Maybe try a different kitty litter

Here's my kitty girl! [2008-11-13]
This is my kitty, Charlotte. She's an 8 or 9 year old Exotic Shorthaired Persian.

Here's my kitty, Tweak [2008-10-09]
We call him Tweak because he always freaks out about everything! This is when he was 8 weeks old

New litter of kitties..in my CAR [2008-09-18]
So we were getting ready to go out last night and as my son is getting in the car, he sees one of the outdoor cats under the front seat...in the process of giving birth. (I left my window down after telling everyone else to keep theirs up so the cats would stay out!) I now have 4 teeny tiny kittens under my car seat. My question is would be all right to move them? Thankfully I don I've had a lot of cats over the years, but never ran into this before.

Kitty ringworm? [2008-09-04]
I need some advice from all the cat experts out there. A week ago a very nice black male kitty adopted us and since he was so mellow and got along with our dog, we decided to keep him. I took him to the vet for the first time last night to get checked out and get shots. The doctor noticed an area between his shoulder blades that was a little flaky and a little fur was starting to come off. She thought it might possibly be ringworm but couldn't tell yet. Honestly, I didn't even notice this (and I've been petting kitty a lot) until she pointed it out, and it really didn't start flaking until we got to the vet. Today in the same area he has a very small patch of hair loss and still has some flaking but I don't see a lesion like ringworm. Could it be that the lesion just hasn't shown up yet? If it is ringworm, what can I use on it without having to go back to the vet? I already spent a lot of money there yesterday and I do want to take care of kitty, but we do have limited funds. Oh yes, and to my surprise, this kitty who has been outdoors for who knows how long is very clean and actually does not have fleas! And yes, we did try to find his owner, but no one has called. Any advice is appreciated! Thanks!

Where do you keep your cat's litter box? [2008-07-25]
And what do you put under/around it to catch the stray litter that gets dragged out? Mine is in the laundry room which is in the back of the house. I'm not looking to move it, but I am looking for ideas to keep the litter somewhat contained. My fatkitty just gets in there and tosses the stuff around. He is sooo messy!

Clumping litter does not require a liner [2008-06-04]
Mine hated any lining in their box and tore it scratching to cover anyway. I use clumping litter only, which doesn't require a liner. Litter absorbs it before it hits the bottom. Cats can be finicky about the types of litter. I left A&H alone because of the dust it has, even thought it's not supposed to have. I use Tidy Cat, clumping type, and they go for that with no problem.

Maybe try a different kitty litter [2008-06-02]
We took in a stray some years ago. We had to get her to use a litter box because we were moving. She hated the litter box, but then we changed from regular kitty litter to Arm & Hammer Super scoop (the kind where the urine and poopies ball up and easy to pick out). The litter is soft and she really loves it (I think maybe also it was soft like the outside dirt she used to go in). As a side note, it smells great and when you walk in the house you cannot tell we have a cat or litter box.

Oh, my gosh, it's my kitty's twin!!! sm [2008-02-19]
your cat look's just like my Pumpkinkitty!!!

this kitty has a plastic bag and Q-tip [2008-02-19]
obsession. He eats plastic bags (I know it's not good for him). No matter how hard I try to keep them away from him, he finds them. It's like he has radar. Luckily we haven't had any clogs in his system from it. As for the Q-tips. He digs those out of the bathroom trash and carries them around (gross I know) and them ultimately drowns them in his water bowl. He's somewhat of a freak too.

Thanks, what a nice kitty! [2008-02-18]
NM

Very cute,but he looks like Kitty of the Damned. (That was [2008-02-18]
xx

Ouch! Poor kitty! [2008-02-07]
I know when I tore mine I was in agony...heck, even years later it still throbs and aches when it I have absolutely no advice. I Just wanted to offer up my

What the life this kitty cat has! [2008-02-07]
Oh and I love your blanket on your bed? Can I have that? It looks so luxurious especially this time of night after typing all day! What a life! I want to be a cat in my next life! This is our cat! This is around the holidays, and my 7-year-old thought she She does like having pictures taken though! Hope your cat feels better soon; she is just beautiful! GET WELL SOON AIDA!

Cut back on food. Not like kitty can open fridge and [2008-01-18]
x

That must be a BIG kitty. Do you have a picture? [2008-01-18]
NM

Oh, and post photo of cat with sleek abs, so kitty [2008-01-18]
xx

And buy kitty nice work out clothes as incentive. [2008-01-18]
x

Bless you and your kitty [2008-01-08]
We lost our 18-yo girl two years ago to renal failure. She didn you'll never regret it.

What a talented kitty. Very [2007-12-31]
xx

Hmm, I wonder if the talented kitty above [2007-12-31]
xx

Totally bury them in cat litter for a few weeks. Really works! Use [2007-10-29]
s

So precious...now about this litter for dogs [2007-10-29]
What is the name of it and where can I find it? I have never heard of litter for dogs. This is just the best news I have heard all day!

I think you were supposed to use CLEAN, NEW cat litter! nm [2007-10-29]
x

Litter Box Issues [2007-10-24]
She is showing classic signs ofa UTI. She should be checked out by a vet as urinary issues can be deadly in cats if not treated as soon as possible. I live in the country and all my cats have always been indoor cats. One lived to the age of 21. What is your reasoning for allowing her to roam outside? Is she UTD with vaccinations? (as in all her kitty vaccs, nothing more)

Kitty cat question. I am a first time cat owner and need [2007-10-23]
She was litter box trained and then started spending more time outside (we live in the country) and stopped using the box. She probably has not used the box in 3 or 4 months. Just going outside. Now last night she went in the floor of my bedroom, and again today!! UGH. Now question - Do I put her litter box in my room in the spot where she went, just for a while and then can I move it. If I cant move it later, I dont want to put it here. Or do I leave the box where it is and put her in it tonight? Or do I leave her out at night? I just dont know what to do. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Here's my kitty girl! [2008-11-13]
This is my kitty, Charlotte. She's an 8 or 9 year old Exotic Shorthaired Persian.

Pumba. Reminds of Lion King. LOL...sm [2008-11-12]
She is a pretty kitty and sitting under the tree like she is a gift for someone. lol

I can see why some folks are giving up their pets [2008-11-08]
I just took Spot and Nerys to the vet for routine senior kitty blood checks. I also got Nerys a refill on her prednisalone. It cost $325. Those furballs had better appreciate it tonight when I shove pills down their throats.

Why do [2008-11-03]
the kids leave an empty pitcher of Kool-Aid in the fridge? Why does the cat go in the litter box the minute I clean it out? Why is everything set on the edge of the counter? No one wants to really commit to using the counter? Why is the honey not near the condiments or PBJ at the grocery store? Why is it in the exotic isle? Since when did honey become exotic?

How about regular old-fashioned wax furniture polish? sm [2008-10-31]
Beware, Kitty might skid on that towel and dig in with her claws to steady herself. It's very nice of you to be kitty sitting!

How to get paw prints off polished furniture [2008-10-30]
I have a small mahogany chest next to my front door. My son's girlfriend's cat is living with us temporarily while his owner moves into her new house. She's a lovely cat, but she likes to hop up on the mahogany near the front door to see who is coming and going. She's left lots of paw prints on the shiny surface. I tried polishing with pledge. I tried cleaning with Pergo wood floor cleaner, and I've tried something called Cabinet Magic, a cleaner for wood cabinets. I've gotten a lot of the prints up, but there are a few still there. I've put a towel over the surface until Kitty moves to her own home this weekend. But how can I get those last smudgy prints off my shiny wood surface?

OMG! I wish I'd thought of that!!!!! [2008-10-28]
Hmmm. I wonder if the Tootsie-Roll would help to potty-train my wayward kitty? (or, it might just teach her to eat poop.) Still, worth a try!

Has anyone here trained (haha!) a cat to stay in backyard? [2008-10-18]
This is a long shot, but here goes: I adopted a 1-year-old cat from the pound 6 months ago. The original plan was to keep him indoors but a couple of times he got outside; however, he stayed in the backyard. Unfortunately, he trained me to let him out for a couple hours a day and started wandering beyond the yard. For right now, he is indoors only but it is pitiful watching him stare out the windows and meowing. My last cat trained himself to stay in the backyard and never wandered. Does anyone know of any tricks to teach this new guy? Please do notcriticize me for letting him out. I am well aware of all the dangers but I do not live near traffic or dogs other than my own, and he is only out for a short time, comes in when I tap on his food dish. He obviously does not use theneighborsas a toilet--a well-used litter box is a testament to that. Thanks for any ideas.

Awww..sm [2008-10-15]
Isn

It's a male...sm [2008-10-15]
I have a big orange tabby right now who is a male and I had one about 15 years ago, who was also a male. BTW, the mother of this litter is a calico and I have a female calico in the house.

I use checks, but have streamlined the process - sm [2008-10-11]
by filling out everything but the amount (date, signature, phone number) on the check, & entering all info. into my check register except the amount, before even leaving for the store. Check is torn out, and in my wallet where I can just pull it out, write in the total, hand it to the cashier, and take off as soon as she gives me the receipt. Nowadays their computer/cash machine setup takes only seconds to verify the check. I usually wait to fill in the amount in the check register until I get home. It's weird, but often I find it takes longer to pay with money than it does with a check. (Especially if I have a bunch of change and I'm trying to pay with the exact amount.) That seems to freak people out in line even more than using a check. Also, nowadays the checker ends up doing the bagging, too (seems the stores have cut WAY back on hiring baggers.) So as he or she finishes each bag, I put it in the cart from where I'm standing, so he or she doesn't have to walk around the counter to do it. And I grab things like milk jugs, big 12-pack soft-drink cartons, cat litter, and other big things that don't really need a bag. Anyway, I find doing just those few things seems to get me through the line pretty fast.

Dina [2008-10-06]
Purebred with papers, supposedly a reputable breeder well known on the show circuit. We had her spayed at 6 months old because we were not interested in showing or breedingher.We paid a lot for her so did some research after the fact and found out the mother was put down shortly after this litter of pups were sold for fighting with other dogs the people owned. There was no way we could have known this beforehand, she seemed very nice theone time we met her, only2 years old. They did not inform us of the motherthey only had her about 6 months, and they were keeping her separate from the other dogs (gee, I wonder why?). We did have a well-writtencontract, the usual you get from a reputable breeder,and that bit them in the end; we did get our money back and then some to keep it quiet and out of court.The father was and still isa sweetheart at the ripe old age of 13. He belongs to a friend of mine and that is why we bought one of his pups. This is a debate that will never end. I am not bitter against the breed, and I do not get angry with peoplewith a different opinion, Ijust want people to know what they may be letting themselves in for as you never know what you are getting. I suppose this is true of any breed, but in my experience the Pitbull reputation rang true and, just asno onecould have convinced me a dog raised as she was could change overnight into a killing machine, now no one can convince me that these dogs are not different than other breeds in their capability to be verydangerous. I was educated the hard way, ashave been many other Pitbull owners before me.Ido not wish to see anyone go through what we did, not to mention the owner of thedogvery badlyinjured by our dog and crippled for life.That is a trauma that can never be gotten over. By the way, the attack was totally unprovoked in front of 4 witnesses including myself and the owner of the other dog, a 2-year-old Border Collie mix minding his own business. After the attack was stopped, our dog was totally out of it, like she got off on it or something, and tried to go for the ducks before we corraled her. Ifyou had been there,knownthe way she was before,I think youmight feel a little different about what these dogs are capableof.Ittook hours for her toreturn to normal. Needless to say, she never returned home.That day will haunt me forever. An autopsy revealed no evidence of any health issues like brain tumor or anything else that could explain her change in behavior. The vet said that some dogs, especially of a breed bred for fighting, once they get a taste of blood it turns on this killerinstinct and you never know how close to the surface that instinct is in a dog until it is too late. Sorry for the book, just trying to explain where I am coming from and that I am speaking from personal experience.

I think you have to move them [2008-09-18]
I'd make a little nest out of an old towel, handle them as little as possible, put them in the towel and move the towel nest some place more suitable. I've moved a litter already, but the mother cat moved them again, so don't be surprised if where you put them doesn't suit her. Make sure she watches where you put them and try to pet her so your smell is on her as well as the kittens.

Awwwwww! [2008-09-18]
Makes me want another kitty! How sweet. What a good momma cat you have there. :)

Kitty ringworm? [2008-09-04]
I need some advice from all the cat experts out there. A week ago a very nice black male kitty adopted us and since he was so mellow and got along with our dog, we decided to keep him. I took him to the vet for the first time last night to get checked out and get shots. The doctor noticed an area between his shoulder blades that was a little flaky and a little fur was starting to come off. She thought it might possibly be ringworm but couldn't tell yet. Honestly, I didn't even notice this (and I've been petting kitty a lot) until she pointed it out, and it really didn't start flaking until we got to the vet. Today in the same area he has a very small patch of hair loss and still has some flaking but I don't see a lesion like ringworm. Could it be that the lesion just hasn't shown up yet? If it is ringworm, what can I use on it without having to go back to the vet? I already spent a lot of money there yesterday and I do want to take care of kitty, but we do have limited funds. Oh yes, and to my surprise, this kitty who has been outdoors for who knows how long is very clean and actually does not have fleas! And yes, we did try to find his owner, but no one has called. Any advice is appreciated! Thanks!

Mine are mutts! (picture included!) [2008-08-29]
and I love them to pieces! They couldn't be more different for sure though. I adopted them both, Bailey was left on the porch of the Humane Society at like 5 weeks old and he is my little disaster. (white one) My trainer thinks he is border collie/jack russell mix and he DEFINITELY has the personality of a jack russell, but at 55 pounds it's not easy to deal with his excitement!!! I got him first and his jealousy for his adopted sis flares up every time someone pets her and not him! Her name is Rylee and her mom was on scene a full bred American Bulldog at 100 pounds, but no known father. She was the runt of the litter and is now 55 pounds also and I adore her, she is the absolute SWEETEST dog you will ever meet. They both think they are lap dogs though. What would I do without my furry creature best friends!! :)

For the pet owners: Is pet insurance worth getting? [2008-08-21]
I know there are a lot of pet owners on the Gab board so I thought I would ask. I am wondering if pet insurance is worth getting? I have one 7-year-old kitty, a 2-year-old Pomeranian, and a 4-year-old chihuahua mix. Princess, my pom, broke her foot a couple of months ago by jumping about two feet to the concrete from my lap. I usually don't take her outside, and I think she just landed wrong. It cost me about $700 get her to the vet and have a splint put on and luckily it healed and she didn't need pins. I am really thinking about it because I know pets can get pretty expensive when you have to keep taking them to the vet. Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me.

Need some advice about possible animal abuse sm (this is long) [2008-08-19]
my son rode school bus home with afriend to the friendhouse last friday (i had never been to their house, but his friend has been here once and i these people some like really nice people, very religious. i went to pick up my son friday evening and was a little shocked. had a weird vibe about the dad right off the bat. i dontheir house was ok, but i felt dirty when i left. he has a couple of dogs, one he says he doesn seems very lovable) and another dog that has puppies and he bragged listened to him very well. when i was getting ready to leave, this momma dog comes around to the front and seemed extremely scared, especially when he was by her. he was trying to show me how good his dog listened to him. but she was putting her head down, slouching down like he it made me feel so uncomfortable. i so the next day my son goes back for a b-day party. on the way to their house, my son tells me that the dad kicked the momma dog because she was eating the cat (the cat is really skinny too). when i got to the house i was able to get a better look at this dog because it was daylight and the poor thing looks so unhappy and her rear end area looks like her hair is coming off, i don i just felt so helpless for this dog. i called my vet office and asked them who can i call if i suspect animal abuse (we don i but the look on the dog oh, another thing, when i was leaving there friday evening i said something about keeping the kittens (yes, they have kittens too) away so i don so my question is do i get a hold of the police and tell them this???? i just want the dogs taken away. i want to be anonymous. i don the dad told me that this is the third litter of puppies for this momma dog since last november, and if he finds out who the daddy is ........ well i thought to myself, why don i was furious! i thought about writing a letter to the police station. what do you all think? thanks

memories of [2008-08-16]
sitting at grandparents on the back steps (very wide to fit the porch) and eating watermelon, or watching my dad and brothers taking turns cranking the ice cream machine and all making fun of each other for being too weak. It was so quiet you could hear the windmill squeak, very restful. Hearing stories of when Daddy and his three brothers were young and took turns jumping out of the barn hayloft with a parachute made from one of grandma's good white sheets which ripped. Daddy said he hugged that limp sheet all the way to the ground. Uncle Joe said they let him go first because it was his idea, but they all got a whipping for it. At my other grandparents, Mother and her sister talked about skating all over Austin jumping the cracks in the sidewalks. I had to be quiet when John Cameron Swazy was on (Timex keeps on ticking) or Billy Graham. Going to the barbershop (Papa was a barber) for haircuts. sitting on the porch snapping beans or peas. Aunt Nell and Uncle Frank lived in the country, feather tick mattresses and bolsters, chamber pots and outhouses, mean chickens. Aunt Nell's hair was let down at night and hung below her hips. She had a built-in ice box (not fridge) and a water pump in the kitchen and thought she was in high cotton. They lived in the house she had been born in. She had sunbonnets by the back door. Never went out of the house without one and at 86 still had beautiful skin you would not believe. Kept their money in a bible. They had a 17 year old hound under the front porch with no teeth who acted like he would tear you up. They called him didhebitecha. She made the best biscuits in the world until canned came out! Daddy loved woodworking, helping him hold large piece of wood in the shop or handing him tools. I was anxious to learn to cook (I never said I was smart!), made cookies and such at 12, cooking whole dinners by 16. Being the oldest was not all you would think it could be. I was a miniparent. I remember my baby brother being droopy drawers, would step out of his diaper and keep going. Love to remind him of that now when he is 52 and 6. Then came two more sisters, the last when I was 17, Mother had it made for that one! I remember my border collie, Lady. We got her when I was 9 and she was 2. Had her until I was 21. One of those dogs who knew who could come in the yard and knock on the door and who to run entirely out of the neighborhood. She was my best friend. She had trouble delivering her last litter and my grandmother helped her. I remember the attic fan, and wish I had one now. My son does and it saves him AC bills about 2 to 3 months of the year. I remember being around my great-grandparents. In fact, one grandmother was 90 when she died in 2000. I was 54. How many can say that? I also remember seeing a civil war veteran in the 1950's. This feels like such a time warp as the memories go flashing by. I remember when most moms stayed home. The fuller brush man went door to door. There was a man who traveled around sharpening knives and scissors. Milk was delivered to your door. Remember keeping wet clothes in a bread bag in the fridge? You put a tin sprinkler with a piece of cork around the base on a 10 cent coke bottle to sprinkle while you ironed. Do they still make those? and I remember when keyboards had a cent sign on the number 6 key! Just for the groan effect, here's one for you - gas was 18 cents a gallon and there was a gas war between competing stations!

Hmm...that just could work. I had tried - sm [2008-08-04]
both NO litter, and also putting flat newspaper in one of the pans noting that she would pee on things like cardboard boxes or magazines if I left them lying around. The problem with the flat paper is it doesnYesterday, or maybe a combination of the two. Thanks for your input! I'll give it a try!

Lab Puppies [2008-08-04]
I know there are a lot of animal lovers on the board here. I have a litter of Lab Pups for sale. They are 8 weeks old and last week I had no phone calls or e-mail about them. I have them in the local newspaper and Puppyfind web site and Next Day Pets website and gundogs online. Does anyone have any suggestions about where else I can advertise to get them good homes! Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

Yes, actually I've currently got - sm [2008-08-02]
FOUR litter pans. I clean them constantly, wash out daily, have tried every kind of litter they sell. She doesnUse your box, she will. (Knows she's gonna get a treat!) crate-training helped the first time, by the 4th it was fruitless. Called the rescue she came from but they won't take her back, saying she's un-adoptable, and the only choice left is to put her down. So, this is pretty much her last chance. Getting the medication into her is no walk in the park, either - she hooked a claw right into a vein on my arm last night. I advertised her for adoption last week, just to see if I got any takers, and all I got was a kid with a boa constrictor.

This might work [2008-08-02]
I have a cat that just hates every kind of litter I tried. I finally shredded newspapers and put in one of my pans. Romeo uses it everytime. The other cats started using it too. I use it in all the pans. Saves a fortune. I even use shredded mail. Any paper works although newspaper is more absorbent. It is worth a try. Good Luck!

Cat on Elavil - sm [2008-08-01]
Has anyone ever had their cat taking Elavil (vet-prescribed, of course), for house-soiling? If so, did it help? How long until you noticed a difference? My cat just started on it a week ago, but still uses the floor and not the litter box. How long til I should start to be discouraged?

Never that med but [2008-08-01]
Assuming the cat has no urinary tract issues, have you tried a 2nd litter pan? That should cure it if you haven't. You could even try a 3rd if necessary, but 1 extra is usually enough. They get very picky. You probably actually have an extremely clean kitty. Well....that is if you haven't tried this yet. And I'm sure you've tried switching kitty dirt too? Good luck!