|
DreamingofRoses posted:I have to give my very recalcitrant formerly feral cat eye drops four times a day in both eyes. I don’t know how this is going to work. There are restraints you can use if you have to do it alone. When I had to give pills to an unfamiliar cat while the owners were out of town I used the sleeve of a winter coat. Pop the cat in the sleeve, encourage them to go toward the cuff, their head fit through the cuff but they couldn't wriggle their whole body through, fold the sleeve over so they can't back up. Do the medicine then let them wriggle out the back and give them a treat/food. Try to have the food ready as soon as they get out of the coat they associate the coat more with the treats than with the horrible medicine.
|
#
?
Mar 22, 2021 02:31
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 13, 2021 21:43 |
|
|
DreamingofRoses posted:I have to give my very recalcitrant formerly feral cat eye drops four times a day in both eyes. I don’t know how this is going to work. Lolllll good luck. Do you have help? Get it in a towel with the towel cinched tight around its neck, hold the body between your thighs, and wear long jeans and dishwashing gloves (protection for you), and pray.
|
|
#
?
Mar 22, 2021 02:34
|
|
|
I find that ham helps as well, immediately treat the cat with ham after the eye drops. I did this and within two days the cat did not mind so much? She would as soon as she was free of the towel run over to wait in front of the fridge.
|
|
#
?
Mar 22, 2021 12:43
|
|
|
Has anyone compared Litter Robot 3 with the Petkit Pura X? https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08T9CCP1M/ I'm on month 2 with the litter robot 3 and the mainboard has crapped out twice already. This looks like a pretty good alternative, the mechanism for poop scoop is the same but the electronics and stuff looks way more sophisticated. Reviews also say it's quiet and the litter robot is pretty loud.
|
|
#
?
Mar 22, 2021 20:17
|
|
|
She just gets so scared after I’m done that she dashes under the bed and she’s not coming out for treats
|
|
#
?
Mar 22, 2021 22:16
|
|
|
I got a cat from a shelter and he's had diarrhea the whole time I've had him. I've taken him to the vet several times. Here's what we've tried: -Changing diet (several different types, each for a week. He's currently on hydrolized protein) -Steroids (prednisolone) -Probiotics They tested him for parasites and fungal infection (negative on both) and gave him an ultrasound to check for signs of IBD. The vet has moved forward saying to act on the assumption that he has IBD, even though there was nothing definitive on the ultrasound. Does anyone know what to look into regarding a cat that has treatment-resistant diarrhea? We're pretty baffled.
|
|
#
?
Mar 25, 2021 14:29
|
|
|
Hey you tried changing his food? Maybe he has an allergy. Find out exactly what he was being fed at the shelter and switch to that (assuming he didn't have diarrhea at the shelter). Edit: oops, I see you did try that, sorry. Still, if he didn't have these issues at the shelter, find out what they were feeding him.
|
|
#
?
Mar 25, 2021 14:58
|
|
|
Rotten Red Rod posted:Hey you tried changing his food? Maybe he has an allergy. Find out exactly what he was being fed at the shelter and switch to that (assuming he didn't have diarrhea at the shelter). We are of one mind - that was my first step! I think some of his problem was stress (when I first got him his poo was neon orange, now it's brown). But now he seems lovey and happy. Our other cat occasionally bullies him, but I doubt that stress alone would cause such a chronic problem, not to mention I kept him in a separate part of the house for weeks when I first got him. Though I'd be willing to try anxiety meds, I guess. We're going to construct a catio for him since he loves being outside (and the other cat doesn't). I just love the little guy. He's a tragic character, he had ringworm, has a slashed up eye, and is so dumb I kind of wonder if he needs a helmet. Hopefully he's not also dying from gut rot.
|
|
#
?
Mar 25, 2021 15:10
|
|
|
My diarrhea cat was helped with a pinch of citrucel powder on wet food twice a day. Soluble fiber is magic!
|
|
#
?
Mar 25, 2021 19:57
|
|
|
Food trials need to be longer than a week for the cat's digestive system to get used enough to the new stuff to tell if they're sensitive or allergic to it.
|
|
#
?
Mar 25, 2021 21:48
|
|
|
Can anyone think of any reason why an cat would suddenly stop eating wet food, only want kibble, then eventually stop eating anything at all? I have an 8 y/o Persian calico female. Normally has a big appetite. Last month she started scratching at her neck so badly she had a bald patch. Started losing interest in wet food. Would only eat kibble. Brought to vet, vet said her lymph nodes were enlarged. Possibly due to underlying viral infection of some sort. Doc gave Prednisolone, but loss off appetite issues came back as we took her off the pred. Appetite issue persisted. Very touch and go with food for 2 weeks. No lethargy, still urinating and pooping. Just didn't want any wet food, and only ate SOME kibble if we were lucky. Went to different vet for 2nd opinion- did ultrasound. Results were normal. This other vet also told us that a cat will not eat if they can't smell their food (TIL) and since my cat is brachycephalic and possibly has feline herpes she might be having issues smelling her food. Vet is stumped as to why she would stop eating wet and only want dry. Went to original vet today. Gave her B12 shot and anti-nausea shot. Kitty eating now but only wants kibble. Said they don't want to give meds yet for suspected viral infection since it will suppress her appetite further No idea wtf is going on. I feel like some sort of lingering viral infection is giving her olfactory issues? Maybe tooth resorption (even though vet said her teeth condition are "acceptable)? I feel like the B12 shot benefits are temporary and that there is still some underlying problem that we're not quite pinning down. melon cat fucked around with this message at 04:15 on Mar 26, 2021 |
|
#
?
Mar 25, 2021 22:51
|
|
|
You could try warming the wet food up (to about 30°C / 90F). It will be more fragrant and maybe more comfortable for her to eat. Other than that I don't have good ideas, if it's tooth pain I wouldn't expect her to prefer kibble.
|
|
#
?
Mar 26, 2021 08:10
|
|
|
There's no mention of trying an appetite stimulant on its own, or using one to counter the appetite loss from treating the viral infection? e: Oh, looks like one of the side effects of Prednisolone can be "increased appetite". Still seems like an odd choice, as there are meds that are primarily appetite stimulants. But that's just the opinion of the first few veterinary medicine sites that came up on google. Hello Sailor fucked around with this message at 10:28 on Mar 26, 2021 |
|
#
?
Mar 26, 2021 10:20
|
|
|
pidan posted:You could try warming the wet food up (to about 30°C / 90F). It will be more fragrant and maybe more comfortable for her to eat. Tried that. No dice. 2nd vet we went to said that he can't explain why she sometimes prefers kibble over wet food in those rare moments her appetite returns. Usually it's the opposite. Really had him stumped. What's more unusual is that my cat comes running to the kitchen when we're opening the kibble bin or cracking open a can of wet food, but when we set the food down she just runs over, looks at the food bowl, then walks off. I think she WANTS to eat but something is bothering her about it. One vet (we've been to two different clinics over this) said it MIGHT be tooth pain. But the only way to definitely determine that is to do an X-ray or move forward with a teeth cleaning session. Which we should probably do soon, anyway. I mean... might as if we gotta do it soon, right? No point in paying for an X-Ray of her mouth then doing a teeth cleaning a few months later. I'm just concerned about putting through a dental surgery while her appetite is already problematic. So really there are three potential causes for her lack of appetite: tooth pain, IBD, or viral infection causing issues with her sense of smell. Hello Sailor posted:There's no mention of trying an appetite stimulant on its own, or using one to counter the appetite loss from treating the viral infection? melon cat fucked around with this message at 16:52 on Mar 26, 2021 |
|
#
?
Mar 26, 2021 16:46
|
|
|
I’m sure this is quite the dumb question buuut how can I coax my cats to stop sleeping on my legs / feet? Like if they slept higher that would be ok but they always sleep right on my feet and sometimes I try and move and they are knocked out and won’t move lol.
|
|
#
?
Mar 26, 2021 17:39
|
|
|
MarcusSA posted:I’m sure this is quite the dumb question buuut how can I coax my cats to stop sleeping on my legs / feet? Like if they slept higher that would be ok but they always sleep right on my feet and sometimes I try and move and they are knocked out and won’t move lol. Cats gonna cat. Just don't feel bad about kicking them off when you need to, they'll forgive you, I promise.
|
|
#
?
Mar 26, 2021 21:01
|
|
|
MarcusSA posted:I’m sure this is quite the dumb question buuut how can I coax my cats to stop sleeping on my legs / feet? Like if they slept higher that would be ok but they always sleep right on my feet and sometimes I try and move and they are knocked out and won’t move lol. sleep with a pile of cucumbers on your feet.
|
|
#
?
Mar 26, 2021 21:41
|
|
|
melon cat posted:kibble cat Are you noticing any kind of smell from her mouth that isn't the usual cat breath? When Sam had a tooth infection you could smell it, and he behaved very similarly. (Would come running for food noises but then give up before actually eating anything.) I would say get the mouth exam. They're kind of expensive but there's also a high chance of mouth pain being the cause, and 8 is old enough that it's good to check on her teeth anyways. At the very least you can check it off as not the problem, which will help narrow things down.
|
|
#
?
Mar 27, 2021 18:15
|
|
|
update on my cat and his pancreatic pseudocyst + the surgery for it that didn't work(!): it seems as though my cat is finally on the mend! i'd never have believed it a few months ago. he'd been sick since last fall, and after all the treatments and surgery and meds, his specialist was really NOT optimistic. i think she didn't want to give me too much hope. but Dewey seems to be really happy lately, no vomiting for two weeks and he's gaining weight. the only downside is i have to give him THREE PILLS PER DAY. if you had told me at the beginning of all this that i'd acclimate to giving my cat three giant pills a day ... i remember having near-panic attacks over giving him one teeny tiny pill last fall. anyway if i can do it, anyone can. thanks for all the well wishes for my lil man, he has another visit this wednesday and hopefully all good news !!!
|
|
#
?
Mar 29, 2021 14:00
|
|
|
Our arthritic cat has decided she really hates her litter boxes and we got tired of cutting up Rubbermaid tubs. We got this planting tray and it works fantastic- she can still step in, but the sides are high enough that she doesn't kick litter/pee over the sides. The inside is smooth with rounded corners for easy cleaning, and it's portable for taking out back to wash up. (We know she's having a good joint day when she kicks litter everywhere. She's kinda stopped burying otherwise, so we'll take it.) jimmychoo posted:update on my cat and his pancreatic pseudocyst + the surgery for it that didn't work(!): it seems as though my cat is finally on the mend! i'd never have believed it a few months ago. he'd been sick since last fall, and after all the treatments and surgery and meds, his specialist was really NOT optimistic. i think she didn't want to give me too much hope. but Dewey seems to be really happy lately, no vomiting for two weeks and he's gaining weight. I am so happy! Hopefully he's on the mend for good.
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2021 01:35
|
|
|
My cat, who has a covered litter box, has given up on burying her poop. Instead she wildly flails at the walls before stepping out. Then she usually screams and runs up and down the house a bit. She does seem to prefer an open litter box, because she's immediately inside and pooping when we open it for cleaning. But she just throws the litter around too much, it's all over the house already even with the closed box / doormat combo.
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2021 06:50
|
|
|
So I've had Harold about a year now, and since it was my first time really being responsible for a cat and not just having one in the house I may have overreacted any time he meowed or made noise, since he wasn't an super talkative cat. It's backfired though because now he thinks it's proper and right to sit on the floor meowing pitifully for attention or jumping on my desk and knocking poo poo over. It's gotten much worse in the past month.  How do I successfully reduce this behavior? He isn't really into treats or anything, and he's normally rather laid back if a little skittish. Should I just do my best to ignore him and only pay attention when he's being quiet and non disruptive? 
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2021 14:35
|
|
|
Sounds like he might be bored? Or possibly just being a cat, it might not be anything you've done or are doing, cats can just be like that. Ignoring him isn't a bad idea but it might not work, cats are extremely persistent if they think there's even a tiny chance of their tactic working.
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2021 15:00
|
|
|
I solved this with cat beds next to me within arm's reach at the desk. The velcro can knows that is scritchin spot and will chill there and get pets while i do important things with free hand. A couple minutes of attention satisfies her and gives me 30-60 minutes of peace. https://i.imgur.com/ZLx7agH.mp4
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2021 15:04
|
|
|
This is also why we say get two cats. Another cat would be an easy place to expend that energy, and also would teach him to knock it off when he's being annoying.
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2021 15:07
|
|
|
effika posted:I am so happy! Hopefully he's on the mend for good. thank you! appreciate it. also speaking of bored cats, i highly recommend the Cat Amazing line of products https://catamazing.com/ (my cat loved the classic and the slider) as a quick way to entertain the cat when you're in the middle of something.
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2021 15:49
|
|
|
Boogalo posted:I solved this with cat beds next to me within arm's reach at the desk. The velcro can knows that is scritchin spot and will chill there and get pets while i do important things with free hand. A couple minutes of attention satisfies her and gives me 30-60 minutes of peace. i love when it’s so obvious that a person has a cat—cat furniture and toys EVERYWHERE. when i had a dog, i had a bed for her in a spare room and a leash hanging up somewhere. i have two cats now and i have cat furniture mounted to the wall, cat perches on the window, two kaka stations, toys on the stairs for them to bat and chase, cat scratching mats tied to the couch, etc. cats! cats! cats!
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2021 15:58
|
|
|
jimmychoo posted:thank you! appreciate it. I always feel so bad when Fuzzbutt comes over for attention and I'm in the middle of things and we play the "not now bud" game I don't mind when he comes over to lay in my lap but I wish he would do it when I'm not eating/sleeping/playing games. He wants nothing to do with me when I'm laying around reading or watching a movie but when both hands are occupied or I'm not awake? It's cat time At least MH Rise pauses if you play solo so I was able to just stop hunting dragons and pet the kitty
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2021 16:03
|
|
|
Len posted:I always feel so bad when Fuzzbutt comes over for attention and I'm in the middle of things and we play the "not now bud" game i feel you. luckily my cat and i have an understanding — he knows that before bedtime is when he gets dedicated play time with me for at least 15 min. after breakfast too. you could try to “train” Fuzz that way if you’re patient. then i let him use the Cat Amazing when he’s super insistent but i’m working. obviously if i could, i’d lie on the floor with my cat all day, but someone has to work and pay his expensive medical bills
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2021 16:44
|
|
|
Yeah, Harold is ~3 or 4 years old (street stray so not entirely sure) so I’m certain part of it is just energy. I’d love to get a second cat to be buddy with him but the people we got him from in the first place had a few already and he did not get along well, but honestly it’s mostly financial concerns more than anything. I already might not be able to handle cash problems if he needs something medical done, let alone a partner  I’ll try to get him some more toys he can enjoy on his own, but it’s rough going cause the only thing he bothers playing with is string like objects I wave around for him. Crumpled paper, forage cardboard, string hanging down from the doorframe, nothing else so far has worked. Our last cat was a Maine Coon and she’d be totally satisfied after a few rounds of crumple paper fetch and then a piece of popcorn as a reward. Meanwhile I have yet to find any food this rear end in a top hat even takes a second sniff of beyond his seafood kibble 
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2021 17:08
|
|
|
Maple and I have a routine where I come down after work, and sit on the sofa. She then rolls around like a dog and rubs her face on me while I tickle her tummy. On Wednesdays, shes gets this in the morning too, while I wait for the shopping to be delivered. She's going to get a shock when I start travelling for work again
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2021 19:05
|
|
|
My partner and I are like a month away from adopting another cat. Our roommate is moving and taking her dog and even when they went on trips in the past our cat would just get bummed out and wait in front of their bedroom door hoping the dog would come out. so i think we need to get another cat. two cat household coming soon.
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2021 21:40
|
|
|
How it started:   How it's going:      
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2021 22:20
|
|
|
Good afternoon thread. There are lots of stray and feral cats in our neighborhood. There is one family in particular that stalks around my chicken coop and when the chickens gently caress off to a different part of the yard, they go in and eat their food. This is an adult male, adult female, and a 2-3 month old kitten. We noticed the kitten had an eye infection. We trapped it and brought it inside and we have a vet appointment Friday to get it’s health situation in check. In the meantime, we want to keep it. The problem is, since it is feral, it so far wants absolutely nothing to do with us and has stayed behind a filing cabinet for almost 3 days now. We leave it food, water, and litter and when we’re out of the room he eats, drinks, and uses the litter box. I’ve read that taming a feral cat can be difficult, but it’s easier the younger they are. Any tips or has anyone been through this before? I’ll edit the post with a photo of the lil guy shortly. E: 
LuckyCat fucked around with this message at 20:19 on Mar 31, 2021 |
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2021 20:13
|
|
|
The Kitten Lady has a good overview on taming feral adult cats vs feral kittens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPGwB_f4L0A TL;DR is: feral adult cats are wild. There usually is no taming them except in rare circumstances. The humane thing to do is catch them, treat them for illnesses + spay/neuter them, and then return them to where they live and feel comfortable. As for feral kittens, there is no such thing. Kittens can almost always be tamed, providing you get them early enough. 2-3 months might be too late (edit: I'm wrong, it's after ~4 months that's too late), but it's really hard to say, every cat is different. Keep doing what you're doing - leaving food + water out, leave the cat be, don't force it out of hiding places - and give it time to see if it warms up to you. Here's one specifically on socializing a feral kitten, about the same age as yours: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST8dlkNGT9I Rotten Red Rod fucked around with this message at 20:33 on Mar 31, 2021 |
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2021 20:24
|
|
|
Thanks so much! I’ll give those videos a watch!
|
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2021 20:34
|
|
|
I'll add in extremely pro rescue channel Flatbush Cats too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcD8DrJKejQ
|
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2021 21:50
|
|
|
Any tips for multiple cats with different eating habits? I have two cats, one who likes to nibble throughout the day and is 11 pounds (Noodle), and one who eats everything in sight and is 16 pounds (Boppo.) I used to feed them two times a day but Boppo was eating 70% of the food, so I started feeding them lots of small meals throughout the day so that they are both eating the same amount. It's been a month and his weight hasn't changed. Noodle is a lot more active, so I guess I need to feed Boppo less because he's sedentary? I've been playing with them more as well.
Wile E. Toyota fucked around with this message at 22:45 on Mar 31, 2021 |
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2021 22:27
|
|
|
Wile E. Toyota posted:Any tips for multiple cats with different eating habits? I have two cats, one who likes to nibble throughout the day and is 11 pounds (Noodle), and one who eats everything in sight and is 16 pounds (Boppo.) I used to feed them two times a day but Boppo was eating 70% of the food, so I started feeding them lots of small meals throughout the day so that they are both eating the same amount. It's been a month and his weight hasn't changed. Noodle is a lot more active, so I guess I need to feed Boppo less because he's sedentary? I've been playing with them more as well. Yeah, you shouldn't be feeding 2 cats with drastically different weights the same amount of food. It's expensive as hell, but I can definitely vouch for the microchip feeders by Surepet. Makes mealtimes infinitely less stressful if they can't steal each others' food. As for the amount of calories you should be feeding per day, this is a decent resource: https://www.petplace.com/article/cats/pet-health/how-to-calculate-your-cats-daily-calorie-intake
|
|
#
?
Apr 1, 2021 05:16
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 13, 2021 21:43 |
|
|
Seconding those feeders. When we bought them for litter-mates Maple and Peanut, it seemed like a bit of a waste, since they were eating the same food, and we ended up just registering them both on both feeders. Now that Peanut's gone and we have Gaia with a 7 month age gap, it's so useful. They have now figured out that one bowl is theirs, and the other doesn't work, and everyone gets the correct food. Also it keeps food fresh, within reason, which is handy.
|
|
#
?
Apr 1, 2021 06:33
|
|