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Rainbow Bridge - In Loving Memory / Sky - 2006 to September 7th 2023

« Last post by Sootyca on September 08, 2023, 19:37:43 PM »

Haven't been here for a while but it seemed appropriate to post a memorial for my beautiful Sky on the board that brought her into my life.

Without Purrs I wouldn't have been blessed with her in my life for 13 years. It's funny, reading back on the post how she actually was when she was younger. I had forgotten how playful she was.

Diagnosed with diabetes in 2016, she managed the daily injections and testing with no problems. Nearly lost her a few times to hypos but she pulled through with a determined spirit. She had bouts of cystitis, pain from arthritis and latterly possible lung and early stage heart failure. She never complained, was never bad tempered and just got on with life.

But, Sky was more than the illnesses that she endured. She was a beautiful loving spirit who tolerated everything that was done to her but knew her own mind. She was a proper cat who loved her food and sleeping in front of the fire or on the bed. Food had to be served at the exact same time every day and she loved having me working from home so she had more attention every day. How I shall miss her purring behind me to remind me it's time for food. How I shall miss her constant washing me. She was happy with very little - company of the people she loved, food and warmth.

Never a snuggly cat, she let me pick her up and cuddle her on her final morning.

I had always told her to let me know when she had had enough - she would always lick me but on the morning that I had her booked in for the vets she didn't. She was deteriorating and as hard as it was, the kindest thing was to let her go before she began to suffer more.

She left the world in much the same way she lived, calmly and with dignity and went to sleep peacefully at the vets that had cared for her for so long. How I shall miss her.

https://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php?topic=30727.0
https://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php?topic=30835.0

Health & Behaviour General / Re: Soiling outside the litter box

« Last post by Frances on September 06, 2023, 20:39:08 PM »

Quote from: papa cat on September 06, 2023, 08:45:17 AM

but I do wonder if it was this very problem that caused her to be given up to Cat's Protection.

I also wondered this

.

I had a phantom pooper in random places for several months until I discovered James (RIP

) pooping in the bath. He had arthritis but was otherwise medically fit and nothing had changed in his environment. He had two different vets at the time and I discussed it with each of them but none of us could work out why he suddenly started this behaviour. When he became blind in his final year he could no longer find his litter tray so I accepted that daily poo (and pee) hunts were the new normal

.

I don't think Panda is being wilful - something is driving her to poo outside her litter tray as a sign that all is not right in her world. Sadly this could well be something in her past that you will never discover. Cats do choose their slaves

and she has found someone who can cope with her "issues"

Health & Behaviour General / Re: Soiling outside the litter box

« Last post by papa cat on September 06, 2023, 08:45:17 AM »

Oddly enough I am familiar with dealing with this sort of thing as one of my previous cats also had a bowel problem and wherever he sat or lay he leaked liquid poo. He couldn't help it!
When he knew he needed to go, he went to the litter box so it wasn't wilful or deliberate (like this new cat) At least with this cat it is solid and easy to scoop up.

She doesn't do it every day (but it's nearly every day) and I can't figure out a reason for that inconsistency!!

Nothing I have done, (and I have tried a few more things since my original post) has made her use a litter box instead.
I guess I am just have to leave the plastic runner down so it's easy to clean up (and be cautious when I walk near the front door!!

I have no knowledge of her history before she went into rescue, but I do wonder if it was this very problem that caused her to be given up to Cat's Protection.
I can imagine a family with young children wouldn't want such a thing happening AT ALL whereas I can cope with it. I'd prefer not to, but I can

Health & Behaviour General / Re: Soiling outside the litter box

« Last post by Frances on September 06, 2023, 00:40:38 AM »

I do sympathise papa cat. One of mine has had a gut problem which lead to him pooing outside the litter trays (three of them plus the Great Outdoors). He initially had several places but finally settled on, you’ve guessed it, the door mat by the front door

. Coir matting is a

to clean. I put down XXL puppy pads to replace the mat.

He is currently on steroids which has helped the gut problem. I haven’t put the mat back yet as just as I think he’s now out of the habit of pooing by the front door he uses the puppy pad

.

I’ve always considered a single instance of toileting outside of a tray to be a cat’s way of communicating that they have a problem; the tricky bit is working out what that is. If you are sure Panda has no medical issues then it’s probably behavioural and has now become a habit, particularly if she was doing it in rescue (and possibly before that?).

Sorry I can’t offer any actual solutions other than keep watching her and be patient.

Health & Behaviour General / Re: Flea treatment Comfortis or injection?

« Last post by Liz on September 03, 2023, 20:16:32 PM »

Covenia is the the injectable treatment and we have been using it for the last thirty years on ours as we had a lot of ferals and its so much easier never had any issues with it and totally recommend it

Health & Behaviour General / Re: cat vaccinations

« Last post by Desley (booktigger) on September 03, 2023, 19:59:44 PM »

A vet will probably insist they are started from scratch. Does he go out?

Health & Behaviour General / cat vaccinations

« Last post by cathycat on September 02, 2023, 21:40:08 PM »

I wonder if anyone can help? I cant seem to find the answer online
My elderly neighbour has a cat who is about 10 years old. She is confused about his vaccination status. So we found a vaccination certificate and it seems he was given the double initial dose 2 weeks apart in 2016 (I dont know why nothing before then) but she cant remember if he has had anything since. (It seems unlikely tbh) I have offered to take him for a vaccination to update him. She is worried about cost, To put her mind at rest (?) will he need to start again with the double dose or have one of the annual ones? I can check with the vet on Monday of course but she will worry constantly until then.She doesn't have family to help
Thanks in advance.

Health & Behaviour General / Re: Flea treatment Comfortis or injection?

« Last post by Desley (booktigger) on September 02, 2023, 19:12:03 PM »

I've only used the tablets, but when I used them, each tablet was only for 2kg, so the choice was either 2.5 tablets for my 5ish kg cat, or half a dog one, I've not used it on a cat since so don't know if that has improved, he had a reaction to spot ons, so we had to use an alternative, I personally prefer spot ons to the tablets.

Health & Behaviour General / Flea treatment Comfortis or injection?

« Last post by cathycat on September 02, 2023, 10:06:49 AM »

Hi all.
My cat Alfie has just recovered from a mild dose of cat flu (he is vaccinated). He's well but it has left him with sensitive eyes. I had delayed his Advocate spot on flea treatment this time for 3 weeks while he was recovering. The delay has meant fleas have emerged

so I decided I really needed to give him his Advocate but because his eyes are sensitive he freaked out (the smell of it?) and I don't think any treatment actually made contact with him but I'm not sure.
I don't want to use it again on him in the future as it really upset him so I'm looking into either Comfortis tablets or the injection that lasts 6 months, I'd love some feedback on either of these if anyone has experience.
Do I need to wait a month before giving him either of these because I'm not sure if any Advocate made contact with him?
Thanks

Health & Behaviour General / Soiling outside the litter box

« Last post by papa cat on August 27, 2023, 23:28:38 PM »

I recently got 2 cats from Cat's Protection to replace mine that died (at different times) a while back.
Both are female, a bonded pair, 3.5 years old, named Panda (black and white) and Nancy (tabby)

I was advised before they came that Panda had the habit of pooing outside the litter box. For about 2 weeks she didn't do that, but she has started it now and always in the same place, behind the front door on the door mat
I have tried putting a covered then an uncovered litter tray there and a then very shallow plant tray with litter in it, in that spot, but she did it next to it on the mat.
She is using the litter trays to pee in. ( I have 4 in total throughout my flat)
To enable me to clean it up easily I moved the doormat and replaced it with a plastic carpet runner so I can scoop it up easily. She hasn't done it on the doormat since, she is doing it on the plastic runner, so it would seem that it's the locaton that matters to her and not the door mat.

I should add that in every other way they are both very happy and contented and affectionate so I don't think it's an insecurity problem

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I might solve this problem ?