|
Annath posted:So, uh, my cats just had a huge fight and I have no idea why. Are there windows that look out on the street or somewhere they may have seen a stranger cat? Redirected aggression would make the most sense to me. Or the male got spooked by a noise or something falling on him or something. If so it might clear up by itself. Maybe some feliway in the meantime?
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2023 03:09
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 16, 2024 05:03 |
|
|
Organza Quiz posted:Are there windows that look out on the street or somewhere they may have seen a stranger cat? Redirected aggression would make the most sense to me. Or the male got spooked by a noise or something falling on him or something. I live in a 3rd floor apartment. I do have a balcony, but there's no access to it from the ground (fire escape, etc). Didn't see anything fallen over, not sure what the hell happened. Female is sleeping on my bed, male is now sitting on the floor at the foot of the bed. They're no longer growling, so maybe they're chilling out?
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2023 03:12
|
|
|
It sounds like one of those dumb cat fights caused by a bug flying by and spooking one of them who then bumped into the other one or something. It doesn't happen often at all, when it does I just separate them for half an hour or so and they're fine again. Luckily cats are really bad at remembering specific events
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2023 04:32
|
|
|
Has anyone else had issues with Pica? Niko has always been pretty nuts about food but I feel like I’ve had increasingly frustrating issues with him eating toys, trying to chew/slobber on things until they’re soft enough to swallow, etc. Found him vomiting part of my swimsuit this morning. Fortunately he hasn’t had a blockage (YET) but I’m stressed that it’s an inevitability. Will email my vet but he seems otherwise healthy. I kinda clocked it to him being found on the street with the rest of his litter and having to compete for food. Considering getting some food puzzles and working on keeping him more stimulated, but it’s been frustrating because there’s an increasing number of toys I can’t keep out because he suddenly decides they’re food. Started with fur toys getting slobbered & gradually digested, then string/elastic pieces on toys (ESPECIALLY with knotted bits) getting chewed off and swallowed, now he’s started to try to eat pom-pom balls. 
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2023 17:51
|
|
|
Yeah one of my cats loves eating plastic, dirt, anything he can find, but I just make sure there’s no hard stuff withing his reach that he can swallow
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2023 17:56
|
|
|
serious kitten question, thanks in advance to any advice. wife and i took in a pretty charming foundling approx. 8-week old kitten yesterday who's currently in quarantine away from our other cat in another room in the house. so we took the new guy into the vet this morning to get him dewormed and a blood test done: aside from the usual ear mites, he's pretty healthy, friendly, tested negative for FIV and FeLV, strong appetite, lots of energy, no cough, sneezing, or cold symptoms. HOWEVER, he did have a very faint line on his broad spectrum FeCV test; the vet seems to think it's nothing to worry about as only a very small percentage of cats that are exposed to FeCV or have antibodies have it mutate into FID and could even be a false positive. I'm a bit worried not just for the little kitten, but for our 3 year old cat. how worried should we be about this? the new guy is going to be quarantined for at least a week as per vet's orders, but is there a risk of transmission to our OG cat?
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2023 13:12
|
|
|
Annath posted:Female is sleeping on my bed, male is now sitting on the floor at the foot of the bed. They're no longer growling, so maybe they're chilling out? I’m guessing this has worked itself out, but if they’re still staying separate or showing discomfort around each other, you may need to reintroduce them gradually as if they were strangers. Unfortunately, once cats decide that “other cat = scary,” it can override even long-term friendships. Hopefully this hasn’t happened here, and your pair is back to being buddies. Making sure they have lots of good experiences (food, play) with or near each other can still be a good idea to help prevent any recurring problems.
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2023 16:37
|
|
|
howdy, cat crew! anybody have bigly litter box recommendations? my two male cats are long and sturdy old bastards. they're not fat, they're just *big*. i don't know if maybe they have some maine coon in them or what but they're nearly 3 times the size of our lady cat. they take up most of the space in a standard litter box and it looks like it's an annoyance for them to use. i found these high sided triangular litter boxes at a local farm store that are made by nature's miracle: https://www.naturesmiracle.com/products/cat/litter-boxes-and-accessories/advanced-high-sided-corner-litter-box.aspx they do have a square one but i think both models are discontinued. it's nearly a perfect size for the big dudes but it could arguably be a bit larger. the two i have are worn out and we've had some kittens so now i need to increase our litterbox capacity. i'm thinking about just getting a couple of those under the bed storage boxes and tossing the lids at this point. giant litter mat ideas are also greatly appreciated. all of those are dainty. the biggest i've found was about 3ftx2ft and it's laughably ineffective.
|
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2023 16:22
|
|
|
Rubbermaid storage tubs with the side cut away.
|
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2023 16:25
|
|
|
effika posted:Rubbermaid storage tubs with the side cut away. Also co-signing this. Mine isn’t fat, just built large and we got tired of him pissing over the backside of the litterbox. Took an old storage tub, cut a door on the short side, and it’s served admirably over the last couple of years.
|
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2023 17:11
|
|
|
I got a couple of very large litter boxes some years ago from Petmate, I think I got mine from Target. But maybe they stopped making it because it's sort of hard to find. Amazon has an entry but it's sold out. Some smller vendors still have stock though if you google around for "petmate giant litter pan" https://www.amazon.com/Petmate-Giant-Litter-Storage-Bleached/dp/B000HHLVA4 But either way it really fixed the pissing over the edge problem for us. Doesn't fix the litter getting kicked all over the floor problem but I haven't found a roof solution I like so I end up sweeping every morning. It's so big, when we got kittens they'd climb into the little cups on the side and poop in that because kittens are morons.
|
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2023 17:32
|
|
|
Thanks a ton!ShadowedFlames posted:Also co-signing this. Mine isn’t fat, just built large and we got tired of him pissing over the backside of the litterbox. Took an old storage tub, cut a door on the short side, and it’s served admirably over the last couple of years. are you leaving the lid on? that sounds kinda awful for the cat if so. any particular model of tub y'all like? xzzy posted:because kittens are morons. am currently living this hell because the lady cat is a floozie stray that we couldn't get fixed due to a large wound on her neck. she's taken to being an indoor cat pretty well, though. the elderly gentlemen have begun to tolerate her and her two offspring.
|
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2023 19:46
|
|
|
knuthgrush posted:Thanks a ton! The lid is off; ours wouldn't use it otherwise. We are currently rocking a Sterilite 110qt with a side cut away, and an extra large potting tray from Argee (she's got mobility issues).
|
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2023 20:28
|
|
|
Awesome. Thanks again, all!
|
|
#
?
Sep 19, 2023 03:48
|
|
|
I use this top-entry box which seems pretty spacious inside to me, although my cat is pretty standard cat size so maybe I just can't imagine giant cat needs. My cat loves it and has never used the bathroom anywhere else.
|
|
#
?
Sep 19, 2023 07:52
|
|
|
Jayne Doe posted:I use this top-entry box which seems pretty spacious inside to me, although my cat is pretty standard cat size so maybe I just can't imagine giant cat needs. My cat loves it and has never used the bathroom anywhere else. I like the idea but 17" long doesn't seem big enough for the male cats. I have often wondered if they'd use a top entry box. I might add one to what we have and see if it gets any use.
|
|
#
?
Sep 19, 2023 19:37
|
|
|
This feeder any decent? https://a.co/d/fphRb3S
|
|
#
?
Sep 19, 2023 20:23
|
|
|
Pollyanna posted:This feeder any decent? FWIW I use this one and it's good, no issues (no link because Canadian amazon, also that's CAD not USD): 
|
|
#
?
Sep 20, 2023 05:55
|
|
|
I can’t even find that brand on Amazon anymore, place is such a loving cesspit now. That looks similar enough to the one I found, so I’m not too worried. Thanks!
|
|
#
?
Sep 20, 2023 15:33
|
|
|
I have two cats - one is extremely food oriented and motivated, the other not so much. I have a dual automatic feeder that drops food at 9am, 3pm, and 9pm everyday. The last month or two, the non-food motivated cat isn't eating all of his food when it drops, causing the food crazy cat to gobble it all up when he walks away. If I pick up the bowl out of the feeder and drop it in front of him, he'll eat a bit more before deciding"nah, I'm good" and walking away. The result is, over the last few months the food-motivated cat has gained 1.5 pounds and the non food-motivated cat has lost 1.5 pounds. Any suggestions on what's going on, and how to fix this? I'm getting a little worried. They just had checkups at the vet about a month ago, and came back with clean bills of health. I feel like he would probably come back and eat the rest of the food later, but he doesn't get a chance because the other cat slams it down the second she realizes he's walking away.
|
|
#
?
Sep 21, 2023 01:38
|
|
|
If he prefers eating small amounts at a time, could you switch the feeding schedule to have six times (with half the amount at each)? Maybe then he'd get through more of the dispensed food before getting full and would be ready to eat again at the next time?
|
|
#
?
Sep 21, 2023 07:40
|
|
|
Jayne Doe posted:If he prefers eating small amounts at a time, could you switch the feeding schedule to have six times (with half the amount at each)? Maybe then he'd get through more of the dispensed food before getting full and would be ready to eat again at the next time? Funny you mention this, this was one of the ideas my wife and I were throwing around last night. It's just a little concerning, because the behavior started suddenly a few months ago. I'm going to give it a shot, as soon as I remember how to program this janky off-brand feeder again. Thanks for the suggestion!
|
|
#
?
Sep 21, 2023 15:54
|
|
|
My cats are the same way, one eats faster than the other so he scarfs his food down then goes for the other feeder. I now put the feeders on separate sides of the house, they go off at the same time and deposit a tiny amount of food. It’s a mad dash for both of them now but the glutton can’t make it in time to steal the other ones food
|
|
#
?
Sep 22, 2023 03:29
|
|
|
Moved to a new place that has two storeys but the second storey is like a loft type situation that looks out to the first floor. What’s important is that there are beams and railings all over the joint. And my cats love playing on them but they’re fuckinn clumsy and rude and rowdy on them and they almost fall off them a lot. It makes my partner anxious so she’s tried to limit their access to it but there’s no good way to do it. Should we continue to try and limit them getting upstairs or do we lean into it and add a bunch of cat shelves so they have more than like a two-inch wide railing to perch on thereby giving them less of a chance of falling off like idiots.
|
|
#
?
Sep 23, 2023 13:38
|
|
|
You're asking us if you should block off Cat Nirvana or improve it. I think you know the answer in your heart
|
|
#
?
Sep 23, 2023 14:19
|
|
|
Yeah I can't imagine literally anything a cat would like more than going up there and perching/chasing each other around. Improvement definitely seems like the way to go to me Plus honestly it's probably going to be incredibly hard to actually stop them if they really want to get up there
|
|
#
?
Sep 23, 2023 14:21
|
|
|
At the very least wrap them in something they can dig their claws into, will reduce the chance of falls. Just depends on how you want to alter the home's aesthetics. But keeping the cats off it is a losing battle.
|
|
#
?
Sep 23, 2023 14:23
|
|
|
If you can tolerate the aesthetic, you can put a net up under the beans to catch them if they fall?
|
|
#
?
Sep 23, 2023 15:14
|
|
|
Yea you’re all totally right. I was thinking of wrapping jute rope around them to start so they’d have a bit more grip.
|
|
#
?
Sep 23, 2023 22:25
|
|
|
I love that ambiguous "them".
|
|
#
?
Sep 23, 2023 22:37
|
|
|
chocolateTHUNDER posted:The result is, over the last few months the food-motivated cat has gained 1.5 pounds and the non food-motivated cat has lost 1.5 pounds. That’s a significant amount of weight gain and loss for both of them, and I’d make sure it gets fixed before they lose/gain any more. It’s hard to lose 10% of your body weight whether you’re a person or a pet, but it’s way worse to have to lose 30 or more. If you’re willing to hand-feed your cats, the best solution would be to feed them in separate rooms. If you’re attached to automatic feeding, there are models that block or allow access based on GFID tags that go on the cat’s collar. Another thing to keep an eye on is whether “cat A likes food more than cat B” is the whole story. Is one cat throwing up? If s/he is consistently not eating enough, there might be issues that could benefit from a vet visit. Too, does the cat you describe as food-motivated have enough other toys and activities to occupy its time and energy? I’ve absolutely had cats that would stuff themselves silly no matter how much else they had going on, but if they can have other entertainment, they should.
|
|
#
?
Sep 25, 2023 04:12
|
|
|
I've got 2 male cats and they play fight every day, but I think they also do it to assert dominance. One cat will try to sniff the other's butt and the other cat will guard their butt to the death. Apparently whoever sniffs first is the top dog. It's very strange to watch.
|
|
#
?
Sep 25, 2023 18:27
|
|
|
America Inc. posted:I've got 2 male cats and they play fight every day, but I think they also do it to assert dominance. Dudes rock
|
|
#
?
Sep 25, 2023 19:41
|
|
|
America Inc. posted:I've got 2 male cats and they play fight every day, but I think they also do it to assert dominance. https://i.imgur.com/R3tHmT3.mp4
|
|
#
?
Sep 25, 2023 21:07
|
|
|
Does anyone have a recommendation for or thoughts on pet insurance? My Mona is turning 5 soon, she's generally healthy other than being overweight but I'm starting to wonder if I should have something to help financially if there's a major expense with her health.
|
|
#
?
Sep 26, 2023 21:09
|
|
|
gohuskies posted:Does anyone have a recommendation for or thoughts on pet insurance? My Mona is turning 5 soon, she's generally healthy other than being overweight but I'm starting to wonder if I should have something to help financially if there's a major expense with her health. Its a lot better of a deal when you get them on insurance as a kitten. As an older cat, everything will be more expensive and they will require vet records so they can consider everything already diagnosed or seen by a vet as a pre-existing condition. I'm not saying don't do it, just read carefully.
|
|
#
?
Sep 27, 2023 00:22
|
|
|
can someone link me a gravity feeder i don't have to shake once a day?
|
|
#
?
Sep 27, 2023 03:15
|
|
|
chocolateTHUNDER posted:I have two cats - one is extremely food oriented and motivated, the other not so much. I have a dual automatic feeder that drops food at 9am, 3pm, and 9pm everyday. The last month or two, the non-food motivated cat isn't eating all of his food when it drops, causing the food crazy cat to gobble it all up when he walks away. If I pick up the bowl out of the feeder and drop it in front of him, he'll eat a bit more before deciding"nah, I'm good" and walking away. Surefeed makes these microchip reader pet feeders that might work for this case. My own idiots are kinda similar in that one prefers to break up meals into 2 or 3 courses, but picking up 2 of the surefeeds seems to have solved the issue. I have an issue - bought a new mattress and one cat has decided that the corner is a perfect scratching place. How can I train this out of her?
|
|
#
?
Sep 29, 2023 01:59
|
|
|
Lanky Coconut Tree posted:Surefeed makes these microchip reader pet feeders that might work for this case. My own idiots are kinda similar in that one prefers to break up meals into 2 or 3 courses, but picking up 2 of the surefeeds seems to have solved the issue. They work for us generally with our food goblin (who's actually generally ok when he doesn't need to lose weight due to being bad at grazing) and our light eater skittish boy. Little bit expensive, but never had an issue with them and they're super easy to use for both sitters and us
|
|
#
?
Sep 29, 2023 02:50
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 16, 2024 05:03 |
|
|
Lanky Coconut Tree posted:Surefeed makes these microchip reader pet feeders that might work for this case. My own idiots are kinda similar in that one prefers to break up meals into 2 or 3 courses, but picking up 2 of the surefeeds seems to have solved the issue. If it's in a small area some kind of double sided tape right there is usually enough to annoy a cat away. Mine wouldn't quit perching on my trash can so I stuck some tape on a piece of cardboard and put it on top and after a while they stopped jumping up there.
|
|
#
?
Sep 29, 2023 10:11
|
|
