The Cat Thread

Stand firm or forever bear the shame of being ordered around by a cat

It's one of the most difficult things you can do in your life.

When I was born my parents had a cat. She was born right before I was born. She became older and older and when she was 19, she was blind and deaf. She still wanted to sleep on my lap, getting petted and she purred so loud. She went crazy when you put her in front of her favorite wet food. She loved it. She had kidney issues and sometimes lost some urine on the floor but she was still able to find her litter box for her normal business. We did block the stairs otherwise she would go up and fall back down. My father wanted to get her put down when she went blind but she was so happy. So she lived about half a year being a happy blind kitty. In the last week I saw she went bad. She wouldn't come out of her basket anymore. On Saturday, even I saw it was best to put her down. We were planning to go to the vet on Monday morning at opening time of the vet. On Sunday evening, hours before the vet appointment, near her 20th birthday, she died in my arms. That was a bit over 10 years ago. I still have her picture hanging on my wall.

I seriously hope she will get better. Seeing a loved one in pain is very very difficult. It's the worst feeling in the world if you have to make a decision like that. It's not a pet. It's your friend, your family. Sometimes, putting a cat down can prevent pain and misery. I hope you make the right choice, no matter what it is.

Very, very touching story, thanks for sharing.

Yes, these are tough decisions.
Take care @TW !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=83&v=TPJWuImLbtc

yap. I am only a not good enough slave..

The princess' fur is rather matted on the left side near her bum. She won't let me pick it or brush it. I mean her vet taught me how to pick it apart to not cause her pain but nah, the princess is not having it. Any suggestion?

Wrap in towel?

Was at a friends parents house over the weekend and woke on sunday morning, and made the tea/coffee and made toast for everyone. Left the butter knife out near the old cats bed as Daisy liked the taste of butter. How ingrained is that behaviour? Not mentioning the fact that daisy butter cat)died 8 years ago.

Here is a better idea, you come round to hold her down, so I can pick away?

On a serious note, she won't let me wrap her in anything...

No, as she will hate me for ever and I will only appear to steal all of your cats love ;)

Is there a cat equivalent of calpol?

better she hates you then me... thats the whole idea. ;-)

Feliway?

Ketamine?

Catamine?

fixed.

I've been cat sitting for the last few days. Cat number 3 is very camera shy.

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like pieces of felt? My cat has that around her bum all the time.

I just get her on my lap and keep petting her. Then I carefully, with my non-petting-hand, grab a pair of scissors and carefully cut the pieces out. Takes a while with mine but it works. She's happier afterwards and it's just hair, it will grow back. I also cut the hair on her ass all the time. she's got long hair for a short haired cat and it sometimes sticks there.

Catnip, get the cat stoned...

I did think about it, but I am so worried that I might end up cutting her skin, not that I dont trust myself with a pair of scissors, but I dont trust her to stay still... she moves a lot evern when sat on my lap relaxing. Any volunteer to hold her down for me? Can pay you in beer and cake!

From semi-personal experience I wouldn't use scissors unless it's a last resort. In this case the cat didn't even react when the skin was cut (and it's not a placid one that lets you do anything to her!) and the wound wasn't visible until later on when she started licking it.

The vet wasn't overly critical thankfully but did repeat over and over "never, ever, ever, ever... use scissors". He then used a little beard trimmer (which I thought would terrify her) and she was fine with it...

@ExTra we use all sorts of dematting implements here, but the one I've had most success with is one of these.

When Patch is feeling relaxed, all you have to do is slide the plastic hook into, or under the knot, then use the blade inside to slice through it. If Patch decides to run off, it won't do her any harm. If you hold onto it as she moves, all it will do is cut through the knot, and wont go near her skin.

It might take a few attempts, depending on how knotted she is :-)

Matt Splitter

^ I shall give this a go.

Thanks for all the advice, guys...

Just ordered one, thanks BN

@Dammit - Higgs and James update?

beard trimmer

Clippers have always served me best too.

Scissors have always been a disaster.

Motty is 3yrs as close to today as I can work out.....Fresh best chicken breast cooling for her B-day tea.

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I don't put it in her fur. I put he scissors flat on her fur and only cut the top off. After doing that a few times, you get lower and lower in a safe way (I use short scissors) and only when she's laying still.

Was planning on buying a portable beard trimmer, might that.

p.s. is there any known reason why my cat is acting weird? She's meowing and screaming when I'm in bed, very very loudly while running around the house. When I open the bedroom door she runs towards me, jumps on the bed and is acting like she hasn't seen me in weeks. Bumping her head into me, licking my forehead. Totally adorable. Lasts about 2 minutes and then she walks out again. She does that every evening when I go to bed and every morning after my alarm bells start ringing. This started a few weeks ago.

If it's not a cry for help, like she is still eating, drinking, doing her busines normally etc, then she is just being a cat. Mine does it sometimes. Sometimes wehn she sees me she runs a mile then comes towards me meowing endlessly until she realises I will not respond until I am out of bed.

All cats are weird.