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Pawbly | 7 years ago
I’ve Just Brought Indigo, My 3.5-year-old Male Cat, From My Father’s Acreage To My One-bedroom…

I’ve just brought Indigo, my 3.5-year-old male cat, from my father’s acreage to my one-bedroom city apartment which I share with two cats already. I knew it would be a handful going in, but Indigo is very, very important to me and I desperately want him to have the longest, healthiest and most love-filled life possible; he was primarily outside, even during cold Canadian winters, and unless I was home to visit, and my father is a way very often which causes me to worry about my pets that get left behind. Indigo’s an extremely confident and friendly cat and I think things have gone quite well considering how huge of a change it’s been. He does not hide, he’s eating and drinking, playing, etc., and is getting less freaked out by traffic noise and neighbors with each passing day. All three cats are getting along very well, although it’s very crowded and I do realize I may need to rehome one of my cats to improve the quality of life for all of them, as well as myself. I also intend to take him out to a park across the street on a harness once it is warmer out so that he still gets to enjoy the outdoors like at home.
My concern is that Indigo’s personality seems to have changed a bit, especially towards me. It’s like he hasn’t forgiven me for bringing him here. He and I have had a special bond and it’s heartbreaking for me to think he’s not happy here, or that I may have harmed our bond. He is usually the sweetest, happiest and most loving cat, but he hasn’t been very cuddly with me, or really responding/purring when I pet him. I’ve had friends over and he seems to much friendlier with them, even literally walking over me to go sit with someone else. He still sleeps next to me at night, but he just lays down instead of cuddling/kneading first. I’m doing everything I can to make him happy, and I know its still very early on in the new situation to tell (been here less than a week), but I just can’t help but feel that I’ve ruined our bond by bringing him here to keep him safe. How best can I maximize his quality of life and win back my cat’s love?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    First of all I applaud your devotion to your cats. As you mention he seems to be acclimating amazingly well. Please understand that this is in my opinion the most important part of this situation. Secondly, I do not believe that cats are capable of punishing or holding grudges. So I don’t think that this should be a reason to explain his change in behavior.
    Cats are very intuitive and intelligent creatures. He is doing the best he can and he sounds like he is excelling in his ability to adapt and overcome big (really big) changes. Please don’t take anything personally. He doesn’t love you less he just has had to learn to survive differently. Be proud of him for this and be patient. It is the most important part of being a parent. Loving unconditionally and staying devoted through thick and thin. Best of luck.

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Pawbly | 7 years ago
Hi Looking For Some Advice. I Have Contacted Almost Every Source Of Google…

Hi looking for some advice. I have contacted almost every source of Google and rescues possible. I am a single mom with an 8 year old son. Recently we had to put our cat down. He was older than my son. On top of that, my son has not heard from his father in 2 years. He is having a hard time and really wants a kitten. I don’t know if they have any programs to help with long term care for people with disabilities. . therapy animals maybe? I have also spoken to some shelters offering to volunteer in turn for help with the new kitten. So we are both helping each other. It seems that the shelters are over crowded with animals looking for loving homes and I can definitely give that!! I am not sure about my financial future as a new single mom and want to be safe.. not making mistakes in the long run. Can anyone point me in the right direction?? Thanks!!

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  1. Sarah

    Hi!
    As you’ve already had experience with a cat and know the cost and care that ar associated with it, perhaps adopting an adult cat instead of a kitten would be better? At local shelters you can usually see the cats and play/interact with them. That way you can also get a sense of the personality… plus it’s already litter trained, had its shots and is probably spayed/neutered too.

  2. Krista Magnifico

    I agree with Sarah!! The cost of adopting an adult is a fraction of a kitten. And if you adopt from a rescue they have usually provided all the medical care needed for a while (about a year, because all cats should receive yearly examinations). But please ask about the appropriate diet and exercise plan to save on emergencies like urinary tract infections and urinary blockages.

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Pawbly | 7 years ago
My 5 Year Old Bob Tailed Cat Has A New Pomeranian Roommate That He Didn’t…

My 5 year old bob tailed cat has a new Pomeranian roommate that he didn’t quite hit it off with. We tried a very gradual introduction. He’s a big cat and she’s a tiny dog and we’re afraid he thinks she’s a squirrel. He got along with my old roommates’ dogs fine after a time, so I’m hopeful this could be the case.
She’s very energetic and he’s friendly and playful for the most part but gets reserved around her. Any advice?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Very gradual sometimes is waaay longer than we think it might be. Be patient. Provide lots of play and stinuli apart from each other and keep your cats nails trimmed and the dog supervised. I bet they will be ok soon. It doesn’t sound like outright aggression it sounds like tentative curiousity. What do you think?

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Pawbly | 8 years ago
Cat Keeps Peeing/pooping In The Basement; I Have A 12 Year Old Cat Who Has…

Cat keeps peeing/pooping in the basement; I have a 12 year old cat who has been peeing/pooping in our basement. She has done this before a while ago but stopped the habit after changing her litter. Then this past summer we took down our shed and much of its contents are currently in our garage where her litter box is. Soon after, she started refusing to use the litter box. My mother got tired of cleaning up after her and put her outside for the summer. (She is an indoor/outdoor cat)We’ve recently let her back in due to the cold weather (after 4-5 months I’d say) and us being out of town for Thanksgiving. It was easier to get someone to feed her that way if she’s in the house.At first she seemed fine and had no issue. We were more careful to clean her litter box more often. And coming back from Thanksgiving we found pee/ poo in the house again.We don’t want the litter box in the house because she is usually messy with it and there really isn’t any convenient space in the house for it. I don’t think it’s a urinary infection because she hadn’t gotten back into the habit until we tore down the shed. We aren’t going to get her checked out because it’s expensive and we are pretty positive its the stuff in the garage.I am just not sure what to do anymore to correct this. She’ll get put in the garage for the winter if she doesn’t stop this act. I think come this next summer we’ll put up a new shed but until then I’m not sure what I can do. But if this keeps up she’ll be kicked out of the house again.

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  1. Sarah

    First and foremost, I would make a vet appointment. Just to make sure there is nothing really wrong internally with your cat. I understand there is a cost, but it is important. If you really feel strongly that it is the shed remnants causing it, perhaps finding a better place to store them would help? Also, if you could try to keep her litter box area clean and free from other debris (I know my garage is full of all kinds of tools, bikes, and who knows what else gets stored in there) as well as making sure to change her litter regularly and keep her box cleaned, this may help out. Our routine is to go into the basement each morning where the litter box is and empty it out first thing. It has gotten so that now after time, our cat routinely goes in the morning around 6:30 and we clean it out shortly after. Every Sunday we change the litter and clean out the box. In all fairness, cleaning the litter box out each day is the least that should be done. Honestly, would you want to use a toilet that hasn’t been flushed? Me either. Good luck!

  2. Anonymous

    I agree – get her to the vet. Indoor/outdoor cats NEED more veterinary attention than indoor-only cats due to their exposure to the environment.

    Do keep in mind, ignoring her care IS neglect, and is a crime in most states. Don’t neglect your cat’s health because it’s inconvenient.

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Pawbly | 8 years ago
I Just Got A New 9 Week Old Kitten. I Got Him The Night…

I just got a new 9 week old kitten. I got him the night before last. The Kitten is perfectly healthy in every way but one. It is eating solid and canned food. Canned food once a day and dry food through the day. He is drinking water. He is playful and active. Has urinated about 4 times. His belly is not hard. And he is sleeping well.

BUT he has not pooped yet.

The old owners said he pooped the morning of the day I picked him up. But that was Thursday and this is Saturday. I am worried. I wonder if it may be the stress of a new home, no mother or litter mates and two new cats. The one cage of mine has not taken to the kitten yet but the other is coming around.

I do have a vet appointment booked but I have anxiety and I worry.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
Hello , I’m Curious Of My Dogs Actions , My Dog Has This Kind Of…

Hello , I’m curious of my dogs actions , my dog has this kind of scary attack or something , because when he sleeps he wakes up scared kind of screaming and he pees himself , this happen two times today im really worried because i have a new cat and I’m curious if this is affecting him, do you know what can be happening to him?

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  1. Anonymous

    Oh your poor boy!  I think I’d call the vet and see if this could be medical, first.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
We Have 2 Male And Neutered Cats, And One Female Spayed Dog. One Of The…

We have 2 male and neutered cats, and one female spayed dog. One of the cats (we aren’t 100% certain which, but are setting up video cameras to determine which) is peeing on the dog beds. It started a year ago and would happen for a couple of weeks, then stop for a few months, start over again, repeat repeat. It happens mostly on the dog’s various beds, but has also happened on plastic shopping bags full of clothes. Comfy, soft things.

We took both cats to the vet when it first started and they didn’t find anything wrong… Just a few tiny crystals that most likely formed because they had to wait 2 days between the samples being taken and being tested, so all three of the vets said they were normal. We are taking them both to the vet again next week to do more testing (or just these guilty one, once we discover which one is doing it).

We have multiple CLEAN litter boxes, both open and closed top. One is even self cleaning after use, and my husband empties the others very frequently and cleans/washes them evey week. They have various bathroom and liter options, so I’m sure that’s not the problem.

We have tried cleaning the dog beds with all the appropriate cat urine cleaning solutions, but the second time we threw them all out and bought new ones. We did that the third time too. Now our poor dog has no beds until we solve the problem.

The dog is not a fan of the cats. She growls at them a lot, and is very protective of her food, “spaces,” toys, and bed. The cats don’t seem to mind at all, and act as though she’s not there, although I know sometimes cats don’t show when they are stressed. We know this is an issue, but she has been this way her while life. We not getting rid of the dog to solve the problem, not an option.

We of course will do all the tests at the vet (and do any surgery, take any medicine, or perform any procedure he needs), but we are worried that the poor cat is doing this due to a behavioral or dominance problem. If this is the case, does anyone have any recommendations about how to change his behavior? We will not be putting him in a shelter, we will not be re-homing him (unless we discover that he needs to be in a single pet home, in which case I will be heart broken but we will find him the perfect family), and no way in hell will we be putting him down. We will keep him even if he pees on my favorite rug or couch or carpet every 2 days. But I would obviously prefer if that weren’t the case… We have a baby coming in 6 months and I am hoping we have the issue mostly dealt with by then (although I realize long term behavior may take longer than that to change completely). Please help if you can. I feel like I am losing my very hormonal mind.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
We Got A New Kitten, And Ever Since Then, My 13 Year Old Cat…

We got a new kitten, and ever since then, my 13 year old cat has been vomiting. She acts normal otherwise, and is aggressive towards the kitten. She still eats though.

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  1. Laura C

    Likely stress
    Make sure you’re giving established kitty attention
    Supervise play
    Perhaps a pheromone collar or feliway

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
Hello, My Kitten Is About To Become 1 Year Old Now, She Has Had Several…

Hello, my kitten is about to become 1 year old now, she has had several health issues that stopped recently and last was a gastro anteritis ( kept vomiting and got dehydrated) that started just around the time I changed her food from Burns to Orijen kitten (about 2 weeks later). I have her on Burns again now as recommended by my vet until she’s 1yo and am considering changing for a grain free food however I am not sure which one to chose. I do consider trying Orijen again however the protein level in that food is much higher than the level she is on right now. My cat is an exotic shorthair neutered female. Here are my 3 choices for the new food:

http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/cats/dry_cat_food/orijen/133323

http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/cats/dry_cat_food/applaws/136608

http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/cats/dry_cat_food/acana/133233

Would you be able to give me some advise or personal opinion?

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  1. Diedra Cardamone

    Hello Zee, 

    I am sorry your kitten wasn’t feeling well.  I am not an expert on food so sorry I can’t help there.  Has your vet run all the basic diagnostics already: ran a fecal and blood sample to rule out a medical problem before changing the diet?  Maybe the root of the problem is not the food.  You could ask your vet about seeing a specialist too.  I hope your kitten feels better soon!

    Diedra

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
My Cats Tower Is Brand New, & Very Light Colored That I Can Actually See…

my cats tower is brand new, & very light colored that i can actually see adult fleas burrowing into the fabric. Iv been constantly vacuuming it too.

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