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ThisIsACoolGuy posted:So the cat I posted about earlier is doing fine and he's settled in but I'm kind of worried he's getting to attached to me. Diagnosis: your cat is being a cat. Some do get very attached to certain people.
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Aug 27, 2013 18:23
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Organza Quiz posted:That's a pretty good idea if shaving won't help. She has a wooden bowl that she likes to lie in and I've seen her find another couple of cool places on very hot days so she is reasonably good at finding places to not overheat if necessary, but more and cooler can't hurt. It's just that if having less fur would make her more comfortable I'd rather do that. Her normal schedule is chasing butterflies (and catching and eating them) all morning before having a snooze in the afternoon and if it's too hot for her to do that she ends up with too much energy come evening. For example, she's being a total dickhead right now since it's cooled down a bit and she basically didn't move all day. So anything that'll make it easier for her to work off young cat energy (she's just over a year old) during the day is a plus for me. Florida goon with a long-haired cat here. Tile floors and the porcelain sink and bathtub are where my cat loves to laze around during the summer months - those materials are well insulated and stay cool even during the height of summer. However, my cat is an indoor cat and by the butterfly comment it sounds like your cat is mainly outdoors. Outdoor cats are a very bad idea in general, as far as I'm concerned, and my cat, who's a long-hair of indeterminate breed, usually avoids the screened-in porch during the summer.
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Dec 7, 2013 16:44
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Organza Quiz posted:Actually, she only has access to a pretty well cat-proofed backyard in terms of outdoors. She's out there a lot when it's not too hot for her because it's full of interesting things but when it's hot she's inside moping all day. She's capable of finding coolish places to sleep indoors, I'd just prefer her being more comfortable in general rather than melting into the floor. I wouldn't mind so much if she was a bit older and more prone to sleeping all day but as is she gets really antsy as soon as it starts cooling down because she hasn't done anything all day. I had my cat shaved one summer to see if it made any difference, and he's much fluffier than yours. It didn't seem to make much of a difference. It usually gets over 100 F here during the summer, about the temperatures you're reporting, and my cat is indeed very lethargic when it's that hot out and usually retreats indoors. Shaving your cat likely would help a little, but in my experience cats don't like to be active when it's that hot out. My cat usually gets more active in the evenings during the summer.
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Dec 7, 2013 20:21
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DressCodeBlue posted:Butts is the only cat I've had that actually accepts ALL THE TUMMYRUBS when in that position. No rabbit-kicking from the goof. My cat's like this. If he wants attention, he'll jump in your lap or flop over in front of your feet and roll over for a belly scratch. If a cat doesn't like you, it will puff up and hiss/scratch a lot. If your cat flops over for belly scratches rather than to prepare a bear trap, it's probably not being traumatized.
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Dec 30, 2013 19:11
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Engineer Lenk posted:If you decide to get an only cat because of the apartment cost, there are a ton of adult cats out there in shelters and rescues who need to be the only cat. This is what I'm doing. When my apartment lease comes up for renewal and I can remove the no pets clause, I intend to get an adult cat from a shelter who needs to be an only cat.
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Aug 14, 2014 22:07
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spog posted:Thanks for that suggestion. My family's cat absolutely loves his catnip mouse, but I've seen other cats completely ignore them, so depends on the cat. Laser pointers are usually popular, too.
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Aug 28, 2014 00:24
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duckfarts posted:Getting one cat is fine; two is simply recommended. How long a cat can be left alone is kinda based on their personality, though generally, 12 hours alone really isn't a problem. I'd suggest getting an oldcat(3 years+) rather than a kitten if this is his first cat though. I'm in the same position (planning on getting one cat despite working some long days), and for what it's worth my plan is to visit a local animal shelter and specifically ask the staff there for an adult cat that would be better in a one-cat apartment that doesn't mind the occasional long day.
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Sep 9, 2014 05:24
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My family's cat had to be put to sleep today.  He was 18, and we gave him a good life. Farewell, you dumb but affectionate goofball.
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Oct 2, 2014 01:37
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DaisyDanger posted:What a handsome guy. 18 years is a good, long life for a kitty. He did have four legs and a long fluffy tail, he just tended to sit weirdly as in that photo. He always had that surprised look on his face, too. Rest in peace, doofus.
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Oct 3, 2014 03:36
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tentawesome posted:Is anyone else's cat a little magpie? Sigma likes to find things from around the house and then put them in a pile next to his food bowl. It used to be just pens and the clips for my barbell, but he has now graduated to... water bottle caps and can openers. Your cat is being a cat, yep.
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Oct 13, 2014 19:03
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more like dICK posted:I've had my cat for about 18 months. This weekend she started occasionally swatting her own tail. She'll swat at it a bit, then really go for it and yelp when she gets it. Sounds like a normal cat to me. One of the cats I had as a kid would do that.
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Dec 22, 2014 15:45
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Tiny Lowtax posted:That's def a Maine Coon. My parents got to be about 25 pounds. Super friendly who followed my mom around everywhere. This is my experience with maine coons as well. Giant lovable fluffballs who always want to be your friend.
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Jan 6, 2015 18:07
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Xibanya posted:First off, cute kitties! Basically, any giant fluffy tabby in the US is likely to be at least part Maine Coon, particularly if they have furry paws and ears. Especially if they're a brown-ish tabby, it's safe to call it a Maine Coon outside of contexts where pedigrees and whatnot are involved. Norwegian Forest Cats are the European version. Current theory is that Maine Coons are descendants of the big northern European cats that came to North America on viking and early European ships. Or in short, it's a giant fluffy cat that's likely to be extremely affectionate regardless of its exact genetics.
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Jan 6, 2015 21:19
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Dogen posted:One of our cats is Maine Coon-ish, and I knew another one in Austin (he passed, sadly) from the same neighborhood (they were both strays) who had to have been mostly Maine Coon (he was HUGE and had that hilarious characteristic high pitch squeak meow). I think there must be an unfixed one running loose in NW Austin. Or could be a local animal rescue got a bunch from a hoarder/BYB. We had a case of that when I was volunteering at an animal shelter in college - a Maine Coon breeder who kept dozens in appallingly filthy conditions, and all the cats went to the shelter I was working at. Took a few months to get them used to human contact, but they eventually reverted to type and became extremely affectionate fluffballs that got adopted out in short order.
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Jan 7, 2015 17:59
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So, I'm planning on adopting a cat in a couple months, once my apartment lease comes up for renewal so I can remove the no pets clause without an additional fee. It's something I've been planning on for a while, and I'm checking to see if I have everything I should need. I live in a small apartment by myself, and my plan is to visit this local no-kill animal shelter when it's time and ask the staff about an adult cat (I do not have the time or energy for a kitten or two) that would be best off in a one-cat household. I have: * Litter box with clumping cat litter * Electric Drinkwell-brand cat water fountain (with extra charcoal filters - inherited from my parents after our cat died of old age last year) * Anti-flea tablets, if necessary * Bag of cat treats * The address and phone number for a well regarded local vet (I'm a librarian, so most of my coworkers have cats and this vet is popular with them) Concerns/plans: * My family gave me several cans of Fancy Feast chicken feast in gravy flavor and Friskies Plus with turkey and giblets in gravy flavor wet cat food for Christmas, as they know I've been planning for this. However, from looking at the pet nutrition thread I see these are not well regarded brands. There is a Petco near my apartment - am I likely to find good quality cat food there, or do I need to look elsewhere? I do intend to ask the animal shelter staff, if I find a cat that suits me (and I it, knowing cats), if the cat is known to prefer wet or dry food, and how often it should be fed. * I know I'll need to pick up a few cat toys to play with it, in addition to it inevitably finding its own fun. * There used to be a pet products thread in PI that seems to have fallen into the archives, and I remember it having a link to a website that sells quality cat trees at excellent prices. I spent most of my time in my apartment at a large computer desk, and I would appreciate a link to the site if anyone has it so I can put the cat tree between my desk and the window, letting the cat have access to both. * I live in Florida and so lizards and small roaches occasionally getting into the apartment is a fact of life. Is this something I'll need to be especially concerned about? Anything else I should be thinking about and planning for?
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Jan 8, 2015 20:02
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Gorgar posted:Cat furniture right by the computer desk is a really good thing. It would be good to have another option near a window but a bit more distant, because cats are moody things and sometimes they want to be alone, or wherever the sun is. Options are good. There's another window in my apartment's living room, on the other side of the wall from my bedroom where I keep the computer desk. When I cat-sat my parents' cat for a couple of weeks, he mostly just curled up on the bed and watched me. quote:If you can, see what kinds of toys your cat likes when you are at the shelter getting to know him or her. It seems to vary. I've had pretty good luck with fabric-rope-onna-stick and Yeeow! catnip toys. Of mine, one goes mad for bouncy foam balls to chase and bat, one likes little furry floofball things, and one prefers sparkle balls, but they all agree on chasing fabric rope and my catnip toys have some impressive teethmarks in them from all three. Buy lots of toys. Leave a cardboard box around if the cat likes that. Got a couple of cardboard boxes and an empty shoebox just in case.  quote:I don't really like big pet stores for food. So much of what they carry is crap, so I'd rather support an independent store that has a better variety of the better foods. I settled on getting a big bag of Taste of the Wild dry from a local shop, but getting cases of Wellness in 12 oz cans from Amazon because I haven't found a store that stocks the big cans. My last two cats lived to 17 and 19 years old or so on Iams dry and Friskies wet, neither of which are recommended, so don't feel like using up the food you have is going to murder your cat. Noted, I'll give the pet store a look, for toys if nothing else, and bring a checklist of good pet food brands that the nutrition thread recommends. quote:Also, cheers for adopting an adult. For me, it's mostly down to energy levels. I'm fairly sedate, and work a 40-a-week job that includes one ten-hour day a week. Kittens are cute, but holy hell I do not have the time or energy for it, even if I were to get two of the adorable little bastards. An adult cat will also hopefully be less inclined to mess with power cords. Thank you all for the feedback. I'm not getting a cat for another couple of months, not until my lease comes up for renewal, so I'm doing my homework now.
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Jan 8, 2015 21:04
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Deteriorata posted:Caring for a cat is not that complicated. Relax. You're way over-thinking this. I figured, I just wanted to make sure there was nothing obvious I had overlooked as a prospective first-time independent pet owner.
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Jan 8, 2015 23:45
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Whole lot of Maine Coons and similar-looking cats in this thread. I approve. Unfortunately, my own plans to get a cat have been derailed. My apartment's monthly rent has shot up by $135 a month for this coming year's lease, which is more than I think it's worth so I need to start apartment hunting. Even if I do decide to stay, that would eat up the monthly budget I'd planned to reserve for cat care.
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Jan 31, 2015 12:22
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Arriviste posted:I have a perpetual noise machine, too, who sometimes complains from the next room when I sneeze and he gets startled into running away. When he's locked up in my hall/foyer area (Lutherdome), I hear him warbling & trilling as he plays alone. It's especially funny when he vocalizes as he's running up or down the flight of stairs. When he hears the mail flap open he stops whatever he's doing to go see the mail carrier and violate the mail, "brr"-ing through the apartment and down the stairs. My family's cat is almost entirely silent, on the other hand. The only times I've ever heard him meow have been when we got back from a 2-week vacation and at the vet. He does purr like a motorcycle engine when you scratch his belly, though.
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Mar 17, 2015 22:58
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ilysespieces posted:Tali isn't allowed in the bathroom unsupervised (she gnaws on the toothpaste tube and has punctured one already) so for her it might be a novelty thing. We leave the bathroom door open while one of us is inside it pretty much, so she wanders in and plops herself down on the bathmat, staring. Sometimes she jumps into the tub and lays in there until we shoo her out to shut the door. Cats tend to like bathtubs for the same reason you frequently see them in sinks: especially when it's hot out, sinks and tubs are typically made out of a material that stays noticeably cooler. Tile floors can also achieve the same effect.
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Mar 29, 2015 22:41
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Arriviste posted:I've read that some cats are attracted to the petroleum in the bags, but I'm not convinced even though I once had a cat who would LOUDLY nosh on the bathroom bin liner. She never punctured or shredded one, I think she just liked the noise and the reaction/attention from people. She was a weirdo who could not (or did not care to) distinguish attention for bad behavior from attention for good behavior. Growing up I had a cat who went crazy for bleach. We quickly had to start putting as many closed doors between him and a freshly cleaned bathroom as possible because if he got in there he'd roll around in it and smoosh his face in it and generally act like it was extra-strength catnip. Cats are weird.
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Mar 30, 2015 05:32
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Ev posted:There's probably an obvious answer to this but how bad of an idea would it be to have a bird in a home with two cats? They've never been outside and as such never hunted birds, though they like to watch them out the window. It is a terrible idea unless the plan is to make absolutely certain that the cats and bird are never in the same room at the same time. Even cats that seem chill with the bird at first may get bored and attack it without warning. There's more than one sad story about cats and birds in the same house over in the bird thread.
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Apr 10, 2015 06:25
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Blimpkin posted:When Tesla was a wee kitten, I hung a piece of kitchen twine from the ceiling. It was low enough for him to bat at easily, but high enough that he couldn't just sit there and gnaw on it, and that string kept him entertained for hours. Especially if I tied one of his mice to it, and made basically a kitten tetherball court. I did something similar with my family's cat when he was a kitten. We had a ceiling fan we rarely used, so tied a short length of thin rope to it and a catnip mouse at the other end. Especially entertaining results when we'd put the fan on the lowest speed.
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Apr 14, 2015 19:47
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JollityFarm posted:Should I do anything to prepare besides buy their favorite food, a few new litter boxes, treats, and toys? I'm picking them up on the 11th and I want everything to be perfect. Don't be concerned if you see some hissing and swatting. Getting swiped in the face is the main way kittens learn what is and is not acceptable from adult cats.
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May 4, 2015 15:58
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My cat makes his "Feed me now" noise when I get home.
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May 12, 2015 23:14
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SADDLE ME UP posted:I just got a Balinese kitten, he's a cute little gently caress. We require photographic evidence.
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May 19, 2015 00:14
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Huntersoninski posted:That is what I would do. It sounds like the older cat is mostly interested in teaching kitten some manners rather than doing any actual damage. Swatting and hissing is how adult cats teach kittens manners, yeah. Kittens are assholes by default.
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May 19, 2015 20:01
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Dogen posted:Don't get a stupid expensive bred cat Agreed. Get one from a shelter. My family's never had any trouble finding an adorable, friendly moggie.
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May 27, 2015 02:13
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FreudianSlippers posted:We tried the first meeting without any cage. Went pretty well. They touched noses near the start which I'm told is a good sign. They swatted at each other a bunch but almost always it was the kitten that swatted first and the older cat retaliated, it wasn't accompanied by any growling or hissing and the kitten is a kitten so it was probably more playfighting. We distracted them with a cat fishing stick for a bit but the older cat managed to grab on to the mouse on the end of the string hard enough to yank it off. Strangely the older cat seemed to be more vary of the kitten than she was of him and would retreat whenever she tried to swat at him or catch his tail. Eventually this turned into a game of tag which lasted for some time. Eventually the older cat seemed to be getting tired of tag so he hid under a chair and hissed at the kitten once. Soon after she soon lost interest and decided to explore the apartment a bit. Don't be alarmed by some swatting. Kittens are assholes and getting smacked a bit is how they learn from older cats what is and is not acceptable.
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Jun 20, 2015 22:22
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Sometimes, but in this case it sounds like a pretty normal case of the kitten having much more energy and playfulness than the older cat, and just being a dumb rear end in a top hat kitten who doesn't know boundaries yet.
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Jun 20, 2015 22:46
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CommonShore posted:Ok this is a troll. Yep. Seen him doing exactly the same stunt in E/N and BFC.
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Jul 12, 2015 01:36
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Dalael posted:This is just complete bullshit and you do not know what you are talking about. Both my cats were used to go outside and now they can't. Not only do they spend an awful lot of time in front of the door, they are literally trying to claw underneath it in order to go out. They've completely ripped off the insulation and damaged the door itself. We also can't open the door without having them run and try to sneak out. They are actively trying to go out. Your cats are loving bored, probably because you spend too much time playing EVE. Your cats are being destructive because they're relatively intelligent animals that require physical and mental stimulation, and they want to go where they can get it. They're clearly not getting enough in your house. Cats aren't dogs or birds, but they do require you to spend time with them and exercise their little kitty brains with Da Bird or something. They're not loving fish. Pay attention to your goddamn pets and take care of them.
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Jul 17, 2015 21:26
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cash crab posted:I would just sort of disagree with the idea that cats "miss" anything because they have brains the size of walnuts, and the idea that they pine over a different time just seems sort of unreasonable to me. Yeah. Dalael is a noted shithead from other forums on SA, and I'm not surprised that he neglects his pets, too.
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Jul 19, 2015 03:26
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On the other hand, cats are vicious predators themselves who do horrible things to local bird and small animal populations. Don't let your cat outside.
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Jul 19, 2015 14:27
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Sounds to me like normal moving stress and the cats aren't sure about their new environment yet. I'd give them a week or two to get settled.
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Jul 25, 2015 16:25
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Atomic Collins posted:Cat thread It's pretty normal in my experience for cats to latch on to one particular person as their favorite. Nothing you can really do about it, there's no such thing as a "cat bond." They're weird, independent-minded little critters that act according to their own bizarre logic.
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Aug 3, 2015 21:36
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Octolady posted:I've finally moved somewhere quiet with a big garden so I've been introducing my indoor cats to the outdoors. So far all has been going well but a few days ago one of my cats came home drenched (pretty sure she fell in a pond) and has been in horrible form since then. She's not in pain that I can tell, but she hasn't been herself at all. Today the other cat came back the same way and she has completely turned on him, hissing, growling, taking swipes at him. Is there anything I can do to help this situation? Will they settle down after a while? Do not let your cats outdoors. They will kill shitloads of local wildlife and get hurt/sick/killed.
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Aug 12, 2015 14:06
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Octolady posted:I would have, but due to a sudden change in circumstances I've had to move back with my parents who dislike animals and the cats are basically limited to my room and the hall indoors now. I know it's a risk to allow them outdoors, but up until now they've both seemed to really enjoy it. I was just wondering if anyone else had experienced something similar or if there was anything I could do to help. Either way, I'm gonna take them both to the vet and hopefully the girl comes around. Cats do like being outdoors. That does not make it a good idea. They are going to get hurt, sick, possibly killed, and they are going to kill a shitload of local animals.
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Aug 12, 2015 14:58
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Puppy Galaxy posted:Sounds like you're doing just fine. Growling and hissing is OK behavior between two cats. They are communicating and setting boundaries. As long as they are not physically fighting each other, they'll be ok. Also, cats are by nature assholes and will occasionally swat each other for fun or because they're feeling particularly dickish that day. This goes double for a younger cat with an older cat. People, do not let your cats outdoors. In addition to all the bad things that can happen to them, outdoor cats do horrible things to local wildlife populations. They will kill for fun, and kill often.
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Aug 12, 2015 16:42
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Huntersoninski posted:It's their instincts. She didn't pick up master hunting skills, it's hardwired into her brain. It is for the best she stays inside unless she's on a leash with you, for the health of the local wildlife and for hers (because wildlife tends to carry parasites and diseases she could pick up from contact with them). This. Cats are predators and will happily kill anything they can. Do not let your cat outdoors.
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Sep 10, 2015 23:48
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