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Crooked Booty posted:For pet insurance, be sure you're reading the fine print. I have never heard of insurance for $10/month that will cover wellness visits (spay, vaccines, deworming, etc), which is what you're going to be spending the most on for the next few months. Most plans jack up the price significantly for wellness coverage, while the base coverage of $10/month (or whatever) will only cover illnesses, and only so many dollars per diagnosis (typically not enough). Sounds about like I figured, thanks. Also, thanks to the advice here, little Chairman Meow has gone from hiding under the coffee table to running wild and napping in our laps in less than 24 hours 
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Sep 22, 2009 05:19
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A question: My (relatively) new cat, now recovered from various health problems, is a long-haired hippie and I have not owned one before. He has these tufts of fur that grow out between his toes - they're a couple of centimetres long at least. When he was in at the vet, they trimmed all of them down, but they have since grown back to their former luxuriant configuration. Do I need to be pruning these things back on a regular basis? He does not enjoy having his feet messed with, so cutting them would be an adventure, but if they're going to become a problem a way will be found.
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Sep 23, 2009 17:46
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Most long haired cats I've come across (including my own) don't have trimmed feet. The only downside I could notice was that they would slip up a little more on hardwood floors if they were going too fast. I wouldn't bother unless they start collecting debris or something. But cats tend to take care of that kind of thing themselves.
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Sep 23, 2009 18:42
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Kerfuffle posted:The only downside I could notice was that they would slip up a little more on hardwood floors if they were going too fast. That is an upside
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Sep 23, 2009 19:01
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even worse username posted:A question: My (relatively) new cat, now recovered from various health problems, is a long-haired hippie and I have not owned one before. He has these tufts of fur that grow out between his toes - they're a couple of centimetres long at least. When he was in at the vet, they trimmed all of them down, but they have since grown back to their former luxuriant configuration. Two of my cats have these, and I delight in tormenting them by playing with them. I'd never cut them!
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Sep 23, 2009 20:16
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I have news, and one of them is really bad. My roommate's kitten died last week, we had a severe tick infestation, and the kitten got a bad diarrhea...sadly the she didn't make it.  She already looked very weak since the first day she came home. We are better now, buried the poor thing and well life goes on. The good news is that Bastet(My kitten) looks better now, bigger and is getting fat! Took him to the vet this last Saturday and got his rabies shot and a treatment for some mange(or scabies, I don't know the right term) he was starting to develop. I'll post some pictures later. :] So one question about the mange, is there another extra care I should give to him? The vet gave me an ointment to add in the areas he has been scratching. Just wondering.
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Sep 23, 2009 20:28
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Mange catches like crazy and you can get it also. Make sure you are not swapping it between every one! Do you have a flea/tick preventative like frontline or something already for your kitten? I can send you a few if you can't get it there, I have some left, I tried to PM you but you don't have it found this info: While the Notoedres mite can be killed with many of the same products used to treat dogs with scabies, most of them are NOT safe to use in a cat. Cats are much more sensitive to some of the insecticides that are safe to use in the dog. The current recommended treatment for cats is to clip all long hair and then bathe the cat with a gentle cleansing shampoo. After the shampoo, a 2 to 3% lime sulfur dip (Lymdip) is applied to the entire surface of the cat. Some cats may require a sedative to be properly bathed and treated. This is repeated every seven days until the condition resolves and may require 6 to 8 weeks of treatment. Some veterinarians have successfully used an amitraz dip to cure this disease, but this is an off-label use of this product and may make some cats sick. Recently, ivermectin has also been used successfully, much as it has been for sarcoptic mange in dogs. Ivermectin is not approved for use in cats, but under close veterinary care, it may provide a viable form of treatment. If there are multiple cats in the household it is often recommended that all cats in the household be treated because they may be harboring the mites. Unlike allergies, the intense scratching caused by Notoedres responds poorly to steroid It came from here: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+2236+2239&aid=737 ChairmanMeow fucked around with this message at 20:42 on Sep 23, 2009 |
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Sep 23, 2009 20:39
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Thanks! Yeah, I don't have front line. (I'm planning in getting a platinum account, but right now I've been having some money issues.) I don't know, if you want my email, let me know. "As with other mites in the Sarcoptes family, Notoedres can infect humans. The disease, though, is generally self-limiting, causing only temporary itching." That explains why I've been having this itching in my arms and stomach. Oops. Time to stop petting him for a while.
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Sep 23, 2009 21:32
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Fire In The Disco posted:Two of my cats have these, and I delight in tormenting them by playing with them. I'd never cut them! My little maine coon got litter stuck in them and had to get them trimmed a little, they've grown back and aren't a problem now. Obligatory picture, hes 9 weeks old here:  Hes around 18 weeks old now, almost 6 lbs...
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Sep 23, 2009 21:57
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Desperado Bones posted:Thanks!
ChairmanMeow fucked around with this message at 01:22 on Sep 24, 2009 |
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Sep 23, 2009 23:27
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My roommate and I took in a kitten whose parents died, we think it's about 4 weeks old. It didn't seem able to pee on its own, but we've been able to piddle it. Pooping has been another story, though, and I'm worried that it hasn't been able to yet (it's been about a full day since we brought it home), and it won't hold still long enough for us to help it poop. It seems pretty healthy and is doing fine aside from the lack of poop. We're taking it to a vet later, but in the meantime does anyone have any suggestions on how to help this kitten take a poo poo?
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Sep 25, 2009 21:18
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Maharajadhiraja posted:My roommate and I took in a kitten whose parents died, we think it's about 4 weeks old. It didn't seem able to pee on its own, but we've been able to piddle it. Pooping has been another story, though, and I'm worried that it hasn't been able to yet (it's been about a full day since we brought it home), and it won't hold still long enough for us to help it poop. It seems pretty healthy and is doing fine aside from the lack of poop. We're taking it to a vet later, but in the meantime does anyone have any suggestions on how to help this kitten take a poo poo? Sometimes kittens that young can use the litter box but sometimes not. If they are having trouble, you are supposed to wet a cotton ball or washcloth with warm water and then rub their anus. Mom cats make kittens poo by stimulating them with washing. (Being a mom cat must suck).
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Sep 25, 2009 22:18
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HondaCivet posted:Sometimes kittens that young can use the litter box but sometimes not. If they are having trouble, you are supposed to wet a cotton ball or washcloth with warm water and then rub their anus. Mom cats make kittens poo by stimulating them with washing. (Being a mom cat must suck). Yeah, we had to do that to get it to pee. We've tried stimulating its butthole after each of its meals, and it hasn't pooped once. I'm worried that it might be constipated, and hoping that it just doesn't need to poop. I'm also worried that the kitten is feeling molested.
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Sep 26, 2009 00:07
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Maharajadhiraja posted:Yeah, we had to do that to get it to pee. We've tried stimulating its butthole after each of its meals, and it hasn't pooped once. I'm worried that it might be constipated, and hoping that it just doesn't need to poop. I'm also worried that the kitten is feeling molested. No, it should be pooping if it's eating . . . If it hasn't gone in awhile, I'd just get to the vet post-haste since it might be sick.
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Sep 26, 2009 07:26
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does any one know where that "Ride the pony" youtube link is? It was the best example of stimulating a kitten to poo. I think it might have been in this thread, but I don't have archives http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3109529&userid=48047 or maybe this one http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?goto=post&postid=344851536
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Sep 26, 2009 07:50
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Any first hand accounts of how well Soft Paws work? I searched the thread and while the general consensus seems positive, I'm not seeing any "I use them and they are great!" posts. Our kitties really like destroying area rugs (but have zero interest in any of the several scratching posts I've brought home) and it's getting expensive to replace them. All three of my cats are pretty comfortable with letting us clip their claws, so I don't expect too much problem getting Soft Paws on, I really just want to hear someone say "They work well, the cats don't hate them, and they're more convenient than clipping claws every week."
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Sep 26, 2009 17:23
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While I don't have experience with softpaws, have you considered a horizontal scratching surface for them? Some cats aren't big fans of vertical scratching posts.
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Sep 26, 2009 17:38
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nonanone posted:While I don't have experience with softpaws, have you considered a horizontal scratching surface for them? Some cats aren't big fans of vertical scratching posts. I've tried vertical and horizontal; carpet, rope, and corrugated cardboard; rubbed with catnip and with no catnip. Even when I can get one cat to show passing interest in a scratching post, the other two pay it no attention. One of them only likes scratching drywall or wooden door/window trim, the other two alternate between tearing up rugs and cloth-upholstered chairs.
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Sep 26, 2009 18:42
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After wanting a cat my entire life, my fiance and I have reserved two jet-black kittens (sisters) at a local shelter. The litter of six and their mum were all rescued together from a house that was overcrowded with cats, but they're healthy and happy thankfully. We should get them within the next ten days hopefully because we're just waiting for someone to come out and do a home check on us. Very excited, and have read this whole thread so far as a start. Can anyone recommend, or post some info, on what to do the very first day a new kitten comes home? I want to know if I can give them the run of the house (it's only a one bedroom) or if that would overwhelm them, and if I should leave them alone for a few hours or try to pet them, and so on.
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Sep 26, 2009 20:48
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Lawen posted:Any first hand accounts of how well Soft Paws work? Put 'em on the front and they last longer (hind claws don't matter). When Oreo gets to be a real rear end in a top hat we throw 'em on and they last awhile. Make sure they're the right size, otherwise the cat will bite them off. If you do it right it'll last about two months. If they're good big they'll last 2 weeks - a month. I bought a laser pointer and the cats go freaking crazy for it. Oreo likes to tear up all of his toys and roll them under the couch, but the laser pointer drives him and the other cat bonkers. I've never seen the kind of paranoia and speed when it comes to a red dot on the ground. I throw one of his balls down when I'm done so he doesn't get too frustrated that there isn't nothing at the end to catch, which seems reasonable right.
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Sep 26, 2009 21:34
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CagedLiberty posted:After wanting a cat my entire life, my fiance and I have reserved two jet-black kittens (sisters) at a local shelter. The litter of six and their mum were all rescued together from a house that was overcrowded with cats, but they're healthy and happy thankfully. We should get them within the next ten days hopefully because we're just waiting for someone to come out and do a home check on us. Very excited, and have read this whole thread so far as a start. In my opinion it depends so much on the cat. With insecure or semi ferals I always start them off in a small spot, pick the spot carefully because often that becomes "their spot" to hang out forever when they want to chil. The shelter sounds good, so they might be able to give you some insight on the kittens personality. My Ghost had been fostered (in 2 homes at least) before I got her and she was eager to explore everything and with her personality her spot is just where ever I am.
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Sep 26, 2009 21:51
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ChairmanMeow posted:In my opinion it depends so much on the cat. With insecure or semi ferals I always start them off in a small spot, pick the spot carefully because often that becomes "their spot" to hang out forever when they want to chil. The shelter sounds good, so they might be able to give you some insight on the kittens personality. My Ghost had been fostered (in 2 homes at least) before I got her and she was eager to explore everything and with her personality her spot is just where ever I am. I'll ask them more about their personality but when we saw them today all of them were super inquisitive and climbing out of the crate that took them into the little viewing room and getting into all the nooks and crannies so I think they are quite inquisitive and confident little guys. They were totally happy to be picked up too and not a single one of the six tried to scratch or bite at all when we were playing with them. The shelter seems really good, its the Cats Protection League in the UK and it's a local branch, all the cats there seem happy and comfy. The kittens weren't even on display yet since they had just gotten a vaccination the day before but the lady took us to see them since we were so interested in taking a pair of blacks. The mother has already been reserved too which is nice. A lot of the adult cats were already reserved and they all chill out in individual cubicle style rooms.
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Sep 26, 2009 22:08
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My boyfriend and I have 2 kittens, they are brother and sister and just turned 5 months old. We had difficulty finding a vet we liked when we got their vaccinations done but finally settled on a cat clinic with slightly more reasonable rates than some of the other vets and what seem like a great staff. The only problem is they said they won't neuter and spay them until they are 6 months old. Now that my kitties are edging close, I feel like there's a ticking incest time bomb in my house - as I understand it, Ripley could have her first heat anytime now. We don't have a large apartment, it's only a 1 bedroom, and it would be really difficult to keep them separated. The reason they gave me when I called and asked about it was that it won't be a problem because Riddick (the boy) won't be sexually mature by then, even if she did go into heat. I feel like that's a lovely excuse, it doesn't deal with the fact that my girl kitty will be uncomfortable and in heat and driving the rest of us up the wall, or the fact that if I have her spayed while she's in heat it will most likely cost me more. Am I overreacting, or should I call them back and kick and scream until they de-sex my kitties now and not later??? The kitties in question: Riddick, lying on his back, basking in the attention, Ripley - less fazed, mostly just upset 'cause I woke her up to take pictures.  Click here for the full 730x548 image. cuddle bug fucked around with this message at 01:14 on Sep 27, 2009 |
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Sep 27, 2009 01:01
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cuddle bug posted:My boyfriend and I have 2 kittens, they are brother and sister and just turned 5 months old. We had difficulty finding a vet we liked when we got their vaccinations done but finally settled on a cat clinic with slightly more reasonable rates than some of the other vets and what seem like a great staff. The only problem is they said they won't neuter and spay them until they are 6 months old. If you are in America, I would find this very odd. If you are in some other country, I understand the old fashioned thinking of wait until 6 months still prevails in many places. If your kitty does end up getting knocked up, you can do an emergency spay which will take care of things, but it may cost a bit more. If it were me, I'd be kicking and screaming, but sometimes you need to do as the Romans do, so to speak.
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Sep 27, 2009 01:08
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I'm from Canada - shouldn't be too much different. I thought it was weird too, I know at shelters here they'll de-sex them really early (at 3 months, does that sound right?)
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Sep 27, 2009 01:15
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So I looked around in the FAQ but didn't see anything that would be a close answer to this. I have two cats around 3 years old (possibly a few months less). My girl cat has always been tiny, even now that she is basically full size - she is a healthy weight (a 5 on the scale) just very small and is easily mistaken for an older kitten even now. My problem is my boy cat. He is pretty goddamn fat. I would say somewhere between an 8 or a 9. I've had them on weight control and indoor cat food for at least a year and a half, but that seems to only keep them at the same size. My apartment layout makes it next to impossible to separate food for each of them, and my work/class schedule is so random that it is extremely difficult for me to schedule a feeding so I could feet them each separately. As a result, they both eat from the same auto-feeder, which I really can't set to go much lower. How can I help my boy cat lose weight? He's very active, he plays a lot during the day, and it is certainly not a lack of energy problem.
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Sep 27, 2009 07:14
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What food exactly are you feeding them? Since it's going to be nearly impossible to schedule feedings for them, maybe the food quality will help? In the end, though, he's going to have to stop being free-fed to lose weight. I know that doesn't seem feasible for you right now, but maybe you can work towards making it possible in the future. If he's fed in the morning and the evening, you should be able to restrict his calorie intake.
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Sep 27, 2009 14:52
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Does your vet think he's fat as well? 8 or 9 pounds does not seem like a lot of weight, but it certainly depends on the frame of your cat. Do you have a tall (6 foot +) tree for him to climb up and down? Cats can exert a ton of energy running up and down those things.
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Sep 27, 2009 17:05
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Not sure if this is the most appropriate place for this kind of question, but I'll give it a try nonetheless. Does anybody have a guess for what the breed of this calico colored cat could be? I tried to ask the owner but she never answered me. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7W7J3asr7c&feature=channel
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Sep 28, 2009 01:39
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I'm going to go get my kitten neutered soon since he'll be six months old or thereabouts. Anything special I should know/look out for after it's done? Do they just stitch em up and it's done or will there be bandages or something similar?
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Sep 28, 2009 02:00
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DreadCthulhu posted:Not sure if this is the most appropriate place for this kind of question, but I'll give it a try nonetheless. Does anybody have a guess for what the breed of this calico colored cat could be? I tried to ask the owner but she never answered me. Looks like a normal domestic short hair to me (read: mix of everything, muttcat). I could be wrong though. Calico is a color pattern that presents in many (all?) breeds if that's the thing you're interested in.
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Sep 28, 2009 02:22
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Meow Cadet posted:Does your vet think he's fat as well? 8 or 9 pounds does not seem like a lot of weight, but it certainly depends on the frame of your cat. No no no, 8 or 9 on the fatness scale (see OP) that vets have. He has a cat tree as well as plenty of furniture and stuff to run around and play on. Inactivity is not a problem for him. Fire In The Disco posted:What food exactly are you feeding them? Since it's going to be nearly impossible to schedule feedings for them, maybe the food quality will help? In the end, though, he's going to have to stop being free-fed to lose weight. I know that doesn't seem feasible for you right now, but maybe you can work towards making it possible in the future. If he's fed in the morning and the evening, you should be able to restrict his calorie intake. I was using Science Diet weight control formula until he started getting occasional digestive problems from it, then I switched to a Purina (their expensive brand) weight control. I was thinking I'd probably have to do it by hand, maybe in about April when I finish law school my schedule will permit it.
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Sep 28, 2009 02:24
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Those are both pretty lovely foods, to be honest. Cruise on over to the Pet Nutrition Megathread; there are a lot of cat recommendations in the post right after the OP (the continuation of the OP), and both Science Diet and any Purina are not recommended. If you have a Petco near you, they carry a decent number of good brands, such as Wellness, Castor and Pollux, Natural Balance, and some others that I can't think of. Petsmart really only carries one decent brand, which is Blue Buffalo. Personally, I am the biggest fan of independent pet stores-- I get my own cats' food from a tack and feed store near my house. Not only are they more likely to carry good brands, but they will often be more than happy to order, and in many cases start carrying regularly, foods you ask for. I got my place to stock Innova EVO, Taste of the Wild and Merrick canned cat foods all based on my recommendations.
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Sep 28, 2009 03:28
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There is a Petco across the street from my house. I have been using the Purina because my local 24 hour convenience stores carry it; I suppose I should just be going to the Petco instead. Thanks for the advice.
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Sep 28, 2009 03:43
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Please don't yell at me for this question, as I'm asking mainly to satiate my own curiosity: A friend recently told me his cats were declawed; after I told him he was an inhumane monster for doing so, he told me that it was done at a cat clinic that advertises "humane declawing", in that they don't cut off the digits. Rather, they put Mr. Kitty to sleep and surgically sever the ligament that is used to extend the claws in the first place. What is the consensus on this procedure's cruelty factor? Does this tend to affect anything other than the claws?
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Sep 28, 2009 05:15
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I suppose this would count as an FAQ. I got a kitten about a week and a half ago from a no-kill rescue. She's about 10 weeks old right now, seems pretty sociable and active, but there's two things I'm confused about. -She eats like she's never seen food before. She's consistently been an inside cat and the foster person had her for about a month before I got her, but she eats about 2-3 cans of wet food a day plus a couple spoonfuls of the dry food I leave out when I'm at work. Is this too much/should I feed her less of the wet? She's not so big on the dry really and I don't mind feeding her the wet stuff. -She sneezes pretty constantly. She wasn't when I got her, but after a day or two she started up. She's still a little speed demon and shows no signs of lethargy/ gummy eyes/ abnormal temperature. How worried should I be about the sneezing? I've been watching her closely and it's been consistent for the last few days, but since I'm not seeing any other signs of sickness I haven't been too worried. Help.
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Sep 28, 2009 06:11
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You're going to want to take her to the vet for a checkup anyway; at that time they can let you know if she has a URI (upper respiratory infection) as many shelter cats do. As for the food, it's generally advised that kittens be allowed as much food as they want, but honestly, 2-3 cans of wet food does sound like a lot to me, unless it's those mini cans of something like Fancy Feast. What kind of wet and what kind of dry food are you feeding her? If it's not the best quality, cats generally eat less with a good quality food.
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Sep 28, 2009 07:03
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Fire In The Disco posted:You're going to want to take her to the vet for a checkup anyway; at that time they can let you know if she has a URI (upper respiratory infection) as many shelter cats do. It's terrible Meow Mix poo poo actually. I plan to get some better food next time I get to the store but as she was heavily enthusiastic about the mini cans I figured I'd use those up before replacement. She's got Science Diet kitten dry food as well. The first day I can get a day off is going to be Thursday, unless I take her very early before work one day. Is Thursday likely okay as long as she doesn't show any symptoms other than the sneezing? Trying to avoid having to drag my roommate out of bed as well to get a ride out to the vet.
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Sep 28, 2009 07:10
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Daemoxx posted:I suppose this would count as an FAQ. An untreated URI (upper respiratory infection) can lead to worse things down the road. It's best to get it looked at and taken care of. URIs are very common, especially in a cat in a shelter/foster situation. A sneeze here and there is no biggie, but if it's consistent, or accompanied by coughing, it is vet time. Kittens up to a year old should have all the food they can eat. 2 of my cats act like they are starved if they smell raw beef, cheese, or wet food. They are just drama queens.
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Sep 28, 2009 07:38
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Daemoxx posted:It's terrible Meow Mix poo poo actually. I plan to get some better food next time I get to the store but as she was heavily enthusiastic about the mini cans I figured I'd use those up before replacement. She's got Science Diet kitten dry food as well. Neither the Meow Mix or the Science Diet are worth anything. If you head on over to the Pet Nutrition Megathread, there are a lot of suggestions for better food. You can get Wellness, Castor and Pollux, Natural Balance, and a few other good brands at Petco. As far as I know, Blue Buffalo is the only brand PetsMart carries that's worth anything. Personally, I get my cats' food at tack and feed store near my house. Independent pet stores are great because they usually carry better food anyway, and most, if not all, are totally willing to order and carry other brands of food if you ask. I got my place to start carrying Innova EVO, Taste of the Wild and Merrick canned cat foods.
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Sep 28, 2009 09:11
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