Cat Moms-Volume II [Archive]

sheartm7

09-12-2006, 12:23 PM

I'm glad there is a new thread, so I can join! We got our furbaby last April from a no-kill shelter. His name has always been Eddie, so we kept the name. He's very talkative and will often follow us around, meowing. He loves to be held and lay on our laps. We *love* him!

http://images1.snapfish.com/347%3B2%3B%3A%3A9%7Ffp343%3Enu%3D3233%3E866%3E578% 3E2324866669692ot1lsi

http://images1.snapfish.com/347%3B2%3B%3A%3A9%7Ffp347%3Enu%3D3239%3E%3A%3C6%3E 2%3B2%3EWSNRCG%3D3233%3A2%3A2%3C%3A6%3B6nu0mrj

It's hard to get a good pic of him cause he's so dark.

eli1126 - your cats are gorgeous!

eli1126

09-12-2006, 02:04 PM

sheartm7 Thanks! What a beautiful cat Eddie is! My DH's name is Ed and his parents call him Eddie :D

Tonysweetie I love that your kitties are well behaved and know they are supposed to pose for pictures! The pic of Max waiting at the door is too precious. O/T Congrats on your pregnancy!

Beth

JamBray

09-12-2006, 02:53 PM

Glad to be a part of the new thread. I'll have to post some pics when I get home. We have two, Jake and Amber, and they're about 7 years apart.

I adopted Jake in '97 from a vet's office when he was around 4 months old. He's super sweet, very affectionate, and loves to follow me around when I'm outside. :D Occassionally when I pick him up he'll give me a hug, and his favorite spots to sleep are his cat tower, my office chair, and most popular, our bed. Some of his nicknames are Jaboo, Monkey/Monk, and Jakers.

A woman found Amber in '03 running around at a local car show in our town. I'm not quite sure of the story, as I wasn't there, but I think she was asking around if someone wanted her and since my husband knew I wanted another cat, he took her. She was around 8 weeks old, and just the cutest thing...or so I thought. ;) Being a street cat, she was quite wiley for some time and would attack me and Jake at every opportunity she had (and although she didn't attack our dog, she did roughhouse quite a bit with her) causing me to have some reservations about keeping her. But I couldn't imagine giving her up to an unknown fate, so I held on and over time she got better. She's still a "spirited" cat, but her energy keeps me on my toes and makes me laugh. She gives her affection in doses, and gives it most lavishly to my husband. Her nicknames are Beanie, Bean, and Sweet Pea.

Here's Jake peeking out from under a table:
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e333/jambray/Jakey.jpg

Here's Amber when we first got her:
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e333/jambray/Amber2.jpg
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e333/jambray/Amber.jpg

Here's them together in our garden:
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e333/jambray/Bigbrotherandlittlesister-1.jpg

jnettie

09-13-2006, 06:48 AM

I just had to share:

We have this Easter Egg shaped bouncy ball that Jade discovered, and it has become her favorite toy! :p Because it's ovular, it the bounce is unpredictable and she loves to bat it around!

eli1126

09-13-2006, 06:51 AM

JamBray: What pretty kitties!

jnettie: That's so cute!

Beth

KaliLily

09-15-2006, 05:56 PM

My poor Kali. She's been through so much this year, starting in the Spring with a persistent watery eye and teeth problems. The teeth problems were resolved but her watery eye was from allergies, so the best we could do was rinse it with an eye wash and put in artificial tears drops. All the watering caused her natural "eyeliner" on that eye to be washed away. :(

Then this Wednesday afternoon her usual "seasonal allergy sneezes" turned really severe, and last night I noticed the tissue around her right eye was a little swollen and her breathing sounded wheezy off and on. I was so worried about her last night I brought her into the bed and let her take up about 1/4 of my side. Not only could I not sleep due to fretting over her - I checked on her regularly until about 4am - but I couldn't get comfortable for the life of me.

I called the vet in the morning and they scheduled her for 1:30 today.

The good news was she didn't have a fever and the vet saw no indication of an upper respiratory infection. However, he did say it seemed she was having a severe allergy attack. :( The vet suggested I let him put her in a "Nebulizer" chamber for bronchial dilation - this took 20 minutes. I have to bring her back tomorrow for a follow-up treatment in the chamber. The vet also gave me the name and "cat dosage" for a human allergy medication.

The chamber was about the size of her soft-sided airline carrier. Kali is over 15 lbs and hates to be confined in small spaces. Being the trooper she is, she made it through the treatment and actually seemed really calm once she was taken out. She layed on the exam table quietly while I petted her and talked with the vet.

Lily started hissing at her (as usual) when we got home, but Kali doesn't seem to care. Either she's sedated from the medicine for she was so traumatized at the vet that nothing Lily does scares her now. :)

I must say I'm so relieved Kali wasn't sick. Seeing her sneeze so violently broke my heart. This is the sweetest, most gentle cat - she's doglike really. ;) I just hope she doesn't freak out having to go back in that box tomorrow.

It's odd, since moving from WA to VA Kali, DH and I have all had allergy issues.

ETA: A picture of my sweet girl, wrapping herself around my hand as I gave her a tummy rub - she's all about the tummy rub. :D
https://www.t-mobilepictures.com/photos/photo02/7e/23/e6fd2ea62a0e.jpg?_rh=s26f1uiy3v50oiqt4o74ejfr

jnettie

09-15-2006, 07:29 PM

Oh, poor Kali. :( She's had so many problems. I hope she feels better soon.

I'm slightly worried about Sissy, myself. She's loosing more hair and seems to be licking and chewing on herself more and more. We changed food to see if it was a diet thing, but it's been more than a month and I think she's getting worse. I'm going to try putting in the Feliway one more time, but if she doesn't get better soon, I'm taking her back to the vet. Maybe what she does need are some anti-anxiety meds. Ugh. I'd hate to dope her up, but the poor kitty is always so anxious. I swear, though, she seems more itchy than compulsive.

KaliLily

09-16-2006, 09:39 AM

Oh, poor Kali. :( She's had so many problems. I hope she feels better soon.

I'm slightly worried about Sissy, myself. She's loosing more hair and seems to be licking and chewing on herself more and more.

When I was looking up allergies in cats last night, I read that licking/chewing may be a sign of allergies, including inhalant allergies. I never knew before Kali developed allergies that animals, like people, can have allergies to mold, pollens, etc.

Ask your vet about Chlorpheniramine. That's what my vet has recommended we give Kali, and it's available from 1800petmeds for about $4.49/bottle for the 4mg tablets.

Thank you for your concern for Kali. She was much better last night, and she got through her follow-up treatment today with flying colors. Her eyes look so much better and she seems perkier. I swear this cat is the feline equivalent of me & dh - poor metabolism & bad allergies (me) and bad teeth (DH). Fortunately, she's fabulously beautiful...just like her mom. ;)

jnettie

09-16-2006, 06:46 PM

Oh, thanks. Good to know. I'll ask about it.

Kali is quite beautiful. I'm certain she takes after her mom. ;)

KaliLily

09-16-2006, 09:19 PM

Kali is quite beautiful. I'm certain she takes after her mom. ;)

Aww, shucks. Thanks. :D

sheartm7

09-17-2006, 07:07 AM

KaliLily

09-17-2006, 12:43 PM

KaliLily - your cat is adorable. She looks so sweet and affectionate. Sorry to hear about all her problems this year. She's very lucky to have such a good mommy to take care of her. Now, can we see a pic of Lily? :)

But of course! Here she is last summer lounging on the then-new family room rug. We broke down and bought an area rug for that room after repeatedly finding Lily laying on the powder room rug. Both cats seemed to miss carpet when we moved into our new house, which is all hardwood except for the bedrooms.

http://www.dedapper.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/normal_Kitties%20003.jpg

Lily's more cat-like than Kali, but when she's in a snuggly mood it's really sweet - and she has a very loud purr! Lily's mellowed a lot as she's gotten older, too.

Lily will be 6 on Oct. 14. We adopted her at about 8 weeks in Dec 2000. I can't believe we've had her for almost 6 years already! She was a Christmas present for DH. We adopted Kali when she was 1 in April 2001 - an Easter "present" for Lily. I thought Lily needed a sibling. :)

Sazoo

09-17-2006, 11:33 PM

My poor kitty! :(

http://images1.snapfish.com/347%3B79377%7Ffp47%3Dot%3E2329%3D%3A%3B9%3D493%3DX ROQDF%3E2323%3A7%3A%3B5%3C93%3Aot1lsi

I took my younger cat, Ginger, to the vet on Saturday for her annual vaccinations. She threw up in several places around the house later that day & was very sluggish...which is normal for both of my cats after getting their shots, unfortunately.

However, she has also started breathing really hard/fast, which is accompanied by occasional dry coughing. Ginger has gone through bouts of this (whatever "this" is - vet still doesn't know) off & on for the past several years. We've not yet figured out what exactly it is or what triggers it. Obviously this time it was the vaccinations. One time it seemed to collolate with a change in the food we were feeding her. Other times it happens out of the blue for no apparent reason. :confused:

In the past, I've taken her to the vet to be examined, & the end result is usually that they give me some liquid antibiotics to give her for a couple of weeks, & that seems to clear up her symptoms. In the past year or so we've also done blood work & a chest xray, but there was no conclusive cause determined from those tests. :rolleyes:

*sigh*

My poor little Ginger seems to just have a really sensitive system. Earlier this year she was vomiting a lot & had visibly lost weight, but after changing her to a special diet for awhile she seemed to get over that & is now back to a healthy weight of 9 lbs.

Anyway, I wish I could just call the vet tomorrow morning & arrange to pick up the antibiotics they'll want me to give her, but I'm sure they won't do that without examining her first. I can't take her in tomorrow, but I guess I'll have to take the morning off from work Tues. to get her in there so they can check her out. It's so frustrating, because while I feel AWFUL that she's not feeling well & I want to do whatever I can to make her better ASAP, it's so aggrevating to fork out so much $$ at the vet every time she gets like this, only to have them basically say they don't know exactly what's causing it & then hand me the antibiotics again. :rolleyes:

KaliLily

09-18-2006, 07:17 AM

Poor Ginger! That girl has been through so much! Give her a hug for me - and so Pepper doesn't get jealous give her one for me too. ;)

Is it at all possible that Ginger has asthma or something?

eli1126

09-18-2006, 07:29 AM

Sazoo: I'm Sorry that Ginger's not feeling well :( Hopefully you can get some answers soon.

Beth

Sazoo

09-18-2006, 10:13 AM

Thanks, Kim! :) I'm glad to hear that Kali is doing better, too.

Is it at all possible that Ginger has asthma or something?I don't know. It could be asthma. Or it could be some sort of allergy, perhaps? You mentioned here the other day that excessive licking can sometimes be a sign of allergy, I think. She does lick her belly a lot - in fact, she pretty much doesn't have any hair on part of her tummy. She's always been that way so I didn't think much about it, but maybe that is a sign of something? The vets haven't ever said anything about it though. Hmm, if I do take her in for an exam tomorrow, I'll mention it.

Sazoo: I'm Sorry that Ginger's not feeling well :( Hopefully you can get some answers soon.
Thank you so much, Beth! I hate it when my kitties are sick. :(

KaliLily

09-18-2006, 12:21 PM

Sarah: She could have an allergy with all that licking, or maybe isn't getting a nutrient she needs. Ask your vet about the medication I mentioned here previously. I still need to order it for Kali from 1800Petmeds, but first I want to make sure I can't find it locally (Petco, PetsMart, etc.)

I hope little Gingy is feeling better soon!!

KaliLily

09-18-2006, 05:11 PM

Are y'all ready for this?

If you've read my PPs you know that my cat, Kali, was treated with a bronchodilator Friday and Saturday at the vet's due to a severe allergy attack. The medication they used was Albuterol. Well, I've been sick for 4 weeks now and went to my doctor today for a follow-up. I'd been on an antibiotic, but it didn't clear up the sinus infection and my cough had gotten worse. Now what did my doctor find upon examining me? That my airways were constricted and I needed to be treated with...ALBUTEROL! Just like Kali! :eek: Fortunately, because I take direction well ("put this in your mouth and breathe for 5 minutes") I didn't have to be stuffed into a tiny box like Kali.

I told the doctor and nurse about this coinky dink, and they were quite amused - as were my friends. I told them that now it's clear, Kali is the feline equivalent of the offspring that DH and I may someday produce. :D They all started laughing and my doctor told me to stop being a "copy cat." I've definitely found the right GP, he so shares my sense of humor. :p

jnettie

09-18-2006, 08:08 PM

Lol! That's too funny! I'm glad they didn't have to put you in a box. ;)

jnettie

09-19-2006, 11:35 AM

Here's some new photos of my babies!

Jade sunning herself. I can't believe she's 4 now! It feels like just yesterday she was a tiny kitten.
http://static.flickr.com/91/247591839_1360550926.jpg?v=0

Jade being the nut job she is! She loves to play! I was trying to get her to jump on top of the chair - one of her favorite activites - but she wouldn't.
http://static.flickr.com/94/247591826_39d7b8fa95.jpg?v=0

As soon as the windows are open, the kitties love to sit and look outside. Here's Sissy:
http://static.flickr.com/88/247591835_92bbb89f22.jpg?v=0

I swear, Sissy can get comfy anywere! She also loves to be near her people. Now, you can't pick her up, and you can only pet her if you don't look at her at the same time, but she still loves the company.
http://static.flickr.com/96/247591831_9bd2783daa.jpg?v=0

On a side note, here's a photo I could get of Sissy's hair loss. I'm still not sure exactly what's doing it, though I'm beginning to think it's anxiety. I've been watching her carefully lately. We changed food at the beginning of August, and it only seems worse now, so I'm going to rule out food allergy. Airborn algery isn't out of the question, but would that make her itchy? I'm leaning toward behavior and anxiety because of her history (was a neglected kitty when we adopted her) and because she's been extra sensative as of late. She alternates between being incredibly needy (meow! meow! Pet me NOW!) and extremely skiddish (OMG! They're coming to kill me! I can't let them touch me! Help!). I see another vet appointment in our near future. :( I only hesitate because that is one of the things that stress her out.

http://static.flickr.com/90/247591837_3e39b6aedb.jpg?v=0

eli1126

09-19-2006, 11:59 AM

Wow jnettie, you really meant she was losing hair! Not that I didn't think she was, but when you see it you realize how serious it is. Keeping my fingers crossed that you figure out what's going on :(

Beth

jnettie

09-19-2006, 12:05 PM

Thanks Beth. What's worse is that she's chewing it off herself. :( But, at least she isn't going so far as to wear away skin, giving herself scabs or anything. I touch her bare spots daily (if I can get to her) to be sure she's not tender, and she's not. Part of what the Vet told us before was to observe her for a while before coming in again, so that's what I'm doing.

greenbunny

09-19-2006, 12:14 PM

What food was she on, and what did you switch to? How do you know it's not an allergy? There are so many possibilities, processed cat food has dozens of ingredients.

jnettie

09-19-2006, 05:51 PM

She was on Neutro brand Indoor Cat formula, and I switched her to Natual Balance Venison and Pea formula (I couldn't find a place in Brooklyn that sold the Innova stuff! Every store listed was closed). I actually created a spreadsheet compairing ingredients. If it's an allergy, it could be an additive, though. But most ingredients are different. They only ingredients they share are: dl methionine, dried parsley, flaxseed oil, potassium chloride, yucca schidigera, taurine, and zinc sulfate.

I think I'll call a different vet. Ask them about cats and allergies before I bring her in. :(

maplekitty

09-19-2006, 06:07 PM

Today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day , and one year ago today we brought home our cat-son Captain, and named him accordingly.
So today is Captain's birthday!! We are guessing he's 3 years old by the size of his teeth and his growth size.
Unfortunately he doesnt really like treats, or tuna fish or wet food, so we can't give him anything special to eat for his b-day. But we have a box of toys and we'll crack out a new toy for him to play with tonight :D

"YYYyyyyaaaaaaarrrrrrrr"

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid215/pe3dbaac4544e85f6772afaec831220c2/ece70d8a.jpg

greenbunny

09-19-2006, 06:53 PM

Hmm. Are there food colorings? Sometimes that can play a factor.

It might even be a non-food related allergy. Does she sleep on your bed? It could be your fabric softener. There are so many possibilities, it's really difficult! :(

One thing you can do to try to get her to stop (though it might mask symptoms and make diagnosis more difficult) is Bitter Apple spray. Petsmart carries it, it's in a yellow and green bottle. Be warned that it smells very odd, though, almost like old lunchmeat. We spray the houseplants to keep Summer from eating them, and for a few days I thought DH left food lay out somewhere!

jnettie

09-19-2006, 07:10 PM

She does sleep in our bed with us. That's something to consider. If it's an itchy skin thing. Could be the sheets and detergent, could be the down (we have a down pillow that she sleeps on - yeah, her own down pilow - and a down feather bed).

There are also some anti-itch sprays out there. I may give that a try.

BTW...greenbunny, thanks SOOOO much! You've been a wonderful help!

greenbunny

09-19-2006, 08:28 PM

No problem! Summer wasn't licking to the extent of making bare spots, but she was a very compulsive groomer, so I totally sympathize! Another thing to check is her stools. What clued us in to Summer's grain allergy was not only the constant licking, but the fact that she had constant diarrhea. If her elimination seems totally normal (at least, consistent) it is probably less likely a food issue.

KaliLily

09-19-2006, 09:20 PM

I'm still not sure exactly what's doing it, though I'm beginning to think it's anxiety. I've been watching her carefully lately. We changed food at the beginning of August, and it only seems worse now, so I'm going to rule out food allergy. Airborn algery isn't out of the question, but would that make her itchy?

Your babies are adorable!

As for Sissy's hair loss, we had a dog that scratched part of her back bare when we went on a family vacation. IIRC, the vet said it was due to anxiety over being left alone. Animals do act out when they are anxious. I'm pretty sure I read that airborne allergies can cause itching, but I'm certainly no expert. I'd always had dogs until we adopted Lily 6 yrs ago - and I wasn't the primary "owner" of the dogs.

KaliLily

09-19-2006, 09:22 PM

Today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day , and one year ago today we brought home our cat-son Captain, and named him accordingly.
So today is Captain's birthday!!

Happy Birthday, Captain! What a great photo!

I have to show my DH this post. He was so excited last night that it was almost Talk Like A Pirate Day. He got even more giddy when last night's episode of Wife Swap had a "Pirate" family. :D

sheartm7

09-20-2006, 06:46 AM

jnettie - aw, your furbabies are SO adorable! They look so snuggly. I hope you can figure out what is causing the constant licking.

maplekitty - what a great picture! My cat is the same way about treats. The first week we brought him home, I tried to give him some Pounce treats, but he wanted nothing to do with them.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0000BXJHX.01-A16MZ6IWWRWUP5._PE10_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

I was surprised, since my cats at my parents LOVE them.

bunnybeth

09-20-2006, 01:20 PM

Took my Duncan into the vet yesterday, much to his dismay, he's such a scardy cat. ;) He got his vaccines and was weighed at only 7.5 lbs, so he's lost almost half a pound. I bet it doesn't help that he's on diet food due to his "brother" being on the chunky side.

I was looking into putting soft caps on their claws before our new little one arrives- I'm due in 5 weeks now. Do they sell them at PetsMart (though I've never noticed them) or is there someplace online anyone can recommend? I'd like to get them soon to practice putting them on.

maplekitty That's a great way to name your furbaby. :) Happy belated b-day, Captain!

KaliLily

09-20-2006, 08:22 PM

Took my Duncan into the vet yesterday, much to his dismay, he's such a scardy cat. ;) He got his vaccines and was weighed at only 7.5 lbs, so he's lost almost half a pound. I bet it doesn't help that he's on diet food due to his "brother" being on the chunky side.

I was looking into putting soft caps on their claws before our new little one arrives- I'm due in 5 weeks now. Do they sell them at PetsMart (though I've never noticed them) or is there someplace online anyone can recommend? I'd like to get them soon to practice putting them on.

Have you thought about trying a Multicat Formula food? That might help keep Duncan from losing weight while helping his "brother" lose weight.

I was at Petco and PetsMart the other day and I think I saw the claw caps at both stores. IIRC, they were with the collars.

JamBray

09-21-2006, 12:05 PM

Awww, Kali and Lily are just adorable KaliLily. I'm sorry that Kali was having such a rough time of it, but that's good she's doing better now. How funny that she's on the same medicine as you (my husband also take Albuterol for his asthma). :)

Sazoo I hope Ginger is feeling a little bit better. Did you find out what was causing all of her symptoms?

What adorable kitties jnettie! I especially like the pics of Jade on the chair and Sissy lazing around on your desk. :D Funny how some cats can just plop anywhere and be comfortable. :p I hope you can find the reason for Sissy's licking issue soon.

bunnybeth - Here's the Soft Paws (http://www.softpaws.com/) site. You can even get
them in different colors. :)

Happy Belated Birthday Captain! :)

jnettie

09-21-2006, 01:01 PM

Thanks everyone! Poor Sissy was through a lot before we adopted her. She used to hide all the time. She's come a long way, and for the most part she's a happy kitty. That's why I'm trying to rule out environmental issues before I resort to chemical problems.

bunnybeth, we used to get soft paws from Petco. As for food, I think some cats are naturally thin, others are pleasantly plump. ;) Jade and Sissy eat exactly the same food, I'd even say they eat the same ammount (both are grazers). Sissy is 6.5 pounds, and Jade is 10! And if I give them wet food, Sissy eats more than Jade.

bunnybeth

09-22-2006, 09:42 AM

KaliLily We did try Multicat Formula food, the problem was Connor loved it way too much. He'd eat it all up and try to get into the bag for more food, so he ended up gaining weight due to eating a lot more food! Thanks for the tip on where to look for the claw caps.

JamBray Thanks for the link, I'll probably get them there if my PetsMart doesn't carry them.

jnettie I think the vet was mostly concerned by the weight loss, not the actual weight, he has always been thin. Though now that I think of it, we usually bring him in to the vet in the spring and maybe he looses weight during the summer since we take them outside most days for a bit.

Tonysweetie

09-22-2006, 12:51 PM

greenbunny

09-22-2006, 01:23 PM

As far as treats, I was looking for grain-free snacks for Summer and was directed to these. They look pretty high quality compared to the store-bought kind:

http://www.snack21treats.com/

jnettie

09-22-2006, 01:47 PM

Question: How do those soft paws work? I think that is so neat! I'm very interested in getting that. Do the cats mind them? How do you put it on? I've never seen anything like that before. Interesting....

They are little, clear plastic caps that are claw shaped you glue to their claws. First you clip their nails, then you trim the caps so they fit over the claw, then you glue them on. They naturally fall off as the claws grow.

It's irritating, but they get over it. This also depends on the temperment of your cat and how long they'll actually let you mess with their paws! :p We did it for Jade when she was a kitten - you could wait until she was asleep and she'd sleep right through it - but had to give up when she was older because she wouldn't hear of it. Sissy, forget it. She won't stay still long enough to clip her nails regularly, let alone put stuff on her toes.

KaliLily

09-22-2006, 03:25 PM

KaliLily We did try Multicat Formula food, the problem was Connor loved it way too much. He'd eat it all up and try to get into the bag for more food, so he ended up gaining weight due to eating a lot more food! Thanks for the tip on where to look for the claw caps.

Boy, that sounds like Kali. I learned the hard way to put new bags of food away immediately upon bringing them home from the store. Kali actually chews her way through the bag to get to the food if I leave it out for even a couple minutes!

greenbunny

09-22-2006, 04:42 PM

Now that we switched to scheduled feeding (rather than leaving food out) both girls will dash into the pantry if I leave it open and try to climb the shelves to get to their food. I don't try too hard to stop them since the food is in a screw-shut Tupperware...if they grow thumbs I may need to be more diligent. :p

KaliLily

09-23-2006, 10:58 AM

greenbunny

09-23-2006, 11:47 AM

When I got home from work last night, Summer had thrown up her breakfast. This morning when we got up she'd thrown up her dinner, and later this morning she threw up her breakfast. I called the vet and they quick fit us in. They said her x rays show bloating and possibly blockages. They are keeping her over the weekend and said if she can't keep anything down, she will need either Barium or exploratory surgery. My poor peaches. :(

jnettie

09-23-2006, 01:47 PM

Oh, poor kitty! I hope Summer gets well without surgery!

KaliLily

09-23-2006, 03:42 PM

greenbunny: Your poor kitty! I hope she gets better without surgery. Hang in there.

LeslieandPaul

09-23-2006, 07:19 PM

awe, sorry to hear about your sick kitty, greenbunny. I hope she gets better soon!

I took Stella and Octane to the vet this morning for their first vaccinations. They did so well (but they don't like getting their temperature taken!). When the vet was giving them the shots, she had me run a swab back and forth on the table to distract them and they didn't even make a peep. They go back at the end of October for their second vaccination, and we'll be getting them spayed and neutered sometime in December.
I can't believe how big they're getting! They seem so much bigger than when we brought them home (even though they've only gained a little bit of weight each).

Tonysweetie

09-23-2006, 08:16 PM

Greenbunny: I'll keep your kitty in my prayers. How awful! I really hope she gets better w/o any surgery. God Bless!!!

I got a quick question: How often is too often to give cats wet food? Is it healthy for their diet? I've heard before that wet food is good since cats tend not to drink enough water. I give my 2 about 1/2 can every other day or so. I open a can, split it in half, and they each get half of that. Is that too much or not enough?

jnettie

09-23-2006, 10:43 PM

(but they don't like getting their temperature taken!)
Lol! I think this bothers my DH more than it bothers the cats! He was very relieved when they didn't have their temps taken at the last vet visit.

[B][COLOR="Green"]I got a quick question: How often is too often to give cats wet food? Is it healthy for their diet? I've heard before that wet food is good since cats tend not to drink enough water. I give my 2 about 1/2 can every other day or so. I open a can, split it in half, and they each get half of that. Is that too much or not enough?
I had one vet that suggested we always feed the cats wet food. She seemed to think it was the best thing for them, but in terms of weight control. But, canned is very expensive to keep up (especially the brand we use), so my girls only get canned breakfast on the weekend. They seem to drink enough water, so I'm not worried about that.

eli1126

09-24-2006, 08:50 AM

greenbunny: Sending out good wishes for Summer! Keep us updated!

Tonysweetie: We had 1 vet reccommend a small amount of canned/wet food each day. She said 1 can should last 2 days for the two cats. She said split in into quarters so each day they would get a 1/4 of the canned food. She said the oils in the canned food were beneficial for skin/fur. We found that by giving them wet food each day though, they weren't eating their crunchy food, so we cut back the wet food to every other day with the same 1/4 amount. Oh, and make sure that once you open the can you transfer the remaining food to a tupperware container. The drawback to wet food is that it doesn't remove tarter/plaque from your kitties teeth so you don't want to rely on wet food only. They need the crunchy food too. HTH!

Beth

Tonysweetie

09-24-2006, 09:17 AM

Thanks jnettie & eli1126, yea we still feed our 2 crunchy food as well. That is always down for them. I was giving them a 1/4 each of canned food every day but now it's been cut back b/c my youngest Cleo (only 6 months old) weighs as much as my oldest who is a year and 1/2. So I'm trying to cut back a little for her. :)

Mrs.B716

09-25-2006, 05:59 PM

Here he is....our new baby!! KRAMER

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m167/ebauer_01/Kramer001.jpg

Sazoo

09-25-2006, 06:16 PM

Cute!!!!! :D

eli1126

09-25-2006, 06:59 PM

Mrs.B716 What a cutie pie!

Beth

Tonysweetie

09-25-2006, 08:34 PM

Mrs.B716: What a cutie!!!! How old is he???

jnettie

09-25-2006, 10:27 PM

Cute!!!!! :D

ITA! Kramer, huh? Sienfeld fans?

Mrs.B716

09-26-2006, 06:24 AM

Yes, we are Sienfeld fans and the name TOTALLY fits the personality!!! It's been a crazy couple of days!!!

He is about 9 weeks old.

sheartm7

09-26-2006, 07:04 AM

Mrs.B71 - what a beautiful kitty! :)

greenbunny

09-26-2006, 09:13 AM

Summer is home, running around like a nutcase. She seems fine now and they have no idea what was making her throw up. It seems the only long-term affects are to my wallet. :rolleyes:

She got a new Eddie Bauer fleece bed as a welcome home present. I'm not usually a brand-name buyer, but these are very well made. The washable cover zips closed on the bottom, instead of being elastic like the generic ones. I recommend them.

eli1126

09-26-2006, 09:55 AM

greenbunny: Yeah for Good News!

Beth

JamBray

09-26-2006, 11:31 AM

Glad to hear that Summer is all better greenbunny.

Awwww, what an adorable kitten Mrs.B716 ! :D

Tonysweetie

09-26-2006, 08:58 PM

Greenbunny: That is fantastic news! :)

TracieB

09-27-2006, 08:02 AM

My parents just got a new kitten, sinceTiffer, my first cat who was 18, died last week :(. The new kitten's name is Chloe and my other cat, Gabbie, who is living with my parents, isn't loving it. I hope she gets used to it soon, or else Chloe is going to have to leave :(. Any tips on how to make this better? Gabbie's usually such a nice, calm cat, I don't understand!! She has never hissed and has been hissing her head off since we brought Chloe home.

greenbunny

09-27-2006, 08:39 AM

Tracie, I just bumped an old thread for you, here:
http://www.constantchatter.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9909&highlight=quarantine

I go into a lot of detail in post #22 about how cats should be introduced. If the cats are already together in the house, you can separate them and start the process over.

KaliLily

09-29-2006, 06:48 PM

I was just at PetsMart this evening and found 28 lb. boxes of Ever Clean litter on sale for $14.99 each (3 lbs were "free" as the usual size of the box is 25 lbs)!!! :D

Although I found Ever Clean to be better for my household than Fresh Step, I resigned myself to living without it as a 25lb box was $22.99 at my local PetCo. But then I happened to be at PetsMart one day and found that their regular price for the same size box is only $16.99 - $6 less than at PetCo! (How the same litter can be priced so differently is beyond me.) PetCo is about 10 miles closer to my house, but I'll go the extra miles to save $6/box!

Anywho...if you prefer Ever Clean - or want to give it a try - now's the time to head to PetsMart! The sale price is good through 10/22.

ETA: Bless my Lily! Kali doesn't bury her "deposits" in the litter box, and she just left something really stinky. I was about to be gagged out of my den when Lily came in and buried it! I can always count on Lily to go in after Kali and bury everything for me. :)

greenbunny

09-30-2006, 10:09 AM

KaliLily

09-30-2006, 01:43 PM

Thanks so much! This is the only litter we use. I can find it cheaper than Petsmart and Petco at a local family-owned pet store, but I haven't seen the 28-pound boxes in ages. I am going to head over there this afternoon and stock up.

My pleasure! I'll have to check out some smaller pet stores in the area and see if they have it cheaper, like yours does. Thanks for mentioning that!

miaclear

09-30-2006, 03:32 PM

Oh I love to share photos of my Luca. We got her July of 2002, she was born Jan 26 2002.

Here are some of my favorite baby kitty pics of her.

Her first day
http://static.flickr.com/103/256681012_84e9899ff0.jpg?v=0

In the bathtub playing hide-n-seek
http://static.flickr.com/120/256681013_fb5939b895.jpg?v=0

Her E.T. picture (can you find her?)
http://static.flickr.com/88/256681015_fcd522ec95.jpg?v=0

And a more recent picture of her playing catch with wadded up tin foil (by far her favorite toy)
http://static.flickr.com/81/256682477_e51e08a4cf.jpg?v=0

eli1126

10-01-2006, 08:54 AM

miaclear Luca is a beautiful cat! I love the ET picture!

We have the Petmate Deluxe fresh flow water dish from PetSmart. We've had it since June and our cats love it. The motor (I think) makes a sound when it needs more water probably about every three days or so (like a whooshing sound). The other day I noticed it was making that sound so I went to fill it up and it was full :confused: But the motor continue to make the sound as if it were empty. SO I did unplug it and wash it all out and am using the regular cat bowl for now. I know some of you have these, any experience with this? Do you leave it running even when you're home? I'm thinking that maybe we should just fill the dish part with water daily when we're here and only turn it on when we are away for the night :confused: Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

Beth

sheartm7

10-04-2006, 07:29 AM

KaliLily

10-04-2006, 07:54 AM

My Eddie has been sneezing up a storm lately. It almost sounds like he's coughing, but then he'll just sneeze. Like 4 times in a row sometimes. I'm pretty good about vaccuuming. And we've been keeping the windows open for fresh air. It's happened one other time before. I wonder if there's anything else I can do for him?

That's what Kali's sneezes were like when I took her to the vet a few weeks ago. They treated her with Albuterol and it really helped. It could be an allergen has come in through the open windows.

greenbunny

10-04-2006, 09:51 AM

I went to Petsmart two times to look for the 28 lb box of Ever Clean, and they only had the 25 lb boxes. I even went on a day they get shipments. They told me it's a special promotion only good til they're gone, no rainchecks. That's bull. The offer is good until 10/22, that's a long time. As far as I'm concerned, this is a bait and switch. I plan on writing a nasty letter to corporate. I hope other people have better luck. :mad:

Bella also is sneezing. She usually gets a small cold going from winter to spring and from summer to fall. She clears up on her own in about a week and a half.

mommy2allyandaveri

10-04-2006, 01:33 PM

miaclear---what breed is Luca? She is beautiful.

ajb524

10-04-2006, 02:14 PM

Hi Ladies!! I've read along occasionally, but never posted. I have two kitties. Ginger & Pepper. Ginger is 2 years and I'm not sure how old Pepper is. DH found him at work about 2 months ago. I'm guessing he's probably 3-4 months old now. He was very small when we found him. I'd been trying to find him a home, but have been unsuccesful and I couldn't bear to have him put to sleep if he was adopted at the shelter :(.

So here is a question- Pepper has some tummy issues. I think it may have been from him eating Ginger's adult cat food because as long as he eats his pricey Nutro Kitten food his tummy is okay. We have a 7 month old and are on a budget and I just afford to buy the more expensive food since I have to feed it to Ginger too since they tend to eat out of one another's bowls. Ginger has been eating Purina Indoor food forever now and doesn't have a problem with it. Any other foods that anyone can recommend that isn't so pricey? I hate to keep switching him around on food, but that stuff is $10 for a small bag. The only reason I got it to begin with is because they sent me a free bag coupon.

Thanks!

greenbunny

10-04-2006, 02:53 PM

You really need to feed them separately. Kittens need the calorie density of kitten food, and adults cat, especially neutered ones, shouldn't have it due to weight gain. You'll have to switch from free feeding to scheduled feedings.

Purina is pretty lousy, some good brands are:

Wellness, Innova, Solid Gold, Felidae, Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul

Sazoo

10-04-2006, 04:33 PM

Hi Ladies!! I've read along occasionally, but never posted. I have two kitties. Ginger & Pepper.OMG, are you serious? What a funny coincidence...I have 2 cats named Ginger & Pepper, too! :D Mine are the other way around, though - Pepper is older & Ginger is younger. Plus, my Pepper is a girl. ;)

So here is a question- Pepper has some tummy issues. I think it may have been from him eating Ginger's adult cat food because as long as he eats his pricey Nutro Kitten food his tummy is okay. We have a 7 month old and are on a budget and I just afford to buy the more expensive food since I have to feed it to Ginger too since they tend to eat out of one another's bowls. Ginger has been eating Purina Indoor food forever now and doesn't have a problem with it. Any other foods that anyone can recommend that isn't so pricey? I hate to keep switching him around on food, but that stuff is $10 for a small bag. The only reason I got it to begin with is because they sent me a free bag coupon.
I agree with Greenbunny about needing to feed your kitten actual kitten food for awhile, because kittens really do have different nutritional needs than adult cats. I have had similar problems as you with trying to feed 2 cats 2 different foods, because they eat each other's food all the time. :rolleyes: When Ginger was a kitten, I had some success feeding Pepper her adult cat food up on a bookshelf that she was big enough to jump up to, but Ginger wasn't. Eventually Ginger figured out how to get up there too, but that strategy worked for a couple of months, at least. ;)

Since my Ginger has some tummy issues that arise from time to time, I do sometimes have to feed them different foods for awhile (our vet has us feed her Science Diet Z/D, which is a prescription food that is very expensive). I've never quite gone to the extreme of "scheduled feedings" (although it is a good idea, if you're willing to make the switch) but I do sometimes try to feed one cat at a time, & put up the other bowl of food someplace where they can't reach it.

As for food recommendations, I generally buy Hill's Science Diet, which is slightly cheaper than the $10/small bag that you mentioned, but not by much. I think I pay about $8.50 for a 4 lb. bag (you get a better deal by buying the larger bags, though). I bought some Royal Canin recently, but neither cat liked it & they both started getting sick from it so we're switching back to Science Diet again.

Good luck!

MrsAmy

10-04-2006, 05:44 PM

Hi ladies..I'm a cat mom too.

Here are my princesses:

Diva:

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n300/amynschroeder/Animals/diva2.jpg

and Fritter:

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n300/amynschroeder/Animals/Picture048.jpg

sheartm7

10-05-2006, 06:45 AM

MrsAmy - adorable! They look really young, are they still kittens?

Lilacs

10-05-2006, 07:12 AM

so cute!

KaliLily

10-10-2006, 09:54 AM

I'm so sad and angry I needed to let it out. I thought this would be the best place, as I know you all can understand my sadness and outrage.

Last Friday night the animal rescue/store where I adopted my girls was broken into and vandalized, with animals being let out of their cages, stolen, and many small animals killed. I am truly heartbroken over this. We adopted Lily there 6 yrs ago this December. I was so impressed with them, I went there to find Lily a sibling the following April. They introduced me to Kali and helped me figure out that our family would be a good fit for her. With both adoptions we were given 10% off discount cards for their store for the life of my cats. I thought that was a very sweet gesture.

What I loved best about the rescue, though, was that they are a no-kill shelter. When I was at the pound years ago I was so sad to read the number of animals - particularly cats - euthanised there each year. To find a place that took in animals and promised to care for them whether adopted or not was refreshing.

That there are people who would maliciously harm those animals sickens me. Thinking about it makes me cry. I have no more words.

eli1126

10-10-2006, 10:06 AM

Oh KaliLily

I am so sorry and sickened right with you :( What awful, hateful people would so something like this?!

Peppy

10-10-2006, 12:53 PM

KaliLily

10-10-2006, 01:08 PM

Oh my god, KaliLilly, that's awful.

Is the shelter going to get back up and running? Can you post or PM me the name of it? It sounds like they might be able to use some donations.

That's just terrible. :mad:

I believe it is. According to the news, a lot of volunteers showed up to help put the store and shelter back in order. The organization is Animal Talk Rescue in Seattle, WA. Their website is http://www.animaltalkrescue.org/

I don't live in the area anymore, but am going to mail a donation along with a letter and a picture of Kali and Lily. I thought an update on 2 cats they saved might make them feel a little better. Many people were surprised that we moved the cats with us across the country. I didn't understand it. They are a part of our family, why wouldn't we bring them?

eli1126: Thanks for the empathy.

greenbunny

10-10-2006, 01:10 PM

This is just disgusting. I'm going to spread this around to my group listings, maybe some other people will contribute.

ETA: They take PayPal for anyone else who would like to make a donation.

KaliLily

10-10-2006, 01:11 PM

Thanks, greenbunny!

ETA: For anyone interested, the story can be found here http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003295558_petstore09m.html and http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/288011_petburglary09.html

Sazoo

10-10-2006, 01:21 PM

Kim, when I first heard this on the local radio station yesterday I thought that was the shelter where we went to get Lily & Kali. I’m glad you & I checked into it this morning & found out more details, because all I’d heard yesterday was a brief newsclip about some sort of vandalism there. I agree - it is absolutely horrifying to me that someone would do such an awful thing to these poor defenseless animals. :( I think it’s a great idea for you to send them a picture of your cats along with your donation – I’m sure they will love reading an update about your cats. :)

For anyone interested in donating, they accept donations via mail or online via credit card through PayPal.

greenbunny

10-10-2006, 01:34 PM

It's flowing along through pet forums right now. One guy mentioned possibly getting his Seattle musician contacts together for a benefit. Hopefully it isn't just talk and something will come of it.

Tonysweetie

10-10-2006, 02:14 PM

Wow, that is awful! Some people are just sick! My heart goes out to all those innocent animals. :(

sheartm7

10-10-2006, 02:31 PM

KaliLily, I'm so sorry. :( I, too, adopted from a no-kill shelter and they've been great. I get a monthly newsletter from them with updates on all the cats I came in contact with during my visits there. I'd be truly horrified if anything like this happened there.

May karma come back to bite those sh*theads in the ass. :mad:

KaliLily

10-10-2006, 03:09 PM

Wow, thanks to all for passing this along. I came to vent, and had no idea the outpouring that would result. You are all a great group of women - and Cat Moms!

Special thanks to Sarah (Sazoo) for telling me about this today, otherwise I never would have heard about it, and for cross-posting it in the Wasington thread. You're an amazing friend!

BTW, I wouldn't be a cat mom if it weren't for Sarah. She helped me make the decision to adopt a cat (I was quite apprehensive) and went with me to pick out & pick up Lily, and then Kali.

Sazoo

10-10-2006, 03:22 PM

Special thanks to Sarah (Sazoo) for telling me about this today, otherwise I never would have heard about it, and for cross-posting it in the Wasington thread. You're an amazing friend!Aww, thanks, so are you! :)

BTW, I wouldn't be a cat mom if it weren't for Sarah.That's true - you were a DOG person up until then, but look at you now, you're a great kitty momma! :D

littlejules

10-10-2006, 05:16 PM

Here's my baby (well, a fat 13 year old baby!!) Misty. She loves to follow us out into the yard and get a little attention....

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Julie_H/Picture092.jpg

JamBray

10-11-2006, 11:00 AM

KaliLily, I'm so sorry to hear what happened at the shelter. That's just awful! I hope they can get back in business soon, and the offenders are caught.

Awww littlejules, Misty is sooo cute! :)

Tonysweetie

10-12-2006, 03:40 AM

Girls I'm at loss and need some help. DH and I have 2 kitties, Max & Cleo. Max is almost 2 and Cleo is almost 1. We love them very much and don't know what to do. DH is possiably leaving for boot camp in November (we find out later today) and will be gone 10 weeks. He's the one that has been doing the litterbox since I can't. We have been trying to figure out what were going to do while he's gone. I will be moving back in w/my parents while he's gone and my Mom doesn't allow cats in her home so I can't bring them w/me. I don't have anyone to come over and clean the litterbox out for me. We thought about boarding them at our vet's office but that would cost us a fortune. DH suggested yesterday to let them go somewhere. But I don't anyone who would take them for that long. MIL has babysat Max before when we were only out of town for a few days but I couldn't ask her to watch 2 more kitties when she already has 2 of her own. I've metioned this to a few relatives and friends and nobody wants to come over to scoop the litterbox (can't say that I blame them). We really don't know what to do w/them. They are my babies and the idea of giving them up makes me so sad! DH and I keep coming back to that. Letting them go to a new home but it seems stupid to give them to someone when eh's going going to be gone for 10 weeks and then everything would be back to normal. We thought about hiring someone to come out and care for them too but again we don't have that kind of money to spend like that. Does anyone have any suggestions on what we can do? THANKS!

KaliLily

10-12-2006, 05:56 AM

Tonysweetie: Are Max and Cleo indoor only cats? I was reading recently that the risk of toxoplasmosis is almost non-existent with indoor cats. I've also read that some doctor's permit pregnant women to handle litterbox duty, as long as they wear a mask and gloves. Have you talked to your doctor about this to see if it'd be OK for you to clean them for 10 weeks?

You could also switch to self-cleaning litterboxes so whoever takes care of it only have to change the receptacles and add litter to the pan. It's an extra expense, but not nearly as much as boarding or hiring an animal caretaker.

Good luck!

greenbunny

10-12-2006, 06:54 AM

As I've said previously, getting toxo from a litter box is pretty difficult unless you're snacking out of it. Regular handwashing with regular soap after scooping litter will kill toxo. It requires no special routine other than normal hygiene.

The problem comes about more when you have outdoor cats or strays. You can get toxo from waste buried in your yard, so I'd avoid gardening if you know of any local strays--but this isn't gardening time of year, anyway.

eli1126

10-12-2006, 06:55 AM

Tonysweetie: As long as your cats are indoor cats you shouldn't have a problem! If it makes you feel better, put on some gloves and possibly a mask (you can get them at Home Depot) to clean out the box. From what I understand, there is no reason a woman who is pg can't change the litter box as long as they wash their hands well after cleaning. In fact over in family planning when posters realize this they jokingly say they won't tell their DH's just so they can still get a break from litter box duty :)

Lindzee82

10-12-2006, 07:26 AM

Tonysweetie - I agree with the above posters in reference to changing your cats' litter box. My DH was away with the military for the last 6 months of my pregnancy. Before he left we bought one of those automatic cat litter boxes. This really helped. It scooped the poop each time the cat went. Then, once a week, all I had to do was empty the bin of poop (I wore gloves and held my breath) and emptied the litter into the trash can and poured new litter. I never had to handle any of the litter directly.

Not directly related to the litter - but, does your mom live close to where you live now? Are you keeping your apartment while you live with your mom and your DH is away? Because I think it would be very sad for your kitties if you left them alone for 10 weeks. The only reason I did not move back in with my parents when my DH went away for 7 months was because of my cat. I couldn't take her with me, so I wasn't going to leave her. So, if you are planning on living with your mom for 10 weeks then I would suggest trying to find a new home for your cats because I think it would be awful for you to leave them alone in the apartment for that long a period of time. But, don't give them away just because you feel you can't change their litter. Because you most certainly can.

KaliLily

10-12-2006, 07:26 AM

In fact over in family planning when posters realize this they jokingly say they won't tell their DH's just so they can still get a break from litter box duty :)

That's been my plan for when I'm PG! :D

kam

10-12-2006, 08:34 AM

Upon reading this, I thought "Am I reading this right? The choice is leave the cats, who you 'love', for 10 weeks all alone or giving them away?"

Then I read this and thought that I was sadly reading it right.

Not directly related to the litter - but, does your mom live close to where you live now? Are you keeping your apartment while you live with your mom and your DH is away? Because I think it would be very sad for your kitties if you left them alone for 10 weeks. The only reason I did not move back in with my parents when my DH went away for 7 months was because of my cat. I couldn't take her with me, so I wasn't going to leave her. So, if you are planning on living with your mom for 10 weeks then I would suggest trying to find a new home for your cats because I think it would be awful for you to leave them alone in the apartment for that long a period of time. But, don't give them away just because you feel you can't change their litter. Because you most certainly can.

Agree 100%.

ajb524

10-12-2006, 08:39 AM

I changed my cat's litter the whole time I was PG. I just made sure to wash my hands very thoroughly as soon as I was finished (which I do anyway).

ruledbymercury

10-12-2006, 08:57 AM

From what I've heard, the risk of toxoplasmosis is minimal, especially in indoor cats. The instruction to stay away from the litterbox is just an added precaution. From what I've heard, you are actually less likely to contract toxoplasmosis from cats than from other sources in your environment. For peace of mind, you can have yourself and your cats tested to see if you've already been exposed to toxoplasmosis. If so, antibodies will have already been developed to fight it off, and it is highly unlikely that it could be contracted a second time, ESPECIALLY if they are indoor-only. If it were me, I'd get tested, have my cats tested, and take care of the litterbox myself and just be really careful to wash my hands thoroughly afterward. You should be fine.

Tonysweetie

10-12-2006, 09:36 AM

Thanks everyone, I didn't realize it wasn't really a threat to me. I was just going by what my doctor said. My very first visit she drilled me not to touch the litterbox. Yes, they are indoor only cats, Max has been outside maybe twice for a couple minutes while I was out there. I'll talk to my doctor. Thank you all for advising me I had no idea. :)

Lindzee82: Yes, My Mom lives like 5 minutes away. I'm not going to live w/them full time. I only really plan on staying with them on the weekends. Don't worry I wouldn't leave them alone like that. :) I am keeping our apartment while DH away of course, infact we are signing a new least next month. I guess what I'll do is ask my doctor if I can change the box and if she says no then I'll ask my MIL. I know she would do it if I begged her too. I just don't like the idea at all of having to give my kitties up! But that is what DH & Mom was suggesting I did. :(

Kam: I would never leave them totally alone for 10 weeks. I'm not that bad of a cat mommy. Like I said above my Mom lives 5 mintues away. I plan to really only stay w/her full time on the weekends and during the week either stay home or come home during the day to spend time with them. Of course I love them and I don't want to EVER give them up I was just going by what my Mom & DH suggested and didn't really know what to do. I didn't realize toxo. wasn't much of a threat to me and I'm going ot ask my doctor at my next visit and if she is against it then I'll try to find someone to help me out or get one of those expensive boxes which I hope I don't have too really. Thanks! :)

ps I love your avatar!

Again thanks for the advice everyone! :)

Peppy

10-12-2006, 10:28 AM

Tonysweetie, I agree with everyone else's advice about toxoplasmosis. I recently looked into this issue when my sister-in-law was afraid to visit my place because of our cat and I thought these two articles were particularly helpful:

http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/pregnancy_and_toxoplasmosis.html

http://editorials.arrivenet.com/pets/article.php/7440.html

I think that a lot of OB/GYNs tell women not to go near the litterbox because it is easier than laying out specific rules one should follow. One thing I found particularly interesting in these articles is that the virus only becomes infectious 1-5 days after the feces are in the litterbox. So if you clean the litterbox once a day or more, you shouldn't have a problem.

If you're still worried, I would definitely just have your cats tested for the virus. That would put a definitive end to any questions.

And if it turns out that your cats DO have the virus, have you thought about hiring a once-a-day petsitter to just come and clean out your boxes? It would be a lot less expensive than boarding. I have found a number of people on Craigslist who will come and sit with your pets, and one of the things they do is empty boxes. You might be able to negotiate a reduced rate because you don't need them to do any of the other aspects of pet sitting--just the cleaning out the boxes part.

Good luck!

Tonysweetie

10-12-2006, 12:48 PM

Tonysweetie

10-12-2006, 01:13 PM

Speaking of my kids, I thought I'd post a few new pictures of them....

DH took this picture of them I was getting ready to put their carrier back up on the shelf when Max crawled right in and Cleo wasn't having much of that..

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f184/Tonysweetie/DSCN5328-1.jpg

I took this the other night, they go crazy everynight over their kitty barn, it's so funny!

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f184/Tonysweetie/DSCN5368.jpg

My cuties sleeping like angels on top of my printer

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f184/Tonysweetie/DSCN4677.jpg

KaliLily

10-12-2006, 06:42 PM

Tonysweetie - 6 years ago when my GP (erroneously) told me I was pregnant, one of the first things she said to me was that I couldn't clean the litter box if we had cats. I think a lot of DRs tell you that in the interest of full disclosure as they don't know the risk factors for every pregnant cat owner.

diam124

10-12-2006, 07:43 PM

KaliLily

10-12-2006, 07:47 PM

I'm not pregnant, but I wear a mask and gloves every time I change the litter disposal container (littermaid). I know it's not necessary since my cat is an indoor cat, but I usually do it right when I get home from work and I don't like cooking after I changed the litterbox otherwise. (the mask is also helpful when it comes to the odor).

I'm not pregnant either, but decided the other day to start wearing a mask to clean the litter box - the dust aggravates my allergies, irritating my sinuses and making me cough.

lml41981

10-12-2006, 08:57 PM

Peppy: Thanks for articles! Do you know around how much it cost to have cats tested for it? I'm interested to know if they have it which I'm sure they don't but ya never know really? What is craiglist btw? I might call my vet, Max is due for one of his shots anyways. Thanks again!
The cost would vary from vet to vet. Thing is, even if you have their titres checked and it shows up that they had it, they are most likely no longer contagious and you have absolutely nothing to worry about. You are more likely to get toxo from unwashed produce than your cats.

But if you do end up getting rid of your cats, please promise never to get another pet. It would set a terrible example for your future child and would bring your grand total to, what, four animals you've brought in your home and discarded like rubbish? The dog, turtle and potentially two cats, right?

Peppy

10-12-2006, 10:31 PM

Tonysweetie, I'm not sure how much it would cost to have them tested for toxo--probably depends on your vet.

As for Craigslist it is a website where people advertise things they want to sell, buy and services they have to offer. You can find it on www.craigslist.com. Just click on your city and then on the "Pets" section. I'm not sure where you live--if you live in a remote place it might be less helpful for you.

You can also go to a website like www.petsitters.org, in which you can search pet sitters based on your zip code.

Your cats are very cute.

Gatsby

10-13-2006, 07:57 AM

Hi! I'm a new poster to this thread. Just read through it and learned a new thing or two already :) I will NOT be telling my DH that I can change the litter if I ever get PG... ;) I've already prepared him with the (not-so-true) fact that I won't be allowed.... Hehe...

I need to upload some pics of my furry ones so I can post them. I love seeing everyone else's pics!

vwinkel

10-13-2006, 01:46 PM

littlejules - Misty is adorable and HUGE!

tonysweetie - I think Max and Cleo are the most recognized kitties in this thread. As soon as I read that I felt so bad for you that you were thinking about giving them up! I'm so glad to hear that you can get your cats tested so you don't have to worry about it. I would get the automatic litter box regardless and make things easy on you and/or your MIL. Good luck!

ajb524

10-13-2006, 01:58 PM

(Sorry for the really late reply :))
Thanks Sazoo & Greenbunny. Sazoo- That's too funny that our kitties have the same names :).

Pepper seems to be doing just fine on nutro so I guess I'll stick with it even though it is more expensive. I just figured he only goes through a bag every two weeks and that's even with Ginger eating some of it. So I can handle $20 a month for his food.

Mr. Pepper got neutered Tuesday. When I picked him up at the vet he was so glad to see me. They told me to not feed him that night unless he was acting really hungry (because of the anesthesia making him nauseous). Of course the first thing he did was go looking for the food bowl. I gave him just a little food and he gobbled it right up. I kept a watch on him and he was fine. He was pouncing on Ginger as soon as he saw her. She get's slightly annoyed with him wanting to play all of the time.

KaliLily

10-14-2006, 07:13 AM

Today is my Lily's 6th birthday! Happy Birthday, Lily! :D

https://www.t-mobilepictures.com/photos/photo15/59/12/de36751ce0dd.jpg?_rh=8vlfavyowxafob2074bwnx4c8

eli1126

10-14-2006, 11:26 AM

Happy Birthday Kali!

Today I was cleaning my bathroom and of course I had to have 2 helpers :rolleyes: Although they were more of a pain than anything!!

jnettie

10-14-2006, 11:38 AM

I don't know if this is relavent now for you, Tonysweetie, but I thought I'd post it for others. We have talked to our friends who recently have had babies with cats, and apparently, you can have your doctor test you to see if you've already been exposed to toxo. If you have, then you have the antibodies and have nothing to worry about. I, for example, in all likelyhood already have because we had an indoor/outdoor kitty when I was a kid and I've had cats my whole life. In any event, it's something else to consider.

In other news, I think Sissy's hair is growing back! She's doing less licking now. I think it was a food allergy. I was just getting impatient, being a nervous cat mom and all! :D I did find a place that sells the Inova food, and I think I'll do another food test to see if it's a meat allergy or a grain allergy.

And now, some kitty photos! I feel like I play favorites, but Sissy is such a weird little cat, that she's always doing something photo worthy.

I was messing with my camera, and just happened to catch Sissy mid-scratch! lol!
http://static.flickr.com/108/269395147_1460b92f14.jpg?v=0

Here she is, in her favorite spot in the storage closet.
http://static.flickr.com/108/269395155_4bf0fd205f.jpg?v=0

And here, she's found the warm spot in the sun...who cares if it's on a full bookshelf!
http://static.flickr.com/110/269395145_586735cbc5.jpg?v=0

littlejules

10-14-2006, 04:30 PM

Jnettie - Sissy is hysterical!!

Emily

10-15-2006, 01:37 PM

Hi there! I'm a cat mom of three. :) Here are my babies:

This is Micha, she's almost a year old!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v313/Lemmie/album2/100_0957.jpg

This is Sienna, she's two!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v313/Lemmie/100_0021.jpg

And this is Eowyn, who's 3 years old!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v313/Lemmie/album2/100_0871.jpg

Sazoo

10-15-2006, 01:39 PM

Cute kitties, Emily! :)

greenbunny

10-15-2006, 10:00 PM

Does anyone's cats have allergies? Bella is once again sneezing and oozing eye boogers like she does every fall. I noticed that she doesn't seem congested though, and her inner eyelids seem swollen, so it seems more like allergies than a cold.

TracieB

10-15-2006, 10:12 PM

greenbunny - ya know, I wonder if Nikko has allergies. When he's sleeping, it sounds like he's really stuffed up, but doesn't really sneeze all that much. Interesting. He SNORES SOOOOO loudly though and it wakes me up every night. Does yours do that?

TracieB

10-15-2006, 10:21 PM

Emily

10-15-2006, 10:53 PM

Thanks Sazoo. My one kitty doesn't have allergies, but I'm almost sure she has asthma.

jnettie

10-15-2006, 11:03 PM

Jnettie - Sissy is hysterical!!
She's a hoot! But not always so funny. ;) Lately, she's been walking across the top of the books on a bookshelf that is over our bed, and last night she made the whole thing fall down on my head! :eek: I was not pleased.

greenbunny, your cats seem to have every problem imaginable! I think KaliLily was talking about airborn allergies for Kali before.

Sazoo

10-16-2006, 01:04 AM

Here's a new pic of my little guy. My hubby thought it would be funny to put one end of a grocery bag around his head and the other around his tail. Funnily enough, I think he really liked it and didn't want me to take it off!!

http://www.mpix.com/GetImage.aspx?a=27062935&b=jjnqj8k10wo9hlmou44d&c=b&d=0OMG, cute picture...but doesn't the rustling sound of the plastic bag freak him out? My cat, Ginger, is absolutely terrified of plastic bags...mostly because of the time when she got her head stuck in the handle of one & it "chased her" all over the house when she tried to escape from it. :rolleyes: Silly girl. :p

Speaking of my baby, here she is being her usual pretty kitty as I was taking pictures of our new bedroom furniture this evening:

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l240/sazoo111/Cats/100_3181a.jpg

And here are Ginger & Pepper checking out the new furniture for themselves just after it got delivered the other day:

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l240/sazoo111/Cats/100_3171a.jpg

greenbunny

10-16-2006, 07:33 AM

greenbunny, your cats seem to have every problem imaginable!

I know, it's a good thing I don't gamble! I'd blame it on being purebred, but in truth the psycho one is a mix even though she has the Birman markings. Other than this allergy thing and the sensitive tummy, Bella is pretty much okay.

ya know, I wonder if Nikko has allergies. When he's sleeping, it sounds like he's really stuffed up, but doesn't really sneeze all that much. Interesting. He SNORES SOOOOO loudly though and it wakes me up every night. Does yours do that?

She definitely breathes audibly, but I don't know if I'd call it snoring. It's more like a whistling and a little grunt when she inhales.

Sazoo, that last pic is like every shot of my two girls. The one is like "My spot, back off beeyotch!" and the other is like "Screw you, I wanna be here!"

Gatsby

10-16-2006, 09:37 AM

Cute pictures!! I wanted to post some of my babies, too... Well at 6 and 4 years, I guess they aren't babies any more :(

[Note: I guess I should explain their names... They are Jack and Ruby, and NO-I'm not obsessed with the guy who killed Oswald :) I had Jack before I met DH, and a year after we were married, we adopted Ruby from DH's sister b/c she moved to Germany. She was obviously already named Ruby. Everyone always looks at me funny when I tell them the names, so I feel the need to explain ;) ]

Jack:
http://static.flickr.com/94/270485250_872cee95dd.jpg

and Ruby:
http://static.flickr.com/107/261707347_b1bff52359.jpg

vwinkel

10-16-2006, 09:52 AM

greenbunny - I've never heard of allergies before in a cat, but I'm sure that occurs. My mom's cat does get sneezy, a runny nose and eye goobers every so often, but they give her antibiotics for it and it goes away in about a day or two.

Sazoo

10-16-2006, 10:01 AM

Sazoo, that last pic is like every shot of my two girls. The one is like "My spot, back off beeyotch!" and the other is like "Screw you, I wanna be here!"Hee hee...I didn't think about it at first, but you're right, that's exactly what it looks like they're thinking! :D

Gatsby, more cute kitties! :)

KaliLily

10-16-2006, 10:32 AM

greenbunny: Kali has had allergies her whole life, which only got worse with moving to VA (as did mine). Our vet recommended we give her Chlorpheniramine, an allergy medicine that you can get through 1800PetMeds.

greenbunny

10-16-2006, 11:22 AM

KaliLily

10-16-2006, 11:24 AM

Thanks guys! I'm going to look into that medicine, and probably put in a call to the vet. I'm sure they'll want me to just bring her in (god forbid I get advice for less than $200 :rolleyes: ) but maybe I can get some info without a visit.

Just don't buy the allergy meds from the vet! I read a customer review for it on 1800Petmeds where their vet charged about $25 for it, when a 100 ct bottle online is only $4.49. Shipping was $3.99, but that's still significantly cheaper! Our vet didn't even offer to supply it. He told me to find it OTC.

southerner

10-16-2006, 02:45 PM

Does anyone's cats have allergies?
One of mine does. They usually only last for a few days, so I've never taken him to the vet or tried anything other than some extra TLC. He gets a lot worse when we open the windows during that time in the house when it's too early for the heat, but too late for the air conditioning. We try to do that minimally.

TracieB

10-17-2006, 06:15 PM

Gatsby - Your kitties are adorable!! Jack looks so soft and cuddly.

Sazoo - As always, great pics of your cats! They are adorable! Weirdly enough, Nikko doesn't get freaked out at all about the plastic bags. He LOVES them. Every time we go to the grocery, he gets into the used bags. He's a nut!

lawyerlee

10-18-2006, 10:30 PM

I just had to share these adorable shots of my baby Felix playing with a football. He loves this football!

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b395/lawyerlee2/our%20house/IMG_1242.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b395/lawyerlee2/our%20house/IMG_1243.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b395/lawyerlee2/our%20house/IMG_1244.jpg

TracieB

10-19-2006, 04:11 AM

Oh my gosh!!! Those are hilarious!

greenbunny

10-19-2006, 07:01 AM

Felix looks like he needs an agent!

jnettie

10-19-2006, 11:25 AM

You know, it makes me very happy when I come to this thread and I get to see pictures of all the cute kitties!

Sazoo

10-19-2006, 11:27 AM

You know, it makes me very happy when I come to this thread and I get to see pictures of all the cute kitties!Me too! :D

Sazoo

10-19-2006, 11:36 AM

How about a couple of funny kitty pictures? I don't think I've posted these yet...I gave my girls baths a couple of weeks ago, & I couldn't resist taking some pictures of them as they tried to lick themselves dry afterwards. :p

Pepper:
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l240/sazoo111/Cats/100_3121.jpg

Ginger:
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l240/sazoo111/Cats/100_3120.jpg

I rarely give them baths anymore - this was the first one they've had in probably two years. They're pretty good about it, even though they don't enjoy it & spend the whole time trying to climb past me & out of the tub. :)

greenbunny

10-19-2006, 11:46 AM

Sazoo, what kind of shampoo do you use on them? My vet said Johnson's baby shampoo is okay, but I'd like to try something that lathers better.

Sazoo

10-19-2006, 11:53 AM

I use Dawn dishwashing liquid, based on a recommendation from my vet. *shrug* I put a little bit of it in the water before putting the cat in, then I put some directly on them (after getting them wet first) & I lather them up.

vwinkel

10-19-2006, 08:14 PM

I bought this toy at Sharper Image and I just have to post a review about it. My cats LOVE this thing. All three of them go crazy for it. Sharper Image no longer sell it on their website, but I have seen some on Ebay. It's the lazy owner's toy but I highly recommend it for your kitties. I put it on "sensor" so it only moves when they get close to the toy.

http://www.sharperimagespecials.com/all/ebay2/tk101_pip_eb.jpg

Kenny checks it out tonight after I put in some fresh batteries.
http://static.flickr.com/96/274282041_679e25d944.jpg?v=0

Sassy bullies Kenny out of the way once she knows there are new batteries:
http://static.flickr.com/121/274282045_fe5230c857.jpg?v=0

Asha

10-20-2006, 10:44 AM

yay, i get to post photos of my kitty. as some of you already know, i found my lil one last week crying outside my home. we named her bili, and right now she's just 1 1/2 pounds.

our friday the 13th baby bili
http://static.flickr.com/110/274692062_194c32169d.jpg?v=0

http://static.flickr.com/87/274692066_233b53ce9b.jpg?v=0

http://static.flickr.com/81/274692067_746e106525.jpg?v=0

eli1126

10-20-2006, 10:59 AM

Asha I'm so happy to hear that you got your kitty to come in!! What a cutie pie!

Sazoo When do you want to come over and bathe my kitties?! We made the mistake of not giving them one when they were little and now I don't think they would stand for it :( I think I would have to buy the big armour gloves they use to catch lobsters to bathe them if I didn't want my arms all clawed up!

diam124

10-20-2006, 11:02 AM

I bought this toy at Sharper Image and I just have to post a review about it. My cats LOVE this thing. All three of them go crazy for it. Sharper Image no longer sell it on their website, but I have seen some on Ebay. It's the lazy owner's toy but I highly recommend it for your kitties. I put it on "sensor" so it only moves when they get close to the toy.

hahaha - we used to have that toy. I think my mom bought it from QVC. Anyway, after the batteries died we took the stick part out and would use that to play with the cat in her cat tree. Well eventually she bit the string off so we just let her play with the ball on the end. It was her favorite and she carried it everywhere she went. Well one day I heard her throwing up and guess what - she ATE the ball with the ribbon on it (well, tried to eat it)! I just threw away the big cat part and the remote a couple weeks ago.

Sazoo

10-20-2006, 02:27 PM

Sazoo When do you want to come over and bathe my kitties?! We made the mistake of not giving them one when they were little and now I don't think they would stand for it :( I think I would have to buy the big armour gloves they use to catch lobsters to bathe them if I didn't want my arms all clawed up!Ha ha - no thanks! :) If my girls weren't so well-behaved then I wouldn't bathe them myself either. I did start it with each of them when they were pretty young, though, although I really do it pretty rarely anymore.

Interestingly enough, despite the fact that Pepper cooperates with me at bath time...there is no way I'll clip her nails myself anymore. Man, she gets feisty when those clippers come near her paws! :eek: She tries to lunge & bite me, even when DH is holding her by the scruff of her neck. Eh, no thanks - I just pay the vet to do it once a year.

vwinkel

10-20-2006, 02:45 PM

sazoo - BTW, you inspired me to bathe my kitties last night after seeing your pictures. :) I don't get them quite as wet as you do. Do you dunk them? I don't really clean their heads or faces.

Interestingly enough, despite the fact that Pepper cooperates with me at bath time...there is no way I'll clip her nails myself anymore. Man, she gets feisty when those clippers come near her paws! She tries to lunge & bite me, even when DH is holding her by the scruff of her neck. Eh, no thanks - I just pay the vet to do it once a year.
A trick is to wrap the cat in a towel. Sort of "swaddle" her in it, but leave her back paws out so you can hold her like a baby (on her back) and then clip her nails. Works like a charm every time for me. Just make sure to get those front legs in there so she doesn't wriggle her way out! ;)

Sazoo

10-21-2006, 09:18 AM

sazoo - BTW, you inspired me to bathe my kitties last night after seeing your pictures. :) I don't get them quite as wet as you do. Do you dunk them? I don't really clean their heads or faces.
I fill the tub with water so that it's just up to their bellies when they stand in the tub. Then I use a plastic cup to pour water over their backs, tails, shoulders, etc. I try to tip their heads back & get a little bit of water up there, but I don't want to get it in their ears or eyes, so I am pretty careful about that part.

Thanks for the nail-clipping suggestion - maybe we'll try that sometime & see what happens. :)

Tonysweetie

10-21-2006, 01:10 PM

My two LOVE to get their nails clipped. They just sit there all good and hold their paws out. Cleo is the best about it, she even purrs while I do it. I clip their nails about once every 2 weeks otherwise they get caught in everything.

Kristy

10-22-2006, 07:28 AM

My two crazy boys.
Vinnie, 1 1/2, on the left and Frasier, 3. A rare moment when they weren't jumping all over each other.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/kaflorey/IMG_0778.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/kaflorey/IMG_0125.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/kaflorey/IMG_0572.jpg

My favorite picture of my fatty fatty, Vinnie. This is how he spends most of his days.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v308/kaflorey/IMG_0779_1.jpg

Asha

10-22-2006, 07:33 AM

kristy - lol, that last pic of vinny made me smile. he looks like he is in heaven.

Sazoo

10-22-2006, 10:32 AM

Kristy,

Your Vinnie looks so much like my cat, Pepper! Pepper is white with a grey spot on her head, too. And she *loves* to lay on her back the way Vinnie is in that last picture - LOL! :)

Cute pictures!

greenbunny

10-23-2006, 07:04 AM

Kristy, Frasier looks a lot like my Summer! Same eyes, too.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a354/agreenbunny/summer43.jpg

This pic is old, I don't have any new ones online. Her back and sides have gone totally grey now, and she has a white tummy and chest.

sheartm7

10-23-2006, 07:09 AM

Here's my Eddie with one of our newly carved pumpkins.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v327/sheartm7/of50590442.jpg

eli1126

10-23-2006, 08:37 AM

sheartm7 What a great picture!

sheartm7

10-25-2006, 07:35 AM

thanks :)

ignutzz

10-30-2006, 04:05 PM

You fellow catmoms will fully appreciate this link: http://www.fluffytails.ca/christmas.asp :D

KaliLily

10-30-2006, 06:30 PM

I'm happy to report that after 2 1/2 days on the allergy medicine our vet recommended, Kali hasn't sneezed for over 2 days and her eye looks so much better. No more incessant watering and it's not puffy anymore! :D The vet had us start off with 2 mg 2x/day. She can go up to 4mg 2x/day, but it looks like we won't need to. So far Kali doesn't seem to have any side effects.

Here are pictures I took of my girls today. I caught Lily on the bookshelf and she looked so cute I grabbed my camera phone to get a picture. Then Kali was being cooperative and I was able to get a cute photo of her. too!

Lily (I may have to print this one and frame it. It looks like a school picture. :))
https://www.t-mobilepictures.com/photo/photo18/de/7a/0afdc0c2cf2f.jpg?tw=305&th=228&_rh=3qwcjkfia0t2lanx2e148ocs9

Kali
https://www.t-mobilepictures.com/photo/photo14/be/f9/bf49a8218c2d.jpg?tw=305&th=228&_rh=duv82p1na7heix3reqt8ryy8

I love my new camera phone. The picture quality is so much better than my old one!

Sazoo

10-30-2006, 06:36 PM

You fellow catmoms will fully appreciate this link: http://www.fluffytails.ca/christmas.asp :DOMG, that site is awesome! :D I'm SO glad that our cats don't show that much interest in participating in setting up & decorating our artificial Christmas tree! :eek: Makes for some cute pictures, though. :p

Sazoo

10-30-2006, 06:38 PM

I love my new camera phone. The picture quality is so much better than my old one!You're right Kim - those pictures are really good for camera phone pics, I'm impressed! :D Give Kali & Lily a head-scratch for me! :)

TracieB

10-30-2006, 09:02 PM

I don't think I posted this in here...

Nikko doesn't look to pleased with me in this pic:

http://www.mpix.com/GetImage.aspx?a=27565109&b=7cm53f03pzso47mfgpx0&c=b&d=0

Bat cat!!

http://www.mpix.com/GetImage.aspx?a=27565113&b=nyy04it7vpnueqg5ksy7&c=b&d=0

eli1126

10-31-2006, 06:40 AM

Oh Tracie, How Cute! Were they cooperative when you were putting their costumes on?!

greenbunny

10-31-2006, 06:45 AM

That DOES look like a school photo! :p

Gatsby

10-31-2006, 07:37 AM

You fellow catmoms will fully appreciate this link: http://www.fluffytails.ca/christmas.asp

That is hilarious!! We can't decorate the bottom fourth of our tree b/c the cats will play with the ornaments until the fall off (we used to find them all over the house all year long!). Luckily, they don't climb the tree, though. I love how it ends with the three of them looking very innocent in the "family" photo!

greenbunny

10-31-2006, 07:46 AM

One of the main reasons I was attracted to our house when we were looking was that the living room closes off with French doors. I was already plotting for the holidays with cats. :p I learned my lesson as a kid, when my dad had to weigh our tree down with cinder blocks to keep our cat from knocking it over.

Asha

10-31-2006, 08:31 AM

yeah, i have resigned myself to the fact that we probably won't be able to get a tree this year. maybe, i will get a mini tree to use a centerpiece on the dining room table.

jnettie

11-01-2006, 09:07 AM

Lol! That website is soooooo funny!

My Dad always used to duct tape our tree to the floor. It worked pretty well to keep the tree standing. We don't have room for a tree here, and I fear the day when we have a place that can fit a tree. We certainly will have christmas tree climbers here!

ignutzz

11-01-2006, 09:12 AM

Asha You can still have a tree! Now is the perfect time to be teaching the kitten what the rules are (very gently of course). We ALWAYS had trees in our house and while the cats hung around them and slept under them, they knew they weren't allowed to climb them.

jnettie We have small bell ornaments that are put on the bottom branches of the tree, it lets us know when the cats are underneath and startles them a little too. :)

jnettie

11-01-2006, 10:42 AM

Maybe your cats are startled by bells, but with the Deaf cat and Psycho kitty, I'm afraid that wouldn't work. Sissy (deaf) also tends to find the most akward places to walk, knocking off everything in her path, and Jade (psycho) would just take it as a challenge.

Unfortunately, my cats know no boundries. :p

diam124

11-01-2006, 10:53 AM

This is going to be our second Christmas with our cat and I still don't feel like we can get a tree. Not only am I sure she would climb it, but I'm also sure she would eat it. I don't think pine needles are good for kitty digestive systems! We also don't have a room where we can keep it without her having access to it all day while we're at work. I'm thinking of getting a small tree and putting it outside our sliding glass door in the family room (with lights and no decorations). I think that's our only option for now. (at least the needles won't get all over the place!)

Sazoo

11-01-2006, 11:49 AM

It's funny how some cats really like to mess with Christmas trees, while others pretty much leave them alone.

For the most part, my girls are pretty good. We switched to an artificial tree 2 years ago. I think the lack of "real tree" smell helps them not be as interested as they used to be in our real trees. They are definitely curious about it when we set it up though, & they sometimes bat at the ornaments on the lower branches. Pepper loves to sit on the tree skirt below the tree as if she were a present. :) But really, they do very little damage. They knock one or two ornaments off the tree each year, but they don't ever ruin them, they don't climb the tree, they don't try to eat the tree or the lights, etc. Well, I take it back - once Ginger did try to bite the lights :eek: but we shoo'd her away & we haven't caught her trying that again since. I've never been worried about them knocking over the tree, or anything like that.

I guess it just depends on your cat's personality, huh? ;)

diam124

11-01-2006, 11:56 AM

Yeah, my sister's cats have never bothered her tree either. Last year I set out a snowman decoration. It was a wooden snowman and he had a miniature broom. Immediately our cat started eating the straw on the broom. That pretty much sealed the deal for me in terms of what decorations I can use.

greenbunny

11-01-2006, 12:19 PM

We are thinking about putting a second tree in our upper hallway where you can see it from outside. Since I know the girls will get into it, I was thinking of making it be "their" tree and decorating it with toys and catnip bags, etc.

jnettie

11-01-2006, 05:08 PM

greenbunny, that's such a cute idea!

young lioness

11-01-2006, 05:17 PM

Hi everyone.

I have never posted in this forum before, but I was wondering if I could get some advice from other cat moms, and while I'm at it, I'll introduce our cat.

I don't have any pictures online right now, but I'll have to upload some. She is quite the diva and likes having her picture taken. Her name is Honey and she is a 13-ish year old (we don't know for sure because she was a shelter cat before DH and his roommates got her) long-haired buff-colored cat. So now my quest for some advice...

Any good tricks for giving pills to a cat? We have had to do it before, and we have some strategies, but eventually she catches on or just plain gets pissed off at us, so I'm looking for some new ideas. The first thing we try is putting the food into a soft treat and feeding her 1 or 2 before giving her the one with the pill in it, and usually she will gulp it down. But eventually she either gets tired of the treats or (like today) finds the pill in the treat and spits it out and refuses any more treats.

Our last resort method is for DH to wrap her in a blanket so she can't wriggle away and he holds her mouth open and I try to get the pill into her mouth just right so she can't spit it back out. We had to try that today after the treat thing didn't work, and she was very pissed about it and afterward she ran into the kitchen and made herself throw up the pill. This is the first time she has done that, but in the past when we have had to give her pills this way, she has been mad at us for days and doesn't want to be affectionate, for fear of us holding on to her and making her take another pill. I really hate having to handle it that way, and we still have about a week's worth of pills left to give her.

So does anyone have any pill-giving tricks to offer? We are thinking of other ways to hide it in food, but when she eats canned food, she licks it a lot before actually eating it, so we are pretty sure that she would find it in something like that. Our biggest problem is that she is too smart and has too good of a memory for her own good!

diam124

11-01-2006, 06:18 PM

It's pretty much impossible for us to give pills to our cat, although we've never tried one of those pill-popper things. She's way too smart and won't eat food if pills are in it. Can you give her the medicine in liquid form? Giving our cat liquid medicine is pretty easy.

Smilin13

11-01-2006, 07:55 PM

Okay I have a cat question for all you cat mom's out there too.

Recently we discovered this....weird.....reflex that Ozzie has. If you are petting him and rub his back right at the base of his tail, he starts (for lack of a better description) licks his lips.

Okay, I will admit, DH and I are completely amused by this behavior. But I have never heard of or seen something like this before.

Any other cat reflexes out there?

:)

diam124

11-01-2006, 08:24 PM

DH's cat growing up would wag her tail when you called her name. She could be in a deep sleep but if you said her name her tail would go back and forth. It was really funny.

young lioness

11-01-2006, 10:11 PM

DH's cat growing up would wag her tail when you called her name. She could be in a deep sleep but if you said her name her tail would go back and forth. It was really funny.

Honey does that too. Sometimes we'll say her name just to see the reflex and after a while she gives us this look like "stop screwing with me...I can't help it!"

Asha

11-02-2006, 05:42 AM

is it normal for cats to wag their tails? bili wags her tail a lot, especially if she is happy. diam - that's funny the cat would wag her tail when she was sleeping.

bili is doing great. she runs around the living area like a crazed cat, and loves to play "hide and seek" with me. she acts like its the second coming of christ when i give her chicken. she still refuses to eat wet food, and only eats dry. i guess, its cheaper. today we are off ot the vet again.

greenbunny

11-02-2006, 06:16 AM

When we give Summer pills, I hold her (no towel since she was declawed on all four feet--but that's a rant for another day) and DH pops her jaw open with his magical Anatomy and Physiology skills. Stick it in there, hold her mouth shut, stroke her throat until she swallows it.

But if she can make herself throw it up, then I don't know what to tell you! I'd ask the vet for liquid as a PP suggested.

diam124

11-02-2006, 06:58 AM

You know, I'm not really sure about the tail-wagging thing. I thought I remembered reading that cats do not wag their tails when they are happy like dogs do, but my sister's cat wags her tail when my niece pets him. Since our cat's tail was mostly amputated it's hard to tell with her. Her tail does quiver though sometimes when she sees us. It's kind of weird.

Asha - how funny about Bili and chicken. It's gotten to the point where if I open a can of chicken broth our cat will whine at my feet until I give her a different treat to distract her. Chicken must taste so good to them!

sheartm7

11-02-2006, 08:57 AM

is it normal for cats to wag their tails? I think so. Eddie does this a lot when we pet him. He's purring like crazy too, so I know he's happy.

jnettie

11-02-2006, 10:10 AM

younglioness, what you describe is basicly what it's like to give Sissy pills. I used to do the pry-the-jaw-open-and-hold-it-shut thing that greenbunny describes on my cats when I was a teen, but Sissy has jaws that cannot be opened! We discovered that liquid meds are the only thing that works with her. We could mix it with wet food and she'd gobble it up.

And Jade only wags her tail when she's pissed. We know it's time to back off (or egg her on, depending on whether you have long sleeves on or not ;) ) when she wags her tail.