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The stories of your cats eating things from around the house are worrying. If my cat has never eaten dangerous things off the floor before, should I be worried that one day she might decide to be try new things? I keep my place pretty neat but every now and then the AC turning on may blow something off the counter.
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Aug 12, 2013 04:57
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| # ? Jun 6, 2024 12:24 |
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Bit of a confusing thing with litter training one of our new girls. (Their names are Cola and Amy, and they were born on May 9th. Neither spayed yet, will shortly, both indoor cats.) Amy took to the litterbox very well and hasn't had any accidents since the first day she came home with us from my brother's house. Cola... She used the litter box once and then seemed not to like it, so she went in the bath tub. We figured she didn't like sharing a litterbox, so we got a second one for her, which... She still won't use. Amy took to using the other one as well, it looks. And now Cola's picked the far corner under my desk to relieve herself, and Amy seems to be covering and burying it for her, since we saw her do it a number of times which seems just... Weird. This Friday is payday, so we'll be picking up some enzymatic cleaner since right now in the house we have soap, peroxide and vinegar which doesn't exactly get rid of everything that she can smell. I'm thinking maybe along with that we could try Cat Attract and the first type of litter we got since Amy seems cool with both the types we'd picked up since our first thought was "maybe Cola doesn't like that litter after using it once", but I guess there are a number of variables here. My fiance tried having them in the bathroom this past night (where we keep the litterboxes and the food since we feed them before getting a shower for work and stuff) and rather than using the litterbox, Cola pulled down a nest of toilet paper and went there, so she's making an effort. Any ideas on what might make the litterbox more appealing to her? She got my house shoe this morning since it was in that corner, and I'm starting to wonder if I place that in the litterbox, maybe since it'll smell like her that could help. Or whether we she hang in there until we get Nature's Miracle and Cat Attract and see how that goes?
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Aug 12, 2013 18:54
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MechaButterworth posted:Any ideas on what might make the litterbox more appealing to her? She got my house shoe this morning since it was in that corner, and I'm starting to wonder if I place that in the litterbox, maybe since it'll smell like her that could help. Or whether we she hang in there until we get Nature's Miracle and Cat Attract and see how that goes?
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Aug 12, 2013 19:32
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Mofette posted:A different type of litter, I'd suggest. Mine didn't really like the pine stuff (which was a shame, it's so light to carry and smells lovely) and much prefer the cheapo poo poo. Hmm... That may be one of those things to try out this weekend when we go out for other supplies. The first type we used was a mix of corn, pine, and cedar and it went over well with Amy and Cola used it once. We're trying to stick with flushable and biodegradable, so maybe see if wheat works well for them. Thanks!
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Aug 12, 2013 20:05
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I would try world's best (corn-based), we used to use swheat scoop (wheat) and it tends to produce dank smelling pee clumps that fall apart and/or get stuck to the box if you don't use a liner. Plus you can get world's best at freakin' Target now.
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Aug 12, 2013 21:35
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I know I wanted a big cat but Betamax is now at 7 months, too big for the hooded litter box we have (which is the second largest we could find locally and not that much smaller than the largest). So out of curiosity I measured him. Nose to butt he is 20.5 Inches (with my wife holding him like a rifle). And a 12.5 inch tail. Slightly above average for an adult according to wikipedia but not crazy. I'm wondering how much longer he is going to grow for and wether to buy the biggest toilet we can get here or spring for shipping of an even bigger one from the US or central Europe. Or just accept that we can't have a closed toilet, he has no problem with the lid off and maybe there is something we can do to prevent spillage, smell isn't a problem as we clean it twice a day. Have a picture of him trying to play with a local outside cat. He just doesn't understand that it doesn't want to be friends  
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Aug 12, 2013 22:02
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You could potentially make a larger bin then what they sell as cat toilets. Just buy a large plastic tub with a lid and cut a hole in it.
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Aug 12, 2013 22:07
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So a quick follow up for my cat that swallowed a sewing needle. He was fine all weekend and we took him in this morning for an x-ray, vet says the needle appears to already be down in the lower intestine area and it's pointing dull-end first so he should be fine to pass it in the next few days. We were lucky that there was only a small amount of thread (3-4 inches) attached, as when there is a lot of thread that's very dangerous. That we noticed it happened and fed him a bunch of vaseline right away helps too ('hairball medicine' is really just flavored vaseline, I guess).
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Aug 13, 2013 01:16
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Kittens are coming tomorrow. 
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Aug 13, 2013 06:13
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And here they are! I'm still not sure on names yet though...  
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Aug 14, 2013 03:31
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neongrey posted:And here they are! I'm still not sure on names yet though...  My babies! CLEARLY they are upset and adjusting poorly. Bah, I'm so happy!
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Aug 14, 2013 05:54
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Here, have a video of some licking.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4YY44Xgw0c
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Aug 14, 2013 07:05
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So, I hope this is the right place to ask this question: Can anyone give me an idea of how much it might cost to care for a diabetic cat? We're not even 100% sure that it's diabetes right now, but my 8 year old male cat had been having some issues (drinking a lot, frequent urination, and just a general change in behavior, among other things), so I brought him to the vet. After a blood test and urine sample, the vet found that his glucose levels were, as she put it, "off the charts." She said it's possible that he might be a pre-diabetic, so we're going to try him on a specific food (i'm not sure exactly which, but I'll find out tomorrow) for a month or so, then get him re-tested. When I asked, the vet really couldn't give a good answer on how much it might cost me, which was frustrating. I know that no one is going to be able to give me an exact figure, but I'm just looking for a ballpark, or what people have personally experienced. And I'm just talking the diabetes care essentials here, like testing materials, syringes, insulin, and anything else I might be forgetting. I know there will also be additional vet costs above and beyond the monthly fees for everything I just listed, as he would probably need to see the vet much more frequently than he does now, and possibly have emergency visits if things get out of control. I'm just terrified that this won't be in my budget. I'm willing to do anything and everything I possibly can to take care of him physically, no matter how much attention and time it might take. I'd just hate to have to put him down because the cost was too high. And even though he's the absolute sweetest cat ever, I doubt there's a big demand for diabetic cats when it comes to adoptions... Also, anyone have an idea what the normal cost of a vet visit + blood test is? Again I know it varies, but mine charged me over $200, which I just feel was...a little high. Seems to be more expensive than the equivalent visit at a real doctor, but maybe I'm wrong.
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Aug 14, 2013 08:21
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This little fella was dropped off behind my shed yesterday. She's eating (only out of hands, not out of bowls), drinking and pissing so seems to be functional but is there anything that I'm missing. Don't know how old she is and if I'm honest I don't really know what I'm doing but here's a photo dump!   
Cheeze Kuyeh fucked around with this message at 09:59 on Aug 14, 2013 |
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Aug 14, 2013 09:56
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Sometimes when I'm petting my cat and I start rubbing his stomach, he whaps his feet onto me, latches on (lightly) with his claws and bites me sort of. Is he playing or telling me to gently caress off? His ears and whiskers are all forward and after a second or two he starts licking instead, which I think means he's cool with it - but obviously I don't want to piss him off.
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Aug 14, 2013 16:46
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Pollyanna posted:Sometimes when I'm petting my cat and I start rubbing his stomach, he whaps his feet onto me, latches on (lightly) with his claws and bites me sort of. Is he playing or telling me to gently caress off? His ears and whiskers are all forward and after a second or two he starts licking instead, which I think means he's cool with it - but obviously I don't want to piss him off.
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Aug 14, 2013 17:29
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Pollyanna posted:Sometimes when I'm petting my cat and I start rubbing his stomach, he whaps his feet onto me, latches on (lightly) with his claws and bites me sort of. Is he playing or telling me to gently caress off? His ears and whiskers are all forward and after a second or two he starts licking instead, which I think means he's cool with it - but obviously I don't want to piss him off. Belly trap, very common, your cat is practising how to murder the poo poo out of you if you ever forget to scratch him.
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Aug 14, 2013 17:42
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Awesome.  It's not a big deal if I continue harassing him like that, then?
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Aug 14, 2013 18:34
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The family cat does that, too. He's just playing. Though Wesley sometimes bites my hand when I'm petting him and when I stop, moves in to lick my hand instead?? Cats.
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Aug 14, 2013 18:48
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Harms posted:Can anyone give me an idea of how much it might cost to care for a diabetic cat? If the diet doesn't do the trick and he ends up needing insulin, a vial of the insulin most commonly used in cats costs about $150 and has a shelf-life of about 6 months. Insulin syringes are relatively cheap, probably $20/month or less. Insulin, syringes, and home-testing supplies (if you opt to go that route) are all human products, so you can price shop online, or even order stuff online from Canadian pharmacies to save a few bucks, in some cases. If he's on insulin, you should definitely expect that he will need to go to the vet more often, even if everything is going according to plan. When a cat is first put on insulin, their blood glucose needs to be checked pretty frequently at first to make sure the dose is appropriate. You may be able to save some money there if you're willing and able to test your cat's blood glucose at home, but that's something to talk to your vet about. Harms posted:Also, anyone have an idea what the normal cost of a vet visit + blood test is? Again I know it varies, but mine charged me over $200, which I just feel was...a little high. Harms posted:Seems to be more expensive than the equivalent visit at a real doctor, but maybe I'm wrong.
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Aug 14, 2013 19:39
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Cat just ate a small blue tailed skink. He didnt eat the tail that fell off though. Hope he doesn't get PVD. It's been over 30mins and hes just sleeping still not tripping out or walking funny. http://www.ehow.com/about_6734855_blue-tail-lizard-toxicity.html
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Aug 14, 2013 20:46
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I managed to catch my cat having a possible asthma attack on video. He was drinking from the sink faucet at the time, so he could have been coughing after inhaling water, but this is a typical attack for him (in fact, this one was pretty mild compared to a big one he had in the middle of the night a couple weeks ago). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOGL2_pOvKU He's going to the cardiologist tomorrow to get his heart murmur checked out, and I'll show this video to the vet to see what she says.
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Aug 14, 2013 21:06
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Harms posted:Also, anyone have an idea what the normal cost of a vet visit + blood test is? Again I know it varies, but mine charged me over $200, which I just feel was...a little high. Seems to be more expensive than the equivalent visit at a real doctor, but maybe I'm wrong. Seeing as my doctor charges $250 for the same bloodwork I charge my clients $150, and my exams are about half the price of any doctor visit, that pricing is just fine. That's the difference between insurance/government supported healthcare and not. You don't see the difference or think at vet med is more expensive because you're not paying real cost. Also, great job for pissing off the people on this board who'd be able to give you advice on diabetes care and management by referring to them as not "real doctors" so 
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Aug 14, 2013 21:31
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My 2 year old female cat usually poops every day, but she occasionally skips a day. Today we realized she's on her third day without pooping, which she's never done before. Her behavior is otherwise completely normal. She's still eating normally. I'm at work now, and I hope I see poop in her box when I get home, but I'm thinking if she doesn't poop today, it's time for a trip to the vet. Does anyone have any advice?
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Aug 15, 2013 01:08
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 This is Stella and she has a problem. She will get up to use the litterbox, get in, then get out and piss in front of it. How can I fix this? I've tried putting Cat Attract in front of the box to train her to piss in litter but after going without that today she went right back to pissing in front of it. I'm afraid she might be too old to retrain, the shelter aged her at 5 years.
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Aug 15, 2013 01:18
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Manslaughter posted:
Try a top-entry litterbox (you can use a Rubbermaid bin).
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Aug 15, 2013 01:22
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MeramJert posted:My 2 year old female cat usually poops every day, but she occasionally skips a day. Today we realized she's on her third day without pooping, which she's never done before. Her behavior is otherwise completely normal. She's still eating normally. I'm at work now, and I hope I see poop in her box when I get home, but I'm thinking if she doesn't poop today, it's time for a trip to the vet. Does anyone have any advice? Naturally, 1 hour after I posted this my girlfriend sent me a message on gchat saying the cat just pooped a big ol' poop. Problem solved, I guess?
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Aug 15, 2013 02:27
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duckfarts posted:Clean your box daily and hopefully he'll learn to prefer that to clothes. If he was in a shelter and crapped on clothes before, chances are his box was stank and the next soft and kickable thing to dump on. That said, you should get some enzymatic cleaner because chances are you'll need it eventually. Thanks for the tips on this! I scoop at least twice a day, and Toast has been able to find his way to the bathroom from all the way across the apartment no problem. The OP talks a lot about how laser pointers are a great way to tire cats out — is this still accurate? I tried one out yesterday, and it seemed to frustrate him more than he enjoyed it. When I put it away, he suddenly seemed really freaked out by the carpet for like five minutes and I couldn't distract him from it.
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Aug 15, 2013 04:20
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aghastly posted:The OP talks a lot about how laser pointers are a great way to tire cats out — is this still accurate? I tried one out yesterday, and it seemed to frustrate him more than he enjoyed it. When I put it away, he suddenly seemed really freaked out by the carpet for like five minutes and I couldn't distract him from it.
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Aug 15, 2013 05:00
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aghastly posted:The OP talks a lot about how laser pointers are a great way to tire cats out — is this still accurate? I tried one out yesterday, and it seemed to frustrate him more than he enjoyed it. When I put it away, he suddenly seemed really freaked out by the carpet for like five minutes and I couldn't distract him from it. Try making it disappear into your hand at the end and then give him a treat from that hand afterwards.
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Aug 15, 2013 05:40
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Sometimes when my cat goes to use her litter tray to pee, she scratches around and goes into her usual position to pee. She then starts to shake a little and starts standing up as she does, spraying the wall and going all over the floor. I've taken her to the vet and gotten her checked out and nothing. There's nothing wrong with her. It's starting to drive me a little insane... I have 3 trays for her, one in the spare shower, next to the spare toilet, and the other in the laundry. They are scooped every 2 days. Is she just being a bitch?
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Aug 15, 2013 05:41
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TRISHY posted:Sometimes when my cat goes to use her litter tray to pee, she scratches around and goes into her usual position to pee. You need a hooded litter box.
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Aug 15, 2013 05:47
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duckfarts posted:You need a hooded litter box. I tried. She is scared of them. Stupid cat
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Aug 15, 2013 05:56
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TRISHY posted:I tried. Have you tried an open Rubbermaid or Sterilite container?
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Aug 15, 2013 06:07
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Sounds like she thinks she's using the restroom at Wal Mart.
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Aug 15, 2013 06:30
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Engineer Lenk posted:Have you tried an open Rubbermaid or Sterilite container? I'm in Australia. I don't think I've heard of those products. I bought extra large trays for her so she would have more room, trays with a cover, but nope, she likes to get right on the edge of the box and pee out the side.
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Aug 15, 2013 06:32
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TRISHY posted:I tried.
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Aug 15, 2013 07:21
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duckfarts posted:Have you tried one after removing the door? Some cats just don't like that door. I'll give it a try. If it doesn't work, I am putting a diaper on her.
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Aug 15, 2013 08:17
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TRISHY posted:I'll give it a try. If it doesn't work, I am putting a diaper on her.
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Aug 15, 2013 09:49
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| # ? Jun 6, 2024 12:24 |
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No questions at this time, I've had a cat for around a year and just want to share:
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Aug 15, 2013 12:44
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