Struggling With Play Time

[calicosrspecial]

This one is so small and the keys are different. It is very frustrating, it takes me so long to type now.

Yes, hopefully you can find one as it really works for me.

It sounds like he is feeling discomfort. That is not like him. Did he have any knots? Has he been walking differently or not jumping as much? Any change in using the litter box or anything? Avoiding areas? Poor guy, something was bothering him.

 

[Animal Freak]

I didn't find any knots, but he didn't let me touch that one leg. I forgot to try again last night, but I will be brushing them tonight. If he gives me any more trouble then I'll probably be making a new thread to get the opinions of others. I'm guessing it's just his arthritis, but he's on glucosamine and I haven't noticed any changes. He's usually on a cat tree somewhere. He only typically comes out when he wants attention or food. But he still follows me into the bathroom. He jumps up on the sink and walks across to the draws we have next to it since he can't stand on the edge of the sink very well. Sometimes he sits there, sometimes he goes into the bathtub. I haven't noticed him avoiding any areas and he was actually quite playful last night. It's hard to tell with the litter boxes with three cats and he doesn't use it in front of me too often. I don't really know who's doing what.

They have all been giving me some trouble in the morning when it comes to eating. Stella is actually doing better, but Ash and Frost don't want to eat. Ash is the only one who will actually go to his food bowl immediately, but he leaves after taking a few bites. I have to guide Frost to his bowl or he acts like he doesn't know where he eats and even then he won't always eat anything. Ember runs off like I'm going to feed her in my room which I don't do often. But she eventually comes back and she's the only one who actually eats. It's just in the morning though. They don't get wet food then, but I do put water in it. They seemed to like that, but no interest now. And they've never had wet food in the morning.

 

[calicosrspecial]

Hmmmm, it doesn't sound too bad then. Maybe it was just acting up at that time. It sounds like he is normal other than that. He could have been laying on it and it was stiff or something. Poor guy. You may want to post a thread on the health side to get some advice.

It does happen where they get that way. My ferals have been doing that lately and on of my girls inside has been eating less and I am watching. Maybe it is the weather? Cats can get bored with food, I don't really see it much with their hard food but with wet food I see it a lot. I am guessing it is transitory but keep an eye on it.

 

[Animal Freak]

Well, he did give me some trouble last night too. Not nearly as much, but I did find a knot behind his leg. It seems like he's getting them more often. I can typically brush behind his legs okay, but not so much on the inside so the first one was understandable. I don't know how he got this one. It didn't seem as bad though and we got at least the majority of it out. I was actually going to post last night, but I was busy with other things and forgot. Right now I'm a bit too tired and I don't want to miss anything, but I'll probably post tomorrow. I'll see how he handles being brushed then too. He still seems fine in every other aspect. He and Ember are doing a good job making me get up and get exercise when they're supposed to be getting exercise as they've decided they don't want to play unless I'm dragging the toy behind me.

It's odd how they seem to do it together. It almost feels planned. I guess they could be getting bored with it, but I'm hesitant to change it. We get some for urinary tract health due to Ash's frequent UTIs. Of course, I'm putting water in the food, have increased the amount of wet they get, got two water fountains, and he's on glucosamine so I don't know how he could possibly get another UTI, but I'm still wary. However, we did get a bag of hairball control and mixed it in so maybe that'll add some different flavors. I'll definitely keep an eye on it. Especially because Frost is already a little on the thin side. He hasn't put on weight any better than Ember has lost weight despite the fact that he did go back to eating for a while.

On another note, Ash has just decided to get in my bed with me. He doesn't usually get in my bed when I'm already there unless he wants in and I take too long to get up in the morning. However, he's here and kneading a blanket while purring.

 

[calicosrspecial]

There was a knot, makes sense now. Maybe it is because the air is so dry? I am actually glad to hear that it was a knot most likely.

Hahahahaha, yep, cats do like to make us work (or exercise). Hahahahaha

Yes, they do. It is like they talk and say "this is boring let's get her to change". Hahahaha Changing is difficult. I leave the hard food and change the wet (different flavors) but they get tired of that too. Never ends. :/

Is Frost just not eating much and that is why he is not putting on weight? But he is still a good weight, right?

AWESOME!!!! Good job Ash!! How cute is that?!?!?!?!?!?! AWESOME!!

 

[Animal Freak]

Well, he did very good today. Like nothing was wrong in the slightest. He behaved very well and we didn't even have to hold him down to snip out the last of the knot. I brushed and petted him while my mom cut it out. He enjoyed the attention and was purring. I'm glad he's back to doing so well. It was a huge change. He never even so much as did his agitated meow. Just purred the entire time.

That's true. And they don't even go after it very often. It's like photography. You take ten pictures and three, maybe four, are good. I go back and forth through the house ten times and they go after the toy three or four times.

We usually get the Friskies 24 or 32 pack that comes with a few different flavors and they haven't had an issue eating that. I am considering a diet change though. I'm not sure I can until I'm getting a little more money though since it would probably end up being more expensive. But I've heard so many times now that their poop shouldn't really smell all that bad and that if it does it's often because of the diet. I'm not really sure what counts as "bad" though. It's not terrible, but you can usually tell when someone just went if you go in that room. It fades pretty quickly after being covered though.

Well, he's not eating much anymore, but he was back to being at least close to normal. He's always been a bit fickle so it's a lot of back and forth. The vet wasn't worried so I'm guessing that, yes, he's still a good weight. We took him to the vet because of him not eating and they hadn't even so much as mentioned it. They called us with an update and we had to ask about his weight. They confirmed that he did lose about a pound. He went from ten pounds to nine, but they didn't seem concerned in the slightest. He does feel a bit bony if you feel through the fur, but not to point you can count his ribs or anything. Unfortunately, I don't have a scale to weigh them on. If I do so (which they probably all need), I have to weigh myself and then weigh myself with the cat and I don't know how accurate it is.

It was really sweet. He didn't lay right next to me, but he slept by my pillows where Frost usually sleeps. I don't know how long he stayed, but I fell asleep with him there.

Ember managed to flip my screen upside down. I didn't know how to fix it and my mouse was working backwards. I managed to search it though and figured it out. She obviously disapproves of me giving my computer any attention.

 

[calicosrspecial]

Wow, that is great!! Great teamwork!!!

Exactly. Just keep trying and always try to make the toy act like prey.

Food can have an impact, some cats are different as well. I am not an expert but it depends. My cats all eat the same things and I can tell which one is which. Food can be tough. I am not an expert on food but I always focus on protein. "Bad" is difficult. When a cat has IBS etc you can tell bad. Usually if there is an issue you will see it in consistency and if they are going outside of the box that is a telltale sign. When you have time just post in the food section and the health section. Usually if there is a problem it is pretty noticeable but it is always good to keep an eye out.

The vet is the best source. If they are not concerned then I wouldn't be too concerned. And watch for the consistency he is going and the number of times. Look for changes.

Awwwwwwww, that is so sweet and cool. Wonderful!!!

Yikes!! Ember wouldn't see just do that???? Glad you got it fixed.

 

[Animal Freak]

I will probably post about the diet. I'm not sure if I should post now though. They've been doing fine on this diet for this long, so I don't think it's dire that we change it right now. I would like to put them on a better diet though. It's just tough because I don't know what to consider "bad". It seems kind of odd to me that there would be no smell to their poop. However, it can get a bit smelly sometimes. Especially if someone doesn't cover.

I will be keeping an eye on him. They all seem healthy though. Each has a minor issue that's being worked on. Frost being slight underweight, Ember being a little overweight, and Ash having arthritis. I have noticed Frost hissing again though. He went a while without doing so. Probably close to a month. Then he did it three or four times within a couple of days.

She definitely would. It was my fault though. I've learned that it's best to just move my laptop and let her have my lap, but I wanted to finish my response and can't type very well at an awkward angle with a cat on my lap. Should have known better. I'm not sure how she managed it though. She was basically sprawled across my keyboard and somehow managed to hit the three necessary keys to flip the screen.

By the way, I did find the accordion gates. Doesn't seem like they're made much though. They're a bit cheaper than most gates, but still too much for me right now. I spent too much for Christmas. I'm not sure if my mom would want to get one or not, but we couldn't really do more than one. However, I did find a couple of different options. Neither had great reviews. It seems what left of them are flimsy, but I don't need anything especially strong. Stella won't touch it. I found one that would be good because I could have it a little higher off the ground. The bathroom doorway is narrow so I'm not sure if they'd actually be able to fit through the gaps very well, but with that one I could lift it up so they could go underneath and the gaps would offer extra height so it wouldn't be so high up the dog could go under. There was another though that doesn't go in a doorway. It sits on two legs so it wouldn't have to fit in the doorway and the gaps could be larger. It seems to be pretty high off the ground too. It's also quite a bit cheaper. However, I'm worried the cats would knock it over trying to get through or if they decided to jump over it.

 

[calicosrspecial]

You are early today.

I think that is fine. I know, it is hard to know but I think if it was an issue you would really know. It is hard to explain but it is scent, consistency, amounts, number of times, etc. It really is a combination of things. And then if they are not covering or going outside of the box. It depends if they ate fish or meat. Things like that.

Well, hissing does happen. I would guess someone did something. If all it is is a hiss then it isn't too worrying. On weight I always look for stability. So if a cat is losing a lot of weight every week then something is wrong. But if they are pretty stable then I don't worry too much. Your instincts are good and you are intelligent. If something isn't right you will suspect it and look into it.

Hahahaha, she is a computer genius!! She knows more about computers than I do!!

Just think about them and think if they will work. I would say that I would have something pretty stable (so it doesn't fall, etc). If it isn't too high then the cats can jump it but Stella may not try. Just think it through so you don't waste your money on something that doesn't help.

 

[Animal Freak]

That I am. I have too much time on my hands today.

Everything else seems fine. I don't know what's up with the not covering thing. That's been going on for a while, but there aren't any other signs that lead me to think there might be a health problem. It doesn't even happen consistently. Once every couple of days maybe.

I have yet to see anyone do anything to provoke his hissing. Of course, I still refuse to think it's for absolutely no reason, but I do think it's a reason that has more to do with Frost than the others. They're usually a foot or so away from him when he does it.

His weight, I think, is stable. I think he'd be a lot thinner if he was losing weight every week. Sometime I'll get around to weighing them though. It's not very a trustworthy method, but it at least gives me an idea of where they're at.

She definitely seems to know more than me! Once she managed to turn my mouse pad off. I thought she broke my computer. Of course, that turned out to be one button, not three different buttons on opposite sides of the keyboard.

I'm pretty sure both will work as far as keeping Stella out. I know she won't jump. I would worry a little about having it too high up, but I don't think she's desperate enough to try going under. She pretty much refuses to go under anything that isn't more than a few inches than she is standing straight up and even then she's wary. I think it's going to come down to if I want to get the cheaper option and deal with keeping it standing and possibly falling apart or get the more expensive one and risk it falling apart. I'm in no hurry though. The situation as it is is manageable.

 

[calicosrspecial]

That isn't always bad. I am about to go into busy mode. :/

That is the main thing, that everything else is fine. Not covering could be a couple of things (a little territorial, sometimes they just choose not to, they get distracted, etc) but nothing too worrisome.

Hissing happens for a reason but often it is a small reason. It is like us saying "leave me alone".

Stable is good. That is the main thing. Yeah, you can try to weigh them, feel them, etc. I can usually feel a difference but it isn't precise unless I weigh them.

Hahahaha, she is learning while you are away I think!

Well, just try to make the best decision. A lot of times there is more value in something with a higher price but not always. Just think it through so hopefully you make the best decision which should save you money in the long run.

 

[Animal Freak]

I worry about everything, but I have to try not to. Especially when everything else seems fine. Frost tends to scratch at the side of the box more than the litter and Ash sometimes scratches outsider of it so it's not too weird to think they might not manage to cover every time.

I don't hold anything against him hissing. I do worry about it making Ember insecure though. I'd just like to know why he wants to be left alone so much and when no one has done anything.

That's a scary thought. Maybe I should change my password.

I overthink everything so it's unlikely it won't be thought through. The more expensive one would probably be better/easier, but I have a hard time spending money. Usually, that's a good thing, but sometimes it makes things difficult.

 

[calicosrspecial]

Oh I know. When we love someone we always worry. Because we want what is best. But we have to remain focused and not expend too much energy on worry which doesn't move us forward. But I know you know that and are working on that. As am I.

Some of my cats also scratch the sides of the litter box etc. I honestly don't know why that is. If you find out please let me know. I am guessing there is some scent there they are trying to cover. I don't worry about it as long as everything else is fine.

Oh I know. Yes, we don't want it to stress Ember. I am guessing someone looks at him or walks towards him. Sometimes play is misinterpreted, or a look, or a movement. Since nothing comes of it their communication is working.

She is probably posting on here when you are gone!! Hahahaha

I know you will make the best decision. You are intelligent and I think if you think it is worth it you will do it and if you don't think so you will wisely not.

 

[Animal Freak]

Yeah. Some things just aren't worth the worry. Especially when it's such a small thing with no other signs to go with it. It can be hard to not worry, but I do my best to keep my eye on them. Of course, that's easier said than done when I'm gone for a good portion of the day usually. It's even harder with multiple cats since you don't know who's doing what.

Yeah, it's a bit weird. I always just assumed they were trying to scratch more litter and from different angles. Frost is an odd cat so I don't really question his behavior. I do, however, wonder why Ash scratches the floor outside the box. There's a lot less litter there and it seems like he'd realize he had to step over the side of the box to get to the floor.

It does seem to be when someone approaches him, but there have been multiple occasions where they're still a few feet away from him. Though I don't know why I said "they." It's mostly Ember he hisses at. Ash has only gotten it once or twice. He's never hissed at Stella or any human.

Well, as long as she's not spreading terrible rumors about me, I think I can live with that. Maybe she's trying to figure out better ways of communicating what she wants with me. Though now that I think about it, I don't think I want her learning even more ways. She's quite demanding as it is.

I'll definitely be putting a lot of thought into it.

 

[calicosrspecial]

I know. It is easier said than done. You do a great job with them, that is the main thing.

I know, I see it too. I can't exactly figure it out. They have such good senses of smell that maybe they smell something and try to cover it.

Even a few feet can trigger a hiss. And Ember is the new cat and is more energetic and does get into it with Ash at times so it makes sense. It is just his way of saying "don't even think about it" probably.

Hahahahahaha, too funny!! Wouldn't Ember just be thinking like that?????

You will make the best decision.

 

[Animal Freak]

I don't know. It's an odd behavior. Ember is probably the pickiest of the three when it comes to keeping things buried. I always know some dropped some poop when she starts scratching. So I'd kind of imagine she'd be the one trying to cover something, but I could be wrong. Ash is like that too, but not quite to the same extent. But Frost sure will spend a lot of time scratching the side of the litter box. Like he can't figure out why it's not working.

I wish she'd stop being the "new cat" though. I mean, I get it. I'm very much the same way. I don't like change, I don't like my schedule being messed up, and I'm not quick to trust. But she's been here three, coming up on four, years now. She's been here since birth. They've pretty much watched her grow up. And we went over two years without an issue between her and Frost. We went over five years without ever even so much as hearing Frost hiss. I don't think she's ever really harassed them like so many kittens do. My memory is crap, but I can't think of a single time she pushed them to their limits.

1typing that last paragraph, I just realized that this year Ember will be turning four and Ash and Frost will be turning seven. Now that's a scary thought! I'm a bit emotional now.

Absolutely. I can see it now. Her sneaking onto the computer to research how to manipulate humans and different ways to be adorable. Then erasing the history and leaving it like nothing happened before I get home, excited to try out some new techniques.

 

[calicosrspecial]

I know. It is interesting. I have already had it where the cat looks at me while slowly scratching the side. Who knows what they are thinking.

Cats always seem to know the new cat. I know, it doesn't make a lot of sense but there is always a little uncertainty there. I have seen it in mine in the past. It doesn't always have to be an issue between the cats, it could just be energy levels and the vibe given off etc. It is hard to explain but it is like people where you don't exactly trust someone even if you know them and they never did anything.

I know, time flies. It hits me as well at times. I guess it reminds me to cherish every moment as much as possible.

EXACTLY!!! Don't tell her you know though

 

[Animal Freak]

It's another one of those times that it would be nice if we could really communicate with them. Figure out why they're doing it and then maybe explain why it's not going to do much of anything.

I guess her timid nature could work against her. It's kind of like they're at a stand still. No one wants to be the one to improve their relationship with each other. I don't really think it's her energy level. Sometimes she stalks and pounces on them, but she never pushes it when they don't want to play. I wouldn't say she's a whole lot more playful than them. They all more or less go through spurts of energy and Frost is a fairly playful cat. Just not when I try to play with him. He's been obsessed with this one ball for three days now.

It's a scary thing. It really makes me wish I could remember more of when they were kittens. My memory is terrible. I honestly remember more of Ember's brother than I do her. He was practically born a lap cat.

I won't. She's too cute. I can't ruin it. She's on my lap right now.

By the way, Ash slept in my bed again. However, neither of the other two did. It's a little concerning. Especially since Ember has short fur.

 

[calicosrspecial]

Hahahaha, yep. Maybe they enjoy us wondering............

A cat's emotions can affect other cat's emotions. It is so complex. So many things could be causing it. I always just try to reassure and build confidence and that tend to improve things.

Balls are so interesting for cats. They kind of act like a mouse so I think that is why they like it.

I know. It is hard but enjoying the moment is good too.

How cute. Ember is a sweetie.

That is cool Ash did. If Ember was too cold she would have come in I think. Cat go through different things but when push comes to shove they will do what is needed. I wouldn't worry, Ember doesn't seem like a cat that wont do what is best if needed.

 

[Animal Freak]

I can believe that.

I would love to build more confidence, but I'm not sure what else to do. I break up the negative incidents and redirect their attention, they all get love and attention, they're fed in the same room so there is minimal separation, they have three cat trees, and I try to play with them every day, but they don't make it easy. They barely play at all and it's still more than they did with the last toy. Ember gets two play sessions a day. I used to have three, but I was on break and have had trouble getting back in routine in the morning. It didn't seem to be making much of a difference though.

It was funny how random the sudden fascination was though. He still loves it. I don't think anything has held any of their attentions for so long.

That she is. A very demanding one, but a sweetie nonetheless.

I don't know, she's awfully stubborn, that one. I wish I saw them curled up together more often. It was always nice to see that. A reminder that my hard work has paid off and that, no matter how little she seems to care for him, she at least likes him enough to use him for warmth which is more than a lot of people can say. It seems like their relationship goes through phrases. Sometimes they're great friends and sometimes they only just tolerate each other.

None of them were in my bed. It's so odd. Ember deciding she doesn't like Ash in bed isn't too surprising, but I wouldn't expect Frost to let that stop him.