Your daily cat and kitten news

[starfish]

Big day tomorrow. Taking Daisy to get speyed. Had a pre-op visit today & all good. Take her in at 8.45 & get her back 4ish.

 

[High Voltage]

Took FiFi to the vet last week for some tests, the results came through yesterday

The vets tone had me immediately fearing that something was up but far from it

Her kidney numbers are up but nothing to cause any major concern... yet. So we'll take that

Her insulin numbers are exactly where they should be. The word "phenomenal" was used interestingly the vet said that if the cat was with anyone else they would be worried and looking to reduce her insulin dose but because we monitor her food intake and adjust her dose on a day by day basis she's getting the maximum level of insulin safely, which is good

Doesn't need to be seen for three months

 

[May Kasahara]

Long cat is long.



A face/paw close up especially for trabuquera . Look at him. Absolutely nothing going on in that brain pan <3

 

[trabuquera]

Oh I love him so , the great feline smear but I've never mistaken him for an intellec(a)tual . This week's earlier pic of him managing to lie uncomfortably diagonally over a box lid that's easily big enough to curl up in made that well clear.

 

[Epona]

Oh I love him so , the great feline smear but I've never mistaken him for an intellec(a)tual . This week's earlier pic of him managing to lie uncomfortably diagonally over a box lid that's easily big enough to curl up in made that well clear.

Oh aye, one of mine is like that - one of Jakey's nicknames is "Noodle-Brain" He's the sweetest cat ever and a good mouser, but definitely not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

 

[polly]

Oof that paw May Kasahara <3

 

[Cloo]

Urgent Vastra newsflash!

 

[LeytonCatLady]

Taking Lilith for her three in one booster/check up this afternoon. Fingers crossed all's good. She's eating/drinking fine and has more energy than I do, but there's always that slight dread beforehand.

 

[Epona]

Taking Lilith for her three in one booster/check up this afternoon. Fingers crossed all's good. She's eating/drinking fine and has more energy than I do, but there's always that slight dread beforehand.

Good luck to you and Lilith!

I always turn up at the vets looking really rough on account of not being able to get any sleep being a bit anxious about it.

 

[KatyF]

I was always so anxious going to the vets. At my last vets there was a lovely reception man who used to go and sit with Delilah whilst she was having bloods then come and sit with me til she came out as he knew how worked up I got. And then there was always the big sigh of relief on the way home when all is ok!

 

[philosophical]

Seems only yesterday, in fact it was only nine days ago, that in fashion news my pal Bloom had a nice new red collar.
So the trendsetter turns up today with a natty new decorated blue collar.

 

[LeytonCatLady]

Well, we got back and she's fine. It should be just a five minute walk from my house to the vet, but it took longer as I was trying to be gentle and not jog her in the carrier. I could feel her struggling to get out and was seriously worried she'd find the latch! But then the vet had to physically take her out as she was stubbornly refusing to move. (I'd put her favourite blanket in with her so she was probably too comfy where she was). The injection was over in seconds and she didn't feel it, and the check up showed she's a perfectly healthy cat. The vet is a lovely woman, giving Lilith a cuddle and saying "There there baby!" She really does bring out your maternal feelings. She's currently eating her favourite wet food (Felix) for tea.

 

[Epona]

Glad to hear it all went well!

Transporting Jakey gives me the fear, when we first got him he had to go in a carrier by car from Worthing where he lived previously to our place in London (a couple of hours drive) - fortunately we had a lift arranged and weren't taking him by public transport - he was struggling hard being with complete strangers being taken away from his home to who knows where poor love and managed to bust the door off the carrier - I had to take my laces out of my trainers and tie it back onto the carrier. It was a bit hair raising tbh. (I mean it could have been worse for him if he'd got loose on a train, but it can be dangerous having a frightened cat loose in a moving car) He still doesn't like going in a carrier, but at least he knows and loves us now.

I now have a different carrier which seems a bit more sturdy, also I find talking to them gently helps to calm them a bit. A towel over the carrier can also help sometimes.

 

[polly]

They gave me a bit of a lecture at the shelter about my cat carrier, which was one of those plastic ones with lots of fastener things. Apparently the fasteners often fail I have one of those metal grid ones which is much sturdier but I feel freaks the cats out more as they are so open. Towel is a good idea.

ION my little cat suddenly decided I was alright last night and gave me a MEGA CUDDLE <3 She is a burrower, favourite place is apparently my armpit. Very cute.

 

[LeytonCatLady]

They gave me a bit of a lecture at the shelter about my cat carrier, which was one of those plastic ones with lots of fastener things. Apparently the fasteners often fail I have one of those metal grid ones which is much sturdier but I feel freaks the cats out more as they are so open. Towel is a good idea.

ION my little cat suddenly decided I was alright last night and gave me a MEGA CUDDLE <3 She is a burrower, favourite place is apparently my armpit. Very cute.

Lilith's always been a bit skittish for cuddles and would only let Tim pick her up but she's rubbing herself against me and purring more, which I now know is a sign she wants to be stroked. Adorable.

 

[Epona]

They gave me a bit of a lecture at the shelter about my cat carrier, which was one of those plastic ones with lots of fastener things. Apparently the fasteners often fail I have one of those metal grid ones which is much sturdier but I feel freaks the cats out more as they are so open. Towel is a good idea.

ION my little cat suddenly decided I was alright last night and gave me a MEGA CUDDLE <3 She is a burrower, favourite place is apparently my armpit. Very cute.

That is worrying!

Do you have a picture of the one they warned you about that you could post? I'd rather get a new carrier than risk losing a cat.

 

[polly]

That is worrying!

Do you have a picture of the one they warned you about that you could post? I'd rather get a new carrier than risk losing a cat.

It's this one, but they said any with those plastic fasteners are risky. I don't know how true this is btw!



The other one, which they said was much better, is like this

 

[Epona]

Thanks polly that is quite alarming - I am sure most people use those plastic carriers as they are widely available - I have 2 - 1 just like the one in your top pic and another one which has a slightly different design.

I'd actually quite like one of the metal cage ones because I think you can open the top of it? Much easier to load a struggling cat in through the top than try to post it through one of the narrow ends - they seem to develop about 100 legs during that operation. I'll have to look into where to get one.

 

[polly]

Thanks polly that is quite alarming - I am sure most people use those plastic carriers as they are widely available - I have 2 - 1 just like the one in your top pic and another one which has a slightly different design.

I'd actually quite like one of the metal cage ones because I think you can open the top of it? Much easier to load a struggling cat in through the top than try to post it through one of the narrow ends - they seem to develop about 100 legs during that operation. I'll have to look into where to get one.

I wouldn't worry too much tbh (I've never heard this from anyone else) but yes, the metal cage ones are much easier for that reason. Ours was here when we moved in so can't advise on best places to get one I'm afraid!

 

[trabuquera]

^Yet another vote for an open-mesh metal cage model rather than the plastic-case-type ones - unless you already know your cat is completely chill and apathetic. My late mini panther was a frenzied carrier-refuser and getting him into the plastic ones was nearly impossible (yes, had tried luring him into it numerous times BEFORE it was necessary, left treats and familiar bedding in there so he could get used to it as a nest etc etc - it never worked) and would yowl, growl, grumble and puke in them.

And yes he did manage to chew a head-sized hole out of the plastic at the no-entry end and yes did break clean out of one once while travelling (luckily in a car with all the windows closed). It was like some sort of hyperconcentrated nuclear atomic explosion: he'd been unhappily banging and clawing and trying to escape for about 15 minutes, then I think just somehow contracted himself into a tight ball and then rocketed outward in every direction and the carrier popped open in two like a Kinder Egg cylinder - which was not ideal as I was driving down a motorway . (Luckily I could pull over safely, retrieve him, stuff him back in the carrier - the 2 halves did fit back together - and weigh down the top. He shouted curses at me for the rest of the way.)

He was an extremely cussed, cunning, buff and muscular cat but not huge - weighed 4kg or so and wasn't massive. So yeah those plastic 'locking' cogs can and do fail - and if the car windows had been open or if we'd been on a bus/train things could have gone far worse.

Soon as I'd got hold of a reasonably large open-mesh metal cage - no problem whatsoever: he'd jump in there and sleep in it for fun, be miles easier to load in from the top, and travel much more happily (in a car, being carried by hand or on a bus) than in the plastic one. Maybe like humans, some cats - even if they usually like a smallish confined space - get motion-sick and freak out if they can't see what's going on? So yes - metal cage 100%.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

The other one, which they said was much better, is like this

View attachment 298027

Yes, although the plastic base tray thing can be a bit flimsy. cat belonging to ex some time ago (both no longer with us) managed to destroy the plastic tray bit and we had to cut a bit of wood to fit.

(this was the cat who would start fights with dogs)

and very much yes at a top loading cat carrier - loading cat tail first is a lot easier...

 

[Epona]

Yes, although the plastic base tray thing can be a bit flimsy. cat belonging to ex some time ago (both no longer with us) managed to destroy the plastic tray bit and we had to cut a bit of wood to fit.

(this was the cat who would start fights with dogs)

and very much yes at a top loading cat carrier - loading cat tail first is a lot easier...

I think I'd be inclined to put either very thick cardboard or a bit of plywood in there with a small cat bed squished in there on top of that for comfort - IME they really do not like it if they are directly on the floor of the thing if it is a material that they can't get any purchase on whilst moving.

 

[polly]

I think I'd be inclined to put either very thick cardboard or a bit of plywood in there with a small cat bed squished in there on top of that for comfort - IME they really do not like it if they are directly on the floor of the thing if it is a material that they can't get any purchase on whilst moving.

No, you're right - you couldn't put a cat in there with nothing on the base - I think their legs might go straight through! But there's enough height that I've been able to use a favourite cushion or folded blanket which does the job fine.

 

[LeytonCatLady]

Just woke up and look who I found on my bed!

 

[ddraig]

observin yer sleep patturns!

 

[smmudge]

ION my little cat suddenly decided I was alright last night and gave me a MEGA CUDDLE <3 She is a burrower, favourite place is apparently my armpit. Very cute.

Heh Toby is a burrower too, it's the only time he does proper loud purrs!

 

[LeytonCatLady]

 

[pogofish]

The other one, which they said was much better, is like this

View attachment 298027

Back when we had the cat/kitten problem at work, I once saw a feral do itself quite a lot of damage trying to headbutt it’s way out of one of those. Its eyebrows were pretty much raw and the top of its head was battered and bloody.

The cat, one of a colony that had established itself in equipmen/ventilation spaces had been caught in one of the labs but it took the rescue people who had left the cages and were helping us get rid of them via socialisation/rehoming, a couple of hours to get round to pick it up.

 

[pogofish]

I think I'd be inclined to put either very thick cardboard or a bit of plywood in there with a small cat bed squished in there on top of that for comfort - IME they really do not like it if they are directly on the floor of the thing if it is a material that they can't get any purchase on whilst moving.

I use an old small car mat and a folded-up half of a soft throw in mine - one time the vet asked if they wanted me to have them look at the massive spider that had come out of it along with the cat. I normally keep the carrier under the bench in the greenhouse!

 

[polly]

Back when we had the cat/kitten problem at work, I once saw a feral do itself quite a lot of damage trying to headbutt it’s way out of one of those. Its eyebrows were pretty much raw and the top of its head was battered and bloody.

The cat, one of a colony that had established itself in equipmen/ventilation spaces had been caught in one of the labs but it took the rescue people who had left the cages and were helping us get rid of them via socialisation/rehoming, a couple of hours to get round to pick it up.

Shit, poor cat