First Time worrier - Need some advice.

[Stezzle]

Hi Stezzle 

I echo what Helen said. At 14 Candy definitely needs a dental by the sound of it. A tooth stub can become infected and cause a lot of pain. Cat's teeth have the same nerves as human teeth... so would Candy's broken stub hurt you if it were your mouth? 

Licky sounds like he wants more fusses from you.  One of mine does that... if she feels she's not getting enough attention she will grab hold of my hand and pull it toward her. 

What diet is Katie on? As they get older, everything gets slower and they struggle to tolerate certain foods. She should be on a Senior diet at that age. They also struggle to get to the loo in time. I had a grannie like that. She would rise from her chair and head toward the bathroom and it was pot luck if her legs could get her there before it was too late. 

Katie is on whiskas - The vet has told me to mush the food up to make it easier for her to eat but apart from that the has said her food is ok. I have considered the Whiskas Senior food but the vet said it does not make much difference and with two other cats, He does not see the need to upset the other two's digestion.

Candy - who is 13 and not 14 as you stated, has a vet appointment and because i have to mush the food for Katie, Candy is doing well to eat. We didn't notice she had infact lost her tooth til the other day as Candy hates fuss apart from my bf fuss, and shes hardly in the house to get a proper look at. She has not complained or made a fuss about the loss of the tooth and continues to eat as normal. So hopefully the vet can help her out.

As for Licky - he has started to sleep in between myself and my boyfriend so we are looking maybe putting the radio on in the room where the cats normally sleep so that he does not feel that alone at night.

As for Katie - She isnt coming short to going the toilet, its just the tablets the vet has given her that is causing a "running bum" she never had this problem before and its a common side effect of the tablets.
She also wont stop eating and we found her yday trying to eat a whole chunk of chicken off the left over roast. She was eating it whole, throwing it back up and then trying to eat it again. She does not seem to understand that she needs to slow down with her food and that she is never going to run out as we always make sure they have food in the bowls.

[Pinkbear (Julie)]

Hi Stezzle 

I echo what Helen said. At 14 Candy definitely needs a dental by the sound of it. A tooth stub can become infected and cause a lot of pain. Cat's teeth have the same nerves as human teeth... so would Candy's broken stub hurt you if it were your mouth? 

Licky sounds like he wants more fusses from you.  One of mine does that... if she feels she's not getting enough attention she will grab hold of my hand and pull it toward her. 

What diet is Katie on? As they get older, everything gets slower and they struggle to tolerate certain foods. She should be on a Senior diet at that age. They also struggle to get to the loo in time. I had a grannie like that. She would rise from her chair and head toward the bathroom and it was pot luck if her legs could get her there before it was too late. 

[Stezzle]

Hey Helen,

Thank you for the welcome and all the tips you have given me.

Candy is booked into the vets so that is getting sorted. She does not seem to be in any pain so i am hoping it is just an infection or something.

When the Licky thing. He gets both paws to hold my hand and then he mouths or nibbles my hand. Sometimes I don't think he realises how hard or how much he has put his claws into my hand, saying that when i react and hold my hand because he has hurt me or caused a deep scratch he will get up and come over, sniff my hand and then lick where he has been rough. So i think its him just being friendly.

Thanks for the tips. xx

[Tiggy's Mum]

  to Purrs Stezzle

Lots of points raised there but you sound like a great and very responsible 'new' cat owner 

Firstly, hope that Katie is better soon. It's worth asking your vet about pro-biotics as cats can get 'runny bums' just the same as humans when they have antibiotics. I've used Lacto-B - a pet probiotic - with great success in the past, you can get it from any online pet pharmacy relatively inexpensively but as you need it now rather than in a few days it's prob best to get it direct from your vet if he/she stocks it.

With regards cleaning, when my cats have had the odd diarrhoea related accident I've cleaned thoroughly with baby wipes and have never had problems with them going there again as the reason they 'went' there in the first place was purely an accident due to diarrhoea. I have read that cleaning with biological ie not Non-Bio washing powder solution works as the enzymes destroy the bacteria.

Definitely worth getting Candy checked over at the vets as teeth issues can cause them lots of discomfort and really affect their quality of life.

Licky sounds like he might be very shy but it defo sounds like you have won his trust  When you say Licky is 'pawing you with his claws' do you mean he is sort of paddling with them? This is something cats do when they're very relaxed so a good sign although it can hurt! I clip my cats claws as they both do this loads and if they had super-sharp claws I just couldn't let them do it.

[Stezzle]

Hello peeps!

i am new here so i am sorry if these issues are a repeat or in the wrong place etc.


I have recently moved in my bf who has three cats, Before we moved in together i spent a year basically forming bonds with each cat and learning about looking after them and their different needs and personalities - my choice to do this. I've never had cats before.

The three cats are Katie - 17years old (roughly), Candy - 13years old and her twin Brother Licky also 13years old.


Recently had to take Katie to the vets because we noticed she wasn't eating anything really and anything she did eat would come back up. I therefore went the vet who took bloods and he doesn't know what is the reason but has given me antibiotics to give her. So started the treatment and now she wont stop eating but has loose stools for the past day - was told this is a side effect. Shes sometimes to court short and ended up pooing on the floor instead of a litter box. What is the best way to clean it up as i dont want the other cats thinking its ok to behaviour this way and think its ok to poo there also.

Candy - Is the advantageous one, who wont sit still. She goes through the kitchen window and within 5 minutes shes coming through the bedroom window - anyway to stop her doing this? Also i have recently noticed that shes lost a fair few small teeth and her front left tooth, which i think looks like the socket is turning black, is this anything to worry about? She is eating with a little differicult and seems to slobber a bit but apart from that seems happy within herself.

As for Licky - I believes he had depression, which my bf just laugh at me for, Licky seemed to hide in the corner, wouldn't move or interact with anything and would only eat when no one was in the house or were asleep. Now i've managed to form a relationship with him and he has come out of his shell completely. When i go to work about 90% he will be sitting in the front window for my return, in which he come meowing to the door when i come in. He also likes belly tickles so he comes and sits next to me in bed and lays on his back for tickles. Recently though he has started pawing my hand with his claws - not fully and nibbling my hand. Is this normal? I've heard its a sign of affection? its rather scares me because i dont know what it means and if its in a positive or negative way.
Also he has started to pick up Candy's trick of going out one door and coming through the house another way within minutes. Also today he has been a rather lazy cat and i was worried as he had not eaten since yday evening. I found him laying under the table outside. He seemed rather sleepy but i took him water and a bit of food because it was a rather hot day and therefore worried about his well being. Was i ok to do this?

Sorry about all this but like i said i have never had cats and my bf sort of left me to deal with them and think i am over reacting to everything. He also doesn't think any of these things are that serious.

Thanks in advance for any help. xxx