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That's a good point to press. Only one of them that I know of is fixed because he lets me handle him any way I want (and yet we haven't taken him in for shots for some reason). The one I screwed up trying to catch today definitely isn't fixed, he fights the rest and nobody likes him. The third is too small and skittish to be sexed. There is a fourth our cats don't mind we've fed literally for years who is extremely polite, but I can't check because he does head pats only and goes on his way as soon as he's had enough to eat. He shows up infrequently and we suspect he's already got a home that doesn't take very good care of him, mysteriously he now has nail caps on one paw which he would never have let us do.
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Sep 3, 2019 23:53
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ThisIsACoolGuy posted:Sorry to come in here with another question but I'm insanely concerned about my little orange tabby. I noticed that she's been itching her neck a lot within the last two weeks and took her up to get checked and was told she doesn't have fleas so I have no idea what's going on. Yesterday I noticed she has now clawed off all her fur and is now raw and scabbing/bloody around the bottom of her neck from not leaving it alone, and right above her right eye she has a fresh bloody patch from scratching there. Poor kit, that sounds awful! Short answer is there's very little you can do to get her to stop scratching unless you can get the irritation eased. In addition to what the other poster said, here are some things to do: 1. Ask the vet for recommendations on a cream that you could use to soothe her skin in the itchy areas. If they didn't check for ear mites, ask them to. 2. Sterilize her food and water dishes - if they are plastic, ditch them in favor of glass or stainless steel. (Plastic breeds some types of bacteria that do this. Feline acne from these bacteria is really really common.) 2. Try switching to a low-allergy food for a while, just in case she's developed a sensitivity to her current diet. 3. Does she have access to a basement or other area that you don't go in much? Look around for mold or mildew. 4. Keep her claws well trimmed, and if she'll permit it, round the trimmed edges with a nail file. 5. Ditch her collar if she wears one. 6. You mentioned a new home. Any chance there were cleaning products or pesticides used before you moved in that might have left residue, or were the previous owners smokers? Have you had any new allergy symptoms in the new place? Try putting your nose down on the carpet and sniff. If you smell detergent or chemicals, shampoo the carpet with just plain water. (If you smell mildew, get it professionally cleaned and think about removing it.) Wipe hard surfaces down with baking soda and water in any case. 6. If none of these or what the other poster suggested helps and it keeps getting worse, ask your vet to test for the mites that cause mange, or for hormonal problems. They're uncommon in cats, but not impossible. I hope it gets better quickly. Good luck!
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Sep 3, 2019 23:57
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Thanks for the two responses. I kinda blew my extra funds on the last vet trip as it's nearly 60 bucks to just get in the door and things have been tight due to a few big things going down, but I'll try to get her in ASAP. I've taken her collar off and she has a bowl she's been eating out of for years so I don't think it's that. And we've been at the new place for... 2-3 months so I don't think it's anything to do with the building itself. My only lead that might sound right is the fact my mom dropped off a whole bunch of new wet cat food I've been giving her recently so if food can cause problems that might be it. Also we're in a apartment in the basement so I think that ones out. Still though, will try to keep things updated as I figure out what's wrong with her. Just really concerned right now is all because god she's the sweetest little thing.
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Sep 4, 2019 03:10
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Someone mentioned their cat licking things with condensation on them, I caught one of the local strays licking a plant after it was sprayed by the sprinklers: https://i.imgur.com/ARUh4dr.mp4
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Sep 4, 2019 07:13
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pairofdimes posted:Someone mentioned their cat licking things with condensation on them, I caught one of the local strays licking a plant after it was sprayed by the sprinklers: Come to think of it, licking condensation off of things is a real desert-animal move. I wonder if that partially explains why so many cats are fanatics about sinks and bathtubs/shower stalls.
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Sep 4, 2019 17:00
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TofuDiva posted:Come to think of it, licking condensation off of things is a real desert-animal move. I wonder if that partially explains why so many cats are fanatics about sinks and bathtubs/shower stalls. May be that in part, but sinks, tubs, and stalls are usually made of porcelain or some other material that tends to stay cold when it's hot out. Cats are pretty terrible at regulating their internal body temperatures so they like to seek out cold places to sit when they're feeling too hot, or warm places to sit (sun, computers, your lap) when they're feeling cold.
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Sep 4, 2019 17:18
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Cythereal posted:May be that in part, but sinks, tubs, and stalls are usually made of porcelain or some other material that tends to stay cold when it's hot out. Cats are pretty terrible at regulating their internal body temperatures so they like to seek out cold places to sit when they're feeling too hot, or warm places to sit (sun, computers, your lap) when they're feeling cold. That is a really good observation. Makes perfect sense to me!
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Sep 4, 2019 17:22
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Yeah my cat loves licking the shower water off the metal shower door track, specifically. Another one just loves having a clean water, and will go for a drink as soon as I refill their bowls, probably while it's cold.
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Sep 4, 2019 17:43
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Cythereal posted:May be that in part, but sinks, tubs, and stalls are usually made of porcelain or some other material that tends to stay cold when it's hot out. Cats are pretty terrible at regulating their internal body temperatures so they like to seek out cold places to sit when they're feeling too hot, or warm places to sit (sun, computers, your lap) when they're feeling cold. During winter nights when it gets particularly cold out I'll be woken up by Mel who as soon as I look at her will jump off the bed, run over to the air vent, curl up, and stare at me. She's evidently put together the pattern that it is I who controls the ability to make nice hot air flow out of the vent for her.  That said my gas bills got a bit crazy last year because I'm a weak to my cat being cold and in obvious discomfort and ran the heat way too much, so I'm going to try and replace it with an electric radiator this year.What's weirder is that when it's abnormally hot out, instead of laying down on tile or in a bath tub, she jumps up to her top cat shelf and sleeps there. I would assume it would be hotter up there but hey whatever makes you happy cat.
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Sep 4, 2019 17:47
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Keep an eye out for heated cat beds to go on sale. This one is known as fort warms and is a yospos favorite. They cost pennies a month to run. https://www.amazon.com/Pet-Products-Thermo-Kitty-Heated-Mocha/dp/B0015ZK5K4
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Sep 4, 2019 17:49
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Oooh, fancy. Granted I'm still looking into a radiator because I need something to warm me up without running the heat too, but that might be nice too if it goes on sale. I'm always wary about cat beds because the couple I've tried in the past have failed to win Mel over, she'd rather roll dice every night to decide where to sleep.
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Sep 4, 2019 18:02
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A very cheap standalone pet specific heating pad plus a favorite towel or blanket also works well
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Sep 4, 2019 18:45
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Boogalo posted:Keep an eye out for heated cat beds to go on sale. This one is known as fort warms and is a yospos favorite. They cost pennies a month to run. Seconding this. I got one of these exact beds for my previous cat when she developed arthritis, and while she had never liked any cat-bed ever before, she loved this. It doesn't get so hot that you'd have to worry about it, but it's enough for the cat to be really comforted.
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Sep 4, 2019 19:22
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How long do those beds take to warm up once a cat gets on them? Ours is too dumb to understand my heating pad so I question her ability to figure out that if she sits in the cat bed for a few minutes it will be warmer.
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Sep 4, 2019 20:50
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effika posted:How long do those beds take to warm up once a cat gets on them? Ours is too dumb to understand my heating pad so I question her ability to figure out that if she sits in the cat bed for a few minutes it will be warmer. Not too long - maybe 5-10 minutes or so, IIRC. What I did was put her in the bed and give her one of her favorite treats, and talk to her and pet her, and then I'd give another treat. By that time it was warm. She was very treat- and affection-oriented, and it didn't take more than two or three of those sessions before she noticed the coziness and decided that all kinds of good things happened when she curled up in the bed.
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Sep 4, 2019 23:07
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We had a cat that helped us discover a hot water leak under our floor by lying in the same spot in the hallway every single day. Cats will always seek out the warmest spot to lie...!
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Sep 4, 2019 23:16
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In the winter my kitties have all got their designated air vents that they sit in front of. No other cat steals the others spot surprisingly. They just orchestrated this on their own. Willow gets the bedroom by the door. Spartacus has the one next to the tv. Lilly has the one in the kitchen. Lilly likes turning my curtains into kitty hammocks in the summer and relaxing into that, sunning her belly, with her toe beans pressed against the window. Gotta warm them beans
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Sep 5, 2019 08:23
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I live in Korea. Korea has ondol. Ondol are heated floors. Jelly. Cats.
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Sep 5, 2019 10:55
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FelicityGS posted:I live in Korea. All according to Ondol* *Translator's note: Ondol means heated floors
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Sep 5, 2019 17:58
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Oh, no. I have missed ondol heating ever since I left, and now I want it EVEN MORE so I can watch the gatitas melt. 
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Sep 5, 2019 19:39
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What is the average cost per month for a cat? Being fed a good diet, of course, and having toys and stuff. I've been thinking about getting one/two cats for the past couple of months, and I just want to make sure that I can comfortably afford them. Also: the house that I am in right now has two occupied bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a basement(plus other little rooms). If I did get two, how would I go about getting them used to each other and the new house? There isn't really any place BUT the basement that they could get used to each other while being away from the hubbub of the house. But the basement isn't really big, and splitting it would be an issue because of that. I know that in an ideal world they would be used to each other, but the local humane society shelter only has three cats, and one of them is new to their website. I do want to be clear that I have no intention of getting cats that hate each other or something, but I don't know if I should risk getting two that just don't know each other
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Sep 5, 2019 21:55
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I'd budget about $50/month per cat. That might be a little on the high side for just food and litter for one cat, but keep in mind you're going to need vet appointments too, even barring emergencies. There's no sure-fire way to ensure cats will like each other, other than getting a pair that's already bonded or getting kittens. If your local shelter only has 3 cats, maybe you can get 2 that have spent some time together at the shelter, assuming they keep them together?
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Sep 5, 2019 22:03
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Going to be honest, I thought that all of those ~$500/year sounded absurdly low, but apparently not??? And I might just check the shelters/rescues in my general area, see if I can find a pair that fit me that way. There are a few bigger cities around me, so that might work out better if local doesn't
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Sep 5, 2019 22:17
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My three cats average $100 per cat per month. Vet visit + X-ray + blood panel + urinalysis = $600 and that's not even at the emergency vet. If you're lucky, cats can be pretty cheap for their first 10 years or so. Then old age hits and you'd better hope you either have pet insurance that doesn't suck, or a better paying job. Or you get unlucky, you end up with one cat who needs cardiology appointments every couple of years and another cat who has some crazy autoimmune disorder that goes through five specialists before you throw in the towel and commit to prednisolone for life. In that case, you're starting out at the $100 per cat per month baseline when they're young, too.
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Sep 5, 2019 22:25
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TeenageArchipelago posted:Going to be honest, I thought that all of those ~$500/year sounded absurdly low, but apparently not??? Yeah, $500 a year sounds about right, but again that's assuming a healthy cat with no chronic medical issues. The moment those start happening, throw that budget out the window.
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Sep 5, 2019 22:26
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Yeah, I'd say we spend about $50 a month on our cat for the basic living expenses. That's the fancy zero dust A&H litter, canned wet food and tub of Greenies dental treats. It helps a bit if you can buy stuff in bulk a few times a year.
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Sep 5, 2019 22:45
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Cat supplies are so much cheaper over there 
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Sep 5, 2019 23:48
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Anyone have recommendations of products or experience with cat nets or any other tools to block off the open area of a balcony? Looking at a 3m x 3m space.
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Sep 6, 2019 01:16
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I got hydronic floor heating, but over half of the year the floor is not noticeably warm so I dunno if my cats care, when it gets cold like -15C or lower, then you start to feel the floor warmth though, it's quite cozy then. I have an electric heating pad from our old cat, she didn't care much for it, preferred to sleep in bed with us. These cats go outside a lot though so I have thought about making a small cat house and put the heating pad inside it, though I just got a cat flap to install so I dunno, they can come and go as they wish soon. Also had them neutered last night. Things went alright though it was a real PITA to not feed them for 10 hours beforehand, and afterwards they where ravenous. I have never seen them so hungry. And I wasn't supposed to give them a lot of food so I only gave them a little every 30 minutes. They still went through 5 or 6 bags of wet food over the course of the rest of the day. I found Oscar clawing and biting at an empty bag he was so hungry. We've tried a lot of cat foods but their favorite is this, one box has 12 bags 100grams each, so 1200 grams per box and that's around 3.90€. They probably eat 3-4 boxes a week. We also free-feed dry food, but they prefer wet food most of the time.  And the cat on the box looks exaclty like our old cat so I am reminded of her every time
His Divine Shadow fucked around with this message at 06:56 on Sep 6, 2019 |
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Sep 6, 2019 06:54
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Tell the shelter you're looking for a bonded pair! A lot of times people have to give up cats from their home for various reasons and they've often lived together all their lives. Shelters do their best to adopt them out together but it's not always possible. It's a big relief when they can find someone who actually wants two, and then you don't have to worry about the messy introduction process.
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Sep 6, 2019 15:56
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Also please don't forget to consider getting an older cat who doesn't get along with other cats. Those types of cats occasionally show up at shelters and can have a hard time finding a home. The bonus is that while those cats often don't play with toys, they are usually extremely chill around people and just want cuddle and get petted.
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Sep 6, 2019 16:12
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A lot of shelters will even give you fairly hefty adoption discounts if you take a pair of cats off their hands. IIRC mine had a $60 adoption fee for one cat, but only $90 for two.
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Sep 6, 2019 16:26
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TMMadman posted:Also please don't forget to consider getting an older cat who doesn't get along with other cats. Those types of cats occasionally show up at shelters and can have a hard time finding a home. That's basically my mom's cat who was half price at the shelter because she's geriatric. She exists to cuddle, eat kibbles, sun herself, and not much else.
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Sep 6, 2019 16:36
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computer angel posted:That's basically my mom's cat who was half price at the shelter because she's geriatric. She exists to cuddle, eat kibbles, sun herself, and not much else. My aunt's new cat, too. A nervous wreck around other cats to the point of all kinds of nasty behaviors when she was in a home with other cats, but she's the only pet in my aunt's house and is a perfectly behaved lap-warmer.
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Sep 6, 2019 17:35
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TMMadman posted:Also please don't forget to consider getting an older cat who doesn't get along with other cats. Those types of cats occasionally show up at shelters and can have a hard time finding a home. That's why we picked Sweetheart. She was so grumpy and standoff-ish around other cats and lots of noise that the rescue group was asked to no longer bring her to adoption events. She'd been with the same foster for like ~4 years before we adopted her because every time she went to an adoption event she'd hiss and cower and generally be unenjoyable to be around.A year later she sleeps with me and the girlfriend in bed sometimes and is a lovely companion in ways that her foster constantly says she never did before. Her favorite is napping on my tummy while I play video games.
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Sep 6, 2019 17:44
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TMMadman posted:Also please don't forget to consider getting an older cat who doesn't get along with other cats. Those types of cats occasionally show up at shelters and can have a hard time finding a home. That's why I got Ty. He took a bit to warm up to me, but now he demands snuggles every time I come home.
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Sep 6, 2019 18:04
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Dang, look at all you folks who took a chance on the so-called unadoptable ones Bring it on! You have all totally made my day.
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Sep 6, 2019 22:02
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Luna was considered unadoptable and she still won't let us touch her, but she's turned into a playful goof who loves running and bunny-kicking rag rugs. She's even started initiating play with Aleta recently! I would post pics, but I don't know how the heck to do that on mobile.
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Sep 6, 2019 22:15
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Sleek and Fyodor were a bonded pair at the shelter. They were almost put into the barn cat program the shelter runs because the shelter thought they wouldn't be good house cats. One of the volunteers when I picked them out at the shelter had been working to socialize them more. After we brought them home it still took awhile for them to warm up they head major PTSD from being outside got so long. Fyodor in particular had to have a collar cut out of the fur around his neck and he had some skin damage from it getting tighter on him as he grew. Sleek must have been just a ball of mats as we didn't even realize he was a long haired cat at first. TLDR: Shelter cats rule
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Sep 6, 2019 22:15
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Anyone have recommendations for a slow feeding bowl for wet food? Both of my cats have issues around feeding time, Leela scarfs her food down to go see what Finn's eating, and Finn sometimes pukes because he eats so fast. I looked through amazon and saw a couple but wasn't sure how many of those were specifically for wet food. Edit: I'm surprised to see this silicone mat is the best seller for slow feeders, the thing looks like it would be a bitch to clean up.
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Sep 7, 2019 01:55
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