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Archive through January 15, 2006

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: 2005 Dec. ~ 2006 Feb.: Hairball Haven: Cats (ARCHIVES): Archive through January 15, 2006 users admin

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Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Friday, January 13, 2006 - 5:45 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
When I was 19 and newly married, we had two young cats.. got them as kittens and of course fed them morning and evening. Well they got so obnoxious about the morning feedning that they'd attempt to wake us on weekends and we.. both psych majors.. would stagger out and feed them, which of course just encouraged them (they didn't sleep in the bedroom because one of them ate wool socks, sweaters, etc., but the black cat was really good at hooking his claws under the door to RATTLERATTLERATTLE it while they wailed and caterwauled.

So.. after they were old enough they got some rude treatment and NO food in the morning and after months, they stopped being intrusive in the morning..

Years later, Critter didn't drive me crazy over food but she'd come in and wake me up when I really needed to sleep to get to work, and she ofter was banned fromo the bedroom. That was years ago, not now.

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Friday, January 13, 2006 - 6:01 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
Tater, I used to let Critter drink out of "my" mug (no I did not share that mug, but she just liked the idea that she thought I still used it) but my cat sitter kindly pointed out cats had been known to stick their heads far into a glass or tall mug and might get stuck, so no more mug. She's also warned me away from plastic or rubber bowls. I use glass or ceramic for water and for food.

I have THREE different cat boxes (when I first got Angelina, Critter would stay downstairs for hours and she's not young and I wasn't about to let her stress her kidneys so I put one downstairs.. have two upstairs because Angelina has her own room at night for the sanity of all three of us. She also has food and water in that room and there is water in the other bathroom that both cats use (and I know both cats have visited two of the boxes too) and Critter has her food area. and there is food and water downstairs that Critter seems to use, but not Angelina.

Angelina, being younger but having lost some teeth before I adopted her, gets a pouch of wet food each night when I go to bed (and boy, does she like THAT!) and that is made available behind closed doors so as not to bug Critter, and Angelina has all night to finish it off.

=========

With the two original cats, after we'd been married a few years and graduated from Berkeley and returned to Orange County, we got our first Labadors.. well cat food isn't safe around labs and one cat also would happily eat all the cat food give a chance, so both cats ate in crates, as did all but one dog .. so each dog and cat got exactly what we wanted them to get.. puppy, adult, senior food, special additives, vitamins and so on.. of course puppies ate more times a day and quite differently and were protected during feedings.

Ginger1218
Member

08-31-2001

Friday, January 13, 2006 - 6:08 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Ginger1218 a private message Print Post    
Ok, very strange goings on with my putty cat Spanky. He is 14 1/2 years old. I think he is becoming Bulimic. I have always fed him 2 small cans of food a day, plus dry food is down all the time. He is a good eater. He also never ate people food, he had no interest. Now, he pulls food out of my hands LOL. Anyway, I feed him a can of food and almost before I leave the kitchen he has inhaled it. I never saw anything like it. And odds are he will throw it up within an hour or so. He would eat 3 or 4 cans a day if I gave it to him, I most of the time give him 3. He always looks hungry. I may have to have his thyroid tested. It is very strange.
Also, he attaches himself to me. LOL. he is on me or next to me at all times. He is soooo cute.

Shadoe
Member

11-04-2004

Friday, January 13, 2006 - 6:29 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Shadoe a private message Print Post    
Ginger, I would want to look into any strange extreme eating habit change.
While I leave dry food out all the time, the bowls are small enough to hold maybe 1/4 cup max. For any moist food I give to Shadoe, I put no more than maybe 3 tablespoon in a tiny bowl at a time. The rest of the small can goes into the frig because I don't want it going rancid through the day and making her sick.

I am sure if you notice any sudden change in the cat's habits, you would have to wonder why. One thing I would do for sure if my cat started gobbling faster than a garberator is put out smaller portions.

I think some cats are rascals. Shadoe used to just sit on my chest and stare at my nose till I got up; she's too heavy for that now so I just chase her off. Now she decided it was ok to sit by the side of my head and breathe on my face. Booboo's variation is to sit by my head and sniff at my eyelashes.

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Friday, January 13, 2006 - 9:08 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
Could be parasites or even irritable bowel syndrome .. I'd get it checked out.

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Friday, January 13, 2006 - 9:14 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
Ginger, you might want to slow down Spanky's eatings. As cats get older, sometimes things they used to do they can't any longer. Costa will now hurl up (almost whole) food if he's eaten his dry food too fast. So if I see him really going at it, I'll distract him for a bit, to get him to slow down and let the food get to where it's supposed to go.

If it doesn't happen every time, just call your vet and ask if you need to be worried (mine said since it happens only a few times a month it's OK). Your vet knows Spanks better 'n us.

Rosie
Member

11-12-2003

Friday, January 13, 2006 - 9:17 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Rosie a private message Print Post    
Ginger, take Spanky to the vet.

Rosie
Member

11-12-2003

Friday, January 13, 2006 - 9:18 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Rosie a private message Print Post    
Sea, my grandlab sneaks the cat's food all the time. Not very much but some. How bad is that for him?

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Friday, January 13, 2006 - 9:42 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
Well cat food is very high in protein for doggies .. I would have said no big deal for a little but I have a friend who bought cat food accidentally for her dog and her vet (mine too) told her not to feed it to the dog, even a little at a time, so I'm getting the bag of cat food.

However, I still don't think it is that critical..

Now, when my first two cats had cystitis, they were put on the lowest ash DOG FOOD.. because they couldn't handle the protein.

Rosie
Member

11-12-2003

Friday, January 13, 2006 - 10:05 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Rosie a private message Print Post    
Thanks for the explanation, Sea.

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Friday, January 13, 2006 - 10:44 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
I would guess that they would worry that it might be hard on the dog's kidneys, since dogs don't normally eat as much protein as cats, cats being obligatory carnivores, dogs being more omnivorous as I understand it.

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Friday, January 13, 2006 - 10:46 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
Sunshyne.. you might try getting your watermelon kitty to exercise more (lol.. I know cats sleep about 23 hours aday) by playing with various toys with them, laser pointers, fishing pole toys and so on.. worth a try.

Sunshyne4u
Member

06-17-2003

Saturday, January 14, 2006 - 12:23 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sunshyne4u a private message Print Post    
I've got one rolley ball, one six inch long catnip filled caterpillar, two rattling
mouses. two fun scratching posts with toys hanging on them (and a partridge in a pear tree LOL)

Sunshyne4u
Member

06-17-2003

Saturday, January 14, 2006 - 12:27 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sunshyne4u a private message Print Post    
Ginger I was going to add that some tins of cat food are quite rich/fatty. Maybe the BRAND has switched some ingredients or maybe using FIsh farm fish entrails(ie medications). Since your kitty is getting oldish maybe her digestion has changed. ((or if she eats mousies she has picked up some worms))

There are such loose laws for pet food. I have read some really horrifying facts of what some pet foods are made out of.

Shadoe
Member

11-04-2004

Saturday, January 14, 2006 - 3:43 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Shadoe a private message Print Post    
One of the best toys I ever got for my cats was a small keychain laser light. If I see them looking a bit lazy, I turn on that light and move it all over the floor, down the hall, up the walls. I have no idea about the fascination with the light, but they do go nuts. It's the fastest I have seen them move too. Turn it off for a second and they get frantic ... what? ... where did it go? ... then I turn it on again but just a small distance away. Then they pounce on it and the game continues.

Serate
Member

08-21-2001

Saturday, January 14, 2006 - 7:43 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Serate a private message Print Post    
Tater one thing you can do for scratches is use a liquid bandage. I use New Skin First Aid Antiseptic Liquid Bandage on cat scratches, paper cuts, almost any kind of cut. It's awesome! Stings like crazy when you put it on but no infection and the scratch heals nicely.

Ginger1218
Member

08-31-2001

Saturday, January 14, 2006 - 7:52 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Ginger1218 a private message Print Post    
Well, he doesn't go out, so how would he get worms or parasites. I am definitely trying to give him less at a time. And Costa, lol I do the same thing, I try to distract him so he will pick his head up. Take a breath.
He does not throw up every day. It is maybe 5 to 7 times a month. But his eating has dramatically increased. My sister's cat has very bad thyroid and she eats a lot too, so maybe it is the thyroid. I think I may bring him in to be tested.

Jimmer
Member

08-30-2000

Saturday, January 14, 2006 - 8:15 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jimmer a private message Print Post    
He's not losing weight is he Ginger?

Ophiliasgrandma
Member

09-04-2001

Saturday, January 14, 2006 - 8:36 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Ophiliasgrandma a private message Print Post    
Ginger, things cling to the soles of our shoes and get tracked into the house. Could happen.

Shadoe
Member

11-04-2004

Saturday, January 14, 2006 - 11:48 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Shadoe a private message Print Post    
Ginger, with the recent problem of the bad corn in one brand of dog food killing or harming so many dogs, I don't see any harm in looking closer at the food.

I would definitely have the vet take a look and do what tests is felt may find out the source. The thyroid can have some scary effects on a body for sure, so I hope it's something more minor.

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Saturday, January 14, 2006 - 1:09 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
Critter likes the laser but Angelina is completely unimpressed. Angelina is gaga for catnip, while Critter couldn't care less about that. Angelina does love the fishing line toys.

Ginger, awhile back I suddenly noticed not just one, but at least two fleas on Angelina. My cats never go out, so I had to have carried the fleas, or eggs that later hatched into the house, unless one from a neighbor cat came in under the door. And fleas can spread worms.. so a checkup is a good idea.


Is he eating senior food?

I once had a labrador who was the age for senior food, so she went on senior food. Eventually she was losing weight, we did lots of tests and finally one younger vet said maybe she just needed more calories and amazingly, that did the trick. For several years she did very well on regular adult food (science diet or something like that) and then went onto the senior food and lived a long life.

Yeah that bad corn thing is scary.

Sunshyne4u
Member

06-17-2003

Saturday, January 14, 2006 - 10:46 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sunshyne4u a private message Print Post    
Lasers? those penlight lasers were banned in Canada I thought. too many pets (and Kids) being partially blinded by the laser. A laser burns and even a weak laser can cause permanent problems.
http://www.laser-cutting.biz/classes.html

These are intermediate-power lasers (cw: 1-5 mW), which are hazardous only for intrabeam viewing into eyes by mistake . Most pen-like pointing lasers are in this class.

From another site Q: Do you have a medical advisory on your products?


A: Pointing any laser directly into a human or pet's eye can cause serious damage.


I dont mean to sound like I am lecturing but seriously, how can you insure you never will get the animal in the eyes when it is jumping around?
***********************************

It is amazing how long flea eggs supposedly can live in a rug before hatching. If I recall it is something like 5 yrs. My animals usually dont have fleas but every once in awhile HOLY SMOKES they get infested. I sometimes wonder if eggs get on my clothes from visiting other people with animals.

((The pet food problems are myriad. Not only can they use bad vegetables, they can use dead or sick animals like cows horses pigs and fish.. The worst is that it is not unknown that Euthanized Cats and Dogs can be sold by the vets who put them down to food companies and they end up in the food chain.))

Sunshyne4u
Member

06-17-2003

Saturday, January 14, 2006 - 10:49 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sunshyne4u a private message Print Post    
oh by the way, I guess I should share I've been Lasered in the eyes a few times with permanent problems which is why I am so passionate about it. The worst time was in a store when a clerk was walking around with their Laser Reader (for inventory) left on my mistake. I am 5'2, the man was tall and got me directly in the eyes as he was walking towards metwice. I now have a foggy patch in my left eye.

Shadoe
Member

11-04-2004

Sunday, January 15, 2006 - 4:42 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Shadoe a private message Print Post    
Sunshyn4u, this little laser-type keychain is definitely not of any strength such as the ones you mention. Mine is not strong enough to be seen more than maybe 20ft away. The thing cost a buck at a dollar store.

I have to hold a little button down for the light to work, similar to what you may get on any other keychain with a light so you can see the keyhole.

The little red dot I shine AT a surface and move it along so they have something to chase. If I run it along the floor and then up the wall, they jump at it without thinking. It is good exercise.

I would never be directing the light at their faces but instead at a surface that they can see. The closest they have come to being touched would happen when they pounce on the dot on the floor and it ends up on the paw, so they back away.

I just tried the light I have on my keychain, and it works pretty well too. It's a larger circle and blue. I suppose one could look around for any kind of focused small light like a mini flashlight or something, and it would work ok.

Halfunit
Moderator

09-02-2001

Sunday, January 15, 2006 - 5:55 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Halfunit a private message Print Post    
heh... when I drained my laser light's batteries, Unit and I used the laser pointer from his taser gun.

My kids love the laser pointer. And Shadoe, I put the dot on their paws on purpose to watch them bite at it, lol. I am SO mean.