Introducing Betty White

daftcat75

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Have you tried Greenie’s Smartbites hairball control? I got them for Zorro after making him an indoor cat. Normally he’d nibble grass for a bit of roughage, but no hairballs here, since trying them. Each one is quite tiny, and they easily break in half.
How many do you feed and how often? Because they're talking 18 treats per 10 lbs of cat per day?! WHAT?!?! That's insane! That's like a bowl of these every day.

But that seems to be the trouble I spot with most hairball remedies. They call for large doses that necessarily has to displace a sizeable amount of food.

I was thinking we were maybe past hairballs because she hadn't coughed one up in a few weeks and we brush a lot more than we used to. And for that reason, I hadn't been eager to add what seems like an entirely new food source.
 

daftcat75

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I only do 1-2! (Per day). Seems to work fine.
I can do that. When do you give them?

I used to have so much hesitation over hairball remedies and their ingredients. But their ingredients can't be any worse for her than letting her go through this every week or two.
 

daftcat75

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I put on some Cat TV for her and she’s absolutely transfixed. Hopefully that will take her mind off her tummy. She was chirping at me while I was brushing her and then she saw the TV and hasn’t seen anything else since. 😹😻👍
9C38A9BC-BF9F-4EE7-8F77-89F3782626D8.jpeg
Also, this is a crazy amount of hair coming off in the glove. And more with the Furminator. Definitely finished her off with a wet wipe.
5D39D470-BDDE-4E38-A3E2-A9D1C57AB6F3.jpeg BB0F32FA-A311-442E-9982-A8194153AEB8.jpeg
 

daftcat75

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Maybe Cat TV wasn’t the best idea. Seems to have stimulated her stomach rather than distract it. 🤦🏼‍♂️😿 At least she’s getting towards the end of the creamy acid spits. Hopefully she stops before she gets to the bloody irritated spits. 🤞
 

Margot Lane

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I can do that. When do you give them?

I used to have so much hesitation over hairball remedies and their ingredients. But their ingredients can't be any worse for her than letting her go through this every week or two.
At least 1 in the morning. I only give him 2 if he’s got that: “I really want to get out and eat some grass so I can take a regular poo” look, which I can’t really explain, but just know. It says on it “No artificial flavors preservatives or fillers,” & what I can make out of the ingredients they seem pretty decent. Plus it’s made in Canada, and those guys are a pretty sane lot.
 

daftcat75

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At least 1 in the morning. I only give him 2 if he’s got that: “I really want to get out and eat some grass so I can take a regular poo” look, which I can’t really explain, but just know. It says on it “No artificial flavors preservatives or fillers,” & what I can make out of the ingredients they seem pretty decent. Plus it’s made in Canada, and those guys are a pretty sane lot.
Objectively, these ingredients aren't terrible. I'm just used to looking at ingredient lists through a lens of "Krista's got IBD and nearly all of these are off-limits."
 

daftcat75

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Betty never sleeps on the floor unless she’s not feeling well. 😿🤢
6D4456F1-44BD-473B-A821-DB4F96206536.jpeg

Right after I captured this, she had her own squirrel TV live show. A pair of squirrels darted under the deck fence, through the deck, and under the opposite fence. 🐿🐿 Then they came back again in the opposite direction. They did a lap or two and now Betty’s been on the alert for their return.
image.jpg
It’s nice to see her lively again. I just hope it doesn’t stimulate her stomach into yet another round of angry spits. 😬🙊🫣
 

tarasgirl06

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Betty never sleeps on the floor unless she’s not feeling well. 😿🤢
View attachment 421582

Right after I captured this, she had her own squirrel TV live show. A pair of squirrels darted under the deck fence, through the deck, and under the opposite fence. 🐿🐿 Then they came back again in the opposite direction. They did a lap or two and now Betty’s been on the alert for their return.
View attachment 421583
It’s nice to see her lively again. I just hope it doesn’t stimulate her stomach into yet another round of angry spits. 😬🙊🫣
Sure hoping it doesn't! Sounds like a nice show for Betty. *Mention of the deck always makes me think of OC and OOC and hope they are okay.*
 

daftcat75

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The chicken flavor are for "dental health" and the salmon are for "skin and fur health." That's what's on the packages, anyway. We enjoy all three, rotated. But their favorite, far and away, is the tuna flavor "hairball control."
I just ordered them off Chewy (and I'm paying more for shipping than the treats but I don't have another $46 of items to add to my cart.)

Looks like the chicken flavor was formerly labeled as Hairball Control and now called Healthy Indoor.
GREENIES Feline SmartBites Healthy Indoor Chicken Flavor Cat Treats, 2.1-oz bag - Chewy.com

Also as soon as we get past the specialist appointment, assuming we don't have much else to do on that front, I want to see if she'll eat gizzards (raw or cooked) because she can use all the dental health superpowers that gizzards have.
 

daftcat75

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Sure hoping it doesn't! Sounds like a nice show for Betty. *Mention of the deck always makes me think of OC and OOC and hope they are okay.*
Betty may have finally turned the corner. She jumped in my lap in the computer chair (perhaps the most uncomfortable computer chair ever--for both of us) and was singing for a snack. I don't trust this. But I'll be willing to start her early in another hour. Tonight she'll get reduced portions for a couple of dinners and maybe a full overnight portion. Her A/D:I/D mix is already leaning heavily towards the bland. I don't see a need to adjust the mix tonight unless she's going to hold a grudge. That is the nice thing about mixing the two foods. She likes them both. Even when she's holding a grudge, I only need to adjust the mix or give her pure of one or the other.
 

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I just ordered them off Chewy (and I'm paying more for shipping than the treats but I don't have another $46 of items to add to my cart.)

Looks like the chicken flavor was formerly labeled as Hairball Control and now called Healthy Indoor.
GREENIES Feline SmartBites Healthy Indoor Chicken Flavor Cat Treats, 2.1-oz bag - Chewy.com

Also as soon as we get past the specialist appointment, assuming we don't have much else to do on that front, I want to see if she'll eat gizzards (raw or cooked) because she can use all the dental health superpowers that gizzards have.
Whew! Was scanning all over my package for anything teeth related, and mine just says “hairball control.” Appreciate all these updates though.
 

tarasgirl06

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I just ordered them off Chewy (and I'm paying more for shipping than the treats but I don't have another $46 of items to add to my cart.)

Looks like the chicken flavor was formerly labeled as Hairball Control and now called Healthy Indoor.
GREENIES Feline SmartBites Healthy Indoor Chicken Flavor Cat Treats, 2.1-oz bag - Chewy.com

Also as soon as we get past the specialist appointment, assuming we don't have much else to do on that front, I want to see if she'll eat gizzards (raw or cooked) because she can use all the dental health superpowers that gizzards have.
Ah. We get this one:
GREENIES Feline Oven Roasted Chicken Flavor Adult Dental Cat Treats, 4.6-oz bag - Chewy.com in the MEGA size. Of course.
The salmon "skin and fur health" is only available in the small size through petco.com so that's what we get. The tuna "hairball control" is available in the MEGA size, happily.
Gizzards sound grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreat! Hope she loves them. When I used to do a roast chicken for ex #2 for his thanksgiving (he's British, so it's not a holiday for him any more than it is for me. But he likes the food.) it came with the gizzard and innards and I'd boil them. The broth and the various parts made a really nice snack for cats for several nights.
 

daftcat75

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Ugh!

The gas she has on hairball days!
🐈💨🙊
 
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daftcat75

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Heard from a So Cal friend. Her kitty also had a heatwave hairball. 🥵😿

A gassy hairball too.
🐈💨

We were comparing notes. 😹

Betty also had some angry butt stuff. She had a poop in the afternoon. And then she had remainders in the last hour? How did I sleep through it so early in the night? There was some looses bits and some tiny hairy hard bits, and some bits that either followed her out or she left it there in protest. Krista used to carpet bomb when she got down to the angry stuff.😾

Speaking of angry, or rather hangry, she’s feeling feisty and telling me reduced portions are 🐂💩

I’ll get her another larger (almost regular-sized) portion sooner than her usual 1am time. By breakfast she should be back to full portions again. And hopefully her morning poop will be back to normal again too.
EBB571AA-F3FB-43C2-975F-01BC6D50E344.jpeg
 

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Heard from a So Cal friend. Her kitty also had a heatwave hairball. 🥵😿

A gassy hairball too.
🐈💨

We were comparing notes. 😹

Betty also had some angry butt stuff. She had a poop in the afternoon. And then she had remainders in the last hour? How did I sleep through it so early in the night? There was some looses bits and some tiny hairy hard bits, and some bits that either followed her out or she left it there in protest. Krista used to carpet bomb when she got down to the angry stuff.😾

Speaking of angry, or rather hangry, she’s feeling feisty and telling me reduced portions are 🐂💩

I’ll get her another larger (almost regular-sized) portion sooner than her usual 1am time. By breakfast she should be back to full portions again. And hopefully her morning poop will be back to normal again too.
View attachment 421601
So the photo is Betty's way of 'telling you that reduced portion sizes...just won't fly'. :yummy: :lol:
Though I like the way you said it better. :crackup::lol: :flail:
or maybe Betty was stating those 'same emojis too', but in her own way. :lol: 💩 :dunno: :wink:

It kind of makes sense, now, since your friend's cat also had a 'heatwave gassy hairball'....since with us humans we usually slow down, and move like slugs, during a heat wave, (might be just me)...and so I would guess that 'everything kind of slows down too'...even our digestion. 🤔

So I'd think our cat's digestive systems would act similarly, to us, during a heat wave, too.
(Of course, that does not take into account the 'gassiness'...or the 'hairballs, either.
My theory must be off, and needs some more work. :read:)

Our cats move around less, and then naturally their digestion would be slower, or even food intake, too.
I would think that you would see a rise in 'water consumption' though. :think:
If our cats actually get off the cooler floor-levels, where it is cooler, and make their way to the water bowls, to drink...or do they just lay around, until they feel cooler.

Hoping that your Betty is back to her usual self, tomorrow,...with her poop, eating, and normal sleep/energy cycles...unless the temps keep her not expending extra heat, or movements.
Then it would be a more 'wait and see' until 'cooler weather happens'...approach to her usual habits.
 

daftcat75

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So the photo is Betty's way of 'telling you that reduced portion sizes...just won't fly'. :yummy: :lol:
Though I like the way you said it better. :crackup::lol: :flail:
or maybe Betty was stating those 'same emojis too', but in her own way. :lol: 💩 :dunno: :wink:

It kind of makes sense, now, since your friend's cat also had a 'heatwave gassy hairball'....since with us humans we usually slow down, and move like slugs, during a heat wave, (might be just me)...and so I would guess that 'everything kind of slows down too'...even our digestion. 🤔

So I'd think our cat's digestive systems would act similarly, to us, during a heat wave, too.
(Of course, that does not take into account the 'gassiness'...or the 'hairballs, either.
My theory must be off, and needs some more work. :read:)

Our cats move around less, and then naturally their digestion would be slower, or even food intake, too.
I would think that you would see a rise in 'water consumption' though. :think:
If our cats actually get off the cooler floor-levels, where it is cooler, and make their way to the water bowls, to drink...or do they just lay around, until they feel cooler.

Hoping that your Betty is back to her usual self, tomorrow,...with her poop, eating, and normal sleep/energy cycles...unless the temps keep her not expending extra heat, or movements.
Then it would be a more 'wait and see' until 'cooler weather happens'...approach to her usual habits.
Your theory is mostly sound. The heat dehydrates cats especially those who aren’t drinking extra water on warmer days. The inactivity also slows their digestion. Heatwave hairballs are actually a thing. Also reduced eating and constipation. I kept asking her last night why she wasn’t pooping. She’s a twice a day pooper. Not an even twelve hours so the timing shifts around the clock. But I’ll scoop two poops a day. Yesterday was one and today was more like two and a half. This morning’s poop had no issues. A little bigger because it was late. But it was the correct firmness. The second and third poops I scooped tonight were both harder and softer

Hairballs, heatwave or otherwise, always make Betty gassy. It’s probably the emptying and persistent spasming of her gut.

Thankfully the heatwave has passed. For now. It will get warm again next week. But it shouldn’t be quite as hot. I’ll start her on extra brushing and hairball treats. She’ll love the extra brushing. We shall see what she thinks of the treats. 🤞
 

tarasgirl06

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Heard from a So Cal friend. Her kitty also had a heatwave hairball. 🥵😿

A gassy hairball too.
🐈💨

We were comparing notes. 😹

Betty also had some angry butt stuff. She had a poop in the afternoon. And then she had remainders in the last hour? How did I sleep through it so early in the night? There was some looses bits and some tiny hairy hard bits, and some bits that either followed her out or she left it there in protest. Krista used to carpet bomb when she got down to the angry stuff.😾

Speaking of angry, or rather hangry, she’s feeling feisty and telling me reduced portions are 🐂💩

I’ll get her another larger (almost regular-sized) portion sooner than her usual 1am time. By breakfast she should be back to full portions again. And hopefully her morning poop will be back to normal again too.
View attachment 421601
Betty! What are you doing? :lolup:
Yeah, hot weather sux. There's nothing good about it IMHO. Hoping Betty feels better for this cooler interlude.
 
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