r/cats • u/AutoModerator • 10d ago
Weekly Discussion Thread Discussion Thread #7 - Chat & Discuss Anything About Cats!
Welcome to the Discussion Thread!
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.
Also, if you see someone asking for help and you have the knowledge to share, feel free to jump in and assist them!
Just a friendly reminder to follow the subreddit's rules and be kind and respectful to everyone !
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u/rbrgreen 10d ago
why are my cats so damn gassy, like I can hear them fart all the time and worst of all…. the smell 😭😭 it might be their food but DAMN IT STINKS SO BAD
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u/SquanderedOpportunit 10d ago
It is absolutely 100% their food. Get a higher quality food with less or no grain.
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u/itsbootybitch 6d ago
Why do the requirements to post in this sub include the amount of comments you’ve ever left?
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u/Ditzy_Panda 10d ago
I’ve found black and white cats to be the most chatty, my tonks likes to stay upstairs all day and when I go to bed she spends 10 minutes talking to me and I chat back to her and she responds and then she just has to lie on my arm and give me lots of kisses..
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u/Tsquared10 10d ago
Get to pick up my rescue tomorrow after she gets spayed. Any tips for introducing a kitten (6 mo) to a new apartment would be appreciated. No other animals or people in the apartment. Have her little area sectioned off for the first few days already
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u/IdealIcy3430 9d ago
Start with only 1 room, get her using the litterbox and adjusted to your sleep schedule, then after a few weeks you can let her out and move the litter box somewhere else. Just make sure you pick her up and put her in it so she knows where to find it
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u/Tchami_ 10d ago
Hi all. Recently adopted a 1 year old little kitty off the streets. She was abandoned by her family who moved away… My room mate brought her home to foster it , and I fell in love with the cat. She adored me right off the start… instant bond - would often sit in my lap at any chance she got and slept with me every night up until recent. I’ve set her up with a vet , and she had a bad ear infection. I had to give her 5 drops twice a day for 10 days and it was not fun. First day or two I did it all wrong - I held her while she was trying to escape but had to get the ear drops in.. she obviously didn’t like it. I read up on this and started wrapping her in a towel while applying the meds. Would always follow with a treat and would assure her that it was for her own good. Now that the meds are done, she seems a bit different. Tends to be destructive in the middle of the night when she used to sleep sound and cuddle next to me. I made a huge mistake out of frustration the other night and scruffed her ( while supporting her weight with my other hand ) to get her out of the mess she was making. I brought her back to bed and foolishly tried to make her stay. I feel like I’ve officially broken her trust. She’s been a different cat for the last 5 days. Hasn’t sat in my lap once. She’s going under the bed way more now. I’m giving her more treats than normal and engaging as much play as possible. She still sleeps with me at night but no longer greets me when I come home. I had the best bond with this cat and I feel like I broke it. I’ve never hit her once but she’s almost acting like I did.
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u/Affectionate_Tea4206 10d ago
IS MY CAT SICK? HELP! We rescued a stray cat from a dumpster about 1 month ago. At first we were feeding the cat PetPride dry and wet food. About 1-2 week ago, someone gave us a bag of Meowmix dry food and we started to use that because it was already open and they said their cat "didn't want it". Just in the past 3 days, my cat has been walking with a hunched back. I did some research and believe it is a symptom for an upset stomach caused by the Meowmix (did not know at the time how bad this stuff is for cats. We had a cat once who lived on Meowmix for years). Anyway, in the past 48 hrs, we removed the Meowmix and returned to the PetPride. Our cat still eats like normal (throughout the day, both dry and wet food a little at a time, but maybe a 1 or 2 mouthfuls less than normal). Anyhow, the cat is still walking with a hunched posture and so I'm concerned that the upset stomach is not going away. No vomiting, no diarrhea, but can't tell if it's constipation because he goes outside. He used to "talk" alot, but these past few days has been very quiet. Sleeps pretty normal. Anyway, sorry for the long post: it's been a few years since I was last a cat owner, so I want to know if I'm missing anything because I feel like the cat should be better by now?? (According to Google: 24-48hr recovery)
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u/DetailForward4886 9d ago
I NEED HELP
Sorry if this question make sense but I cant afford to go to the vet unless I know it's bad. And I really wish that if you reply to this you do so in a not rude or harsh way. I know how reddit can be and I've fallen on hard times at the moment. But my cat has been acting weird lately. Hes 7 years old, male and an orange tabby. I got him from my aunt about 6 years ago. Hes always been sweet and kind, he doesnt cause ruckus or attack anyone. I've never even heard him hiss. But lately, whenever hes making biscuits on my lap, if I try and move him off, he'll turn around like hes about to bite me and the other day he nipped me. Hes not growling or anything but I'm worried. There hasnt been any changes environmentally, not yet at least. No new pets, no new people, nothing that he hasnt been around for the last 6 years. I try to spoil him as much as I can considering I'm poor and all but I'm still scared that I'm not doing something right. I could really use an answer on if I need to take him to a vet or if hes just being a little weirdo
Ad on: Hes always been a little weirdo, like he will just stare at me, up close and at a distance, and has opened my door a few times. But this is different because it's getting creepy, I dont know how best to explain it
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u/Distinct-Fact-311 8d ago
I feel so silly. I found a cat with a flea collar under my car in the cold at night, and it was tiny like a kitten, maybe 4 months old. I called for it, thinking it wouldn't walk up to me, but it did and started to purr and headbutt me. As a cat mom, I felt like I needed to keep him safe since I live near a busy intersection and coyotes are frequent in the area. I posted on social media platforms and got a response within an hour. I returned the kitty thinking it got out by accident, but the owners said they let him out all the time. I couldn't help but feel a little irritated because not too long ago, another neighbor outdoor cat who was really friendly gotten hit by a car. I am just so bothered by cat owners who do not know the dangers of having an outdoor cat in a busy area with no personal backyard access. Do you think it is worth it to contact the apartment management about this or keep it to myself?
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u/Alarmed-Bag7330 8d ago
I would probably keep it to yourself, contacting apartment management seems a little over the top / intrusive but I can see your point. I mean I agree but I try and stay out of business for the most part. It's a tough call.
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u/Distinct-Fact-311 8d ago
Thank you for this. Yeah, I think that is the best call, just felt so bad for the kitty.
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u/vifarias 8d ago
Hi,
I recently moved to an 2 floor 61 m² appartment (Fifht floor). My cat is 1,5 years old and we used to live in a house with Garden, where he used to go outside a lot. I don't have any indication he's sad, despite he had gained some weight. The 2 floor mezanine helps but I'm still looking for things to get him active. Do you guys have any tips + how do I know if he's sad.
Thanks :)
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8d ago
[deleted]
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u/Evening_Pick_6247 8d ago
I’m not sure if it would help, but maybe a feliway plug in? They’re good for lots of behavioral issues, but since it’s more about them being ready to mate, might be a lost cause.
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u/Catsbookslover 8d ago
Any ideas what causes my cats to have diarrhea time to time? Is it lack of protein or fiber? They eaten same food no problems for about year now
Ways to give cats more water in them? Running water source my dog will destroy. I got to many cats to feed them wet food
Is it bad or good idea to use vitamin and mineral gel? I picked one up wondering if it will help
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u/BoatJazzlike6857 7d ago
Have you given them anti parasite medicine? And do they have all their vaccines?
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u/Catsbookslover 7d ago
Yup, we actually recently retested to and still nothing shows
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u/BoatJazzlike6857 7d ago
Any plants, leaves, etc. They may be ingesting? Also, about the water, just place a special bowl for them in a high place, cats can jump and reach higher places than almost every dog. As for the vitamins, unless a vet suggested it due to any health problems, I wouldn't personally give my cats anything of that sort since sometimes it can be intoxicating to them
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u/Catsbookslover 6d ago
No to plants. They have it now but I currently thinking it may be stress related since I rehoused two and one passed away
I currently do have one one my dresser
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u/BoatJazzlike6857 6d ago
Wdym one your dresser?
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u/Catsbookslover 5d ago
Water bowl
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u/Maronita2025 6d ago
I give my cat one serving of wet food maybe once or twice a month. Perhaps try that:
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u/phany-pack 7d ago
My cat will attack hands and feet at full force creating bloody scratches and puncture wounds. He is 2 years old, and has always done this. We have just… came to live with it.
This morning as I was sleeping he latched on to my arm and got me pretty bad. Was wondering if anyone has experience with aggressive-towards- human cats. What can I do? Is this normal behavior?
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u/ElvishMystical 4d ago
I got two questions for you...
- How do you play with your cat?
- Do you have any 'energy sink' toys?
See the problem you have are that cats are natural hunters, and your hands and feet move, so your cat sees them as prey. They don't understand that hands and feet are attached to humans nor do they understand that human skin is fragile.
I've had the same with my almost 3 month old male kitten. He went for feet, knees, hands and arms. His go to statement for "I want to play" was to latch onto my arm hard with his claws and bite.
What I feel you need to do is find a way to channel that natural aggression and 'kill' instinct. Cats have a cycle which goes something like waking, litter, play (hunt, chase, kill), food, grooming, sleep. So what I suggest you find is that this aggression comes out somewhere between waking and food.
What I did with my kitten was to teach him that hands, arms and feet are not toys. I play with my kitten a lot. When he attacked me, I lightly swatted him away and play stopped. If he wants to be aggressive he plays by himself. Then when it happened again I gave him an 'energy sink' toy, such as a stuffed kicker, stuffed mouse, stuffed fish, anything he can grab hold of, bite and kick.
When he gets super aggressive I put on a pair of oven gloves and fight him. When my hand is in an oven glove he can swat, bite, claw and attack all he likes, and get it out of his system.
I've done all this to teach him to disassociate hands and feet from play and prey items by offering up alternative objects/toys he can take his aggression out on. Sure he can make the connection between hand and oven glove, just like he knows that the feather or stuffed fish on the end of the fishing rod toy is really being controlled by me. But he also understand that attacking my hands and feet puts him on bad terms with me, and that I will ignore him (or try to), so now he's more gentle when dealing with my hands and feet.
Another consequence of this is that normally I can stroke him without him pulling his ears back and attacking my hands. This is a major step in developing intimacy because he's not quite old enough to know how to get snuggles and petting on his terms. I'm too big a human for his relatively small size.
I'm no cat expert but all I can do is offer or share my individual experience from my individual relationship with my kitten. Cats don't do discipline or 'training', it's an entirely foreign concept to them. But they are teachable, and as much as they are motivated by self-interest and 'What's in it for me?' they're also motivated by anything which puts them on good terms with their human owners.
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u/Original-Pattern-301 6d ago
Hello, I’m hoping someone can help. I have a 1 year and 5month old tabby. A few months ago my cat started puking. It’s not an everyday thing. It happens randomly. It can be weeks apart or a few weeks. She has always puked out food and nothing else. I took her to the vet and they said since she hasn’t ingested anything it could have been a parasite. They had done a test before and there was no sign of a parasite. They still have her medication to extract parasites, just incase she did have any, this was last week. Today she puked again. Does anyone know what could be causing this?
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u/ytykmbyd 3d ago
Hair ball or gorging on food would be my first guess but not knowing anything else about your cat, like if she is strictly indoor or you allow her to go outside would also help narrow down possibilities. Regardless though, your vet knows the best course of action based on whatever you tell them and their observations.
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u/ExpressOne8313 6d ago
Hello,
I have a Persian cat for the last six months. He’s extremely adorable but he still uses the litter box sparingly. He doesn’t pee in the box and once a day shits outside it. I’ve tried changing the litter and I’ve tried changing the placement of the box. But nothing has worked so far. Any suggestions?
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u/ytykmbyd 3d ago
Honestly, I feel like if he’s pooping outside that really isn’t something to be worried about.
If he’s peeing anywhere but his litter box, like in the house, then make an appointment to see his vet but otherwise, he might just prefer to do his business outside.
Is he an older cat that you adopted? If he is maybe he did his business outside more than inside?
If you are still concerned though, take him to the vet.
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u/Electronic_Toe2037 5d ago
My cat ran away 8 days ago and hasn't returned :( Whenever she got out, she would hide in a shed behind my neighbor's house, but she wasn't there this time. I tried posting pics of her to local facebook groups but I havent gotten any replies. Is there anything I can do? :(
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u/Thundrcatd4 5d ago
I would walk around the area on a regular basis at least twice a day. Bring her favorite food. Any sound that she has responded top in the past. For example some people call their cat by shaking a bag of dry food, tapping on a can of cat food, etc. Call her name. Don't be embarrassed, just go for it. I would aski around stores, residences if anyone has seen her. Post a flyer around. Good luck. Hope you find her.
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u/ElvishMystical 4d ago
Why are so many cat toys such utter garbage?
I'm a month or so into a relationship with my new male kitten and I never envisaged that I would have so many problems with cat toys, for example:
- fluffy balls that come apart easily.
- wand type toys that fall apart easily.
- electronic ball type toys that stop working after a week when they either fail to hold a charge or simply stop working.
- a wind up mouse that doesn't work on carpet and is so slow that my cat isn't interested in chasing it.
- toys with small parts that come off which present a choking hazard.
It's not that I'm buying toys willy nilly. I'm trying to get a small collection of cat toys which are interactive, non-interactive, and flashy-zoomy as energy sinks with a few toys my cat can grab hold of and take their aggression out on.
I'm getting tired of having to repair/fix cat toys that should work but don't or witnessing the disappointment of my kitten when toys fail. This is not to mention the odd scratches and bites I get when a toy fails.
Obviously it's not all toys, but it's reaching the point where you have to get a second or a replacement toy in case a toy fails.
And yes, it does piss me off.
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u/Momofcats74 4d ago
The Yeowww catnip toys are pretty durable and my girls love the Lil' Stinkies. Amazon sells them. They are marinated in catnip and come in a tin of 3, like sardines.
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u/ytykmbyd 3d ago
I don’t have a cat but from everyone who has cats, the favourite seems to be those plastic spring coil toys.
Unfortunately things are made like they were years ago, and it’s how they you coming back for more😒
I don’t have any suggestions for you unfortunately 😿
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u/dimebagseaweed 4d ago
Do cats change their pee PH or their pee produce a distinctive scent when other cats are around in their area?
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u/britches10 4d ago
My rescue will not sit on my lap, make biscuits nor cuddle whatsoever, I never ‘ push her’ she’s been with me now for 8 months, adopted at 7-10 months… will she ever change?
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u/Momofcats74 4d ago
She could. I have a cat that I've had for 9 years now. Up until the past year, year and a half, she didn't cuddle much. Now she does...but you have to be sitting in my chair.
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u/BoobySlap_0506 3d ago
She could! I got one of my cats in August 2017 and she was super shy and not a snuggler...until 1 year later when I got pregnant. But we had her for just over 1 year when she became a super snuggler, and she still is now. She won't lay on people but she loves to cuddle as close as she can get and if I lay on the couch she will flop onto my arm and purr intensely.
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u/Queen_of_wandss 2d ago
Does anyone else have a cat who struggles to eat when you leave for a trip? Our friend is feeding or cat and our cat is basically on a food strike since we’re not there
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u/Whimzycott 2d ago
I have a question for people. I have a cat that seems to refuse to use the litter box specifically to poop. She doesn't pee in the floor at all, but she poops in the floor still. Just today I cleaned out the litter box and put in new litter. Not even a half hour later she went in the floor again. Is it the litter box itself? I've tried different litters, I've thoroughly cleaned out the litter box. The only other thing I can maybe think of is maybe theres a urine smell in the plastic that makes her not want to poop in there or something? Just looking for some help with this to figure it out so I know what I need to do or at least where to start.
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u/myleswritesstuff 2d ago edited 1d ago
My cat needed to go get an enema this last Saturday after a week of irregular/non-existent bowel movements (like two dry turds two days apart) while staying at my parents' place. I'm now back with him as of yesterday, we're all still at my parents' place, but he hasn't pooped since Sunday morning (so the day after his enema). He's on a laxative that we're adding to his wet food and he's drinking water, seems fine otherwise... just no poop! Vet instructions said to call back if nothing happened after three days, which is tomorrow morning (has to be Christmas of course), but has anyone else been in a similar boat? Crossing my fingers something happens within the next 24 hours. I feel like he's just bugged out by all the commotion here as we have six people running around.
update: nvm he pooped we're all good :)
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u/throwaway-save 2d ago
Is it cruel to keep him in one room?
Hey, we have three cats, but recently we made friends with a gray tabby. He’s such a love bug and adores people! I’m trying to find him a home, but it’s tough since he’s 5+ years old and FIV+.
Right now, we’re keeping him in the guest room, which has one window, a bed, and a couch. But it feels a bit cruel since I can only visit him every few hours. I wish I could just stay with him, but my oldest cat (she’s 9) is used to sleeping with me on cold nights, and I feel like I’m being unfair to her.
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u/Beneficial-Royal9971 2d ago
I have a gorgeous 1.5 year old tortie and she has an odd habit or tic. She will lay down or get relaxed and start moving her mouth like she’s smacking and it sounds like it. Lol. Not eating. Not trying to get hair out of her mouth. Just smacking. She does this for 10-15 seconds and then she’s done. I’m wondering if it’s an anxious, nervous, or calming thing but she does it at random times. Anyone else seen this?
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u/Fun-Comb-7561 22h ago
2 months ago, my cat Sophie (5 yo female) saw a cat outside and freaked out. My other cat Nadja (3 yo female) was in the vicinity and Sophie started hissing and spitting. They have been together for over two years without a problem at all, but after seeing that cat outside, Sophie would immediately hiss, puff up, and try and swat at Nadja. I separated them for almost a week and did a slow reintroduction. That worked well and they were getting along again.
Several weeks later the cat appeared and same thing happened. Sophie practically attacked the back window and the outdoor cat leapt at the window too. Ever since then, Sophie has become territorial. She will freeze anytime Nadja is in eye sight and will puff up and hiss. Nadja was just kind of confused at first, but now she's starting to swat back. They have multiple daily spats, but then they have moments where they are sleepy and groom one another just fine or I play with them and they act like they like each other. Then it's like a switch flips and Sophie forgets who Nadja is. The fights are starting to sound very scary and I'm just so sad because they were getting along perfectly before that damn outdoor cat came along. We have not seen him in a few weeks, but Sophie always stares outside looking for him.
We have put up window blockers, but it's sliding glass doors so there's only so much we can cover. We've tried feliway diffusers, but that seemed to make it worse so we stopped. I'm planning on taking Sophie to the vet just to make sure nothing else is going on. She's pretty anxious at baseline (she was a rescue and was found with an armful of kitten s so there is probably some trauma there). She might need some anxiety medication, but I'm worried that this situation isn't going to get better. I'm devastated.
Anyone have any experience with this or advice??
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u/potatosol 10d ago
looking to get some more toys for my cats, any recs?
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u/SquanderedOpportunit 10d ago
If you're not averse to it, I'd highly recommend some toys made out of rabbit fur. I work with fur hides on occasion and use the scraps to make toys out of them (amorphous blob shapes, nothing exciting) and they are by far my cats' favorite toys excluding mountain dew pop caps.
They love playing with them and throwing them around. I'm constantly getting pelted in the back of my head by a furry toy being flung through the air.
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u/ToplaTocka 5d ago
I wish people would stop telling me to castrate my male cat. No, I will not mutilate my cat. No, I do not want my cat to get lazy and fat. No, I don't want a half-dead cat. No, I do not give a fuck if he "sprays" or pisses, I will wash it off the walls, I will throw away the clothes. Downvote me, idgaf, you all need to stop being OBSESSED with genitals of animals, you freaks.
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u/DGrace02 10h ago
Why are the black stray cats lingering around my house more aggressive than the white stray cats. The black cats keep playing with trash while the white ones just linger. I’d appreciate any advice on how to get the cats to behave
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u/Sweet-Joke2002 3d ago
My cat meows at me every morning and just stares at me. She has food, has water (she acts like she never has water and tries to drink out of the sink or toilet) I don’t know why so I just meow back at her.