The Cat FAQ/Megathread: buying a second, clean broom just to use on him

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Pet Island > The Cat FAQ/Megathread: buying a second, clean broom just to use on him

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Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Len posted:

This morning I saw Jellybean scooting her butt across the carpet and thought it looked odd and when I came home from work there's now little brown lines across the carpet. I can't say for 100% it came from her and not Domino but this just started today. The top google result says worms but would it be normal for her to have just gotten them out of the blue? We've had her for two months now and neither her of Domino go outside. What do you guys think? Worms or something else?

It could be worms, but it could also be clogged anal glands, which may need to be expressed by hand. There are guides online to cat anal gland expression, or you can take her into the vet and have them check/perform the expression if needed.

# ¿ May 20, 2017 05:03

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# ¿ May 16, 2024 17:09

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Yeah, you can check fecal samples for worms -- they'll be pretty obviously, well, wormy. You can take a fecal sample to the vet and they'll run a parasite screen for you, too, so you may be best off just scheduling a vet appointment and getting the cat's butt checked out and dealt with by a professional.

# ¿ May 20, 2017 06:49

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Bleusilences posted:

Could he just try to mark his territory(still eww)? Because I just check everything with a blacklight and I didn't find any other spot(couch and floors).

Is he neutered? Neutered cats generally won't mark territory with urine, although if he's an un-neutered stray, that's certainly possible. If he hasn't been neutered, you'll probably want to see to that ASAP; I've never owned an intact male cat, but by all accounts they have really bad marking/urine-discipline issues and other behavioral problems as housepets.

# ¿ May 20, 2017 18:58

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

ISIS CURES TROONS posted:

Which gender of cat handles living alone better, males or females? I've owned female cats for most of my life and the only time I ever had a male cat was when I had two at once.

I feel like this comes down more to the individual cat temperament than the gender; I've definitely heard of cats of both genders who were very happy only cats, and cats of both genders who absolutely couldn't deal with not having a friend.

If you're looking to adopt a single cat, I'd talk to your local shelter and see if they have an adult cat who's known to be other-cat-averse or otherwise fine on their own. They'll probably be grateful for your interest, since adult cats are harder to get adopted anyway, let alone ones that have any trace of antisocial temperament. If you're open to an older cat, there may be a lot of options there.

# ¿ Jun 20, 2017 09:15

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

One of our cats also does the "hunt the kibble" thing, although in her case, it's knocking kibble out of the dish and onto the floor before eating it. I've wondered if getting a puzzle feeder for her would satisfy that same urge and be less messy.

# ¿ Jul 13, 2017 12:02

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Yeah, I can't imagine the stress of taking a well cat to the vet is going to be less than the stress of a well cat dealing with vet smell on a sick cat, even before you take into account minding that well cat during the vet appointment (just leave them in the carrier to complain? Take them out and have to split attention between the cat on the table and the cat wandering around the exam room?). They'll sort out the smell stuff on their own.

# ¿ Jul 18, 2017 23:38

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

I was going to suggest cardiology as well. The cat we lost two years ago was showing limb weakness when he threw a blood clot, shortly before the diagnosis of a congenital heart condition that contributed to his death soon after. It's hard to say if it's the same situation, especially since her hind limbs being warm suggest they're still getting decent circulation, but it may be worth investigating cardiac causes. My sympathy to you and your cats, and I hope the mystery is solved soon.

# ¿ Jul 19, 2017 03:20

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Puppy Galaxy posted:

I think this thread is too gung ho about a second cat. An older cat that has never shared a home is not going to enjoy the company of a new cat 9 times out of 10. At best they will learn to tolerate its presence.

Yeah, honestly, if the cat is that cat-aggressive, it might be best to let her live out her days as an only cat. Not every cat needs or wants feline company, and even if she's bored and needy, it seems like that wouldn't be a good stimulation method for her. Maybe try getting her cat trees/stuff she can explore, with elevation? Toys that don't require your involvement, like those balls on tracks?

# ¿ Jul 25, 2017 05:44

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Schneider Heim posted:

Our cat has a spot on his left side that makes him act weird when it's scratched. Specifically, he lifts his head up, sticks his tongue out and starts licking at the air. Does anyone else's cat do that?

Ours definitely have Phantom Lick Spots. Rosie can get pretty air-licky when being groomed, too. I presume it's just a bit of cat weirdness.

# ¿ Aug 2, 2017 13:03

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

LeninVS posted:

About a year and a half ago, Me and the wife brought home a 2.5 year old cat from the shelter. From what I understand, it was adopted twice before and returned both times for being too violent with other pets and children. She was a stray for about a year at some point Sewell.

Cora has been super great with us, minus the first week of demon cat. She has some anxiety issues just like me it would seem.

Since we got her though, she has taken to peeing on my wife's grandma's old couch. Seems like every other or every third day.

I have tried cat attract, feliway defusers, new litters, multiple Litter boxes, removing the cushions, waterproof cover, putting the cats food bowl on the couch, and putting the cats snuggle planet on the couch.

No matter what I do she pees.

The only other place she has ever gone outside of the litter box is on/in my shoes and my wife's shoes. She's only done that a couple times since we got her though.

Does anyone have any insight into what I can do for my cat? The wife doesn't want to give up the couch and i don't want to give up the cat

Are you cleaning the couch thoroughly with enzymatic cleaners (something like Nature's Miracle) after every incident? Even if the couch smells okay to humans, urine scent can linger at a level cats can detect, and lingering urine smell = "this is a pee-place, I pee here" for cats. You really need to knock out the smell with enzymatic treatment if you want to make it not a pee-place.

# ¿ Aug 3, 2017 01:58

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

MilitantBlackGuy posted:

Thanks everyone, I am getting her put to sleep in a couple of hours today. I thought she was going to pass away in the night but shes still fighting, i dont know how.

Very ill cats can still fight very hard; it can be one of the hardest parts of the process. My condolences. Mia looks very happy in your photo; I'm sure she had a wonderful life.

# ¿ Aug 27, 2017 00:59

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

OSheaman posted:

Anyway does anyone have any success stories with rocking cat fountains that cats love? And/or any other good ideas on how to keep my cat pooping on the reg?

We got a basic Drinkwell model from Petsmart and our cats definitely use it and seem to like it, although they never had any hydration issues in the first place. YMMV, but the basic models are pretty cheap and worth a shot.

# ¿ Sep 4, 2017 12:56

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Hair-chewing is definitely a grooming/affection behavior! If you watch a cat grooming themselves or other cats, you'll see there's some biting and chewing involved, and sometimes that leaks over into their attempts to groom humans. Don't be afraid to chase him off if he's bothering you, but it's nothing to worry about.

# ¿ Sep 20, 2017 03:07

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

paperwind posted:

Is it wrong that it seems that I'm hurting more over this loss than some of my own human family members?

I think it can be pretty understandable. I feel like grief for animals can be less complicated, for lack of a better word, than grief for humans, just because our relationships with animals are usually so much simpler; it's easier to just be purely sad for a being who loved you and was loved in return, without the more complex and difficult dimensions of interpersonal relationships. However you're feeling, you're not wrong, and I'm sorry for your loss.

# ¿ Sep 30, 2017 09:22

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Yeah, if you're concerned about attention, I recommend either an older cat with a known chill personality, or a pair of younger cats who like each other and will burn up a lot of each other's excess energy and need for attention/companionship. It's okay if you really don't feel like you're capable of adequately caring for cats, though -- if you don't feel comfortable with it and the cat isn't doing well, don't force it.

For a minor change of subject: does anyone here have experience with those microchip-unlocked food dishes? What's the radius of the unlock like? We're having the age-old problem where one of our cats likes to graze and the other will bully him off the food/eat everything put in front of her immediately, and I'm wondering if a dish that would let our grazer guy free-feed without letting Hogcat the Enormous in would be useful. Right now we're closing the grazer into the bathroom when we feed them, so he can eat without getting bullied, but he's just not inclined to eat a whole serving at once and mostly wants out. Do the microchip dishes have a tight enough radius that it won't stay open if he gets shoved over a couple feet and just sits there?

# ¿ Oct 26, 2017 02:58

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

POOL IS CLOSED posted:

Thanks. Two in one year is rough. I feel like I made the right choice at the right time for her, though, so I have no regrets even though losing her hurts like hell.

Being catless for the first time in forever is going to take some adjustment.

Yeah, it sounds like it was the right time for her, and you did the right thing in helping her to pass without pain. I know that's not always a lot of comfort, though, and I'm sorry for your loss.

# ¿ Oct 26, 2017 23:54

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Yeah, if it's been going on for days, that goes beyond just misdirected aggression. Have you cleaned up the area the stray was in? Did the stray mark/spray anything? If he can still smell the stray, that might be aggravating things. That said, I agree with others that he needs a vet checkup to make sure he isn't hurt and lashing out from pain.

# ¿ Dec 2, 2017 04:19

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Certified Pre-Owned cats are the best cats. Gizmo is a handsome lady!

# ¿ Dec 31, 2017 00:27

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Synthbuttrange posted:

One cat hates hairball paste and wont have anything to do with it. The other goes INSANE and meows relentlessly and will climb me to get at the tube.

No prizes for guessing which cat never gets hairballs and which cat is the one that actually needs the paste.

This was my experience the one time we had to use pill pockets: the to-be-medicated cat staring at the pill pocket in confusion and terror, and the other cat stampeding in and like WHAT'S UP I SMELLED THERE WAS FOOD THAT GREEN THING LOOKS DELICIOUS!

# ¿ Jan 3, 2018 09:19

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Synthbuttrange posted:

I dont even have batteries in my sssscat anymore, I just put it where I dont want my cats to go and they avoid it.

This, but a regular can of compressed air. Pointing the nozzle at my little idiot wards her off, cross-to-vampire style.

# ¿ Jan 11, 2018 15:36

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Darksidepsy posted:

I will be surprised if she makes it through the night. I'm no vet, but they seemed to think one of the medications were making her so out of it and lethargic. But I don't think that's it. Now I'm kicking myself for not trusting my gut that this is the end for her and ending it sooner. I don't want her to die like this. I'm not ready for her to go, she's only 5, ugh this is so horrible.

I'm so sorry you're going through this, and please don't feel guilty. It sounds like it was hard to tell how she was going to respond to the treatment and what her quality of life was going to be afterwards, and it's not wrong that you gave her a chance to rally, even if it didn't work out. Cats can decline very, very quickly, often faster than humans can make decisions or act on them; I know it's cold comfort now, but it sounds like you've been doing the best by her that you've been able to.

# ¿ Jan 27, 2018 10:44

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

This may or may not be feasible, but could you get some dirt/ground-cover stuff from outside and mix it into the box? I've heard of feral-TNR groups starting boxes out with a ton of dirt/random crap from outside, just to make it smell and feel normal to the ferals, and then gradually transitioning it to more and more cat litter.

# ¿ Jan 31, 2018 00:49

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Paul MaudDib posted:

Look who wandered into the livetrap.

You may be wondering what kind of person would put a declawed housepet outside for 3 weeks in subzero rural Michigan weather. The answer is scum.

Unfortunately a rather common problem given that my parents live "near the farm upstate" with a barn and all. No chip, no collar, un-fixed. Been wandering around the trailcams on the porch and in the barn for a few weeks now. Crazy thin and matted. Clearly used to be someone's pet.

oh no

At least he's safe now. Can you get him taken care of?

# ¿ Feb 3, 2018 11:48

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Paul MaudDib posted:

Yup, I'm going to take him. He's been in for two days now and is apparently doing OK interacting with the herd as long as he gets to sleep alone (very good considering he's been out a while). As of today he's even using the litterbox.

We're making a perfunctory effort with local vets/humane society/pet shops/craigslist but there haven't been any lost notices within the last few weeks. Not expecting much, this is roughly #10 within the last 3 years or so. They've taken a couple themselves, adopted a couple out, and there are a few ferals who they TNR'd who hang around the shelters when it gets cold.

Really good timing considering the temperature is plummeting this weekend.

I'm really glad you're able to take him in. I have a soft spot for cats like that, who were clearly owned and dumped, or who were owned but not properly cared for. (One of our guys came into the shelter as an un-neutered 2-year-old with a collar. Glaring at you from across time and space, previous owners.)

# ¿ Feb 3, 2018 19:05

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Handcranked posted:

So, me and my girlfriend had to put our Crumbles down this past week, we adopted her 7 years ago, didn't know anything about her, best decision we ever made.
I have never loved anything as much as i loved our little cat, but her health was failing fast, and atleast the 7 of her 18 years was all about love and cuddles.
We adopted a kitten yesterday, shes 12 weeks old, the only girl of a litter of 4, and shes a bengal maine coon mix.

This is our first kitten, and we are a bit worried, shes mostly been hiding under the bed since yesterday, we managed to play a little with her, and i woke up with her between us this morning, but as soon as i woke up, she ran under the bed again, is this something we need to worry about?
She's gone to the litter box a couple of times, eaten, and drank some water, but 80% of the time is spent under the bed, sometimes crying out with those heartbreaking peeps, is it something we can do? or just leave her be?

If she's eating, drinking, and using the litterbox, she's probably okay, just freaked out and getting her bearings. Give her time, and keep socializing when she's interested in you, and she should get more comfortable. Good luck!

(Also, I really want to know what a Bengal/Maine Coon mix looks like; Google just gives me a bunch of pictures of DSH-looking cats.)

# ¿ Feb 11, 2018 11:30

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

yoloer420 posted:

I want there to be a reason that this is my fault. Maybe if I'd driven faster to the emergency vet

I know how you feel, but this isn't your fault. You gave her all the love and care you could, more than a lot of people would have done, and the only "mistake" I can see you having made is trusting the vet's diagnostic decision that her diabetes wasn't an emergency when it actually was. That's nobody's fault, just a mistake. Please don't feel guilty.

# ¿ Mar 5, 2018 04:47

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Yeah, a cat not eating is always vet time. It can be a sign of so many serious conditions, and they can degenerate very quickly, so get him to the vet ASAP.

# ¿ Mar 21, 2018 23:54

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Adding to the chorus of people who have owned hidey cats: one of our cats was extremely shy when we brought him home, but affectionate and comfortable while in his safe place, and he definitely warmed up over time and became a really sweet, affectionate cat, if still a shy one around strangers. He was a shelter return who just needed some patience and a calm environment to come out of his shell. Hopefully Brutus will be the same!

# ¿ Apr 4, 2018 23:44

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Yeah, if he's drinking well out of a bowl, no need to worry about a fountain. The important thing is that the cat gets enough safe drinking water; no need to stress about where it's from.

# ¿ Apr 14, 2018 10:08

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Wroughtirony posted:

Still Unnamed Grey Tuxedo, MD.

I nominate Dr. Sterling (or Cynthia) Fuzzbucket, MD, Ph.D.

# ¿ Apr 18, 2018 23:44

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Pound Cake is wonderful and I hope you keep us posted on his adventures.

# ¿ Apr 20, 2018 20:18

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

That's good progress! I'm sure he'll keep it up.

# ¿ Apr 23, 2018 17:41

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Wulfolme posted:

I got the kitten, and took it to the vet. At the vet, we agreed to leave it to the shelter. The kitten is now at the shelter. Sorry to darken your day.

I agree with Boogalo; you got that kitten medical attention and a safe place, and that's fantastic. Well done.

# ¿ Apr 27, 2018 04:32

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Ms Adequate posted:

"What the gently caress why are you stealing my poop "

I always assume it's this, mostly because most cats I've owned will immediately re-filthen fresh litter once they notice it's there. Gotta reinforce the smell markers of their territory, I guess?

# ¿ May 22, 2018 03:09

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

kuroshi posted:

Anyway, getting to the actual problem. Abby today was spotted dragging her rear end along the carpet, from about 6 feet into my parents� room, all the way to about 4 feet into the hallway, and she expressed her anal glands most of the way. Shortly after, she took a poo poo in one of the boxes. Any idea what could be wrong?

And this would be a perfect day for needing vet attention, as it would mean a trip all the way to the emergency vet.

I believe most scooting is anal-gland-related, although it could also be worms. I'd get her checked out by a vet, but it's not likely to be an emergency unless she's not eating/using the litterbox or otherwise expressing pain.

# ¿ May 29, 2018 04:28

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Generally, the advice I see for declawed cats is that they need to be kept inside, since they can't defend themselves against outdoor threats, and that they should obviously be kept away from aggressive clawed cats who might harm them. As long as they're housed in a safe indoor environment and they don't have any known medical/behavioral issues, I don't think you need to worry too much, although it's good to be vigilant. As Huntersoninski mentioned, at this point I'd be more wary about issues caused by aging than issues caused by the declawing.

# ¿ Jun 4, 2018 00:11

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

A year-old cat should be fine to neuter, as long as he's healthy otherwise. Check with your vet, but I'd say do it ASAP.

# ¿ Jun 5, 2018 21:11

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Harrow posted:

At this point, she might just be waking you up for attention. Cats do poo poo like that, too.

Yeah, are you sure she's hungry and not just bored/lonely? Does she have toys she plays with alone?

# ¿ Jun 15, 2018 18:08

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

When you handle the limb, does it feel as warm as normal? If it's cooler, she may have a blood clot. One of our cats had a clot in his leg that presented as limping, to the point that we assumed he'd broken it. Not to be alarmist, but a vet checkup is probably a good idea just to be sure it's just a dumb kitten injury.

# ¿ Jul 20, 2018 18:12

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# ¿ May 16, 2024 17:09

Antivehicular: Dec 30, 2011; I wanna sing one for the cars
That are right now headed silent down the highway
And it's dark and there is nobody driving And something has got to give

Nascardad posted:

Cat recently had an UTI..shes better now but decided pissing on everything is way better than the litter box. Any advice?

Have you cleaned everywhere she's peed? If a place smells like pee, that's a big "keep peeing here" signal to cats. Enzyme cleaners like Nature's Miracle will remove the smell thoroughly enough to break that association.

# ¿ Aug 9, 2018 03:57

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Pet Island > The Cat FAQ/Megathread: buying a second, clean broom just to use on him

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