Author Topic: Free Kitten to good home.  (Read 48692 times)

Re: Free Kitten to good home.
« Reply #200 on: 15 February, 2012, 11:23:09 am »
Awww poor Kai, sorry to hear he has been poorly. The trouble is with diagnosing hairballs as a cause of vomiting is you cannot actually tell that it is that from examining the cat, it's usually a bit of a guess. IME cats who vomit because of them tend to only do it intermittently and a maximum of once or twice a day, not epic vomit all over the place. Hopefully he won't start up again once the injections from yesterday wear off!

A good way of controlling hairballs in a long haired cat is to give them a small amount of Katalax (say 1/4" from the tube) a couple of times a week in their food. This should keep them at bay. If they bring any hair up then increase that to 1/2" daily for a few days. Zoom Grooms are quite good, but you can achieve a similar effect by rubbing your cat with a slightly damp hand to get off dead hairs. It's always harder to groom their tummy and armpits since some cats just won't let you, and this is where tangles often form.

Re: Free Kitten to good home.
« Reply #201 on: 15 February, 2012, 02:15:56 pm »
A good way of controlling hairballs in a long haired cat is to give them a small amount of Katalax (say 1/4" from the tube) a couple of times a week in their food. This should keep them at bay. If they bring any hair up then increase that to 1/2" daily for a few days.

Thanks for that, it's useful to know some numbers, rather than just dosing him with possibly rather larger than ideal amounts of Katalax!

Zoom Grooms are quite good, but you can achieve a similar effect by rubbing your cat with a slightly damp hand to get off dead hairs. It's always harder to groom their tummy and armpits since some cats just won't let you, and this is where tangles often form.

Luckily whilst Kai isn't really into being a lap cat (he's only ever curled up on my lap once or twice), he is very tolerant, and that's good when Zev annoys him, so he will let you do things like plonk him on your lap and brush him (or indeed inspect his paws, or give him a pill).

Zev is much less inclined to allow that sort of thing, and can easily turn into a ball of scratching claws.  I'm hoping this will improve with age!  Luckily brushing with her isn't quite so important, being quite short haired.


He was better this morning.  He ate almost all of his breakfast, although left a bit at the end.  It may simply be that he's still not quite back to normal.  I'm continuing to give him an inch or so of Katalax twice a day, which is obviously a good dosage compared to what you're suggesting for more normal day to day preventative purposes.
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

Regulator

  • That's Councillor Regulator to you...
Re: Free Kitten to good home.
« Reply #202 on: 15 February, 2012, 03:02:34 pm »
A good way of controlling hairballs in a long haired cat is to give them a small amount of Katalax (say 1/4" from the tube) a couple of times a week in their food. This should keep them at bay. If they bring any hair up then increase that to 1/2" daily for a few days.

Thanks for that, it's useful to know some numbers, rather than just dosing him with possibly rather larger than ideal amounts of Katalax!


Don't fanny about!  Give him a dose of Picolax...  :demon:



 ;D
Quote from: clarion
I completely agree with Reg.

Green Party Councillor

Re: Free Kitten to good home.
« Reply #203 on: 18 February, 2012, 12:09:12 am »
I think Kai's worked out that he doesn't like the taste of Katalax, and has actually started to try and eat around it, when he finds it buried inside his meal!

I tried the vet's suggestion of putting it on the back of his paw, so he'd have to wash it out, but I didn't smear it on well enough, so he flicked a good amount of it onto the kitchen floor.  Some was left on his paw, and he didn't half give a disgusted look when he licked his paw, and obviously didn't appreciate the taste.

I'll try and better job of smearing it on his paw tomorrow, but it's more or less the end of the dosing that the vet suggested, so I may just put a small amount on the back of his paw in future (as suggested up thread by feline), well rubbed in so he can't get rid of it, other than by licking it clean!
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

Re: Free Kitten to good home.
« Reply #204 on: 18 February, 2012, 12:25:54 am »
For cats that don't like it (it is very like Marmite, they either love it or hate it, even funnier, it actually tastes like Marmite too!) the other method of getting it into them is to put the dose on your index finger, then in pill giving technique open their mouth with your 2nd finger and wipe it onto their tongue. If you aim for the back bit of tongue there are fewer taste buds there. The knack is for your finger to be in and out before a bite is possible, so be fast. They seem unable to spit out Katalax. In fact, cats cannot spit at all, which is probably a good thing  :D

Re: Free Kitten to good home.
« Reply #205 on: 18 February, 2012, 12:31:44 am »
Ah, I hadn't thought of trying that.  I'm used to that sort of thing from giving Talisker his pills, so it's possibly worth a try.  I never got bitten by Talisker, but he did occasionally manage to work the pill around and let it drop out, if I didn't quite get it at the back of his tongue and trigger the swallowing reflex.  I knew that it had gone in wrong, because there would be a very determined look on his face, and you could see he was working the pill around prior to getting rid of it!  He was an idiot however, and invariably dropped it on the kitchen floor near to me, so he just got grabbed and it was popped back in again. ;D
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

Re: Free Kitten to good home.
« Reply #206 on: 21 February, 2012, 08:54:46 am »
Yay, that technique worked this morning. :thumbsup:

It took me a couple of goes to get most of the Katalax on his tongue, so it possibly wasn't as far back as would minimise the taste, but he only looked moderately annoyed, and I did it just before breakfast so that they'd hopefully be salivating as much as possible, to help increase it being swallowed asap.  It also only really works with the small dose which you suggested would be good as a regular amount, rather than the larger amount I was feeding him last week.

With a reasonably compliant cat like Talisker or Kai it certainly works OK, but I wouldn't want to try this with Zev, she wouldn't stay on her back for long (which is the easiest way to get them in a position where they can't fight back too much!)

He doesn't seem too annoyed with me, he's sat on the landing watching me (and Zev) at the moment.
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

barakta

  • Bastard lovechild of Yomiko Readman and Johnny 5
Re: Free Kitten to good home.
« Reply #207 on: 21 February, 2012, 03:16:13 pm »
Heh, glad the trick is working.  It did take two of us to wrangle Zev when she decided she didn't like eye drops, so we went for the con her into relaxing, scruff and go and scritch her before she noticed but that did require about 5 hands so the 4 we had were just about enough.  I'd not have wanted to piss her off (again) as she's sharp and will make sure you know it.

Re: Free Kitten to good home.
« Reply #208 on: 21 February, 2012, 05:09:34 pm »
Yes, unfortunately she's much harder work, so I have to be prepared to take a few scratches.

Luckily she's short haired, so I'm hoping that she won't suffer from furballs to the same extent as Kai, and hence won't need frequent dosing with Katalax via my fingers.  Having said that, on the final dose in his food, which Kai partially refused to eat (hence my wiping Katalax on his paw), Zev scoffed the lot, so she isn't particularly averse to eating Katalax, should I ever need to dose her with it.

The few times I had to do something she doesn't like, such as feeding her worming paste, or inspecting her paws (when it was initially slightly injured), I've ended up being slightly injured.

Kai is a big fluffy teddy bear of a cat, and even when he growls you can handle him quite easily.  Zev on the other hand is a nervous ball of sharpened claws!  She's more of a lap cat than him, but isn't big on being picked up.
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

Re: Free Kitten to good home.
« Reply #209 on: 03 March, 2012, 09:40:19 pm »
That was quite amusing.

I needed to go to Sainsburys, and as he has a few times this week, Kai shot to the front door to leave the house with me (he could easily go out his cat flap at the back of the house, but heah, whatever).  Rather than wandering off to eyeball some of the wildlife, or challenge one of the other local cats, he actually followed me down the road.  Towards the end, he got a bit nervous of the traffic on the road at the end of our road, as well as being very curious about the fronts of the houses we were walking past, so decided to go no further.

Twenty minutes or so later, when I got back from the shopping, he hadn't got a lot further back to our house, and I could hear him tinkling in someone's front garden.  When I called his name he bounced out, and followed me back down the road, and into the house, and is currently having a good nose in the living room, with occasional bouts of warfare with Zev.

He very nearly managed to walk to heel, and was better at it than some dogs I've known!
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

Biggsy

  • A bodge too far
  • Twit @iceblinker
    • My stuff on eBay
Re: Free Kitten to good home.
« Reply #210 on: 04 March, 2012, 02:22:27 pm »
It's worth getting a Zoom Groom just for the massaging effect.  Ginger from next door visits just for his massage.  And so does his cat.
●●●  My eBay items  ●●●  Twitter  ●●●

Re: Free Kitten to good home.
« Reply #211 on: 09 March, 2012, 10:58:49 pm »
That was quite amusing.

I needed to go to Sainsburys, and as he has a few times this week, Kai shot to the front door to leave the house with me (he could easily go out his cat flap at the back of the house, but heah, whatever).  Rather than wandering off to eyeball some of the wildlife, or challenge one of the other local cats, he actually followed me down the road.  Towards the end, he got a bit nervous of the traffic on the road at the end of our road, as well as being very curious about the fronts of the houses we were walking past, so decided to go no further.

Twenty minutes or so later, when I got back from the shopping, he hadn't got a lot further back to our house, and I could hear him tinkling in someone's front garden.  When I called his name he bounced out, and followed me back down the road, and into the house, and is currently having a good nose in the living room, with occasional bouts of warfare with Zev.

He very nearly managed to walk to heel, and was better at it than some dogs I've known!

My cats do this too, although it can be a problem when they follow me all the way to the village then look most put out when I want to go into the post office and they do not. They sometimes accompany me when I take the dogs out by bike on their Walkydog. I look like the frigging pied piper with 2 dogs and 2 cats in tow!

Re: Free Kitten to good home.
« Reply #212 on: 10 March, 2012, 10:19:35 am »
That was quite amusing.

I needed to go to Sainsburys, and as he has a few times this week, Kai shot to the front door to leave the house with me (he could easily go out his cat flap at the back of the house, but heah, whatever).  Rather than wandering off to eyeball some of the wildlife, or challenge one of the other local cats, he actually followed me down the road.  Towards the end, he got a bit nervous of the traffic on the road at the end of our road, as well as being very curious about the fronts of the houses we were walking past, so decided to go no further.

Twenty minutes or so later, when I got back from the shopping, he hadn't got a lot further back to our house, and I could hear him tinkling in someone's front garden.  When I called his name he bounced out, and followed me back down the road, and into the house, and is currently having a good nose in the living room, with occasional bouts of warfare with Zev.

He very nearly managed to walk to heel, and was better at it than some dogs I've known!

My cats do this too, although it can be a problem when they follow me all the way to the village then look most put out when I want to go into the post office and they do not. They sometimes accompany me when I take the dogs out by bike on their Walkydog. I look like the frigging pied piper with 2 dogs and 2 cats in tow!

You just need a couple of hamsters to complete the set. In their balls, naturally....
If I had a baby elephant, it could help me wash the car. If I had a car.

See my recycled crafts at www.wastenotwantit.co.uk

Re: Free Kitten to good home.
« Reply #213 on: 10 March, 2012, 10:46:03 am »
My cats do this too, although it can be a problem when they follow me all the way to the village then look most put out when I want to go into the post office and they do not. They sometimes accompany me when I take the dogs out by bike on their Walkydog. I look like the frigging pied piper with 2 dogs and 2 cats in tow!
You just need a couple of hamsters to complete the set. In their balls, naturally....

That would be very "Bolt". ;D

Actually, it is rocket science.
 

Re: Free Kitten to good home.
« Reply #214 on: 10 March, 2012, 10:28:49 pm »
My cats do this too, although it can be a problem when they follow me all the way to the village then look most put out when I want to go into the post office and they do not. They sometimes accompany me when I take the dogs out by bike on their Walkydog. I look like the frigging pied piper with 2 dogs and 2 cats in tow!
You just need a couple of hamsters to complete the set. In their balls, naturally....

That would be very "Bolt". ;D



I musn't let my daughter see this thread, she has been hankering after a new hamster since hers died last year  :-X

Re: Free Kitten to good home.
« Reply #215 on: 27 May, 2012, 08:50:23 am »
Kai has just returned from a bit of a wanderjahr.

I last saw him on Thursday morning, and he hasn't turned up for any food since then.

Cats often disappear off for a while, and he's both chipped and tagged, so I wasn't too worried, but I was starting to wonder this morning where he had gone, and considering changing his status on the chip website.

I always clank the bowls around when serving their meals, it's how they know nosh is up, and I've been doing it more than usual, so he can hear, and hopefully return.  He appeared almost immediately at breakfast time, so obviously was not that far away (although the camera archive shows no evidence if him coming in overnight).

I wonder where he's been?  Possibly in the hot weather, with his heavy coat, he's found somewhere cool to loiter, but that doesn't really explain why he hasn't been coming back for his food.

I've temporarily blocked the cat flap, and will give him second breakfast in a while, and unblock the flap at the same time.  Hopefully the food will remind him of where he gets the good stuff, so he comes back for his meals at least!
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

lou boutin

  • Les chaussures sont ma vie.
Re: Free Kitten to good home.
« Reply #216 on: 27 May, 2012, 09:13:15 am »
Kai has just returned from a bit of a wanderjahr.

I last saw him on Thursday morning, and he hasn't turned up for any food since then.

Cats often disappear off for a while, and he's both chipped and tagged, so I wasn't too worried, but I was starting to wonder this morning where he had gone, and considering changing his status on the chip website.

I always clank the bowls around when serving their meals, it's how they know nosh is up, and I've been doing it more than usual, so he can hear, and hopefully return.  He appeared almost immediately at breakfast time, so obviously was not that far away (although the camera archive shows no evidence if him coming in overnight).

I wonder where he's been?  Possibly in the hot weather, with his heavy coat, he's found somewhere cool to loiter, but that doesn't really explain why he hasn't been coming back for his food.

I've temporarily blocked the cat flap, and will give him second breakfast in a while, and unblock the flap at the same time.  Hopefully the food will remind him of where he gets the good stuff, so he comes back for his meals at least!

I'm glad to hear that he is home and safe.  We had a cat that would periodically wander, even though he had been neutered. Perhaps Kia is an explorer too.He obviously knows where home is; he's come back. He wouldn't if he wasn't happy.

Re: Free Kitten to good home.
« Reply #217 on: 27 May, 2012, 03:28:52 pm »
That's a relief he's home safe. He could have got himself shut into someone's shed, garage or outbuilding, this is a favourite trick of my Rico who nearly died after one episode where he disappeared on a Tuesday and came back dehydrated and starving the following Tuesday in very hot weather (Wednesday is bin day in the town, he must have been shut in somewhere someone keeps their bins, and no amount of walking the streets calling for him had got us any response).

Re: Free Kitten to good home.
« Reply #218 on: 27 May, 2012, 04:45:47 pm »
I don't think he was locked up anywhere, since he was reasonably clean (he's not always the most pristine of cats!), and didn't seem to be all that hungry, because Zev still finished her breakfast before him.

I reckon he's been getting food from wherever he can, I know he visits at least one of my neighbours for their cats food!

I kept him in for a while, and then unblocked the cat flap whilst they were eating lunch.  They both disappeared off then, although Zev's just reappeared.
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

Re: Free Kitten to good home.
« Reply #219 on: 31 May, 2012, 08:56:20 pm »
Updated Kai's status on PetLog to "Lost", since I haven't seen him since Saturday midday, when he went out again. :(

I'm not not sure this will make much difference, since presumably if anyone found him, they would have checked his chip ID anyway.  I don't know whether he'll reappear when the weather gets colder or wetter, but he seems to have given up on me feeding him.

Zev seems a touch more clingy, she's sleeping on my bed pretty much the entire night.  She's there when I go to bed, and still there when I get up, and is very sensitive to the slightest noise, stopping and listening very attentively, presumably when she thinks she's heard his bell.
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: Free Kitten to good home.
« Reply #220 on: 31 May, 2012, 09:31:31 pm »
At that age, Josh used to go on 4-day expeditions.  When he came back he'd sleep for two days straight (only getting up for meals).  As he got older he became more domesticated.

Hector, on the other hand, has only left the back garden once or twice, had a sniff around the drive and then gone back in.  It doesn't help that a female blackbird* has got it in for him and chases him in through the cat flap.


*turns out the sparrowhawk didn't get her after all - it was eating something else
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

pixieannie

  • Partial to a dash of chainsaw oil
Re: Free Kitten to good home.
« Reply #221 on: 31 May, 2012, 09:33:35 pm »
At that age, Josh used to go on 4-day expeditions.  When he came back he'd sleep for two days straight (only getting up for meals).  As he got older he became more domesticated.

Hector, on the other hand, has only left the back garden once or twice, had a sniff around the drive and then gone back in.  It doesn't help that a female blackbird* has got it in for him and chases him in through the cat flap.


*turns out the sparrowhawk didn't get her after all - it was eating something else

Blackbirds make for very good parents.  Feisty little devils.

Re: Free Kitten to good home.
« Reply #222 on: 31 May, 2012, 09:41:38 pm »
Zev doesn't seem to go far, she's mostly in the cat flap with about 30 seconds of me banging the bowls together, which is the sound they know means food! (When I wash them up, inevitably they clang a bit)  I don't think she goes much further than the back garden, and occasionally down the side passage to the front garden (or slightly less overgrown weed area as it should more accurately be known).

I suspect she'll start to wander a bit more, as she gets older, and a little less nervous.  She seems to be getting used to stuff a bit more already than she was a few months ago.
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

barakta

  • Bastard lovechild of Yomiko Readman and Johnny 5
Re: Free Kitten to good home.
« Reply #223 on: 01 June, 2012, 01:16:49 am »
I hope Kai returns soon and he's OK, it's horrid not knowing where they've wandered off to and if they're OK or not.

Re: Free Kitten to good home.
« Reply #224 on: 01 June, 2012, 09:24:41 am »
It's a worrying length of time to be missing, but given he did similar just before I would be hopeful he will return safe after another adventure. His history of being an adult entire male will have given him a wanderlust that he probably wouldn't have had if he had been neutered as a kitten and that probably increases the chances of him doing things like this. Some cats simply rehome themselves somewhere with no other cats and an elderly person home all day who feeds then tuna! They tend to pop back to their previous place to sample the cuisine from time to time though. Fingers crossed he shows up very soon.