Struggling With Play Time

calicosrspecial

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:/ Could it be a detergent or a floor cleaning solution issue? I know, it is so hard for some cats to go to the vet. :( That is a good idea. It could be a protein issue or a minor ingredient. It is so hard to know. :( But you don't see her scratching or over grooming or anything to suggest she is bothered?

She really is. GORGEOUS!! And in the pjs, ohhhhhhhhhhh, ADORABLE!! OH, she took them off. :( Cats

YOU will.

Yes, it can be frustrating but if you do your best and keep working on it I don't see any reason why he wont be great. Oh, no, you or he are not broken!!! That is safe to say. I get a sense he is going to be an amazing dog. Yes, getting out of the house is very helpful. It is really hard to have such a change in lifestyle so it is hard. But getting out to some degree is very helpful. I wish I could interact more and do the things I did before. BUT I HOPE that is coming but these next few months are going to be really tough and sad. :( But these vaccines seem pretty exciting BUT we need people to take them. :/ Yes, the UK has to be strict now. The only way to stop the virus is to limit it finding another host. :/ It is tough but if we can squish it down then we can get through with less loss. But we are so infected now it will take a lot to get it down. :/

Nope. :/ Instinct. Yes, you ae very lucky, I take take the fake kind!!!

:( Yep, been there many times. :/ Good for you for wearing long sleeves!!!

Interesting take. Maybe. Awful situation sadly.

:( I know. I was there last spring. It is awful. So I made sure to stock up as much as possible. I know, it is weird BUT I think people are worried and are stocking up. I am guessing but I suspect. I know, running out is horrible. I feared I would run out earlier. I am not an expert on foods but my cats tend to be pretty tolerant of changes on the wet side. But the hard side I have to really change slowly. I think most of the foods are pretty similar and maybe w make too much out of the food. I mean, chicken is chicken, etc. BUT I am not an expert. But food for them is so frustrating to me because it is so complicated and nuanced. Mouse is actually the perfect diet from what I understand but I can't feed them mice. :(

That is good you both are being safe. We never get out which makes it really hard. Sure for walks but that is really it. It definitely wears on us. Everything we get is delivered. :/

I hope your food comes soon!!!
 

Animal Freak

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We honestly don't clean the floors (aside from vacuuming) very often and what we use hasn't changed in probably at least a couple of years. I don't know about detergent since I'm not the one that buys it, but I don't think we stick with one kind very long, so I wouldn't think she'd still be having problems. I don't see her scratching or grooming excessively at all. She spends a good portion of the day in my bed, but probably over half the times I go in there she's just sleeping. She likes to nurse/groom her stomach when she's happy and my mom likes to blame that, but she's done that all her life and it doesn't explain the fur loss on her legs.

She is. We're going to try to fix up the pajamas. I don't think she did anything to intentionally get them off. They're just so big around the chest and legs that the motion causes her to slip right out of them.

We had a bit of a rough day today. I've just been very tired. We did a lot yesterday. I took Stella to the park for probably about 30 minutes. Then took Si to the park for probably 30-40 minutes. Then we left to go to the small farm and walk the trails there. We got stuck by dogs and in the end just had to make a run for it in hopes he wouldn't notice the little dog. He didn't. But then I didn't sleep well last night. And of course Si chose today to be difficult. He can be so great, but he can also be a horrible brat. I just didn't have the energy to deal with it. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. I'll be taking my last final tomorrow, so I need him to chill out. It is difficult not being able to do normal things. It's really sad to think that this never had to get so bad if people would just be careful and actually care about the people around them. Hopefully we'll get through this pretty soon though.

I had a cat as a kid that would leave baby moles by the stairs. Fake ones are definitely better.

Terrible situation really, but nice that the dog protected his owner no matter what the reasoning.

Finally got my food today. I was going to have to pick up another small bag if I didn't get it by this afternoon. And it's only a 5lb bag, so I'm going to have to decide if I'm sticking with it fast so I can order another! I have more stuff on the way as well, so I guess we'll see how long that takes. I got an email saying it's been delayed, but the order has been shipped whereas the previous one hadn't even been shipped yet. Maybe they can tolerate the change, but I'm planning on avoiding anything with chicken or turkey since that's what they're getting now. I want to find a different protein to see if that helps with Ember's fur loss. Food is definitely complicated. I did a lot of research when I switched the cats to American Journey and did a lot when I decided to switch the dogs from American Journey to Earthborn Holistic. And now I have to find a wet cat food with no chicken or turkey...

I'm sure it's difficult. I go back to work this Wednesday, but finish school this Tuesday. Otherwise walks have been all I've done for the last couple of weeks, but we go to different trails on the weekends. That's always nice.
 

calicosrspecial

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Doesn't sound like a soap/detergent, etc issue. :/ Could be some ingredient in the food or even the protein. I would ask the vet what they think. It is good she isn't scratching or grooming excessively. Well, cats do groom so that doesn't seem abnormal. I would watchto see how long she is grooming her belly though I agree, it wouldn't explain her legs. :/

She really is!!! Ahhh, cool, because she looks really cute in them. And she could be a bit warmer as well.

Oh no. :/ I am sorry. Wow, that is a busy day. You got stuck by dogs? You really had to make a run for it? Oh my. So Si didn't see the little dog. Whew. Did you not sleep well because it was traumatic? Hang in there. I think just the general stress of everything going on is making it so challenging for everyone. I know you are tough and you can always talk to me. I am going through a lot right now as well and have in the past so can hopefully help a little. Yes, puppies can be brats. :( And being tired and exhausted (as I was last week and still am) makes it so much more difficult to deal with things that can be handled when we are rested, less stressed, etc. Yes, if you don't give up and fight through it it will get better. Everything around me is still pretty bad but I had my breakdown and am now just taking things one thing at a time, doing my best, trying to accept, trying to deal with the difficulty and trying to stay focused and optimistic and trying to move forward. It can be easier said than done but we have to try.

Good luck on your exam tomorrow. Do your best. I am sure your best will be great. Once you get through it it will help.

These times are hard, so hard. Life is tough enough in general but this is off the charts. It impacts our ability to do the normal stuff, to socialize, to feel free, etc. It is so frustrating that people couldn't do the right thing and think of others. I think we are coming close. The vaccine will help and hopefully people think of others.

:( Yep. I like fake!!

Horrible on so many fronts. :( Yes, dogs are pretty amazing.

Whew. I am so glad you got it!! I actually made an order this weekend to get a head a little so thank you for warning me and getting me more proactive and prepared. Oh, I know. Food is so complicated but I wonder if we make too much out of it? Finding different proteins is really hard THEN they have to like it as well. :/ It is so hard. I don't know. :/

Yes. I use to do TNR and go and help people with intros in person etc. Now there is no social interaction. And I have a huge coyote issue right now that I just can't change. And what I have been seeing and hearing has been traumatizing and I can't sleep and if I do I have terribly nightmares. And then with other issues. And then all the sadness in the world and the loss and suffering. Ughhhhhhhhh

Let's focus on positive and deal with any negativity. All we can do is our best on things we can control and keep moving forward. We will get through this and be better and stronger for it.
 

Animal Freak

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She went to two different vets when she first lost fur and they both thought stress. No one wants to believe me. So I think I'll try a couple of things before going back to the vet. If she developed any other symptoms then I'd definitely get her in, but there really isn't anything. She'll groom on her belly for quite a while if you're petting her and let her do it, but it isn't constant.

She's been wearing a sweater for a while now. She's currently under a blanket and has been for a couple of hours now! I will say, I like her in sweaters because she's more tolerant of being picked up and you can put her somewhere and she'll stay. Usually picking her help guarantees she'll take off.

It was quite a lot. And Osiris whined on and off the whole way to the farm, rendering the 30+ minutes at the park useless. I was hoping he'd just nap on the way there. He didn't have the energy to do much of anything on the way back though! It seems like I always get caught by dogs when I'm trying to leave. Especially if I'm on a time limit. Yes, we literally ran to get by the other dog. I tried waiting them out, but those people were just all over the place and I couldn't get away from them. I don't know why I didn't sleep. I was very tired. Unfortunately, today was a bit rough too. Not as bad as yesterday, but Si has definitely regressed in some places. He keeps picking up rocks at the park too. I'm pretty sure he'd actually eat them if he had them for long enough. It can definitely get rough, particularly when everything seems to piling on top of each other. I hope things get better for you though.

Officially done with school! Well, last day is tomorrow, but I finished everything.

It is hard, but it does sound like we're getting somewhere with vaccines so hopefully we'll be getting through this soon. Then things can start going back to normal. For now, we do the best we can.

Dogs certainly are amazing.

No problem. I know I was worried about if I was going to get my food. Why they needed to send it all in three boxes I still don't know! Everything would've fit in the first box. Maybe, but there are definitely different levels of quality in food. I can't afford the best, but I'd like to give them as good as I can get. It is hard finding different proteins. Apparently wet cat foods are more expensive than I thought. I didn't think American Journey was a cheap food (it's not as a dog food), but most of what I've looked at is quite a bit more expensive. And some of them sneak chicken in even if it's not a chicken flavored food! Fortunately, Ember isn't a picky eater. She's the only one who will happily eat Ash's special food for UTIs. I have to mix it for Ash and Frost just flat out refused. However, Frost is a picky eater so it could be an issue getting all three of them on something if Ember did end up having a sensitivity. Plus I avoid fish for Ash, so options are fairly limited.

Yeah, that's a pretty big change. I wasn't very social before, but was definitely around people more. The coyotes would be scary and frustrating. I wish I had some way I could help. Nightmares are always terrible and so is not sleeping. :(

Yep, that's all we can do.
 

calicosrspecial

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Well, it is hard to know. Yes, try a few things and let's see. I mean, it doesn't seem bad but there is something. how serious it is? I am not sure. The grooming seems normal. She seems happy and loving life. BUT if it can be resolved that would be best. BTW, I believe you.

Awwwwwww. I bet she looks so cute. Yep, she is a normal cat, it has to be on their terms. My one girl is TERRIBLE about not staying. :/

:/ Do you think he was too excited? Yes. :( It does seem that at the worst times things happen. :/ Sounds like you handled it well though. Maybe you were overtired? I know mine is stress. :( It will get better. Yeah, the rock thing is not good. But some dogs do that. :/ You'll teach him though. Hang in there. Now you should have more time and less stress/busy etc. Yep, right now it is just piling on. Tough. But so many have it worse. Thanks, we'll get through it the best we can.

YES!!! That should help a lot. :)

Yes, this mRNA vaccine sounds really interesting. It would be really nice to get back to normal though it will take some time. I am a little afraid to take it but I am afraid not to. We just need to hunker down for a bit more. Fingers crossed. It is so sad to hear of all the sadness. :(

AMAZING. I love them so much.

Oh yes. Mine just shipped so so far so good. I think you got three boxes because it came from separate distribution sites I would guess. Yeah, it sounds like different levels of quality but isn't it pretty much the fillers, etc? That make the difference? What is really best? I mean chicken is chicken? I don't know I am interested to learn more. Yes, some are really expensive but when I look at the ingredients they seem basically the same as the other. And there seem to always be "binders". Oh, I know, different proteins are really hard to find. Oh I know, there is a small amount of other proteins in some of these. It is hard. Yes, I try to limit fish but they get some. But for Ash it is good to have him avoid it. The options are limited. :( And then it may have nothing to do with the food or type of protein. :/ It could be something specific to her or nothing at all?

Yeah, it is hard mentally. :( I am not the biggest social person but at the right times etc I can be. BUT no interaction is tough. :/ Yes, I mean they are cute and pretty and I understand they need to survive but not on my animals. And no matter what I do nothing works. And changing the feeding makes the cats come out when they are hungry and they become prey. But I can't feed them enough during the day. And on and on. And I feel guilty I can't take them in. Oh you help by listening, so thank you. Sadly, no one can really solve the problem. :/ unless I would take them all in or find them homes which I can't. They have taken the coyotes on as well which is scary. It is really hard. :( Nightmares are horrible and are driving me mad. :( And I am exhausted. Not a good combo. :(

Yep.
 

Animal Freak

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If there were any other symptoms, I'd be a lot more worried, but Ember acts fine. It's just half her belly and the inside of her back legs are almost bald! I did notice I could see the difference in fur on her side while she was walking by earlier. :( So sad. Her pretty fur... I swear I see Ash grooming more than I see Ember grooming and that's saying something because I see a lot more of Ember than I do of Ash! Thanks. Nice to know someone believes me. Sometimes I wonder if I'm just lying to myself because I don't want to admit she's stressed. I know it's the easiest thing to blame it on and seems to make the most sense, especially since she's an easily stressed cat, but it just doesn't... feel right. The pieces don't fit together to me.

She's adorable. We're going to do a photoshoot this weekend. I have a little elf hat and reindeer antlers as well as a bigger set of antlers for Si. Haha. Ash is actually pretty good about staying. He's the easiest cat to take pictures of, especially if you have a blanket or something set up because he'll just flop down where you put him. The problem is you can't get him in any other position!

Definitely excited, but I don't know why he wasn't tired! I was tired. Yes, always terrible timing. Si has yet another collar coming in to hopefully help me control him. My mom got me a new leash too. My last leash hurt my hands when either he or I pulled on it. He's had more leashes and collars in a few months than Stella has in her life. In fact, she's had the same leash since she was a puppy. It's honestly taken me a while to feel like I fully recovered from that day we went to the farm. I'm feeling better now, but Si is still difficult. I think I'm going to back off on training (again) and focus more on activities that are less likely to lead to frustration. Definitely have more time now. Sometimes I don't know what to do with myself! It's weird going from not much free time to suddenly having all this time to do something with. I think there's a lot piling up for a lot of people right now, unfortunately. :( There's always someone who has it worse and we should certainly be grateful for what we have, but we all have the right to feel down and struggle sometimes.

Well, it looks like we just have to wait and see how things go with the vaccines for now. Hopefully things go well and everyone will get a vaccine. It is sad. I don't know how people can hear about all the deaths and still act like nothing is happening. Just because it's mostly certain age groups or health risks, they don't care and that's depressing.

I got my delivery yesterday, so not too bad. I just ordered more today. Lol. Chewy is going to get tired of delivering to this address between my mom and me. I had to order more dog food though (and will still probably have to get a bag to hold me over) and got some food for Ember without chicken or turkey. I'm certainly no expert on cat food. I had to go with something so I could get it ordered. From what I know, there's usually three "kinds" of meat you can get. So you can have chicken, chicken meal, or chicken by-product. By-product is considered the worst. I think meal is actually the best? Could be wrong on that one. Some will have something else added (liver, broth, fat, etc.), but it's normally deciding which of those three things you want. Aside from that, fillers would be the next thing to look at. I think dogs are more complicated when it comes to that. There's a lot of controversy around grains and legumes in particular. With cats, it's pretty much the fewer the better. They aren't supposed to eat anything other than meat, so a bunch of veggies isn't good. In general, for any species, typically fewer ingredients is better. There can be a pretty big difference in calories too. It's worth paying attention to. I looked at only pretty high (not top of the line, but high) quality foods for dogs and saw everything from 340cals/cup to 490. Then there's the percentages for protein, carbs, and fat. I don't remember, but I think it's better to get high protein, high carbs, and low fat? Could be totally wrong on that. Definitely high protein, but then no one will specify what "high" means. I think most foods are 30% to 35%. Honestly, those things don't seem to vary that much.

No interaction can be difficult. I know I was planning on spending more time with the family since we were planning on moving in the summer, but that hasn't happened. Yes, the coyotes are cool animals, but not when there are cats in danger. It sounds like a difficult situation to be in, but you do everything you can for those cats. I'm sure they appreciate it. They'd be a lot worse off without you. You listen to me all the time and my problems are usually a lot less scary than what you're having to deal with! I'm always willing to listen even if I can't do anything to actually help. It would be scary to see the cats try to take on a coyote. But then cats are fierce little animals! Maybe they know what they're doing. That's rough. I don't get nightmares often, but do struggle to sleep a lot and my mom gets nightmares fairly often. Apparently a lot of people are having weird dreams lately too. Hopefully you can get some rest soon. I've found essential oils helped me, but not sure they'd get rid of the nightmares.
 

calicosrspecial

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Agreed. I wonder what it is. :/ She is still gorgeous. Well, you are really honest and observant and not afraid to shy away from the truth so I trust you. And you are smart, your instincts are really good. Hopefully it improves or at least doesn't get worse. But you can handle it.

Cool!!! That will be really cool. Awwww, that is funny. Some cats are like that.

Hahaha, because he is a puppy. ;) Yes, it seems to happen all the time. Oh I know, collars and harnesses etc. Hard to find the right fits etc. And of course they grow. :/ I am glad you are recovered now! Yes, puppies will be. Hahahaha, yes, but you need some time to decompress as well. But I know, it is funny to have more time (then you fill it up). :) Yes, a lot of people are really struggling, it is so sad. But I agree, it is ok to have our own issues. But I know when I think of others then it makes my issues seem less important and I get back to focusing on the important things. But we do need moments to deal with our stuff as well.

Yes. I hope the allergic reactions are not a big issue. :/ It is so depressing to see so many people dying and suffering. :( People can't forget these are people with family, friends, etc. and so many are directly hurting from it. :( It really is sad that some people don't care or think it isn't reality etc. :(

Great!!! Whew!! Yes, good summary on food. I can't remember all of it either. But for cats protein is all it is about.

Yes. :/ It is very hard. Yes, I love all animals but I wish they were all vegetarians. :/ I can't handle the killing. :( Yes, they are great cats and they do love BUT I wish I could protect them. :( They are tough creatures but I have softened them too much I think. And now with it getting darker sooner it is really hard to keep them fed as I can't feed after dusk because of the coyotes and they want to eat. It is hard to get them to adjust. Thanks for listening. Yes, the nightmares are tough. Sorry about your mom. They are hard to deal with. Yes, a lot of people are having sleeping issues, etc. The stress is off the charts. It is so sad. I hope I can sleep as well. I did try essential oils but to no avail. :( And I don't take sleeping pills. So I have to try to work through the trauma. :( But I am pretty tough and I will try to deal with it. Just sometimes it is tough. :/
 

Animal Freak

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It's sad to see her sleek, shiny fur give way to this dull fuzz though. Well, I don't see the point in denying the truth when I could do something to fix it instead, but it's hard when everyone keeps saying it's stress and you can't honestly saying with 100% certainty that it's not. But her new food just came in today, so I'll be transitioning her onto that!

We didn't get to pictures today, so we'll have to do them tomorrow. I'm excited, but no clue how it's going to go. Ember is the only cat who really tolerates wearing stuff, but it's hard getting her in position. I'd really like to do group photos, but dealing with one animal at a time is hard enough.

It doesn't usually take much to tire him out though. He's not really a high energy dog. Fortunately does seem willing/able to go as long as I want him to though. I try not to push him too much, but if that's how he is as an adult then that'll be nice. His new collar should be hear any time now. I'm still trying to figure out how to use my time. I always seem to waste a lot of time. We all need some time for ourselves. It's good to keep things in perspective, but I do think we all need time for ourselves.

Yeah, the allergic reactions could be scary. Hopefully it isn't a huge deal. Very depressing. I don't understand how people can treat this so lightly. I won't pretend we're perfect or don't occasionally take risks, but we minimize them as much as we can. If everyone did that then at least it wouldn't be so bad.

I knew more when I was researching their food before, but don't remember as much now. I look at the first several ingredients. If those ingredients are good, then you're looking at a pretty good food and foods with good ingredients tend to be pretty good on the protein and everything.

Would be nice. Easier to feed them too since we seem to want to make their food out of all veggies anyway. It seems like the ferals should still have the instincts to keep them safe from coyotes. I could see them being a little less cautious of people, but not sure how that would affect their reaction to coyotes. Yeah, I know shifting my cats' dinner time is difficult, so I can imagine it would be hard with these cats. And it really does get dark early these days. Seems like it just gets earlier and earlier. I was surprised the essential oils helped me as much as they did. It wasn't immediate though. I need to get back to them. I tried melatonin a few times. It made me tired, but I didn't sleep and had a headache the next day. My mom takes it no problem though. Funny how something that works for one person doesn't work for another.
 

calicosrspecial

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I know. :/ But as long as she is happy and normal etc then it isn't too bad. But I know. :/ Agreed, knowing there is an issue is the first step to solving it. Just sometimes it is hard to find the solution. :/ Let's see if it is the food. Fingers crossed.

Awwwwww. At least there is something to look forward to though. Yes, a group would be cool but it is really hard. I can't wait!! :)

That is pretty good. Sounds really good actually. I hope the new collar fits, it is hard to find the right one. Yes, we all waste time. Yes, finding a good balance is good.

Yes. It sounds like a person has to speak to their doctor about the ingredients. I don't get a sense it will be widespread BUT for those impacted it is a big deal. I know, I don't understand why people take it lightly. It may not directly affect them but it could someone else or even a loved one. :/ That is the key, try to do your best and if everyone did then it could be diminished.

Yes, me too. I forgot it all and I am not sure I really understood everything when doing the research. :/ Yes, I agree. I just wonder what some of the little ingredients might cause for allergies, etc. I am not sure there is a perfect food but there seem like a lot of really good ones. I find it very hard an confusing. I have a girl now that might be starting to have issues with the dry food. So I need to search around. :/

Agreed!! Yeah, I think they do BUT I have seem them be somewhat imprudent with the coyotes. A while I saw my one holding a coyote off while the other was oblivious. :/ But they get really dangerous when the are in a pack. It is really hard. Yes, that makes sense. The instinct should kick in especially when they hear what they hear. Yes, feeding is very hard. My ferals like to eat late and early and less during the day and I am guessing they are hunting at night as well more than I think since I see evidence once in a while. :/ My inside cats are former ferals and I struggle with them as well. My one likes to eat at 10pm but would probably eat at 2 am as well. :/

Yes, I tried melatonin as well and it didn't work for me. No caffeine for me after 8am. :/ Sadly, my issues are emotional and now something else has piled on making my stress and anxiety even worse and therefore less sleep etc. But I will figure it out.

Pics will help. ;)
 

Animal Freak

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I know. :/ But as long as she is happy and normal etc then it isn't too bad. But I know. :/ Agreed, knowing there is an issue is the first step to solving it. Just sometimes it is hard to find the solution. :/ Let's see if it is the food. Fingers crossed.

Awwwwww. At least there is something to look forward to though. Yes, a group would be cool but it is really hard. I can't wait!! :)

That is pretty good. Sounds really good actually. I hope the new collar fits, it is hard to find the right one. Yes, we all waste time. Yes, finding a good balance is good.

Yes. It sounds like a person has to speak to their doctor about the ingredients. I don't get a sense it will be widespread BUT for those impacted it is a big deal. I know, I don't understand why people take it lightly. It may not directly affect them but it could someone else or even a loved one. :/ That is the key, try to do your best and if everyone did then it could be diminished.

Yes, me too. I forgot it all and I am not sure I really understood everything when doing the research. :/ Yes, I agree. I just wonder what some of the little ingredients might cause for allergies, etc. I am not sure there is a perfect food but there seem like a lot of really good ones. I find it very hard an confusing. I have a girl now that might be starting to have issues with the dry food. So I need to search around. :/

Agreed!! Yeah, I think they do BUT I have seem them be somewhat imprudent with the coyotes. A while I saw my one holding a coyote off while the other was oblivious. :/ But they get really dangerous when the are in a pack. It is really hard. Yes, that makes sense. The instinct should kick in especially when they hear what they hear. Yes, feeding is very hard. My ferals like to eat late and early and less during the day and I am guessing they are hunting at night as well more than I think since I see evidence once in a while. :/ My inside cats are former ferals and I struggle with them as well. My one likes to eat at 10pm but would probably eat at 2 am as well. :/

Yes, I tried melatonin as well and it didn't work for me. No caffeine for me after 8am. :/ Sadly, my issues are emotional and now something else has piled on making my stress and anxiety even worse and therefore less sleep etc. But I will figure it out.

Pics will help. ;)
Well, we've begun transitioning her onto the new food. She seems to like it. Not that I thought she wouldn't. She's not a picky eater, fortunately.

We didn't get the pictures. :( We're going to get them tomorrow. My mom wasn't feeling good at the start of Sunday and then we had stuff to do. We had to clean out some litter boxes and refill them because Ash is getting really bad about not wanting to use the litter boxes. If there's anything on the floor, he'll pee on it. I've stepped in pee twice in as many weeks. :frustrated:I don't know what to do with him. My mom is getting fed up with it too and he's going to be lucky if all she does is make him live in the storage room, but there's no heat or A/C out there.

Yes, I like a dog that can sleep on the couch all day or run around for hours! Stella is like that. Not much of a "step up" from her though. He was supposed to prepare me for a purebred GSD. And apparently Osiris can't just have a good collar that fits properly and has no issues. I got the package for his new collar today. No collar. The packaging split open. All I have is the paper for it. :frustrated:Only took a week for it to get here and now I have to wait to here from the company.

Hopefully it won't be a big deal. There's always a risk for allergies, but this definitely isn't a good thing to be allergic to. It is very sad that people can't consider those around them. We can't understand why anyone would want to take the chance of getting sick at all! It may not kill you, but you could still end up in the hospital! Heck, even if you don't have to go to the hospital, it sounds like it sucks to get it. I don't want to be sick at all and I get over things pretty easily.

I think the smaller ingredients are less of an allergy risk since there tends to not be very much of them, but they could definitely be an issue and that could be hard to figure out. I think the closest you can get to "perfect" is doing a raw or homemade diet. Eventually I'd like to do partly homemade, but I don't know if I'd ever do entirely homemade/raw. The raw sort of scares me though I know a lot of people feed it without issue. Having to make it all yourself just seems expensive and time consuming. I hope you figure out the problem quickly. It sucks having to go through a huge process and worrying about the cat getting worse as you do.

Well, maybe there's a difference. Or maybe it's just because we don't really know what ferals would do without being fed by a person because we don't see them. I think they're instincts are probably still intact and they know more than you might think. I know Ember has much better instincts than the boys and she hasn't lived a day of her life outside. That's just all genetics. Your cats know how to use their instincts. It's interesting they don't care to eat during the day. Seems like most predators are out at night, so why eat then? My cats are happy to eat whenever I offer them food... Picky cats can definitely make things even harder.

I don't drink caffeine products like coffee or soda at all. I drink Bai. Helps keep me going, but it's a much more subtle affect. I know emotional problems make it hard to sleep, but I was fortunate that the essential oils helped. I used to drink lavender and/or chamomile tea before bed too.
 

Animal Freak

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No Christmas pictures, but here's some of Ember in her new onesie and her pajamas that my mom fixed up to fit a little better. Still too big though.

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On another note, there was just a little parade thing with Santa on a sleigh and he talked to all the kids. They had a firetruck and cop cars with sirens and lights going. Didn't know how Osiris would react. He was curious when he first heard them. We let him look out and he started howling! I've never heard him howl before. Then he just started barking.
 

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No Christmas pictures, but here's some of Ember in her new onesie and her pajamas that my mom fixed up to fit a little better. Still too big though.

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On another note, there was just a little parade thing with Santa on a sleigh and he talked to all the kids. They had a firetruck and cop cars with sirens and lights going. Didn't know how Osiris would react. He was curious when he first heard them. We let him look out and he started howling! I've never heard him howl before. Then he just started barking.
OH MY GOODNESS!!! HOW GORGEOUS AND ADORABLE IS SHE?!?!?!?!?!?! I can see exactly what you mean about that face!! Those eyes. OH IS SHE GORGEOUS!!! And with the outfit, adorable!!

Hahahaha. yep, the howl when they hear sirens. It is so funny. That is really cool they had a parade.

I am so glad to hear she likes the new food. Even with non picky cats it can be an issue. Let's hope it is some ingredient or protein that is causing the issue. It takes time but fingers crossed.

Oh, that is ok, no pics. I hope your mom feels better. Do you think it is stress? With Si? I would really try to step up play with him if possible and try to really build his confidence through love and positive encounters. Letting him know everything is fine. Really focus on him.

Arggghhhhhhhh. I HATE that when the box is damaged, etc. I know, it is really hard to find a good fit a lot of the times. :/ Then you find one and they outgrow it. :( I am sure they will replace but it is time lost. :(

The good news is there isn't a lot of talk about allergic reactions so far in the US. Fingers crossed. I know, people. :( I agree, even if you don't get sick you can have issues down the road. People are having weird issues from getting it. We don't know how prevalent it is but it seems like it is happening. It is best not to get it. :/ We are so close to the end that I wish people would just hold on and do the right thing for a little longer. Good news is, the vaccine is shipping and getting into people's arms and hopefully this week they will help those in need with more unemployment help and hopefully some kind of help on people staying in their homes and apartments. Fingers crossed.

Yes. A person just never knows. It is hard. Sometimes it is the protein, sometimes maybe something else. Sometimes it is nothing to do with the food. :/ I get frustrated. I think mouse is supposedly the best diet. For protein, hydration. BUT I can't feed mouse and I am like you and don't feel comfortable with raw. I do cook chicken thighs and give the meat. But I like them eating hard/dry food and wet food as well. Yeah, I hope I figure it out. Taking older ferals in adds to the issues since you don't know what they were exposed to in the years prior.

Well, my ferals hunting instincts are intact. BUT I prefer them to eat my food for a number of reasons. BUT I can't control them. Females are a bit different than males as well. Well, most ferals tend to hunt etc during the evening for a few reasons. But I agree, the predators are out. But so is a lot of prey. :/ Oh, I would like my cats to be like yours. Mine are pretty bad and I only really feed them at specific times. But if they don't eat it all then I give the rest to the ferals. My ferals are actually really picky as well. Maybe actually be worse. I can't feed the same food on consecutive days. :/ I have to alternate. My inside cats will eat pretty much the same food each day.

Good for you!!! I am addicted to my coffee and I drink tea but I have a cutoff time so it doesn't affect the sleep (or so I think). :/ But I don't drink soda either. I don't know Bai. I did try chamomile as well, didn't work. All my issues are stress sadly. :( I am glad those have helped you. If only coyotes would go away and health problems then I could probably sleep. :/
 

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Isn't she precious? I love that cat. Such an adorable little face with beautiful eyes. She's still not a fan of wearing clothes though. She has a sweater on now and walks funny when she does walk. I thought she was finally getting used to it.

The howl was funny. The barking was a little annoying. Didn't seem aggressive though. I think he was mostly just confused and weirded out about all of it.

I hope this fixes it. I don't know what else to do if it doesn't.

We got pictures taken, but I still have to go through them, delete the bad ones, and edit them. I'll post as I get through them! I'm planning another session though because my camera died and Osiris was being difficult anyway. So I need to finish his pictures and I'd still like to get group pictures. My mom felt better probably half way through the day, but by then it would've been hard to get everything set up and pictures taken before we lost the sunlight and our house is too dark to take pictures without the sunlight.

I don't know what's up with Ash. I don't think it's stress. At least not just stress. I think he just prefers not peeing in the litterbox. It seems like the more he gets away with peeing somewhere, the more comfortable he is and the quicker he does it. Previously, a towel could be left on the floor for days before he'd pee on it. Now it only takes a couple of hours, if that. But I leave my closet door open which is where my dirty clothes are and he hasn't peed in there (that I know of). I think because he's never gone in there he's still at the point where it would have to be open for a couple of days before he'd pee there. I can't get him to play hardly at all anymore. Well, not at all really. Toys get old fast and most of ours are broken and/or lost, so I can't even switch them out. I did get a new one for Christmas though. I'm not sure if our photoshoot was really positive for him either though he did get lots of treats and played a little bit.

It's so annoying. His first collar was way too big, so I exchanged it for a smaller one. That one kept snapping open. So I ordered the martingale. Too big. Now this. They did email me saying they'd ship another one.


Yeah, seems promising so far. This is definitely a scary virus. I don't know why anyone would want to take the chance of getting it, let alone possibly giving it so someone else. I had a meeting a work and that was more of a risk than I wanted to take with eight of us in a pretty small space, but they did all get tested after that one girl tested positive.

Yes, it's definitely a complicated thing. And I'm not feeding mice! If I wanted to feed mice, I'd get a snake. Eventually I'd like to have my own garden so the dogs could get fruits and veggies that way and I could cook some meat for them sometimes, but it definitely seems simpler to be able to feed an already balanced diet rather than trying to figure it out myself.

I'm sure they probably are off hunting, but maybe less often. I've noticed the cats at the cat house here eating prey a few times though they have no need to. A lot of them are actually fat and there's still often food left on the porch. We've seen a skunk there a couple of times. It's interesting they don't want to take advantage of food when they can. You'd think they'd eat anything you'd give them whenever you give it, but I guess they have to be careful. Eating the wrong thing could do more harm than good. Now if only someone would teach Frost that.

I hate coffee. Tastes terrible. I do drink tea, but usually white or green tea. Caffeine isn't good for tremors, so I'm supposed to avoid it. Bai is similar to green tea in the affect it has. I love Bai. They're coconut drink is my favorite, but they have other flavors and also have teas. See, lavender should help because it relieves stress. It doesn't help you sleep and can actually make you more alert, but takes the edge off the stress which can make sleeping easier. But, yes, even better if the stressors just go away!
 

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So no Christmas pictures to post just yet (next couple of days hopefully), but here's a teaser.

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Yes, that's an elf hat hanging off of Frost's neck.
 

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So no Christmas pictures to post just yet (next couple of days hopefully), but here's a teaser.

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Yes, that's an elf hat hanging off of Frost's neck.
OHHHHHHHH, how adorable!!!! I LOVE those pictures!!! You are so lucky to have such gorgeous cats!!! Ash isn't behaving with pics?

Ember is GORGEOUS!!! That face, those eyes. Easy to fall in love with her. So sweet looking and gorgeous!! And her personality. That love and bond she has. She will get use to it.

Yeah, I would imagine if someone came to the door he would have been protective but he knows. The howl is so cute. He is till learning about everything.

I hope so. Fingers crossed. But since she isn't acting differently it most not be too bad. BUT it would be nice to solve it.

Cool on pics. I am a little surprised Si wasn't cooperating. :/ But he is a pup. I am glad your mom felt better. Yes, can't wait for the pics. The teaser was so nice!!

:( Poor Ash. Maybe a bad association with the litter box? Does he have any paw problems or leg problems? Or are they too small? Just keep observing him and see if you can see any changes. any avoiding, walking differently, etc. Poor guy. It is good he got treats and played a little after the photoshoot. Something is going on, we need to figure it out for him.

:( I know, it is so frustrating. :(

Fingers crossed on the vaccine. It is a weird virus. It affects people differently and the people with long haul are really affected. :/ I know someone that had it fairly bad but not hospitalized and they are a totally different person mentally. It is scary. Others are ok. The best policy is try not to get it. Yeah, I don't like you had to go to the meeting. I hope everyone was wearing masks. :/

Yes. Me neither!!! That would be cool. But I agree, it is easier to feed the food out there which I guess is pretty good.

Yes, they do hunt and some more than others. It is instinct and they like what I call "fresh" bird, or rabbit, etc. :( Yeah, my ferals are picky. :( BUT they always eat their chicken!!!! ;) They are pretty smart!!! Frost eats a lot of different stuff he shouldn't? :(

You are lucky you don't like coffee. I like it and I like tea. :/ Yes, it is good you avoid it. I need to check out Bai. Interesting on lavender. Yeah, I agree, if the stressors would go away. MAYBE some day the coyotes will but the other stuff is not but I can deal with that. But seeing someone else battle something is very hard. I can handle my personal issues.

Thanks for the pics!! I see them and it cheers me up so much!!! I LOVE them!!! 😍
 

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Gorgeous cats aren't hard to find! Pfft. Ash? Behave? I'll let you see for yourself.

She is. She's just so dainty and delicate looking. It's easy to forget she beats up the biggest cat in the house and takes on Osiris. She can get very clingy when she has clothes on though. Not too bad right now, but it's hard to take a picture of her wearing anything because she's usually trying to crawl onto my lap.

He did bark at someone across the street after the parade went by. He gets on edge so easily. Once something happens that sets him off, he triggers much easier. Apparently they went by on their way to another part of town last night while I was at work and he howled again.

I'd definitely like to solve it. There's some fairly noticeable loss of fur on her side and even higher up almost on her back. She really doesn't need to be a hairless cat when she already gets so cold so easily.

I'm going to try getting Si's pictures on my own this weekend. It seems like every time my mom tries to help me work with him, he just acts up worse than if it's just me. Then I might try to get some group pictures with my mom's help.

He still uses the litterboxes more often than not and never poops outside of the boxes. Well, not intentionally anyway. I considered his arthritis acting up, but he doesn't act differently during grooming which is how I discovered his arthritis and he gets on cat stands fine. I don't see how he could do that and yet not step into a box when we have one that's only a few inches tall. We have five boxes: 1 small closed box, 1 somewhat larger closed one, a rectangle with sides only a few inches high, and a round one with a slanted section up front and raised at the back, and a large corner one with tall sides. Plenty of options, plenty of sizes. He acts fine. Nothing is wrong with him. He just takes advantage of things left out on the floor.

A very weird virus indeed. We did wear masks for the most part, but were given lunch as well. We tried to keep distance and the meeting was less than an hour, so not there for very long.

Oddly enough, I just saw a video on Facebook about a couple who rescued a baby rat and that rat grew up to be a very picky eater. They said he wouldn't eat the same food more than a few days in a row. Apparently it's a wild animal thing to be picky? Good they eat their chicken at least. Frost is by far the pickiest eater of my three and will turn down human foods like turkey, but has an obsession with dog food and eats plastic and plants.

I've tried it a few times and have no idea how anyone can stand coffee. I do like tea, but only sometimes and only some teas. Bai is my favorite and their coconut drink is my favorite of their drinks. I'm surprised you don't know of it. They've even had ads on TV a few times. They're pretty easy to find too. Yeah, it would be good to have at least one less stressor. Hopefully things will get easier soon.

Not a problem! I love sharing them. I'm struggling with my photo editing software currently though, so don't know when pictures will be officially edited, but I'll still share some.
 

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I think I got the software working.

Here's your answer to whether or not Ash behaved:

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The only pictures of him with the antlers that weren't blurry.
 

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OH MY GOODNESS!!!! Is she ADORABLY GORGEOUS of what?!?!?!?!? I know exactly what you mean by her face. Awwwwwwwwwww

By the way, her fur looks great. I know she is losing some but her coat looks healthy and beautiful.

The antlers didn't look blurry really and I have bad eyesight nowadays.

Ok, I cheated, I saw your line about gorgeous cats since I didn't expect another post after it. . Well, sure there are a lot of gorgeous cats BUT how many are ADORABLY GORGEOUS????? ;)

Oh my, Ash. I have a girl that rarely behaves. :/

She is. That face and those eyes. Awwwwwwwww. That is normal with clothes on. It is funny, she does not look tough at all. That is so funny.

Yes, that is normal. I am not surprised. He has that guard dog instinct as well so really not surprising. Awwww, he howled again. How cute.

Yes. It can be hard to solve but keep trying. Her fur looks beautiful on the pics.

That is cool. Yeah, sometimes dogs get more excited with more people. Too much stimuli. Group pics will be fun but they are difficult to get. :/ Fingers crossed.

That is good. Yah, doesn't sound like directly his arthritis. BUT he could have a lingering negative association from the past. And if it acts up a little AND there is something like litter on the floor (like a towel) then the option might be more attractive. It sure isn't an obvious reason. :/ I am really glad he acts fine though. Keep an eye if you can think of anything that might happen before you find him going outside of the box. Maybe we will figure out a better reason.

VERY weird. :( It is hard I am sure in a workplace. :/

That is really interesting. Maybe it is a wild animal thing? But I can't figure out why. Or maybe when wild animals get spoiled? I don't know. Interesting. My boy inside is very picky (only likes dry ad rarely eats wet of any kind). Whereas my outside cats are picky on the kind. And my inside girls are better but are a touch picky. Frost sounds like my boy but my boy doesn't eat other things.

Hahahahaha. Yep, I think like that with beer or liquor. Yes, I am like you with tea as well. It has to be good tea. And coffee has to be good coffee. Oh, if you knew me better you would not be surprised. Bai is probably for younger people. It has been 9 months since I have been to a store. I should order some and see if I like it. Yes, it would be nice. Thanks, I am trying everything on all fronts. Last night some baby raccoons wanted to be fed and would not go away. They looked at me like I should feed them. They were cute, really cute, but it was kind of scary too. I think they watch me feed the opossum. All the coyote deterrents do not work. :( I don't think I ever told you. One day I looked in the yard at our old house and I saw a yellow kitten/cat. I didn't know that one so I was going to open the doors. I was going to open the doors and I saw it was a baby mountain lion. Gulp. If the baby was there mom was not far away. The baby then went into the canyon (where mom probably was). It was really cool BUT thinking of mom really scary.

Ohhhhhh, I can't wait!! Thanks!!
 

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Ash is easy to take pictures of until you put something on his head... Most of his antler pictures were of him rolling around and shaking his head to get them off. The ones that weren't blurry he looked like he was planning my death. Ember's biggest issue is that she won't sit up right and sort of hunches over. Frost was difficult at first, but once he adjusted he did fine.

Lol. I think there are probably a few adorably gorgeous cats. Would have to agree that Ember is definitely one of them though.

I swear, if it wasn't for Ash we wouldn't have hardly any issues with the cats at all. He can be a difficult cat and certainly isn't about to cooperate just because.

She looks ridiculous walking around in her onesie. Poor cat. She doesn't look or act tough at all, but she's feisty when she feels the need.

It's kind of funny how such a ridiculous dork can suddenly be so serious and protective. GSDs are interesting dogs.

Fortunately the fur loss one her sides isn't too obvious yet, but it's definitely more obvious now than it was.

Yeah, to be honest he doesn't always seem to take my mom very seriously. Like, "Well, I can almost do what she wants and still get the treat." He takes me a little more seriously one-on-one. We did almost get a picture with the three cats, but Ash was looking down. Do have a couple with Ash and Frost. I think if Si cooperates then I can get pics of him and Stella. Stella will do whatever I want except she doesn't like putting her ears up when there's something on her head, so she looks pretty pathetic.

But if it was a negative association with the box, wouldn't that including pooping too? He doesn't poop outside the box. There's certainly nothing obvious other than he just likes peeing on clothes and towels.

It can be difficult in such a little place. There's really not much social distancing, so we're relying almost entirely on masks.

I'm not sure why, but it is interesting. This rat was rescued as a very tiny baby. Didn't even have fur. So he wasn't used to living outside, but still grew up to be a picky eater. Frost is the reason we can't have plants like we'd want to. Ash eats bread-y foods and chews on things like cardboard or soft brush bristles, but doesn't typically eat non-food items.

I wouldn't even try beer because it smells so bad... Yes, but Bai has been around for a few years at least and they did have an ad on TV for a little bit there. I pretty much live under a rock and am usually behind the times for someone my age, so when I'm familiar with something then it's usually a pretty big thing. Bai isn't a huge energy booster, so don't expect to be energetic, but it does help keep me going for school or work. Oh my. Baby raccoons? I'm sure they were cute! I'd have a hard time not feeding them if I'm behind honest. And a mountain lion too! That would be scary with cats outside to worry about. If I didn't have to worry about animals then it would be cool to see. You live in a much more interesting place than me. I can understand how worrying that is with the cats to worry about though.

I should thank you for the opportunity to show off my babies!
 

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Ahhhhh, yes. I know mine would be horrible either way so Ash is pretty good!! I know that look.................. :/ Ember did well. I loved her pics. Frost is really good, I am impressed.

Yes, true. Ember is definitely one of them but so is Frost. I think Frost is stunning too.

:/ There is usually one. :/

Awwwwwwww. You sure she isn't cute walking around with it? It is good she knows when to be tough (when needed).

Hahahaha, I never saw him as dorky. GSDs are very interesting dogs. They are serious at "their jobs". I love them.

Yes, that is good. I wonder why though...................... :/

Your mom is a softie. GSDs are very good at understanding people. :/ Ooooooooo, so close. :( Even those are really good. I can't wait to see them!!! Yes, a lot of dogs are like Stella unfortunately.

"But if it was a negative association with the box, wouldn't that including pooping too?" - Typically yes unless it has something to do with the urinary system. But if it was paws, legs, etc then one would think. It is pretty nuanced. :/

"He doesn't poop outside the box." - That is good

" There's certainly nothing obvious other than he just likes peeing on clothes and towels." - A lot of cats do since it feels like litter. Sometimes it is an ownership issue as well.

"It can be difficult in such a little place. There's really not much social distancing, so we're relying almost entirely on masks." - Yes. :(

"I'm not sure why, but it is interesting. This rat was rescued as a very tiny baby. Didn't even have fur. So he wasn't used to living outside, but still grew up to be a picky eater." - It is very interesting.

"Frost is the reason we can't have plants like we'd want to." - :/ Yes

"Ash eats bread-y foods and chews on things like cardboard or soft brush bristles, but doesn't typically eat non-food items." - That is good he is fairly limited. My girl is HORRIBLE on breads, sweets, etc. :( There was a little boy that fed her breads when she was a kitten (her mom had her litter in their backyard) before she came to me.

"I wouldn't even try beer because it smells so bad... " - Good for you!!! It tastes as bad as it smells!!! Yuck!!!

"Yes, but Bai has been around for a few years at least and they did have an ad on TV for a little bit there." - Interesting.

" I pretty much live under a rock and am usually behind the times for someone my age" - That isn't so bad at lest for some things. YOu are very wise for your age which most are not so.....................

" so when I'm familiar with something then it's usually a pretty big thing. Bai isn't a huge energy booster, so don't expect to be energetic, but it does help keep me going for school or work." - Interesting.

"Oh my. Baby raccoons? I'm sure they were cute! I'd have a hard time not feeding them if I'm behind honest." - Yep. I think someone is feeding them because they were way too tame. :/

"And a mountain lion too!" - Yep. Though that is pretty rare. But I know there are a few and some are collared to track. They go long ways.

"That would be scary with cats outside to worry about." - VERY but usually you don't see them. But they are out there somewhere. :/ I think it is the coyotes getting the cats not the mountain lions.

"If I didn't have to worry about animals then it would be cool to see." - Agreed.

" You live in a much more interesting place than me. I can understand how worrying that is with the cats to worry about though." - Well, I could do without the interesting. :/ There are Owls that are big and hawks as well. But I think those are the only real predators.

"I should thank you for the opportunity to show off my babies! " - Awwwwwwww, cool. Then two happy people!!! :)
 
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