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

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

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Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

JayJay posted:

Great job with the thread, just in time for my new kittens arriving monday! I'm thinking about getting one of the Armarkat trees, but I can't choose! Which do you all think would be best for two cats? I was looking at http://www.armarkat.com/classic-cat-tree/classic-cat-tree-a7802/prod_29.html but it may be overkill.

Also, are the premium versions actually worth it? They claim better materials and sturdier trees.

edit: I also found armarkat cheaper at a few places such as allpetfurniture.com 149.99 for the one I linked vs. 169.99, any downside to buying from a third party?

That's the exact tree I have, and I know someone else in PI has the same one, too. It rocks in every way. One difference between the "Classic" trees and the "Premium" trees is whether they use faux fur or fleece, and while fleece is considered to be more "premium", I've heard several people say it's harder to clean. The faux fur really isn't as hideous as it sounds, and you can easily get all the cat fur off of it with a vacuum.

As for third parties, check ebay. You'll find them on ebay for <$20 bid, where the bulk of the cost will be shipping (or so they say). Either way, I got that tree brand new for less than $100 on ebay including shipping, and several other PI people have done the same thing. You can usually save quite a bit of money.

# ¿ Jul 12, 2009 15:11

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# ¿ Apr 16, 2024 22:37

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

MixMasterMalaria posted:

Question - my cat (a 17 year old domestic shorthair) this morning has one very dilated pupil and one normal one. She seems otherwise normal, should I be worried?

I would take her to the vet. It could be a bunch of different things, some of which are serious. If your cat goes outside, you should also know that one big pupil is a very common presentation of FIV and FeLV.

# ¿ Aug 8, 2009 16:23

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

MixMasterMalaria posted:

It it a "take her to the vet today" kind of thing or "ok to wait until monday" kind of thing? It's a rough day but obviously Hobbes' health comes first.

edit; also thank you for your quick initial response!

She may have gotten scratched or bumped in the eye, in which case it probably wouldn't be the end of the world to wait until Monday. But if there's no redness, discharge, etc., it could be a lot more horrible things: brain tumor, abscess behind the eye, FeLV, some sort of nerve damage, or in a cat that old, she could have blown out her retina due to high blood pressure (has she had her kidney function checked lately?) and now be blind in that eye (and be about to go blind in the other). I am not a veterinarian, and it could still be something like a scratch or infection, but with her age and those other possibilities, I would take her to the vet today if it were my cat.

# ¿ Aug 8, 2009 16:37

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

Smoking_Dragon posted:

I have a question about flying with a kitten.

I'm going to be flying a 12 week old male Siamese kitten from Raleigh, North Carolina to Orlando, Florida (about a 2 hour flight) on Southwest airlines in a few weeks. My plan right now is to find a cat carrier that looks as least like a cat carrier as possible and sneak the kitten on with my carry-on baggage. I don't plan on trying to sedate the cat in any way because of his age, just play with him a lot during the day so hopefully he's asleep most of the trip. I also plan on putting him in the carrier for a few hours in the days before the the trip so hopefully he's used to it. He will be up to date on his vaccinations and I should be getting a travel certificate from my parents just in case I need to produce it.

Am I going about this the right way and am I missing anything? Does anyone know of a good cat carrier that looks like a duffel bag?

You do realize that carry-on baggage gets x-rayed, right? If you just pay about $100 you can get a ticket for your cat, which they will typically ask to see at security when you walk through the metal detector with your cat, rather than sending it through on the belt. I guess there's a chance they won't ask for your cat's ticket, but you're not going to fool anyone at security about what's in your bag.

# ¿ Aug 20, 2009 14:51

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

crtdx posted:

Am I getting hosed over here or am I being unreasonable? Why is he getting FVRCP again when the Humane Society got him? Why does he need FELEUK if he is an inside cat and why does he need to be dewormed every 2-3 weeks for fucks sake?

FVRCP is given in a series of usually 3 vaccines. The basic idea is that vaccines don't really work if the mother's antibodies are still protecting the kitten, and because we don't know exactly when those antibodies are going to wear off in any particular individual, the shots are given at regular intervals to kittens just to be safe. That's all pretty standard. As for FeLV, the American Association of Feline Practitioners recommends vaccinating all kittens for FeLV. If he is indoors only, he shouldn't need to get the vaccine every year, but because the FeLV vaccine is relatively safe and is suspected to be relatively long-lasting, it's a good idea to give it to all kittens just because you never know where they might end up.

So just to warn you, most veterinarians are going to suggest that he still needs one more FVRCP, possibly one more FeLV, and Rabies. It seems like a lot of shots, but it's only kittens that need all these boosters. In years to come, he won't require nearly as many shots.

The only things that seem iffy to me on the invoice stuff are the FeLV/FIV combo test and the million dewormings. $50 is a lot for a combo test, so $70 seems a little ridiculous. It also surprises me that the Humane Society didn't test him (or else didn't provide you with records of testing him). Did they run the combo test while you waited, or did it take a day or two to get results? I guess if they sent the test to an outside lab that could account for it being so expensive, but I don't know. I also have no idea why they think your kitten needs to be dewormed 5 times unless he's having GI issues or they actually found evidence of parasites in his stool.

Considering how much money you're spending at this clinic, it would be nice if your veterinarian was answering all of your questions instead of the internet. If they're blowing you off and not explaining all the stuff they're doing to your kitten, I'd consider looking for another vet with better people skills.

# ¿ Aug 22, 2009 17:01

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

The Animal Fizz posted:

Also, side question: Sammy has not yet been neutered (I know, I know), but I wanted to get it done when I get Charlotte spayed, which will presumably be when she's 6 months old. What are the chances Sam will knock her up before then? If they're very great, I'll have him done ASAP, but I was hoping to minimize the number of days I spent caring for infirmed kitties by getting them done the one shot.

Just give them some time. It's normal for it to take even a few weeks for cats to adjust to new places and new cats.

As for spaying/neutering, it's not uncommon for cats to go into heat as young as 4-5 months. Neuter him now just to be safe. Neutering really isn't a big deal at all, and he won't be "infirmed" after. Most cats are only under anesthesia for about 10 minutes (or less) and don't need more than a single dose of pain medicine. It's a really minor procedure, and honestly I don't know how you've tolerated the smell of tom cat pee for this long. :v:

# ¿ Aug 25, 2009 02:15

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

Rev. Bleech_ posted:

Anyway, I did have one question that I hadn't seen addressed. My biggest concern for little Meow Tse Tung is vet bills; I hate even paying for people doctors, so this is kind of a concern. The wife did, however, find out that you can get what amounts to health insurance for your pet for around $10/month. I like the idea but find it to sound a little scammmish at the same time. Is this a good thing to get, and if so are there any recommendations? Or is it even more of a hassle than human insurance? Or is it just another way to seperate fools and money?

For pet insurance, be sure you're reading the fine print. I have never heard of insurance for $10/month that will cover wellness visits (spay, vaccines, deworming, etc), which is what you're going to be spending the most on for the next few months. Most plans jack up the price significantly for wellness coverage, while the base coverage of $10/month (or whatever) will only cover illnesses, and only so many dollars per diagnosis (typically not enough).

Look into it and decide for yourself, but the more I've read about pet insurance, the more I think it's a big scam, like any insurance. They're making tons of money after all.

Even if your kitten is perfectly healthy, you should plan on spending $500+ in the next few months on shots and a spay. Personally I would just take the money you would be spending on pet insurance and set it aside for pet emergencies every month.

# ¿ Sep 20, 2009 17:14

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

spatula posted:

So my kitten Dwight is getting neutered right now. I pick him up in just a couple hours.

The post-op instructions say "No running, jumping, playing or strenuous activity for 7 � 10 days." How the gently caress am I supposed to manage that? Kittens are insane. Will he just be sore for a while and relax on his own? I'm afraid he's going to rip his stitches open as soon as I take him home and the painkillers wear off. I'll ask when I pick him up, but any insight from you guys would be great

He'll probably be a crazy kitten by tomorrow, and it will be fine. Neuters are so minor that he most likely won't have stitches, so there's nothing to rip out. Cats are pretty smart and generally won't do stuff if it hurts.

# ¿ Dec 17, 2009 22:17

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

Zwille posted:

- What food do you use? what she's gotten nearly all her life: about a tablespoon of turkey breast, raw, chopped, and 1 tbsp oatmeal as well as another tbsp veggies/fruit, mashed, and oil & her heart&lung medicine and some taurin paste

Why are you feeding this? What is your cat's source of calcium?

# ¿ Dec 30, 2009 03:51

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

Stew Man Chew posted:

I think my cat has ear mites, she's an indoor-only kitty and we live high up in an apartment complex so she has pretty much zero contact with anything even remotely related to the outdoors. How did she pick up parasites?

Also, if I get her an OTC miticide, can I swab the extra cerumen out of her one ear safely, or is that a vet-only kinda treatment?

Your cat should go to the vet because there's no way to tell the difference between ear mites and ear infection with the naked eye with absolute certainty. If she's indoor-only and it's just one ear, I'm leaning towards infection.

# ¿ Feb 5, 2010 14:28

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

RheaConfused posted:

It's the crazy face.

No I'm pretty sure it's the stinky face. :colbert:

Also this.

# ¿ Feb 26, 2010 04:19

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

pandafan posted:

Hey guys,
I have a quick question. Is it safe to clean a cat's ears with olive oil? I keep reading that using olive oil helps remove dirt, but I just wanted to get another opinion...

I have never heard of using olive oil, and it seems like it would make a huge mess.

I would use rubbing alcohol. But if you're seeing a lot of dark build-up you should probably have a vet take a look in case it's mites or an ear infection, which cleaning won't fix. They can also show you how to clean ears properly.

# ¿ Feb 26, 2010 14:35

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

Android Thumper posted:

- Age
5
- Sex
Female
- How long have you had your cat?
All her life.
- Is your cat spayed or neutered?
No.
- What food do you use?
Friskies Seafood Sensations!
- When was your last vet visit?
Never.
- Is your cat indoors, outdoors, both?
Complete shut in.
- How many pets in your household?
3, two other dogs that have minimal interactions.
- How many litter boxes do you have?
1 for the cat, not shared.

While I was petting my cat's chest the other day, I noticed there was some sort of weird, fleshly lump on her chest. There is also a similar feeling line/tube from that line down to her abdomen. She doesn't seem to mind it being touched, no more than any other part of her body.

It's about the size of a walnut. Not solid, just soft. The only other thing worth mentioning is her fur has become a little patchy as of late. Missing fur only on her elbows and thighs.

What could this possibly be? It's got my girlfriend in such a tizzy!

It could be a million different things, and no one can tell you over the internet. Maybe when you take your cat to the vet to be spayed and vaccinated like any responsible pet owner, they can tell you. I hear they specialize in this sort of thing!

edit: it could be a mammary tumor due to the fact that your cat isn't spayed, I hope that helps

Crooked Booty fucked around with this message at 02:09 on Mar 3, 2010

# ¿ Mar 3, 2010 02:01

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

Teatime Prize posted:

That cat looks very old. He may just have good teeth, or he may have had his teeth cleaned, but he does not look like a young cat to me.

He looks underweight, and the weight loss is probably from a health problem, but there is no way to say that he's not being treated for something. As for the matting, some cats simply won't tolerate grooming.

They may be neglecting him, but I've seem cats who are loved and well taken care of looking worse than he does. I don't think there's anything wrong with giving him food and hanging out with him, but I don't think it's logical to assume he's being mistreated just based on how he looks. Why don't you try chatting with them and ask what he's sick with, or how old he is? If they won't give you any information, I'd see if the RSPCA has any better luck.

# ¿ Mar 21, 2010 04:00

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

Serella posted:

This isn't really an acceptable excuse, though. Animals can be stubborn about things like medicine or grooming, but that doesn't give anyone a license to just let their neglect their pet's well-being. If your cat won't let you brush him and it gets to the point where his fur starts to mat, you should take him to a groomer to have professionals handle it, not just let it happen because the cat is being difficult.

Sorry, but if a cat is going to require sedation to get the mats out, and the cat is 20+ years old and very sick, then the cat is gonna have mats. Ideally it never gets to that point, but some cats really will not tolerate grooming while awake.

If that's not the case with this cat, then definitely call in the RSPCA.

Edit: Serella - that's what I was talking about. A lot of cats have to be sedated to be shaved. Whatever, this is totally irrelevant.

Crooked Booty fucked around with this message at 18:24 on Mar 21, 2010

# ¿ Mar 21, 2010 15:14

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

justFaye posted:

We adopted a cat about a month and a half ago and bought one of the collars from the shelter pet store. In the last couple weeks though it's started to get really frayed, I think because she scratches it. I don't think the integrity of the collar is compromised (yet) but it sure looks ugly. Are there any collars out there that are scratch resistant or fray resistant?

I'd try Beastie Bands -- there's a list of retailers on the company's site, but you can also get them online. They are made out of stretchy foam stuff, kind of like what koozies are made out of, but thinner. They may wear out eventually, but there won't be ugly threads hanging off. Plus you're probably going to want to buy more than one ridiculous pattern anyway. :3:

# ¿ Mar 24, 2010 13:05

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

Teatime Prize posted:

So, my semi-stray doorstop kitty has been doing well, lazing around my house and putting on a little weight from being fed, but just now I was petting him and felt a lump about the size and shape of a golf ball in his stomach area. Am I right in responding to this by taking him down to the free vet tomorrow morning, or is it some cat thing I don't know about?

That sounds bad.

I'd take him to the vet if you can. With cats, lumps are typically bad and typically need to be removed.

The only thing I'd be worried about is that he could be dealing with other medical issues that his "owners" know about and you don't. I doubt a free clinic is going to be able to do much about the lump anyway.

On the bright side, if you pay a bunch to have the cat checked out and the lump removed, you could probably claim the cat as yours due to being the one who spent the money on it.

# ¿ Mar 25, 2010 04:09

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

RheaConfused posted:

Behavior problems are a primary cause of cats being relinquished to shelters. In one study, when all factors were accounted for, overall odds of being relinquished to a shelter was almost double for declawed cats as intact cats (1.89 compared to 1.00).

Maybe this has nothing to do with the actual declawing, and it's just that people who declaw tend to be assholes who care more about furniture than cats. :v:

# ¿ Apr 15, 2010 22:01

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

Auracounts posted:

but you've actually seen cats swallow twist ties?

Yep, my cat eats both. Twist ties have been banished from my apartment. To be honest though, he eats everything. :downs:

# ¿ Apr 24, 2010 14:39

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

Duckman2008 posted:

To update people on my epic new cat introductions, we currently have the new cat in a crate with the older one walking around. They coexist to a point, but going into hissing fits when they run into each other.

My older cat is so sad and even walks away from us when we give him attention. Here's hoping they at least get along, cuz i'll prob be really sad otherwise.

Stop rushing things. Didn't you just get the new cat yesterday? If you read the cat intro post, you'd know that the introduction typically takes a few days to a few weeks, and until the cats are curious about each other, they should be in seperate rooms. Putting your cat in a crate while a strange cat wanders around it sounds like it would be extremely stressful for both cats. Put the new cat in a bathroom and leave it there all day (at least).

If they are just hissing, they are probably going to end up getting along fine unless you traumatize them both and ruin everything. :v:

You have to give them time to adjust without a stranger hissing in their face.

# ¿ Apr 25, 2010 14:34

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

Parsnip posted:

Sorry to bother everyone with yet another cat pee problem!

The vet is the first step, for sure. It definitely sounds like he could be peeing due to stress, but first you need to rule out infections/crystals/etc. If it's stress, there are various kinds of kitty prozac that really help some cats.

It may not be that he's being chased out of the box, or that he's marking his territory. With some cats, if they're stressed, it can have an actual physiological effect on their bladder, which is uncomfortable, so they pee. It's a lot like interstitial cystitis in people -- in fact, some varieties of "kitty prozac" are used in people with intersitial cystitis.

You may also want to try Cat Attract litter. For three cats, you should ideally have at least 4 litter boxes. Until you get him to the vet, I would try keeping the door to your sister's room shut.

# ¿ May 9, 2010 05:32

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

bango skank posted:

We've got a pair of brothers that're about a year and a half old now, and I have a question regarding one:

Today the bigger of the two has been using the litter box very frequently. Yesterday he wasn't doing anything out of the norm, this morning is was fine and slept on the couch for a few hours before getting up, but when he did I noticed he started using the litter box every half hour or so. It's now 9pm, and he keeps getting up, trying(Looks like he's trying to poop, but nothing's coming) to use the litter box, and then going back into the living room to lay down before trying again in ten minutes or so.

I'm thinking he's just constipated, as I've checked him out and he doesn't seem to be tender or sore anywhere. Should I just wait a day or so to see how he is, maybe buying him some canned pumpkin to help out, or should I be more worried?

He needs to go to the vet ASAP. Squatting without producing anything is what cats do when their urethras are blocked, which is really common in male cats. Blockages can kill a cat within about 24 hours in some cases, so this is considered an emergency. As you can imagine, it's terribly uncomfortable and becomes pretty excruciating as the cat's bladder fills up. Get him to the vet and let us know what happens. :ohdear:

Edit: How did PI fail to reply to this post for 8 hours? :argh:

Crooked Booty fucked around with this message at 14:23 on May 15, 2010

# ¿ May 15, 2010 14:17

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

You may also want to see if you can find some Royal Canin "Baby Cat". It's a dry food, but the pieces are crumb-sized and tiny kittens tend to really like it. The big chain stores usually carry it.

# ¿ Jun 10, 2010 21:51

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

Purple_slug posted:

Hey PI! I have a developing cat situation and I could use some advice!

My mom knows a lady whose cat had kittens kinda recently. The kittens are probably two months old or so. My mom and I are thinking about adopting one of them especially since we haven't had a cat in a really long time. (Our last cat passed away about five years ago.) So there is this one white cat with green eyes. He's absolutely adorable! But umm... I guess he's deaf.

Well. Before we commit to this adoption, I was wondering if anyone else has experience with deaf cats. He's a young dude so he's going to need a little training. Is being deaf a really tough handicap? Is he better off with people who have more experience?

I say go for it. Deaf cats do really well. Obviously he should be kept indoors 100% of the time because he would be a lot more likely to get run over or eaten by a dog. Other than that, deaf cats are pretty normal. You won't be able to yell at him from across the room to get off the kitchen counter, but my cats are "deaf" in this regard, too.

I've known a couple older cats who went deaf later in life and became big talkers (to the point of being annoying) but I don't think that's a common thing with cats who are born deaf.

# ¿ Jun 15, 2010 03:30

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

Power Dips posted:

Back again!

So I've just registered my kittens with the vets and will take them in on friday for the vaccs and a full check up etc. They now offer 'outdoor' and 'indoor' cat vaccs where the indoor one doesn't include the leukaemia jag, should I get it just in case?

As my cats will be staying as indoor cats, I don't really have to get that one for them as well but I just have this fear of "ohmygod what if they get out and get bitten by another cat and they get it and I could've prevented it for a measly extra 20 quid"

I think I just answered my own question there actually but thoughts?

The American Association of Feline Practitioners recommends vaccinating indoor cats against FeLV as kittens. Adult cats are thought to develop some natural immunity to FeLV, too. So yes, I think you answered your own question.

# ¿ Jun 23, 2010 23:50

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

The Modern Leper posted:

I guess to make it an FAQ type of question -- what resources are available for a person to find a reputable vet? I thought I remembered seeing a question like this in the first 20 pages of the thread, but it never made the op and it's been a while.

For cats, I would always start by checking this website: http://www.catvets.com/findadoctor/findadoctor.aspx

AAFP members will generally be vets who have a particular interest in feline medicine and may be more up-to-date on recommended vaccine protocols, etc. Most people have good experiences with cat-only clinics, too, and it looks like there are several to choose from in Philadelphia. Reading reviews on the internet can be helpful, but some people are stupid and angry and cheap and leave horrible reviews for great vets, so take everything with a grain of salt. If you're trying to narrow it down between a couple that look good, you may want to compare their hours to your work schedule (some are open later in the evenings, some aren't open on Saturdays, etc.) -- convenience and location are definitely worth something.

That VCA Cat Hospital may be great, but I wouldn't choose it based on brand name alone. Some VCA hospitals are terrible, and some are great, which is true for all corporate clinics.

# ¿ Jun 26, 2010 17:17

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

Casca posted:

TL;DR-
I've got a kitten with an abscess on her tail, yesterday the vet gave her an antibiotic shot and 7 days of pills. She was eating OK up until last night. Now she will barely nibble at the tasty stinky wet food I'm offering and also she threw up a little fluid twice last night and once this morning. She's been drinking water and going to the bathroom all right. I'm concerned that the antibiotics may be causing nausea. Her vet is closed on weekends. What can I do to get this kitten to eat before it gets out of hand and her liver goes crazy?

I would call an e-vet first of all, just for advice. In addition to the liver, I'd be worried about her blood sugar getting too low since she's a kitten. Was the shot Convenia? If so, that's unfortunate because it's meant to stay in her system for over a week.

In any case, I'd mix some canned food with water and try to syringe feed her a little. You can also try canned tuna or some chicken/turkey baby food (just make sure there aren't any non-meat ingredients in it). If she can't keep the food down, I'd take her to the e-vet. They should at least be able to give her something for nausea or to help boost her appetite.

Sounds like this kitten was very lucky your husband found her! You should probably post pics. :3:

# ¿ Jun 26, 2010 18:25

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

Casca posted:

After my last post I was able to find a proper syringe at Walmart and I just fed the kitten 6ml of wet kitten food mixed with formula. Is that enough? Too much? And how often should I keep giving it to her? On an optimistic note, she hasn't vomited anything I've given her yet and is now sleeping peacefully.

I would wait couple hours to see if she is able to keep it down. If so, you could do another 6-12ml. I'm not sure how calorie-rich that formula is, but as long as you're getting a little something in her a handful of times per day, her blood glucose and liver should be okay. Hopefully she'll perk up and start eating on her own soon, but if you have to keep this up until you can get her to a vet on Monday, I'd probably shoot for 40ml per day minimum. Just take it really slow.

# ¿ Jun 27, 2010 00:25

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

Casca posted:

She's been pooping pretty regularly one or twice a day. I don't think she's constipated, last week when she first got here they were hard and black but now they're normal kitten poops. The last time that I'm positive she went was yesterday morning and I'm certain she went on Friday afternoon also. Past that I'm not sure, she's sharing a box with my other cat and I haven't been paying a huge amount of attention.

Update on the eating front- the last syringe I gave her last night seems to have stayed down unless Diesel snuck off and did it behind the couch or something while I was asleep. I gave her another one this morning about 3 hours ago. Oh, and I've been giving a fingerful of yogurt at every feeding also. She still doesn't seem to be much interested in eating on her own.

Sometimes when cats are constipated, they will strain in the litter box to the point of making themselves vomit (usually right next to the box) so I would try to keep an eye on her when she goes in the box to make sure she's taking care of business. Kittens usually poop at least a few times per day.

Yes, the vet should be able to prescribe something for nausea if that's the only problem. But the fact that she's vomiting when she goes in the litter box, and that the abscess is on the base of her tail, makes me wonder if those things aren't related -- i.e. she may have made herself constipated due to pain from her tail, which is now causing the vomiting -- so it may be that fixing the constipation and the pain is more appropriate than treating the nausea directly.

# ¿ Jun 27, 2010 14:11

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

Rotten Punk posted:

So my kitten (about 3 months) is puking. He did it like 2 days ago and then was fine until today when he puked up his wet kitten food maybe 20 minutes after eating it. The puke is basically just whatever he ate coming back up (he even tried to eat it again today ) and he is still using the litter box. Should I bring him to the vet or is he just eating too much or something?

fake edit: He is eating again as I type this.

How often are you feeding him? Some kittens like to eat too quickly and barf it up. If he seems like he might be gorging himself, I'd try feeding him smaller portions more frequently.

Of course, go to the vet if he's not acting right, loses his appetite, or doesn't improve.

# ¿ Jun 30, 2010 02:19

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

Is it possible you'll end up with some dead kittens if you take them in at 1-2 weeks? Absolutely. Is it possible some of the kittens will die whether you mess with them or not, living on the street with an inexperienced mother? Sure.

If you take them in closer to 4 weeks, they will still be extremely easy to socialize. You just run the risk that she will move them before then. The best way to ensure she doesn't leave to start feeding her stinky canned food twice a day. She is probably desperate for some good nutrition to nurse those babies.

What the feral group I worked with used to do in this situation: trap the mom in a humane trap, round up the babies, and put the whole happy family in a big dog crate (covered up) or a bathroom. Let her nurse them instead of your friend bottle feeding every two hours. That way you can make sure everyone is eating and healthy, but basically just leave them alone to avoid stressing out the mom (other than providing food, water, litter). When the babies are mobile and older, you can start socializing them by just hanging out in the bathroom, or by separating them from mom if she's in a dog crate, and taking her in to get spayed.

Personally I would not take them from mom at 1-2 weeks if she is caring for them. They are better off with her until they're a little older. I would trap the whole family. Google around for a TNR group in LA because there have to be a few at least. They can probably hook you up with a loaner trap and dog crate, and may ever know where to get you some discounted vet care.

edit: If you do the above, don't let the mom get loose in the apartment or it will be bad. If you put a cozy cat carrier in the dog crate or bathroom, she will probably opt to hide in it, making it easy to capture her. Also, sometimes adult cats turn out to be a lot less feral than you think once their trapped.

Crooked Booty fucked around with this message at 12:53 on Jul 7, 2010

# ¿ Jul 7, 2010 12:48

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

FeLV and FIV are both near-zero risks if they're not coming into contact with each other or sharing food/water bowls, but there are definitely other risks. The most common contagious things would be stuff like fleas or upper respiratory infections. A good handwashing and separate food/water/litter will prevent most other stuff.

I can totally understand your friend not wanting a feral cat in her apartment, and of course her own cat's well-being should come first. I would call FixNation and any other TNR or cat rescue groups you can find and tell them the situation. Explain that she has the kittens in a bad spot, and you're really afraid she's going to move them. There may be someone who would be willing to foster the whole family. You may also be able to find someone fostering a tame mom cat with kittens around the same size who could "adopt" those babies as her own.

# ¿ Jul 8, 2010 00:14

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

shark farts posted:

Edit: Nevermind, as far as I can tell it's likely that anything a vet would use for a flea treatment is way too harsh for kittens this young. We'd probably be able to do a better, safer job just giving them a bath using dawn soap and spraying some flea stuff around the apartment beforehand, but I don't think management would believe that we're capable of doing it ourselves. Hrmm.

That flea stuff you linked before probably won't work, and I personally wouldn't use any flea product around kittens that young without consulting a vet. The only stuff that reliably kills fleas is the name-brand stuff you get from a vet, like Frontline or Advantage. I would call your friend's vet and ask what they recommend. There is a pill that kills fleas on the animal for about 24 hours that I think is safe for tiny kittens in very small doses -- it's called Capstar. That and dawn soap might be your best bet.

# ¿ Jul 10, 2010 14:41

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

nef posted:

I asked the nurse when booking the appointment, and was told that she'll ask the vet if he's happy to do it that way. Is there a reason he would refuse? I don't want to spoil her pretty fur but if there's a risk to her health by going in from her belly, then I'll just live with the patch for a year.

In my experience, going in from her underside is standard for most veterinarians. Most vets will only go from the side if there's a reason to avoid the cat's belly (lactating, injured in some other way, etc.). It should be no problem for your vet to do it on her belly.

Also, I'm pretty sure that the fur can grow back dark on the belly just as easily as on the side, but I'm not an expert. In my (anecdotal) experience, it seems like the fur is more likely to grow back dark when it's shaved nearer to the dark extremities than on the body/trunk. For example, shaving a spot on the leg for an IV catheter may grow back dark. Some vets (especially at low-cost places) don't place catheters for spays, but if a dark leg patch would bother you, I'd let them know. Sometimes catheters can be placed without shaving.

# ¿ Jul 15, 2010 20:30

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

Sumadartson posted:

Two questions though:
- The kitten has been using both litter boxes we have, no longer leaving the older cat with her own litter box. She seems reluctant to use them now. Is this something we should be worried about?
- Also, the older cat seems hell-bent on eating some of the kitten's food. Is this a dominance thing? And, should we just let her, so that hierarchies can be established, or should we try to stop her from doing this?

You could get another litter box (the ideal rule is number of boxes = number of cats + 1), but they're probably going to have to get used to sharing eventually. Mosts cats just get over it eventually.

She is eating the kitten food because it is delicious. Not a dominance thing. Kitten food is usually just a little higher in protein and fat than adult food, so unless she's a huge fatty, it won't hurt her to snack on some kitten food.

# ¿ Jul 24, 2010 11:50

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

Opera Bitch posted:

I have a question about the number of sires and dames a cat breeder should have. My cat is 13 years old and while she is still virile and healthy, the fact is that eventually she will pass away. My husband, who is allergic to cats, said he would consider getting a Sphynx cat after she passes as long as he can spend extended time around a few to see how much of a reaction he has: if it is low we may get one. After looking at several catteries online, I noticed many of them have several males and females they use to breed. I have also found one that only has one pair of parents. I just worry that having so many cats to breed screams "mill" despite what their descriptions say, and wonder how breeders can take care of five to twelve adult cats at a time.

It's very common for reputable catteries to have multiple breeding adults. Honestly, I would almost be more concerned that the breeder with just a pair of cats is more of a "hobby breeder" or BYB than a larger cattery -- i.e. they had a female and didn't spay her, and decided to get a male and make babies, and that's that. I would also be much more concerned if one cattery is producing several different breeds of cat. If you want to post links to the breeders' websites, we could probably give you more specific input on who looks good/bad.

Also be aware that many people are allergic to a protein in cat saliva, not dander, and that hairless breeds can actually be more allergenic to some of these people.

# ¿ Jul 24, 2010 17:02

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

Don't Ask posted:

My cat just barfed up some... stuff.

It was greenish and lumpy, and had a few whole undigested treats that I gave him a few minutes before.

This is the first time he's done anything even slightly related to being ill, so I'm not sure how much I should worry.

Right after he finished puking he became very interested in it, so I covered it with some paper towels and the top half of his carrier, otherwise he probably would have ate it all back up. Then he became very affectionate, purring and rubbing up on me and even gently trying to bat my mouth (which he usually does right after I wake up, having missed me the whole night ).

So overall he seems alright now, but is there anything special that I should be wary of?

e: Forgot to add:
He's about a year old, neutered, eating drinking and eliminating normally, and he's goddamn fighting me to get to the pile of vomit. He's even squeaking at me to try to get me to uncover his puke! He's trying everything to get to it.

I usually take it as a good sign if a cat wants to eat their own puke because they can't be feeling too terrible if they still have an appetite.

I would just keep an eye on him for now. He may have just eaten too many treats too fast. You probably don't need to worry unless he starts acting weird, can't keep his food down later, or doesn't want to eat.

# ¿ Jul 25, 2010 16:26

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

Carebear posted:

Thanks, moron, but clearly this wasn't the case judging from the calm manner I was typing in, and the fact this is a FAQ thread. I realize that PI posters love jumping on the rear end in a top hat bandwagon, but common sense should dictate when this is appropriate.

Anyway, to the posters that don't have their finger on the trigger, I was just trying to settle an argument between two people. One is getting blamed for taking too long to bring the cat to the ER vet, and I wanted to assuage the situation by telling the other person that most likely, it would have been too late either way.

For what it's worth, I saw 3 people run into the clinic where I used to work, all with limp blue cats, all probably with HCM, and none of them made it. Not even the tiny kitty defibrillator was enough. :smith:

It sounds like your friend's cat had no chance.

# ¿ Jul 30, 2010 12:59

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

Laserface posted:

Hey guys, Meet Lemmy and Burton (from left to right), my new kittens! Burman/persian cross.
I have a few questions

They will probably suck eating each others' nuts when their nuts are gone. I wouldn't worry about it too much, but if it's really bothering you, you could try squirting them with a spray bottle of water when they're doing it.

Second -- If they're 14 weeks and haven't been to the vet since before 10 weeks, they really need to go ASAP. Kittens need several rounds of vaccines spaced apart by a few weeks, so they are probably overdue. Some vets will neuter them at the size they are now, but most will prefer to wait until they're closer to 4-6 months.

Third -- Yep, kittens are eating machines. Unless they're starting to get really fat, I wouldn't worry about it. When they're closer to 6 months old, you may want to start dividing up their dry food into 2-3 measured meals per day instead of leaving it out all the time.

As for indoors/outdoors, your cats are much safer living indoors only and will never know they're missing out on anything if you man up and learn to scoop a litter box.

ToxicFrog posted:

So tiny!

Wow that kitten in front is a fat little monster. :3:

# ¿ Aug 1, 2010 15:05

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# ¿ Apr 16, 2024 22:37

Crooked Booty: Apr 2, 2009; arrr

Knockknees posted:

-One is, is it normal for an old cat to be lethargic and not eat much? His activity level is pretty much sleep all day, getting off the armchair every couple of hours to sniff the corners of the house and then lay down to sleep again. He usually harasses us a few times during the night as well. He never finishes the dry food we put out for him each day, but he is definitely going over and munching it and eating it throughout the day and drinking from his water as well. Maybe he doesn't need much? Maybe he misses his owner and old apartment?
-Two is, have you ever heard of a cat that refuses to groom one side of himself? He's perfectly fine on one half of his body, but the other side is dirty and matted and dredded. His hair is short-medium length. The owner says that he's always been like that, the vet always cuts it and brushes it out, but it gets back to matted right away. And he hates to be brushed. Not much I can do about it since I only have him for a few more days, but I'm just curious.

How much are you feeding him, and what kind of food? Cats sleep something like 20 hours a day, so it may be totally normal for him. I would check with his owner about how much he usually eats, but it would also be normal for him to be eating a little less if he's missing his home/owner.
As for the grooming, I've never personally seen that. Cats that are fat or have arthritis sometimes get greasy/matted in the areas that are hard/painful to reach, but if he's always done that, who knows. Maybe he's put together funny and has a hard time turning one direction.

Adam Bowen posted:

cats peeing

Are they spayed/neutered? Have you tried Cat Attract litter? How many litter boxes and how often are you scooping? Do they ever urinate in the litter box? If so, is there any correlation between cleanliness of the litter and when they use it? Some cats simply will not use a dirty box.

I would put them both in a bathroom or closet with a litter box and nothing soft that they might want to pee on. Scoop the box at least twice a day, and don't let them out unless they're supervised. If they will use the box while confined, I would gradually increase the area they have access to. Basically retrain them to use the litter.

You are going to need to soak the hell out of your mattress and couch (and anywhere your old cat peed) with Nature's Miracle if you want to salvage them. If you can smell any faint urine odor on the furniture, it reeks to them, and they're going to keep peeing on it. Get Cat Attract litter. The ideal number of litter boxes is number of cats +1, so three boxes spread out in your apartment.

I really doubt the pee pads will attract the cats to pee there, but really you should just get a plastic mattress cover. It may help contain any odor in there, too, but soak the Mattress in Nature's Miracle and let it air out before you cover it. (And by soak, I mean you will probably need several gallons of Nature's Miracle to cover everything they've peed on -- not just a little squirt bottle.)

# ¿ Aug 3, 2010 23:01

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

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