I Have More Trust Issues Than This Feral..

pearl99

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I'm so glad they sound like they're adjusting - at least there is no drama! What kind of food was Ziggy's owner feeding her that she was overweight and flaky? Do you still have to intervene with cardboard now and then, or are they pretty much past that phase?
She was on Iams dry and Friskies wet food. I didn't switch her for a long time because she had had such a big change- new owner, new home, a 3 cats to adjust to when she had never been with another cat before! She also used to throw up a couple times a week (stress?) but now rarely.

I still have to keep a close eye because Ziggy does build tension. Short times out in the house more often are the best. I can herd her back to her room, she knows what "back to your room Ziggy" and the cardboard beside her mean :whiskers:. I don't like to pick her up cuz she hates it :angrycat:.
That looks like what Moo would do to a bag...

I'm going to get a Lickimat or three!
 

Mamanyt1953

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I'm surprised to see a change in behavior so soon.
It usually takes about 3 days for a medication to reach therapeutic levels in the blood, but if it's working now, it's working now! Maybe his metabolism is a little higher than normal.

I've suggested those a time or two for adult cats, (I first heard about them for orphan kittens
I love this one, as well as the one that has nipples, to allow orphaned kittens to actually get that suckling in. Pity someone doesn't combine the two!

Animals can even sense or smell human illness.
Cats can sense all sorts of things. Cancers, for one. And they can smell the chemical changes before a seizure, AND smell the hormonal changes of very early pregnancy! I've known more than one person who first suspected that they were pregnant because their cat suddenly was VERY interested in their tummy!
 

Buffster7

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Cats can sense all sorts of things. Cancers, for one. And they can smell the chemical changes before a seizure, AND smell the hormonal changes of very early pregnancy! I've known more than one person who first suspected that they were pregnant because their cat suddenly was VERY interested in their tummy!
Yes, they've trained dogs to sniff out ovarian cancer in humans with accuracy.
It's funny; the minute I walk in the door, both cats run to greet me at the door. First things first; they both have to smell my breath. It's like it tells the story of my day - they carefully and intently sniff sniff sniff my mouth until satisfied. I imagine ALL their senses are heightened all the time and pick up on more than we realize.

Wonder what Finn is sensing tonight? This afternoon he came tearing up to me, acting terrified, slinking and wide-eyed. He is terrified of my bedroom! I'm not sure if he saw something or thought he saw something. A fly? A reflection? But it's been over 5 hours and he is still acting really spooked, poor guy. If I hadn't been home all day, he'd have me spooked that someone had gotten in here while I'd been gone. I guess this is how the term "scaredy cat" got coined. Anyone else's cat get spooked like this and stay spooked all night? I'm playing music right now and gave him some CBD oil hoping he'll relax.

I still have to keep a close eye because Ziggy does build tension. Short times out in the house more often are the best. I can herd her back to her room, she knows what "back to your room Ziggy" and the cardboard beside her mean :whiskers:. I don't like to pick her up cuz she hates it :angrycat:.
Boy do I know that feeling. Have you ever tried Zylkene with her? I wonder if it would help her stress and resulting tension she builds. I can send you a few capsules to try if you like.
 

pearl99

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Boy do I know that feeling. Have you ever tried Zylkene with her? I wonder if it would help her stress and resulting tension she builds. I can send you a few capsules to try if you like.
Yes, I had them all on Zylkene. I didn't see a difference. Except for Gracie, she slept more (she doesn't really need to do that!) I've tried CBD oil too-no real effect. And the Bach remedies! Sheesh my kitties don't get drug effects easily. I have thought of trying a Jackson Galaxy concoction.
And I was looking at the calming chews you've mentioned recently.
Doing the hunt catch kill eat...and lots of love. It really helps there is the pandemic and I have lots more time...the only good thing about it! I've ordered my 5th cat tower, they all like them by a window so now there will be one for each and a spare!
I had started clicker training with Moo (like she needs more treats...) but got all discombobulated when Ziggy came. Should try it with Ziggy too. Then will have 2 li'l fatties for cats!
Oh yes the expense hahaha. But worth every penny!
 

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I have had cats get scared by invisible things. :oops: Seemingly invisible anyway. Once their spidey senses were tingling. It WAS a spider! Anyone crossing the yard. Pulling into the drive or neighbors playing loud music. BJ and Lady despise myneighbors son and always know when he is there. Again, cats senses are keen. I have seen many alerts to many things. Neighbors burning trash, sirens, hawks outside, owls are a big scare here, some types of bugs, screeching brakes on the road, smell or another cat outside, on and on. Inside, Whistle is scared of anything that looks like it has bunny ears. If I tie the trash bag, I better push the ties down! Lol I guess some bunny got chased by Thumper while outside! You can try seeing if Finn will show you what scared him. Try going in the room and see if he will go too. Follow his gaze. If he will go, they are pretty good at attempting to “show” you by looking at the place or thing that scared them. Any chance he knocked something over? Breakables, liquids etc.? Did he get into something like a bag of kitty food or snitch some you or treats? Guilt over doing a no, no can look like fear. Fear of being in trouble! Lol The girls here don’t usually act too guilty. ( they feel entitled lol) The boys seem more concerned with getting into things.:dunno: Kitties! I wouldn’t worry too much after a good look around for brokenKnick knacks. Hopefully it was just a sudden noise. Oh yeah, another thing that really does scare these kitties is a falling tree branch. The risks for a feral are many and they can still react no matter how long they have been inside. Mitsy still looks up at the ceiling with concern every time it rains. Wet fur risk.;)
 

Buffster7

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Yes, I had them all on Zylkene. I didn't see a difference.
If you still have any left, did you try increasing the dose? Charlie is super sensitive to any medication; I always have to give him 1/2 dose of any med or supplements, and he can't tolerate Zylkene at all for some reason. Finn, on the other hand, is like your boys - impervious to EVERYTHING. Nothing phases him. But I did order the higher dose Zylkene to save money, and I accidentally sprinkled more on his food than I usually do. I tried to remove some, but knowing he couldn't O.D. on the amount that was remaining, I served it. First time I EVER saw a difference in his behavior from it. So since then, when I give him Zylkene, I give him the higher dose, and finally I see him a bit more chilled out. Well...until yesterday. Whatever freaked him out still has him in flight mode. Poor little dude. :(
I have had cats get scared by invisible things. :oops: You can try seeing if Finn will show you what scared him. Try going in the room and see if he will go too. Follow his gaze. If he will go, they are pretty good at attempting to “show” you by looking at the place or thing that scared them.
It's the strangest thing. I've never seen him act this way. I wasn't in the room with him when he got scared, but he came tearing out of the room. There's a window he likes to sit in there; he may have seen something outside. But ALL of the windows in the house that they have access to face my side and back yard, so they can't see neighbors. (The windows along the front of the house are rooms they don't have access to, and the front door window is too high for them to see out.)

But he is freaked out - he's still in flight mode today, very hyper-vigilant and fearful. And it's definitely my room. Now, I did stuff my bed with pillows from the guest bedroom (where he spent the first couple months) to keep Charlie out from under there. But he doesn't seem scared of those pillows; when he does go in my room, he squeezes between the pillows under the bed. He is really spooked. Maybe a tree limb? Whatever he saw, he saw during daylight hours, or else I would think something like raccoon. I don't think he ever came to bed last night; when I went to bed he was wedged between pillows under the bed, and when I got up this morning it took him a few minutes to come out. Now that I'm out of my room, he won't go near it. Usually he likes to sit in the windowsill in there. He's following me around with his tail curled tightly around his body. I feel so bad for him!
 

pearl99

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If you still have any left, did you try increasing the dose? Charlie is super sensitive to any medication; I always have to give him 1/2 dose of any med or supplements, and he can't tolerate Zylkene at all for some reason. Finn, on the other hand, is like your boys - impervious to EVERYTHING. Nothing phases him. But I did order the higher dose Zylkene to save money, and I accidentally sprinkled more on his food than I usually do. I tried to remove some, but knowing he couldn't O.D. on the amount that was remaining, I served it. First time I EVER saw a difference in his behavior from it. So since then, when I give him Zylkene, I give him the higher dose, and finally I see him a bit more chilled out. Well...until yesterday. Whatever freaked him out still has him in flight mode. Poor little dude. :(
No, I haven't tried that, being a medical person I stick to dosages :dunno:, even knowing it was a supplement I didn't do that...and Ziggy is a chunk.
Sooo...I will do that! I got the 450mg dose capsules to save money and painstakingly figured out how much of a tiny teaspoon was 75mg (have a set of those measuring spoons that are a pinch, a smidgen, and a dash :lol:.) Will do it today!
Thanks for the suggestion!

Poor Finn, I can't imagine what may have spooked him? Maybe something did in his outdoor life and he saw it again.
 

Jcatbird

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Poor Finn! Poor you too! He’s curling his tail around him? He doesn’t have anything stuck to his bottom does he? Is there a litter box in there? Just a thought. I have had to clean a couple of bottoms in the past.
I hope he stops worrying. At least he feels confident in the fact that you are his protection. I can just imagine him squeezed into the pillows underneath you. Awww.
 

Buffster7

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:blush:
No, I haven't tried that, being a medical person I stick to dosages :dunno:, even knowing it was a supplement I didn't do that...and Ziggy is a chunk.
Sooo...I will do that! I got the 450mg dose capsules to save money and painstakingly figured out how much of a tiny teaspoon was 75mg (have a set of those measuring spoons that are a pinch, a smidgen, and a dash :lol:.) Will do it today!
Thanks for the suggestion!

Poor Finn, I can't imagine what may have spooked him? Maybe something did in his outdoor life and he saw it again.
Ahh, I only have the 225mg dose, and I've been giving him a less than 1/2 capsule, so he's probably getting a little less than 100mg. Still, I wasn't giving him the full dose with the 75mg, so it was still a jump. Now I can't figure out if it's upping Finn's dosage when he's wild that's helped, or if it's the new chew I'm crumbling in Charlie's food, or if they just finally had their breakthrough! Whatever it is, I'm reveling in it. Charlie can now stretch out and lay on his back in front of Finn the way he used to, without fear of being pounced. It just floors me! Might be worth a try with your Ziggy, but who knows. Cats... Love the pinch and smidgeon and dash! :blush:
 

Buffster7

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Poor Finn! Poor you too! He’s curling his tail around him? He doesn’t have anything stuck to his bottom does he? Is there a litter box in there? Just a thought. I have had to clean a couple of bottoms in the past.
I hope he stops worrying. At least he feels confident in the fact that you are his protection. I can just imagine him squeezed into the pillows underneath you. Awww.
He is getting back to acting more like himself tonight! I had to leave the house for the afternoon and was gone for several hours. When I got home, he was much more normal. I have never seen him act like that before! He is my cuddle bug and he wouldn't even let me hold him to comfort him; he'd jump away any time I reached for him:running: but he still wanted to be in my vicinity.
How is Wanda Heart feeling?
 

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I keep forgetting to ask this. Do you guys have or have you had any arthritic cats that have difficulty squatting due to the arthritis in hips or knees? I'm having an issue with Charlie peeing while standing up in the litter box, so he pees up the back of the litter box and hits the wall. And the box is x-large and deep. A small cat could stand and pee and not pee over it. It's infuriating...or it was until I walked to him and pushed his butt down tonight while he was peeing, and the thought occurred to me what if it's due to pain? Trying to decide if it's a physical problem or behavioral. I may have to go back to my large covered litter box if this keeps up, but not sure how Finn would adjust to that.
 

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Jcatbird

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Hopefully Finn will actually like an enclosed box! Try it.
I looked at the link to the box you have. Very interesting! Is it really easier to clean? I would love to roll and clean! Of course that removes my images of panning for gold....,:lol:

I just had another image. With my kitties, would they get inside to roll and clean themselves! Would Banjo stand outside and roll Kodiak? :flail:

If Finn will not go inside a covered box, you could make a wall around the outside. Just three sides from cardboard covered in plastic. It might not be purrfect but could help. I actually find these cats like going into the large clear containers so maybe Finn would accept one of those with a lid?
DE033059-557A-4E76-865C-82507392AD0B.jpeg
 

Buffster7

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Does the Roll and Clean have issues with stuck to the box pee balls? I always have to pry some loose from the litter box.
Sometimes they did, but you roll the thing upside down and smack the bottom of the container and the pee balls fall into the tray that you pull out. I also sprinkle baking soda at the bottom of the box before I put the litter in, and that helps prevent sticking.

It was great for one cat, but these two refuse to use any but one litter box, so it fills up FAST. Which means the drawer that catches the pee balls and poo would fill up with pee balls and it gets difficult to pull out - it gets hung up on the pee balls. Then there was no way around it but to either force the drawer out and crumble a pee ball in the process, or scoop the pee ball out of the main litter box area if there were too many or they were too big. That didn't happen every time, but when it did it was annoying.

Then the other thing that could happen on the first box (I have two) was that the top and bottom didn't have a perfect seal, so sometimes it would leak litter when turning upside down. The second box didn't have that problem. Overall I would give the box 4 stars if you have one cat, but multiple cats would require multiple dumping a day, I would think. And I really don't mind "panning for gold" as Jcatbird calls it. :lol: It's so rewarding - "Ah HA! I got ANOTHER one!"

Why can't I ever give short answers...
 
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