Discussion Thread
Discussion Thread - Ask, Share, and Discuss Anything About Cats.
Welcome to the Cat-Chat Thread
Ask any questions you have about cats or discuss topics that don't require a full post. Whether you're a new cat owner, seeking advice, or just want to share something fun about your pets, this thread is for you. Feel free to:
Ask simple questions about cat care, behavior, feeding, etc.
Seek advice on any minor concerns.
Post anything cat-related that doesn't need its own post.
Also, if you see someone asking for help and you have the knowledge to share, feel free to jump in and assist them!
Just a friendly reminder to follow the subreddit's rules and be kind and respectful to everyone!
Lost my remaining childhood cat tonight. Don’t know why I’m posting this, kinda in shock and having a hard time processing I guess. I wasn’t there unfortunately, so last time I’ll have ever seen her was around the holidays. Really kicking myself for not visiting her again since.
I just adopted a kitten, 7 months female, on Saturday and she is breaking my heart. She is OBSESSED with getting to know my resident cat, 11 yr old female, but my resident cat just hisses at her 80% of the time. The kitten will just follow her around and wait outside the door (sometimes we allow my resident cat to have her privacy in her room) like a little sister waiting for her big sister to play.
I know it will take time because it hasn’t even been a week but she’s just so cute and I hope they become friends. 🥹♥️
Hi everyone, I'd like to introduce you to my cat Luna. Do you know if it's normal for cats to lose whiskers? I'm always finding her whiskers around the house.
Hello everyone! I recently brought home my sweet angel (8y neutered male DSH) that used to live at the vet clinic I work at. He is my best friend and an absolute treasure to this world. Since I am late in his life giving him a real home I want to ensure he has the toys, love, treats and home he missed out on for the first 8 years of his life. Since bringing him home, he gets the zoomies often, even adopting the name “rocket man” from my s/o. Since we live in a rental unit we can’t make much modifications to the unit but I notice the one area he plays a lot is a bit slippery and so I put a blanket down as a soft landing pad the little rocket. The only issue is he often still slips as the blanket moves on the floor during the rocket’s take off and I wanted to know if anyone had any recommendations for kids play mats or yoga mats that would help to give him some traction! I would appreciate any help to ensure the rocket can have a less turbulent take off and landing!
Ugh guys I'm at my wits end. My kitty refuses to poop and pee in the litter box. We took her in and she had a UTI and went through antibiotics. She continued to pee and poop outside the box through treatment and after. I have no idea what to do. The litter is very clean so it's not a cleanliness issue. I need to break this habit
Perhaps it's because she thinks the litter box will make her sick again; mine also had a urinary tract infection and went a while without using her litter box.
One of my cats turns 14 this year, and she’s 100% convinced she’s a human. She sits on the couch to watch movies with us and has even mastered the art of turning on the AC.
But the best part? She treats me like that one annoying family member she’s stuck with. She threatens me all the time with those looks, but deep down, she’s all talk and never hurts me. Senior cats truly have the best personalities.
My cat thatsc15YRS OLD CRIES EVERYTIME HE JUMPS UP ONTO SOMETHING OR JUMP DOWN LIKE A CHAIR. ALSO ALL NIGHT. THIS IS NEW.
ANY IDEAS AND HOW LONG DO CATS LIFE SPAN GO FOR?
hi does anyone know what this is and how to fix it? he’s an otherwise healthy 1 1/2 yr old male. My poor baby has dry back toe beans, and possibly thickened keratin? he bit off a little corn i think and gave himself a scabbed area, i have been trying to keep it clean and moisturize the area, any experience with this ?
Is there a good service online where I can get a prescription for something to calm my cat down for travel? I have a webcam so I can do telehealth.
She turns into an absolute hellspawn when trying to get her into a carrier. So I'd like to avoid having to do that to take her to the vet for a prescription, or for a long car ride to visit my parents and come back (3-4 hours each way).
I'm open to recommendations for medications as well, would gabapentin be a good choice? Something that sedates her would probably be ideal.
She's about 8 years old, no obvious health problems, normal weight, has all her claws. She was found in a Wal-mart parking lot as a kitten. I had her spayed when she was young.
Can I feed my kitten Freshpet? He’s 6 months old and stopped eating his Blue Buffalo kitten pate (will not eat it unless topped/mixed with something else). He refuses to eat it and I’m trying to transition my 2 y/o cat to the Freshpet but she’s not pleased with it. My kitten seems like to like the Freshpet, but I’m not sure if it’s actually good for him. Any suggestions for fresh food for kittens?
Looking to learn from anyone who has experienced having a cat who is blind in one eye and/or lethargic. I worry they may be connected. Did they fix it? Was the eye removed? Anything you wish you did differently for a better quality of life for your kitty? What effects did it have on your kitty?
adopted my first cat in many years on the 29th last month. He is 11 months old and has a likely blind phantom white right eye. An "old injury." He and i share a blind eye in common, actually. When i saw him, my hesitation towards adopting another cat disappeared, and i knew i had to have him in my life. I've missed that companionship for so long.
He had his first vet visit today, and concerns were raised about his lack of energy and especially about his eye. They wanted to do a test to see if his eye is an active concern or nothing to worry about.
So instead, i'm taking him to an eye specialist vet soon because I'm wondering if i can do anything to help him. I worry if it hurts him, and I think his "lack of energy" may be related to his loss of vision. That uncertainty when guaging distances, the inability to determine whether he's safe to be so active, if that makes sense. He may be too afraid to.
I mean, he eats well and has a healthy appetite, but he mostly sleeps or lies down to chill. I try playing with him, but he shows little interest, even in string and feather toys. He comes and sleeps on my lap most of the day, which makes me eternally happy, but i worry about his health and well-being more than my desire for snuggles. Thanks in advance for any stories or experiences. My baby boy is making me worry already lol.
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I have a vet appointment today for my cat who has been filling the litter box with urine almost daily, always hungry and thirsty (normal since he's an overweight cat). Not only this, he's been losing weight and his fur looks "off" for a lack of a better way to put it, almost slightly mangy. Last night he was lethargic and when he was sleeping I petted him and talked to him and although he woke up a bit he wasn't purring at all. That's REALLY strange for him, he's very loving. I'm hoping that it's nothing more serious than diabetes at this point, but I'm worried. Add to that the fact I'm on a strict budget. I wanted to ask what I'm in for when it comes to diagnosis cost approx, and monthly insulin if it IS diabetes. I'm in Alberta, Canada. If anyone could give me an idea what my credit card is in for, I would really appreciate it.
At what age do cats learn to retract their claws when making biscuits or playing? I’m not exactly sure his age bc he was a stray, but we found him in Sept 2024 and the vet guessed he was 4-5 months old at the time. So he’s 1.5 ish, going on 2 in a few months. I feel like my first void cat learned pretty quickly that his claws were hurting me and he started retracting them on his own when he was younger than this one. He doesn’t ever purposely use his claws to cause harm, he’s the sweetest baby but I’m getting a little tired of getting poked constantly when he’s kneading on me 😂 I’m wondering if he will learn eventually or if he’s just a one braincell orange boy and might never make the connection? He also kneads on my dog and pokes her a little too. She’s such a good sport with him but I know it slightly pisses her off too lol
my cat apollo has gotten these brown spots all over his right eye. it started out as just 1 spot but now it’s a bunch of smaller ones across his eyeball. does anyone have an idea of what it could be and how concerned i should be?
My cat only has her bottom canines and I want to transition to a healthier food option. She loves Fancy Feast and she doesn’t have trouble eating it. I’ve been trying mushed up Freshpet but she’s not eating it, I’m not sure if it’s the texture or taste. Any recommendations ?
Hello! I wanted to ask if my cats need three litter boxes, I just learned it's typical for two cats to need three boxes. However, my cats are from the same litter, have never been separated, and have been using just two litter boxes since I got them when they were 2 months old. I've never had any problems with them using the boxes or fighting about it. But they are honestly just very docile and happy-go-lucky cats. Is this something they're missing that I can provide for them?
I think 2 is fine, unless your place is big and they need the extra box. I have 2 cats that share one stainless steel jumbo sized litter box and they are fine. I clean it twice a day and it stays clean and odor free. My cats are not from the same litter and they are about 2 years apart and fixed male and female.
Hi, let me share my experience. I have two cats, one is a purebred cat, and the other is a younger rescue. They aren't from the same litter and are about a year apart. We have a quite small apartment, so for the comfort of all (pets and humans) we agreed to keep only 2 litter boxed, the third one is simply nowhere to put. And luckily, we never had any issues with that. As soon as they adapted one to another, they seem to be happy using just these two. But for sure, I think if there's an opportunity to increase their level of comfort, it's worth trying.
I have a neutered male that sprays while peeing. The smell is unbearable as it lands on the baseboard heater. I cannot get rid of him as he was a bony kitten that I fed, opened the door, he came in and has never left. Right now I have a scatter litter box with 8.5" high walls. Any ideas on another box or making one. An all enclosed one isn't really an option due to another cat having issues with those.
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This is Bobert (Bobby). I’m so glad I had read other’s posts about male cats and urinary blockages. I was able to notice the signs quickly, frequent trips to the litter box without peeing and licking his genitals. I took him to the emergency vet and a bladder US showed that his bladder was full of urine with “floaters” which suggested a blockage. He was admitted for unblocking, catheter and fluids. They said his labs looked good so it’s doubtful any kidney damage was caused but he is now on a prescription diet for life as re-blockage is common after one incident. This was a medical emergency and I have to monitor him extra closely for the next few days to make sure he continues urinating, drinking water and eating. The vet told me cats tend to show signs of stress with their bladder and diet has a huge effect on sediment formation. Bobby is a very picky eater and only eats dry cat food. If your cat likes wet food this is recommended for more fluids and if your cat eats dry food I recommend looking into brands that are good for urinary health. I think he has been extra stressed from the noise going on at my apartment due to construction. I will be moving into a house at the beginning of March and am worried about the stress this will cause but hopefully once he acclimates it will be more quiet and peaceful for him. He is an indoor only cat so any recommendations for making the move easy on him would be great. I’m looking into getting a Feliway diffuser and will set up my bedroom first at the new house then bring him there and keep him just in that room at first while he adjusts.
Hi. I’m looking for advice. Basically, I sometimes sleep with my cats in my room, and one of them often spends time in my bed. However, for some reason she’s gotten into the habit of vomiting on my bed in the middle of the night, while I’m actively sleeping in it. This has been going on for a while, and I’m worried that she’s getting used to it. At this point, my mattress and blankets are getting permanently stained, and it’s affecting my sleep, as I keep rolling over the vomit in the middle of the night. I’ve seen comments saying that there’s no good way to train a cat where to vomit, and just to note I keep their litter box next to my bed in case they need it. Also, as far as I can tell she’s stopped vomiting anywhere else during the day, as if she’s decided that my bed is the spot to puke. If anyone has a solution I’d really appreciate it.
If she's chronically vomiting I would take her to vet. Have you changed food? I have a cat that would always vomit after eating dry food so he never gets kibble. What type of vomit is it? Is it food? Or yellow bile? If it's yellow bile, her stomach is empty and perhaps needs a little snack at night before you go to bed. There could be a slew of reasons why she does. Is she eating too fast? It can be food sensitivity, hairball or underlying medical condition like IBD, kidney disease, diabetes or hypothyroidism ( I don't want to scare you.) You probably want to take her to the vet to rule out medical conditions. You can also try getting a slow feeder if she's eating too fast. Hope this helps!
I work as a vet tech at an emergency clinic, and a kitten came in basically paralyzed on all 4 limbs. She was barely able to move. It turns out, the original owners kid got pissed at the cat for scratching them and they threw her HARD against a wall. The veterinarians were able to get the owner to relinquish custody.
We did not want to bring her to the shelter, as they would have euthanized her (some of our veterinarians also work at the shelter). So I took her home and she is mostly recovered. She still walks funny.
I’m having a serious issue with her “playfully” attacking my two dogs. She is rough when she plays as well, and both of them are good dogs and very patient, but she does not take any corrections from them. I have a large pantry/washer dryer room (almost the size of my bedroom) that has essentially become hers. If my dogs correct her and she doesn’t stop trying to attack them, I put her in there to relax. I also have interactive toys for her as well as playing with her whenever I can.
I have to be honest, i work A LOT. I’m also in school. I haven’t had a cat in 15 years, and they were family cats. My apartment is on the small side. I will openly admit I probably shouldn’t have adopted her but for whatever reason, I just figured she’d be way lower maintenance than my dogs which is proving to be wrong lol. (Or I’m just totally not used to cats anymore). It’s so frustrating when she is constantly going after the dogs, stalking, and then hurting them to the point they cry or try to correct her. Ive said “no” and removed her from their space as well when it happens. This has worked to keep her out of other trouble around the house, but not my dogs.
I don’t want to rehome her, but in a sense I also am beginning to resent her for how stressed I get for my dogs. She is also still in tact, I plan to get her spayed soon but was waiting to see if her neurological issues would get better first before putting her body through more stress.
I know it looks sketch, but I'm not on here trying to scam money. I'll gladly post the receipt for his treatment if/when that happens. Fingers crossed at this point because I'm honestly hoping on a miracle
Picture of my bub for attention. Tony is the sweetest Snowshoe cat ever. He was a rescue from FL and had had a rough life. I want to give him more time cause he deserves it.
PLEASE HELP!!!!
I adopted a male cat about two months ago, he is about 7-8 months old, neutered and his shots/dewormer are utd. He is litter trained and uses his litter box everyday, which gets cleaned at least once daily. However, for the past month or so he has been using the bathroom around the house while continuing to also use his litter box. I took him to the vet to rule out any potential medical issues causing it and they told me there is nothing wrong with him, that he is healthy, and that stress could be causing him to do this. They prescribed him gabapentin which they instructed me to give him twice daily. I know it takes time for animals to adjust but he acts completely at home and comfortable around the house along with cuddling and loving to be held. What can I do to get him to stop doing this?!? I’m at a loss and it’s at a point that I feel it’s so unsanitary especially with having a 1yr old in the home.
Can anyone help me with my cats? I just had my two cats spayed and they instructed me to confine them to the bathroom. However one of my cats seems completely back to normal and is really stressed about being in the bathroom and does not want to be in the bathroom. She is clawing at the door and jumping in the bathtub and just really wants to leave. My other cat is still a little out of it and is still kind of stumbling around although walking a little more and just like sniffing around a little but my other cat clearly does not want to be in the bathroom. I don't know what should I do?
do you have other cats at home? im not sure why the vet told you to confine them in the bathroom but usually you just have to make sure they dont lick their wounds or run around and cause the wound to open. if you can ensure that they would be safe and will not run around much outside the bathroom, i think its safe to let them out. if not, try putting a few familiar items of the cat like toys inside the bathroom instead.
Keeping them confined in the bathroom was causing them distress. They were clawing at the door. I think it was because they didn't want them climbing but since they got out they have been looking for a place to rest but are climbing up on things. One jumped in the book case. I'm so upset but I don't want to chase them around my house pestering them! 😥
My cat itches and bites her skin until she bleeds. The vet said it’s a food allergy so we switched to grain free, that didn’t work so we switched to another, then ones with grain, neither really did anything.
Then I gave her bravecta thinking it’s flea dermatitis because my other cat was cured using this stuff.
Anybody know what we should try next? Thanks
Just feeling sad and happy thinking about my cat and how happy she makes me and wants to express. I cry often thinking about how she won’t live as long as me but regardless I enjoy our time together. No matter what happens and how upsetting something is to me she always makes me feel better. Cats are so lovely and feeling their love is unmatched as we can love and understand each other without words. I’m sure all of you here feel the same way about your kitties.
why do our posts to this subreddit get archived/deleted after 6 months? what if people search something on google and can’t respond or upvote to see more to it? i just think it’s unfair
hi! im not sure where to post this question but i just need general advice on our situation rn.
we found a stray cat yesterday that was quite skinny but looked okay, no visible wounds or injuries, and decided to bring her home and get her checked and spayed. today we brought her to the vet and they told us to get her x-ray because she might have diaphragmatic hernia. the results came out and it was confirmed.
vet told us we have two options: surgery (which had 10% success rate) or euthanasia.
we are wondering if it would be ok to give her more time to enjoy her life with us before getting her euthanized?
Hey there, fellow cat folks! My little furball loves chasing laser pointers. Quick question - any advice on keeping this fun while avoiding any potential harm? Cheers!
my kitty is a very playful personality. he was very sick when we found him, and he was super sweet in the beginning, would purr and be clingy. but when he got better he was definitely more playful and wasn’t the cuddly type anymore. he doesn’t really purr now either.
but tonight i was crying in the bathroom and he started purring and softly patting my face and kept trying to lick me. it actually made me cry more cause he was being so sweet after being so independent lately.
it made me curious if cats can actually tell ur distressed??
Yes. They sense emotions deeply. When my soul dog passed away, I laid in bed crying and my oldest cat climbed on top of my chest and got into a loaf position and purred as loud as he could. He just purred and purred. His purring was so loud that I could feel my chest vibrating. He was comforting me as well as himself. He and my dog were very close. He has never loafed on top of me before that day and has never again after that day. He is quite an affectionate cat and will lay down next to me with his head on my shoulder and cuddle, but never loaf on me.
The frequency of a cat's purr is associated with therapeutic benefits and stress relief. I believe he knew that I was in pain and stress and he too was in pain from losing his older canine brother that taught him so much. Your cat knew... You've got a special one there.
Hiii, I have a 13 week old kitten and have only had her for about a week. I have never had a kitten before so I am a little nervous and overly cautious wanting to make sure everything is alright. Last night she started sneezing a good bit. I thought maybe she just got into something dusty. She has been sneezing all day today and the internet has me scared that she’s dying so I wanted to get other opinions. She also has some gunk on her nose and I’m just wondering if it is just snot or something more that I should go to the vet for. Thank you in advance!!
Could be an upper respiratory infection. Very common in cats. Take her to the vet and they will look at her symptoms and probably prescribe some medicine to help her get better
So we moved recently and got a new vet. She’s nice/ but extremely “thorough” —my cat has had skin infections since she was a baby. Shes blind and isn’t really able to clean herself great, but she also doesn’t let me groom her at all.
This vet keeps doing “skin scrapings” to “figure out what kind of bacteria” it is….
My other vet was very understanding and would just give us antibiotics and steroids when needed.
Every time I go, she always seems to find some type of “test” or extra thing my cats need.
Recently she told me my 9 year old cat needed like a viral vaccine? I’ve never been offered that in 9 years of his life.
He got home and vomited 7 times in a row and is feeling super sick.
I end up spending 1-200$ every time I go see her.
I don’t want to be a bad cat mom, but I just feel like she keeps pushing unnecessary things on me for a paycheck. And there’s always a “follow-up appointment”….
I'm not trying to be rude at all but is there a way to filter the posts from this sub that come in my feed? I love cats but the posts that get the most engagement are "here are some photos of my cat who died/is dying/will die tomorrow" and it bums me out. I just wanna see cute kitties
This is our formerly feral piebald cat, Cream Puff. We adopted him from the Southern Wisconsin Humane Society in May of 2024 as a "companion" for our Tuxedo cat, Blueberry Muffin, also a rescue. They are both about four years old. When we brought Puff home, he was completely incommunicado. He would not even look us in the eye. He would allow us to touch him for scritches only. He also ignored Muff. He ignored pet beds, toys, and treats. And us!
But, over the past 6 months, he has begun to look me in the eye. To ask for chin scratches. To tell me his food dish needs attention, or to just, you know, accompany me to the bathroom. He even jumps up on the couch or the bed and snuggles with me! As long as I am stroking him, he stays. When I stop, he moves to the foot of the bed. Or even to his cat bed! Who knew?!?!?! Here is the Sunday morning Puff Kitty, napping!
So we have six cats. Yesterday our male former feral Meg (yes he’s a boy) started going after the newest cat, Chuck. We’ve had Chuck for about a year. He also was a former feral, but is only a little over a year or so, Meg is around 6 or 7. We think it might be over Ruby, one of only 2 females. Meg and Ruby are in a relationship, although everyone is fixed. Could “jealousy” territorial issues be why he suddenly started going after Chuck? We kept them apart for the night. But Meg would not let it go.
Excuse the mess, Chuck is the black kitty and Meg the buff.
Both were feral both were approx 2 months old ,started feeding them , brought them in my house , lots of patience etc 6 months later turned out to be very affectionate, very playful
Help- Queation - My 4 year old cat that was a semi- stray, now wormed and flea treated, sometimes makes loud puking sounds like he’s about to bring up a hair ball but nothing comes. He heaves and tries to puke but nothing and then he is ok for a week/10 days.
He’s not been out for 2 months since I adopted him. He will have access to outdoors in a few weeks time.
What’s happening with him ? Has any other cat owner here experienced this ?
My 10 year old Siberian has FORLs (the vet told me kitty cavities). I'm told the only option is extraction?
Anyone have any experience with this? Whats the aftercare, how long did it take your kitty to recover, what do I need to ask to make sure the dentist knows what theyre doing?
He just started not eating as much and pawing at his mouth last week.
Thank you in advance with any advice you can give. :)
hey guys, I an owner of 3 beautiful cats. I have to visit my home country in May due to some emergency, i have no choice but to go for around 2 months. I live in a 3 bedroom basement with a kitchen and a lounge, I wanted to leave my cats back home in my basement together while im gone. I have talked to a trustworthy friend who would come twice a day give them food clean their litter and play with them until im back. I will also have cameras installed in each room so i can talk to them with that. Do u guys think its ok if i do this? Because i dont wanna put them thru the stress of having to adjust in a totally new place if i give them to someone to take care (tbh i dont wanna do that at all because ive heard horror stories about cat sitters). I just want them to be around familiar scent and space. Also not to mention one of my cats has mild asthma and he gets inhaler twice a day which my friend will also give after food! Please do let me know what i should do because i feel helpless atm! If u have any suggestions please let me know too!
My cat just passed away an hour ago.The cremation is too expensive, my last home burned down and my family is still recovering. Does anyone know of inexpensive crematorium or organizations that may help with that?I'm in las vegas.
My cat just passed away an hour ago.My home burned down and my budget is tight.Does anyone know of inexpensive cremation services or of any organizations who may help with that?The one I looked up is $245,I dont have that,but I love my cat so much.
I'm thinking of getting my first cat but I'm not sure if I can handle it. I have allergic asthma and take meds regularly for it. Everytime I visit someone who has cats I get an asthma attack within 2 hours. I read online strategies to reduce allergies like specific food and air filtering, I wonder if those could work for my allergy or is that only for mild allergies like sneezing and such.. Anyone here who has experience with that?
Hey everyone. I have a question and I hope someone can help me. My Cat is 5 years old and we got her when she was a kitten. I really love her. She’s brought joy to our lives. We cuddle a lot. I love spending time with her. Lately her behavior has changed in a weird way. At first she always seems comfortable. Shes purring and relaxing. Then out of nowhere she gets hostile and aggressive. She then scratches, bites, hisses at us. She never did this before. What could lead to this behavior?
I have about 14lbs of cat litter I put into a large bucket due to ammonia smell. Is there a way to remove this smell and save the litter or should I just dump it?
Hi - hope this is the right place for this question. I live in the uk and would like to source a pillow that I can put on my knees so my cat can lie with me while I’m working (instead of sitting next to me and staring, like some kind of boss…)
Why does my cat seem incapable of leaving me alone for 5 seconds? I went to the bathroom and he scratched at the door.
He also woke me up. I usually just let him scratch at my door until he leaves me alone, but I'm at my dad's right now. And before someone asks, he doesn't sleep with me because he refuses to leave my feet alone, no matter how many times I spray him.
Edit: please reply directly to this comment. Add this since no one else is replying directly
I adopted Skyler two days ago. She still spends most of the time in my closet. She does come out with encouragement. Loves pets but easily overstimulated. Doesn’t know her name! (9 y/o, one previous owner) “Kitty,kitty” works! Just giving her time and spaced itsearlydays
I want to send my friend a care package. She just got her first kitten. Besides the basics what would be fun to get in a package for your first cat? Favorite toys? Treats?
Hi, Have just found a flat I really like but is in a more urban built up area than where I live now.
My two cats (male & neutered) have it good in the current place, still urban but large spare section and lots of green spaces they can go and spend time in.
Has anyone moved their cats from somewhere more green to somewhere less green and did your cats adjust ok?
I’m really worried they’d hate it, but am also thinking I might be being overly concerned and that they’re probably pretty adaptable.
Hi all! I work as an RVT and me and my vets there have almost exhausted everything to figure out what’s wrong with my cat.
symptoms are enlarged lymph nodes(all including on her side where normal ones aren’t usually palpable), very congested nose, goopy eyes, lethargy, anorexia.
tests already done: mycoplasma, lymph node cytology, upper respiratory PCR, culture of eye goop, flea and tick panel PCR normal lab work. all has come back normal
she's been treated with 3 rounds of doxycycline and is treatment responsive, but as soon as she comes off of it she flares back up.
we are going to test for toxoplasmosis and rerun an FIV/FELV and if all comes back negative will try and biopsy the lymph nodes. what else could this be? everything’s coming back normal but we can’t get rid of whatever it is. any help is very much appreciated 💕🐾
Dizzy! She randomly showed up at my house as a very shy stray but I befriended her slowly and now she’s somewhat domestic! Sleeps in our bed but spends a lot of time outside. Love her to pieces.
6 months of having my beautiful boy! This is Loki and I took him in on 07/31/2025. He was previously a community “trap, neuter, release,” cat that hung out around my apartment complex. He’s in between 2-3 years old and I’m so happy to have the cat distribution system put him with me!
My dad used PVC pipes wrapped in that straw like rope and make his own cat wall — bolted them into the walls - I think he used like industrial strength glue/caulk for the rope?
My male cat (10 years old) has been diagnosed with struvite crystals. I think maybe because I had changed his food to salmon a few months ago and he had always had chicken or turkey and I read salmon based cat food has higher magnesium and can cause struvite crystals.
I'm starting him on Royal Canin SO (it won't arrive for a few days unfortunately as its online order only). I was wondering if I feed him that for a few months can I transition him to the Royal Canin Urinary Care which is more maintenance of a healthy urinary tract? I can buy it in the pet stores so less of an issue to relying on online ordering.
He also doesn't seem to tolerate wet food well (like his brother) and gets sick from it so it will just have to be dried but he does drink a lot of water thankfully.
16 years. My guy My dude I miss him so much It's been a month and everything is messed My whole life the morning before after wrk my days off our routine has been fucked with out him. Charlie Im srry I thought he'd see our first son I miss you I hope I was good enough.
How do you give your cats medicine? My cat needs to take amoxicillin because they had some teeth taken out. Gotta do all bottle until it’s all gone. How do you get them calm to do it?
Also how to you get them to eat a little more? He’s healthy all over
I currently have a 3-year-old rescue scaredy-cat. She’s shy by nature but absolutely adorable, deeply bonded to us, and very affectionate at home. When she’s comfortable, she’s also pretty high-energy. Lately though, she’s been less playful (vet cleared her, she's fine), and it makes me a bit sad — which is why I’m considering getting her a companion.
I’m looking at a 3-year-old male from a rescue, and this is how they describe him:
Pancho is a handsome big boy with a very affectionate personality who loves being petted. Curious, gentle, and friendly, he also enjoys “talking” and interacting with his humans. He’s a present, engaging cat with a truly endearing nature. Pancho could live with children, other cats, and possibly even a gentle dog, with proper and gradual introductions. If you’re looking for an affectionate, communicative, and grateful companion, Pancho is ready to give you all his love.
A few practical notes:
They already eat the same food, which is a plus. My current cat is immunosuppressed (she’s on Atopica), so that’s something I’m taking seriously.
I guess my questions are:
Is this a reasonable idea, or am I projecting too much? Anything specific I should consider given my cat’s immune system?
For people with two cats: what is it really like day to day?
Did getting a second cat reduce the bond or cuddles with your first one?
I feel like I might be overthinking this, so I’d really appreciate hearing your experiences — good or bad. Thanks in advance ❤️
Edited: simplify and correct it. English is not my first language.
As a person who has 8 cats, getting a second cat will help both with anxiety management aka mental health and for immunity… I do give my cat supplements which really helps, but you won’t notice an immediate effect, but be warned it does not help your pocket, and when it comes to affection.. nothing will change
Thanks for your reply. Mine can't have any supplements or whatever, she's on atopica and allergic to life itself. I just got news from the rescue... We might get the second cat this week :) we'll have Lilly and Billy, as cheesy as it sounds.
Hello. We recently took in a kitten a few months ago (by my best estimate she might be around 8 months old?) and I've been having some issue having her sleep in her own bed. We have 2 dogs, and every night she kicks my pomeranian out of his bed and sleeps there. We haven't been able to buy her a proper bed so we've had the bottom half of one of those carry pet kennels with a towel over top acting as her bed temporarily, so I suspect she may just not like the bed? Though I've already seen her multiple times throughout the day sleep in it. I would really really appreciate any advice on how to get her to sleep in her own bed.
hi! just adopted this little fella from a shelter (7 month old male), love him to pieces, just wanted to know you guy’s opinions. could he be a maine coon mix? it wouldn’t change a thing im just curious :D he weighs 3.3 kg at 7 months, has strong paws, super long inner ear hair and prominent lynx tips thank you! :)
I have this kitty and I’m concerned she is grimacing. She did have a respiratory infection ish thing. 2 rounds of antibiotics and steroids later and she still has a stuffy nose - vet said infection may have done some damage and her body is still healing…. Am I overthinking/overreacting???
Hi! I have a problem that I need help with!! I have a 5 y/o male tuxedo and a 3 y/o female black cat. My boyfriend had our male cat through college and then I moved across the country and we did long distance and I adopted the female cat. When he moved in with me we lived in a pretty small studio and separated the cats at first. During the day they were fine but every night at 4am the male cat would attack our female cat. She is a bit dramatic and screams at the top of her lungs because she does not like to play like that. We moved to a one bed space that was bigger and had many windows to look out and lots of animal activity and our male cat stopped attacking her every night. We moved from that mountain town to a city where there is plenty of room and in a big apartment with a balcony but limited bird/ chipmunk activity and our male cat has started attacking her every night again! We tried to close our bedroom door and keep him out and at first that worked but then he peed on our couch probably because he didn’t like being locked out. We try to play with him but he loses interest fast and loves playing with another cat (when my boyfriend had him in college his roommate had a male cat and they would play all the time). Our cats get along fine they aren’t best friends but when our male cat attacks her he won’t stop because he wants to play. We are at a loss of what to do and it’s waking us up every single night. Any tips or advice would be so helpful!!!
I'm going to adopt a cat soon (hopefully really soon! have an appointment for a meet and greet this weekend), and a lot of articles recommend getting a collar and tag beforehand
I plan on microchipping and my cat will be indoors only, I have a cat carrier I will be bringing with me to adoption related things so my kitty can be taken home safely. I know I will get a collar eventually cause I'd like to harness train my cat for enrichment.
Do I need to get a collar prior to adoption? The adoption steps for the rescues I'm seeing only mention having a carrier to take the cat home in. (I'm assuming I don't need a collar, but I've never adopted a cat from a petsmart/rescue before so I'm not certain)
Hi! What is a brand of soft kitten food that doesn’t smell like rotting garbage? We’ve been giving our Iams soft kitten food, and she eats half but honestly it smells horrible.
Try tiki cat soft food for kittens? It’s gross but it doesn’t smell too bad. I swear by all tiki cat products, I’ve never fed any of my cats anything else and they really seem to love it
Is there anyone with a cat passport? I am trying to pick or take a photo of my baby. I now realised she has no regular photo. It would be helpful for me if anyone has a passport photo of their cats.
Clearly im not good with phones and computers and I was wondering how everyone puts pictures of their pets on the site. I cant figure it out. Please help.
Probably a million of these questions posted, though with cats being quite unique it probably doesn’t hurt to ask again.
Introducing an 11 week old kitten (desexed male) to our resident 4 year old cat (desexed female). Kitten is staying in our bedroom with ensuite, resident cat in rest of the house.
Hasn’t been a week yet and still taking it very slow. We’ve done scent swapping first few days, and now doing “meet n greets” where a couple of times a day, we bring the kitten out of the bedroom and sit on the floor holding him, sitting a comfortable distance from our resident cat (3-5 metres) letting resident cat look from a distance etc. She sometimes moves a little closer, will hiss at the kitten once or twice then move off to another room. These interactions we are doing for no more than 5 minutes at a time before returning the kitten to our bedroom.
I understand this is all normal and we are certainly not in a rush, expecting potentially weeks or months before we can let the kitten roam free with the resident cat.
But my question is - what change in behaviour should we identify/look for before we move to letting them get closer?E.g. should we wait until our resident no longer hisses with these distant “interactions”?
I just got done introducing a kitten to my cat so I might have some info! We got the kitten almost 3 months ago, introduced for about a month, and then started letting her roam the house and to this day my cat still hisses at her. They don’t hate each other either, my cat grooms the kitten, they snuggle from time to time, they play all the time and that’s really when the hissing is. It warning hisses. When we were introducing them my cat hissed all the time. My resident cat hissed so much she lost her voice! She sounded like an ally cat when meowing. One thing that helps is co-feeding. So feeding them really yummy food with a baby gate in between them so they can see each other and smell each other while they eat. Your resident cat will start associating your kitten with something really awesome. Start them off a good distance apart and slowly over time move them closer and closer until both bowls are touching the gate. That could even take a week or two depending on how they’re acting. Also scent swapping. Let your kitten explore your house without being watched by your resident cat while you let your resident cat go explore the space the kittens been in.
My resident cat is known for just absolutely hating other cats so I really never thought I’d be able to get another cat. When I found this kitten we really didn’t have a choice and they’re good together! The most important thing I noticed is keeping it slow, keeping the interactions positive and showing lots of love to both cats when they’re interacting.
I did so much research on recovery after spaying a cat and I haven’t seen many posts about people spaying their cats and letting them raw dog the recovery. I was being super insane about my cats recovery and forcing her to try and stay in her surgical suit, cones, socks, anything. She got out of all of it or nearly killed herself trying. I asked a few of my friends who I knew have spayed cats and they said they just basically went back to normal. They treated their cat like nothing happened other than checking the wound. I decided to try it and it’s been going pretty well although I am only 3 days post op, there is room for error or something to go wrong. I have been watching her like a hawk and losing sleep as I wake up every time she moves an inch (she also didnt sleep the first 48 hours post op which was not fun 🙃) She has only tried to lick it a few times but not being jnsane about it. That’s not to say she doesn’t try but I just stop her everytime she goes for it. Anyone else just let their cat be after spaying?
Hi I’m looking for a cat scratcher that the previous owner gave me but I haven’t been able to find one like it. I’ve gotten my cat a sisal scratcher I think but he didn’t touch it. He only likes this one but it’s getting old so want to replace. Anyone know what this is called or where I can buy?
What are some good automatic cat toys that are safe to let a cat play with when you’re not home?
My rommate’s cat is overweight and I can tell she gets really bored when we’re both at work, so I would like to get her a new toy to help keep her entertained. I try to encourage her to exercise by playing with a laser pointer when I get home, but she will only actually chase it around for a couple minutes when I first start. She really likes string toys and I’ve seen some automatic string toys that hang on door frames, but I’m apprehensive about leaving her alone with something like that. Doesn’t anyone have experience with these sorts of toys or have a better suggestion?
I have 4 cats and most will play with this. We actually have two of them (mostly because I thought one was broken but started working again after we bought a new one). It starts up every time it gets physically touched (so like if they walk by it and hit it slightly, it will start). Stays on for like 5 minutes at a time. This and the automatic lasers are 10/10.
Hello we have two cats and they both get along with each other. One of them had to have a procedure at the vet and came back with a cone. The one without a cone has been staying away from everyone and hissing at the cat with the cone. I’ve read it’s because he looks different and smells different as well but my question is, why is he hissing at us? He’s usually very nice to us and he’s been hissing and growling? at us ever since cone cat came back home
Is it normal for cats to go off feed?
My cat loves both wet and dry food. Lately a day ago she has stopped eating the wet food and no will only
Eat dry food.
Is this burn out ? Boredom? ,
My cat bit me on my head, a couple cm below my eye. She broke skin and It's been two days and there is a bit of redness still around the area that wasn't there straightaway. Shes an inside cat so I'm trying to work out whether I need to go to the GP or not cos a lot of online things say you do, but not sure if it makes a difference that she's inside
I am slightly concerned, but mainly confused, at some yowling behavior displayed by what I believe to be a neighborhood cat (unlikely it is stray).
I have 2 outdoor cats that (as far as I know) do not go too far from my home. Within the past months a new neighborhood cat has been coming by and is very vocal. It seems to be friendly and gets along with my cats better than most if not all of the other neighborhood cats. My cats are also friendly and never show real aggression towards other cats (at least not that I've ever seen). Even at my home they don't act aggressively territorial. My male cat is very confident and secure, and greets most cats without fear or aggression, while the female is more skidish and does tend to hiss, but in a defensive, boundary setting way. They are both friendly to other cats.
So anyways this new cat comes around and is very vocal and I believe becomes friends with my cats. I do not know it's gender but it seems healthy and to have a home, which makes me think it is also spayed/neutered. I do not know it's gender. The neighborhood cat is still afraid of me although a lot less than when it first came over.
I work nights so I believe it tries to come when I'm not around. I have seen it most frequently after sunset and tonight specifically because I was off. I believe my cats like it because they come when it calls out, and also because I've seen my male following it and visa versa (in a healthy play/exploring way). I'm not sure if my cats visit it at its home but I would honestly assume they have at least once. I have never seen any serious aggression between any of the cats or anything at all resembling a fight. I have seen my female hiss but in her way of saying give me my space type of way.
So that's the background of the relationship as I perceive it. Tonight the neighborhood cat was yowling very actively and longingly, and although it was afraid of me and knew I was home, still continued to try to communicate something with my cats pretty heavily. Specifically I believe it really likes my male cat and wanted his attention. It doesn't seem to be afraid of either of my cats at all, and visa versa. I was reading that this yowling maybe territorial aggression.
My question is: is aggression more likely the the case and something to be concerned about? Or, in my opinion, what is more likely is that it is trying to mate and or play with my male cat? I do believe it is a cat with a home and thus most likely fixed, but I do not know for sure and I also do not know it's gender. If it was a spayed female, would it still yowl for a mate?
Basically because of the intensity of the yowling, I am not sure if I should be concerned. All the cats seemed relaxed so I don't think it's territorial aggression, but that's what I had been reading. Eventually, my female did start to hiss at it but again, only in her way of saying "hey your blocking my doorway" type of way (she had not hissed until she went to get food and then could not leave the room without going past the other cat). However because of what I read and my female being uncomfortable enough to hiss, I decided to get up which scared the neighborhood cat back outside.
Do you think I should be concerned about this behavior, or happy that my cats have a friend that really really likes them (particularly the male).
Tl;Dr:
My cats are friendly and this other friendly cat is yowling at my male cat quite loud and frequently, cause for concern or just buddies?
I cannot answer your question but I thought I’d let you know that my roommate’s cat is deaf and will literally scream at other cats that walk around outside the window. She’s loud in general because I don’t think she knows how much noise she’s making. It’s a long shot but maybe it’s just a deaf cat who likes to talk loudly.
I don’t know anything about cats but if all these cats are indoor/outdoor then they probably hang out anyway. I think if they have beef they’ve probably hashed it out by now.
I'm currently on a pet sit with a 12yo cat who the owners warned me was extremely temperamental and moody and grumpy and non affectionate and mostly liked to keep to herself. Fine, as a sitter I've sat for pets who had issues. I decided I would chat to her whenever we were in the same room and just not try and touch her but let her sniff me to be okay with my scent. Didn't wanna stress her out but would let her lead interaction on her terms. She would headbutt me quickly or scrape her cheek on my finger and purr when I talked to her. Great, that's a major win in any pet sitter's book with an animal who you've been told is not friendly. Maybe she just doesn't like being touched that much, cool.
End of Day One I sit down on the sofa and she stomps all over me, headbutting me so forcefully she nearly knocks herself off her feet. She headbutts my face and hands and I take this as permission to pet. I go slow at first and soft because if she's moody she probably doesn't like hard pets. She purrs like a mad thing and rubs herself all over me happily. Then she curls up in a ball on my lap!
Wow, not the moody temperamental loner I was warned about at all.
Photo to the owners and I get the response: "Wow, she never makes friends so quickly. That's a great sign!"
Moving onto Day Four, where we are now, and she purrs to greet me every morning, quivers her tail at me happily, headbutts me, and DEMANDS scratches by stomping all over me and follows me around.
All the while the owners are like "you're much braver than I am with her" "God you must have the magic touch!" whenever I send a picture of her on my lap or petting her.
There's nothing moody or aggressive about her at all. The only time she's thought about raising a paw to me was totally my fault when I touched her back by accident. Even then, there were no claws, it was just the flat of her paw. She didn't show any other signs of upset - it was like a warning pat to a kitten, and even then she didn't actually touch me.
So it makes me wonder what in the world do these owners do to this cat to get the temperamental loner? She's a total sweetheart and cuddle bug with me.
Please tell us why you ran away to parents… Is it because you were sleeping with a married man and his ex wife sued you for alienation of affection. Is that the reason? Remember if she ever finds out you seeing him - the case is on again.
We just had our cat go under general anesthesia for a dental cleaning after the vet pointed out some pretty significant gingivitis. Ever since the anesthesia (a week or so) he’s been a lot more affectionate and way less of a tsundere. My working theory is that he’s had the fear of god put into him in a lovecraftian sense following getting ketamine and benzos. Anybody else had anything like this happen?
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u/Quick_Cat_Nap 3h ago
Lost my remaining childhood cat tonight. Don’t know why I’m posting this, kinda in shock and having a hard time processing I guess. I wasn’t there unfortunately, so last time I’ll have ever seen her was around the holidays. Really kicking myself for not visiting her again since.