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I just adopted an 8 year old cat about 2 weeks ago, he seemed to be doing well at first and he seemed very comfortable. I moved the temporary litter box that i had for him in my room near the litter box that my other cat uses. He knew where i put it as he had followed me down there and sniffed both. However, this morning i woke up to find that he pooped in the cat bed that i had in my room. As i left for work i decided i would bring the litter box up to prevent any further accidents. As soon as i sat it down he used it. Im not sure i understand where the disconnect is since he knew where i put it to begin with. I cant keep this litter box in my room forever, so im wondering if anyone has any ideas for transitioning the litter box to the normal space
i have an amstaf,last night he get into a fight with other mixbreed giant mastiff,and now his stools are dark red,but no signs of diarrhea , he’s not eating at all.
what i have to do…..?
Hello,
Has a vet examined him? For infection? (I suspect every dog fight dog will get infection from the bite wounds). Has he been examined for possible internal injuries? Has he been given pain medication? I suspect these are all in order before he goes back to eating and feeling better
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!!
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.
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.
I have a question,is there any way that a cat who has received her rabies shots,and is an indoor cat with hardly any contact ever with the outside world(at least no contact in the last month,other times was you know,just to the vet and all) Can have rabies?i’m a hypochondriac and my cat just bit me and I wanna make sure I’m Ok.
Thank you for taking the time.
I’m sorry. But your question is beyond the scope to which we can answer. If you are worried about your health you should ask your doctor. If you are worried about your cat and their possible exposure to rabies please contact your vet.
I will ask my vet but she is not available for a few days,what is your personal opinion though?
If you feel that your cats vaccination is not up to date, then I would contact my primary care physician.
I don’t know enough about you, your cat, when the vaccine was done, what kind of vaccine was given, how prevalent it is there, or anything else to offer an opinion.
Our 8-9 month old cat is a stray adoption from the humane society, but he is a total pig! You would think he is starving all the time. We have another cat in the house, but if he’s not at his dish during feeding time Jimmy will eat his own food and the other cat’s food. I have tried feeding him several smaller meals throughout the day or a large one in the morning, but nothing seems to satisfy him. He is on his way to being too fat. Any suggestions for satisfying his appetite or giving me some peace with his constant begging?
We feed twice a day- that’s it. Dogs and cats in our house get their food at 4/4:30 am and then the cat gets a 2:30/3 pm meal and the dogs get a 7 pm meal. We train with treats -dogs and the cat-throughout the day as well. It took everyone about a week, maybe a little less to get in tune with the schedule, but now it’s very routine and works for our household. My point is, perhaps setting up a feeding schedule of some sort will be helpful. This way there isn’t food out unless it is time to eat. (Ignoring the cries for food for a few days can be challenging, so toys help redirect here.) Best of luck?
Hello,
The vet inside of me always has to recommend that you do a full work up to make sure there is not an underlying medical reason for the polyphagia (excessive hunger). Also make sure there is no access to any medications or plants or toxins that might influence this (people in the house using steroid creams or plants). Then addres the diet choices you are offering him. Try switching to a high quality wet food and add water. Offer organic cat grass. Or catnip. Or toys. Or even start taking him for walks in a harness on a leash. My point is to offer lots of options to food. See if this helps. If not ask your vet for advice or visit a cat specialist for more tips and tricks.
I often rescue strays and it seems the longer they’ve been on the street the more likely it is they do this. Most likely because they are used to not knowing when the next meal is coming from and when it’s coming. I have one cat that will beg for anything with pasta sauce on it. You just have to try to show them they will have food all the time it might be easier because he’s young but there’s really no telling how a cat will delve lip with time.
I agree with Starr – if he was a stray for some time, he may has learned to eat as much and as fast as he can, as he never knows when or how much food comes again. We experience this sometimes with cats we take in in our shelter.
It may take him a while to realise that from now on he doesn’t have to worry anymore. I would still have him checked, to make sure he’s healthy.
For everything else I agree with what Krista said.
I got my five-month-old male cat neutered two days ago, and everything looked fine until this morning when I noticed a small red swelling. I’m not sure if I should be concerned, or just keep an eye on it.
I’m an expat in a country with literally one licensed vet, and thus she’s very busy all the time and it’s hard to get into contact with her to ask questions. I’ve attached a photo; it’s not great, but it gives the idea.
Other than that, he seems to have mostly regained his appetite, and he’s back to being his affectionate self.
Thank you for your response! I left a message for her several hours ago, so hopefully she will see it and respond. I’m keeping a close eye on him and other than the redness he seems fine and is acting normal.
Thank you for your time. 🙂 I’d rather be safe than sorry, so getting a second opinion helps (and hopefully I’ll get a third from my vet).
Hello,
I always cringe a little when trying to analyze a pet by a photo. So, I always have to give the same general advice; if your cat is acting normally they are probably ok. always check and follow up with your vet. Even if it is leaving a message. make sure your kitten isn’t bothering with the incision. Keep a close eye out, and in general after 48 hours these cases rarely have problems.
Hope this helps.
As long as it isn’t actively bleeding, looking infected (pus, pain, swelling, warm), and your cat is acting fine,,, you are probably fine.
Is this unkind? My neighbor moved and abandoned their two cats last winter. They had an outdoor house there for the cats and kept them outside. By the time my husband and I discovered them it was dead of winter and they were starving. We bought them a heated outdoor house, fed them top quality food and took them to the vet. He believes they are 6 and 10 years old. After minor tooth surgery on one, they started to thrive and now they’re healthy, well fed and spoiled! They have obviously had homes in the past. I already have a dog and two indoor cats. I really don’t want them outside in the rain and cold this winter, so I want to bring them in but seperate them in our finished large basement. They try to come in all the time. We don’t spend much time down there but I don’t want to add two more animals to the rest of the crew upstairs. I know it sounds silly, but is it mean to keep them separate in the basement or should I try to incorporate them in the whole house? I will let them in and out if they like. I just want to do the right thing for these poor babies and the indoor animals too. I’m probably overreacting and their life will be better regardless, but would love opinions from other animal lovers.
I think it is very kind that you took on the responsibility that your former neighbors didn’t. As far as having them in your house with the rest of your pets, part of that depends on how they all react to each other. Keeping them separate at first would be a good way to introduce them. You may be surprised and they might integrate well into your household and you might end up doing just fine with everyone altogether… but you’ll probably need a new swiffer? In all seriousness, in my opinion with cats especially, they’re so self sufficient in so many ways that having more is usually not a big deal. The only thing I am not a huge fan of is the extra litter boxes – which I have delegated to the kids. Best of luck!!
My cat was hit by a car and broke her pelvis. The vet suggested surgery which is very expensive. Is surgery the only way to treat her? or is there any other alternative? So far she can urinate on her own but having problem pooping. I think she’s in pain. The vet prescribed Tramadol and lactulose for her. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Hello,
Well this is a somewhat difficult question to answer. Here has been my experience. If you do not have the ability to see a surgeon and have this corrected by them (in my area it would be anywhere from $2000 to $5000. Then I always suggest strict cage rest. No leaving the cage for two weeks. No exceptions. The crate should have a very low bed, low sided litter box and food and water. They should be fed a watered down wet food to keep the stool soft and easy to pass. After two weeks see your vet for a recheck X-ray to see how the pelvis is healing.
Have the cat spayed asap.
If the cat presents with anal tone and deep pain in all four feet I recommend cage rest
The best option is surgery. If you cannot afford it try cage rest. They will be painful for a few day. A fentanyl patch might help or try buprinex. Ask your vet about these.
Let me know how she does
Her pelvis is broken. It needs to be stabilized, surgically, for proper healing. If you DON’T get the surgery, she will be in pain, most likely for the rest of her life.
I would get ahold of my vet and try to have this very discussion with them perhaps there is something they can do that fits for both of you.
Hi pawbly friends-
I was just walking my dogs and we came across a crow. It is somehow injured, though I don’t really know what is wrong with it, other than it seems unable to fly. It flaps both wings, and can run away from us. I put the boys in a sir stay, and scooped the bird up carefully. He/she is resting in a paper- lined box on my front porch at the moment as I am really not sure at all what to do.
Thanks. Sadly, the crow did not make it through the night. It’s strange, we found a different bird Tuesday with the same thing. I wonder if someone in the area sprayed something on their lawn or farm fields….
Hi Sarah, If you are in Jarrettsville I would contact Phoenix Wildlife, they can usually help with birds! We are in Jarrettsville too and found an injured crow yesterday afternoon in a neighbors yard. I wanted to give him a little time to see if perhaps he was just stunned, when we went back to check on him he was gone….I wonder if it was the same crow! If you need the number for Phoenix Wildlife please let me know!
A month ago we went out of town and left our dog in the care of friend but when we came back our dog seemed lethargic and in pain. We took him to the vet who stated that our dog had hip dysplasia and he could go back to normal activity, (just not sprinting) and here is arthritis medication, but when his pain got worse and walking became difficult, we got an appointment to see a surgeon to have a hip replacement. The surgeon stated we would have to get an appointment to get an MRI because he stated that there is a problem with our dog’s spine because of the ataxia and pain. This came as a shock because of what we were told previously but that now we have to some how get the dog to an MRI specialist in the next coming days and handed us a 30 day supply of dog opiate. His diagnosis was never given but taking into account what was said to us that it may be IVDD. Is there something we could do that may make him more comfortable. I have read that he should only be restricted to a crate and let out to bathroom on a leash. Our vets on the other hand say he would be fine for a walk? We are just wondering because we do not know when the MRI facility an hour and a half away will have an opening we can take our beloved companion to.
Hello,
I’m sorry to hear about all of the troubles with both your dog and the vets run around that has left you lacking a direction and a helpful immediate and long term treatment plan. The best advice I can give is to call the vet you trusted the most and felt the most confident with and ask them to help you navigate your way through this. You need to get a firm diagnosis and start with that treatment plan. And then see how your dog does. Yay would be my advice. To get better direction from the vet you think can help you best. Very best wishes. And please let us know what happens.
Hello,
I think the disconnect is in teaching him to go in your room then assuming he would understand he wasn’t supposed to. I recommend not confusing your pet by starting with one direction (ex here is a litter box for you but it will be in a different place tomorrow) and then being upset he is confused. Why can’t you keep it in your room? If he is your cat and stays with you it will probably be the best way to insure he is going where you want him to (in the box). If you refuse to have it in your room you will have to wait until he is acclimated to the house and using the other one. And then you will have to start very (like very!) gradually moving the box in your room to the place you want it to be. Also. Lots of cats don’t want to share litter box spaces or areas. It is a place they feel threatened or anxious so they prefer to be in a quiet private place. I hope this helps.
Better to have boxes on both floors anyway. 🙂
Thanks.
Hello,
I’m sorry if you thought the answer was condescending. It wasn’t intended to be. It was intended to be my perception of what your new cat might be thinking and why he might be confused with the litter box moving and your expectation of his response and confusion. If it upset you I apologize. It wasn’t my intention.