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Thanks for the advice. Yeah this is kinda high up. As I mention at the end of our terrace a cat could definitely get onto the neighbours' by hopping onto the window and then to the other terrace so some netting or something would definitely be needed there. There's nowhere to go apart from that, but clearly cats may be dumb enough to jump at a passing bird or something. Anyway I took some pics. it's just railings so Mk2 will be able to supervise what's going on in the gardens.    
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Sep 29, 2020 20:48
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There's a big difference between an elderly cat who just wants to chill and a younger, more active one. Since you don't know the cat yet it's impossible to say if they'd be a risk factor but it looks like netting the balcony would be pretty easy given that you have a ceiling. If you plan to let them out there I would do it ahead of time, that way you never have to worry.
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Sep 29, 2020 21:14
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Is there a way to net a balcony like this if you're renting and are super not allowed to drill anything into the ceilings? I've been looking into putting up a net both for the cats as well as to keep out leaves and poo poo from our first floor balcony but wasn't really sure if there was a way to do it that didn't involve drilling hooks into the ceiling to hang it all from.
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Sep 29, 2020 21:23
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Can you use really good glue? Not that it would remove cleanly later, but it would avoid the no holes rule. I know I'd rather patch some holes than remove glue, but I didn't make the rules. Building a floor-standing frame that reaches up to the ceiling is a more serious idea.
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Sep 29, 2020 21:47
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taqueso posted:Can you use really good glue? Not that it would remove cleanly later, but it would avoid the no holes rule. Tension rods would be a relatively cheap option. Get four of them from the floor to the ceiling and trap the netting with them
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Sep 29, 2020 21:51
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DarkHorse posted:Tension rods would be a relatively cheap option. Get four of them from the floor to the ceiling and trap the netting with them Oh, I hadn't considered floor-to-ceiling tension rods before actually, that might be doable.
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Sep 29, 2020 21:56
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explosivo posted:Is there a way to net a balcony like this if you're renting and are super not allowed to drill anything into the ceilings? I've been looking into putting up a net both for the cats as well as to keep out leaves and poo poo from our first floor balcony but wasn't really sure if there was a way to do it that didn't involve drilling hooks into the ceiling to hang it all from. Those 3m command adhesive hooks, maybe? They usually remove with no damage at all. I'm not sure how well they'd hold up to weather outside though.
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Sep 29, 2020 22:01
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I use those 3M command hooks to try to hold up Christmas lights inside the house and they randomly fall down from the weight of 3' of 24 gauge wiring. I wouldn't dare try that outside against the weight of a determined cat.
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Sep 29, 2020 22:22
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explosivo posted:Oh, I hadn't considered floor-to-ceiling tension rods before actually, that might be doable. I have set up a balcony net with tension rods and I'm pretty happy with the outcome. If you know someone who is handy with tools, you could also build a frame out of wood and hang the net up on that. There are professionals who will do it for you, but that gets pricey. knox_harrington posted:Anyway I took some pics. it's just railings so Mk2 will be able to supervise what's going on in the gardens. This looks to me like a small or determined cat might even be able to go through the railing itself, so I'd definitely net it.
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Sep 29, 2020 22:30
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Hello Cat Goons! Long time lurker, first time poster. My wife and I are caring for two cats right now. Exhibit A, Kubuś (Little Jacob in Polish), aka Koobs, Koobie Doo, Kuba Libre:  His tummy is not usually a trap. He's from the shelter, about three years old, and is a terrible coward. His greatest fears include vacuum cleaners, toys he once loved, and this nightmarish hellbeast, a foster kitten named Marble:  She's about four months old, and we're probably not going to send her back to the shelter. Here's a photo of them together for scale:  He's about 11lbs and she comes in at 3 or so. We've only just started to allow them to socialize more freely and I have some questions. First, Koobs will meow when he sees Marble, usually before they touch noses. Is this a good sign? Second, Koobs is a huge coward and Marble will chase him around our apartment. They don't play together yet, although she seems to want to. I think I've seen him try to play but he is so much bigger than her, she cowers from him. They aren't best buds or even very friendly. Koobs tolerates the kitten when she is allowed out of her room, but the moment she gets pouncey, he runs off. How much of a problem is their size difference? Third, sometimes when she's around, he makes longer, more yowl-y vocalisations. He's been all the way through puberty as he was only neutered by the shelter after he was given to it, but she has not been fixed yet. Might this be a cause? He is quite interested in her behind. Thanks!
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Sep 29, 2020 23:18
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I'm not sure about your social-dynamics questions, but if she's four months old or so, I'd try to get her spayed ASAP; IIRC, cats can have their first heat at six months, which would be a miserable experience for everyone.
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Sep 29, 2020 23:25
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1: Yep, that's a good sign. 2: Sounds pretty normal, they're still getting used to each other. The size difference is likely not an issue, kittens like to play rough anyway and older cats generally are smart about how much force will hurt a kitten. 3: Maybe? There's sometimes some residual instincts left. One of my cats would sometimes hump another as some kind of domination thing even though they're all fixed. I wouldn't worry about it too much, just chalk it up to cats be weird, yo. Antivehicular posted:I'm not sure about your social-dynamics questions, but if she's four months old or so, I'd try to get her spayed ASAP; IIRC, cats can have their first heat at six months, which would be a miserable experience for everyone. While I agree she should get fixed ASAP, we had a cat that went through a heat before getting it done, and she became SUPER affectionate during it - it was actually really cute. YMMV, though.
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Sep 29, 2020 23:28
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2. While kittens are pretty tough I'd be a little worried if they actually roughhoused. But they're not, so that's a non-issue. In the event in a month or two she's gonna close that size gap. 3. If he's neutered then it sounds like he's more upset that there's this strange kitten in his space than any yowls of carnal desire, particularly given what you've described of his personality. Cats in general do NOT take to stranger cats in their homes kindly and he's probably more protective of his safe spaces than most.
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Sep 30, 2020 00:32
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In a weird way, adding a kitten to our menagerie has actually chilled out our cats. Before, Greta was a grumpy bitch who hated everything non-human. After the kitten came around she realized that she was way more annoying than the dogs or other cat, and while she's definitely not best friends with any of them she's a lot more tolerant. Luckily, she also has extended that tolerance to the kitten herself, so she'll still beat the shot out of her if she annoys her, but mostly it's Esther capitulating immediately and acting cute rolling on her back and Greta walking away annoyed
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Sep 30, 2020 01:05
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So if I were thinking about adopting two adult cats from a shelter, would it be better to bring them both home at the same time and get the new home adjustment over with, or adopt one and get it acclimated, then when it's calm and adjusted, get the second one?
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Sep 30, 2020 01:09
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Ask for a bonded pair and take them both home at the same time.
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Sep 30, 2020 01:14
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saintonan posted:So if I were thinking about adopting two adult cats from a shelter, would it be better to bring them both home at the same time and get the new home adjustment over with, or adopt one and get it acclimated, then when it's calm and adjusted, get the second one? I don't know which way is better, but I would get both at the same time so they can sort out their territorial issues at the start and divvy the house up without either "owning" it.
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Sep 30, 2020 01:15
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Hey! I’m actually getting two cats! My S/O fell in love with two sisters that a stray cat alliance had up for adoption and we finally completed their process. They just need to get spayed and then we can pick them up! I ordered a cat tree already and we definitely need to make a trip to the pet store for toys and stuff. Can’t wait! 
MarcusSA fucked around with this message at 02:11 on Sep 30, 2020 |
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Sep 30, 2020 01:23
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Lord Zedd-Repulsa posted:Ask for a bonded pair and take them both home at the same time. Seconded. I've heard that it's often difficult for shelters to get bonded pairs adopted, I think because people usually get one cat at a time. My two came as a set, at about age 2. Can Recommend! And also, good on you for thinking of adopting adult cats rather than kittens! They don't get nearly as much love, and they need homes too.
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Sep 30, 2020 01:33
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Lord Zedd-Repulsa posted:Ask for a bonded pair and take them both home at the same time. Besides this, talk to the shelter staff. If they're worth a drat, they'll have a good handle on all the cats' personalities and habits. Whatever kind of energy and behavior you're looking for in cats, talk to the staff and ask them to recommend a cat (or preferably two!).
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Sep 30, 2020 03:09
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Peach got a clean bill of health and some drops to help his eye heal. Leukemia free and fluffy as can be, as you can see!
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Sep 30, 2020 05:35
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necroid posted:today I received the other harness (bought separately on Amazon) and I'm happy to say that I've managed to make her put it on and walk around a bit (chasing treats). I'm not a big fan of the fit but I'll wait to see if the one in the backpack bundle is any better, for now I consider it a small success! things look promising after a couple of days! we're doing this everyday for about 15 minutes in the morning, so far she's been surprisingly well behaved https://i.imgur.com/4O9H7Na.mp4
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Sep 30, 2020 08:41
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Just bought one of these, for the next time me and the cats have to Get Out. https://directtopet.com.au/products/two-tier-pet-backpack-by-ibiyaya
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Sep 30, 2020 10:09
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So Sam started to have some eating trouble a few weeks ago and I took him in and turns out he has fairly advanced dental issues. I've been quoted 850-1300 dollars (depending on how many extractions are necessary). I'm not sure that I have many options as far as other vets in town but it really is a lot, and this is on top of 350 for blood work and meds to treat him pre-dental surgery. Has anyone else had to deal with this? Was it this expensive? I think 200 is going to be for more lab work because she was worried there might be cancer, which is frankly terrifying, and now my husband is giving me poo poo because if we spend a grand on the cat and it ends up he has mouth cancer... Well it's going to suck, a lot. I'm absolutely willing to pay for it myself but I do want to know if I'm getting completely ripped off here.
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Sep 30, 2020 13:08
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Lily is obsessed with peacock feathers. She's always staring at the mantel where we keep them and she'll beg my wife and I to get them and play with her. We'll swish it around on the rug to make it run around in a circle or bob it up and down for her to jump at it. This morning I did and in the 5 months since we had these feathers, she did something new; as she was jumping she caught her own mouth with her claw! She started yawling about it and it took me a few seconds to realize what she'd done so I could help her unhook her own claw.  I felt so bad for her.In nearly 50 years of living with cats, I've never seen one do that.
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Sep 30, 2020 13:40
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mistaya posted:So Sam started to have some eating trouble a few weeks ago and I took him in and turns out he has fairly advanced dental issues. I've been quoted 850-1300 dollars (depending on how many extractions are necessary). I'm not sure that I have many options as far as other vets in town but it really is a lot, and this is on top of 350 for blood work and meds to treat him pre-dental surgery. Has anyone else had to deal with this? Was it this expensive? I think 200 is going to be for more lab work because she was worried there might be cancer, which is frankly terrifying, and now my husband is giving me poo poo because if we spend a grand on the cat and it ends up he has mouth cancer... Well it's going to suck, a lot. We had to get a bunch of Gus' teeth extracted and it was about $600, your number seems high but we're also in a relatively low cost of living area
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Sep 30, 2020 15:01
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DarkHorse posted:We had to get a bunch of Gus' teeth extracted and it was about $600, your number seems high but we're also in a relatively low cost of living area If there are multiple vets in driving distance, it can be worth it to shop around a bit. Sometimes one vet's price is double that of another one's. Clinics in poorer areas can be much cheaper but still clean and competent. It might be possible to access cheaper vet services through animal rescue organizations, but they often only do certain routine things like castration and vaccines.
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Sep 30, 2020 15:08
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Over 1k sounds pretty high for tooth extraction since most of the cost is the stay and sedation, prep, etc. Can they give you a more itemized estimate of charges? Milly had most of her front bottom teeth pulled and it was around $500 while butters had 2 pulled and it was $450. Resorbtion is a fucker but its good to get the weak teeth out before they break and make it harder to extract.
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Sep 30, 2020 15:17
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Continue to be frustrated with my cat, there have been moments when I've considered having to find him a new home. Whenever he constantly meows at me I feel like I'm not taking care of him and it makes me feel like poo poo, I'm also not able to focus on other things I need to be doing. He tries to lick anything left in the sink, I don't have a dishwasher and I'm not loving cleaning every dish immediately after using it. He rifles through the recycle to try and get at the empty wet food tins. I'm tempted to just say gently caress it, stop caring and start free feeding. I have the automatic feeder coming but wondering if it'll make any difference. Are there dry foods that are more filling which would reduce their food-motivation or is this just part of who he is? Levin fucked around with this message at 16:05 on Sep 30, 2020 |
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Sep 30, 2020 16:03
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Corte posted:Continue to be frustrated with my cat, there have been moments when I've considered having to find him a new home. Whenever he constantly meows at me I feel like I'm not taking care of him and it makes me feel like poo poo, I'm also not able to focus on other things I need to be doing. He tries to lick anything left in the sink, I don't have a dishwasher and I'm not loving cleaning every dish immediately after using it. He rifles through the recycle to try and get at the empty wet food tins. I'm tempted to just say gently caress it, stop caring and start free feeding. I have the automatic feeder coming but wondering if it'll make any difference. Put a Ssscat on the kitchen counter and really reinforce how not okay it is for him to be on the kitche counter. Try rinsing the cans so they don't smell like wet food as much
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Sep 30, 2020 16:46
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And yes the auto feeder will make a difference, but it will take time for him to learn you aren't the source of food anymore and he may always be a vocal opinionated cat.
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Sep 30, 2020 17:09
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Thanks for all the info! Life here today has been pretty similar to yesterday, they seem to be getting along reasonably well. He's a little more relaxed, she is still boistrous. While I was at work, my wife said they spent the afternoon in the same room without any ruckus or fuss.
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Sep 30, 2020 20:22
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Just showing off my cat: Princess She is my second cat, (first one put down a month before ) got her in March at the local humane society for free since she was sponsored. Shes around 10 years old, on the older side but perfectly healthy and spritely.She doesnt sit in laps but loves to body rub and headbutt  upload pic 
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Oct 1, 2020 02:30
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 Just doing a drive-by with our (semi) new kitty. I posted a while ago that our older cat wasn't exactly taking a liking to the new guy, but we gave him his own space (in our bedroom) and had old mate's nuts removed and they have since started getting on like a house on fire. It is particularly cute when they go for cat smooches or when one rear end barges the other out of the way for the choice spot to snooze.
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Oct 1, 2020 07:27
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mistaya posted:So Sam started to have some eating trouble a few weeks ago and I took him in and turns out he has fairly advanced dental issues. I've been quoted 850-1300 dollars (depending on how many extractions are necessary). I'm not sure that I have many options as far as other vets in town but it really is a lot, and this is on top of 350 for blood work and meds to treat him pre-dental surgery. Has anyone else had to deal with this? Was it this expensive? I think 200 is going to be for more lab work because she was worried there might be cancer, which is frankly terrifying, and now my husband is giving me poo poo because if we spend a grand on the cat and it ends up he has mouth cancer... Well it's going to suck, a lot. I had two cats back in the day with genetic gum issues who had to have half their teeth taken out. Yep, about $1000 a cat.
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Oct 2, 2020 12:03
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Yeah, dental stuff is just always expensive. Even cleanings are kind of in the "wtf why so much" category.
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Oct 2, 2020 12:56
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Buff Hardback posted:Put a Ssscat on the kitchen counter and really reinforce how not okay it is for him to be on the kitche counter. Try rinsing the cans so they don't smell like wet food as much The counter is pretty side and then as the stove beside it so not sure Ssscat will be feasible, would need to get at least two and they're pretty expensive, already spent a lot. I'm considering trying double-sided tape along the edges, unfortunately there is a shelf nearby under the window he can use to hop across but his paws still touch the edge when he does. Spikes32 posted:And yes the auto feeder will make a difference, but it will take time for him to learn you aren't the source of food anymore and he may always be a vocal opinionated cat. The auto feeder is arriving this coming Tuesday or Wednesday, some questions: Would free feeding him until then create more problems? Should I consider starting him on the schedule I want to set for when the feeder arrives? Are there dry foods that are more filling without additional calories? Would switching to a healthy weight or weight loss formula and giving him more make a difference? Is there a best way to still incorporate wet food? I'm thinking a strict set schedule once a day at 6pm or a few times a week to remove further remove focus from me.
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Oct 2, 2020 14:52
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We have two cats, a brother sister pair, that are about 11 years old and have generally been healthy. But we’ve started to have a pooping outside the litter box issue with the boy cat. I suspect it’s changes around the house — we just had our first baby, and she went off to daycare this week so we’ve actually had a little more time for the cats during the day. Weirdly he didn’t have any issues during maternity leave when the baby was here 24/7. He’s always been an attention-wanting cat, and this week has seemed especially needy. We also moved the baby upstairs to our room while she had been spending most of the day/night in a downstairs office with me so my wife could get good sleep. My first step is going to be making double sure the litter boxes are always extra clean, but I’m not sure how we should attend to the kitty otherwise. When I feed the baby at 3:00am—4:00am he seems to be absolutely desperate for attention, but I only give him a couple pets cause I want to sleep. If I have to I suppose I could put the baby down and come back out to give him attention, but that seems like it might be the opposite thing from what I should do and make it so that I have to do middle of the night cat pets in addition to feeding the baby. Is there anything else I should try, or maybe this is just a keep cleaning it up and wait for him to adjust kinda thing?
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Oct 2, 2020 15:15
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There are some foods marketed for "sterilised" cats or for weight loss that have fewer calories. This one is called "fat cats", which is hilarious: https://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/cat-formulas/dry-food/fat-cats/low-calorie But there are similar foods from royal canin, Purina and so on. There are also lower-calorie wet foods, but I don't know any specific ones.
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Oct 2, 2020 15:17
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Corte posted:or Wednesday, some questions: I'm afraid I can't help with the food nutrition questions I just don't know enough. I do think you should feed him on a schedule till it gets there, and would consider not feeding wet food until he detaches you from food. The more reliant he is on the feeder the better for you. Be aware if he is smart/motivated enough he'll start trying to break into the feeder. There are lots of good ideas on how to catproof them if he does that aren't very difficult.
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Oct 2, 2020 16:21
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