Pet(s): Photos & Discussion

[Nicmar]

On 8/22/2021 at 10:44 AM, SuprSuprElevated said:

That was my cat Scout at the vet Last Friday...

[Scarlett45]

On 8/19/2021 at 5:12 AM, icemiser69 said:

For all of you animal lovers out there, I went to my local HomeGoods store and they have Black Cat pasta.

That pasta at HomeGoods is sold at a much cheaper price, then at the above website.

They also have imported Halloween pastas in different shapes.  Those other pastas use black carrot and tomato to add color to the pastas.

BTW, if you buy the pasta, be gentle with it.  Be sure and not overcook it, and be carefully when mixing it with whatever you mix it with.  The pasta is delicate.  No one wants a catastrophe on their hands.

I love Halloween pasta!!!🥰 I get it every year. 
 

Cosmo’s spot during the thunderstorms. He likes between the wall and the sofa if I’m in the living room. 

[Nicmar]

9 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

I love Halloween pasta!!!🥰 I get it every year. 
 

Cosmo’s spot during the thunderstorms. He likes between the wall and the sofa if I’m in the living room. 

Have you tried a thunder shirt? My big girl dog Tina doesn't like the Thunder or severe wind.

[ginger90]

I know a family with a dog (Cairn Terrier) who has ear issues. You can tell by the way she attaches herself to a person, that bad weather is coming. She just can’t seem to settle down. With the last round of storms in progress, they placed a rectangular laundry basket over her, and she fell asleep. 🤷🏼‍♀️ 

It was similar to this, and she could have flipped it off herself, if she wanted to.

Edited August 25, 2021 by ginger90

[Scarlett45]

18 minutes ago, Nicmar said:

Have you tried a thunder shirt? My big girl dog Tina doesn't like the Thunder or severe wind.

My godmother (I inherited Cosmo from her) told me he didn’t like the thundershirts and they didn’t help. He was okay yesterday I think because I was on the sofa and he felt safe squeezed in the small space. 

[Nicmar]

2 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

My godmother (I inherited Cosmo from her) told me he didn’t like the thundershirts and they didn’t help. He was okay yesterday I think because I was on the sofa and he felt safe squeezed in the small space. 

My other dog that passed he was Husky/German Shepard was scared of the thunder and I would hug him tight. he didn't like the thunder shirt either.

[JustHereForFood]

My cat often goes to hide in one of her special hiding places (under my bed, or behind cabinets in the living room) just before a storm. It's how we sometimes know in advance that a storm is coming .

[SoMuchTV]

33 minutes ago, JustHereForFood said:

My cat often goes to hide in one of her special hiding places (under my bed, or behind cabinets in the living room) just before a storm. It's how we sometimes know in advance that a storm is coming .

I have one that does that as well!  And she seems to follow the NWS tornado warning advice to go to the most interior space in the house, which is not the room we want to be able to lock her in to prevent "accidents".

[Annber03]

Our cats show absolutely zero interest in storms at all. Maybe, if there's a particularly loud clap of thunder, they'll look up briefly, otherwise, they couldn't care less. The only thing that bothers them is when they have to get put into their carriers if/when the storms get really bad. 

(When my sister lived here in town, we went over to her place once when we had a tornado warning, 'cause we don't have a basement where we live, and our cat Lily meowed like crazy the whole way there and back. She hates being in a carrier as it is. Having to be in a car on top of that? She turns real grumpy real fast.)

[theredhead77]

Someone did a science experiment to see how often cat butt touches surfaces and the answer is, far less than we think.

https://nerdist.com/article/cat-buttholes-surface-touch-science-fair-experiment/

Quote

Kaeden learned that cats with long and medium hair didn’t make any butthole contact with hard or soft surfaces in the house. Cats with short hair also didn’t make contact with hard surfaces. But they did make smears on soft surfaces, like beds.

 

[Scarlett45]

16 hours ago, theredhead77 said:

Someone did a science experiment to see how often cat butt touches surfaces and the answer is, far less than we think.

https://nerdist.com/article/cat-buttholes-surface-touch-science-fair-experiment/

 

Cats are fisdiously clean though. Constantly grooming themselves. I am not so concerned about where their buttocks touches if someone has what I call "typical" cleaning habits (wiping down counters and washing cutting boards etc). My cats never got on the counters, they would get on the table, but I wipe the table before meals, or put down a clean place mat.

My long haired boy Charlie (who died right before the pandemic hit) did have issues with his long fur after a bout of diarrhea, that was a MESS, and very gross, but I kept him shaved after that for hygiene. 

 

This morning I was taking Cosmo out for a quick potty break and we heard a "boom", he had me RUNNING, legit RUNNING, we were only about a half a block away from home but he was not kidding.

[GaT]

This is my cat O.C. She was old & pretty sick for a while, & last night she suddenly died. One minute she was perfectly normal, & the next she wasn't. I'm sad.

[Annber03]

Oh, no. I'm so sorry, @GaT. 

[ginger90]

So very sorry @GaT. O.C. Is very pretty.

[Bastet]

I'm so sorry to hear about the sudden death of O.C.  Even with her age and health, to be fine one minute and dead the next must have been a shocking experience for you.  She was a lovely kitty, and my heart goes out to you during this awful time, @GaT.

[tiftgirl]

I am so sorry @GaT.  It's always hard to lose them, but, for it to happen unexpectedly makes it even harder.  I know you are sad and your heart hurts.  I will keep you in my thoughts.  She was a very pretty girl.

[supposebly]

I'm so sorry  @GaT, that must have been such a shock.

[Suzn]

1 hour ago, GaT said:

This is my cat O.C. She was old & pretty sick for a while, & last night she suddenly died. One minute she was perfectly normal, & the next she wasn't. I'm sad.

I'm so sorry you lost this beautiful girl.  It's so hard.  😢

[Scarlett45]

1 hour ago, GaT said:

This is my cat O.C. She was old & pretty sick for a while, & last night she suddenly died. One minute she was perfectly normal, & the next she wasn't. I'm sad.

Oh my! When it’s a shock that’s the worst! I am so sorry for your loss. She was beautiful. Of course you are sad. 

[Jaded]

So sorry for your loss @GaT. O.C. was gorgeous and will always be in your heart.  

Edited August 30, 2021 by Jaded

[MargeGunderson]

I’m so sorry, @GaT. She was beautiful. Our pets are never with us a long as we wish. 

[emma675]

I'll add my condolences, GaT. What a beautiful cat she was.

[Gramto6]

So sorry for your loss @Gat! She was a beauty and I can see why you are so sad. (((hugs)))

Edited August 27, 2021 by Gramto6
typo

[Mindthinkr]

We are sad to hear of your sudden loss @GaT  She was a beautiful lady. Sending our condolences, purrs and a hug 💔😿

[Mondrianyone]

So very sorry, @GaT. What a gorgeous girl she was.

[theredhead77]

I'm so sorry, @GaT. Creepy internet hugs and purrs from TRH household.

57 minutes ago, icemiser69 said:

So let get this straight, some dude put non-toxic lipstick on cats' anuses to see how often cats left anus prints around the house.

Please tell me that stupid son of a bitch applied the lipstick using his lips, lifting up his cats' tails, puckering up and giving a big smooch.

Real life is better than fiction.

A sixth grader did this for their science project. Personally I found it to be an inspired and unique project as well as informative and a bit reassuring the butts of my house lions aren't touching everything in sight. YMMV, obviously.

[ABay]

Here's what I choose to think about a cat dying suddenly--she spared me the agony of watching her waste away and having to make the decision we all dread. But it still sucks. Very sorry about your beautiful girl, @GaT

[JustHereForFood]

I'm adding my condolences as well, @GaT. What a beautiful cat she was.

[SuprSuprElevated]

Really sorry @GaT.  Once some time has passed, I'm confident that you will realize the blessing your little friend received by not suffering further, and for you both to have been spared the incredible stress of that dreaded final act of compassion.

@icemiser69, I completely understand you questioning your motives, but you shouldn't.  Both things can be true, and very valid reasons for what you did.  If you were stressed by their pain, then it was time indeed.  We have to allow ourselves to heed intuition.

 

[GaT]

3 hours ago, icemiser69 said:

Having to make that decision is brutal, absolutely brutal.  

 

5 hours ago, ABay said:

Here's what I choose to think about a cat dying suddenly--she spared me the agony of watching her waste away and having to make the decision we all dread. But it still sucks. 

1 hour ago, SuprSuprElevated said:

Really sorry @GaT.  Once some time has passed, I'm confident that you will realize the blessing your little friend received by not suffering further, and for you both to have been spared the incredible stress of that dreaded final act of compassion.

Unfortunately, we did have to make that decision. We think she had a stroke, she was breathing really hard, but was also unresponsive. We had to make the trip to the emergency vet at 11:00PM & were given a choice of them attempting CPR or giving her humane euthanasia, which they recommended & we did. It just sucked even if it was the right thing to do.

[Bastet]

2 minutes ago, GaT said:

We had to make the trip to the emergency vet at 11:00PM & were given a choice of them attempting CPR or giving her humane euthanasia, which they recommended & we did. It just sucked even if it was the right thing to do.

It does indeed suck, but it also was indeed the right thing to do.  Only a very small percentage - about five - of pets given CPR wind up going home, and if they arrest anywhere other than in hospital (where CPR can begin immediately), there will almost certainly be no meaningful recovery.

I learned this the hard way, and still regret insisting on CPR for a cat who'd gone into cardiac arrest completely out of the blue.  Getting him to the vet in five minutes, I bought him three days in hospital, and he actually seemed - improving each day - to be a candidate for that elusive five percent club.  But he arrested again, and I told them to let him go.  I wish I'd said that from the beginning, but I was so stunned that a healthy 13-year-old cat had keeled over.

Sorry, I didn't mean to make it about me.  I just want to assure you from what I learned about survival rates that if a vet says the choices are euthanasia or CPR and we recommend euthanasia, you are unequivocally right in agreeing to euthanasia.   (Despite what TV would have us believe, most people who undergo CPR die, too - in most cases, circumstances are such that CPR cannot be performed quickly enough to help, and then there's the underlying issue that when someone is sick or injured enough to need it, that's a hard condition to overcome.)

[GaT]

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

Sorry, I didn't mean to make it about me. 

It's OK, I understand, I think this is one of those things that you never really get over. 

[Mondrianyone]

I think that in the long run, when you're past the initial slam of shock and grief and loss, you never really regret making the decision to end an animal's pain and suffering. Because it's like an iceberg--the part that they let you see is a tiny fraction of how bad it is. What you do regret is letting it go on too long because you make it about yourself and pretend you can keep them with you forever. I know this because I always let it go on too long, and that's the regret that stays with you. If you saved her a day or an hour of suffering, then you made the right decision.

[SuprSuprElevated]

10 hours ago, GaT said:

 

Unfortunately, we did have to make that decision. We think she had a stroke, she was breathing really hard, but was also unresponsive. We had to make the trip to the emergency vet at 11:00PM & were given a choice of them attempting CPR or giving her humane euthanasia, which they recommended & we did. It just sucked even if it was the right thing to do.

Oh, so sorry.  I imagined it differently when reading your post.  It is certainly one of the worst, suckiest, kindest, most loving things we have to do.  If only we could bestow such kindness on our human family.  Oops!  Did I say that out loud? 

I have you in my thoughts GaT.

Edited August 28, 2021 by SuprSuprElevated

[Scarlett45]

I lost Charlie right before lockdown in 2020- he was acting a little funny on a Friday so I took him to the vet on Sunday (I thought he had a stomach bug). He died early Monday morning (I woke up and he was dead on the sofa). 
 

In late June 2020, Mr Norris collapsed and didn’t get up. After two days of that I took him in to be euthanized. Dehydration is no way to go. I am glad Charlie spared me the decision, but I never doubted it was the right thing to do, I just hated having to make that decision and drive him there and come back with an empty carrier. 

It was just me and Blake for 6months until Cosmo came in January. 
 

It’s so weird but Charlie and my Godmother (Cosmo’s old Mom) died the same day a year a part. 

[EtheltoTillie]

On 8/21/2021 at 10:33 PM, Bastet said:

Before I installed triple pane windows and air conditioning, there were summer nights it "cooled down" to 98 degrees in the house.  I would wet the cats - and myself - down and then hang out under a ceiling fan, with a standing fan blowing at us, too.  Obviously, without power, the fans wouldn't be part of the equation, but just the wetting down should help.  We did that with one of our cats in the motorhome when a fire near the campground knocked out power.  (Wiping with a wet cloth was all we did for her, but my cats in the sweltering house I'd stick under the faucet because they were fine with it under the circumstances.)

My parents are out of town for a week, so I'm doing the 24 hours at my house with Riley/24 at their house with Bandit routine.  It's really sad to be there without Chester; I'd been over for dinner a couple of times since he died, but we had a special relationship when my parents were gone and I was taking care of the boys - for him to not be there under these circumstances hits a lot harder.  I find myself expecting to hear/see him for half a second, and it stings when I remember.

Bandit has seemed to, having been there when Chester was euthanized, understand the death, as he's never looked for him like he did when Bailey went to hospital and never came home.  But he's still upset like we all are, and, as a result, rather clingy (he was already a much-indulged attention hog with no inside voice, so he's lucky he's cute).

Last week, I took care of my group of nieces and nephews that includes the little bundle of mischief that is new kitten Trouble, and, oh my stars, he is entertaining.  He's into absolutely everything and he's also incredibly snuggly; he loves being carried around and sleeping on chests, which makes up for the fact he thinks toes are chew toys and wants to walk right in between legs rather than beside or in front of someone.

He's not only one of those cats who finds closed doors offensive, he's one who must climb inside anything revealed by the opening of a cabinet, even if it's a refrigerator:

This picture really made my day!  

[tiftgirl]

I think the decision to euthanize is on of the most difficult, heart wrenching some of us will ever face. One that we agonize over at the time and for some time to come. We don't want to let go too soon.  We don't want to hold on too long.  Bottom line is the desire to do right by our pets.

As long as it is made thoughtfully, with love and looking to what is best for the pet at that moment, we are doing our best to help them and that cannot be wrong.

I think most people at some point question themselves if they made the right choice.  I described it to someone as my head knows it was right to let go, but, my heart doesn't want to accept that.

 

[tiftgirl]

10 hours ago, icemiser69 said:

I had to take my big cat to the vet yesterday.  He wouldn't stop rubbing his eye and it was starting to concern me.  The vet said that whatever was irritating his eye he must have cleaned out when he cleaned himself. 

Is he ok now?

[tiftgirl]

14 minutes ago, icemiser69 said:

Yes, thank you for asking.

I felt bad, because it was one of those emergency pet care places, so he had to wait all by himself for hours, I am sure crying up a storm, because I couldn't be in there with him.

I have to put medication on his left eye every 12 hours.

I am glad it wasn't Cubby that had the issue.   He doesn't like being messed with at all.

Glad he's dong better!

I always hated when they had to wait by themselves.  Once when that happened when the vet came in the room she asked why I was crying and she said it wasn't mine, it was the clinic cat who cried when they put her in her cage when they had another animal out in the back.  🙂

 

[Scarlett45]

Glad he’s okay @icemiser69.

[Scarlett45]

So it’s official. Cosmo loves my Ethiopian left overs (vegetarian, mostly lentil and spinach) This afternoon I plated my left overs into a bowl to heat in the microwave , and I heard a knock from the instacart guy. After confirming the guy was not a threat Cosmo backed away, the guy left and I was bringing in the groceries. 
 

This giant blond baby man had his PAWS ON THE COUNTER and his snout trying to reach my bowl! (It was too far for him)

[Mondrianyone]

Look at that face. How could anyone think he'd ever do anything naughty?

[MargeGunderson]

Cosmo had good taste! I can’t blame him.

[JustHereForFood]

We had to take our cat (7 years old) to the vet yesterday, as she was not eating much for couple days and it turned out that she had a hairball stuck in her stomach. She had this once before about 2 years ago, but back then she was somehow able to pass it. Now she had to have a surgery. They already called that it went well and they may let her go home tomorrow, but I'm still a bit worried for her. The flat feels so weird and empty without her and I'm constantly checking where she is. I am so glad we went to the vet - I thought maybe we are overreacting and should wait a bit longer, glad that my mother didn't listen to me this time, usually I am the more anxious type.

[MargeGunderson]

@JustHereForFood, I’m sorry to hear about your sick kitty! So glad you took her to the vet, and that she is on the mend. 

[Mindthinkr]

@JustHereForFood I hope your kitty is well enough to come home today and heals quickly. My girl is prone to hairballs. I give her a few of the Temptations Hairball formula treats every day and I haven’t seen any in a few weeks. You might need to speak to your vet about those or one of those flavored pastes to this doesn’t happen again. Purrs. 😻

[supposebly]

My cats seem to throw up more in the summer (twice a month, maybe). Not hairballs so much but I'm reading that moths can cause an upset stomach.

I live on the 9th floor and have a cat cage on the balcony. Now I'm wondering how many moths are being eaten every night.

And yes, the vomiting happens on one of the two rugs I have.

I hope your kittie comes home ok,  @JustHereForFood!

I read lots of brushing also keeps the hairball issue in check.

 

ETA: I really love this picture of Fox sunbathing.

Edited September 1, 2021 by supposebly
forgot the picture

[Mindthinkr]

@icemiser69 I tried really hard not to laugh at the comedy of you chasing the cat around while the smelly paste was landing on everything. 

[Bastet]

@JustHereForFood I'm glad you took her in, and that the surgery went well.  I know it's strange not having her around (even when they're just at the vet for several hours getting a dental cleaning, it's weird!).

Lack of appetite is nothing to fool around with in cats -- suddenly not eating or eating far less than normal can actually cause a very dangerous secondary condition, hepatic lipidosis, sometimes in just a matter of days.  (Overweight cats are particularly vulnerable to it.) 

My late cat Maddie was the hairball queen, but when I started mixing fiber (a little ground psyllium husk with some water) into her food, that cut way down on them.  (All that remained were deposited in the one room of my house that's carpeted, of course.)

[JustHereForFood]

Thanks for the kind wishes, everyone. Regarding the paste, we did try it a few years ago, but she didn't want to eat it. She does eat cat grass, so we figured that and brushing might be enough, but she was losing more hair than usual lately*, so that could also be part of the problem. We will try again with the paste and ask about those alternatives you mentioned. 

*they checked her blood, she isn' missing any vitamins, so I'm not sure what causes this, she used to lose more hair in spring and autumn before, not in summer.