Pet(s): Photos & Discussion

[bilgistic]

If I had a dollar for all the non-poop things I've had to extract from cat butts, I'd have $3.00.

[walnutqueen]

35 minutes ago, bilgistic said:

If I had a dollar for all the non-poop things I've had to extract from cat butts, I'd have $3.00.

I'd hate to get into a shit-flinging war with you, but I've got you beat by more than a buck.

[insert happy face or sad face here - I don't know anymore!!!]

 

ETA - It's easier to extract from a feline butthole than insert.  Administering valium rectally for seizures ... no words.

Edited November 11, 2017 by walnutqueen

[bilgistic]

:|

Suddenly, cat eyedrops don't seem so bad.

[walnutqueen]

43 minutes ago, bilgistic said:

:|

Suddenly, cat eyedrops don't seem so bad.

You can always count on me to make a bad situation even worse ... err, I mean, uplift you with my positive vibes!  :-D

[bosawks]

Is the dog version having your arm shoved halfway down their gullet to extract bone/rock/stick/WTF IS THAT ?

[JTMacc99]

36 minutes ago, bosawks said:

Is the dog version having your arm shoved halfway down their gullet to extract bone/rock/stick/WTF IS THAT ?

That was a regular occurrence with my dopey golden. And no, cat stuff is worse because squirming/claws. 

[ratgirlagogo]

18 hours ago, riley702 said:

We dewormed them all this evening. Opal... ejected a live worm.

I had pinworms as a child.  TWICE.  Because I wouldn't (couldn't!) stop playing with strays and wild animals.  My poor mother.

[shanndee]

@Mindthinkr @DeLurker @Random Noise

Thank you for your suggestions. I have already tried some of those approaches and I will work on others. I just have to accept that she had a rough start in life, and it will take her some time to feel secure. I just don't want to lose my mind in the process! :)

She did surprise us this morning. She was quiet all night didn't come in the bedroom until 7 am. It was glorious! Now we just have to figure out how to make this a habit for her...

@riley702 Those kittens are gorgeous! ... sorry about the worm!!

[bilgistic]

What's the best thing about the weather turning colder? Kitties want to cuddle!

[Random Noise]

[EighteenTwelve]

The vet came on Friday to do annual physicals and rabies shots for my Hairy Beasts.  I decided that I wasn't going to try to get them both in the bathroom at the same time, because Lily is too smart for that and will either try like mad to refuse to go in if Snip is in there first, or will come shooting out again when I try to put Snip in second.  So I shut Snip in the bathroom and stuffed Lily in a carrier in my office.  Easy.  So easy, in fact, that I had Snip trying to dig her way through the bathroom door and Lily performing the Song of the Miserable Feline simultaneously for the next half hour until the vet arrived.  That'll teach me.  I'm not sure what exactly it will teach me, but it will certainly teach me something.

[Noneofyourbusiness]

This is a FreeKibble Cause I encountered the other day and want to support:

Help Save Lucy - The Miracle Puppy!

Lucy’s just 9 weeks old but she’s already endured a lifetime of challenges. She was rescued at 4 weeks old and in bad shape. Diagnosed with parasites, a blood transfusion saved her life. Then came parvo, which she survived. Now she has a disease in her front legs… and without surgery she won’t be able to walk soon.

 

https://theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/store/ars/item/80574?origin=FK-CARES-80574-20171110&utm_medium=fk&utm_source=fkemail&utm_term=20171110&utm_campaign=fk-cares-lucy-the-miracle-puppy&utm_content=gtgm-link

[riley702]

Kitten update: Cannot believe the energy of these guys! Especially little runt Pearl - she is running and wrestling with Wren. Wren is much bigger than Pearl now (they all are noticeably bigger in a week) and can be a bit of a stinker. She likes to bite at Pearl's feet and behind, which so ticked off Pearl this morning that she did one of those hiss/spit things - and then ran and attacked Wren! LOL. Wren has so much energy that we've been bringing her out into the living room and just letting her run. Winnie, the Chihuahua, is very protective - if one of the others (usually Pip) hisses at her, Winnie will bark and chase her down the stairs to the basement and then stand protectively over the kitten.

Opal has been more subdued, but is coming out of her shell and LOVES cuddling. We called the vet this morning. They don't have an appointment available today, but thinks it just may be the worms working their way through. She has a good appetite and has normal poops now - they all do. We dewormed all the adult cats in the household today, too. We'll redo everybody in 10 days.

We think Pearl may have pirate blood. She makes this cute face when she meows:

It reminds me so much of that LOLCat (that of course I had to go look for):

Edited November 14, 2017 by riley702

[CoderLady]

Ah, kittens. A fun thing to look forward to if you like treasure hunts is the day they start shedding their baby teeth. You'll be finding tiny fangs all over the place. So cute!

[riley702]

Opal is up to speed with the rest, now. Active and playing. As lethargic as she was, I think we got her (and Pearl) just in time. If we hadn't been on top of things and getting some high-quality groceries (and meds) into them, I think they might very well have died. Pearl has visibly bulked up in just a week. Her spine no longer sticks out, and she is catching up in size to Opal. Wren is fine (can climb the side of the dog crate, in fact). Considering they had 3 different moms, I think their conditions reflect their mothers' health. Opal's mom was obviously filthy with worms, and Opal no doubt had them in utero. Pearl looked a little premie, and her mama was scary skinny. Wren's mama was the healthiest. 

I talked to the lady we got them from and the moms will get fixed, vaccinated and treated for worms and fleas next Monday. $10 each. Thank God for rescues. Those cats will have much better lives now.

Edited November 15, 2017 by riley702

[Mindthinkr]

@riley702 I love you for being a good Mom to these cats. 

[emma675]

New pictures are in order, riley702!

[Bastet]

From the Cats Are Creatures of Habit files:

Every evening when Riley emerges from her daytime nap, she spends some time on the cardboard cat scratcher in the study before heading on to meal time.  Also, every night when she gets good and riled up for play time, she climbs and attacks the ever-loving hell out of the scratching post in the study (she has others of both items, but she really likes the study at night). 

That's the only room in the house that's carpeted (I hate carpet, but whomever built this house back in the '30s inexplicably put tile in that room rather than hardwood as in the rest of the house, and I can't match the wood, so I went with the whole cozy room/carpet theme), and while I normally bust out the Bissell and shampoo it annually, today was the first time since adopting Riley that I'd given it the deep-cleaning treatment. 

So, the room is empty of everything, including her scratcher and post, and the carpet is damp and cool (it's still 70 degrees in there, so it will dry tomorrow).  But she was not deterred from her routine.  First, I came in to find her sitting in the spot where her scratcher would be, and then later she and her Manson Eyes ran over to where her post would normally be to attack, and hesitated for only a moment or two before deciding to climb/attack the fireplace brick (up against which the post normally rests) instead.

[riley702]

38 minutes ago, emma675 said:

New pictures are in order, riley702!

I have been trying, but they're moving so fast, the pics are blurry. I will continue to try, though. :)

[Mindthinkr]

[bilgistic]

I have been forgiven for the waterboarding eyedrops. Mama came and cuddled with me last night, making biscuits on my belly. It was the first time she'd laid on me. I got misty-eyed. This picture is from just a few minutes ago. Her motor is running. Little Girl is now laying further down between my legs. I love my girls. ❤️❤️

[EighteenTwelve]

Awww!  I have observed that a lot of a bad day can be made better by a cat sitting in my lap purring so loud I have to turn the TV volume up to hear it.

[ABay]

My grumpy old man cat is gone. He’d been declining for a while, one of the reasons I haven’t been around here much. His back legs were very weak, he stopped eating Monday except for a tablespoon of baby food, and he stopped drinking yesterday. This morning I took him to the vet and that was it. It still feels unreal. He was part of my life for 17 years and even though we never properly bonded--in another 17 years, he would’ve let me pet him--I loved him. The real sign it was the end was that he didn’t even move when I touched him, he just hissed. The house is so quiet without him. Girl cat doesn’t seem to be bothered and I hope it stays that way. Her wandering around meowing for him would kill me.

[Mindthinkr]

@ABay I'm very sorry for your loss. It's a rough day when we lose one of our furry family members. Big Hug.

[Bastet]

Oh, @ABay, I'm so sorry to read that.  You gave more love and care to a cat you couldn't even pet than some owners do to sweet cats pleading for attention.

I know the first day is rather surreal, as you struggle to wrap your mind around the fact he's gone.  You will be in my thoughts as you slog through this beginning part of the grief process.  I hope girl cat gives you a good snuggle.

[bilgistic]

I'm so sorry, @ABay. My heart hurts for you.

[raven]

@ABay I'm so sorry for your loss.  I hope it comforts you that you loved him and took care of him for 17 years, maybe he wasn't a cuddler or let you pet him, but he knew you loved him.

It is never easy.

[walnutqueen]

I am so very sorry for you loss, @ABay.

[emma675]

ABay, I'm so sorry, it's so hard to make that decision even when you know it was the right thing to do. Hugs to you.

[riley702]

Aw, I'm so sorry, @ABay. Hugs.

[shanndee]

My condolences @ABay. This is never easy. I'm glad you have Girl Cat to help you through it. Take care.

[CoderLady]

@ABay, I'm sorry. Thank you for telling us.

[AgentRXS]

@ABay I'm so sorry. Thank you for being his human even when he thought he really didn't need one around. Most feral cats don't get the comfort of a good home for almost 2 decades--he was one of the lucky ones. <Hugs>

Edited November 17, 2017 by AgentRXS

[ABay]

My sincere, tearful, thanks to all of you for your support. It helps more than you can know. Now the girl and I begin a new life without him. They both ate on his schedule but she doesn't seem to have the same inner hunger clock, so we'll have to figure out a new routine. And I have to learn how to set an alarm clock after years of having a furry one wake me up every morning. 

[bilgistic]

I took Little Girl to the vet this morning to address a minor issue I was keeping an eye on since her wellness visit last week (she'll be fine). I took a picture of one of the enormous resident Maine Coon kitties with my foot for comparison. It's still hard to tell just how massive this gentle giant is. He was baking in the sun like a proper kitty does.

Yes, it's the middle of November and I'm still wearing flip-flops during the day. It's in the 60s.

[BooksRule]

(I posted this on the 'Chit Chat' thread, but moved it to here since it fits better on this thread.)  Every few months one of my cats gets a respiratory infection and has to go in for a shot and a check up.  It's gotten routine now.  Her name is Alice, but I call her Snuffles McSnot when she gets sick (I love her to pieces, but she did sneeze on my dinner last night).  I was worried, because the doctor seemed to take a lot of time checking her eyes.  He then asked me if her pupils had been dilated like that for a while.  I hadn't really noticed, but all he said was that her vision seemed to be okay and to call later this evening to let him know if there had been any change.  I just called because they were still kind of big, but he said that since she seemed to have no other symptoms, that it was probably just how her eyes were (I do know that her sister Maggie May's pupils have always been big and black.  Since she has a little triangular pale beige face with those big black slanted eyes, I think of her as my little alien and sometimes call her my 'Roswell Kitty').  I got scared when I looked up that symptom on 'doctor cat google' sites, but felt better after I called him and also when I looked back at some of Alice's photos over the last couple of years, she has big pupils in all of them except for one way back (and they were kind of half dilated in that one).  She goes back in a couple of weeks for a follow-up for her sniffles (and to get her regular vaccinations, since he didn't want to give her the regular shots while she's sick) and I'll keep an eye on her.   I'll look a couple of photos to post.

Edited November 17, 2017 by BooksRule

[bilgistic]

I give the girls lysine for the sneezies. It helps boost immunity and fights respiratory illness. Respiratory issues tend to stem from the herpes virus contracted from other cats (gotten when they are strays/pre-rescues). It's very common, and a lot of the time goes undetected.

I've had the girls on the lysine for eight days, and it's already made a big difference. The lysine the vet gave me is a powder I mix in their food, but there are other forms, like treats and paste. It's available without a prescription.

[BooksRule]

I just checked the bag I got from the vet, and the supplement he gave me is Lysine.  I'll start her on it in her food tomorrow.  Her sister Maggie already gets Cosequin (for her idiopathic bladder problem), so dosing the other bowl won't be too much of a chore.  Alice never got the sneezies/sniffles until about a year and a half ago (both kitty sisters are around 13 years old now).  I don't know there it came from (they are both indoor cats and Maggie's never had it), but the vet says that we don't always know how they contract it, but once they get it in their system it'll flare up now and then.  He said that the Lysine should help boost her immune system.  

[bilgistic]

I just wrangled the girls to give them their monthly flea treatment and you'd have thought I was waterboarding them. I eventually just aimed for getting it between the shoulder blades; so much for proper application. They are now in the living room commiserating about how terrible I am.

I arranged for the pet sitter for the two days I'll be at my sister's for Thanksgiving next week--half of Wednesday, all of Thursday and back on Friday. It's $92. Gah!

[BooksRule]

I've left my two cats alone for long weekends (Friday morning through Sunday night) before, but I usually have a friend come check on them if it's more than 2 nights.  I do worry, though.  I put food and water in just about every room of the house (just in case one manages to close herself up in a room).  They've always been fine, though.  It is funny that they always eat the food that I put out in the other rooms before the 'regular' food in the kitchen.  It's the same food, but they seem to think it's something special.

Mine are due for their monthly treatment as well.  I usually try to catch Maggie first, she's the hardest to catch.  Alice isn't too bad.  They are pretty good at standing still when I put the stuff on them--as a matter of face, they freeze stiff as a board and then dash away at warp speed the second I release them.  

[Bastet]

2 hours ago, BooksRule said:

Alice never got the sneezies/sniffles until about a year and a half ago (both kitty sisters are around 13 years old now).  I don't know there it came from (they are both indoor cats and Maggie's never had it), but the vet says that we don't always know how they contract it, but once they get it in their system it'll flare up now and then.  He said that the Lysine should help boost her immune system.  

Almost all cats have been exposed to the FHV-1 herpes virus (similar to the number of humans exposed to HSV-1, the herpes virus that causes cold sores - around 90%); whether they ever have any flare-ups just depends on their immune system, as you only see symptoms when the immune system is suppressed by dealing with something else (including stress, or even age).  L-Lysine (you don't need to pay for a special supplement; you can just crush/crumble the appropriate amount of a regular pill if you wish) will handle most flare-ups, so Alice should be fine and dandy, and the anti-viral Famciclovir can be used against the tough cases, so even if the L-Lysine doesn't work, you still have an easy treatment available.

There is a blood test that can confirm which of the four viruses usually responsible for recurring cases of the sneezies (and/or runny eyes, stuffiness, etc.), but it's herpes in the overwhelming majority of cases, so I think it's better to just treat as if that's it and then test only if that's not working.

As for the pupils, you may want to have her blood pressure checked next time, just in case, given her age.

I love the name Alice - that was my cat Maddie's middle name (Madeleine Alice).

[riley702]

More kitten pics!

The girls. We're using a big dog crate for a kitten nursery. From the top are Pearl, Wren, and Opal.

Wren is our resident wild child:

Pearl on my lap. She's grown so much!

Opal and Pearl playing

More pics to follow. I'm being restricted on how much I can upload in a post.

Edited November 18, 2017 by riley702

[riley702]

Wren likes my socks

Spying on the cuddle puddle.

I am having a ball with them. Today, Opal came to visit in my bedroom. Swiffer ran and hid from this tiny kitten, but Lucy and she touched noses with no hissing from either side. Progress!

Edited November 18, 2017 by riley702

[bilgistic]

I love them! They look so happy and healthy!!

[Random Noise]

Happy dreams ...

More happy dreams ...

Ok, I'll share the bed.

Edited November 18, 2017 by Random Noise

[Mindthinkr]

@riley702 Your kittens are absolutely adorable. Lucky you. 

@Random Noise That's so cute the way your kitties sleep arm in arm. My boy cat also likes to sleep on his back. It looks uncomfortable to me but our kitties think differently. 

Edited November 18, 2017 by Mindthinkr
I added another comment.

[bilgistic]

9 hours ago, Random Noise said:

Happy dreams ...

More happy dreams ...

Ok, I'll share the bed.

So adorable! I love kitties that snuggle! My girls cuddling up has been the source of such joy for me lately.

[Mindthinkr]

@bilgistic I am so happy that you are feeling joy again! 

[Mindthinkr]

OK. I know that was slightly inappropriate but I did get a laugh and hope y'all do too. 

[shanndee]

Life is rough for the pampered housecoat...