Herd your cats here

[clean]

Is the Rx diet for bladder stones?

IF so, there is a surgery that can be done to let them pass most anything! 

I dont know how it compares to the diet cost.

And when my cat was put on the Rx canned food, he gained a lot of weight. It is high calorie and he was a big eater to start with. 

[Larimar]

Is the Rx diet for bladder stones?

IF so, there is a surgery that can be done to let them pass most anything! 

I dont know how it compares to the diet cost.

And when my cat was put on the Rx canned food, he gained a lot of weight. It is high calorie and he was a big eater to start with. 

The vet said it was crystals, which is probably pretty close. I do hope OrangeGuy can avoid surgery! I don't know how much it costs either, but I could see it being a case of 'if you have to ask, you can't afford it'. Thanks for the warning about the weight gain. Will be keeping an eye on them. Calico is already a bit overweight.

Second preliminary results of the prescription food test are in from the Larimar cats: Salmon flavored canned food gets paws up from OrangeGuy, Calico, and Twerp. (HerMajesty has always only eaten kibble.) Ocean Fish flavored prescription kibble, however, gets hisses from everyone but OrangeGuy. We've been giving it to OrangeGuy straight, and mixing it with the regular kibble for the girls, hoping to get them acclimated. We'll try another flavor when we run out.


Larimar

[the_geneticist]

Buddycat had that surgery due to extreme crystal build-up in his urine.  The surgery is not too expensive (as far as pet surgeries go).   It's euphemistically called "urethral widening" surgery in male cats.  What is means is they remove the penis since the urethra is wider closer to the body.  The cat still has full bladder control afterwards since the muscles/nerves/etc. that control urination are internal.  It's a quick recovery too.  I think I had to buy some "low dust" litter just to avoid any potential irritation while the area healed. 
The original vet said Buddycat still needed the prescription food, but the next vet said the surgical fix meant he could eat anything he wanted.  Which was good because he turned up his nose at nearly every prescription food and LOVED the cheap canned stuff.  I think it was well worth the cost since I could feed Buddycat anything he wanted and didn't have to try and coordinate different foods for different cats.

[Puget]

It's in the upper 50s and sunny today, so I let the cats out into the catio, aka cat coop- oh the joy! As soon as they saw me start to unlock the window they were in motion. It really is the best cat related purchase I've ever made. (The birds in the yard are somewhat else delighted, as  seem to forgotten from last year that the cats can't actually get to them-- I'm hearing some alarm calls).

[Larimar]

Poor Buddycat. Sorry to hear it. I hope OrangeGuy won't have to have that done. The vet has not said anything about it, so I don't think it's close to the horizon. Both Calico and Twerp have given the prescription kibble a small nibble within the last 24 hours. Hoping the acclimation mix is working.

Puget, your catio sounds great, and fun for everyone, except perhaps the birds.

[citrine]

Ah, Ground Unicorn Chow, as we call it at the shelter, since it sure is pricey. But most cats who stay on it usually do very well as long as they're willing to eat it.

I have been "promoted" at the shelter to the Cat Enrichment Team, which means I spend a lot more time with the least social cats in the shelter attempting to convince them that humans are okay creatures and perhaps they'd like to go live with some of them eventually. There is one cat that I've been attempting to work with for a month now that I have never actually seen since someone put his carrier right into the cage and he stays in there if he hears a human coming. For the first two weeks I wasn't sure if there was a cat in there at all. The pace is glacial with a lot of them, but we have seen some good progress with a few in the last week. I've now been hissed at so many times that I think I'm starting to learn how to curse at someone in Feline.

[Volhiker78]

It's in the upper 50s and sunny today, so I let the cats out into the catio, aka cat coop- oh the joy! As soon as they saw me start to unlock the window they were in motion. It really is the best cat related purchase I've ever made. (The birds in the yard are somewhat else delighted, as  seem to forgotten from last year that the cats can't actually get to them-- I'm hearing some alarm calls).

Glad your cats can get outside.  We have a screened in lanai but only one of our two cats is interested in going outside.  Booboo goes out and stalks and kills various insects, lizards, and the occasional toad that makes its way into our lanai.  It infuriate her to see wandering cats on the other side of the lanai.  When they stroll by, Booboo hisses, screams, and goes full puff tail.  Of course, the wanderers are never concerned.  There is one big orange friendly cat that will sit and watch Booboo scream and howl at him!  When that happens,  I have to chase Big Orange away so that Booboo will calm down. 

[the_geneticist]

Ah, Ground Unicorn Chow, as we call it at the shelter, since it sure is pricey. But most cats who stay on it usually do very well as long as they're willing to eat it.

I have been "promoted" at the shelter to the Cat Enrichment Team, which means I spend a lot more time with the least social cats in the shelter attempting to convince them that humans are okay creatures and perhaps they'd like to go live with some of them eventually. There is one cat that I've been attempting to work with for a month now that I have never actually seen since someone put his carrier right into the cage and he stays in there if he hears a human coming. For the first two weeks I wasn't sure if there was a cat in there at all. The pace is glacial with a lot of them, but we have seen some good progress with a few in the last week. I've now been hissed at so many times that I think I'm starting to learn how to curse at someone in Feline.

I've been doing the same at my local shelter!  I'll just sit and talk about whatever comes into my head or read a book aloud and see if the cat is interested in treats tossed near them.  Apparently cats like the sound of my voice, no idea why.  I was told that the hissing is only "serious" if the cat's ears are flat on their head and their tongue is curled.  Yeah right!

I've learned one curse word in Feline.  Lady Jane makes different chirp/squeak noises for birds, squirrels, and bugs.  If I pick her up and she doesn't like it, she will call me a bug.  She makes the same noise at Izzy kitten.

[AvidReader]

I've learned one curse word in Feline.  Lady Jane makes different chirp/squeak noises for birds, squirrels, and bugs.  If I pick her up and she doesn't like it, she will call me a bug.  She makes the same noise at Izzy kitten.

This is hilarious. Hestia has what we call the "hunting trill," but I've never heard her distinguish between target species.

Our cats live outdoors, so the birds are right to be anxious. Nevertheless, two birds have built a nest atop an electrical box (I think) on the side of the house. It is about 6' off the ground, with a defunct cable box beneath it. The cats were oblivious until perhaps three days ago. Now they spend most of their time waiting beneath the nest, sometimes stretching up to see if they can reach the cable box and leaping wildly when the bird parents switch out. The parent birds seem pretty savvy, but the hatchlings will only get one chance to fly.

AR.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

I've learned one curse word in Feline.  Lady Jane makes different chirp/squeak noises for birds, squirrels, and bugs.  If I pick her up and she doesn't like it, she will call me a bug.  She makes the same noise at Izzy kitten.

Funny! This made my day. Maybe you can decode the language and write a book on it?

[Larimar]

I've learned one curse word in Feline.  Lady Jane makes different chirp/squeak noises for birds, squirrels, and bugs.  If I pick her up and she doesn't like it, she will call me a bug.  She makes the same noise at Izzy kitten.

Funny! This made my day. Maybe you can decode the language and write a book on it?

+1. That is a great idea.

[the_geneticist]

I've learned one curse word in Feline.  Lady Jane makes different chirp/squeak noises for birds, squirrels, and bugs.  If I pick her up and she doesn't like it, she will call me a bug.  She makes the same noise at Izzy kitten.

Funny! This made my day. Maybe you can decode the language and write a book on it?

+1. That is a great idea.

I can try! The "bug" noise is a sort of "Eek/Ick" squeak and the "bird" noise is a "Brr!" and sometimes "Ya-ah".
If she is really upset she will call you a bug while putting her ears flat and swishing her tail.

[smallcleanrat]

I've learned one curse word in Feline.  Lady Jane makes different chirp/squeak noises for birds, squirrels, and bugs.  If I pick her up and she doesn't like it, she will call me a bug.  She makes the same noise at Izzy kitten.

Funny! This made my day. Maybe you can decode the language and write a book on it?

+1. That is a great idea.

I can try! The "bug" noise is a sort of "Eek/Ick" squeak and the "bird" noise is a "Brr!" and sometimes "Ya-ah".
If she is really upset she will call you a bug while putting her ears flat and swishing her tail.

This seems relevant: https://people.com/pets/cat-southern-accent-well-hi-video/?amp=true

Cat says "well, hi!" in a southern accent.

You have to crank up the sound for this one.

I guess, once in a while, a cat will descend to speaking human language.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

I've learned one curse word in Feline.  Lady Jane makes different chirp/squeak noises for birds, squirrels, and bugs.  If I pick her up and she doesn't like it, she will call me a bug.  She makes the same noise at Izzy kitten.

Funny! This made my day. Maybe you can decode the language and write a book on it?

+1. That is a great idea.

I can try! The "bug" noise is a sort of "Eek/Ick" squeak and the "bird" noise is a "Brr!" and sometimes "Ya-ah".
If she is really upset she will call you a bug while putting her ears flat and swishing her tail.

This seems relevant: https://people.com/pets/cat-southern-accent-well-hi-video/?amp=true

Cat says "well, hi!" in a southern accent.

You have to crank up the sound for this one.

I guess, once in a while, a cat will descend to speaking human language.

Cute!!!

[OneMoreYear]

I've learned one curse word in Feline.  Lady Jane makes different chirp/squeak noises for birds, squirrels, and bugs.  If I pick her up and she doesn't like it, she will call me a bug.  She makes the same noise at Izzy kitten.

Funny! This made my day. Maybe you can decode the language and write a book on it?

+1. That is a great idea.

I can try! The "bug" noise is a sort of "Eek/Ick" squeak and the "bird" noise is a "Brr!" and sometimes "Ya-ah".
If she is really upset she will call you a bug while putting her ears flat and swishing her tail.

That is hilarious that her biggest insult is to call you a "bug." I wonder if that is universal in cat language. Ricochet thinks bugs are yummy (yummier than cat food), so I wonder if "You Bug!" would be her label of scorn, since at least bugs have some redeeming value.