And so it begins... new kitty comes home and her highness is not amused

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ladytimedramon

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Thanks. I saw that site before. The surefeed doesn't have a timer though and the other 2 are dry only. I was hoping to get both girls on wet only.

But then it might not be feasible.

I totally understand how that would be difficult to figure out as, of course, they'll both want the food they're not supposed to eat. I'm sure other cat parents have had this issue before. Maybe post a new thread in the Cat Nutrition so that different members might see it and post with suggestions.
That's what I was thinking.

Apparently someone had some tummy upset last night but I don't know who. In the bathroom litterbox there is stuff all over the wall and the side of the litterbox... and I just cleaned everything yesterday! :frustrated:
 
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ladytimedramon

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Just popping in for a little update.

We've had a few instances of sniffing nose to nose on both parts... and then suddenly out of nowhere Delilah turns into "hissy missy" with swatting. There are a few times where Delilah seems to tolerate Fancy on the bed, and a few times she doesn't. It's generally better tolerated when I'm in between them. We've had a few nose sniffs on both parties, so that's good. And then we have a few "Delilah fits" - this morning I'm getting dressed, I hear a ruckus, and I see Fancy in the hallway on the cat carrier and Delilah hissing and swatting. They both seem to still be "working it out". We're at about 6 weeks now since Fancy came home.

Delilah had her annual physical and shots. Miss Chunkybutt weighed in at 11.4 pounds 😖. I adopted her she was 7 pounds. Microchip feeders will arrive today. I wound up with 2 because I keep catching them in each other's bowls. I don't want Fancy to get overweight (vet said goal weight is 8 pounds) while I'm trying to get Delilah to lose weight (goal weight is 9 pounds). The manufacturer had a 15% discount on the new "connect" model if you ordered through their site. What I noticed happening, Fancy left about a quarter of her plate. 5 minutes later Delilah goes and eats what's left. 15 minutes later Fancy licks off both dishes. Interestingly enough they seem to share from the kibble drop - not at the same time but if Fancy is eating it I've seen Delilah wait. But since the girls have different calorie requirements I feel like they need their own feeder and the drop feeder will go into semi-retirement for "in case of emergency" (aka I'm running late). I'm debating starting new foods with them. I'd like to find something better than Fancy Feast, but I want them on the same food. Delilah has already vetoed Tiki Cat and Weruva, and Wellness messes with her tummy, as does anything with fish.

Fancy's fur is coming in more. Her shaved belly (when they looked for her spay tattoo) is finally getting a layer of fuzz on it. She's still fighting a bit of ear infection. One ear is clear, the other is taking a bit more time. She's also more of a hunter. I've seen a few small plush cat toys moved around the room and she goes berserk for the toy where things pop out of the unit at random.

That's about it right now for the girls.
 

rubysmama

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Thanks for the update. Sounds like things are going well. Good luck with the new feeders. Keep us posted.
 
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ladytimedramon

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Another update:

The feeders are here. I have to get batteries and get them set up. I'm also going to have to relocate the feeding area from the cat tree because the feeders are too big for that area. I also have to raise them up due to my back problems. I just can't bend some days.

Ran into an issue with food. Due to supply issues the girls' kibble was discontinued so I bought another highly recommended brand. Never buy new cat food when you're tired. I didn't see that fish meal was in the ingredients, about 10th ingredient. Delilah gets softer, smellier poo when she eats anything with fish, and now I think Fancy does too. She went right after I'd changed out the litter and the smell could kill something. I found another lower calorie kibble with no fish and switched it.

I did notice something odd on Fancy. Lately if she is "hungry" she seems to be looking to pick up anything to eat, even trying to eat pieces of litter (she did that a couple of times when I got home late and had to run to the bathroom before feeding - she didn't eat out of the litterbox but a few pieces that had strayed out). This morning I found a chewed up and spit out rubber band. I really can't leave snacks out for her because Miss Chunkybutt will claim them. I'm a bit concerned about Fancy eating litter when I'm not home (I use crystal litter so it's a bigger concern - Delilah was having a lot of paw irritation on clay and corn litter and hated pine pellets and crystal doesn't bother her). But I'm worried about Fancy possibly eating the litter when hungry. I'm hoping the feeders will make her feel more comfortable and I can leave a little extra kibble on the side of her wet. I may have to have some extra kibble drops from the timed feeder so she gets enough... and hopefully gets to them before Delilah.

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rubysmama

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Sorry Fancy is trying to eat anything that looks like food. Hopefully once she gets past her food insecurity issues, she'll be fine with her daily food allotments.

Love the pics of them. Especially the one of them together on the bed.:catlove:
 
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ladytimedramon

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Thanks. That's about as close as they get, other than walking past each other, without Delilah having a hissing fit.

I just worry about her eating litter and having stomach issues (I had so much heartache when I went through Delilah's ovarian remnant issues and 2 surgeries).
 

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Oh, wow. Didn't know about Delilah's issue with the ovarian remnant. I have heard of that before with other cats, so maybe it's more common that I realized.

And about Fancy eating litter, wonder if you should consider changing to a non-clumping litter, like you'd use for young kittens, until you're certain Fancy won't try to eat it. Also wonder if she's getting enough calories? Though likely it's still a case of food obsession from the days when she wasn't getting enough to eat. Do be careful to put anything you think she *might* try to eat away in a drawer or locked cupboard. And hopefully she'll soon get over her need to be constantly looking for food.
 
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ladytimedramon

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The ovarian remnant is what brought me here. Delilah is my first cat ever, not to mention my first female pet. I didn't know what was going on and part of it I was attributing to food allergies. The vet I was seeing at the time was totally unhelpful. I videoed her and posted it here and everyone said she looked like she was in heat, when I knew she was spayed. I contacted the shelter, who referred to their vet, who did a hormone test to confirm the ovarian remnant, who did an exploratory surgery and couldn't find anything, who referred me to a veterinary internist, who did a sonogram and located the remnant hiding behind a kidney, who referred me to a specialist surgeon, who took out the remnant plus some scar tissue that could hide remnants too. It's a good thing I was teaching from home then due to covid. Since then, things have been normal for her (other than the weight).

I am using a crystal litter, which is non clumping.

This morning I realized that, wherever I put the new feeders, I can't put them directly next to each other. Delilah is getting very hissy/swatty when Fancy approaches the cat tree and I'm making their food.
 

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What a complicated ordeal you went through with Delilah. Glad you found a vet that figured everything out.

I don't know anything about crystal litter, so Googled. Seems "clear silica gel is non-toxic to cats the colored silica gel (usually blue) contains a chemical coating that IS toxic to cats and can also be toxic to humans".
More at Is Silica Gel Toxic To Cats? What If Your Kitty Eats It? - Hunting Waterfalls

Seems like feeding is going to be an issue. Hopefully just a short term one though.
 
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ladytimedramon

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At least Fancy isn't sticking her head into her box and chowing down. It's just the occasional stray piece. When I was using other litters Delilah was chewing her front paws till they'd turn pink. I'm hoping the microchip feeders work. That's this weekend's project.
 
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ladytimedramon

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Fancy has figured out the timed feeder. Delilah must have beat her to earlier drop. I caught on camera her sitting in front of the feeder hoping so I sent her some kibble.
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ladytimedramon

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For the latest....

I tested positive for covid, so I'm home for an extra 5 days.

On the plus side, this is allowing me to get them trained on the microchip feeders. Fancy has taken to it pretty quickly. Flip side, Delilah is being more reluctant. I have to either keep the door open or put the bowl on the mat area. She doesn't seem to like the arch where the reader is. I'm still working on it. But now the problem is keeping Fancy out of it. There's no winning with these two. :frustrated:

On the minus side, something is bothering their tummies. The smells from the litterbox are so strong I can smell it across the apartment with my clogged nose. One of them seemed to have a really dark stool that squirted on the side of the litterbox and looked kind of gooey before it dried and scooped. This morning I saw a light colored stool, also kind of gooey looking. I called the vet, who gave me an antibiotic for them and suggested I change their food. I don't particularly like any of the foods on their recommended list.

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I'm not that crazy about the recommended list. Delilah wouldn't touch the wet on Royal Canin or Science Diet, and the one time I tried to give her Iams I didn't like the color or consistency.

My instincts are telling me to just give them dry for a few days, just like I would do tea and toast and the BRAT diet if I had an upset stomach. I hate to go online and order stuff when I don't know if Delilah will eat it (Fancy is less picky) and since I'm quarantined until the weekend, I can't just get a couple of cans to test.

Meanwhile Fancy's neck and belly fur are coming back in and it looks like she's developing "the primordial pouch". I can't feel her spin or ribs unless I press firmly. Her ear crud has finally cleared up.

I've caught the girls sniffing noses and behinds a couple of times, and a few times it looked like Delilah might be "play chasing". But we also still have the hiss and swat. She's still the boss.

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That’s an awful lot about your dear kitties, but I hope YOU get better too!! I keep getting told by cat people who know more than I that dry food is bad, full stop. Apparently it can lead to IBS and irritate the intestinal tract. Honestly agree w/ you about the recommended list, but one other thing to consider is what’s consistently accessible in your area these days? It’s been hard getting Zorro enough of the Farmina pumpkin and quail that keeps his digestion in check, and as every cat owner knows, flipping around from one cat food to the next too quickly can also cause issues. So whatever you choose, I’d say try to be consistent for awhile with it.
 

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Before you go all dry food, please know if your cats are used to eating mostly wet & you switch them to mostly dry suddenly it will probably give them the runs. If my cats were sick I would feed them gerber chicken baby food pureee with rice or baby rice cereal for a day or two. Then after the runs stop for 12-24 hours I would go to a chicken or turkey wet food with some rice mixed in. Then as their tummies get better you can gradually eliminate the rice. Boiled unseasoned skinless chicken (minus the bones) & rice are many peoples go to food for their sick cat.

After they finish their antibiotics I would put them on probiotics for a month or two. The cat food brands? If you are talking dry food I know science diet is a pretty good one that is readily available. However whatever dry food you switch to, be sure to feed them 1.2 old & 1/2 new food for a week or two before they completely switch.

I hope you have a speedy recovery from Covid & that your cats recover to!
 

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rubysmama

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Sorry to hear you've tested positive for Covid. Hope it's a mild case, and you have a quick recovery. :vibes::vibes::vibes:

About the kitty's tummy issues, not sure if the antibiotic is the answer, at least for the runny stool, because like in humans, antibiotics kill both the bad and good bacteria, which can cause diarrhea. :sigh:

And, as danteshuman danteshuman posted, switching their food all at once to something different, also can cause diarrhea. However, years ago when my Ruby had tummy issues, switching to just a hypo-allergenic duck canned food, gave her normal stool literally the next day. So there are exceptions to every rule.

However, it is recommended to change a cat's food slowly. Here's a TCS article with more info:
Transitioning Your Cat From Kibble To A New Type Of Food – TheCatSite Articles

As for the vet's opinion on the best foods, IMHO, I think the food that agrees with your cat, and that they'll eat, is always the best choice.

Currently I'm feeding Ruby Limited Ingredient Diet Grain Free Real Turkey Recipe Pate 5oz Can Wet Food | Merrick Pet Care which is agreeing with her 99.9% of the time. So if you wanted to try a turkey food, maybe that one might be an option.

Of course, having Covid and not being able to go to the stores yourself, makes trying new cat foods difficult.

Oh, yay for Fancy developing a primordial pouch. ;)
 
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ladytimedramon

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The girls get a mix of dry and wet. They know "gushy food time" and "kibble time", and where each one is served. So last night's dry dinner was a failure. This morning I wound up giving them their usual with probiotics added. I have a few delivery places. Maybe a LID wet is a good idea (if Delilah will eat it - her other nickname, besides Miss Chunkybutt, is Miss Fussypants) - no pates.

I did have a thought. With Delilah (since I've only had Fancy for 2 months exactly today), I'd been feeding her Fancy Feast wet and Crave dry indoor chicken only successfully for several weeks (I used to feed her Sheba, but after just getting chicken and turkey for weeks she started to turn up her nose at it). Just when I adopted Fancy, the Crave ran out AND they discontinued the indoor chicken only, so on recommendation I tried Fromm Gold. I was tired when I got it, and I've given Delilah other Fromm varieties in the past (stopped because of higher calories). I didn't see that fish meal was way down on the list, and I didn't think about it because the others I fed her didn't have it. The girls were eating it for about 6 weeks before I realized the fish meal. They were only getting about 1 to 2 tbsp per day along with their wet. Once I noticed the fish I went and found a chicken only dry that was more comparable with the old Crave formula. After 2 weeks, could the fish still be affecting their system?
 

rubysmama

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After 2 weeks, could the fish still be affecting their system?
Sorry, no idea, and wouldn't want to guess. But when I stopped giving Ruby the food that didn't agree with her, as I posted earlier, I saw an immediate change in the litter box deposits. That said, I do find, even with the current food she gets, which is a mix of the Merrick turkey and a few kibbles as a treat, she can still have issues if she eats too much kibble compared to the canned.

I feel for you, having sensitive tummy kitties, and it's probably even harder for you, since one needs to gain weight, and the other lose a bit.
 
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ladytimedramon

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So, I just really couldn't rush and find a different food. I started the girls on the antibiotics and continued the probiotics while still giving them Fancy Feast wet and Simply Nourish dry.

3 days so far and the bad smells have stopped.

I'm also finally getting Delilah to eat from the microchip feeder. But I can't close it yet so Fancy is snacking on whatever Delilah doesn't eat immediately. I chase her off when I catch her but that's not going to work when I'm back at work Monday.
 
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ladytimedramon

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I spoke too soon on the bad smells. At least for Fancy. I was on the sofa with Delilah when I heard Fancy in the litterbox. Suddenly there was the most godawful smell.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that she's the one not dealing as well with the food. Delilah has already been on and off Fancy Feast for a while since I've had her.

The problem is right now any food change has to be for both of them. While Fancy is fully using the microchip feeder, Delilah is just first eating the food in the feeder instead of in front of it. I have it on "training mode 1" which is basically open. And if Delilah doesn't eat immediately or only eats part, little miss Fancy is being an opportunist (believe it or not, as skinny and malnourished as she was, the people who turned her in were calling her "Piglet" because of the kink in her tail - she's starting to live up to that name). She needs to be about 8 pounds, not 10, and as I learned from Delilah that can accumulate quickly.
 

rubysmama

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I've never had 2 cats at the same time, so can't help with the issue of Fancy cleaning up any food Delilah leaves behind. The only option that comes to mind is putting a microchip cat door to a room that you can keep closed all the time, and keeping Delilah's food there.
 
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