway.
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Jan 26, 2018 22:16
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My Petunia was just diagnosed with IBD, we've spent $3k in the last two weeks getting her checked out and hospitalized two different times. Now the course of action is to give her Prednisolone and a special hydrolyzed RX diet. Does anyone have experience with this with their cat? Did they end up OK? Petunia is approx. 9 years old (she was a neighborhood stray when we took her in around 4 years ago, don't know age for sure) and has been very healthy up to now, when she started throwing up all day and eventually started throwing up a little blood. We just got her back from the vet after a two night stay and she is eating her rx food and being sleepy. Anyone have luck with probiotics or anything like that?
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Jan 26, 2018 22:52
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the blood is probably a ruptured blood vessel in the esophagus from all the vomiting. not a good thing but hopefully not an ulcer or something worse. i take good care of my animals but i don't particularly feel bad about putting them down once they reach a point where they continue to exist just to comfort me. a quick and painless passing is better than an expensive prolonging of less than quality life.
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Jan 26, 2018 23:14
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Jerome Louis posted:My Petunia was just diagnosed with IBD, we've spent $3k in the last two weeks getting her checked out and hospitalized two different times. Now the course of action is to give her Prednisolone and a special hydrolyzed RX diet. Does anyone have experience with this with their cat? Did they end up OK? Petunia is approx. 9 years old (she was a neighborhood stray when we took her in around 4 years ago, don't know age for sure) and has been very healthy up to now, when she started throwing up all day and eventually started throwing up a little blood. We just got her back from the vet after a two night stay and she is eating her rx food and being sleepy. Anyone have luck with probiotics or anything like that? I once had a cat who had a mixture of stomatitis and IBD. We fed her a limited ingredient diet, which got her to stop having diarrhea. Had to slowly remove her teeth for stomatitis too, poor thing. But overall she was mostly healthy with those in play. I'm not sure how she's doing now since my ex took her when we broke up.
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Jan 26, 2018 23:27
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empty whippet box posted:We have 3 amazing inside cats. We love them and we wish we could have infinity cats. Of course we cannot. However, we do feed the local outside cats. There's several of them, and we put food out every day for them. Only one of them is truly friendly and likes to be petted and requests it. She looks about a year old, brown and black spotted tabby cat. Today she showed up to get food and her front right paw/leg is swollen somewhat and she's staying off of it. We brought her inside and sequestered her in our back room but she just managed to escape out a window I didn't realize was open. She will most certainly come back around though, she didn't even seem to mind getting brought in, and has in fact tried to follow me inside multiple times - she seems to want to be our kitty. I want to take her to the vet and get her checked out, but I'm afraid it's going to cost a shitload of money. She's still very active and eating and drinking despite her injury. Any ideas what it could be? I was thinking maybe a bug bite of some kind. She doesn't seem discouraged from doing much of anything but is clearly bothered by whatever it is. I couldn't see any marks or anything. There are a few possibilities, the ones which come to mind are a bug bite or an injury caused by a bigger creature (like if she had a fight with another cat), an allergic reaction, getting something stuck in her paw from stepping on a sharp thing, or some kind of injury that causes bruising and swelling. If she was merely disfavoring it but still putting weight on when she needs to, which is the inference I am drawing, then I don't think it's likely to be a break or anything else too serious, though depending on what it is, infection could become a danger. If I am right (and I am NOT a vet or anything, I stress) then it shouldn't be too eyewateringly expensive. Could be as simple as a second with a pair of tweezers to pull out a thorn she stepped on. Could bankrupt you too, of course, but my instincts are saying she shouldn't break the bank.
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Jan 27, 2018 07:13
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Thank you so much for your kind words. The vet hasn't mentioned how much longer she may have. She said we just have to see how she responds to the medication and IV. But even after her visit today she has not perked up at all, she actually seems to be getting worse.. The vet mentioned it could be several days or up to a week for her to be back to normal. I just thought I would see some sort of improvement, it's so hard to see her this way. I don't want to give up too soon, but I also don't want her to die in nauseated pain and discomfort... I woke up at 1am just now and she was laying in bed with me. But she was limp, her breathing so shallow I thought she was dead. I turned my lights on and she eventually lifted her head but she seems to have trouble doing even that now. I will be surprised if she makes it through the night. I'm no vet, but they seemed to think one of the medications were making her so out of it and lethargic. But I don't think that's it. Now I'm kicking myself for not trusting my gut that this is the end for her and ending it sooner. I don't want her to die like this. I'm not ready for her to go, she's only 5, ugh this is so horrible. I feel like I have no other place to go to talk about this. Most people, in Texas especially, don't see pets as much more than property. They wouldn't understand what I'm going through. My boyfriend tries, but he's never had a pet before. So thank you for listening.
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Jan 27, 2018 08:09
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Darksidepsy posted:I will be surprised if she makes it through the night. I'm no vet, but they seemed to think one of the medications were making her so out of it and lethargic. But I don't think that's it. Now I'm kicking myself for not trusting my gut that this is the end for her and ending it sooner. I don't want her to die like this. I'm not ready for her to go, she's only 5, ugh this is so horrible. I'm so sorry you're going through this, and please don't feel guilty. It sounds like it was hard to tell how she was going to respond to the treatment and what her quality of life was going to be afterwards, and it's not wrong that you gave her a chance to rally, even if it didn't work out. Cats can decline very, very quickly, often faster than humans can make decisions or act on them; I know it's cold comfort now, but it sounds like you've been doing the best by her that you've been able to.
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Jan 27, 2018 10:44
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Thank you. She passed away. I'm glad I gave her a chance, but I also wished I had euthanized. You can't have it both ways I guess... I'm ashamed to say, when she started to pass I simply couldn't handle it. She would stand up and immediately fall down, she was struggling to breathe. I left her alone in the room and hid in my car in the garage. I just couldn't... I called my boyfriend and he came over. I asked him to check on her, and she was gone. She died alone, in pain, scared... But I just couldn't watch her.. I wish I was stronger... I wish I could have comforted her. I wish I wasn't so helpless...
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Jan 27, 2018 10:55
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Try not to anthropomorphise her now, okay? She was family, but she was an animal, and you took great care of her. You did your best. Kitty's at peace now and you should try to find peace too. There was no wrong decision, you did the best with the info you had and it just didn't work out this time. You had a wonderful animal and you have great memories. You gave your cat a home and food and care. That's what mattered. Don't let the last hour overshadow that for you. I'm so sorry you have to go through this. E: really, try not to beat yourself up. You did right by this cat in life. It's understandable to have regrets at times like these, but take comfort knowing you made your cat's life better, and allow the good memories to make you feel better. Rat Patrol fucked around with this message at 16:15 on Jan 27, 2018 |
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Jan 27, 2018 16:09
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Thank you, you're right. I'm trying to focus on the great memories and the other two kitties I still have to take care of.
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Jan 27, 2018 17:10
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I'm sorry she's gone Darksidepsy, but yes, don't beat yourself up over it. I know how hard it is at a time like that, nobody can blame you for needing refuge. And in truth cats often want to pass in solitude, they seek somewhere quiet and private, but the modern way we treat them means we don't really see that because they rarely get the opportunity. You treated that kitty right all her life. She had a life her ancestors couldn't have believed of heaven itself. Food, water, warmth, shelter, comfort, love, pets, play, without limit, without price. Also to add to what Antivehicular said, don't feel bad about the medical decisions you made either. My old man Teeko twice was rushed into the e-vet in a very bad way, twice we were told they would do what they could but we should prepare for the end, and both times he rallied and recovered. He ended up getting about 4 years more than the first time he went in. I don't want to upset you by presenting a happier outcome or anything here, rather I'm saying there's nothing wrong with giving them a fighting chance because often it does work out and give meaningful extra time, and given the speed cat health can change, you can't be blamed for not reacting to her decline immediately. Hugs to you, your boyfriend, your two other kitties, and to your departed girl. <3
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Jan 28, 2018 02:00
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Thank you so much. You are right about her wanting solitude, and it's something I really didn't see until you mentioned it. That night she had hid in the litter box which is something she's never done. But I wanted her near me, so I took her out and brought her to my room. Unfortunately there's no way I can rush being used to her being gone. When I got back home, I called for like I always do, out of habit. She was always the one waiting for me at the door. I'm glad I gave her that chance, I would have kept thinking about the what-ifs if I didn't. I appreciate everyone's kind words. I never post here, only lurk. Because I've never really had a reason to, until now. And you all have been a comfort.
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Jan 28, 2018 17:39
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Those habits are going to hurt for a while, but you're going to be okay. Allow yourself to grieve and take the time you require without feeling guilty for it. 
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Jan 29, 2018 07:58
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My cat is a cat and really crazy for plain salted chips (just potatoes + sunflower oil + salt as ingredients according to the bag). Is that ok to feed her (as a treat) or am I a bad cat person for doing so?
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Jan 31, 2018 00:07
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I need advice on litterbox training and transitioning a 10 year old semi-stray cat to indoor life. My girlfriend has been feeding this big boy for the past two and a half years. He's a loveable guy who likes to come inside in the morning and in the evening to eat and enjoy human attention, but in the middle of the day and at night he insists on being an outdoor kitty. Sadly, he recently got some ear mites that progressed into a full-blown infection, and we had to take him to a vet for surgery two days ago. We brought him back home last night, and he's now trapped in the cone for the next two weeks and we absolutely cannot let him venture outdoors. We're going to take this opportunity to try to turn him into an indoor cat, but we're expecting a tough adjustment period. He's clearly going to be a bit depressed and despondent that he can't freely roam outside, and we'll try to keep him entertained as best we can. However, the litterbox is another story. I've read lots of stuff via Google searching, but is there any secret tricks anyone knows about? Right now he's just completely ignoring the box we set up for him, and even when we place him in there he just wants to jump straight out.
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Jan 31, 2018 00:11
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You may need to keep him in a small room with just a bed, food and water, and the box, and maybe get some cat attract litter additive. Being in a small area, he's not going to want to go around his food or bed, so may turn to the litter box. After a week or so of this, you can start introducing him to the rest of the house. Also, he may be avoiding using the box because he's freaked out. A lot is happening to him right now and cats can hold it a long time if they're stressed. Make sure you've got toys for him. And don't read too much into his behavior at being "depressed" about not going outside. He will definitely be pissed off about being kept in a small room, but that's what my vet suggested to me to get my cat going in the box. Cats sleep for most of the day, as long as you give him poo poo to do while he's awake he'll be fine. I cat-sat for an outdoor kitty over the summer and literally every time I went to visit her she came out from under the exact same bush where she napped all day. Adult cats aren't exactly frolicking all over the wide world just because they're outside.
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Jan 31, 2018 00:19
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Yep, cats have an instinct to go where they can bury it so if you make it really obvious where the burying spot is then he should hopefully catch on.
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Jan 31, 2018 00:42
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This may or may not be feasible, but could you get some dirt/ground-cover stuff from outside and mix it into the box? I've heard of feral-TNR groups starting boxes out with a ton of dirt/random crap from outside, just to make it smell and feel normal to the ferals, and then gradually transitioning it to more and more cat litter.
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Jan 31, 2018 00:49
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Yeah my cat was a former stray and when we first brought her inside she refused to use the box and would cry at the door to be let out to do her business. We eventually started putting some dirt in her litter box and she started going in there and then eventually would cry to come in just to use her box. Never had an accident with her, amazingly.
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Jan 31, 2018 05:09
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paperwind posted:I need advice on litterbox training and transitioning a 10 year old semi-stray cat to indoor life. My girlfriend has been feeding this big boy for the past two and a half years. He's a loveable guy who likes to come inside in the morning and in the evening to eat and enjoy human attention, but in the middle of the day and at night he insists on being an outdoor kitty. Sadly, he recently got some ear mites that progressed into a full-blown infection, and we had to take him to a vet for surgery two days ago. We brought him back home last night, and he's now trapped in the cone for the next two weeks and we absolutely cannot let him venture outdoors. We're going to take this opportunity to try to turn him into an indoor cat, but we're expecting a tough adjustment period. That's an incredibly good and handsome boy, and you and your girlfriend are extremely cool for taking care of him and now taking him in.  Nothing to add regarding litter, but for outdoorsy-ness, and this is entirely depending on your living situation, you might consider erecting a cat pen/run. We have a small one for our boys and it lets them get some outside fun in safety.
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Jan 31, 2018 07:43
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On top of what others said, maybe invest in a feliway diffuser and put it in the room he's going to be in. That makes a world of difference for my cats.
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Jan 31, 2018 08:06
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