Cat thread

[Bunk]

Turns out Harmony weighs exactly 11.6 pounds. I know this because we weighed her at the Vet yesterday when I took her in to find out she has a urinary tract infection.

Yay.

So, I get the guilt of having gone away last weekend not realizing she was ill, of having hauled her in to the evil car monster, and now of shoving this icky little pills down her throat. On top of all that, it means I cancel my long weekend camping trip (vet bill ate up the budget for that anyways).

Would be so much easier if she actually liked cat treats or something similar I could hide the pills in. She doesn't like any of them though. Can't even find a wet catfood she likes. Only treat I've ever found that she will eat all the time is KFC. Guess I'll be having a lot of chicken soon.

[Minvaren]

On that note, I had one of my cats coveting my buffalo wings last night...

...and the other cat (the one who figured out how to open cabinets) has now figured out how to open drawers.     There's definitely some truth to this whole "naughty tortie" thing...

[Hawkbit]

Ivan steals pizza.  We have to leave the lid on it, or he will carry a piece to the basement and gorge, then barf up all the cheese.  Fucking weird cat. 

Also, we're finally starting to get our move to Seattle underway (I mentioned it about a year ago in this thread), and I have to drive from Ohio to Seattle with all three cats and the dog.  Jesus.  There's not even room for another person, so it's just me hoofing it for four days, staying at Motel 6s all the way out. 

Anyone use Feliway spray as a calming agent?  Supposed to work well to relax the cats by spraying the corners of their box before putting them in it.  I think it's pheromones. 

[Lantyssa]

I was on the phone with mom and Dancer decided to curl up on my arm.  (Rotated for easier viewing.)

[01101010]

Ivan steals pizza.  We have to leave the lid on it, or he will carry a piece to the basement and gorge, then barf up all the cheese.  Fucking weird cat. 

Also, we're finally starting to get our move to Seattle underway (I mentioned it about a year ago in this thread), and I have to drive from Ohio to Seattle with all three cats and the dog.  Jesus.  There's not even room for another person, so it's just me hoofing it for four days, staying at Motel 6s all the way out. 

Anyone use Feliway spray as a calming agent?  Supposed to work well to relax the cats by spraying the corners of their box before putting them in it.  I think it's pheromones. 

Yes it is. And it didn't do a damn thing with my two boys.

I did a lot of moving with them so I know how travel can be... in fact, when i helped my vet friend move up to NYC from Baton Rouge, I was in the Uhaul with 4 cats and a Rott. She was in her Jetta with 3 cats, one sick old dog and her 10y Lab. Thank god for marijuana and rolling papers. Calmed me down to no end. I can only imagine the contact buzz calmed my animal charges down as well.

[Sky]

Lantyssa has a miniBart! :) They look so much alike! Especially the "stop interrupting my nap in my chosen napping spot" look. But that could just be a cat thing...

Recently my fiancee has been taking pics busting Bart sleeping in 'prohibited' areas when I'm not home. She caught him on the kitchen table today (admittedly, a good sunny spot) and I went home for lunch a half-hour later to find a groggy Bart bounding into the living room and then standing around blinking....nice try.

[rattran]

Road trips with cats are always interesting, I gave up on carriers during them years ago. Now I just put the cats in their harnesses, put the food and water on the passenger seat floor, a litterbox and some beds in the back, load 'em up and go.

I get to drive 8 hours with the gf's 3 next week to take them to her. They're not as sanguine as mine when it comes to cars, they only ever go on road trips or to the vet. Should be interesting.

[tgr]

I've stopped having problems with my two cats (well, one of them basically) by giving her calmivet 1-2 hours before the trip starts. It usually lasts until well after the trip's over, and I usually end up travelling 6-8 hours with them. One cage pr cat.

I wish I didn't have to drug Luna, but she absolutely freaks out about anything unfamiliar, so drugs it is.

[Ingmar]

Jack pees on himself half the time we drive him the 5 minutes to the vet, I hope we never have to move him a long distance. 

[Sjofn]

Lizzie, on the other hand, is usually totally cool with going for drives. I think her natural nosiness overrides any freaked-out-ness that may occur.

[MuffinMan]

Every time Smeagol gets into the car to come back from the eye doctor he shits in the carrier. Not what I want to deal with in a hot car. 

[01101010]

My boys used to get motion sick pretty badly, at least on long car rides. It would start out with a lot of loud annoying whining which would turn into an eery quiet followed by the sounds of cat retching. Very unpleasant when you are not quite sure where the hell the cat actually is. Then the other one would start. Then it would be silent with some very unhappy kits plotting my demise once they figure out how ot get cat food delivered.

[Tebonas]

Very unpleasant when you are not quite sure where the hell the cat actually is.

Cat transport boxes aren't mandatory in the US?

[rattran]

Nope, and mine are all much happier not in cages/crates/boxes. I keep a large collapsible carrier in the car in case of accidents/cops/break-downs, but they all pick their spots and go to sleep. It helps that I have a large vehicle, and pack so it's stable flat spots all around for them.

The gf's large young male cat (Little Bastard) does like to sleep on my leg against the door while I'm driving, which gets heavy after a while.

[Hawkbit]

I thought about letting them wander the car, but with three of them, I'm sure one will bolt when I open the door.  So cages all the way...

[Tebonas]

I'm not sure if I should be amazed or horrified.

So when I drive my car in the US there always is a chance somebody crashes headfirst into me because the cat obstructs his view/scratches him in a sensitive spot at the wrong moment/gets stuck under the braking pedal?

There is so much that can go wrong that, but of course if nothing does it is much nicer for the cat.

[01101010]

I'm not sure if I should be amazed or horrified.

So when I drive my car in the US there always is a chance somebody crashes headfirst into me because the cat obstructs his view/scratches him in a sensitive spot at the wrong moment/gets stuck under the braking pedal?

There is so much that can go wrong that, but of course if nothing does it is much nicer for the cat.

On US roads, a cat on the loose in your car is the LEAST of your worries...

[Bunk]

Cat wasn't really my biggest worry while driving (she spent the five minutes hiding under the back seat whining). I've got memories of driving along in my crappy old malibu that had no AC, so my window's down, when my 140lb mutt Shilo decides he absolutely must shove his head out my window to see something.

Driving while trying to reach and see around a 140 lb dog was a bit sketchy.

[Lantyssa]

So when I drive my car in the US there always is a chance somebody crashes headfirst into me because the cat obstructs his view/scratches him in a sensitive spot at the wrong moment/gets stuck under the braking pedal?

It's not common.  Moreso with dogs, who are easier to train to stay out of the way, but even that's uncommon.  Plenty of folks use carriers when they do have to transport their animals.

[rattran]

Plus, it's more likely to be someone texting while eating a bacon double whopper with extra everything while trying to adjust the radio. And drunk.

[01101010]

Plus, it's more likely to be someone texting while eating a bacon double whopper with extra everything while trying to adjust the radio. And drunk.

[tgr]

Or putting on makeup.

[Ingmar]

There's always a chance a cat will cause a crash for you here in the same sense that there's always a chance that a meteor will land on your head.

I think I saw a cat loose in a car once in my lifetime so far, that's 37 years, and Rattran is the first person I've ever known who says they let the cats out in the car. Trust me it is not common.

[Rasix]

I tried letting the cat out of the carrier with one of my cats, because he just completely wigs out and cries incessantly when he gets in a car.  The only thing that changed is that he moved around while making the same volume of noise.  So, I just keep him in the carrier now.  The other cat (we've gone from 4 to 2 in a less than 2 year span), doesn't mind and just makes some meek protest noises. He could probably be let out, but he's a bit of a dog cat and I'd fear being pestered for attention while I drive.

My parents miniature schnauzer was an awesome dog in the car.  I think it was always looking forward to its once a year trip to the company cabin.  

[Ingmar]

I wouldn't let them out just because I know they'd be underfoot. Too dangerous, IMO.

[tgr]

I had my volvo 740 (I miss that car, actually) modified so it had a netting of sorts between the rear seats and the front seats, and I let both my first cats out when driving. Turned out they mostly just fell asleep in various positions, most notably behind the rear seats. Perl'd lie there and just look back at the traffic behind me.

I stopped doing that, though, because they shed so damn much.

[Samwise]

Supposedly cats can be acclimated to riding in cars without needing carriers.  The theory is that if you practice spending short amounts of time with them in the car while it's not moving, and make it clear that they're supposed to sit in the passenger seat rather than wander around the car, you can slowly work your way up to taking long drives with them and have them stay well-behaved.

[Sjofn]

I wouldn't let them out just because I know they'd be underfoot. Too dangerous, IMO.

Tyler, when you drive with him, spends most of his time looking out the window. He will occassionally sit on the floor behind your feet, but I never worried I would stomp on the brake and find out he was in the way or anything. I think Lizzie would probably be similar, because she is nosy, but who knows with Jack. I'd rather he peed in his carrier than on one of our seats anyway. 

[MuffinMan]

Smeagol jumped onto my roommate's computer desk and teabagged his mouse. I'm such a proud papa.

[Bunk]

So, anyone have good suggestions on ways to trick a cat in to taking pills? 

A week in to her antibiotic regimine, and I'm looking like I took a cheeze grater to myself. Problem is, she has zero interest in traditional cat treats and turns her nose up at any wet cat food I've tried so far.

[01101010]

So, anyone have good suggestions on ways to trick a cat in to taking pills? 

A week in to her antibiotic regimine, and I'm looking like I took a cheeze grater to myself. Problem is, she has zero interest in traditional cat treats and turns her nose up at any wet cat food I've tried so far.

Wrap them in a towel, pry the mouth open with two fingers and jam the pill down the back of the throat with another finger, shut mouth immediately and rub the bottom of the jaw back to the throat. That is what my vet suggested until he tried. Injections it was after that... 

[Nebu]

Tuna, peanut butter, butter, or anchovy paste worked for me.  You could also try some turkey or chicken.

[apocrypha]

Feed your cats only dried food, except when it's time for pills... then grind the pill up into a powder and mix it into a teaspoon of good wet food. Our cats come running as soon as I get out the saucers we put wet food in. I've found the best way to grind up even the hardest pill is between two teaspoons, and carefully.

[Nebu]

Grinding up most pills is a bad idea.  It drastically changes the pharmacology.  Check with your vet before chopping up any pill. 

[Bunk]

Yea, I debated the idea of grinding it up a bit (apparently the new pills we are going to will need to be split in half for dosage sake) but I'll deffinately run it by the vet first.