CatEra |OT| Share your pics, read our tips, ask any questions

[Sheepinator]

Awww. :) Male or female?
Also, the collar doesn't have a bell, does it?

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Theswweet Great pic. Looks like it's settled in well. Fyi the board here is somewhat anti-collar, feeling the risks outweigh the benefits (especially in a growing cat I assume), and the board is extremely anti-bell. It doesn't look like there's a bell in that pic but it's hard to be sure.

 

[Weltall Zero]

I figured I would ask this here:

Over the last couple of weeks I noticed the older of my two cats (he's a little over 4 years old) was having diarrhea in the litter box. I saw him actually doing it, and got a vet appointment as soon as I could. Vet felt him and everything, and asked questions, and they decided to put him on a bland food diet for now, with probiotic powder to put with his dinner. They also gave him an antibiotic. For the antibiotic, at first he would take the pill with his food, then he got smart and wouldn't eat the pill. We had to keep coming up with new methods to get him the pill until we finished his last one this morning. He'll still be on the bland food and probiotic though.

However I notice still his stool is kind of soft. It isn't pure liquid, at least not that I have seen, but it still concerns me. He's a long hair cat, and it occasionally drips right outside the litter box when he's done. While it's technically an improvement, I am concerned that it's not much of one. I got a sample and gave it to the vet, they tested it for all the stuff they usually test it for and it was negative. I talked to the vet and he said basically I should watch him over the next week and see how he does. After that the options are a steroid to see if that takes care of it, an ultrasound on his intestines, or a different diet. He didn't seem that concerned about it though.

Should I be worried? He's not vomiting other than an occasional hairball every couple of months. He also acts perfectly normal otherwise, and I wouldn't have known something was wrong other than seeing him have diarrhea. He plays and snuggles like he always has.

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Diarrhear is pretty common on cats for a multitude of reasons; most of these reasons are pretty harmless and as long as you're addressing it, taking it to the vet, making sure he's kept hydrated, etc. you should probably not worry about it too much. The fact that he acts normal otherwise and that his stools are already solidifying are both very good signs. Monitor his progress but probably don't lose too much sleep over it, you're already doing everything you need to.

With no other symptoms attached my first guess would be parasites, but if you're already ruled them out then a mild infection or allergies are probably the most likely causes after that. Since you're already addressing both, there's not much more to do but wait and see.

 

[sAbobo]

Also a litter robot owner here and can also highly recommend the purchase, even with the high price tag. I picked up mine as a refurbished off the litter robot site along with a random coupon code that was found via Google. I have two cats, rather on the smaller side each, and has reduced litter box maintenance down to maybe once a week. No need to pick up the bags they sell on the site, I tend to use febreeze white trash bags from Costco and they work fine at less than half the price.

 

[Theswweet]

He's male, collar doesn't have a bell. He's gonna be an indoor cat, so the collar is for a tag in-case he gets out.

 

[Weltall Zero]

He's male, collar doesn't have a bell. He's gonna be an indoor cat, so the collar is for a tag in-case he gets out.

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I would recommend you microchip him instead; it's safer in pretty much every regard.

 

[HyperFerret]

The cats I'm adopting are strays so there's no real way to tell their breed without DNA testing but does the breed really matter as much? Would knowing their breed make it easier to avoid common diseases and give the vets better information in terms of medicine?

Speaking of, do indoor cats need different vaccines from outdoor cats or do they all get the same?

I've only ever owned dogs so I'm flying a little blind. I won't be able to officially own them until mid may and they'll be about 12 weeks old.

 

[Zvonimir Boban]

My kitty having a little stroll

 

[Sheepinator]

The cats I'm adopting are strays so there's no real way to tell their breed without DNA testing but does the breed really matter as much? Would knowing their breed make it easier to avoid common diseases and give the vets better information in terms of medicine?

Speaking of, do indoor cats need different vaccines from outdoor cats or do they all get the same?

I've only ever owned dogs so I'm flying a little blind. I won't be able to officially own them until mid may and they'll be about 12 weeks old.

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They should have been tested for FeLV already, which you should confirm with the fosters or shelter. In a couple of months they should be neutered. You should consider a microchip too. A rabies vaccination is probably required by law. Other than that, your vet should advise. Shots are cheap anyway.

Zvonimir Boban Beautiful !

 

[y2dvd]

I know my cat gets lonely without me. Thinking of getting another cat to keep her company. Any cons that can out weight the pros?

 

[HyperFerret]

They should have been tested for FeLV already, which you should confirm with the fosters or shelter. In a couple of months they should be neutered. You should consider a microchip too. A rabies vaccination is probably required by law. Other than that, your vet should advise. Shots are cheap anyway.

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The lady taking care of them said that she took them to the vet to check their sex but I'll check back up with her to figure out exactly what she has done with them so far. Thank you for the info.

 

[Sheepinator]

I know my cat gets lonely without me. Thinking of getting another cat to keep her company. Any cons that can out weight the pros?

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Definitely a good idea. I'll let others address cons, as I haven't seen any. The pros are great though. Our singular cat was getting very lazy and we were worried it would be detrimental to her health before long. Luckily we managed to capture and save some outdoor kittens, kept one and got the others adopted, and their age gap is 6 or 7 years. I'm sure it's contributed to the older cat being healthy for longer, and they're obviously good friends.

HyperFerret A quick Google suggests the rabies shot should be around the time you'd be getting the neuter done. They're a bit young right now.

 

[Weltall Zero]

The cats I'm adopting are strays so there's no real way to tell their breed without DNA testing but does the breed really matter as much? Would knowing their breed make it easier to avoid common diseases and give the vets better information in terms of medicine?

Speaking of, do indoor cats need different vaccines from outdoor cats or do they all get the same?

I've only ever owned dogs so I'm flying a little blind. I won't be able to officially own them until mid may and they'll be about 12 weeks old.

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Your vet should advice, I'm assuming it will vary from country to country. Typically you'd get the triple vaccine (calicivirus, panleucopenia and herpes virus). Leukhemia is also often given if they're going to be in contact with other cats or outdoor.

The breed doesn't really matter, and if it can't be told at a glance, it's probably a common cat. A few pure breeds have some specific genetic problems (due to inbreeding), but it's typically nothing anywhere as severe as dog breeds get.

My kitty having a little stroll

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Look a this beautiful charmer. :)

I know my cat gets lonely without me. Thinking of getting another cat to keep her company. Any cons that can out weight the pros?

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Nearly no cons and huge, huge benefits. We advice (and for some cats, require) adopters to have at least two cats, and the benefits to the emotional state, mental health and development, and even physical fitness are immense. Every owner that's adopted a second one thanked us so profusely for the advice. You'll also enjoy so much watching them play together, it's all benefits. :)

What age is your cat? To the extent that it's possible, it's best to introduce a cat that'll be of similar age and personality, so that one e.g. doesn't have vastly more energy than the other. You can also check the thread for tips about introducing cats to each other (e.g. different rooms, letting them get used to each other's smell through cloths or cat blankets, let them see each other through a nearly-closed door so that there's no physical menacing presence, etc.). It's normal for cats that have never met before to hiss and growl at each other for a couple of weeks.

 

[Zvonimir Boban]

Our kitty is really old so while we would like her to have another cat for company I don't think she'd appreciate it too much.

 

[y2dvd]

Nearly no cons and huge, huge benefits. We advice (and for some cats, require) adopters to have at least two cats, and the benefits to the emotional state, mental health and development, and even physical fitness are immense. Every owner that's adopted a second one thanked us so profusely for the advice. You'll also enjoy so much watching them play together, it's all benefits. :)

What age is your cat? To the extent that it's possible, it's best to introduce a cat that'll be of similar age and personality, so that one e.g. doesn't have vastly more energy than the other. You can also check the thread for tips about introducing cats to each other (e.g. different rooms, letting them get used to each other's smell through cloths or cat blankets, let them see each other through a nearly-closed door so that there's no physical menacing presence, etc.). It's normal for cats that have never met before to hiss and growl at each other for a couple of weeks.

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My cat is about 1.5 years. She's a pretty lazy cat and is very timid to anything and everything. An energetic cat may be too much for her but yeah I'll go through the thread for more tips. Appreciate it!

 

[Weltall Zero]

My cat is about 1.5 years. She's a pretty lazy cat and is very timid to anything and everything. An energetic cat may be too much for her but yeah I'll go through the thread for more tips. Appreciate it!

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The lazyness may actually be caused by being alone. They don't have as much motivation to run around without some other cat to play with. Of course, she might actually be lazy. :)

 

[Sheepinator]

Our kitty is really old so while we would like her to have another cat for company I don't think she'd appreciate it too much.

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You can get an adult cat, not a kitten. That may be a good deed of rescuing a shelter cat from being put down. I understand your hesitation, however also consider that your current cat may be healthier for longer and live for longer with a play mate.

 

[super-famicom]

I know my cat gets lonely without me. Thinking of getting another cat to keep her company. Any cons that can out weight the pros?

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The only cons would be spending more for food and litter. But the pros definitely outweigh the cons. The cats will learn to socialize, they will spend more time playing with each other and less time being bored and deciding to scratch your furniture. They'll also be less likely to feel lonely or depressed. While "cats are loners" is a popular stereotype, the truth is that cats are actually quite social. My two cats are like weird dogs in terms of personality. They come to the door and wait for me when they know I'm coming home more often than not, unless they're sleeping. One cat even learned how to play fetch when he was younger.

 

[Weltall Zero]

The only cons would be spending more for food and litter. But the pros definitely outweigh the cons. The cats will learn to socialize, they will spend more time playing with each other and less time being bored and deciding to scratch your furniture. They'll also be less likely to feel lonely or depressed. While "cats are loners" is a popular stereotype, the truth is that cats are actually quite social. My two cats are like weird dogs in terms of personality. They come to the door and wait for me when they know I'm coming home more often than not, unless they're sleeping. One cat even learned how to play fetch when he was younger.

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+1 for the "cats are more like the popular perception of dogs than the popular perception of cats", weirdly enough. My cats also rush to the door to greet when either of us comes home, follow us around, play fetch, rub their heads against us... :)

 

[Shaneus]

+1 for the "cats are more like the popular perception of dogs than the popular perception of cats", weirdly enough. My cats also rush to the door to greet when either of us comes home, follow us around, play fetch, rub their heads against us... :)

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We have one cat who is cat-like, her sister who is dog-like and one dog who is cat-like. Go figure.

 

[Slackerchan]

This is my new beefy boy, Jugg. He's a 17lb gentle giant that I've had for about a month now (and I'll be working on his weight) but he's a sweetie who loves to just sit in your lap and sleep for hours at a time. I'm certain he was a house cat at some point given his size and just how trusting he is in humans. The shelter estimated him to be about 6 years old. We lost my other, older cat's adoption mate to kidney failure back in November and I knew that I needed to get her a roommate. She's no fan of Jugg (despite his desperation to play with her at times) but she and him are united in the common cause of food. So, there's that.

This is his favorite spot, sitting in a cat bed on the corner of my desk while I'm on my computer. He's right next to me right now, in fact.

 

[Sheepinator]

Slackerchan He's so cute. Look at those big white socks. He doesn't really look 17lbs there. A bit chunky for sure though. It's going to be a challenge trying to control one cats diet with another in the house. A friend of mine has that issue. He puts shared food where both can get at it, strictly measured, and other food up on a table where only one cat can reach it (the not fat one).

 

[Weltall Zero]

We have one cat who is cat-like, her sister who is dog-like and one dog who is cat-like. Go figure.

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Clearly aliens swapped the brains of the first cat and the dog. :)

Slackerchan , lovely cat. I've noticed the largest cats are often the tamest, especially males. Our largest cat (7 Kg), a male, is the shyest, while the smallest (a 4 year old female barely 3 Kg) is the most feisty and territorial by far!

 

[tangeu]

My little girl turned 4 years old yesterday, here is her in a fancy Elizabethan collar.

 

[jeelybeans]

My cats been peeing on my shoe rack, which is near the litter box. Someone said cats might pee on things that are leather? This rack has leather on it. Switching racks and hoping that improves it. :(

 

[Weltall Zero]

My cats been peeing on my shoe rack, which is near the litter box. Someone said cats might pee on things that are leather? This rack has leather on it. Switching racks and hoping that improves it. :(

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Yeah, I did. Cats have a tendency to pee on leather, feathers and down; basically any material that comes from other animals.

 

[jeelybeans]

Yeah, I did. Cats have a tendency to pee on leather, feathers and down; basically any material that comes from other animals.

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Tbh, I don't think its real leather lol. And we have leather furniture in the living room and he doesn't pee there. But we'll see...

 

[Sheepinator]

My little girl turned 4 years old yesterday, here is her in a fancy Elizabethan collar.

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That's ruff :-)

 

[Weltall Zero]

Tbh, I don't think its real leather lol. And we have leather furniture in the living room and he doesn't pee there. But we'll see...

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If it's not real leather it should not be because of that, but it's true other synthetic materials sometimes irk them too. Perhaps it's because of the shoes themselves? Are any of those leather.

Of course, sometimes cats pee on specific spots just because, and reuse it over and over until you break that habit...

 

[jeelybeans]

If it's not real leather it should not be because of that, but it's true other synthetic materials sometimes irk them too. Perhaps it's because of the shoes themselves? Are any of those leather.

Of course, sometimes cats pee on specific spots just because, and reuse it over and over until you break that habit...

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Yes some of the shoes are leather and I guess getting a new shoe rack won't fix that...

 

[Salpal]

I might have asked this before but I cant seem to find my post so whatever. Ill ask it again.

Does anyone have any experience with reopening a room used to house a FeLV positive cat to a cat without FeLV after the positive cat passes away?

Basically, I had to keep an FeLV positive cat (Izzy) in my bedroom for several months and keep her separated from my other, 17 year old cat (Ashes).
Izzy passed away in December and, since then, Ive been nervous about letting Ashes back in.
From what Ive read, the disease cant live too long outside of a cats body so Im probably ok but, as precaution, I got rid of most of Izzys toys, sprayed down her cat tree and other furniture with a vinegar solution, and vacuumed everything thoroughly several times. But Im still left feeling uncertain and wanted to know if anyone had any input.

 

[Weltall Zero]

I might have asked this before but I cant seem to find my post so whatever. Ill ask it again.

Does anyone have any experience with reopening a room used to house a FeLV positive cat to a cat without FeLV after the positive cat passes away?

Basically, I had to keep an FeLV positive cat (Izzy) in my bedroom for several months and keep her separated from my other, 17 year old cat (Ashes).
Izzy passed away in December and, since then, Ive been nervous about letting Ashes back in.
From what Ive read, the disease cant live too long outside of a cats body so Im probably ok but, as precaution, I got rid of most of Izzys toys, sprayed down her cat tree and other furniture with a vinegar solution, and vacuumed everything thoroughly several times. But Im still left feeling uncertain and wanted to know if anyone had any input.

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I don't think I've read your other post about this. I think we've had this exact same case here; unfortunately my SO, who's the vet assistant and expert on these matters, is out of the house right now (babysitting cats in fact). I'll email her about it and post her reply here.

 

[Salpal]

I don't think I've read your other post about this. I think we've had this exact same case here; unfortunately my SO, who's the vet assistant and expert on these matters, is out of the house right now (babysitting cats in fact). I'll email her about it and post her reply here.

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I would really appreciate that. Thanks.

 

[super-famicom]

I might have asked this before but I cant seem to find my post so whatever. Ill ask it again.

Does anyone have any experience with reopening a room used to house a FeLV positive cat to a cat without FeLV after the positive cat passes away?

Basically, I had to keep an FeLV positive cat (Izzy) in my bedroom for several months and keep her separated from my other, 17 year old cat (Ashes).
Izzy passed away in December and, since then, Ive been nervous about letting Ashes back in.
From what Ive read, the disease cant live too long outside of a cats body so Im probably ok but, as precaution, I got rid of most of Izzys toys, sprayed down her cat tree and other furniture with a vinegar solution, and vacuumed everything thoroughly several times. But Im still left feeling uncertain and wanted to know if anyone had any input.

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Have you used a carpet steamer to deep clean the carpet? When we had to put down our first kitten who had FIP, we didn't get another cat until over 6 weeks later, and then we disinfected the litter box and deep cleaned the carpet twice each. That was two years ago, and the new cats we got back then are in excellent health.

 

[iareharSon]

My cat Goose (we named him this before Captain Marvel was announced....) has a very heavy brow and always looks angry.

 

[Weltall Zero]

I would really appreciate that. Thanks.

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Translating what she told me:

"Feline leukhemia is transmitted directly from cat to cat, saliva, feces and other liquids; upon death the virus doesn't last more than a couple hours. If they've washed bowls and litter box, it's entirely safe. If it was FIP or panleukopenia, that'd be different.".

So it seems you're good to go. Sorry for your loss, BTW, even if I'm a bit late.

My cat Goose (we named him this before Captain Marvel was announced....) has a very heavy brow and always looks angry.

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Tempted to post idontbelieveyou.gif about his name but I have no reason to doubt it. :)

Yeah, some cats just have Resting Bitch Face, with Grumpy Cat being the most famous. Poor things are still super sweet most often.

 

[Salpal]

Have you used a carpet steamer to deep clean the carpet? When we had to put down our first kitten who had FIP, we didn't get another cat until over 6 weeks later, and then we disinfected the litter box and deep cleaned the carpet twice each. That was two years ago, and the new cats we got back then are in excellent health.

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I havent but I also dont have access to a steam cleaner. Might have one at work. Ill have to check. Thanks

Translating what she told me:

"Feline leukhemia is transmitted directly from cat to cat, saliva, feces and other liquids; upon death the virus doesn't last more than a couple hours. If they've washed bowls and litter box, it's entirely safe. If it was FIP or panleukopenia, that'd be different.".

So it seems you're good to go. Sorry for your loss, BTW, even if I'm a bit late.

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Very, very good to know. Thanks for this.

And you werent late :P I remember you. I posted in this thread shortly after I put her down and you responded then. Still, thanks again.

 

[iareharSon]

Translating what she told me:

"Feline leukhemia is transmitted directly from cat to cat, saliva, feces and other liquids; upon death the virus doesn't last more than a couple hours. If they've washed bowls and litter box, it's entirely safe. If it was FIP or panleukopenia, that'd be different.".

So it seems you're good to go. Sorry for your loss, BTW, even if I'm a bit late.



Tempted to post idontbelieveyou.gif about his name but I have no reason to doubt it. :)

Yeah, some cats just have Resting Bitch Face, with Grumpy Cat being the most famous. Poor things are still super sweet most often.

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His name at the shelter was Gus, and we initially kept it - but my girlfriend and I would always impersonate the way her mom would say his name with an accent ("Gooooooooose") and it kind of just stuck :(

 

[Weltall Zero]

And you werent late :P I remember you. I posted in this thread shortly after I put her down and you responded then. Still, thanks again.

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Oh, I completely forgot about that. I have terrible memory in general, and between the cats in the thread, and the ones adopted from us, it's often all kind of a blur.

Edit: Went back and checked; I actually remembered your post, just didn't remember it was yours. Your post was very moving and hit me right in the feels back then.

His name at the shelter was Gus, and we initially kept it - but my girlfriend and I would always impersonate the way her mom would say his name with an accent ("Gooooooooose") and it kind of just stuck :(

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Why the ":(", it's a great name and now you can boast about you cat having the same name as Captain Marvel's.

Funnily, we do the same: my SO's little princess is Arcee (like the Transformer) but her mom calls her "Archii" and we sometimes do that for fun. :)

 

[TheBeardedOne]

The stray around my place is pregnant again. I reached out to local not-for-profits, rescuers and sanctuaries, and got some responses offering to help me trap her, spay her and get her somewhere better. One lady came out one night, but the cat didn't show up at all for the food I'd put out. I've only seen her once since and that was when I woke up from sleep for a second, looked out the window and then passed out. It's not common for her to not be around for days.

I haven't heard from the lady much since. She had said she was going to come back and didn't have a trap with her then. I'll have to reach out again, but it's going to be difficult if the cat doesn't come around.

Compounding things is that I'm now seeing two other strays. Someone must've dropped a poor cat off, because one is very new. I'd only seen the other one once or twice before.

I'd like to get them all trapped and looked after, but it's looking like a difficult process.

 

[Sheepinator]

The stray around my place is pregnant again. I reached out to local not-for-profits, rescuers and sanctuaries, and got some responses offering to help me trap her, spay her and get her somewhere better. One lady came out one night, but the cat didn't show up at all for the food I'd put out. I've only seen her once since and that was when I woke up from sleep for a second, looked out the window and then passed out. It's not common for her to not be around for days.

I haven't heard from the lady much since. She had said she was going to come back and didn't have a trap with her then. I'll have to reach out again, but it's going to be difficult if the cat doesn't come around.

Compounding things is that I'm now seeing two other strays. Someone must've dropped a poor cat off, because one is very new. I'd only seen the other one once or twice before.

I'd like to get them all trapped and looked after, but it's looking like a difficult process.

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You can buy a trap for about $20. It sounds like it will be a good investment here.

 

[TheBeardedOne]

You can buy a trap for about $20. It sounds like it will be a good investment here.

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My grandfather has a live trap, but I've tried it and had no luck in the past. So did others nearby. The cats evaded the trap.

These people say they have experience doing it, as well as special traps. I don't want to waste their time, but if they can help it'd be great.

 

[Zvonimir Boban]

 

[acheron_xl]

Zoe and Luca.

 

[uzipukki]

Had to share this. :D

 

[basic_text]

I was going through my Google Photos account this morning and forgot about the RPSCA putting Mr Soft in a baby grow to stop him scratching his neck! :)

 

[vhoanox]

My 10 years old cat just died today. No sign of any major sickness she just went to sleep and never waked up again.

She is a stray kitten that came into my home and never left since. She had one miscarriage and never pregnant again. Of all changing in my life she is my constant. Everytime I came home she was always there.

Missed my Avengers showing tonight, its weird that this morning I was so excited now I dont even care.

I didnt cry or what just feel empty like there is a hole in my heart.

 

[Weltall Zero]

My 10 years old cat just died today. No sign of any major sickness she just went to sleep and never waked up again.

She is a stray kitten that came into my home and never left since. She had one miscarriage and never pregnant again. Of all changing in my life she is my constant. Everytime I came home she was always there.

Missed my Avengers showing tonight, its weird that this morning I was so excited now I dont even care.

I didnt cry or what just feel empty like there is a hole in my heart.

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Oh no. I'm so, so sorry for your loss. I don't know what to say, other than we're here for anything we can do for you. My most heartfelt condolences, and a hug. Feel free to talk more here about her or PM me if you feel like it'll help.

It's been a shitty couple weeks for us too, especially my SO. I wasn't sure whether to post it in the thread since it's not exactly happy; I'll put it in hide tags so people don't have to read it.

You need to reply to this thread in order to see this content.

I'll reply to the other cat pictures a bit later; it doesn't feel appropriate right now.

 

[uzipukki]

My 10 years old cat just died today. No sign of any major sickness she just went to sleep and never waked up again.

She is a stray kitten that came into my home and never left since. She had one miscarriage and never pregnant again. Of all changing in my life she is my constant. Everytime I came home she was always there.

Missed my Avengers showing tonight, its weird that this morning I was so excited now I dont even care.

I didnt cry or what just feel empty like there is a hole in my heart.

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Awh. :( I'm so sorry for your loss. Pets are a part of ones family and it always hurts when something you hold dear passes away. The pain will subside though, it always does!

 

[Hayvic]

Hey cat people. Anyone a clue what these things are in our cats ear? He's an indoor cat and there's nothing peculiar about his behaviour. No bad smell coming from it either. Should I wait it out or is this a "OMG TAKE YOUR CAT TO THE VET!" kind of thing.

Bonus pic:

 

[Darth Pinche]

Looks like ear mites. I had an indoor cat that had them. The vet will give you drops to take care of it. No need to run, but yeah go see the vet.