Cat Talk

Wild

Cat Med Tips, Take 2

I have some to share!

A few weeks ago I shared that our beloved middle-aged cat (and my kid's best friend) has heart disease and we have to give him six pills a day, forever. It started out so heartbreaking that we cried afterward. We're not letting the teen give him meds so they keep their loving relationship and he can just resent my husband and me instead, but it's been hard on us all the same. Even without being scratched and toothed (he's done a bit of both things, but not deeply--he's so gentle) it's heartbreaking.

I have some good news, though. He's taking them much better, at least on most days, and while I'm not a vet and this is not medical advice, I can tell you what's worked for us! For starters, I hold him on a surface that matches my height, like the kitchen counter. I say soft, sweet things, like good boy, while I coax him to swallow the pills. Once I get his mouth open, I put my fingers in as deeply as I can to get them down his throat, clamp his mouth shut while still petting and saying soothing words, until he swallows. I end with treats, which he loves.

Sure, he still fights, but it's gotten much easier, and he's not even resentful afterward--it's like he's mildly annoyed now. What works for you in getting your pets to take meds for chronic conditions? Share your tricks i

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Bulletproof, Fire Away

This cat's titanium!

OK, don't REALLY fire away at this cat. It's not bulletproof, but it IS partly made out of titanium! Ryhzik, a cat in Sibera, lost all of his limbs after being abandoned and getting frostbite. The paws weren't able to be saved, but the human who found and adopted the cat agreed to replace them with prostethics thanks to the vet who trated the animal.

The limbs were made with 3-D printing technology out of titanium, which is still mind-boggling in 2019. Ryhzik is now the only cat in the world who has four titanium paws. Since the prosthetics are integrated with the cat's skin and bones, they help him maintain his ability to walk. The cat didn't even try to remove them, which is fantastic.

Have you heard of any other great animal rescue stories lately? Share them in the chat!

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Cats Cuddling Larger Animals

I'm pretty sure a cat would cuddle a T-Rex

Most people could spend whole days watching cat videos, but when cats snuggle up with animals much larger than themselves it's even more compelling. I still can't get over a video I saw once of a cat snuggling a dolphin! In our house, we like to joke that if we were smaller, our cats would just eat us, and maybe that's true, but maybe they really do just love to snuggle everything. Then again, maybe they just love to try and bribe any being into feeding them with cuddles!

If that's so, this endangered black rhino doesn't have a chance against the charms of the adorable black cat giving it some purrrfect cuddles. Can you even turn away from the cuteness in these photos? It makes me want to go grab my cuts to cuddle, but of course they would just huff at me and ignore me until I open a book, or lie down with a sherpa blanket, or attempt to sleep, all activities they MUST be involved with at any cost.

What is the cutest cat cuddle photo or video you've seen? Share it in the chat!

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When A Cat Isn't Himself

Share your tips

Most cat owners have known the heartache of watching your cat not act like himself at some point. Maybe he had an upper respiratory infection (yes, many of us know how terrible and dangerous that can be, while most shelter cats seem to get one at some point), maybe he's going through a period of illness or maybe he's even depressed. It's always important to follow the advice of your pet's doctor and take him to the vet as soon as you see him behaving erratically, feeling poorly or otherwise behaving abnormally.

But what about once you're home, and you're following your vet's advice to the letter and you still don't see your cat's personality? Maybe he's lying around, lethargic or tired-looking. Maybe he's just not doing what he normally does. You should of course take this info to your vet ASAP, but you can also try snuggling with your cat and showing him his favorite things, from treats to toys, to see if he perks up at all. Some medications even change a cat's behavior, and if your cat was hospitalized he may still be adjusting to the return home.

After two days my cat is finally behaving normally again, and I'm so grateful. Just keep in mind that behavior is just as important as symptoms like not eating or throwing up. What do you do when your cat is behaving differently? What has your vet advised? Share your stories in the chat.

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Cat Meds Tips

Please help!

Just days ago, we had to rush my kid's beloved cat to the emergency vet due to respiratory distress. We found out that he has heart disease, might have months to live, and will be on medication for the rest of his life. We're all devastatd. This has been my teen's best friend since age 6. He's the most loving cat I've ever met, and he's the last of our original three cats we had since our kiddo was two (now almost 14). You can imagine how terrible we all feel.

But we're also just happy to have him back home after a night of oxygen treatment. Giving him the meds, however, is another story. Getting them down his throat is so gut-wrenching, not only emotionally, but physically as he struggles, grazes me with his teeth and claws and spits it out. He hasn't broken my skin, but it hurts for a while after. It takes me 10 minutes to get his morning pills in him. This is a cat who doesn't like scraps or treats and I'd love to hear what everyone else does to get their cats to take their medicine--especially if you have a cat with a chronic condition you have to medicate daily.

Please let me know what works for you and your family! I'd love any tips you've got.

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How to Pet a Cat

Scientists say there's a right way

Have you heard that there is a right way--and a wrong way--to pet a cat? According to scientists, there are many signs that indicate whether or not a cat wants to be pet or not, and following your cat's lead is the best way to pet him or her. This seems like common sense to me; everyone I know who has cats knows exactly where their cats enjoy being stroked and they'll even tell guests to avoid certain spots that cats dislike.

It also makes sense on a person to person level; don't we all have ways we prefer being touched (and not)? It does go further, of course, based on how lightly, how long and other factors a cat wants to be touched, so there is some nuance involved, but humans are also like that.

Do you know the way your cat likes to be pet? Do you instruct company to follow your cat's lead? Share your thoughts in the chat.

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Cat Selfies

How do you take yours?

Cat owners (and those owned by cats, if that is the case), how on Earth do you get your kittehs to sit still for a nice family portrait or kitty selfie? If your cat is like any of mine, it's absolutely out of the question. They are certainly too fabulous to have their photos taken by mere mortals, amirite? It turns out there are a few tricks you can try, like this cat attachment for your phone. It may capture your cat's attention for just long enough to snap that shot--or it may make them make a totally obnoxious face that will look goofy in your photo. Either way, you can try it.

You could also try getting the photo while you're snuggling and someone else could take it for you, which seems to work best in my house. That's not exactly a selfie, but it's a better way to make your cat comfortable while getting a photo. You could also make your own attachments, with anything from a feather to a pipe cleaner, which my cats go gaga over.

How do you get your cats to stay in the picture? Share your ideas and tips in the chat.

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Round-Faced Cat Cutie

Zuu will make you laugh and steal your heart!

There are so many cute cats and dogs on Instagram these days that another one may not sound that exciting at first, but I promise that Zuu is definitely something unique! Zuu is a cat with an almost perfectly round face, and the cat's adorable cotton ball-like appearance is stealing everyone's heart. The cat looks like a forest spirit from a Studio Ghibli movie rather than a house cat!

Zuu also lives with a cat named Bocco who is super cute in other ways. What's really funny is that the cats' owners originally set up the account for the hedgehogs of the house, but a few photos of the cats stole the show and are now the most popular animals on the account.

Have you seen any other unique cats this week? Share them in the chat.

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