If You Knew Then What You Know Now Re: Cat Care...

[cheeser]

We've had lots of cats over the years, and I thought we had learned quite a bit about to care for them. But as veterinary knowledge improves, sometimes conventional wisdom turns out to be not so wise after all. So I'm hoping to improve my humble knowledge so I don't have to keep learning lessons the hard way.

For example:

• Don't feed your cat anything except dry food, because it will keep their teeth and gums healthy. (To quote Dr. Pierson at CatInfo.org, "The idea that dry food promotes dental health makes about as much sense as the idea that crunchy cookies would promote dental health in a human.")
  
  
• If your cat won't eat the special diet that has been prescribed, just starve your cat out. After a few days when he gets hungry enough, he'll eat it. (Hello, hepatic lipidosis!)
  
  
• Oh, your cat's sense of smell is shot because of allergies and/or chronic upper respiratory infections? Just feed him stinky fish flavored food all the time, and he'll be able to smell it and be tempted to eat. (He just won't be able to pee because of urinary tract problems.)

So what have you learned along the way that you wish you had known before, whether it's about health care, grooming, behavioral issues, choosing cat products, etc.?

 

[maggiedemi]

I learned mostly the same things as you: to make sure the cats have some canned food every day not just dry, make sure they don't go very long without eating since they WILL starve themselves if they don't like their food. And I also learned to keep my cats indoors so they don't disappear one day. But that was really beyond my control because I was just a kid.

 

[cheeser]

And I also learned to keep my cats indoors so they don't disappear one day. But that was really beyond my control because I was just a kid.

I'm so sorry that happened to you.

Many years ago, Mr. Cheeser accidentally let our first cat outside when he was cooking on the grill, and forgot to close the patio door behind him. Fortunately, we found her right away and brought her back in the house. But since then, we try to make sure there's always at least one extra closed door between the cats and the outside world. That way, in case they manage to slip past one barrier, we still have a chance to catch them before they go any further.

Sometimes it's a little inconvenient to round them up and keep them confined to a particular area of the house, and then close the hall door on top of that, say like when a repairman needs to keep going back and forth to his truck, and wants to leave the front door open. But I'd much rather the cats whine and complain for a bit, rather than lose them forever.

 

[Ardina]

I learned that it's a lot easier to train kittens to be okay with baths, claw trimming, and toothbrushing than to try and convince an older cat that those things aren't torture sessions. Also, never ever play with hands so cats learn that hands = petting and chin scritches, not toys to be clawed at.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

Never throw new cats together to "let them work it out." We did gradual, supervised ones; but my step-siblings mother was more old-school in intros and introducing cats to the outdoors so my step-siblings had to learn we wouldn't be doing it that way at their dads. We were all kids. I didn't know as much as I do now; but I did know gradual and supervised was better.

 

[cheeser]

I learned that it's a lot easier to train kittens to be okay with baths, claw trimming, and toothbrushing than to try and convince an older cat that those things aren't torture sessions. Also, never ever play with hands so cats learn that hands = petting and chin scritches, not toys to be clawed at.

You're sure right about starting them young, and even that can be a challenge!

I think my cats are scared of my hands because I'm always using them to do stuff they don't like.

 

[cheeser]

Never throw new cats together to "let them work it out." We did gradual, supervised ones; but my step-siblings mother was more old-school in intros and introducing cats to the outdoors so my step-siblings had to learn we wouldn't be doing it that way at their dads. We were all kids. I didn't know as much as I do now; but I did know gradual and supervised was better.

Oh, my. That approach usually doesn't work out very well. Been there, done that back when we didn't know any better.

 

[maggiedemi]

moochnnoodles- all my cats growing up were related, so they always got along. But my two cats that I have now are so different, they would try to punch each other through the gate I had set up!

 

[cheeser]

I know this is such a small thing, but I wish I had known ages ago how helpful interdental brushes are for removing litter and other crud from under a cat's nails. They're awesome! Thanks ever so much for the suggestion, @LTS3!

 

[kittens mom]

As a late in life converted cat lover. No home is complete without one or two or four. I used to subscribe to several horse magazines that kept owners up to date on care , management and advancements in veterinary and nutritional care. I haven't found a cat journal that fills that gap between pet owner and professional which is sort of sad.

 

[IndyJones]

Have to say the last one if I don't do it Indy won't eat and then she starves and howls because she's hungry. Indy has chronic herpes and asthma and it's allergy season so between the allergies to the pollin and her already stuffy nasal passages it's hard to get her to eat anything. I'd rather her eat stinky fish and liver than starve.

 

[cheeser]

Have to say the last one if I don't do it Indy won't eat and then she starves and howls because she's hungry. Indy has chronic herpes and asthma and it's allergy season so between the allergies to the pollin and her already stuffy nasal passages it's hard to get her to eat anything. I'd rather her eat stinky fish and liver than starve.

Bless your heart...and Indy's. And this year's allergy season seems to be going on forever. Ack!

We were fortunate that we were finally able to figure out how to get Buddy to eat something he can't smell, and that helps to manage his urinary tract issues. Shredded textures have been a godsend for us, but significantly limits his menu options, which always worries me because I'm afraid he's going to wind up developing an allergy to chicken one of the days. If it's not one thing, it's another.

 

[cheeser]

As a late in life converted cat lover. No home is complete without one or two or four. I used to subscribe to several horse magazines that kept owners up to date on care , management and advancements in veterinary and nutritional care. I haven't found a cat journal that fills that gap between pet owner and professional which is sort of sad.

That is sad.

Thank goodness for the internet, and awesome sites like TCS!

 

[IndyJones]

I am special needs myself so I'm really drawn to cats who are special needs too. I know how hard it is to fit in and live a normal life with a condition that interferes with that.

Poor Indy, she has so much energy and her little body inhibits her ability to exert it. I have to physically make her settle down for her own good. She has attacks if she exercises or plays too much.

 

[daisyd]

I'd never owned a cat before and had only ever seen them sitting at a window, on a wall, or when at a friends house they would appear now from nowhere and rub themselves up against me. So I thought getting a kitten would be cool as surely they are just cute little fury pets that you can sit on the sofa all night and cuddle? So went and got us a 7 week old kitten .... And found myself on this site pleading:

 

[IndyJones]

Kittens are a handful. When I got Indy I was looking for an adult cat 2+years actually, but when I met her we just clicked, I knew she was my match. She was 6 months old and now she's a year which makes her a teenager in cat years and she is in that moody phase much like a teenage girl. She likes to push my buttons that's for sure.

 

[cheeser]

I am special needs myself so I'm really drawn to cats who are special needs too. I know how hard it is to fit in and live a normal life with a condition that interferes with that.

Poor Indy, she has so much energy and her little body inhibits her ability to exert it. I have to physically make her settle down for her own good. She has attacks if she exercises or plays too much.

It can really break your heart into a million little pieces when these special cats have such a zest for life, but their little bodies don't allow them to enjoy it to the fullest. The near constant roller coaster of ups and downs can feel so overwhelming sometimes, especially when you're struggling with health issues of your own. Then I try to remind myself that each day we can all still be together is a blessing, even if the day doesn't go quite as well as I had hoped.

 

[cheeser]

I'd never owned a cat before and had only ever seen them sitting at a window, on a wall, or when at a friends house they would appear now from nowhere and rub themselves up against me. So I thought getting a kitten would be cool as surely they are just cute little fury pets that you can sit on the sofa all night and cuddle? So went and got us a 7 week old kitten .... And found myself on this site pleading:

Hee! Kittens can be a handful. But believe it or not, one of these days you're going to look back fondly on this time of your cat's life, and will want to get another kitten and do it all over again. Then you'll be providing much needed advice to a frazzled new cat mom or dad.

 

[daisyd]

Tonight's her night where she has decided not to sleep! Biting my feet as we speak! She's 8 months old now so getting easier (sort of). If I knew then what I know now.., yeah I'd still get a kitten !

 

[cheeser]

Tonight's her night where she has decided not to sleep! Biting my feet as we speak! She's 8 months old now so getting easier (sort of). If I knew then what I know now.., yeah I'd still get a kitten !

LOL! That's the spirit!