cats
- UPDATE on Blue
This isn’t the best picture of him, but it shows how well his face is healing. He will most likely have scars. The fur appears to be regrowing now. He has used more than half of his amoxicillin medication for his jaw infection. The veterinarian still wants to pull teeth some time in July. He will need an appointment in June for a second round of antibiotics and an exam of his gums. If the gums look less inflamed, he will be scheduled for surgery. Blue has been more active lately. I assume he feels better. Thank you all for your well wishes and your contributions to his medical fund. I have not touched it since paying for his last appointment. If there is money remaining after his next appointment, and surgery, I will be donating the rest of it, in person, to our local SPCA.
- Uuhhh... help with new cat meeting old cat, or soothe me please
Day 1, panicked cry for help
Hello, I hope it's ok to not post a picture, I'm quite a mess right now. I lack sleep, and I'm stressed, and just stopping panicking, lying down to write this and sleep.
I just brought home, on somewhat of a whim, the goodest and most communicative little boy cat from the street (he looks around or less than 6 months).
And I already have a lovely, cranky, scaredy cat of a 6 year old lady (sterilised).
I made the assumed mistake of letting them meet face to face as soon as I unlocked the door to the apartment.
Anya (old lady cat) froze, and left, scared, and went to her room with her litterbox, and has stayed there since.
The Boy, I left a bit around the apartment, to make sure he actually wants to stay instead of going back to the street (he loves it), took him outside and back once so he could emergency shit because he didn't like the sand in the second litterbox I prepared (maybe too little, I'll get more tomorrow), and now I've closed him in the WC, with a good-sized box with his new fluffy blanket, food and water for a day, and the insufficient but untouched litterbox. And he is very happy in his box, in the closed room.
But in between all that, were the incidents:
A couple of times, The Boy went into Anya's room, found her, sat far away, curled his tail around his feets, and slow-blinked at her. She was not accepting. Deep-mewls, staying as far as possible (cornered), raised hairs on tail, tail circling around her side not touching her body, lowered ears, wide eyes.
He respected the distance.
I put him in the bathroom, closed the door, put her food outside the door to the bathroom. Left him to relax (he is, he is fine). Sat with her in her room for half an hour, so she would relax. She did a bit. Still hasn't left her room, but came for pets after a while, in her room.
So. Given how unprepared I am for this, and how much I love both kittens, what tips do you have for me? What to be careful of?
The situation is not ideal. Is there any condition, where I should be prepared to send The Boy to be an outside cat, for the better of everyone?
I'm dying of sleepiness, ask anything, and any help is welcome. Thank you so much for even reading all this. Now I'm gonna sleep, and I'll be back in the morning.
Day 2 update edit: Okay, everything is smoother now. Further updates in body for everyone interested, but thanks a lot either way, all this info was pretty helpful, directly or indirectly, and just writing this all down has helped immensely with my maddening anxiety with this whole situation.
The boy got vet-ted, he has nothing serious, just a little snot for which I'll be giving him a small antibiotics treatment.
good boy spiel
He is a very good boy, smartest and most communicative and trusting cat I've ever met, and even after the messy vet visit, he still repeatedly chose to come back with me whenever I gave him the choice of returning where I found him, or even just outside the building. No, he wants to be here. That fact helped me calmed down a lot.
Current situation
Currently, the boy has gorged himself full, from the stress of the vet visit no doubt, and is contently sleeping in his box in the closed bathroom. Anya is walking around the house, generally smelling everything, and paying occasional attention to the bathroom door. She is eating and drinking normally every so often, eyeing warily the faraway but visible door. She no longer looks actively scared or stressed, looking ok enough with the current arrangement.
Short term plans
I read Jackson's guides, and they've been really helpful for context and building intuition, but neither my house, nor my situation allow really following them step by step, so we're gonna wing it a bit.
I'm going to have each of them inside their own room (different rooms) for a portion of each day, leaving the other one to roam the entire house for that time. Anya evening to noon (play->sleep->job->relax) time, the boy the rest. I'm lucky I have 5 days off work starting today, to give them the attention they need.
Once I find out why I can't upload pictures, I will show the kitties off, and give an update on their situation.
Thanks everyone!
- This is Jasper, she is our chief of security.
Jasper (so named for her jasperite like patterning, my daughter likes minerals) adopted our family as a skinny little street cat. My daughter begged us for a cat for months and she just kinda showed up which was perfect. Shes got what we think are siblings that come by but shes the runt of the litter as she has remained small while the other kittens are now big bois. I kind of love that. Smol little cat thats tough as nails is the goods.
Apparently she had a place to crash across the street but stopped going as they had too many cats (her previous staff told us all about her and gave us their blessing to take her in). They think she was born and abandoned by momma cat in the alley out back. But she persevered and now she's got a forever home.
Shes street smart, but now lives with us mostly in doors and doesn't seem to mind. If she does go outside its just to hang on the back deck and take in the smells.
I freaking love this cat. Lots of personality, always down for some pets, constantly wants to be with us but can handle her own and will let you know when you're bugging her.
- Meet Charlie. This is his lovey morning face
Stats Age - ~10yrs Weight - 10lbs Claws - present and trimmed twice monthly Disposition - Alpha male, but gets scared of his 7lbs sister when predator mode is activated Favorite food - spicy chip crumbs Intelligence on 1 to 10 - 6 (kind of derpy but knows about twenty words and does tricks for food)
History Charlie was a wild feral trapped in 2017 by a shelter in Maine as part of a spay/neuter program (hence the missing ear tip). When they prepared to release him to the wild again, he had come down with a respiratory infection, and had to be treated for over a month. During that time, he became docile toward some people, so they decided to try to adopt him. They named him Banana. Prospective parents didn't like him because he was indifferent at best or hissing and growling at worst. He also didn't get along with other cats. We're suckers for cats with hard stories, so we scooped him up and brought him home as our only cat (for a time), where he quickly became my buddy. He was 13 pounds when we brought him home, but he's a much more lithe weight now. He lives with a 7 year old female tabby who is tiny and forever kitten. She and Charlie play a lot, and no matter how much he bullies her, she always gets right back in his face and doesn't back down. When he can't find her, he cries; not from loneliness, but fear of where her tiny sharp teeth will come out of hiding from.
I'll be sharing fun pictures of Charlie and his sister from time to time. Enjoy your weekend, Lemmy!
- I can't sit on the couch anymore without one (or both) of these goobers requesting a blanket fort. If they're desperate enough for a fix they'll even share
I would recommend everyone try this. Just sit down, bend your knees, throw a blanket over, and show them the entrance. Just be warned they will not leave unless you make them
- She's at least 15 now, and can't make it to the box.
My elderly relative is already growing frustrated with her. He suggested putting her outside again.
- South Philadelphia police officer and his cat
Cat is named Agent Jack Bauer. He said he picked him up from a junkyard, that he’s indestructible, and has an affinity for gasoline
- My cats 1st birthday is coming up, what kind of treat should I get him?
I was thinking about some raw fish or something like that, he seems to really like salmon. Any suggestions or things to watch out for?
- Update On Blue
I just learned that Blue does indeed need his teeth extracted. He was given another antibiotic injection and amoxicillin. He will need the same medications to be given to him one month from now, as well. The infection must be treated BEFORE the teeth can be extracted, so he is facing cleaning with extraction in about two months. The good news is, the current veterinarian said that the procedure will cost $600 total. I asked him if this includes extractions, and informed him that the previous veterinarians quoted $600 for cleaning only. I asked if he also charged a fee per tooth, in addition to that $600 quote. He said, “no. That’s total.” I am relieved. So now we wait. His visit today was paid for by the medical fundraiser. All of you are amazing human beings. Thank you so much for helping! I have posted the financial and medical details of this recent visit in the comments section. I can’t old more than one photo per post on the mobile app.
