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Xerin posted:She said that declawing comes standard when they neuter them and they prefer not to neuter without doing a declawing too and they rarely don't declaw cats. Whenever someone tells me that unnecessary declawing is the way to go, I like to inform them that declawing is illegal in one US city already and similar laws are being considered elsewhere. Of course, it's very controversial as a city-based law and it doesn't affect much in the one city where it is illegal, but that's beside the point...
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Jul 28, 2009 15:56
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Ashcans posted:Cat peeing outside the box It sounds like you have more than one cat and only one litter box, so I would start by adding a litter box. Pick up some Cat Attract and add it to the litter while you're at it. Maybe another cat ambushed him at some point and he's just freaked out by the current litter box, or maybe another cat was in the litter box/had used it recently and he just doesn't like that. Clean any areas he's peeing on with an enzymatic cleaner like Nature's Miracle, of course. Not just a normal cleaner. There's a whole section of the OP to this thread dedicated to litter box problems. Cats don't have vendettas. They understand cause and effect. I'm guessing your vet already did a urinalysis/blood test/X-rays, but if adding another box doesn't help, it might not hurt to take the cat back in and see if there's anything else they should rule out.
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Jun 12, 2013 15:38
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August gives you some time to try things out, if you aren't at the end of your rope already. First, you are going to need 2 more litter boxes. For a cheaper-than-PetCo option, you can pick up Rubbermaid bins and cut entries into them. Don't get just 1. Having an excess of litter boxes + using an enzymatic cleaner to thoroughly clean soiled areas will hopefully fix the improper elimination issues before you move. If adding 2 boxes doesn't help right away, try adding Cat Attract again - just buy the litter additive and use a little bit at a time. Scoop the litter boxes at least once a day. Fortunately, with 4 boxes in the house, this will be much less horrible than what you're experiencing now with just 2. Adding the litter boxes may help reduce tension between the cats. For counters, go to Target/Wal-Mart/Home Depot or something and look in their drawer liner aisle. Pick up some basic contact paper. Cut it to the right size, lay it sticky-side-up on the counter where he usually jumps up, and tape down the edges with normal Scotch tape. You could also try aluminum foil. For clawing at doors, check out the Scratching at the Door section of the OP. For meowing... god help you. Sorry. And finally, for money... you need to follow BFC if you don't already. Get CareCredit if you haven't. Build up a savings account for vet bills, for both of your cats. Make a budget and lay out a plan to pay off your credit card, because having that debt for over a year isn't doing you any favors. I think you stand a really good chance of making this work, but you really need more advice from BFC than from PI right now. Mad Pino Rage posted:-If you catch them scratching, then give them a little smack. You can also just grab them and use their paws on things that are okay to scratch then pet them and treat them. I'm not a cat psychologist, but I resort to to stuff like that hoping it will work. Hell, some cats enjoy being smacked or just like any kind of attention at all, so it isn't effective at discouraging them. Cat smacking video. 
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Jun 18, 2013 17:01
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RabbitMage posted:Money is a big issue. I'm living with family, and if I were paying for all of Kit's expenses, it would take up a third of my income right now. I have financial aid coming, so finances will improve, but then I'll also have more bills to deal with. I'm a frequent lurker in BFC, but having next to no income really limits what I can do. My credit score is already Not Good and I've just taken out two student loans. Even if CareCredit would take me, I really don't want it. I've got over $800 of animal-related debt already and I can't take on more reasonably with what little income I have. They're your cats, so you get to decide what you think is the best option. If it were me, I would probably either convince the family to allow some inconvenience for a month until move-out (by begging and/or volunteering for all chores period), or keep him confined to one room where it's easier to deal with the problems on a small scale. The cat-specific problems are honestly pretty simple, individually. They seem overwhelming when they're all put together, but you can focus on one at a time and it will eventually get better. Your financial problems are much more significant. As an outsider, I don't really think you can afford to have any cats at all, but I know lots of people beat the odds and make it work just out of sheer stubbornness. It takes a hell of a lot of commitment, a lot of creativity, and a very serious set of priorities, so I can't say it's right for everyone. Maybe someone else will have some better insight for you. waah posted:I am looking for advice for a) finding ways to play with PJ without him murdering every toy in minutes, and for a way to continually play with him instead of needing to break until he lets go of the toy to try to continue to murder it. And b) finding a way to get Omega to actually show interest in jumping around to shed some of his weight. (They do play fight a bit, it has never gotten serious a few small growls and swipes, but almost instantly after they are grooming each other.). b) A lack of interest in toys can be because playing is uncomfortable, such as from arthritis or other health issues, so keep that in mind. Otherwise, switch to supervised scheduled feedings and put them on an actual diet. I feel like those automatic feeders are useless if you have more than one cat and any of them are fat, because you can't tell if someone's stealing another cat's food. The foraging toys mentioned by four lean hounds can be great for motivating fat cats, just make sure the right cat is getting the right amount of food. You should play with your cats, of course, but it's difficult to make a cat lose weight just by increasing their activity level, which is what it sounds like you're hoping for. Sorry if I misunderstood.
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Jun 19, 2013 01:19
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l33t b4c0n posted:I'm now a bit worried about Ethel. She's been having hairball problems roughly once every two-to-three days, and her appetite has dropped considerably. She seems completely chill and in no noticeable pain, but her appetite has just changed so suddenly that I'm concerned. I imagine you already have plans to do so, but just in case, please take her to the vet. Cats are really good at hiding pain/discomfort, and sometimes a depressed appetite is the first sign you get that something is wrong. A lot of relatively harmless things can cause a cat to eat less than usual, but you don't want to mess around with the more serious possibilities.
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Jun 23, 2013 04:22
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Lareine posted:She very well could be doing it compulsively but she scratches an awful lot too so I think she is genuinely itchy.
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Jul 1, 2013 00:35
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Pollyanna posted:Finally the message is out there, cat poo poo really DOES lead to crazy cat ladies! The other thing they're trying to downplay is just how rare toxoplasmosis infections are from indoor cats. Lots of people have already been exposed to the parasite and have developed an immunity to it. I believe cats also develop an immunity, so they can only be infected once, and they usually get it by eating other infected mammals/birds. The cat then sheds parasite eggs for 2-3 weeks after becoming infected, and the eggs take another 1-30 days before they can infect humans. Then you'd have to eat cat poop to become infected. Wash your hands more often. If you want to be really freaked out about it, it's much more likely that you'll get the disease from unwashed vegetables or contact with raw meat. So it's hilarious that California ran the "SAVE THE OTTERS" campaign and insisted that you shouldn't flush cat litter down the toilet because  Toxoplasmosis, but you're still allowed to rinse your vegetables and cutting board in the sink.This was a really interesting study some years ago about the sources of infections in Chile. They basically found that over 50% of the infections came from exposure to infected meat. They also found indications that the surface water itself is infected. Another interesting study where they talk about infected drinking water. Again, they identify the main transmission modes as "(i) from mother to fetus, (ii) by consumption of undercooked meat containing tissue cysts, and (iii) by ingestion of food or water contaminated by sporulated oocysts." The water did have to become contaminated by cats, but in many cases they are talking about wild cats, like mountain lions, not house cats. Obviously people should be diligent about washing their hands as a precaution (but not just because of toxoplasmosis), but the news may as well be running a headline that says "Scientsts discover baby diapers can transmit E. coli." It's true, has been known for years, but most people are never going to run into that problem in that way. Edit: VVVV Oops, not a virus.  Edited to "parasite" and hopefully that's more accurate.
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Jul 10, 2013 20:12
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Cats.  I'm not nearly qualified to answer your question, but if you're really concerned, you might be able to call an after-hours vet or a 24-hour animal poison control hotline. Obviously take her to a vet if she's acting weird. I would be surprised if cats couldn't digest taffy, though. I'd expect it to just be a lot more sugar than she's supposed to have.More importantly, why is there a ghost crossing the street behind your cat? 
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Jul 14, 2013 07:33
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aghastly posted:Does anyone have experience with heart murmurs? The vet diagnosed Toast with a grade 1 heart murmur while he was getting vaccinated today, which she said might be concerning later on if it gets worse and when it's time to neuter him. My cat was diagnosed with a severe heart murmur shortly after I adopted her (and after she had been spayed). When you pick her up, you can actually feel the weird heartbeat. Our vet offered to set up an appointment with a specialist who travels around to vet clinics with cardiology equipment and does cardiology workups on patients. We did that, and the specialist graded it a 6 (the loudest heart murmur), caused by a hole in her heart that's about .5 centimeters in diameter (a pretty big hole for a cat). Prognosis was guarded. We were told that if we really wanted to fix the problem, she would likely need to undergo heart surgery, which was $25,000 and was only really done at a single veterinary university on the other side of the country. We then learned that this specialist was actually trained in anesthesiology, not cardiology, so we wanted a second opinion. We repeated the same tests at a veterinary university with an actual cardiology department. They didn't believe the specialist's test results because loud heart murmurs are usually associated with small holes - blood in the heart is forced through a small hole at a very fast speed, causing a loud noise. Low-grade murmurs, on the other hand, can be associated with large holes, because blood is able to get through the hole at a slower pace and is therefore much quieter. The combination of a loud murmur with a large hole didn't add up. It turned out the specialist was right. Our cat had a very loud heart murmur, caused by a large hole in her heart, which she was probably born with. But we got very lucky - the hole is located in a place where blood actually picks up more oxygen than it needs before going out into the body. Holes in the heart are much more dangerous when the hole allows oxygen-deprived blood to get delivered. Fast forward about 6 years. Our cat is doing great so far. You'd never know by watching her that anything is wrong. She has gained about 3.5 pounds since we adopted her, going from 6 pounds to 9.5 pounds, and her heart murmur has been downgraded to a 4. She goes in to a cardiologist every 2-3 years so they can compare her test results, but she's been stable. She doesn't need any medication yet, and her heart has enlarged slightly to compensate for the defect. We do have to be careful about anesthesia and any medication she's given for anything. It's important that any vet who handles your cat is aware of the murmur. I'd suggest getting a cardiologist to look at your cat and tell you what's behind the murmur. For  considerations, the vet university charged the same amount of money as the specialist who wasn't officially trained in cardiology, and we got a lot more information from the vet university. I would recommend going that route if you can, because the amount of information they can give you is amazing.
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Aug 15, 2013 22:22
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Shnooks posted:Long story about my cat's nasty feet ahead. That is the weirdest thing.  Maybe your vet would know of an internal medicine specialist to consult with? I would think if it's not obviously from a bacterial or fungal infection, something internal might be a good next step.Since you said you clip his claws religiously, I do know you can encourage some infections by trimming claws too far. I have no idea if such an infection would cause that, though.
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Aug 20, 2013 22:41
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ManifunkDestiny posted:Hey folks. So I just accepted a job that's going to require me to move from Indiana to Washington state. In the middle of December. With 3 cats. We did a similar drive last December, from Wisconsin to Washington. With 3 cats. In a UHaul. You probably won't die. I don't recommend the drive, though, especially in winter. It's bitterly cold, and there's no respite from the weather until western Washington. If I had to do it again, I'd just fly with the cats as carry-on. I thought flying would be too stressful for them, but the elevation changes are still significant with the drive, and it takes three days. Driving for 3 days was way more stressful than flying would've been. If you have to drive, pack intelligently and bring emergency supplies. Don't try to tackle any of the major mountain passes late in the day. We planned our overnight stays so that we'd be hitting the major mountain passes early in the day. We stayed in La Quinta Inns throughout the whole trip, since they were pet-friendly. Some highlights from our trip:
Just fly. I highly recommend the drive in the spring/summer, without cats, because it's beautiful when you can enjoy it.
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Nov 13, 2013 05:05
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melon cat posted:Is Wilsarin (rat/mouse poison) safe for cats to ingest? Personally, I wouldn't risk it. Cellulose-based poisons are technically marketed as not being dangerous for secondary ingestion (i.e., not toxic to whatever eats the poisoned mice/rats), but that isn't the same as saying it's safe for pets to eat directly. I doubt these companies are in a hurry to do feeding trials on cats or dogs. Wilson makes several kinds of poisons, many of which are definitely not safe for other animals, so you'd also have to trust that no other poisons have ever been used, there wasn't a mistake at the manufacturing plant, the mice haven't had access to any other poisons outside of the house, etc. Also, letting your cats "have a mouse killfest" is a good way for them to be exposed to parasites/diseases anyway, so it's kind of in your best interests to keep them away from vermin infestations.
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Dec 11, 2013 01:55
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floofyscorp posted:How do I encourage my picky graze-y cats to eat their meals in one sitting? We've moved to supervised mealtimes to try and stop them from just eating each other's(specially chosen for their particular health needs! FLUTD and mysterious food allergies, aaaa) food because of course the stuff you're not meant to eat is much more delicious, but they're used to being able to nibble from the bowl over the course of the entire night so they'll often eat a bit when we serve up, then gently caress off elsewhere in the house expecting to be able to come back to it whenever. No amount of cajoling and sneaky treat-burying can convince Loki to finish his food in one sitting, and while I'm dearly tempted to try him on various new foods to see if there's something he's more enthusiastic about, I'm trying to be strict about what type of protein he's getting so I can narrow down what the hell he's actually reacting to. He's already a small and borderline-skinny cat, I want him to put some weight on
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Apr 8, 2019 21:57
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Protocol7 posted:No, and that hasn't even been recommended by any of the vets honestly. I just got back and they said he wasn't blocked yet, just having some muscle spasms/cramps so they have him a shot of Onsior to help, and then of course he pissed in the carrier on the way home. Going through urine cleaning supplies like crazy. I'm just glad he finally did pee though. It's been a few days - how is he doing? With persistent urinary issues, things I can think of that are under your direct control (disclaimer: not a vet):
Life was hell when our cat's bladder infection kept coming back. I hope your kitty recovers quickly. For really obnoxious cases, a cat-only clinic can be really useful if you have a good one close by.
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May 1, 2019 22:26
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I. M. Gei posted:Are blueberries poisonous to cats? The rest of the stuff in the muffin might still cause a little GI upset, though, so good luck!
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May 8, 2019 23:15
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Wroughtirony posted:Has anyone here given a cat a nasal spray? Also, ongoing steroids and nasal sprays may help with symptoms, but they won't cure the underlying condition. Since you have a very young FIV+ cat, I'd seriously consider doing more diagnostics (if you haven't exhausted all of them already) unless you already know what's causing the inflammation. Lots of things can produce symptoms of sinusitis and many of them can be cured in ways that don't require lifelong medication for a kitten. You also said your other cat is "wheezy and in perfectly good health." Healthy cats aren't wheezy. Even FIV+ cats aren't wheezy automatically. Did you mean something else?
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May 10, 2019 01:02
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kaworu posted:Anyway, this morning, and on a coupler other random mornings in the past, she sometimes will wake up and like... *semi* throw up? She makes some gross sounds and just vomits some clear warm liquid once or twice (which is at least easy to clean up) and is then hungry and ready for breakfast... I put this down to the fact that ever since I instituted this diet, she generally always eats her food in one sitting (which I think is good) except occasionally for her afternoon meal. So she eats her evening meal at 8 or 9 and then usually sleeps through the entire night either on my bed or in one of her spots right next to it - but she really does stay in my room for almost the ~5-6 hours or so I sleep every night, *especially* now that she knows there isn't any kibble or leftovers to munch on in the kitchen and won't get fed until I wake up. The solution for us was to feed her more frequently, which isn't very convenient, but it apparently makes her more comfortable.
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May 13, 2019 22:17
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Len posted:The face clawing is recent only in the last few months and I don't understand why. He used to just lay at my feet and swat them when I got too close. But now he demands attention in the middle of the night Rabbit Hill posted:What prompted this post was this — I have a tiny staircase of four steps in my apartment about 2.5 ft wide, I’m sitting on the top step using my ipad on my lap, Tobias is sitting next to me and cuddling against my side, and I just watched Raphael walk up the stairs and very carefully place his paws as he moved so that he didn’t have to touch either Tobias or me as he passed by us. First, cats supposedly have a very strong associative memory. Maybe somewhere in his past, he associated rubbing against things with something bad happening. Some of these associations can be pretty random, so it's hard to say if he was ever actually punished for it. He probably doesn't remember exactly what happened, just that he didn't like it. Second, cats can develop obsessive habits that border on neuroses. Sometimes it's in response to a medical issue (like maybe there's a spot on his skin that's hyper-sensitive and he doesn't like how that feels), but sometimes it seems totally random (like cats who overgroom for behavioral reasons, where there isn't a medical explanation but they apparently just feel better when they yank out their fur). Who knows, maybe at some point he invented the cat equivalent of "the floor is lava" and it just became ingrained as normal life.
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May 15, 2019 21:33
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PacoTheThird posted:I have a question about prescription cat food/medication and whether I have any alternatives.
If you're buying the food in a store, one easy way to save money is to buy it online instead. Multiple sites sell cat food for less than you'd pay in a store, and you can find decent coupons. You need to provide them with your prescription information before you place your order. Another caveat: make sure your vet knows your other cats are eating the same food. Some prescription diets are not appropriate for normal cats. This isn't usually the case with urinary diets in particular, but it's something for you to be aware of since you have so many cats. Your vet can point you in the direction of cheaper medication options, too. If you don't trust your current vet, talk to a different one.
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May 28, 2019 22:36
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PacoTheThird posted:And he knows it. I've used the SureFeed microchip feeder and it works well. I hate the plastic trays, and it's a huge annoyance with wet food, but the trays are easy to clean. The only problem is the feeders do sometimes get confused about whether the cat is going for food or not, so they might close even if your cat is reaching for some food. If your cats are food-motivated enough not to be scared off by that, then that's not a big deal.
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May 30, 2019 20:02
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Protocol7 posted:After cleaning up a hairball off my couch it's time I get serious about hairball control for my cats.
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May 31, 2019 20:33
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Protocol7 posted:We've actually tried two brands from PetSmart, one is the GNC Salmon flavored, the other is the Essential Pet fish flavor. I was thinking my cats just don't like the gel stuff, but I guess it could be an issue of flavor too. They love fish flavored canned food though. Another thing you can do for your cats is brush them daily. Don't use something like a Furminator, just use a basic metal comb if you can. That made a bigger difference for our cats than the hairball gel, honestly, but one of our cats doesn't tolerate any type of brush we've tried, so we rely on just the gel for her.
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May 31, 2019 21:14
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Protocol7 posted:Oh, I brush Binx very frequently. Getting brushes is his favorite. You can rub the brush up against something and he'll come careening out of whatever dark corner he's in and screech at you until you brush him. Yeah, based on your recent experiences, it's normal to be concerned. Any change in behavior is worrying. Does he groom your other cats (meaning you actually need to be brushing them more, too)? Does he seem to be grooming more than usual (like he's itchy)? Have you tried brushing him multiple times a day? Some cats replenish their coats really quickly, so you can't just get away with occasional brushing. I don't want to downplay your concerns, but if he's acting normally otherwise, still active, still eating and drinking normally, and still using the litter box normally, there's a good chance there's a non-scary explanation for his hairballs. On the other hand, if his weight is dropping, or he's getting dehydrated, or not eating/drinking as much (or drinking way more than normal), or he's vomiting/throwing up without hairballs... those are all red flags. X-rays can help identify things like obstructions or some tumors, but if he's using the litterbox normally and eating normally, that wouldn't be my first thought. A good blood test and urinalysis can tell you a lot about organ function if you want the peace of mind. Finding a good vet can be really hard. Vets have to juggle owner concerns with owner lifestyles, and most of your relationship is going to be how comfortable you are with their approach: do they over-treat, under-treat, or something in the middle? Peace of mind is valuable, but it comes at a cost. A lot of vets won't mention diagnostics like X-rays and blood tests unless there's a serious concern, but they're actually really helpful records for a vet to have over time, especially since animals are so good at hiding issues. You should feel comfortable asking your vet if that information would help identify what's going on - and your vet should be able to explain why it would or wouldn't help.
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May 31, 2019 22:15
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mistaya posted:My roommates cat would pee on any towel left on the floor and it wasn’t any kind of medical issue at all she had just decided towels were fair game for peeing on. If the backpack and floor laundry are frequent targets my main suggestion is to put those things in closets and a hamper and see if your cat still has a problem. InvisibleMonkey posted:Syke, we went away for a couple of days and in this past week after we got back she managed to pee on my backpack (on the floor), my bf's jeans (also on the floor), and today on the bed. We took her to the vet because clearly something is going on. They sent us home with a sample-kit and some medicine, it's up to us if we want to give her the medicine this weekend or wait until they get the urine sample. I'm leaning towards waiting to see if she does it again since we don't know if it's an infection yet, we cleaned her box and replaced the litter just in case she just thinks it's too smelly. Anything else I should be looking out for? Things it sounds like you already do: make sure you scoop litter at least once a day, even with only one cat. And obviously clean any messes with an enzymatic cleaner. Things to watch for: any changes in eating/drinking and litter box visit habits. Is she drinking more than usual? Less? Is she going to the litter box more often now? Is she squatting down but not producing any urine? Cats with bladder infections tend to display changes in litter box visits. Don't try to scare her or chastise her for peeing somewhere else if you catch her in the act. Punishing a cat who's already uncomfortable can just stress her out more and make the problem worse. If you were given painkillers, those can be really important for helping a cat through urinary discomfort even if it's not an infection (cats seem to be able to magically inflame their bladders when they feel stressed). Personally, the only reason I'd wait before giving the medication is if you have an antibiotic. In that case, waiting can help if they're going to do a urine culture to make sure the antibiotic is appropriate for that type of bacteria, or if it's a heavy-duty antibiotic that might upset her GI tract, you might want to wait for a definite diagnosis.
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May 31, 2019 23:22
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InvisibleMonkey posted:That last bit was really helpful, thanks! It's a painkiller and the vet said that the treatment for a regular bladder-infection would basically be that plus wet food with water added. I think we'll give it to her tomorrow. InvisibleMonkey posted:It's hard to tell what she's doing in there except for digging noises because it's a covered box, nothing new though. No sounds of straining or discomfort. Good luck!
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Jun 1, 2019 00:35
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gradenko_2000 posted:This weekend, we bought a CatH2O water fountain for our cats. One of them has already drunk from it at least twice, and that might be because her former guardian already used a similar one before she moved in with us.
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Jun 3, 2019 19:20
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Fabulousity posted:So I just saw some small rice-sized worm like things in the fur around one of my cat's butthole as he was walking by on a table. They seemed to be stretchy but I'm not sure if they were moving on their own or just reacting to the moving fur. Some Googling suggests that these are likely tapeworm segments. While these probably don't pose an immediate health threat to the cat it is super gross. A vet visit is scheduled for Wednesday. In the meantime has anyone dealt with these before? some questions I wasn't able to find clear answers for: Whether you start a flea treatment plan depends on a lot of things. Have you had the cats for a long time (meaning this is definitely a recent infestation that occurred in your living space)? If so, this means a flea definitely made it into your space. Do you leave windows/doors open? Do you see outdoor animals coming up close to investigate your place? How well sealed are your windows/doors? Do you have plants growing near the exterior walls that could help pests get inside? Basically, how rare do you expect this to be? You should at least get a flea comb and take a look for any flea dirt on your cats. The type of tapeworm that humans can get from pets is rare, and it's contracted by people who (presumably accidentally) ingest dog/cat feces. It's mostly found around livestock in rural areas. So it's very unlikely that your cat would have that type of tapeworm in the first place, and as long as you don't ingest your cat's feces, your exposure would be limited anyway. You can talk to your vet about which type of tapeworm your cat most likely has. And if you think this is proof that god hates us, you should see your cat cough up a large roundworm. Edit: To be clear, the most common tapeworm has a flea as its intermediate host, and the cat is infected by ingesting the flea. The rare tapeworms have large or small prey animals (think deer/sheep vs rabbits/mice) as the intermediate host, and the cat is infected by ingesting that prey animal. The rare tapeworms are also much smaller, so the fact that you're seeing rice-shaped segments being shed automatically makes me think you've got the more common one. LoreOfSerpents fucked around with this message at 23:40 on Jun 3, 2019 |
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Jun 3, 2019 23:29
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InvisibleMonkey posted:I'm trying to get a pee-sample with a kit (plastic beads, pipette, vial), but is there anything I can do to make her go faster? Ideally before the vet's office closes since I know time is of the essence for sample quality. Apologies in advance for the small space challenges. Everyone who says cats are better than dogs for small apartments is lying.
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Jun 4, 2019 19:58
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Snowy posted:Late reply, but yeah that's what we're doing now. What I would love is to find a way to not end up with a poo poo pile in the sink any time someone doesn't happen to pull the door all the way shut or just forgets while in a rush.  It's really awful that he's so young and doing that. I once heard that cats form their preferred litter habits within the first few weeks of life, so if that's true, apparently he learned that making GBS threads on a solid surface was awesome. Have you tried putting a litter box in the bathroom, with just a thin layer of litter so he doesn't sink in? Can you think of any reason why he might not prefer the box (e.g., it has a lid, the litter's too deep, not cleaned often enough, resource contention with other cats, different litter type than he grew up on)? You might consider attaching contact paper to the countertop and the rim of the tub, to discourage him from jumping up there at all. It'd be inconvenient for you though since you'd have to leave it there for a few weeks and change it out as needed. Or you could habitually plug the drains and leave a thin layer of standing water (which would make you have to clean the sink/bathtub more often to prevent mildew), which might discourage him. Or use a motion-activated deterrent to scare him away (at the risk of teaching him the wrong thing). Or just put something over the sink/tub when you're not using them. Any deterrent you try might have to be coupled with making a more attractive litterbox option somewhere else, otherwise he might just pick another inappropriate spot in your house as his new favorite.
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Jun 7, 2019 02:30
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Snowy posted:We keep his litter box clean and he uses it all the time just fine.... unless that wonderful sink toilet is available
Incidentally, you can manipulate some of those same points to try to make the bathroom less attractive, and that's what my suggestions were based on. Access path = contact paper, litter type = leaving some water in the basins, noise = motion detection deterrent, etc.
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Jun 7, 2019 21:03
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maou shoujo posted:How soon after moving is it appropriate to have him neutered? And how much does neutering cost? They say he's up to date on his shots, but neutering is definitely necessary as he's going to be living with another cat someday. He'd be my only cat, but the person who I'm looking at moving in with in a few months has a cat of her own. You should neuter him before he moves in with you if possible. Unneutered male cats like to mark their territory, and if he doesn't go outside at all anymore, that's going to mean spraying your stuff. The cost of neutering varies by vet practice. Call a vet in your area who's known for doing good work and ask them for their pricing. The procedure itself is usually pretty cheap, but the bloodwork and extra painkillers will add to the cost. Please do your cat a favor and don't opt out of the followup painkillers. Having his balls chopped off will make him sore for a while afterward and painkillers are a nice thing. maou shoujo posted:With his original owners he was both an indoor and an outdoor cat, with a cat door to be able to go in and out as he pleased. If I adopt him, he would have to be an indoor-only cat. Is this likely to cause problems for him? maou shoujo posted:Is there anything else I need to know as a first-time adopter beyond what's in the OP? Don't count on him being able to tolerate another cat. Not all cats are social, and even the ones who are social can be picky about who they tolerate. InvisibleMonkey posted:Update on our little piss-monster, we added a second litter-box (an easy decision but not the most practical in a 1 br) and I also used a different litter in that one. So far she's preferring the new box and hasn't peed anywhere else, so I'm guessing she's mostly particular about either doing her business in the bedroom all of the sudden or changed her mind about the kind of litter she tolerates. Will experiment to find out, but I guess it was just 'cats v  Blackchamber posted:This is what she said is wrong with it:
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Jun 10, 2019 22:18
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beep by grandpa posted:I'm very likely getting my very first cat next week. Have been thinking about it heavily since the beginning of this year after some Life Events both good and bad, but deciding I needed to think about it for a few months before I pulled the trigger since it's such a commitment and to make sure I still wanted to, and for the right reasons. I went to a shelter last weekend just to look at what they had, talked to the staff as much as I could, etc. I've done my research and feel pretty prepared for what to expect the first few weeks all except for one topic: litterboxes... And I'm really not sure where to start. I have the money to blow so I'm not sure if I should go automatic or this weird Breeze Tidy Cat pebble thing the girl at Petsmart was raving about today when I was buying supplies & toys. FuzzySlippers posted:There are basically 3 types of auto cleaning litter boxes and we've owned them all. That Tidy Cats Breeze thing looks like a disaster to me because some cats like to pee standing up, spraying backwards, even if they aren't males marking their territory, and some cats will smear diarrhea on the box walls if they aren't feeling well. I hate litterboxes that have multiple parts or seams because they're hard to clean. Anything with rounded corners is annoying to scoop. Don't bother with litter liner bags because it's just another thing for the cat to destroy. The smell is controlled by the type of litter you use, but that doesn't matter if it's a litter your cat won't tolerate (or if your cat doesn't bury its poo poo, which some don't). Just try litters that don't offend you. Your cat is going to track the litter all over your apartment, which will be easier if it's a lightweight litter, so if you choose a lighter litter, be prepared to vacuum more. Evaluate how awful it will be for you to step on any litter you select. Wood pellets sound like a great idea until you step on one in the middle of the night. Scented litters annoy the hell out of me but some people love them. Some litters produce more dust (and if you get a black cat, you'll laugh at those "99% dust free" marketing lies). Some litters are a little controversial (e.g., how safe is clay dust, how safe is corn). There's a lot of personal preference/risk tolerance that goes into it. You're supposed to fully clean a litter box at least monthly, as in dump out the litter and wash the box itself. Some people say you should do this weekly but ahahaha no. This is something people don't talk about, especially around apartment dwellers. Where are you going to take that thing to wash it? You're going to take it to your bathtub, that's where. I disagree with people who say you should get 2. If you fall in love with a bonded pair, or you get a cat and it seems miserable on its own, then sure, knock yourself out. But as a default choice, don't have people be outnumbered by animals in your home. You'll need extra litter boxes, extra dishes, extra everything. It also makes things potentially harder if your situation changes later on. Like if you end up marrying someone who's allergic to cats, it's a lot easier to rehome one cat than two bonded cats. Basically this: Lord Zedd-Repulsa posted:Alternately, ask if the rescue/shelter has one that's not great with other cats so the animal gets its own space and you don't have to worry about if the cat is lonely or needs a playmate.
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Jun 21, 2019 02:07
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TMMadman posted:I can't take this anymore and I don't know what to do. Resenting them doesn't make you a monster. What a lot of people don't recognize about cats (especially when cats are young and healthy) is that they're signing up for approximately 20 years of living with toddlers who never grow up. That decision you made to get an adorable kitten when you were 25? Yeah, you're still going to be living with it when you're 43, but now it's having bouts of incontinence and dementia. The 10-year mark is a major turning point for a lot of cats where they start having mystery problems, and it gets hugely overwhelming. Having three cats who all hit 10 years at the same time is a loving nightmare. I also have three senior cats, and I love them, but I can't tell you how excited I am about what life will be like when I don't have them anymore. Anyway, I just want you to know that I'm coming from a similar place that you find yourself now. And I'm telling you that euthanizing them is the wrong answer. If you keep three cats, you have to make lifestyle changes for them, especially as they get older. My three didn't stop having "accidents" until they had access to five litter boxes. Five! A variety of open and covered boxes, because there are seriously days when they prefer different types. And I scoop all of those at least once a day. So fixing the litter box situation is the most obvious change you can make. When you have three cats, that part is non-negotiable. You have to add more boxes when there are accidents, and you have to scoop reliably. I have a reminder on my phone that annoys me every day asking me if I scooped the boxes. It's important. You also need to know which cat is having problems, because peeing outside the box is a classic sign of urinary tract issues like bladder infections or urinary crystals. Those can be incredibly painful for cats. When they're in pain, they tend to pee in "safe places" like on bedding. If you can't be home enough to see their behavior, and you can't have someone else there on your behalf, then you need a nanny cam. The alternative is you need to take all three to the vet and do full bloodwork, urinalysis, Xrays, and urine cultures on all of them, just to rule out the more common medical possibilities. Vet involvement is important even though you're trying to tell yourself it's behavioral. Don't assume it's behavioral until you rule out everything else. Your cats are senior. They're right at the point where you'll start seeing senior cat problems. 9 times out of 10, either a cat pees somewhere because that thing smells like a litter box, or it pees somewhere because it associates the litter box with bad things (like being in pain, or being ambushed) and is avoiding the box. Your cats are old enough that it's very likely a medical issue. If you can't commit to 1) addressing their litter box needs, and 2) ruling out medical issues, then you're left with only one option. Surrendering them. There are excellent animal shelters that will give them good homes, and some even exclusively use foster homes until permanent homes are found. If you're willing to do the research, I'm sure you can find a local animal shelter that would be able to take three senior cats. My life would be simpler if I got rid of my three cats. But I made a commitment to them when they were young and healthy, and now I understand that means I signed up for a few really lovely years at the end. As long as they're acting happy about being alive, I will treat them like the geriatric creatures they are, spoil them rotten, and wait for them to tell me when they're ready to go. Your cats deserve that, too. If you can't give them that anymore for the sake of your own sanity, then you need to give them that chance with someone else.
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Jun 26, 2019 02:48
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Deteriorata posted:Get a cheap tarp and throw it over your bed when you're gone, then. Or cover it with something spiky or crinkly that the cats hate to step on.
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Jun 26, 2019 03:03
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TMMadman posted:Just as a note: I am not going to put down all of my cats just because one of them is pissing on the bed, but I'm certainly going to threaten them with it even though they don't understand. Ultimately, you've lived with these cats for years, so you should know their behaviors and quirks. My advice is the same - try to improve the litter box situation and follow up with a vet - but if you really want to say it's behavioral, you should know that's the hardest thing to fix. It's a lot easier to resolve peeing issues when they're caused by a medical condition that gets controlled by medication. There are only two ways you can influence behavioral peeing: make them not like peeing in the wrong place anymore (e.g., tarp, Ssscat, etc.), and make them prefer peeing in the right place again. Both of those are really open-ended and can require a lot of trial and error. Fair warning, I wouldn't recommend putting clothes in a litter box, because then you're encouraging the association between fabric and peeing, which might backfire horribly. If your goal is to make them prefer peeing in the right place again, you have to work on making the litter boxes more attractive, and make the bed less like a litter box (Nature's Miracle probably won't cut it unless you really soak the thing, considering how long this has been going on, and Febreeze won't do poo poo). Simultaneously. Joburg posted:My cat Buffy used to have bouts of peeing on soft things. Sometimes it was due to a UTI and sometimes not. The vet put her on buprenophine during her last UTI and that seemed to reduce her arthritis pain so we kept her on that. Magically she didn’t have accidents again. The vet thought that maybe the arthritis or bladder sensitivity led to the peeing issue. Maybe see if you can try a course of pain meds after you get him checked for a UTI.
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Jun 26, 2019 04:46
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floofyscorp posted:One of my cats has started doing tiny pukes. She seems generally well(possibly more sluggish than usual, but they both are and I put it down to the warm weather) but in the last few days I've been finding teeny lil puddles of what I assume are puke in spots she frequents - on the towel I left folded up on the table that was her favourite place to lounge, on the clothes box she likes sitting on in the morning while I'm trying to get dressed, once on the floor, and on her favourite perch on the cat tree. They're really tiny coin-sized puddles of goop and a lil bit of hair - it looks like mostly just saliva. Is this something to be concerned about, or just cat being cat?
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Jun 27, 2019 20:16
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hooah posted:How can we get a cat to stop scratching the carpet? There are several other options (scratching posts, horizontal scratchers, cat tree), but when we try to encourage him to use one of those, he doesn't like it. Perhaps we're encouraging wrong? Or what else can we try?
Fleta Mcgurn posted:Okay, so my actual question is: since Luna actually HATES the kitten and hisses at her every time she sees her, how can I better socialize them*, and how much of her angst is due to being ill from tapeworm? Also, what is the statute of limitation on murder in Catalunya? The shelter probably did de-worm the cats -- for roundworms. Preventative tapeworm treatments aren't routinely done at shelters. Which is fine since common flea-sourced tapeworms aren't transmitted between cats. They require a flea host. Don't kill yourself trying to sanitize everything. You already know the tricks for socializing cats, but I doubt Luna's behavior is due to the tapeworm. Tapeworms aren't known to cause noticeable discomfort to most cats. You might just be stuck with an old lady cat who doesn't want to tolerate any poo poo from the kitten. Just try to make their time together as pleasant and also as voluntary as possible. You probably already know this, but register both of them under your name with whichever local government office handles pet registrations. That way, if the crazy lady comes back, they're legally registered as your property. [ Edit: Since Aleta is having digestive issues, maybe talk to your vet about testing a stool sample for parasites if you haven't already. It might just be the angle of the photo but I'm a little suspicious she has a potbelly, which could indicate a parasitic infection from something other than a tapeworm. ] LoreOfSerpents fucked around with this message at 21:53 on Jul 2, 2019 |
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Jul 2, 2019 21:42
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rear end posted:Ohh boy. effika posted:Not a vet, but we've had to make a slurry of wet food and water and syringe feed our cat in the past. Cats can get really, really sick after only a couple of days of not eating. It's a vicious cycle because not eating can make them nauseous, and nausea makes them not want to eat, so before you know it, your cat has lost a quarter of its weight and is trying to die on you. Don't screw around with appetite loss in cats.
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Jul 12, 2019 22:41
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rear end posted:Haha oh no that's not something that's available in this country. Unfortunately going out of town is going to be incredibly difficult. My original, trustworthy vet is in another country and I can't get my cat across borders without doing the import/export dance and I need a rabies test result sheet and some more extra bullshit bureaucracy. The medications that are used for cats in this condition where I live have potentially counterproductive side effects, which makes it difficult to treat at home. The cocktail my vet prescribed for my cat included anti-nausea meds, appetite stimulants, and painkillers. A lot of those can actually cause nausea, especially when given on an empty stomach, and it was a huge battle to get it under control. Out of desperation, you can try other foods temporarily, like very plain chicken-flavored baby food for very young infants (the kind that's liquid with no seasoning/additives) but be aware that new smells can make the cat more nauseous and more food averse. Force-feeding your cat is also likely to make him associate you and food with unpleasant things. Use a hand-feeding syringe if you need to do that. Vets and pet stores sell them here in the US, they're used on everything from birds to dogs. Pet supply stores sell broth and treats that aren't meant for basic nutrition but may kickstart your cat's appetite. They may also sell cat grass or catnip, which some cats like to eat when they feel nauseous and it might have a slight appetite stimulating effect. Don't do this with random outside grass that might've been exposed to chemicals. When our cat went anorexic, we bought every type of food we could find at the pet supply store (everything that didn't have restricted ingredient proteins anyway) and just started going through all of them. Every texture, every flavor. We'd offer a tiny amount, see if there's any interest, take it away immediately if not, repeat half an hour later with a different food. We wasted a ton of food and more often than not, she just wanted to gag whenever she smelled the new food. Fancy Feast is usually recommended as a last-ditch effort, but our cat wouldn't eat that. What she did eat? Purina Pro-Plan chicken flavor kibble. It's mostly corn. Apparently that was worth living for. I really hope some of that helps you, because this situation sucks and you desperately need a vet. explosivo posted:Any tips on how to get a cat to eat medicine in powder form from a capsule? We planned on mixing it into her wet food but after one or two times she smells it now I guess and won't eat the food. I'm thinking about getting some of those pill pockets but I'm not sure if those work with the contents of a capsule. You can buy one of those pill plunger things which allows you to release the capsule at the back of the cat's throat, but you can free-hand it with a small capsule if you have steady aim. Follow it up with a small syringe plunger full of room-temperature water to help it go down. Praise the hell out of the cat afterward or feed it or whatever it takes to make the cat feel like medicine time is the best time. I've never had luck with pill pockets on cats, so maybe someone else has better tips there.
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Jul 12, 2019 23:44
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Squashy Nipples posted:What's the thread opinion on the Purina Tidy Cat Breeze litter system? I have two requirements for litter solutions: 1. The litter box must be easy to scoop and clean thoroughly. 2. The litter material must be (reasonably) safe for cats. The Breeze litter system fails both. The box is the wrong shape/size/construction to easily clean, and the litter material is not safe for cats if they consume it (as suggested by the first Amazon review, featuring an Xray of their cat having ingested the pellets). If you don't care about it taking forever to thoroughly sanitize the thing, and you're sure that your cat will never develop a relentless appetite for eating forbidden materials, then I say knock yourself out. Report back with your findings.
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Jul 18, 2019 22:37
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