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Tea Bone posted:Can anyone recommend anything for cat allergies? Allerpet C helps reduce my skin allergies, I use it on the cats 2 or 3 times a week and I can usually avoid rashes. (I can snuggle them right up near my face after using it without getting a skin reaction.) Wash your hands after you pet the cat, every time. This is especially important before you touch your face. It's also helped to change my pillow case frequently and try to keep the cats off the sheets. I set up cozy boxes on the nightstand to lure them away from the bed and I set them in those before I got to bed. That works sometimes. I do use OTC antihistamines year-round, get allergy shots, and I use a sinus wash most days if the week... I am allergic to almost everything though.
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Feb 20, 2014 17:06
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Dixie Cretin Seaman posted:I'm sure something like this has been asked before somewhere in the thread, but search doesn't seem to be working.. I love cats, but I am moderately allergic to them. My allergist recommended Allerpet-c and it has been great! I wet them down 2-3 times a week and I can snuggle without getting a rash. Also get a good hepa filter vacuum and you're good to go with any cat.
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May 9, 2014 04:22
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DaisyDanger posted:
You don't need to worry so much. You likely won't catch it. My kitten had it right near her eye and it took 6+ weeks to clear up so we didn't separate her from the other kitten or the two 11 yr old cats and no one else caught it. Just wash your hands a bit more than usual. No need to quarantine. No need for special clothes. Breathe easy, it's not that big of a deal :-)
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May 22, 2014 05:08
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Aleph Null posted:tl;dr - Old and cranky cat is lonely. We have to keep the cats out of our normal living space because of my allergies even though we love spending time with them and love having them. Should we get some kittens now which would require lots of attention, or should we rescue some older cats later that would be more self-sufficient? My allergist recommended Allerpet-C, it's great for my allergies (plus the shots and regular vacuuming). I have 2 old cats and 2 kittens and the oldsters do not pal around with the kittens, if you want your old cat to be happy I wouldn't get rambunctious kittens. For the poster with the peeing cat, I second switching to canned food and also suggest a fountain. The extra water fixed my pisser's problem after we had tried all sorts of other solutions.
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Jun 1, 2014 17:54
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uPen posted:Any advice?
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Jul 13, 2014 03:47
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toplitzin posted:Cat pee problems I fought this battle with a declawed cat. Try a different litter, the softer the better. It doesn't matter how much YOU like the litter, YOUR CAT has to love it. Maybe use more than 1 water fountain and feed only wet food or add water to the kibble at every meal. I know it sucks but you can win this battle. After years of frustration I found the right combo and my cat is now happy to use the litter box and my couches are pee free!
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Oct 10, 2014 01:39
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Ouhei posted:We did buy a plugin after taking her to the vet, I'm not sure if it made much of a difference but it can't hurt to buy a refill as we change things up over the next few days. We'll get her a new litterbox and move it to a more private area of the room (probably in the bathroom) and see how it goes. Today I'm going to go to town on the mattress with the "Urine Destroyer" to eliminate any smells in there as well. Besides the feliway plugin my vet has recommended adding some Rescue Remedy to my nervous cat's food or water once a day. I think it has been helping her somewhat.
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Nov 29, 2014 03:10
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Anne Whateley posted:Rescue Remedy is 100% bullshit. Then what do you suggest?
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Nov 30, 2014 19:48
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Organza Quiz posted:I'm thinking of building some kind of cat run/enclosure so she can still enjoy being outside a bit. Anyone got any recommendations for guides or ideas about what to make it out of or how expensive/difficult it's likely to be? We use a 6'x12' dog kennel for our cat yard. Ours was new but I see them all the time on Craigslist. The kennel came with a sun shade that kept the cats in reliably until a grommet broke (a cat ran away but came back at dinner time). We recovered the top with chicken wire and it's working fine now.
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Dec 3, 2014 16:13
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MikeC posted:roommate's cats You live with them so you are their person. Cat's aren't going to understand this strange boundary of what is "yours" and what is not. (Unless maybe you pee on all your stuff, they might get that.) Try playing with them to wear them out, try the vacuum by the door trick, just ignore them and they will eventually stop. Cats are fun and sometimes annoying. Try to explore the fun part instead of focusing on the annoying part.
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Jan 27, 2015 05:27
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Dr. Christmas, Based on the pee time line, it seems that the cat's body still needs the insulin even if his numbers aren't showing that. Ask the vet to try insulin again and see if that fixes the peeing again. Also, these are just cats. As great as pets are they are not worth ruining your life over. If you try to rehome them and can't, euthanizing him may be the best decision. Sticking him in a shelter at his age would be cruel. No one is going to adopt the old cat that pees everywhere. You may have to make the hard choice and it sucks but it may be better for your cat.
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Oct 13, 2015 06:37
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Your cat with bad guts could use some fiber. Add a little canned pumpkin or a pinch of plain fiber supplement (methylcellulose worked for my cat) to his food. That cleared up my cat's diarrhea issues and he was happier for it. As for the covering problem, maybe a litter robot?
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Feb 7, 2016 15:57
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El Gar posted:So once I'm adding pumpkin to my cat's food is that just my life now or is it a thing I do for a week or two and then see if she's ok without? My cat always needed it but you can check periodically, especially if you switch food.
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Feb 18, 2016 04:59
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Funosaurus posted:mushy cat poops Try a different food or add some fiber, either canned pumpkin or a pinch of the powder kind once a day (whatever sort of fiber citrucel is but not flavored). My cat had IBD and had soft poops but extra fiber cleared it right up. You may have to do this forever but his guts will thank you. It's sad that most of my cat advice is about poop.
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Feb 27, 2016 02:34
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I use allerpet on my cats based on my allergist's recommendation and it works for me. It's easier than bathing them too.
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Feb 28, 2016 07:09
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Litter robots are great. I have the old design with the window and the new ones look like they are even better.
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Apr 15, 2016 18:19
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Do you have a water fountain for him? One of my cats peed outside the litter box for YEARS and getting a fountain completely fixed the problem. She was apparently getting enough water not to have a diagnosable problem but she still was having irritation. I started out with a drinkwell fountain but when that broke I made my own with a short rubbermade box and a 10 gal. aquarium filter (much cheaper and easier to clean).
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Aug 18, 2016 13:47
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Deviant posted:Is there any known way to relieve cat allergies without an antihistamine? My girlfriend has issues when she stays over, and can't do antihistamine due to a history of epilepsy. Wipe the cat with Allerpet a few times a week, spray your furniture/carpet/cat bed with allergen reducer (febreze makes a scented kind, I use very diluted allergen laundry soap instead). Vacuum frequently with a hepa filter vacuum. Out of all of these things the Allerpet works best for me. If I'm consistent the cats don't leave so much dander all over the place and I can snuggle with them too.
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Aug 25, 2016 21:12
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If you want Cali to be happy, Gus will need A LOT of exercise away from Cali so that he will not seek her out for playtime. Shutting him out of her room (or putting him in a room) for part of the day will give her some Gus-free nap time. One thing to watch out for besides the food stealing is him ambushing her in the litter box... Try some Allerpet on your cats to help your allergies, that's worked for me. Alternatively, wipe Cali down with a damp washcloth everyday to reduce the dander.
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Sep 26, 2016 00:49
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DreamShipWrecked posted:I didn't see anything listed in the OP so I will ask separately, has anyone had any experience with getting rid of a dander allergy for cats or having so-called "hypo allergenic" cats? I agree with DarkHorse about the shots, they may help. Besides just years of exposure and pills, wiping the cat down with Allerpet or a damp washcloth a few times a week cuts down on the dander. And if you are brave you can bathe your cat a few times a year, they eventually get used to it. I have found that my degree of snotty misery is also cat dependent. Some cats are fine, some give me rashes. If she can stick her face right up to a few cats and pick the best one for her allergies she shouldn't need a hairless cat.
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Oct 4, 2016 02:22
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Millions posted:
One of my cats used to pee inappropriately and getting a fountain, putting multiple water bowls out and multiple litter boxes cleared it up. Buffy had been to the vet many times for her issue and they didn't find anything most of the time. It seems that she had constant irritation that didn't have a measurable cause. Buffy hasn't peed outside of the box for a really long time now so there is hope for Emma. Have you tried more litter boxes and different types?
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Oct 16, 2016 05:44
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Alan Is More Upset posted:Heating pads for cats: Good or No-Good? Good! I have heated throw blankets and the cats practically melt onto them. It's really nice when you don't want to cuddle but they do. The only caveat is that the cat should be mobile so they can get off if they get too hot.
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Nov 10, 2016 18:15
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Get 2 kittens, seriously.
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Nov 15, 2016 19:45
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m.hache posted:I understand the initial sentiment for this if it was going to be a solo pet, but wouldn't the loneliness thing be offset by the fact that there's a dog? (3.5 year old Lab/retriever) In my experience 2 kittens raised together are way less assholish than 1 kitten raised alone even in a multi-pet household. Depending on age, kittens want to play ALL THE TIME and an adult dog will get tired of that. Then the kitten will look for other ways to entertain itself such as destroying your curtains, biting your feet, screaming at the door, attacking the dog, eating your power chords, etc. Even after he grew up, my lone kitten found great joy in terrorizing my senior cats and dogs (his favorite game was Surprise Attack in the Litter Box which led to litter box problems) and eventually he had to go live on a ranch as an only cat. I would not get a lone kitten ever again after having 2 at one time.
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Nov 15, 2016 23:02
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I have 4 cats too and life is mostly good cat-wise. Getting 2 young cats at the same time saved my sanity! Lately our only problem has been Buffy the 14 year old chronic pisser. I think we've narrowed it down to a pain issue and will be trying Gabapentin. Anyone have any experience with using that for their cat?
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Feb 6, 2017 21:50
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For me having an air filter really did not make much difference. What works is vacuuming a lot (seconding the bag type vacuum with HEPA filter) and wiping the dander off the cats fairly frequently. (Allerpet is what I use but even a wet washcloth helps.) I have grown pretty used to my cats after a few years so don't have many problems until pollen season and then I have to get back into the Allerpet habit again just to get the pollen off them. Other things that help if you do let the cat(s) into the bedroom are to change the pillowcases every night and wash the duvet cover regularly. When my allergies are bad I also cover the furniture with sheets and wash them once a week. Better to look silly than to feel miserable... Allegra and allergy shots have helped for me also.
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Feb 8, 2017 19:21
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Dang, no antihistamines makes it rough. I have used nasal washes and steroid nasal sprays and they both help with sinus symptoms. Maybe she can try those.
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Feb 8, 2017 21:33
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Trip report on Gabapentin: I started my cat on it last night. She was pretty much in a coma from 25mg. I thought she was dead for a minute there in the middle of the night. Half a pill works much better and seems to control her pain.
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Feb 17, 2017 03:27
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Re: Ouhei I'd definitely add another box in the guest bedroom. If that doesn't work there are lots of other options to try. We finally had success with our cat's peeing on the dog bed and couch by getting her on some pain meds (Gabapentin for her arthritis) and putting an open litter box in the bathroom. That made box number 6 for our family of 4 cats... and because of Buffy's arthritis is isn't a traditional litter box, it is the bottom from a cat carrier so it's easy for her to walk into. Unfortunately that leads to everycat using it and kicking litter all over the place. But at least the dog bed and couch are pee free. I also scoop the new box about 4 times per day to make sure she's using it all the time. Our vet also had is try puppy pads in case it was a flat/soft surface preference but for Buffy it wasn't. Good luck with your naughty cat!
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Mar 6, 2017 16:15
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I would take him to the vet. Also, make sure you aren't cutting off circulation with that hair tie or his foot will die and fall off.
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Mar 10, 2017 00:25
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Pee problems are often UTI related. Take them to the vet and get them checked. Re: Litter box stuff We have a couple of litter robots and they are great. It took a while for the cats to get used to them and our pee-problem cat won't always use them so YMMV.
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Mar 22, 2017 02:51
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Knifegrab posted:What robots specifically? We have this model https://www.litter-robot.com/the-litter-robot-ii-bubble.html And we have an LR2 without the bubble, but the kitties don't use it as much. One is a refurbished unit and it has been just as good as the brand new one.
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Mar 23, 2017 06:24
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seiferguy posted:Anyone use automatic cat feeders? http://www.qpets.com/store/p2/Qpets_6_Meal_Timed_Automatic_Pet_Feeder_-_AF-108.html
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May 5, 2017 02:13
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Salvor_Hardin posted:Hi all, I read the OP and didn't see anything on this so I thought I'd ask for advice on an automatic litter box. I've read up on some of the top models here: http://heavy.com/pets/2016/05/top-best-self-cleaning-litter-box-automatic-litter-box-reviews/ but if anyone has recommendations or testimonials I'd love to hear them. Amazon reviews are all over the place. We have used Litter Robots for years. We have both the II and the bubble. If I put either robot next to a conventional open litter tray, the cats prefer the tray but will use the LR if it's more convenient. We use kitchen trash bags with tabs instead of buying the Litter Robot bags. The carbon filters need replaced now and then and we get them from Litter Robot (twice a year, usually when I wash the LR). Full on cleaning is a bit more involved than a regular box so that's a downside. One LR we got as a refurbished model and it's been fine. I did replace the motherboard on one and that was really easy and inexpensive. I'd like to try the new Open Air model but haven't found the spare $$ yet.
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May 10, 2017 14:42
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That feliway spray really worked for my nervous cat at the vet a few weeks ago. The vet tech had her lay on a towel sprayed with it and my cat actually purred for a while. It was the best vet visit that cat has ever had.
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Aug 1, 2017 14:56
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redreader posted:We recently adopted three street kittens so now we have six indoor cats. I want to get a litter robot. It seems people with a 2 are happy but they're unavailable. Is the 3 any good? And where is the best place to buy them for getting a guarantee? Bed bath and beyond don't seem to stock them. I haven’t tried a 3 but I have three 2s and they have been great. I bought two from Litter Robot directly (one was a refurbished model) and one from Amazon. LR’s website says they warranty ones from other sellers, so that shouldn’t be an issue. The only problem I have ever had is that one motherboard died but it was really easy to fix myself, the part was available from LR. If you get a 2, get the bubble globe.
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Nov 20, 2017 14:28
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My old cat has been vomiting (more) and losing weight. A blood test last week came up with pancreatitis. She’s now on Cerenia and it has helped a lot. No more vomiting and she will eat more than a few bites at a time. Maybe they can give you some of the magic pills for your kitty.
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Dec 11, 2017 15:27
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That’s good to hear! Hopefully this episode won’t last long and my kitty will gain back some of the weight she lost.
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Dec 14, 2017 04:20
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explosivo posted:He was recently diagnosed with pancreatitis and basically hasn't eaten going on 3 weeks now, what he does eat he usually throws up later on. Sorry about the cat  My old (14) cat recently got diagnosed with pancreatitis. The doc put her on Cerenia immediately and that stopped the puking and her appetite came back right away. Doesn’t fix the pancreatitis but it helped the symptoms...
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Dec 27, 2017 01:32
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BaronVonVaderham, sorry about your cat. She was beautiful. Ophidia, FWIW I had a kitten that got sick at about 6 months old with FIP and had to be put down. The other 3 cats we had at the time did not get sick with FIP and neither have the other 3 we’ve had in the 15 years since then. In my experience it wasn’t very contagious.
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Jan 11, 2018 22:09
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