For animal lovers

[doxie]

Bunny: I hope that Fluffy will be ok. I wish we had a mobile vet - Henry's annual checkup is coming up later this month. I KNOW he will collapse into a pathetic heap in the vet's parking lot. He will also probably end up on a diet if he weighs in at more than 20 pounds.... Last year, he escaped by less than half of a pound. I think it would be hilarious if the vet came to him... He'd probably get all dramatic and try to hide somewhere.

[ScoutMom]

My Dunkin only comes out to eat and use the litter box. Other than that, we never see him. I normally see him about once a day, but last week, I went an entire day without seeing him. And sometimes I can't even find him when I go looking! He's a really good hider. My other two are always out and about. I wouldn't worry about it, norealityhere. I think that's just probably his personality.

[prhoshay]

Our newest cat... Fluffy, came to us as a result of her owner (our neighbor) needing to go into a convalescent home and having nowhere else to go. She is 15 years old and spent the first couple of months with us holed up in a cupboard above the washing machine. There are 4 dogs here that aren't exactly the welcome wagon so I can't say that I blame her. We have the mobile vet coming here tomorrow to check her out as she hasn't been eating......just wants water and lots of it. She's a big "fluffy" girl but has been looking very small, sort of sleeping with her head hung low the last couple of days. Poor baby, I hope there's something we can do for her.

Speculation.......sounds like a "sugarhead cat" to me. Diabetes. It's amazing to me how much I've found that symptoms in kitties are very similar to people. Folks, and people, get superthirsty/dehydrated when their sugar is high.

[VelvetRed]

Bunny, I agree with the others that it can be a normal "cat thing". I've had several cats that go into hiding when people visit, and occasionally when they just feel like it.

It could take a while for Fluffy to get used to the new environment. But she may also be missing the former owner; is there any way you could take her for a visit (in a cat carrier, of course, so she doesn't get lose and disappear)?

Good luck!

straycat: any status update on your cat not using the litter box?

[MRD]

I hope Fluffy will be ok.

I need a mobile vet for Waldo. Would be much easier next time he needs to go, if the vet came here.

Doxie, at least you can pick Henry up and carry him if you had too. I can't pick Waldo up, he's over 70 pounds.

[straycat80]

Update: So I took my little cat to the vet. No diseases or infections and surprising very little arthritis. For 19 years old she is in pretty good shape. She is deaf though, which we knew. The vet basically gave me the same advice everyone here has suggested about the littler box problem. So I have been keeping both her boxes super clean. She might be getting a little senile. Half the time now she goes #1 in the box but does #2 a couple feet away from it on the floor (?). But half the time she gets it right now.
So I guess I just have to put up with that. And I don't mind because I love this litttle cat so much and I'm going to take the best care of her so she stays with us as long as possible.
I like this forum, it's nice to see other people love their pets too.

[brunette trixie]

straycat80 That's wonderful you are able to be patient with your older cat's litterbox issues. I've known people who have totally freaked out when their cat started to have those kinds of problems. As long as she's healthy, you're probably right, she probably just gets a little forgetful.

I know Waldo hates going in the car, but I have the opposite kind of dogs. They like to ride, ride, ride. If we're outside for a walk, and I even look at my car, they try to run over to the car door to be let in.

[ClosetRTWatcher]

I know Waldo hates going in the car, but I have the opposite kind of dogs. They like to ride, ride, ride. If we're outside for a walk, and I even look at my car, they try to run over to the car door to be let in.

My big dog Abel enjoys riding in the car, but we have to limit him to necessary trips because the clean up effort after he rides is enormous: slobber on the ceiling, slobber on the backs of the seats, slobber on the floor, slobber on the windows (both inside and out), and even slobber dripped down into the crease where the window rolls down. I realize that Mastiffs are generally slobbery dogs (obvious from the amount of time I spend washing my walls), however must be at least 3 times as slobberier once he gets in the car!!

[norealityhere]

Thanks to all who have responded. It's good to know Monet isn't the only cat who is afraid and goes into hiding when people visit.

Straycat, how wonderful to hear that your 19yo cat is fine.

Bunny, when older cats start drinking excessive water, it is usually a sign of kidney disease. I would have the Vet check for that to be on the safe side. I lost my last cat to it and so when I nnoticed Monet starting to drink more water than usual, I brought him in to Vet. He is borderline CRF and so the Vet had me switch his diet to KD food. It's made a big difference.

[straycat80]

My friends cat was drinking water all the time and it turned out she had diabetes. Now she gives her cat insulin shots every day.