Cat Talk

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

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!

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.