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Sounds ideal. The fact there's two kittens probably means they're playing with each other enough to not need to bother him.
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Jul 14, 2020 21:22
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Sydin posted:This is good because one of the things that often leads to fights between kittens and older cats is that the older cat runs out of energy/patience/both and doesn't want to be harassed any longer, which the kittens don't understand, and they keep it up until older cat lashes out. That he's got a place where he can not only get away from them, but also observe them from on high, will do wonders for him putting up with them. I just want to say, this really is a very important thing to watch out for, because it can turn into a REALLY toxic dynamic quickly, two kittens and a single older cat. I mean, this is how I wound up adopting my cat, Jackie, who was living with my parents at the time and was about 4 years old. This whole thing was going on, except Jackie didn't really have a place to go to get away from them. So they'd just badger her and tease her for reactions and play, and she'd sit there growling at higher pitches and volumes until she'd explode with hisses and yowls, then it would start all over again. Jackie MIGHT have been able to jump to higher places, but another toxic dynamic was that they free-fed the cats on dry food from like two big bowls, and the kittens would shove Jackie out of the way and try to eat more food more quickly before her, and she got neurotic about it and gained a lot of weight very quickly - which made jumping, well, tough. I'd just watch out, it can be precarious. Jackie legitimately went from a totally sweet and affectionate cat, to one who bites and claws hard at anyone who even tried to be nice to her. It just destroyed her ability to receive affection there, because she was always in a defensive posture. It was amazing, she reverted to being kind and sweet (like she hadn't acted in over 6 months) in less than 24 hours after I got her out of there.
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Jul 14, 2020 21:24
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I want to be a hippy with my cat, whats a good brand/place to look for all organic cat toys. No acrylic, plastic, even for stuffing.
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Jul 14, 2020 21:49
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Rotten Red Rod posted:Sounds ideal. The fact there's two kittens probably means they're playing with each other enough to not need to bother him. I just kinda wanted to see how he would react and I think it went pretty well all around. The little girls are getting adopted thursday so it's not really going to be a long term issue.
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Jul 14, 2020 22:02
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Gaj posted:I want to be a hippy with my cat, whats a good brand/place to look for all organic cat toys. No acrylic, plastic, even for stuffing. Why not just make your own? Treats inside toilet paper tubs with holes in them, balls wrapped in string, stick + string + a strip of cloth on the end, etc. There's a ton of craft tutorials out there and cats will play with just about anything, especially if you cover it in catnip.
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Jul 14, 2020 22:42
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ExtraQuiet posted:Having a bit of an issue over here, hoping to find some clarity. Want to follow up on this! Lil' buddy is doing excellent! Weaned too early seems to fit the best. I feel bad because maybe it was separation anxiety between him and one of his sister's, but he's a happy little hammy boy now
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Jul 15, 2020 05:46
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Talk to me about free feeding vs careful dosing in kittens. These babies are 4 months old now, and we've been giving them dry food during the day and a meal of wet for dinner, plus dry overnight. The overnight food always gets demolished by morning, but they don't necessarily finish all dry food immediately, so I think they self regulate to some extent. I ask because I think Peanut occasionally gets nauseous from an empty stomach, especially if Maple snaffles the last of the dry food before I refill it. Should I just leave more? How worried should we be about kittens getting pudgy? They're gaining weight at a good rate (100g+ per week).
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Jul 15, 2020 08:54
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I believe kittens are supposed to be fed unlimited dry food for at least six months in order to grow fully.
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Jul 15, 2020 09:19
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I called the vet about neutering my cat, and she claimed that they want the cat to first go into heat once before they'll do it. Apparently the cat will not grow correctly if she's neutered too early. According to the internet, it's quite the opposite, and she should be neutered as early as possible. There is no concern about her having babies, she's locked in our house after all. We want to neuter her so both she and us won't have to deal with annoying heat behaviours and related health issues. I don't think we'll be able to convince the vet that we should neuter her early because the internet says so, but I'd like to hear what your experiences have been. I also wouldn't really mind the cat staying a bit small, but I don't dare bring that up.
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Jul 15, 2020 14:18
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pidan posted:I called the vet about neutering my cat, and she claimed that they want the cat to first go into heat once before they'll do it. Apparently the cat will not grow correctly if she's neutered too early. According to the internet, it's quite the opposite, and she should be neutered as early as possible. The rescue I'm working with will spay kittens at 2 pounds.
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Jul 15, 2020 14:29
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pidan posted:I called the vet about neutering my cat, and she claimed that they want the cat to first go into heat once before they'll do it. Apparently the cat will not grow correctly if she's neutered too early. According to the internet, it's quite the opposite, and she should be neutered as early as possible. Yeah, nah. The Cat Fuckers tricked us with that one, and the "voucher" they gave us for the surgery when she was "old enough" (because her adoption fee was meant to cover it) was fake. She also went into heat really early, and then back into it within 8 days, so we ended up getting her spayed at just shy of the 7 months the Cat Fuckers had insisted on and GUESS WHAT IT WAS FINE. Ugh.
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Jul 15, 2020 14:46
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Lord Zedd-Repulsa posted:I believe kittens are supposed to be fed unlimited dry food for at least six months in order to grow fully. Ok thanks, then I'll be better at making sure they always have some available. Want them to get big and healthy! mcmagic posted:The rescue I'm working with will spay kittens at 2 pounds. Yeah same, 1kg spaying, and while this is partially because they want to be 100% sure it's done, rather than leaving it up to unreliable adopters, I can't imagine it's harmful.
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Jul 15, 2020 14:59
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Bobstar posted:Yeah same, 1kg spaying, and while this is partially because they want to be 100% sure it's done, rather than leaving it up to unreliable adopters, I can't imagine it's harmful. We have been adopting intact kittens out recently but they take a 200 dollar deposit that they don't get back until the neuter or spay is complete.
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Jul 15, 2020 16:13
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pidan posted:I called the vet about neutering my cat, and she claimed that they want the cat to first go into heat once before they'll do it. Apparently the cat will not grow correctly if she's neutered too early. According to the internet, it's quite the opposite, and she should be neutered as early as possible. At that point your best bet is finding a spay neuter program and not going through your vet. It's probably cheaper and more competent surgeons anyway (literally all those vet surgeons do is spay/neuter surgeries).
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Jul 15, 2020 16:59
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I woke up to discover that my cat (kitten? ~7mo old teenager?) must have managed to get up onto a closet shelf that's above my head, as a 6'0" person, even though the tallest other surface in that room is below knee height. Many things had been knocked onto the floor, including a box of lightbulbs that shattered everywhere. Luckily she doesn't seem to have cut herself on any of the glass, but arghhh. I don't think I was really prepared for how impossible it would be to keep her from accidentally destroying things - she's a very well behaved cat in general and I spend probably a cumulative hour or so playing with her per day, but she has ... so much kitten energy. I've also had to make two rooms in my apartment off-limits. The bathroom because it has a drop ceiling that she figured out how to get into (shoddy construction means that there's a gap between the drop and actual ceilings by the window, which she of course immediately found and went through). My bedroom because, among other things, she kept jumping up onto hanging clothes and sinking her claws in and as much as I don't want to punish her for just being a cat, I also want to wear clothes without holes. I've been allowing her to come in with me sometimes if she's well-behaved and hangs out on the windowsill or bed or floor and she seems to have adjusted really well to the idea that most of the time those doors are just shut. No signs of unhappiness about it, at least. I've tried to make lots of things available to her - two horizontal scratchers, one vertical scratcher, a cat tree, lots of windowsills that are about shoulder height that she can jump onto and walk around on (I'm in a ground level apartment), toys for independent play, etc, and she really is a mostly well-behaved cat. I'm starting to worry that I'm just not well-suited to being a cat owner. It's embarrassingly hard for me to have everything be out of place all the time and to worry constantly about her causing damage. I feel committed to keeping her, but am definitely feeling like I somehow didn't manage to think this entire thing through even though I spent several years thinking about getting a cat before doing so. Anyway, that's my dumb venting about a cat doing cat stuff.
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Jul 15, 2020 17:34
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Jayne Doe posted:I've tried to make lots of things available to her - two horizontal scratchers, one vertical scratcher, a cat tree, lots of windowsills that are about shoulder height that she can jump onto and walk around on (I'm in a ground level apartment), toys for independent play, etc, and she really is a mostly well-behaved cat. I'm starting to worry that I'm just not well-suited to being a cat owner. It's embarrassingly hard for me to have everything be out of place all the time and to worry constantly about her causing damage. I feel committed to keeping her, but am definitely feeling like I somehow didn't manage to think this entire thing through even though I spent several years thinking about getting a cat before doing so. Nah, don't beat yourself up about it. Even the most experienced cat owner will overlook something that their cat will get into and destroy. It's kind of a right of passage. You'll eventually get a good feeling for where they can get into and what they can hurt themselves on. Plus, as they grow out of kittenhood, their level of destruction levels out and they usually just have a few favorite spots they'll go to instead of trashing the house trying to get everywhere.
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Jul 15, 2020 17:41
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Thanks, dude. I probably just needed to complain a little bit. The scoundrel in action:  (She couldn't figure out how to get down and eventually just meowed until I stopped laughing and retrieved her) But how can I stay annoyed with a living creature that crawls into my lap and purrs and/or looks like this while she sleeps: 
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Jul 15, 2020 17:54
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Haha that's a kitten alright. I remember being terrified when one kitten learned how to climb on top of the door because I thought she'd injure herself coming down, so I kept taking her down every time she did. Finally, one day, she jumped all the way from the top of the of the door to the floor... And was totally fine. They'll get into stuff, but they're resilient little buggers who learn by doing.
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Jul 15, 2020 18:07
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I have put garbage bags everywhere in my master bathroom like it’s a potential murder scene and now am having a quarantine in a quarantine except there’s liquid death and worms flying. My little bugger has worms despite a dose of de-wormer so another round within 4 days. De-worm your cats before they start having diarrhea with worm eggs all over your house at 3 am. $500 of veterinary costs and 4 days of lost work productivity / sanity because people were too conservative with de-wormers at the shelter seems like a raw deal.
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Jul 15, 2020 19:23
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The past two days Harold's been really attention-seeking in a level above and beyond even the norm (laying on my chest to wake me up if he isn't happy about how his food is positioned in his bowl for example). He follows me everywhere, is meowing a ton more, and is desperate for pets. When he's not doing this he's still relaxing on the bed and whatnot, and he's eating as normal, but I'm still worried. 
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Jul 16, 2020 10:25
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Affection seeking is usually a sign that the cat is happy and healthy. If they're not feeling well they tend to hide away. What specifically are you worried about?
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Jul 16, 2020 16:08
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Mostly just how talkative he is, and the sudden burst of it, but if him suddenly meowing a ton and seeking constant pets isn’t a sign of something bad then I don’t mind too much.
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Jul 16, 2020 17:17
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Kitfox88 posted:Mostly just how talkative he is, and the sudden burst of it, but if him suddenly meowing a ton and seeking constant pets isn’t a sign of something bad then I don’t mind too much. Seems most likely it's a sign of him thinking he's not receiving sufficient pets. My cats have two kinda of meows: summoning each other to thunderdome, and trying to get the butler to do something. A lot of the time idiot #1 is meowing it's because he wants me to follow him to a spot he's picked and pet him there.
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Jul 16, 2020 18:40
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Cats meow to us because they realize it gets them things. Watch how they interact with each other, there's virtually no noises aside from hissing/yowling when they're upset. Meows are for humans, it's the language they use to interact with us. Clearly your cat recently figured out you react when he meows and is putting into practice. It's (likely) not a sign of anything bad, just him being a smart little butt.Kitfox88 posted:Mostly just how talkative he is, and the sudden burst of it, but if him suddenly meowing a ton and seeking constant pets isn’t a sign of something bad then I don’t mind too much. Yeah, like I said, cats request pets + affection when they're happy and safe. If they're scared or hurt they tend to want to be left alone. It sounds to me like you have a very happy cat and he's showing his appreciation. Rotten Red Rod fucked around with this message at 18:58 on Jul 16, 2020 |
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Jul 16, 2020 18:56
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Ok. He’s my first cat that’s been primarily ‘mine’ and that I’ve taken care of myself, and the first cat we’ve had in the house for the better part of a decade, and also the first cat that’s been affectionate like this so I’m deffo a little lost. But if this is his way of telling me he’s doing ok and is happy then I can deal with the attention seeking. 
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Jul 16, 2020 23:29
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I think cats just like you more over time. When we first got Artichoke it was a special treat if he jumped up on your lap or slept on you. Now we're about two years in if you generate a lap he's gonna sit on it. He's become extremely smooshy as a result of me being home 24/7.
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Jul 17, 2020 06:37
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Yeah I think they usually get clingier/cuddlier as they get older. I've had two cats who didn't go on laps until they hit 6-7ish and then suddenly became lapcats (sometimes at least).
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Jul 17, 2020 09:08
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Today in ridiculous kitties: they (or at least one of them) have discovered how to extract and shred the carbon filter in their litter box (pictured: the intact one from downstairs). Is nothing safe?? No of course not. Is kittens. 
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Jul 17, 2020 09:15
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I’ve never owned cats that were generally more affectionate than ‘nuzzle your leg for a few pats’ so one that literally seems to cry if I close the bathroom door or sit downstairs while a store pizza cooks in the oven is new. 
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Jul 17, 2020 12:00
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rear end in a top hat likes to think he's an aloof loaner that doesn't need us, but if one of us leaves he meows at the door because he secretly needs us to be around always
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Jul 17, 2020 12:02
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Len posted:rear end in a top hat likes to think he's an aloof loaner that doesn't need us, but if one of us leaves he meows at the door because he secretly needs us to be around always Hah yes, our most aloof cat of the 3 will often wail at the doors and windows when she sees my wife outside. On the flip side, we chose our most recent kitten because he was exceptionally affectionate at the shelter. And he still is as a cat, but he's so bonded to us he has trouble trusting anyone else - he's even skittish around our roommates.
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Jul 17, 2020 13:01
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Hi this is Bowser She’s about 3 A little chonky Otherwise pretty healthy  I recently noticed a bald spot on her inner thigh.  Normally I would just take her to the vet, but being in Florida’s zone of covid doom spiral, I’m trying to keep visits to places at a minimum as much as possible. It doesn’t seem to bother her at all. I touched it and she didn’t react. It doesn’t look inflamed. Should I just monitor it for changes or is this a “get the gently caress to the vet” situation? She’s eating and pooping normally and everything. 
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Jul 17, 2020 14:11
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Our cat Sophie, was really sick a few months ago. I had to syringe feed her food from the vet. She's back to about 90%. Any way since she has gotten better, she has started grooming me at night when we goto bed. ( Licking my head and hair) I realize she's being sweet and showing affection. But it kinda weirds me out. Is there a nice way I can get her to stop
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Jul 17, 2020 15:47
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We've left our kitty alone overnight for the first time ever (the longest she's been alone before was maybe 4 hours). We put her in a pretty kitten proof room with lots of food and water, but I still can't help worrying about her. Maybe she gets stuck somewhere and cries for us in vain. Maybe she'll strangle herself with some string we missed. Maybe she's just lonely and hoarse from meowing at the door... Ugh, the next time we're out overnight I'll get a kitty cam to watch over her.
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Jul 17, 2020 15:56
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CherryCola posted:Hi this is Bowser  joebuddah posted:Our cat Sophie, was really sick a few months ago. I had to syringe feed her food from the vet. She's back to about 90%. pidan posted:We've left our kitty alone overnight for the first time ever (the longest she's been alone before was maybe 4 hours). We put her in a pretty kitten proof room with lots of food and water, but I still can't help worrying about her. Maybe she gets stuck somewhere and cries for us in vain. Maybe she'll strangle herself with some string we missed. Maybe she's just lonely and hoarse from meowing at the door...
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Jul 17, 2020 16:19
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Yeah that looks like an over-grooming spot to me (note: I am not a vet.) Could be a comfort thing, could be itchy/allergy thing. Watch and see if she licks it way too often. Probably not an emergency worthy of risking hell-virus either way.
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Jul 17, 2020 16:27
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kw0134 posted:I'd have to imagine the only way to make her stop without poisoning your relationship with her would be to gently take her off the bed when she does this. You should offer replacement interaction in lieu like petting or playing because you want to be clear to her tiny little brain that you still love her but this particular way of expressing it is no good. Take out her favorite toys just before bed and redirect her affection into other activities both of you can enjoy. This sounds like a really fantastic way to train a cat to eat your hair constantly so she gets attention. Just kick her off the bed and ignore her, or if you can get creative make your hair inaccessible sometimes? Unless she's like a stray who barely trusts humans you're not gonna damage your relationship by being a bit firm, remember cats are absolute arseholes who wrestle and bite and bap and hiss at each other while still being good friends. Being told not to do something isn't gonna hurt anything.
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Jul 17, 2020 16:37
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Kitfox88 posted:I’ve never owned cats that were generally more affectionate than ‘nuzzle your leg for a few pats’ so one that literally seems to cry if I close the bathroom door or sit downstairs while a store pizza cooks in the oven is new. Not sure if this applies, but in general I've found indoor only cats to be emotionally needier than indoor/outdoor cats. If cat that is allowed to go outside gets bored they'll go outside and chase some bugs or whatever, so they aren't as dependant on attention and entertainment from their housemates. Relationships with cats also have a huge element of "you get out of it what you put into it". If you mostly ignore them except for feeding them and cleaning the litter box, most cats are okay with that. The more time and attention you put into a relationship with a cat, the more they will want to spend time with you. They enjoy being social with people they trust, but they are also mostly okay without it if that isn't offered to them. Lots of folks lose interest in spending loads of time with a cat once it is past the cute kitten stage, so those cats become "aloof" as adults and don't chase after human affection.
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Jul 17, 2020 20:24
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Outdoor cats also tend to have way shorter lifespans, depending on where you live. We've lost enough cats to coyotes to be vigilant about them being indoor only.
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Jul 17, 2020 20:56
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Jayne Doe posted:The scoundrel in action: I've spotted your problem: tuxedo cats are adorable but also 100% total dickheads. Mine took about 6 months to get bored of jumping onto the top of the TV unit (about 5'); I think it was a combination of removing anything that can be easily knocked off, moving chairs that made it easier to jump onto, and him making a few failed attempts to jump straight onto it from the ground. joebuddah posted:Our cat Sophie, was really sick a few months ago. I had to syringe feed her food from the vet. She's back to about 90%. My other senior cat does this (in bed but also by sitting on top of the back of the couch) and it doesn't take much to get him to stop - just a gentle nudge - but mostly I just tolerate it. However, he also graduated to curling up and sleeping either between pillows or on my wife's pillow above her head, so, uh... Precambrian Video Games fucked around with this message at 21:20 on Jul 17, 2020 |
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Jul 17, 2020 21:16
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