Ask any questions you have about cats or discuss topics that don't require a full post. Whether you're a new cat owner, seeking advice, or just want to share something fun about your furry friend, this thread is for you. Feel free to:
Ask simple questions about cat care, behavior, feeding, etc.
Seek advice on any minor concerns.
Post anything cat-related that doesn't need its own post.
Ask questions regarding your cat breed here instead of creating a new post.
Also, if you see someone asking for help and you have the knowledge to share, feel free to jump in and assist them!
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Most likely of no breed! Aka, Domestic Shorthair/Longhair.
While certain domesticated animals (dogs are a great example) have been bred for different functions almost from the beginning, leading to great variation in size, build and temperament, for generations cats were only needed as pest control and for companionship, so selective breeding wasn't really a thing. These cats were just freely breeding on the streets or in regular homes.
The cat was domesticated about 10 000-12 000 years ago, but the oldest cat breeds are just 100-150 years old. To put that into perspective, the oldest dog breeds are upwards of 8000 years old.
Even today, as purebred cats become more popular and cat shows and standards are established, purebred cats are still fairly rare. In fact, 95-99% of the general domestic cat population is of no breed - not mixed breeds but descendants of the original domestic cats, predating breeds. These no-breed cats are referred to as Domestic Shorthairs or Longhairs (depending on their fur length), also sometimes abbreviated to DSH or DLH.
To get a cat of a particular breed or crossbreed is a process (finding an ethical breeder, paying $800-$2000 per cat, being on a waitlist for a while, reviewing health testing, etc), unless you get really lucky (finding a purebred in a shelter does happen occasionally, but they are usually older cats from either closed-down ethical breeders, or from kitten factories).
Your cat does not have any breed-specific features, and they clearly don't have papers stating their breed and lineage, so they seem like the perfect example of a no-breed cat. They are fluffy so expect them to be longhaired and possibly only get fluffier as they grow.
Asking for some advice, we have had a new kitten for 4 months now and our older cat (8 year old female) has become really aggressive. She used to be really loving and was happy to have attention and cuddles but now she hisses and scratches us whenever we try to give her cuddles and will come to you for attention only to his and scream at you when you try to stroke her. We don't know what more we can do and it is breaking our hearts to see her so aggressive.
Following as we have an 8 year old female. She didnāt get along with other cats at the shelter, but we are considering a kitten. I was hopeful that her age would help but maybe not
Consider adopting two- they play and groom each other and it gives them a much higher quality of life. If they are only indoors they will need a lot of toys and enrichment- cat towers, tunnels etc. I do strongly reccomend two cats. One cat will be bored and lonely in an apartment. Itās great fun to watch two cats play āŗļø I would also train them for the harness young so you can take them out sometimes if they like it. Not all cats like it. One of mine likes to stay home but they other really enjoys a walk šāā¬
100% recommend getting 2 kitties so they have one another for company. We all need a companion! Plus it makes you feel better when you leave the house to know they have one another.
I make my own wet food- itās so easy and itās also much cheaper and -more importantly imo-healthier than the commercial stuff which I canāt stand being that itās individually packed and so processed!
I feed it more as a treat along side their regular good quality kibble so they still get their nutritional needs met.
Does anymore else do this??
My recipe is just a whole chicken cooked in the instant pot with a few cups of water, then processed in the food processor (bones discarded) then mix in more of the cooking water, portion and freeze! It has a firm jello/pudding like texture and they love it š„°
Do cats actually get sleepy when itās time for their many daytime naps, or itās just an instinct to preserve energy cause there is nothing better to do?
Cats do get sleepy for their naps, but itās also instinct. In the wild, they need to save energy for hunting, so even if theyāre not really tired, they nap because thereās not much else to do.
I have two kittens, one who might have ringworms as he has the patch on his back, but the vet wasnāt fully convinced and decided to take a skin sample to test, he mentioned in the mean time to keep my kittens isolated from eachother. My male kitten of about 5 months doesnāt really seem to bothered about being isolated, but my female kitten of 5 months hates it and she is constantly crying out to be let out (it hurts a lot to hear) the vet said to give her mental stimulation, which I do and when Iām in there with her she gives me the best cuddles but when I leave she cries. Shall I just persevere? What can I do ? I feel terrible please help !!
I was wondering if someone could help me with a cats behaviour.
My sister's cat comes to visit often and he likes the aerated water from the shower despite already having a fountain that does that.
He will go into one of the ensuite showers and meow until someone turns the water on. Unfortunately this often involves waking someone. He used to only do it about three times a day but lately it's more like fifteen or twenty.
You know how cats poke you with their paw to get your attention? Well this cat is very assertive. He has learned that he gets the best results from poking people in the face.
So about a week ago I was asleep, and he came to poke me in the face to wake me up for shower water. He must have timed it wrong tho and he stuck his paw in my mouth and kept going. I don't know if any of you have ever woken up being deepthroated by a catās leg but I wouldn't recommend it.
So narrowly avoiding puking all over him, I got up and ran him his damn water. ā- But. ā- But he didn't drink it. He just looked at me.
Like obviously I love this cat, he is my furry little buddy. I installed tunnels and enclosures all around the house so he could run from window to window and sit outside etc.
But if this animal had any understanding of how little criminal penalty I would face for cooking and eating him, he would not be yanking my chain.
If you think Iām entirely joking I already ate a dog. I was in Beijing in 2008. It was very gamey. I wouldn't recommend that either.
My sister wants to get the catās psychiatrist to come out and treat him. We got burgled some years back and we think they abused him because his personality changed completely. So she employed some animal behavioral specialist from the local university to some and work with him.
I think the cat has had enough therapy. Obviously, it's cruel to stop giving him water when he wants it and if you ever close any door he just cries until its opened. So how do I stop him asking for it so often?
How can I train my cat to use the wheel I got? My cat is an indoor cat and I was gifted one of those wheel tradmills so she can exercise. How can I trrain her to understand what its for and use it?
Lure her onto it with her favourite treats. at first it'll only be on paw, but it'll get better. if she's on, distract with treats (maybe a squirty tube?) and slowly start moving the wheel manually. she might get spooked and jump off, but keep trying. over time you'll be able to move the wheel enough, that she'll have to walk. you can now hold the treat out of reach so she'll have to move forward to get it and therefore set the wheel in motion herself. always reward her for getting on the wheel by herself and over time if she likes it she'll walk on it herself.
another important thing: the wheel has to be big enough that she can walk in it with a (fairly) straight back, otherwise it could be damaging to her spine.
This is my first time owning a cat and she got spayed like four days ago and I noticed that she came with a little bump on her incision which I thought it was normal but after four days she still have it. The incision looks dry and no sign of infection and plus she is eating and acting normal besides of getting more rest than normal. Can anyone advise me if is something I should worry about?
This may be her incision herniating. When my cat got spayed I let her do her thing, and she would jump on counters and the bed like normal. This caused her incision to herniate and I had to go back to the vet for them to fix it.
My cat had a little bump too and is fine now. It just went away eventually. It could be scar tissue or swelling. Is she using the toilet as usual? Schedule a follow up with the vet just to be safe but itās most likely ok if her behaviour is healthy. Eating, drinking and toiletting.
I took her the next day to the vet and he told me that was normal tissue getting together and that's how should look like. Thanks for your reply. š«¶š½ I am new in all this of owning a cat. I was so worried about her
I am going to travel by plane from chilean patagonia to venezuela with my cat is that completely indoor, I need recommendations to prepare her before the trip? I am very scared I don't want her to have a bad time, my cat is everything for me.
Is the cat travelling with you or with the luggage?
I'd recommend getting the cat used to being in a secure carrier beforehand. Leave out the carrier 24/7, put some treats in there, comfy bedding, etc. Let the cat associate the carrier with safety and comfort. This will make it easier to get the cat in the carrier before the flight, and decrease stress levels during the flight because the cat will, in their mind, be in their safe 'den'.
If your cat is particularly anxious, you may want to speak to a veterinarian about medications or natural treatments to help calm the cat.
Make sure you are aware of the airline's policy and get your cat the necessary paperwork (most airlines require a pet passport + proof of certain vaccines).
If you mean FIV, hopefully his life expectancy won't at all be shortened.
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), sometimes referred to as feline AIDS because of its similarity to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infects approximately 2.5-5% of domestic cats in the USA.
The virus attacks the immune system, making the cat more susceptible to illness. There are three stages:
Acute phase - the virus is carried in the lymph nodes, where it reproduces in white blood cells called T-lymphocytes. This results in fever, lymph node enlargement, depression, and lack of appetite. This phase generally starts 1-3 months after contraction of the virus and does not last long.
Asymptomatic phase - the virus replicates slowly within the cells in the immune system. The cat shows no clinical signs, but does become susceptible to other illness as a result of their weakened immune system.
Progressive phase - the virus continues to spread through the immune system and the cat enters a progressive immunocompromised state. They develop secondary infections of the skin, eyes, respiratory tract, and/or urinary tract. They may develop gingivitis and other dental and gum disease, and are at a significantly higher risk of developing cancer.
Studies have found that the majority of cats remain in the asymptomatic phase, never progressing to the progressive phase. With proper care, a cat that doesn't progress to the last phase can live a completely normal life expectancy.
You can ensure the cat lives a long, full life by keeping them indoors and keeping up with annual veterinary checks and other preventative care.
Yes. They can get litter and other material stuck, so they will groom their nails. They also shed the outer layer of the nail from time to time so may chew their nails to dislodge the old dead layer.
My family swears by having black cats. Since they've been married, there has almost constantly been a black cat in the house. We're currently between cats and looking for a new one, and it has been an adjustment not having one around.
have you tried getting them slowly reacquainted? like through a door and always have meals on opposite sides of that door. start further away and work your way closer to the door. Jackson Galaxy has a few great videos about this on YouTube (this for example, but there are more. If your cats have different energy levels it's also important to tire your more playful cat out by playing with them. it's not their job to leave the other cat alone, it's your job that they don't need to get their play somewhere else than you. I think this is it for my advice. good luck!
Can someone kindly ID my cat's breed? I got him and his brother from a shelter, previous owner deceased, so everything about them is a bit of a mistery
Most cats don't have a distinct breed. He's a medium-hair brown tabby cat with white socks and mittens. Some people associate long hair with Maine Coons and Norwegian Forest Cats, Siberians, etc. And yours may have a little of that in there. But he might also just be a medium-haired cat. He's gorgeous though. If you give him lots of attention he will tell you some things about his previous life. I got a recent shelter cat and I had a crinkly wrapper and he went crazy for it, because I figured out at some point in the past he got cat treats from crinkly plastic. Have fun!
Thank you! We couldn't believe our eyes when we found him and his brother (who's just as handsome). We gave them lots of time and space to adapt, and lots of love once they opened up to us.
Maybe it's a question or a stupid one, I'm just worried and I don't want to be negligent about this. My cat has a metal bowl to drink water, since I don't like the idea of āāhim having a plastic one, but currently it is scratched on the inside, those little scratches like on a frying pan. I plan to change it to a ceramic one soon, but in the meantime. Can you hurt yourself if you lick the metal when drinking water? He asked if it was necessary to temporarily change it for a plastic one. Thanks in advanceĀ
Heyo! I am moving from Seattle to Texas in January. I have three cats who will be moving with me. I have an electric car, so not inclined to drive them. Any tips for flying cats? Iād like to do all three simultaneously as they are very bonded!
I know there are pet transporters but I wouldnāt fly my cats without being with someone I trust or someone whoās trained to do this kind of thing. Do you have a family member or friend who would fly with them? Or you could ship your car and fly to Texas with your cats.
My cat, uh. He attacked me. So, thereās this other cat that comes from outside, and, uh, he gets angry. Heās normally not aggressive, but whenever that cat comes, my cat gets aggressive. And if anyone happened to be around him, like, for example, the pillow, or any of our other kittens, or there was this one time he attacked my mom because she was sleeping, and he attacked her arm because he was angry. I was trying to throw water on the cat that was outside, and he thought maybe I was throwing water on him, and he attacked me. But whenever heās not around that other cat, my cat doesnāt attack me. Iām so scared of him now. I thought I knew him, and I kind of feel hurt, and my armās hurting. I feel betrayed. I give him food, I give him everything, so much love, but he doesnāt trust me. I donāt know what to do. Do I let go of my cat? Do I give him away, or do I leave him outside in the, like, you know, in the other neighborhood? I donāt think heāll survive. Heās a house cat. I have kept him since he was a kitten. I donāt know. I canāt trust him anymore. Iām scared, I think. Heās being playful. Heās calling out to me. Heās trying to, like, you know, he was sleeping beside me and everything, cuddling with me. But I donāt, I donāt know what to do. If he can attack me, he can attack the other kittens too. I donāt trust him anymore. And that other cat, he comes here a lot, the outside stray cat. What do I do?
He is a adorable baby I love him so much Iām just scared he is only 1 year old So only that one cat gets him all riled up He is friendly with my other kittens and the outside kittens and this other female cat He playful minds his own business when he is in no mood to play I thought him to say āmamaā he is very smart Whatever I teach he learns Understands me He is very demanding and noisy when he wants something I can live with that I donāt mind š But Iām scared coz my other 2 kitties are males like him what if they grow up and he gets all territorial and attacks them they are sweet babies nothing like Mio my elder one I donāt want them to be hurt I donāt wanna leave them or give up for adoption I just donāt know what to do
I have 2 newly rehomed cats (6 y/o each) and one keeps peeing on my bed (right on me too). I'm only in the second week of having them and I understand that the adjustment phase can be up to 3 months. Is shutting them out of my room the only option? Or is there anything else I can do? I know sometimes they want to mix their scent with yours, but I can't just leave my sheets with pee on them.
I made sure to:
Bring several of their items to my home that have their scent on them.
Try to keep the litter box as clean as possible (the perpetrator is using one box as I type this).
Make sure the food I buy is the exact same they grew up with and like to eat.
I'm unaware of any prior medical issues with this. They seem happy and like to sit next to me while I work or watch movies, and they don't do this anywhere else in the house.
Thank goodness I have a great mattress protector, but I've been peed on both of the last two times I let them in.
My female cat she's about 7 years old and she has been having her heat cycles she's not spayed and when she's in heat she can't mate because there's no male cat around.
What I want to ask is what happens if that happens that when she's in heat but she can't mate?
I noticed she doesn't really like eat and she mostly just sleeps surprisingly she doesn't spray anything
I would get a second opinion. Spaying/neutering is a relatively routine, low-risk procedure. I've seen it done on cats as old as 14 years old (though ig in a rescue/shelter environment policy surrounding spaying/neutering may differ). Spaying would stop any heat cycles as well as preventing some form of cancers and uterine infection.
Now this is an extremely broad question, but I was curious. What do you guy's look for when buying a cat food, and what makes a certain brand (or line within a brand) of Cat food the go to for you?
Now I'm just one kind of cat owner (and I also only own one Cat), so I wanted to know what the rest of y'all think. Any responses are much appreciated!
About 6 weeks ago, our cats started behaving strangely. Myrna and Fan, our indoor kitties (16 yo littermates), didnāt want to come indoors. The stray porch kitties(Dorian and Beatrix) also stayed away. I havenāt seen Dorian for over two weeks, and Iām pretty sure heās dead since heās been here almost daily for six years. Iāve been searching our property for him to no avail. I have also been feeling sick, so I ordered an air quality monitor, but nothing alarming has shown up there. Myrna and Fanny drop by the porch occasionally, but I fear for them now that the weather is getting colder. Iām at my witsā end. Iāve started googling how to get rid of evil spirits in my house. Iād prefer a more reasonable explanation thoā.
I started feeding a stray. I think it is feral because it is in my yard a lot, but it is terrified of me. When it runs, it runs toward the trees. I think I've only fed it once or twice before tonight, but when I got home, it was watching me from the fence. So I took some food out. It used to run as soon as it saw me, but now it will sit there as long as I don't walk toward it.
What's the end game? I don't think this is a lap cat. I think it is a born outdoor cat. Should I arrange a meeting with a vet and try to catch it in a trap to get it fixed? I can't image in being pleased with me carrying it in a cage.
My 12 year old kitty is playing kitty soccer with a pom pom glitter ball and my 1 1/2 year old and 6 months old kittens are following her out of curiosity
my roommate moved out today and took her cat who was very close w my cat. like bonded pair. im super sad and worried for my baby. should i get another cat or anything else i should do?
I'm worried about my kitty :( I had her to the vet last week because she was throwing up and acted like she didn't feel good. Vet said she was running a slight temp. He gave her an antibiotic shot and we decided to do a steroid shot because she had thrown up a couple big hairballs so we thought maybe she was overgrooming. It took a few days but she started to act normal again, then she went back to laying around all the time so I took her back to the vet and she was still running a slight temp, so he recommended a second dose of antibiotics. She threw up again a couple times this morning and idk if that was just an antibiotic side effect or maybe they just haven't kicked all the way in yet but I feel so bad for her.
I don't really need any advice because I'm working with my vet. More just venting, I guess. She's only 1.5yo and I just want her to feel better :(
hey so my cat never stops meowing, hates being held and will just meow at bedroom doors all day everyday. feeding and giving her attention is just never enough. she is a ragdoll so we let her outside supervised occasionally but it seems that isnāt even enough for her. we also have another cat who playfights with her sometimes, licks and what not. the cat is about to turn 2 and she has been like this since we got her as a kitten. Ignoring her doesnāt work. I donāt know what to do about it and sheās been keeping my dad awake for the past few nights so he is super agitated at the moment by her.
I would strongly advise seeing a veterinarian. The hair loss and crusting around the tip of the ear point to external parasites, likely some species of mite. It could be a range of things though. No one here can reliably diagnose and treat a condition through a photo.
With thanksgiving coming up Iām wondering if anybody has any advice for preventing your cat from trying to eat the food youāre making. Iām thinking of cooking my cat Snowy some plain chicken breast and shredding it with a fork to keep him distracted from trying to eat our food.
If anybody has any tips or tricks to prevent their cat from eating their thanksgiving spread Iād love to hear it lmao
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u/Relevant_Tomorrow981 Oct 22 '24
Does anyone know what kind of kitten this is? Rescued it from a tree a couple weeks ago . *