Pet(s): Photos & Discussion

Bastet · December 31, 2023

My best friend's cat was one of those who'd knock everything light enough for her to knock off tables, so when BF had her housewarming party I gave her something like this (without the random lower case "d" throughout) to post:

Edited December 31, 2023 by Bastet

Anela · January 1

On 12/29/2023 at 1:17 PM, Brn2bwild said:

Hi everyone, this is my first time posting in the forum. I read the specifications, and it sounds as though we should post pictures of our pets, but also people have shared issues they have been having with their pet.

I adopted my little boy, a mini-poodle mix, almost 4.5 years ago. Below is a picture of him the week I took him home. I was told at the time of adoption that he was four, but his first vet visit revised that up to 8-10 years old. Vets now think he could be 13 years old at the youngest, but more like older than 14. He has spinal disease and had surgery three months ago to repair a herniated neck disc. The neurologist said he should be able to walk again, but his recovery has been really, really slow.

Overall this has taken a heavy toll on both of our lives. My boy despite his weakness has a lot of spirit in him, but due to his weakness and significant social anxiety, he can rarely be left alone. Finding care givers is hard, and taking him places is tough because most places I need to go, like the grocery store, don't allow pets even in strollers.

Does anyone here know of an online support group for owners of senior disabled pets? It would really help to talk with people going through similar issues. Thanks.

I've been there, and it was so hard, but they are worth it. ❤️

11 hours ago, Mindthinkr said:

Happy New Year to all our Fur Friends 🎉

I was just going to post this myself. 😄

Edited January 1 by Anela

Mindthinkr · January 1

@Anela Great minds…💛

bosawks · January 2

Happy New Year 🎊

Scarlett45 · January 16

The cats love the cat tree in the winter.

Must be the way the sun hits it in the mornings.

peacheslatour · January 16

3 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

The cats love the cat tree in the winter.

Must be the way the sun hits it in the mornings.

So pretty. I love torties.

Scarlett45 · January 16

From this morning.

Bastet · January 19

Knocking on all kinds of wood, Riley has been back to normal for a couple of months now and got the thumbs up from her neurologist. Yay!

We still don't know what she had, but unless any neurological symptoms return/new ones arise, we won't need to do an MRI, because if she had a brain tumor, she'd be the same or worse, not better. If everything stays the same, we'll keep her on the anti-seizure medication for another six months, so a year total, and then wean her off it and see if any symptoms come back.

If she winds up needing it for life, then obviously that's what she'll get, but it means I cannot go away, even overnight, because it has to be given every 12 hours and I'm the only one who can touch her (because she grazes all day/night, rather than eating a good amount at a time, if my mom or friend came over they couldn't just put it in her food; she has to take the full dose at once). So it would be nice if she no longer needs it at some point. (She likes it, since it's compounded into water flavored with real fish, and will walk right up to me to get it syringed into her mouth - since she likes it, I was going to just let her lick it out of a spoon, but it turns out she's a messy licker and some of it would splash off the spoon - but that is never going to happen with anyone else; she is very much a one-person cat.)

And her kidney values are not only back down to what they were when she first got sick, but a little better.

I figure this mystery illness, that no frakkin' test can find, will pop up again at some point, as it has happened twice already, but twice now she's pulled through it to be 100% normal, so I'll just take things as they come.

She'd been recovered enough that she had great quality of life for several months, but it's so nice to have her completely back to her usual self! Whenever I find myself annoyed at her chattiness (most of the time I love it, but sometimes it's a lot), I remember how weird it was for her to be quiet for so long and check myself.

Edited January 19 by Bastet

Scarlett45 · January 20

Yesterday was our 3yrs Anniversary. Cosmo came to me 3yrs ago!

He is my first dog, and all though it’s been 3yrs I am still amazed how much he begs for food!

Salacious Kitty · January 26

Smart kitties. 😻

secnarf · January 27

My girls now both have acne on their chin, so we are doing chlorhexidine wipes. As is the usual any time I notice anything skin-related with them, I worry about ringworm. For what it's worth, Luna was examined under a black light and it didn't fluoresce, but I know that's not 100% reliable. Hopefully in another week or so there is noticeable improvement.

Ginny's diarrhea was all better once I put her back on the anallergenic food, but then I started weaning her dexamethasone and on the last step, her diarrhea came back full force. She has been sneaking bits of Luna's food so that could be it too, but she was doing that beforehand also. So, we have gone back a couple steps on the steroid. But if this keeps up, pretty soon I'm going to have a diabetic cat on my hands.

Luna also apparently dislikes Ginny's anallergenic dry food, and so has lost quite a bit of weight. I've ordered a microchip feeder to be able to give her regular (and less expensive!) food, so hopefully that helps as well.

*sigh* I just want healthy cats for once.

Bastet · January 27

20 hours ago, secnarf said:

Luna also apparently dislikes Ginny's anallergenic dry food, and so has lost quite a bit of weight. I've ordered a microchip feeder to be able to give her regular (and less expensive!) food, so hopefully that helps as well.

Those work great -- so long as you don't have cats who will stand side by side eating out of the same bowl. If Kitty A sidles up to Kitty B while she's eating to try to snag B's food and B gets irritated and moves away, the feeder will close and A can't get to the food; mission accomplished. But if B simply lets A stick her head in there and share, the feeder stays open.

I hope it works out for them.

20 hours ago, secnarf said:

But if this keeps up, pretty soon I'm going to have a diabetic cat on my hands.

Speaking of diabetes, I haven't had any cats in my orbit with it in many years, but one of my "nieces" was recently diagnosed. There are now two oral non-insulin drugs available for treating feline diabetes. My friend won't make medical decisions for her cat without first consulting me, so I had to do a deep dive in a hurry. What a game changer! One was approved about a year ago and one about six months ago, and for insulin-resistant cats*, they're showing great success rates so far. (*It won't work on insulin-dependent cats; resistant means the insulin produced by the pancreas isn't being used effectively, while dependent means the pancreas isn't producing insulin/enough insulin to begin with, so the only option is to administer insulin injections.)

20 hours ago, secnarf said:

*sigh* I just want healthy cats for once.

It's stressful and tiring, I know. I hope you're able to get everything straightened out.

I used to just be glad so many cats with chronic conditions, mystery ailments, or a propensity for odd calamities wound up with my family, since we have the knowledge, patience, and resources to handle whatever treatment is necessary while many other owners don't, and I wouldn't go back and trade any of them for the world. But I would be very happy if - hopefully many years from now - the next one (or two) I adopt goes through a long life largely without incident until whatever terminal condition befalls them in the end. (I know I'd increase the odds by adopting kittens, but I generally choose not to since middle-aged cats are at such risk of euthanasia.)

Edited January 27 by Bastet

AgathaC · January 27

We missed having two dogs, so we adopted this sweetie today from a local rescue. He’s a Rottweiler mix. Despite nis “Nazi guard dog” looks, he’s incredibly sweet and gentle, loves small dogs and wants to be everyone’s friend.

secnarf · February 6

On 1/26/2024 at 9:47 PM, Bastet said:

Those work great -- so long as you don't have cats who will stand side by side eating out of the same bowl. If Kitty A sidles up to Kitty B while she's eating to try to snag B's food and B gets irritated and moves away, the feeder will close and A can't get to the food; mission accomplished. But if B simply lets A stick her head in there and share, the feeder stays open.

I hope it works out for them.

This is exactly what has happened :( They do like to eat together - and especially Ginny will like to come over and start eating if she hears Luna eating.

I had to wedge the microchip feeder into a corner so it is blocked from the back (it has an open back, which seems a poor design) and now Ginny tries to push her way in from the front. Luna has hissed at her more than once, but Ginny is not the fastest learner and will not give up.

peacheslatour · February 6

32 minutes ago, secnarf said:

This is exactly what has happened :( They do like to eat together - and especially Ginny will like to come over and start eating if she hears Luna eating.

I had to wedge the microchip feeder into a corner so it is blocked from the back (it has an open back, which seems a poor design) and now Ginny tries to push her way in from the front. Luna has hissed at her more than once, but Ginny is not the fastest learner and will not give up.

Oh god, Elizabeth did the same thing to poor Nathan. We had to stand out there a police them until she'd had enough and got distracted by something else.

Bastet · February 6

1 hour ago, secnarf said:

(it has an open back, which seems a poor design)

This won't help any with what they're doing in the front (and I'm sorry to hear the "It won't work if they'll just eat side by side out of the same bowl" scenario is what has come to pass at your house), but they make a rear guard. It should come that way, rather than be an accessory, I agree.

supposebly · February 6

I have a cat who eats fast and then tries to steal from the other. My solution was to get the thief a slow-eating plate to give the other one time to finish. Also, I keep the slow one' eating on the counter and the fast one on the floor. So even when she's fast, she needs to get there and I can see her sneaking up on the other ones (most times). They're quite used to it and are mostly out of teh habit of stealing.

Maybe get them used to eating in different rooms? Or at different times? Or put Ginny's bowls somewhere that really only allows one cat access? I'm thinking a tunnel-like structure?

With everything I've tried my cats to do, giving them a "better" or distracting habit-forming works probably best in the long run.

secnarf · February 7

They have dry food out all the time. When I do try to separate them (when they get wet food for "dinner"), they refuse to eat because they are distressed that they are locked in separate rooms. They are very accustomed to eating dry food together, but especially Ginny - if she hears Luna eating, she will always come join, even before the microchip feeder. It doesn't help that I have a pretty small 1 bedroom apartment, so one would never be so far away that they don't hear what the other is doing.

@Bastet thanks for the link! The rear guard isn't on their Canadian website, but is on Amazon, so I may pick that up, though it won't help Ginny sneaking in from the front. I also am hoping to get their stainless steel bowls at some point, as Luna has acne on her chin and the plastic has made it worse. But, I just spent a lot of money on the feeder itself, so I need to wait a bit before dropping a combined $100 on those accessories.

wilsie · February 7

On 1/20/2024 at 12:02 PM, Scarlett45 said:

Yesterday was our 3yrs Anniversary. Cosmo came to me 3yrs ago!

He is my first dog, and all though it’s been 3yrs I am still amazed how much he begs for food!

Happy Anniversary to both of you! How fortunate you are to have each other. He has the sweetest face and a very kind and caring person in his life. All your sweet pets do.

Moose135 · February 7

Jake needed to find the right toy...

peacheslatour · February 7

17 minutes ago, Moose135 said:

Jake needed to find the right toy...

Isn't it funny how they do that? Elizabeth rummages through her toy box, throwing everything all over the place until she finds the perfect toy for her mood.

supposebly · February 7

My cats ignore the toy box. It's like the toys don't exist when in the box. The box is like an alternate universe.

I have to take them out and then they go Oh! A toy! How nice! I'll play with it a bit! Or not, depending on ... I don't know what.

Bastet · February 7

2 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

Elizabeth rummages through her toy box, throwing everything all over the place until she finds the perfect toy for her mood.

Riley only likes a few toys, so most of hers stay in the basket full time, but Baxter played with a wide variety, and the best was that he took annual inventory -- about once a year, I'd find every single toy out of the basket and in the middle of that room, like he was making sure they were all accounted for (since it was my job - well, one of my many jobs; I, of course, am here to serve - to routinely check under and behind furniture to retrieve toys that had been batted out of their reach and return them to the basket).

Edited February 7 by Bastet

peacheslatour · February 7

38 minutes ago, Bastet said:

Riley only likes a few toys, so most of hers stay in the basket full time, but Baxter played with a wide variety, and the best was that he took annual inventory -- about once a year, I'd find every single toy out of the basket and in the middle of that room, like he was making sure they were all accounted for (since it was my job - well, one of my many jobs; I, of course, am here to serve - to routinely check under and behind furniture to retrieve toys that had been batted out of their reach).

Isn't that the truth? They are in charge, after all it's their world, we merely live in it.

Gramto6 · February 8

The first time I saw one of my kitties sitting in the heated water bowl I freaked out! It was a below 0° morning and I thought it was frozen in there! Yikes! I snapped the pix through the front door window then went out to "rescue" it. Kitty saw me coming and hopped out looking for breakfast. Phew! The bowl was empty and I guess just a bit warm so Kitty thought it was a great place to hang out! Several others have done it since...I can just imagine them fighting over it! I am not getting 30+ heated water bowls so they can each have a butt warmer though!!

Scarlett45 · February 9

On 1/27/2024 at 4:30 PM, AgathaC said:

We missed having two dogs, so we adopted this sweetie today from a local rescue. He’s a Rottweiler mix. Despite nis “Nazi guard dog” looks, he’s incredibly sweet and gentle, loves small dogs and wants to be everyone’s friend.

He looks sweet to me! I know large dogs with dark colored coats are the last to be adopted, 😢. I love his brown markings and his floppy ears.

My Mom came home from the hospital and rehab, and came upstairs to my house to keep moving and see Cosmo, but this little Lady loves to ride on her walker!

I kept my Christmas decor up for my friend visiting from Taiwan, but Lady Reese was also happy to “help” take the tree down.

SoMuchTV · February 9

2 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

I had almost that exact same kitty, many many years ago. Olive Oyl. She had a bright white spot on her underbelly. We used to say she was the sampler - check her out and you could find any cat pattern you might want.

BooksRule · February 11

It's hard to believe that it's been almost 7 months since I lost my Alice and almost 3 months since Maggie. I still miss my two kitty girls, but It's gotten much better over time (although I still tell them 'good night' when I go to bed most nights :) ).

My daily routine has gotten a little easier (although I would trade the ease for my furbabies, of course). I'm now used to being able to put grocery bags right on the countertop when I get home from the store (instead of having to unpack immediately or put them in the laundry room due to plastic-eating Maggie), I can leave the outside door open if I need to without worry of a cat running outside. I have a little more money to my name (I still feel odd if I leave Walmart without any cat food or litter and I think about them when I pass by my vet's office or the emergency hospital--where I spent a lot of hours during the last year or two of their lives).

I can also travel if I want without worrying about them or having someone come by to scoop boxes and to feed them. I have a good friend who was happy to do it for me, but I didn't travel much over the last couple of years due to the babies' being elderly and having health problems. I didn't want to put a burden on my friend to maybe have to deal with a health crisis while I was out of town.

Another thing I thought of recently is that for the first time in 20 years I can have live plants in the house. I used to have live plants all over my house, but from the time I brought the sisters home they destroyed any plant I brought inside. So no plants at all (since I don't like artificial plants). It will be bittersweet, but I want to fill my house with plants this spring.

I do still have some reminders of them around. I haven't gotten rid of their cat dishes yet and have some canned food around. I'm going to see if the local shelter would like to have them. I'm hoping to find a home for the big cat tree (although it needs a little repair in a couple of places). It's still in the corner of my living room. As a matter of fact, both of my baby girls' ashes are sitting in one of the risers of it right now because i still haven't decided where to put them.

Today's chore is to sort through their huge basket of cat toys (I mean really huge--not that they were spoiled or anything, LOL). I will toss most of them, but will probably choose several that I know were their favorites and put those away.

Sorry for the long post, but I'm doing some early spring cleaning and I keep coming across things that belonged to them or things that remind me of my Alice and Maggie May.

annzeepark914 · February 13

Bumper sticker seen on a car today:

Tell your cat I said...

Psp Psp Psp Psp.

Writing Wrongs · February 19

So it turns out Daisy's scratching wasn't from an allergy. She has an autoimmune disorder like lupus that is causing it. She had to take a steroid pill for 5 days and then some other medicine. She has been a bit down lately from the meds my mom thinks.

peacheslatour · February 19

14 hours ago, Writing Wrongs said:

So it turns out Daisy's scratching wasn't from an allergy. She has an autoimmune disorder like lupus that is causing it. She had to take a steroid pill for 5 days and then some other medicine. She has been a bit down lately from the meds my mom thinks.

What a sweet little girl. I had a cat named Daisy, she was a sweetheart too. I sincerely hope your Daisy feels better now that they figured out the right meds.

Anela · March 3

This Disney character reminds me of my cat, George.

JustHereForFood · March 9

bosawks · March 11

Ever feel like you’re being watched?

Gramto6 · March 12

A friend gave me a couple cat beds. Last evening I guess they tried to see just how many they could squeeze into one!!

wilsie · March 12

3 hours ago, Gramto6 said:

A friend gave me a couple cat beds. Last evening I guess they tried to see just how many they could squeeze into one!!

So cute! They are some very pretty cats!

peacheslatour · March 12

1 hour ago, wilsie said:

So cute! They are some very pretty cats!

Yes, there are some really pretty cats there. If Elizabeth hadn't turned out to be a serial killer, I would ask if I could adopt one. Especially the big grey floof.

secnarf · March 13

7 hours ago, Gramto6 said:

A friend gave me a couple cat beds. Last evening I guess they tried to see just how many they could squeeze into one!!

Aww I love this. Kitty snuggles are the best!

isalicat · March 18

Writing Wrongs · March 30

My mom continues finding cute tops for Daisy. Her skin and scratching has gotten a lot better since she was put on her new medicine. And she's thrilled to be able to eat treats again.

JustHereForFood · April 1

Our beloved cat Micka is 10 years old today. She didn't feel particularly photogenic today, so here's an older photo that is one of my favorites. I can't imagine our lives without her. 10 years seems like such a long time and yet at the same time, I feel as if she's always been with us.

Also, if anyone remembers how I asked a while ago about moving with a cat... You were right of course, we've been at the new place for over 4 months and she got used to it very quickly. (So did we, BTW.)

graybrown bird · April 2

Micka is so pretty!

Bastet · April 2

3 hours ago, JustHereForFood said:

Also, if anyone remembers how I asked a while ago about moving with a cat... You were right of course, we've been at the new place for over 4 months and she got used to it very quickly. (So did we, BTW.)

Happy birthday to Micka, and I do remember reassuring you she'd settle into the new place just fine. I'm glad to hear you all have.

I like that the drawing of the cat on her blanket matches her coloring. Intentional?

Suzn · April 2

Happy Birthday, Micka! What a beautiful girl!

Mindthinkr · April 2

I think my cat had a stroke. He will be spending the day at the vet’s tomorrow for testing and observation. He’s 20 1/2 years old and has been on Norvasc (BP med) for awhile now. I’m hoping he recovers well enough that I don’t have to make any big decisions tomorrow 🙏🏻

JustHereForFood · April 3

On 4/2/2024 at 4:40 AM, Bastet said:

I like that the drawing of the cat on her blanket matches her coloring. Intentional?

Not really. It was mine when I was little, then I just kept it for nostalgic reasons and not used it for years, now it's hers.

17 hours ago, Mindthinkr said:

I think my cat had a stroke. He will be spending the day at the vet’s tomorrow for testing and observation. He’s 20 1/2 years old and has been on Norvasc (BP med) for awhile now. I’m hoping he recovers well enough that I don’t have to make any big decisions tomorrow 🙏🏻

Oh no. Fingers crossed that he recovers.

Mindthinkr · April 3

Sadly BB has gone downhill and the hospice vet will be here later this afternoon to help him OTRB 😿🌈💔🙏🏻

isalicat · April 3

6 hours ago, Mindthinkr said:

Sadly BB has gone downhill and the hospice vet will be here later this afternoon to help him OTRB 😿🌈💔🙏🏻

So, so sorry - I wish I could give you a hug and some sympathy tears simultaneously. But 20+ years old means he had a good long life that is the main thing on which to focus. You'll see him again some day on the other side of that bridge...and he'll be purring up a storm.

pinkandsparkly13 · April 4

This cat has been hanging around our house for the past month. It's been under the porch, and we've been feeding her. I'm pretty sure it's a girl. She's been coming around to us more and looks pretty fat lol. So we may get kittens at some point. We'll see how that goes.

She was rubbing up on our chihuahua Otis when I let him out earlier. So she's coming around. I keep telling her to let me love her! Lol

peacheslatour · April 4

46 minutes ago, pinkandsparkly13 said:

This cat has been hanging around our house for the past month. It's been under the porch, and we've been feeding her. I'm pretty sure it's a girl. She's been coming around to us more and looks pretty fat lol. So we may get kittens at some point. We'll see how that goes.

She was rubbing up on our chihuahua Otis when I let him out earlier. So she's coming around. I keep telling her to let me love her! Lol

99% sure she's a girl. She's a dilute tortie and torties are almost always female. She's a beauty!

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