Herd your cats here

[smallcleanrat]

Anyone's kitties have unusual napping spots?

Ricochet naps in boxes, underneath furniture, on top of our tallest bookcase, and, in the winter, directly on top of the heating vents (under a side table). When she's feeling brave, she naps on the guest room bed (which is in the room farthest away from the people).

Ninja typically naps on beds or chairs or, when available, in laundry baskets on top of the clean laundry. However, recently, she has a new napping spot in the bathroom on the over-the-toilet towel shelf rack on top of the clean folded towels.  She crawls into her spot from the sink and is now spending most of her day in the bathroom.

At the base of my bed are two drawers in which I keep clothes. Since the drawers are only on on side, it's easy enough for Maestro to creep under the bed on the other side and climb into the drawers, using my clothes as bedding.

Lucky for me he's not a heavy shedder (so far).

When he's sleeping below and I'm lying on the mattress, the sound of his snores somehow seem even louder than when he's snoring right in my ear. I never knew mattresses were so good at conducting sound.

[Parasaurolophus]

My partner used to have a cat. A huge cat, part Maine-coon. The largest cat you ever saw. He was glorious. About six years ago, she gave him to her best friend (in a different city) because he clearly preferred to be an only cat, he needed to go outside, and because the neighbours where we lived at the time were constantly trying to steal him.

We just learned today that he was killed by the neighbour's dog.

The poor love. He was glorious, and we are very sad.

[mamselle]

How painful, and sad.

RIP, good kitty.

Know you were loved.

M.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

My condolences Parasaurolophus.

[Larimar]

My condolences Parasaurolophus.

My condolences too.

[OneMoreYear]

My condolences Parasaurolophus.

My condolences too.

Sending my condolences also, Parasaurolophus. The big guy sounds like a wonderful and much loved kitty.  Sending gentle pets/hugs to you and yours.

[Larimar]

Cats.

Poor OrangeGuy has been back to the vet again twice with painful urinary tract issues. He's going to have to be on a special prescription diet, probably permanently. We were told it was fine to give the special food to all the Larimar cats, so we did. OrangeGuy seems to be okay with this and is willing to eat the special food. He's a pretty laid-back kitty, and Mr. Larimar also theorizes that OrangeGuy's body tells him that the special food is good for him.

However, none of his sisters will have anything to do with it.

Calico sniffed at it, kind of jumped back, and looked up at me with big-kitty-eyes mournfulness and meowed as if to say, "What's this, Mom? Do I reeeeeeally have to eat it?"

Twerp went on a hunger strike in protest. Then when we did give them some of the regular food (after sequestering OrangeGuy away with his own food), Twerp bolted it down so fast that she promptly threw it up again, on the bedroom carpet, naturally. She had her annual checkup on Tuesday, and the vet said she'd lost a full pound (but was still within normal range) and asked what happened. We told him.

HerMajesty simply was nowhere to be found at dinner time.

For nearly a week now, we've been giving OrangeGuy his special food and the girls regular food, and alternating who gets sequestered. We ordered some more prescription food of another brand and a different flavor. It just arrived. We'll be trying it tonight. Please keep fingers crossed that we find something that all the Larimar cats will eat.

Thanks,

Larimar

[the_geneticist]

Cats are nothing if not particular!  Let's hope you can find a brand a special food that they are all willing to eat.  If not, sequestering cats during meal time might just have to be the new normal.  You could also try the technology route.  There are food dishes that are programmed to open for cats with a fob on their collar.  No idea if your cats would either hate it or bully each other into opening the dish, but it's something to contemplate.

[OneMoreYear]

Sorry your cats have staged a revolt, Larimar. Hopefully, there will be an appropriate food for OrangeGuy that the others will eat!
When FluffyGirl was on special prescription food, other cats apparently thought it was delicious.  After FluffyGirl cross the rainbow bridge, the other cats were disappointed that no more prescription food was available.

Ricochet will only eat one specific brand/flavor of crunchy cat food. We previously attempted to upgrade their diet into a more expensive cat food with fewer filler ingredients that was recommended by the vet. Ninja thought the new food was yummy.  Ricochet refused to try it and attempted to bury the food bowls with the mat. She was not fooled when we tried to mix the two foods together, to transition from one to the other.  She dumped to bowls, and appeared to be trying to pick out her preferred food from the mix.  Thus, we gave up and went back to cheaper food.

[Parasaurolophus]

Larimar,

After our orange (red!) cat developed some urinary issues we switched them all to wet food. It took a fair bit of experimentation and rotation to find wet foods that they would all eat, but we've found that, ultimately, inculcating feeding times (rather than allowing them to graze, which results in stale food) has helped. Keep at it!


For my part, we've removed the second tick of the day from the red cat (thankfully they hadn't latched on yet). March is tick bloom month here, so there's been at least one a day for a little while now. Shudder.

[Larimar]

Thanks for the support, everyone. First preliminary results are in: turkey & giblets flavored canned prescription food is a hit with everyone except HerMajesty, who has always only eaten kibble. Ocean Fish flavored prescription kibble, not so much. OrangeGuy is the only one who has touched it so far. We'll see what happens overnight, and tomorrow they try the other kind of canned food we got. I don't remember exactly what flavor it is, but some kind of fish.

Sorry to hear about the ticks, Parasaurolophus. Hope you're able to keep them at bay.

[FishProf]

Dear Elektra
I am not zooming right now, why are you all over me and my keyboard?
Fishprof

[AvidReader]

Hestia has discovered leaf piles. She stands on the edge and dives in, then pauses a moment, tail waving wildly, and slides in a different direction. Repeat.

It is so adorable that spouse and I now re-rake the same pile of leaves each evening just to watch her antics.

AR.

[OneMoreYear]

AvidReader, that sounds darling!

We went on a socially-distanced road trip during my Spring Break week and returned home tonight. Ninja was happy to see her human (my SO), and immediately requested laptime.  Ricochet has gone feral again, as she appears to have forgotten who we are.  She ran away when we opened the door and is hiding under the bed.

[AvidReader]

Ricochet sounds like my kind of cat. Poor thing.

AR.