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Red Crown posted:I cannot believe I have to ask this but: my roommate has two cats, one of which is a new little kitten. New kitten is defecating and peeing anywhere but the litterbox. I tried to tell my roommate that he should scoop the thing more than every other week and that new kitten probably needs a separate litterbox. He's insisting that no, new kitten does not, she "just needs to learn to go in the box." They definitely need to clean the litterbox more than once every other week. I've got three cats and 5 litter boxes and I still feel like I am being a lazy rear end in a top hat when I don't scoop them for a week. And that is with cats that I've had for like at least 8 years now, so I know they don't need a perfectly clean litterbox. However, when they were kittens and I was getting them litter trained the box they used were cleaned a little more often. Also, the 4th cat I had was much more picky about the litter and if was a little too dirty, he would piss/poo poo right in front of the box which was basically my signal to clean the litter boxes. He should also definitely get another litter box. I can practically guarantee that if he put a fresh litter box down and put the kitten in the box, the kitten would start going in the box fairly quickly because it's instinctive for cats. However, if he is resistant to the idea, then you might want to tell him that a kitten that doesn't start using a litterbox almost immediately absolutely WILL learn to piss and poo poo in a few places and it WILL ignore even fresh and clean litterboxes in order to go in its favorite locations. edit - Also, I will add that a single cat will often use a single litterbox regardless of how dirty it is simply because it's ALWAYS their own smell. But adding this second kitten to the mix may end up making the older cat start going outside of the single litterbox if the kitten starts using it, either because it's too dirty or because of kitten smells. TMMadman fucked around with this message at 18:51 on Oct 27, 2019 |
# ? Oct 27, 2019 18:36 |
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# ? Jun 4, 2024 10:50 |
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Thanks all. I think that clears a few things up and should give me ammo to do better by these critters.
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# ? Oct 28, 2019 02:52 |
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Jesus. Roommate? The place will be reeking of catshit and piss if he doesnt scoop daily. Oh god they're going to pee and poop everywhere becaues the box is filthy aaaaagh
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# ? Oct 28, 2019 12:52 |
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Those cats get to just marinate in their own outhouse that never gets cleaned, why the heck would they try to poop inside it!
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# ? Oct 28, 2019 14:09 |
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# ? Oct 28, 2019 14:16 |
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Red Crown posted:I cannot believe I have to ask this but: my roommate has two cats, one of which is a new little kitten. New kitten is defecating and peeing anywhere but the litterbox. I tried to tell my roommate that he should scoop the thing more than every other week and that new kitten probably needs a separate litterbox. He's insisting that no, new kitten does not, she "just needs to learn to go in the box." what a lazy shithead Yes, the animals that are so cleanly and fastidious they spend hours grooming every day will be just fine wallowing in their own filth.
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# ? Oct 28, 2019 15:46 |
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I keep promising a kitten mega post, but this is all I can do at one time.
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# ? Oct 29, 2019 08:08 |
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Anyone got a recommendation for cat probiotics? When I was last at the vet I mentioned Ginny likes to leave a nice black hair-log on the kitchen floor once in a while and she said that a probiotic like in yogurt might help. I tried giving her yogurt directly and she wasn't into it, although she will usually come by for a few licks if I have some first but I don't think cleaning up my leftovers is sufficient. I switched to a dry food with the stuff in it instead of the general hairball stuff I had been using and I brush her out with that spiky glove regularly, shes just a fluffy shedding machine that enjoys grooming and eating her own fur. I want to try some of those supplement versions.
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# ? Oct 29, 2019 11:26 |
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Aleta has started kicking her litter. I guess I should say "weaponizing." It's loud as gently caress and she got poo poo stuck to the wall. What the actual hell is going on? Are the, like, litter grains too big and they're bothering her tiny and precious feet? It's pretty clean- I scoop every day and change it fully every 2 or 3 days (depending on which box) because the litter I can find here is not as good as Amurikkkan litter and it won't even clump piss. Any ideas about the kicking and how to discourage her? It's usually something she does between 3 and 6 AM, so I can't really wait for her to do it and try to deter her, and I'm gun-shy about giving her more elimination complexes. Any recommendations? Would also love some recommendations for good litter brands that don't cost a shitload of money.
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# ? Oct 29, 2019 11:48 |
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Blackchamber posted:Anyone got a recommendation for cat probiotics? When I was last at the vet I mentioned Ginny likes to leave a nice black hair-log on the kitchen floor once in a while and she said that a probiotic like in yogurt might help. I tried giving her yogurt directly and she wasn't into it, although she will usually come by for a few licks if I have some first but I don't think cleaning up my leftovers is sufficient. I switched to a dry food with the stuff in it instead of the general hairball stuff I had been using and I brush her out with that spiky glove regularly, shes just a fluffy shedding machine that enjoys grooming and eating her own fur. I want to try some of those supplement versions. I’ve never heard of probiotics helping with hair balls, but that’s not to say that it wouldn’t. Have you tried lubricants like Laxatone? Lubricants can help with hair balls but can sometimes be a bit harsh (i.e. cause diarrhea). Making sure they are well hydrated should also help. If it’s relatively infrequent it may not be worth treating with something. That being said, our cats have had a probiotic called Pro-viable after they’ve had bouts of vomiting/diarrhea. It comes in both a paste and capsule that you open up and put on their wet food. Some cats will supposedly eat it on their own but I just mix it in real well with some food I know they love (some cooked chicken or friskies). I think the vet sells a prescription version of it but we also were able to buy some on amazon for a little cheaper. Nutramax Proviable Supplement Kit, Small Dog/Cat https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001O477W0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_G-cUDb49P82F4 Hope that helps!
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# ? Oct 29, 2019 13:44 |
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Blackchamber posted:Anyone got a recommendation for cat probiotics? When I was last at the vet I mentioned Ginny likes to leave a nice black hair-log on the kitchen floor once in a while and she said that a probiotic like in yogurt might help. I tried giving her yogurt directly and she wasn't into it, although she will usually come by for a few licks if I have some first but I don't think cleaning up my leftovers is sufficient. I switched to a dry food with the stuff in it instead of the general hairball stuff I had been using and I brush her out with that spiky glove regularly, shes just a fluffy shedding machine that enjoys grooming and eating her own fur. I want to try some of those supplement versions. I wonder if something like a Furminator might be more effective than the glove.
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# ? Oct 29, 2019 15:35 |
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Fleta Mcgurn posted:Aleta has started kicking her litter. I guess I should say "weaponizing." It's loud as gently caress and she got poo poo stuck to the wall. What the actual hell is going on? Are the, like, litter grains too big and they're bothering her tiny and precious feet? It's pretty clean- I scoop every day and change it fully every 2 or 3 days (depending on which box) because the litter I can find here is not as good as Amurikkkan litter and it won't even clump piss. Get a covered litterbox so it stays in the box? Don't try to deter her, you'll just end up convincing her she's not allowed to use the litterbox.
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# ? Oct 29, 2019 15:46 |
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You might want to check her paws to see if she's got litter stuck between her toes. That happened to one of mine when I tried a "premium" litter brand, and it made her uncomfortable so she started kicking.
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# ? Oct 29, 2019 16:55 |
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slave to my cravings posted:I’ve never heard of probiotics helping with hair balls, but that’s not to say that it wouldn’t. Have you tried lubricants like Laxatone? Lubricants can help with hair balls but can sometimes be a bit harsh (i.e. cause diarrhea). Making sure they are well hydrated should also help. If it’s relatively infrequent it may not be worth treating with something. Dienes posted:I wonder if something like a Furminator might be more effective than the glove.
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# ? Oct 29, 2019 19:55 |
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Last night in front of a house guest that I haven't seen in 14 years, my cat barfed. He ate his wet food supper and climbed his cat tree next to the couch we were on. A few minutes later, hork hork. We look over and he leans over the tree edge from the top, and horks up his whole stomach contents. A stream, like a waterfall, comes out, splashes down along the new curtains, and down into the floor heating vent. The heat is on. The room smelled of cat vomit for a while. We cleaned up and went to bed. Glorious.
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# ? Oct 29, 2019 20:38 |
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So Im adopting a kitten, possibly 2 because I hate my furniture. They would be siblings and 10 weeks old as of this friday. Their current owner, my friend, cant keep them anymore since shes dealing with 7 of them. I am a first time (real) pet owner as I have only ever had a hamster before, RIP Bakunin. So far I know the basic necessities of cats, and reviewed the OP. Id still appreciate getting some pointers and suggestions for a few items. Things that I am confident I can get without loving up as of now: 1. An enclosed cat bed so the 2 fur machines can be comfy together 2. The Mobius Strip cat scratcher. 3. An enclosed litter tray 4. Laser pointer, toys, catnip,brush, etc. Things that I am not confident on: 1. Getting a good quality wet cat food. I dont have archives so I cant read the pet nutrition thread. I see the OP views Purina with disdain, so I have no idea what to get. Im assuming Friskies is also poo poo. 2. Litter. Scented or Unscented? I live in a studio, and with some ingenuous placement I will hopefully not be gassed by cat poops. So please thread, leave some suggestions so that I make sure the food going into a cat is just as unoffensive as what will come out of it.
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# ? Oct 30, 2019 03:38 |
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Gaj posted:So Im adopting a kitten, possibly 2 because I hate my furniture. They would be siblings and 10 weeks old as of this friday. Their current owner, my friend, cant keep them anymore since shes dealing with 7 of them. I am a first time (real) pet owner as I have only ever had a hamster before, RIP Bakunin. So far I know the basic necessities of cats, and reviewed the OP. Id still appreciate getting some pointers and suggestions for a few items. Purina and Friskies are fine. Pet food is regulated by the FDA so anything labeled "nutritionally complete" will be equally nutritious. Spend as much or as little as you like. As long as your cats like it, it doesn't matter. Unscented litter is generally preferable, and put the box in a bathroom with a ventilation fan for odor evacuation when necessary. Relax and enjoy your cats.
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# ? Oct 30, 2019 03:48 |
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Culex posted:Last night in front of a house guest that I haven't seen in 14 years, my cat barfed. A+ cat right there
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# ? Oct 30, 2019 03:54 |
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Deteriorata posted:Purina and Friskies are fine. Pet food is regulated by the FDA so anything labeled "nutritionally complete" will be equally nutritious. Spend as much or as little as you like. As long as your cats like it, it doesn't matter. Yeah, I feed my cats Friskies and they don't have a problem with it. Also, just look at the first couple of ingredients because just like regular food, ingredients are listed in order of predominance, so as long as the first couple of ingredients are stuff like various meats and water, then it'll be fine and you just need to find stuff that your cats like. I actually like to rotate different brands of food in because otherwise they seem to get bored since the wet food is more like a daily treat because they always have dry food available.
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# ? Oct 30, 2019 04:14 |
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The thing I have to watch with one of my cats is her teeth - too much wet food or small easily crewed dry food makes for grossness along the gum line and she will not tolerate having her teeth cleaned. Rotating in some of that big crunchy tooth diet food helps immensely and the other car that has no tooth problems also seems to like chewing them up. Only downside is they make much more of a mess than normal dry food does.
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# ? Oct 30, 2019 04:47 |
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Deteriorata posted:Purina and Friskies are fine. Pet food is regulated by the FDA so anything labeled "nutritionally complete" will be equally nutritious. Spend as much or as little as you like. As long as your cats like it, it doesn't matter. While my bathroom is too small for that, it hilariously has its own little vestibule outside which does. My cat will poop in her own double-closet which is enclosed from the main garbage pit which is my apartment. Also, cat:
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# ? Oct 30, 2019 06:55 |
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That cat is going to grow up into a cloud.
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# ? Oct 30, 2019 07:14 |
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Good storm cloudlet
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# ? Oct 30, 2019 07:34 |
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While cat food is regulated and any nutritionally complete food will be safe for your cat to eat, some food is the same kind of safe that (eg) McDonald's is. I follow a few rules when buying cat food. Firstly, look for meat ingredients to be the first on the list. If corn gluten meal (or another plant based protein source like pea protein or potato protein) appears first, before any animal based protein, I'd avoid that food. This will eliminate some of the cheapest foods, but you can find foods with good quality animal protein in almost any grocery store - you don't need to go to some fancy place. If budgets tight, stop here - this is the most impactful ingredient choice you can make, and the rest is more luxury than necessity. Then, if budget allows, I'd look for more whole meats than meat meals, and more meat meals than meat by products. Secondly I'd look for no processed isolated plant proteins at all (whole vegetable ingredients and some grains are just fine for most cats). This is definitely less important than getting good quality animal protein instead of plant protein, but a quick Google for what meat by products are will make a lot of people queasy and uncomfortable feeding high quantities of them to a beloved pet. It used to be believed by many folks that corn in general was bad for cats, but I think the truth is more nuanced - corn meal can be a great source of carbs for cats, and has lower glycemic load than rice which is great for older cats. Corn gluten meal as primary protein is the only corn related avoidance I'd make - Hills science diet, an excellent food for cats, includes corn gluten meal as a secondary protein. This is probably fine in general, and especially in a carefully formulated food like that. Most wet food will meet the first criteria easily, with only the cheapest and nastiest options falling foul. Unfortunately many budget dry foods are made up mostly of vegetable proteins and meat by products, so there I think it's worth taking a small step up to the next tier. I think feed my cat Tiki Cat because it ticks all my boxes, Effy loving loves the stuff, and is at a good price point for me in a local store. That said, I'd feel very comfortable feeding Hills, Purina Beyond, or many other commonly available foods.
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# ? Oct 30, 2019 10:25 |
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Organza Quiz posted:Get a covered litterbox so it stays in the box? Don't try to deter her, you'll just end up convincing her she's not allowed to use the litterbox. The only problem with a covered litterbox is A) I'm really worried Luna won't use it, because I have track record of nervous female cats hating covered litterboxes, and she will only use THAT BOX, and B) I'm not sure I can get a covered box large enough for Luna, but small enough to fit where it needs to fit (although I suppose I could cut a doorway into a cardboard box and place it over the top, but it would get gross pretty fast and would look really bad.) Thank you for the idea, though, I will do some research into different models. TofuDiva posted:You might want to check her paws to see if she's got litter stuck between her toes. That happened to one of mine when I tried a "premium" litter brand, and it made her uncomfortable so she started kicking. I think this might be the issue, so I'll also try to find a finer-grain litter. Gaj posted:So Im adopting a kitten, possibly 2 because I hate my furniture. They would be siblings and 10 weeks old as of this friday. Their current owner, my friend, cant keep them anymore since shes dealing with 7 of them. I am a first time (real) pet owner as I have only ever had a hamster before, RIP Bakunin. So far I know the basic necessities of cats, and reviewed the OP. Id still appreciate getting some pointers and suggestions for a few items. 1. Just make sure that whatever wet food you get doesn't have huge pieces they could choke on. Obviously, getting the right nutrition is important- the post above is excellent- but you don't necessarily need to shell out huge money for it. My girls eat the fanciest dry food, but only like TWO SPECIFIC FORMULATIONS of ONE BRAND OF CHEAP CAT FOOD and I just have to accept it. 2. Unscented always. You should also give them some old blankets, towels, and/or t-shirts to get their scent all over! I don't see much point in cat beds, frankly, like a cat's gonna sleep where you tell it to? That said, I buy them anyways because they're cute.
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# ? Oct 30, 2019 11:10 |
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I really don't understand the whole "this would be too gross for me to eat so I don't want my cat to eat it" re: meat byproducts. I don't want to lick my own arse either but it seems to work out just fine for cats. If they're actually nutritionally bad or dangerous that's one thing but gross is a weird thing to judge by.
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# ? Oct 30, 2019 12:41 |
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Organza Quiz posted:I really don't understand the whole "this would be too gross for me to eat so I don't want my cat to eat it" re: meat byproducts. I don't want to lick my own arse either but it seems to work out just fine for cats. If they're actually nutritionally bad or dangerous that's one thing but gross is a weird thing to judge by. Yeah, if a cat eats a mouse or bird, it doesn't stick to the prime fillet portions. It will eat everything about it - the intestines and other organs, brains, whatever. The cats don't care. The "gross ingredients" stuff is just marketing. Cats don't buy catfood, their humans do. "If you love your cat you need to buy our expensive food" is a line that obviously works on many people.
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# ? Oct 30, 2019 15:00 |
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Deteriorata posted:Yeah, if a cat eats a mouse or bird, it doesn't stick to the prime fillet portions. It will eat everything about it - the intestines and other organs, brains, whatever. The cats don't care. When I was a kid we had a barn cat who refused to eat mouse stomachs. I know this because every morning there would be a couple of them on our porch. So i guess don't buy cat food where the first ingredient is mouse stomach.
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# ? Oct 30, 2019 15:13 |
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computer angel posted:When I was a kid we had a barn cat who refused to eat mouse stomachs. I know this because every morning there would be a couple of them on our porch. So i guess don't buy cat food where the first ingredient is mouse stomach. Well, not for that one particular barn cat anyway!
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# ? Oct 30, 2019 15:54 |
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Gaj posted:So Im adopting a kitten, possibly 2 because I hate my furniture. They would be siblings and 10 weeks old as of this friday. Imo get two kittens especially since they're already bonded. Two cats is not much more effort than just one. I've had my stinky lap gremlin for about three months now, one major thing from my experience with kittens is they're likely to destroy everything they possibly can. So, you'll want to kitten-proof your apartment and put anything valuable in drawers or otherwise out of reach. They will eventually discover how fun it is to shred paper products or house plants and they'll bat any small object around the floor. Also, cats are creatures of habit. Try to establish a regular feeding and play schedule and stick to it. I have a cat psychology question. When I adopted Wozo she'd spent all of her 9 month life as a barn cat with about a dozen other cats, so she was underweight (skin and bones), her growth was stunted, and she was pretty stressed. For the first month she was extremely clingy and would spend as much time curled up in my lap as possible. She accepted endless scritches and petting. Now after three months of proper feeding and care, she's more than doubled in size. Her attitude has also changed, she's still very cuddly but most of the time does not want to be petted or scratched. At all. If I reach for a scritch she'll raise a paw and turn her head which is her signal for "don't touch, if you persist I'll bat/bite you gently." My guess is that she's become more confident and assertive now that she's a healthy weight and less stressed. It's not a problem, I'm just curious at the change in behavior.
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# ? Oct 30, 2019 16:16 |
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Cats just often have a different personality when they're kittens compared to when they become adults. That's why I always encourage people to consider adopting adult cats - not only are you giving a life to a cat that has less chance of being adopted, but you'll probably already know what their personality is instead of rolling the dice.
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# ? Oct 30, 2019 16:33 |
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Rotten Red Rod posted:Cats just often have a different personality when they're kittens compared to when they become adults. That's why I always encourage people to consider adopting adult cats - not only are you giving a life to a cat that has less chance of being adopted, but you'll probably already know what their personality is instead of rolling the dice. That and they don't have kitten energy, which is the biggest reason why I want to adopt an adult cat when I'm finally in a position to do so (current apartment doesn't allow pets). Gaj posted:So Im adopting a kitten, possibly 2 because I hate my furniture. Get two. You do not have enough energy to satisfy a kitten. I know nothing about who you are or what your life is like, but you do not have enough energy to satisfy a kitten. Get two of the little assholes so they can take their energy out on each other.
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# ? Oct 30, 2019 17:20 |
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I have been pushing for 2 since they still do kitten piles, and worst case scenario if I am such a terrible cat owner I know enough people who would take the 2 of them. Im pushing to get the 2 white ones on the right, they are last to already be farmed out
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# ? Oct 30, 2019 18:25 |
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Organza Quiz posted:I really don't understand the whole "this would be too gross for me to eat so I don't want my cat to eat it" re: meat byproducts. I don't want to lick my own arse either but it seems to work out just fine for cats. If they're actually nutritionally bad or dangerous that's one thing but gross is a weird thing to judge by. I have seriously thought about trying a bite of our Applaws wet food because it smells and looks amazing, like tuna tartar or something That said, our dry food seems kind of basic. Katya was used to Royal Canin Fit32 at the shelter so we got that at first and then everyone told us not to mess with what works, sooo idk. Honestly, she will eat anything (also see: The Onion Debacle and The Lasagna Incident) so if there's something better out there we could give it a shot. Maybe something more filling or with bigger kibble because she tends to act like she's ravenous and scarfs down every portion, otherwise she's healthy and doing well on what she gets now.
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# ? Oct 30, 2019 19:50 |
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The other important thing re: food is some cats have food allergies just like people do. Sam was an itchy, dandruffy mess for years and I never understood why but when I swapped him off chicken to a salmon based food the dandruff cleared up pretty much within two weeks. The food even still has a little chicken in it, just not as the main ingredient. So it's important to keep an eye on things like that! Also Sam's favorite food is chicken and he will roll around on the floor begging for it because cat. I'm sorry buddy! It's bad for you!
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# ? Oct 31, 2019 03:05 |
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Look I'm not ashamed to admit it. I've taken a bite of catfood once out of curiosity. Lesson learned. It doesnt smell anything like it tastes. And the texture dear god.
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# ? Oct 31, 2019 03:16 |
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Hello cat thread. One week ago my girlfriend and I picked up this excellent cat from the local cat rescue: She's 4 yeard old, recently spayed, vaccinated, and microchipped. She was described by the rescue as being chill, preferring cuddling and petting to play, and comfortable being picked up. For the first day, that was largely true. We let her out in our townhouse to explore on her own but she pretty much immediately joined us on the couch for pets: At the end of the first night, she was on the bathroom counter and I felt comfortable enough to pick her up to gently put her down. She didn't really mind being picked up, but as soon as I put her down she swiped my feet several times, drawing plenty of blood. I didn't really react since I figured she just wasn't ready for that, and freaked out by the new place. Since then, though, there have been several more attacks. Both my girlfriend and I have been swiped(drawing blood) trying to step over or around her on the floor (fair enough, we can usually avoid that.) More concerning is when she gets into states that are genuinely frightening. On Friday a noise startled her and she chased me into the kitchen, and just stood her ground staring at me. When I tried to get by her to leave, she attacked my legs and chased me up the stairs. I closed myself off in our den, and she attacked the door. She then stayed outside the door for nearly an hour, attacking twice more when I opened the door. It was basically like this youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqjB8DGt85U Similar incidents have happened twice more since then(it's only been 8 days). Something will trigger her and she will get into a state where she attacks us, and then will hold her ground for up to an hour, not letting us pass without swiping. Triggers vary but are pretty random. Tonight it was me trying to return to my seat on the couch. Previously it was me opening a door for her that set her off. Despite all of this, she still hangs out with us on the couch when she's being normal. She likes pets, though maybe a bit less than on the first night (This might be because of how much more apprehensive we are now about touching her). Basically what I want to know is: Is this at all normal? I've looked up dealing with cat aggression but havent seen a pattern of behaviour quite like this. I grew up with cats, but non have been aggressive. It seems like most cats will attack and then run away. This doesn't seem like play aggression. She is being extremely territorial and screams before/during the attacks. Obviously, if it came down to it, I could pick up the cat and put her in a room. I'd like to avoid that since I'm not coming out of that unscathed, and most of what I've read has said that trying to "punish" a cat is pointless. All we've been able to do is wait it out, which can take an hour, after which she will get bored and lose interest. So, doesn't anyone have any advice or insight? I don't want to give the cat back, but this has been the third night(of eight) where we have been essentially forced to retreat into our bedroom early. Thanks, and sorry for the extremely long post.
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# ? Oct 31, 2019 04:24 |
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Jesus that's pretty full out aggression. That she'd still go back to you for pets afterwards is really weird! Have you talked to the shelter about her history?
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# ? Oct 31, 2019 04:27 |
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Synthbuttrange posted:Jesus that's pretty full out aggression. That she'd still go back to you for pets afterwards is really weird! Have you talked to the shelter about her history? We asked about her history after the first couple incedents, but they didnt have any more information for us. I do have a video of her screaming(I don't know if this is the right word but yowling or meowing do not seem adequate) at me after I opened the door for her. Not sure where to host it, though.
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# ? Oct 31, 2019 04:45 |
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# ? Jun 4, 2024 10:50 |
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Eratik posted:We asked about her history after the first couple incedents, but they didnt have any more information for us. Twitter / yt / imgur?
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# ? Oct 31, 2019 04:49 |