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Raenir Salazar posted:Whats the trick to get a cat to use a new scratching post? play with her around the post, like dangle a toy on top of the post so she has to climb it to get at it
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Oct 18, 2021 07:36
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I like to spray some catnip on a new post, this is not needed for cardboard scratchers which are indeed very popular right from the start. Does that hold me back from buying cute scratching posts? Absolutely not. 
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Oct 18, 2021 18:48
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The cats around here don't see much use in utilizing a scratching post when there are plenty of perfectly good couches and comfy chairs to sharpen their claws on periodically. But I would imagine catnip would be the easiest way to artificially arouse some interest in it. I've been wanting to buy/make some sort of cool or cute cat furniture lately. We have four active cats in this house, and I'm getting tired of just building elaborate forts/thrones for them made of blankets and pillows. Although that is quite fun.
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Oct 18, 2021 19:06
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Hey all, a friend of my partner and I is having some complications with their kitten and now requires surgery on their eye https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-maggie-keep-her-vision?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1 any help or just passing it along social media would be great. PET TAX:  caught them like this. Managed to snap off a quick picture before they went back to pretending they werent just cuddling. dorium fucked around with this message at 20:13 on Oct 18, 2021 |
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Oct 18, 2021 19:30
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Awwwww... Both the kitty with the eye problem and your kitties are adorable  I caught my two kitties in a similar moment, Mini-Scratcher was cuddling with Jackie and then started to get into licking/grooming the top of her head...  Which escalated quickly into some slightly more intense grooming, with Mini using his paw to brace himself against her head...  And soon he was just pulling against her face while full-on chewing/biting the fur on her head!  That last pic was moments before she popped up finally with an indignant meow, the top of her head practically soaking wet 
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Oct 18, 2021 19:43
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InvisibleMonkey posted:I like to spray some catnip on a new post, this is not needed for cardboard scratchers which are indeed very popular right from the start. I have the same scratching post and it also took a while for Lena and Katya to get used to it but now they scratch it. The big thing neither one of them really particularly likes are beds - I have gotten 3 or so and neither uses them. The little cat tent/cave does get used and they both will tussle over the top spot on the cat tree but definitely no cat beds.
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Oct 18, 2021 19:55
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dorium posted:Hey all, a friend of my partner and I is having some complications with their kitten and now requires surgery on their eye This will be my vet gofundme for this month. I hope they can save Maggie's eye  I'll pass along the link in some cat groups I'm in, too. EDIT: Pet insurance update -- I retract any previous recommendation of HealthyPaws. gently caress they are scam artists. We moved, but our zip code technically changed by one digit. Despite living just over a mile away in the same town, going to the same vet clinic seeing the same doctor, they said this is technicall a new city by their definition so they get to "create a new policy using the updated pricing for that market which reflects changes in costs of veterinary care". Translation: gently caress you we're taking advantage of this loophole to get around our guarantee to not up your rate due to claims filed or pets aging. When I finally cornered them, verbally, in admitting this is exactly what was happening, they fell back on, "Well, it isn't technically illegal." gently caress 'em. I get discounted MetLife pet insurance through the new job I just started. We'll pay half as much for all 5 cats (the two 10+ year old cats have coverage now, too!) as we were for just the 3 youngest after the move to "a different city". It won't cover Rexie's preexisting condition which I will always be grateful pet insurance let us catch, but paying for her treatment out of pocket is nothing now that we have the diagnosis, especially compared to that insurance premium. tl;dr: Don't use HealthyPaws, despite what I may have said years ago. BaronVonVaderham fucked around with this message at 22:06 on Oct 18, 2021 |
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Oct 18, 2021 22:00
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huh, good to know. I'll have to look into MetLife. This friends situation with the eye surgery has me looking at pet insurance seriously now. thanks for pitching in. dorium fucked around with this message at 22:21 on Oct 18, 2021 |
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Oct 18, 2021 22:14
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I use ASPCA and am about to find out if they're gonna try to gently caress me over or not. About two weeks ago Mel slowly lost her appetite before finally just completely refusing to eat any kind of food or even treats. This went on for close to two days at which point she was extremely lethargic and I had to bring her to the hospital. Turned out to be some kind of intestinal tract inflammation or pancreatitis and she bounced back in a day with some IV fluids and minor medication, but that one day of hospitalization ended up costing like $3K when all was said and done. Submitted my claim for reimbursement but it's been over a week now and it's still "processing". 
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Oct 18, 2021 22:29
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That's pretty typical. They're going to try their hardest to come up with some preexisting condition to not have to pay up, but they'll pay in the end. They always seem to take the max time they're able to.
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Oct 18, 2021 22:50
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Ever since we switched to a prescription food for urinary issues, we've noticed our cat has started to get some mats and find dandruff/dry skin when brushing. Our cat hates to be groomed so it's been a bit of a struggle, anyone have any tips on how to either accustom a cat to brushing or something that may help with mats short of getting her shaved?
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Oct 19, 2021 01:38
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redreader posted:I find scratching posts unpopular, and cardboard scratching floor pads a lot more popular. My brats require both, plus a cat castle. We scratch different places based on our emotional states!
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Oct 19, 2021 14:47
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Tulalip Tulips posted:but definitely no cat beds. Have you tried the cardboard bowls? Eg: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0753DQT5F?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title We have a kitty that gave no shits about beds until we got that. My guess is the scratch friendly cardboard was the bridge she needed. She chills in it all the time. Won't use any other cat bed though (just laundry).
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Oct 19, 2021 15:09
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My partner and I are in the process of adopting a cat, and we're comfortable enough in cat-related things to make that work, but I was wondering what the best way to introduce them to our dog is. Our dog is curious and loves to eat, but generally very chill and lazy, but we know that it's best to keep them separated by a door for a while and gradually introduce them to each other. My only concern is that we live in a smaller house and don't know if there's a room big enough for us to keep the cat in comfortably. Is sectioning off an area of our living space with a baby gate a doable alternative? The dog isn't big enough to get through it, and the cat would be able to come and go as they please. There would be lots of hiding spaces for them, in case they want to go somewhere that the dog can't see them (assuming it's not sleeping on the couch or something).
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Oct 19, 2021 15:45
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A Real Happy Camper posted:Is sectioning off an area of our living space with a baby gate a doable alternative? We did this when we were fostering a dog. It worked fairly well and let the cats cross over as they got more comfortable with the dog being there. The gate wasn't even properly fastened and would topple over if you applied even the slightest pressure, but dogs are extremely dumb so it was all right. One thing about the gate, since it is see through at first my cats would not even go out into the hallway cause the dog would just stand at the gate staring at them and it would stress them out. I solved this by covering the gate with a towel at first but leaving a bit of clearance between the towel and the floor. Eventually the cats figured out they could just slide below the towel if they wanted to cross, and not seeing the dog was enough for them go out into the hallway. dpkg chopra fucked around with this message at 15:55 on Oct 19, 2021 |
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Oct 19, 2021 15:53
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     If I'm working they're in my chair. That's how it works I guess.
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Oct 20, 2021 22:30
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Aww, they're so sweet together. Kimchi tends to see me working as a nap opportunity, she'll climb up on us demanding to be held like a little baby an then I end up taking meetings like this. 
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Oct 21, 2021 07:23
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Hi thread. So my one cat is like, 11 or 11.5 Got his check up , and for this stat:: https://centredmv.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Clinical-usefulness-of-the-NT-PROBNP-test.pdf Normal is 100. His is like, 400, when anything over 270 is bad. Not a surprise in that cats get older , somewhat a surprise because he has been acting 100% normal. Anyway, we have a follow up call where the vet is going to ask if we want to be referred to a cat cardio place. Cost wise they said it’s $700ish for whatever cardio checkup and treatment. So….anyone here have any input ? Like, honestly if it ends up being $700, if it gets a better life span out of it, that’s fine. I just don’t want to spend $700 for like, 3 months prolonged life. If it’s years, sure that’s fine. So money isn’t the issue, other than I don’t want a money pit, etc. Anyway, any help is appreciated , and trying not to freak out too much, he’s been normal so In theory we have time to figure it out.
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Oct 21, 2021 23:20
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Does anyone know when a cat's appetite/thirst returns to normal after a thyroidectomy? Cat is just under three week's post-surgery. He was underweight through a combination of hyperthyroidism and bad teeth, both of which have been sorted and he's recovered well. I have been letting him eat as much as he likes but his intake is worrying me slightly. Today he's had 750g in wet cat foods and drunk 500ml of water, and this is pretty typical. It's all coming out of him regularly too and I'm having to change litter trays every single day. Not just scooping the (multiple) poops, but changing the whole tray because the volume of urine is saturating the litter. This doesn't seem normal, especially the amount he's drinking when his diet consists solely of soft wet foods with a high moisture content.
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Oct 22, 2021 00:25
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500ml in a day is a hell of a lot. I’d talk to your vet.
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Oct 23, 2021 17:15
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I think my cat is constipated. He was visiting the litterbox constantly all day, but not producing anything; he then also tries squatting over various other soft surfaces in the house (and still doesn’t poop). Then he goes back to the litterbox and tries again; he knows that’s where he’s supposed to go. He doesn’t have much appetite, although he did eat a bit of both wet and dry food this afternoon and I did get him to drink a little bit of water earlier. His general level of energy and changes of personality tell me that he clearly isn’t feeling well. Is there anything I can do to help him feel better overnight before we go to the vet tomorrow morning?
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Oct 24, 2021 07:48
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Luneshot posted:I think my cat is constipated. He was visiting the litterbox constantly all day, but not producing anything; he then also tries squatting over various other soft surfaces in the house (and still doesn’t poop). Then he goes back to the litterbox and tries again; he knows that’s where he’s supposed to go. He doesn’t have much appetite, although he did eat a bit of both wet and dry food this afternoon and I did get him to drink a little bit of water earlier. His general level of energy and changes of personality tell me that he clearly isn’t feeling well. You can try to get him to drink (more), and maybe play with him a bit, if it's just normal constipation some movement might get things moving. Other than that I wouldn't try to self medicate him, going to the vet is the right call IMO. My cat is currently getting antibiotics, but sneakily ate today's dose while I had put it on the counter for her. My partner is highly concerned, because what if she didn't actually eat it but kicked it behind the furniture somehow? But honestly, even if that did happen, it's not going to immediately cause some resistant superbug to appear, is it?
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Oct 24, 2021 18:45
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With our cat, when he gets constipated we use Pedialyte Glycerin enemas. That said he gets constipated regularly and I already know that it’s better to get him to poop ASAP since there’s a point where nothing short of medical intervention will help. Other things we try before that are stool softeners like Lactulase, Activia yoghurts and giving him water through a syringe to the mouth to make sure he’s hydrated.
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Oct 24, 2021 20:52
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My cat desperately wants into my ant room. e: My cat seems to be obsessed with my cricket pen, and is watching them, like a hawk. Raenir Salazar fucked around with this message at 23:10 on Oct 24, 2021 |
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Oct 24, 2021 22:12
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Elder Boots using a pillow like a hoomin would. Lookit this lovable lump.
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Oct 25, 2021 01:57
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same, but this one uses the whole bed like it was made for her.
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Oct 25, 2021 07:26
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TLDR: My cat's appetite has dropped, already been to the vet, next appointment is next Monday (11/1) -- should I ask for cat to be seen sooner, or just wait until Monday? Here are my cat's stats: -- 11-13 years old (we think); I've had him for 8 years -- Lifelong mild asthma and moderate heart murmur -- Usually around 11-12 pounds In August or September, his usual flavor of wet cat food became unavailable, so I switched to another flavor he had happily eaten in the past. Ever since then, his appetite has plummeted. For 2 months+, I have been trying to find food he'll eat regularly, to no avail. A few weeks ago, I finally found his favorite flavor at a local pet store and thought this would finally get him eating again.....nope. He'll eat some of his wet food, but the amount varies from meal to meal (sometimes almost the whole portion, sometimes nothing). He also will usually have nothing to do with the 1/4 c. dry food I feed him in the afternoon. He needs around 235 calories a day to maintain 11 pounds, and he's not eating anywhere near that. Also in September, I noticed he was drinking more than usual, and his asthma attacks were becoming much more frequent (at least once a day). And I also noticed I could now feel all the bones in his spine. So I took him to the vet on October 7, with the loss of appetite as the chief reason for the visit. Unfortunately, we spent most of the visit talking about his asthma, and I left without getting any real answers about his appetite (and with a prednisone scrip -- he should be on it daily for the rest of his life, but it's not good for his heart, so she gave me a 10-day tapering dose to see how he does). He weighed in at 10.1 lbs (down from 11.5 lbs last November). But the vet took blood and urine samples from him to test -- when she called the next day, she said his thyroid levels were high and his urine was watery, indicating his kidneys were "unhappy but not yet in distress" (her words). She said, just like the asthma and the heart murmur, unfortunately the meds for hyperthyroid aren't good for the kidneys, so she prescribed him a low dose (transdermal) and asked me to make a follow-up appointment on November. 1. She also said hyperthyroid conditions usually cause an increase in appetite, not decrease, so he was unusual in that regard, but she didn't sound concerned about it (nor did she give me any real advice). So now here's the deal: --He's been on the hyperthyroid medication for 2 weeks now and I've noticed he's drinking a normal amount again, but no other visible changes --I've only been able to get 2 full doses of prednisone into him, because I mix it into a mousse treat for him and although he usually scarfs those down, he doesn't want to eat them now. --He's still not eating enough, and he feels even more bony to me. His appetite fluctuates like I described above -- sometimes it seems normal, sometimes he won't eat anything on the plate. --Last night, I noticed he doesn't really use his back legs to leap onto the couch anymore, but uses his front legs to hoist himself up. NGL, this makes me really worry that he's lost muscle in his legs and back. This is what is making me post looking for advice. Does anything here sound like I should call the vet again and ask for my cat to be seen ASAP this week? Or does it sound like my cat would be fine if I waited until his scheduled appointment next Monday?
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Oct 25, 2021 20:09
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Get him to the vet right now, if your vet is taking emergency patients. Not eating is a very serious sign in a cat, as is fading strength in the legs.
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Oct 25, 2021 21:35
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Yeah that's an ASAP thing right there. That said... Rabbit Hill posted:-- 11-13 years old (we think); I've had him for 8 years ... It could just be your cat reaching the end of his lifespan, as sad as it is to speculate about that 
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Oct 25, 2021 23:18
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Just called the vet’s office — they didn’t think it was an emergency, but I got him an appointment for tomorrow morning anyway. He had eaten about 3/4 of his 3 oz. wet food plate by the time I came home this evening, and he just ate the spoonful of fresh wet food I gave him. He is eating, he’s just not eating enough consistently. I don’t know if this is a good sign or not. (Sorry I can’t type more now, but I’ll post with an update after the vet visit tomorrow.)
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Oct 25, 2021 23:23
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Rabbit Hill posted:Just called the vet’s office — they didn’t think it was an emergency, but I got him an appointment for tomorrow morning anyway. You did the right thing. Really, you did. Hang in there and give the little buddy a smooch
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Oct 26, 2021 11:49
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Aw, thanks. Smooches given! Got back from the vet — she suspects lymphoma or something else wrong with his digestive system, so I’m taking my little dude to get an ultrasound on Thursday. She didn’t want to give him an appetite stimulant until it’s determined what’s going on with him, so I’m to just keep trying to get calories into him. (She said if all he’ll eat are treats, keep feeding him treats until we find out what’s wrong with him.) He weighed 10 lbs 1 oz on Oct 7, and this morning he weighed 9 lbs 5 oz. He ate a bunch of treats this morning (kept sniffing around looking for more, so I gave him about 10-15), and then he ate a little bit of dry food when he got home from the vet. I’ve seen “high calorie nutrient gel” at the pet store (looks to be mostly molasses and corn syrup) — do you guys recommend I try that? (Sorry, I should have asked the vet but I didn’t think of it until now.) Here’s my favorite picture of him: 
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Oct 26, 2021 16:12
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Rabbit Hill posted:Here’s my favorite picture of him: Aww what a sweet baby. I can't help with the health questions, sorry. Treats are probably fine for a few days.
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Oct 26, 2021 16:22
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The standard recommendation is meat baby food; that worked for me when my cat was eating less and less.
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Oct 26, 2021 17:01
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Rabbit Hill posted:Aw, thanks. Smooches given!
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Oct 26, 2021 17:26
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I think the real question is, why don't you?  (My dad gave it to me, IIRC. It's cute!) This cat has always been a stubborn beast even on his best days, and he wouldn't eat any of the chicken baby food I tried to feed him recently, but by God, I'm going to out-stubborn this cat and try different flavors/mixing it into the broth treats he likes/feeding it to him off my finger/whatever it takes to get some calories into him.  
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Oct 26, 2021 17:44
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Our beloved matriarch is approaching 14 years and is displaying signs of dementia. She used to be overweight (thanks to an elder owner who gave her as much food as she could eat) so we put her on a diet which worked, but she doesn't like the diet food. She also doesn't eat all of the non-diet food we give as an alternative and it's not clear if she's aware that there is food in her cup. She prefers drinking the sauce from wet food so we thought she has teeth ache, and some teeth were removed, but the behaviour did not change. She can eat dry food, but it seems like she needs encouragement to do so, i.e. someone to be with her all the time and showing her where the food is by rattling the cup. We're not sure how to help her the best. Have your old cats had similar issues and is there something we can do to prolong her well being?
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Oct 26, 2021 23:38
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Buys my cat a scratching post, still doesn't use it. Buys her a bed, used it once; prefers one of my sweaters, my hanten, or the back of my closet shelf. I unfold my mahjong table: Cat immediately jumps on it and scratches. I unfold my yoga mat: Cats new favourite spot. 
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Oct 27, 2021 01:48
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Raenir Salazar posted:Buys my cat a scratching post, still doesn't use it. Congratulations, cat.exe is working as intended.
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Oct 27, 2021 04:07
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On our evening tour of the backyard, a stray cat wandered through and this was a big loving deal for Abby. She trotted straight over, tail up, chirping at her new friend. The tabby scaled the fence and started giving a warning growl so I pulled my cat away to keep things from getting ugly. I was kind of surprised at how Abby reacted, I would have expected more caution (she usually freezes at the sight of dogs and squirrels) but hell no she had to go introduce herself.  Never seen any strays or ferals around here before, it had a pretty clean coat so I'm assuming it escaped a neighbor's house. Was pretty agile in the fence though, it seemed comfortable up there which I'd think is unusual for a house cat. Soon as I approached it ran off, hope it found home.
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Oct 27, 2021 04:45
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