Pet Advice Thread.

[Amargith]

I really ought to call this thread "Catlady's Corner," Or "Ask Amar" - since I keep harassing [MENTION=5494]Amargith[/MENTION].
*summons from the depths of Europe*

Just wondering if you have any experience with kitties sharpening their claws on crap they aren't supposed to. Chlöe's overall very good about using her post, much to my relief since someone wanted to declaw her. I'm trying to keep that from happening. You saw the video clip of how she used to panic when food was being prepared in the kitchen before. She doesn't do that anymore, fortunately, however, she does stand against the cabinets below the counter, if you're making food. She stretches her paws up, & starts to sharpen on the tops of the cabinets. I guess my mother's going to be getting brand new ones, so she's been edgy about Chlöe's habit with these. It's really not that bad (if it were my house, I wouldn't give a damn, honestly), but I figured I'd consult you, when you have a moment. Any tricks to deter that habit in that particular location? Like I said, she otherwise uses her scratching post religiously. Just trying to ensure she won't end up front-declawed eventually by her materialistic owner.

Thx, either way, lady.

Well that is a good progression. It means she no longer is anxious as such but she still has too much tension and excitement going through her to not *do* something.

Ever seen a cat fly to its scratching post and maul it when the owner comes home? Same deal. Too much excitement that needs to be vented *somewhere*

So, pick something for her to do, so that she can take out her frustrations without harm. A toy, a food ball, toss a ball for her to chase, even a laser light or...a scratching post. One of the things you could do is attach a scratching pad to one of the kitchen cabinets, or put another scratching post in the kitchen (first in front of the cabinet she chooses, then move it aside once she gets it) for her. A floor/doormat could work too though she is likely a vertical scratcher so she might have to learn how to use it first (catnip helps).

Edit: and Im good with this thread being a democracy

 

[Lexicon]

Well that is a good progression. It means she no longer is anxious as such but she still has too much tension and excitement going through her to not *do* something.

Ever seen a cat fly to its scratching post and maul it when the owner comes home? Same deal. Too much excitement that needs to be vented *somewhere*

So, pick something for her to do, so that she can take out her frustrations without harm. A toy, a food ball, toss a ball for her to chase, even a laser light or...a scratching post. One of the things you could do is attach a scratching pad to one of the kitchen cabinets, or put another scratching post in the kitchen (first in front of the cabinet she chooses, then move it aside once she gets it) for her. A floor/doormat could work too though she is likely a vertical scratcher so she might have to learn how to use it first (catnip helps).

Edit: and Im good with this thread being a democracy

I bet something like this on the cabinet would work! I didn't even know stuff like that existed.

(it's even made of the same material as her beloved post)

And the day is saved once again.

<3

 

[Amargith]

I bet something like this on the cabinet would work! I didn't even know stuff like that existed.

(it's even made of the same material as her beloved post)

And the day is saved once again.

<3

Precisely what i was thinking of! One thing to keep in mind:

Make sure that the scratching pad comes at least as high as where she puts her nails down when she stretches. It is a subconscious move to be nearer to the food, so she is likely to stretch pretty high to claw things up. No point in hanging up a scratching pad when it aint at the right height

Once you hang it up, use a fishing rod toy, or some catnip rubbed on it, to make her realize that it is something to be scratched as she wont know what it is at first - hell, I used to just lift my cats up, and put their paws on the pad or the post, then drop them rather quickly (while still holding them tightly)...the reflex to hold on does the rest

 

[Tiltyred]

Does your cat understand any voice commands at all? Mine will stop doing whatever she's doing when I made a certain sound at her. So my question is, does the cat realize you don't want her doing that?

 

[Amargith]

Does your cat understand any voice commands at all? Mine will stop doing whatever she's doing when I made a certain sound at her. So my question is, does the cat realize you don't want her doing that?

Contrary to popular belief, cats are trainable just as dogs are. It's just not as intuitive as training dogs is for us. And, the thing of it is that cats are usually better at training us than we are at training them

So voice commands work just fine. Calling their name is one example, many cats will learn that it means food or cuddles. Considering that their hearing is their best sense, making an unpleasant or even just an intriguing sound that they haven't heard before will usually stop them in their tracks or even make them run. If that behavior then gets rewarded or encouraged, it becomes a command in and of itself. Mine know to drop what they are doing and move away if I go 'Kssssssss', as I made it mighty clear that bad things will happen if they dont. Cats don't like the shhhh sound that comes with it, in fact, many people don't know that they are in fact making their cat cringe when trying to soothe their cat the way you would a baby, as babies associate that sound with the sounds inside the womb and feel safe that way - or so I'm told.

Though even with that negative association to that particular sound - given enough reinforcement that it is in fact a 'good' thing and and plenty of rewarding, the cat will learn that it may be an unpleasant sound but it means good things are coming, and visibly relax like the owner intended

 

[Tiltyred]

I just make a small percussive sort of sound, like Ah! but with a snap in it and a certain tone, it doesn't even have to be loud it just has to happen the second she does the thing I don't want, so that it startles her, and it's an excellent deterrent. Especially if then followed by a caressing tone when she sits quietly.

You can generally get their attention with bacon as a treat, if nothing else works, to start voice training your cat. Catnip also works if your cat is sensitive to it.

For the cabinet problem, you can also temporarily line the edges of the cabinet with tin foil.

 

[Amargith]

Sorry, didnt realize you were addressing Lex in this case

 

[Lexicon]

Does your cat understand any voice commands at all? Mine will stop doing whatever she's doing when I made a certain sound at her. So my question is, does the cat realize you don't want her doing that?

Yeah, I've taken to literally hissing to make cats stop misbehaving - Amar's suggestion. It's pretty effective, but my ISFJ mother wouldn't wanna do that with her little cabinet scratcher. I suggested it before and she was all, "No! I can't be hissing at a cat if I have guests over.. I'd look insane!" (I do it with Jack, who cares who's around. It's our conversation. Humans can butt out)

The hanging scratcher pad and tin foil are worth a try for the preventative measures, I think. I've got some catnip infused spray I can leave here for my mom to use on the scratchpad.

 

[Amargith]

Lex, you can always go for the waterbottle spray thing, if she doesnt want to be hissing at her cat

However, the reason I suggested the scratching pad or toy is coz I think that atm she has too much...excitement still to really have the negative work well. It is like telling someone who is biting their nails to stop biting. They'll stop for 2 seconds then keep going coz its a nervous tick to deal with a situation.

Though I'm pretty sure that once Chloe progresses further to the point where it becomes a habit, rather than a release valve, you can fully deter the behaviour using a spray bottle or even a voice command like 'No'.

 

[Lexicon]

Lex, you can always go for the waterbottle spray thing, if she doesnt want to be hissing at her cat

However, the reason I suggested the scratching pad or toy is coz I think that atm she has too much...excitement still to really have the negative work well. It is like telling someone who is biting their nails to stop biting. They'll stop for 2 seconds then keep going coz its a nervous tick to deal with a situation.

Though I'm pretty sure that once Chloe progresses further to the point where it becomes a habit, rather than a release valve, you can fully deter the behaviour using a spray bottle or even a voice command like 'No'.

Yeah, makes sense. It's funny, she actually responds to 'No,' (sometimes). She jumps a little and trills. As if to say "wat?! i didn't do anything!"
Yeah, baby steps. I talked over the scratchpad & my mom's good with that idea. So the declawing seems like it won't happen. Fortunately. Also it's almost $500.00, so that's a further deterrent for her right now, though I wish it were more for the cat's wellbeing. Her habits have improved so much.. exception being the other morning when a muffin almost as big as she is was left in a baggie on the counter.. she somehow managed to eat the entire thing, & not get sick. I assume it was her, based on the shredded bag on the floor/crumbs everywhere.. but it could've been my stepfather, hah. I forgot we have to keep things like that IN cabinets, or she'll get at them. Poor garbage-kitty.

Thanks for all your help. (Chlöe thanks you, too)

 

[Tiltyred]

I really think she is just communicating her strong interest in the food, not that she wants to scratch cabinets. If she only does it when you're making food, she's just trying to make sure you know she wants some. So another thing your mother could try is putting a treat down for her before she starts working at the counter. If she's busy eating, she won't be so frantic about someone making food.

 

[Lexicon]

Forcefeeding pills to injured pet (tips?)

[MENTION=5494]Amargith[/MENTION]- (or anyone good with this topic) your citizens need you once again!

*plugs in the cord*

I know you're not a big blog reader, but I wrote recently in mine how Jack had another surgery yesterday. Picking him up this afternoon.

Anyway, posting my general question in here, since any advice on this topic may be of use to others at some point.

They'll be giving me some pain meds & antibiotics to give him. Likely pills. Last time, when he needed the antibiotics, I'd used these pill pocket treats, which worked til the last 2 doses (he caught on/refused to eat them, little shit). So I had to do the oldfashioned forcefeed (the only effective way I've gotten is to go up behind him [almost mounting] so he can't back away or move in too many directions] & force his mouth open with my fingers, tossing the pill as far back in the throat as I can, holding his mouth shut & keeping his head tilted back, feeling his throat for swallowing movements).

I'm probably overthinking, but if you have any tips for doing this in a less abrasive manner, it'd be helpful. My main concern is the sutured area in his upper rear leg. I don't want it irritated by struggling if it's avoidable.

Thanks<3

 

[Amargith]

[MENTION=5494]Amargith[/MENTION]- (or anyone good with this topic) your citizens need you once again!

*plugs in the cord*

I know you're not a big blog reader, but I wrote recently in mine how Jack had another surgery yesterday. Picking him up this afternoon.

Anyway, posting my general question in here, since any advice on this topic may be of use to others at some point.

They'll be giving me some pain meds & antibiotics to give him. Likely pills. Last time, when he needed the antibiotics, I'd used these pill pocket treats, which worked til the last 2 doses (he caught on/refused to eat them, little shit). So I had to do the oldfashioned forcefeed (the only effective way I've gotten is to go up behind him [almost mounting] so he can't back away or move in too many directions] & force his mouth open with my fingers, tossing the pill as far back in the throat as I can, holding his mouth shut & keeping his head tilted back, feeling his throat for swallowing movements).

I'm probably overthinking, but if you have any tips for doing this in a less abrasive manner, it'd be helpful. My main concern is the sutured area in his upper rear leg. I don't want it irritated by struggling if it's avoidable.

Thanks<3

Hey sweety, long time no see


Ok, so feeding pills to obstinate cats. Here we go:

2 of mine get/got (Prin) their pills pulverised in some wet food. They are in such a hurry to eat it as they never get this, that they don't notice that there is fine powder mixed in with the jelly

2 of mine are too finicky for that treatment, and there I pulverise the pills into powder (they have little toys for this, or just use two spoons), then add the tiniest bit of warm water, dissolve it and pull it up into a syringe. That then gets emptied in the back of their throat so that swallowing isn't optional.

And since two of mine both refuse the food AND drool out the water mixture (yes, I kid you not), I also use the forceful treatment aka, I grab em, put em with their ass against my stomach, lift their chin, open that mouth, chuck it in the back of their throats and hold the mouth closed till they swallow. Allow for a tiny bit of space so they can stick out their tongue and use it to swallow as well as use their nose to breath. Basically, put your fingers as a ring around the mouth. And expect them to get better at tricking you into thinking that they swallowed, so check before you release em.

In all of this, except the first method, it is a good thing to start with a small piece of candy and end with a piece of candy to at least somewhat mitigate the negative association you're going to create with the force you'll be using, so you can keep treating them instead of making them completely paranoid and avoidant.

To facilitate the last method, they also sell what we call 'pill shooters' which is basically a clamp to put the pill right down his throat.


Or, ya know, you could request your doctor make the medication a syrup - preferably one that most cats like. Mine just had dental surgery and the vet automatically just went for syrups. The two that had the surgery ended up just lapping up the medication like it was candy.

Oh and lastly - my eating machine of a tom cat at some point needed antibiotics. I was all ready to go force feeding pill down his throat on him - as he is the one that drools out shit - when I accidentally dropped it in front of him. He scarfed it down before I could even grab it. Made my life a whole hell of a lot easier

So see if he wants some candy. If not, go to plan B


From what Ive read, you're making great headway in the treatment and things are cautiously optimistic. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you two!

 

[Eilonwy]

Is Jack any better with liquids? If he is, you can ask if the meds come in liquid form. Unfortunately, I found liquids almost as difficult as pills once my cats caught on to what I was doing, but at least I could get them down them quickly. Watch out for the ones that make them foam at the mouth, though. I stayed away from those liquids when I could because most of it seemed to foam out onto my carpet and walls and wherever else my cat could fling it. Also, I've had good luck with transdermal pain meds. Just rub them in the ear. You might want to discuss the transdermal with your vet, though. The most recent data is saying that some transdermal meds aren't as effective. Pain meds, however, seem to do well in transdermal form.

Hope this was of some help.

 

[Lexicon]

Hey sweety, long time no see


Ok, so feeding pills to obstinate cats. Here we go:

2 of mine get/got (Prin) their pills pulverised in some wet food. They are in such a hurry to eat it as they never get this, that they don't notice that there is fine powder mixed in with the jelly

2 of mine are too finicky for that treatment, and there I pulverise the pills into powder (they have little toys for this, or just use two spoons), then add the tiniest bit of warm water, dissolve it and pull it up into a syringe. That then gets emptied in the back of their throat so that swallowing isn't optional.

And since two of mine both refuse the food AND drool out the water mixture (yes, I kid you not), I also use the forceful treatment aka, I grab em, put em with their ass against my stomach, lift their chin, open that mouth, chuck it in the back of their throats and hold till they swallow.

In all of this, except the first method, it is a good thing to start with a small piece of candy and end with a piece of candy to at least somewhat mitigate the negative association you're going to create with the force you'll be using, so you can keep treating them instead of making them completely paranoid and avoidant.

To facilitate the last method, they also sell what we call 'pill shooters' which is basically a clamp to put the pill right down his throat.


Or, ya know, you could request your doctor make the medication a syrup - preferably one that most cats like. Mine just had dental surgery and the vet automatically just went for syrups. The two that had the surgery ended up just lapping up the medication like it was candy.

Oh and lastly - my eating machine of a tom cat at some point needed antibiotics. I was all ready to go force feeding pill down his throat on him - as he is the one that drools out shit - when I accidentally dropped it in front of him. He scarfed it down before I could even grab it. Made my life a whole hell of a lot easier

So see if he wants some candy. If not, go to plan B


From what Ive read, you're making great headway in the treatment and things are cautiously optimistic. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you two!

You rock, woman

 

[Lexicon]

Hey sweety, long time no see


Ok, so feeding pills to obstinate cats. Here we go:

2 of mine get/got (Prin) their pills pulverised in some wet food. They are in such a hurry to eat it as they never get this, that they don't notice that there is fine powder mixed in with the jelly

2 of mine are too finicky for that treatment, and there I pulverise the pills into powder (they have little toys for this, or just use two spoons), then add the tiniest bit of warm water, dissolve it and pull it up into a syringe. That then gets emptied in the back of their throat so that swallowing isn't optional.

And since two of mine both refuse the food AND drool out the water mixture (yes, I kid you not), I also use the forceful treatment aka, I grab em, put em with their ass against my stomach, lift their chin, open that mouth, chuck it in the back of their throats and hold till they swallow.

In all of this, except the first method, it is a good thing to start with a small piece of candy and end with a piece of candy to at least somewhat mitigate the negative association you're going to create with the force you'll be using, so you can keep treating them instead of making them completely paranoid and avoidant.

To facilitate the last method, they also sell what we call 'pill shooters' which is basically a clamp to put the pill right down his throat.


Or, ya know, you could request your doctor make the medication a syrup - preferably one that most cats like. Mine just had dental surgery and the vet automatically just went for syrups. The two that had the surgery ended up just lapping up the medication like it was candy.

Oh and lastly - my eating machine of a tom cat at some point needed antibiotics. I was all ready to go force feeding pill down his throat on him - as he is the one that drools out shit - when I accidentally dropped it in front of him. He scarfed it down before I could even grab it. Made my life a whole hell of a lot easier

So see if he wants some candy. If not, go to plan B


From what Ive read, you're making great headway in the treatment and things are cautiously optimistic. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you two!

You rock, woman

Is Jack any better with liquids? If he is, you can ask if the meds come in liquid form. Unfortunately, I found liquids almost as difficult as pills once my cats caught on to what I was doing, but at least I could get them down them quickly. Watch out for the ones that make them foam at the mouth, though. I stayed away from those liquids when I could because most of it seemed to foam out onto my carpet and walls and wherever else my cat could fling it. Also, I've had good luck with transdermal pain meds. Just rub them in the ear. You might want to discuss the transdermal with your vet, though. The most recent data is saying that some transdermal meds aren't as effective. Pain meds, however, seem to do well in transdermal form.

Hope this was of some help.

He struggles just as badly with liquids but they are delivered faster with a syringe.. I forgot about that. He had some antibiotics (for a UTI) yrs ago that were liquid (bubblegum flavored ). He didn't foam but he fought a lot. He had a pain patch for his last surgery but had been at the vet a week post-op so I didn't see how well that worked on him, but I'll ask about those, too. Thank you!

 

[Eilonwy]

Oh, and if you don't mind the expense, some pills can be compounded, either into liquid form, or into treat form. They usually come in different flavors, like chicken or liver, and sometimes are more appealing to the cat. Compounding is usually expensive, though. I once paid $30 for a liquid compound, and the treats I was considering at one point were around $50, if I remember correctly.

 

[Amargith]

Lex, just a thought. See if you can create a positive association with the medication the first time round? Let him sniff it, examine it etc. Introduce it the way you would a treat, or a toy. Often, cats are resistant because of the way we approach them. Our anticipation of how they'll respond gives away that they *should* be resisting us coz something aint right. However, drug companies are aware of this issue and are working at all times to make administration of their product easier. Metacam,for instance, a classic pain killer, was one of the syrups I gave, and it was like icing on the cake for them.

You can always still stuff it down his throat if he decides it aint for him. But let *him* decide, at least at first

As for the paw, if you place him against your belly, on his ass, so his paws are tucked in, and yo keep him in place with your elbow while raising his chin, you *should* be able to immobilise him enough so he doesn't tear his stitches. Still, ask your vet for some extra tips, just in case.

 

[Anew Leaf]

Ok, question for the cat whisperers of the forum: how do I keep my cat off of the counters in a nice way? He is unfortunately too smart now and knows that when I leave tape sticky side up on things to avoid those things until they are gone.

Some of it is a health concern in that I don't want pee paws on my counters, and some of it is simply concern for him because I don't want him to burn his paws on the stove or step on a fork or knock over glasses... (He is a BIG kitty... like dog size.)

 

[Amargith]

Ok, question for the cat whisperers of the forum: how do I keep my cat off of the counters in a nice way? He is unfortunately too smart now and knows that when I leave tape sticky side up on things to avoid those things until they are gone.

Some of it is a health concern in that I don't want pee paws on my counters, and some of it is simply concern for him because I don't want him to burn his paws on the stove or step on a fork or knock over glasses... (He is a BIG kitty... like dog size.)

That's a hard one. It depends on his motivation for going there. If you regularly leave food out, it becomes self-rewarding behaviour to check it out and that is impossible to stamp out.

One of the tricks that exists is a motion detector you can plug into a socket on the counter top, which beeps at him every time he jumps up.

Another is to fill the kitchen counter for like a month with cans with coins taped inside of them so that he'll get startled - even when you aint there - when he jumps up.

The problem with both of these methods is something called resistance behaviour and afterwards relapse behaviour. It basically means that he'll first try harder, before the behaviour dies down and that he'll try again in a couple of months after stopping, just to see if he was right to stop.

Again, this completely depends on his motivation to be on the counters.

If it is scavenging - and he has been rewarded in that way by getting away with stealing food, then it is pretty much necessary to let him discover for months on ends that there *is* no food there to be found.

If it is simple curiosity/boredom, you could train him with the methods listed above, but he'll recognise when those measures are taken away - so the motion detector might be your best bet. It would also pay to make another spot more interesting by making it the steady spot to find hidden candy, toys and catnip. If he is restless, a play session a day for 15 minutes might do the trick as well.

If it is a matter of him wanting to be near you while you re working in the kitchen, or a matter of wanting a spot in that particular territory, it can also be useful to put like a scratching post right next to the countertop. Everytime he is on the countertop you use a fishing rod toy to lure him onto the scratching post and give him a treat there. And make sure that scratching post is like rubbed with catnip, or the IT spot to be. Make it more desirable to be on than the countertop. For all I care, make it his feeding station - it might even help him lose some weight as he'll have to jump up to get his food which may be too much effort for him.


Whichever training method you choose, depending on your circumstances, it will take 2-3 weeks to get results, and consistency is a big part of it. Relapse typically occurs after a month, month and a half, and if you don't respond correctly at that point, you have just pretty much doomed yourself as an animal that has learned to work for a reward is ten times harder to train than one that has consistently gotten the desired result, so fair warning.

Or, you could do like I did: shoo them off when IM in the room, knowing full well they'll be on it when I aint, and just do a quick wash of the countertop before I start cooking - and keeping the countertop clear.

Since your stove shouldn't be on when you re not there, and he ll know that he gets shooed when you are there, that too shouldn't be an issue.

Take your pick