Caregiver's cats behaving badly.

Thanks ladies! My husband and I have been hauling 40# boxes of cat litter and large bags of food for our 6 indoor cats for years.... So I just ordered an ongoing delivery at Chewy - so grateful you all mentioned it! The prices were really good, and they had the dry food without dyes 2 of my "kids" must have (allergic). I sound like a commercial, don't I? So far, so good though.... Also, getting siblings or 2 that have been together is a great idea; we have 2 we got at about a year old, not related, but you should see them together! There's this large, hairy ball with legs and tails sticking out that goes scooting around the floor until someone yips.... Don't worry, they sleep, too.

Keep us updated! Ask at the shelter of they
have a bonded pair, or two good old boys
who seem to be buds. Good luck!!

With 12 inches of snow.. I figured we were out of luck with getting Chloe to "go " outside..LOL Mom and I were playing with her in the TV room,, and suddenly we "smelled a terrible smell"..LOL Our Bella does not "pass gas".. so we looked at each other and started laughing and blaming each other ( I know TMI..) So I scooped her up and harnessed her and rushed her out into the winter wonderland. After bouncing around for a minute or two.. HOORAY! I know, I know.. but this is breakthrough.. she is kind of iffy on the outside potty business. Very good with the pads.. But we need to get her housetrained!

Ali, my cats lived to be 17 to 21. So plan ahead :)

How I would have loved to have gotten a 1 or 2 year old Bombay, but then I had to do the math. When the cat is 17, I would then be in my late 80's. Oops, not a good idea. I have no children, nor any siblings. My close cousins also have no children. The poor dear would live out his remaining years in a shelter if I passed prior.

Recently adopted a beautiful 12 year old Norwegian Forest Cat from the animal shelter. She would be perfect if I decided later on to move to Independent Living.

Yes, 2 cats are usually more entertaining then 1 cat. If you can find two siblings, or two cats who had lived together, that would be your best bet.

Good advice, Gershun, thanks. You're right. I don't need the oldest and laziest, just wouldn't mind some "chillaxed" ones. Cats over 5-7 are considered "older" by the shelter, but cats can live ten years more than that, easily, right? So... "middle aged cat," not old. :-)

And the idea of a fat little guy just appeals to me, but I doubt any in the shelter will be all that fat. lol 

Ali, you just cracked me up. You may want to rethink the fat, old lazy cat thing. I understand the sentiment cause my heart goes out to them too but just remember that when they get old, they get sick and vets are expensive plus after age seven they don't qualify for pet insurance. But if you want to save a fat old cat I appreciate you. You are a dear soul. :)

I'm getting some cats, hopefully some fat and lazy cats, very soon. I filled out the online application for adopting from a local place and on Thursday, my day off, I will go in and see if the application is approved and look at some cats and let them look at me. haha. A friend recommended I take a toy and hang it up in front of them and see how they respond to get a sense for their personalities. I think that's a good idea. But also, I don't really care if they are just lazy old cats, that would be fine with me. I think two is better than one, so they will have a buddy to acclimate with and keep each other company while I'm gone most of the time. :-) I can't wait to meet some old fat cats and bring some home. I'm already thinking of new names for them, based on my favorite music duos. I'll wait until I meet them to decide any names for certain but names like John & Daryl (Hall & Oates), Vince & Andy (Erasure), Chris and Neil (Pet Shop Boys)... are what I'm mulling over.

Thanks FreqFlyer for the info. As soon as I get
his tucked in for the night I'll get down to some
serious shopping on Chewy. 🐱

Zelda, I have been using Chewy and I am amazed at how quickly the box of pet food arrives, sometimes the next day.

I have to find low protein food for one elderly cat, and it was so much easier "shopping" on Chewy and seeing the protein percentage.... compared to checking cans at a grocery store or pet shop... some have the protein information so small one would need a microscope :P

Our most recent adopted 12 year old cat has a lot of fur, and she only eats Iams Hairball dry food, nothing else, I even tried other hairball brands.

I found for older cats they liked the Purina One Maturity dry food, but it is tough to find in the grocery stores. Chewy has it :)

My four kitties eat fancy feast, any kind, and purina hairball formula. I'm considering using Chewy delivery. Sometimes it just isn't convenient to shop when the kitty supplies are
running low.

FF - oh, I know how you feel. It took me I don't even know how long, but with my two, I've narrowed it down to Fancy Feast....pâté only, preferably chicken, but they'll accept beef, turkey, or fish....but not too MUCH fish in a week. Lol.

I think the kitten would eat anything, but my little old lady cat, not so much....

Freqflyer....same problem here, only with 5 cats. One day they like what I give them and the next,they turn up their noses.It drives me crazy and it's so expensive and I'm tired of having to go to the store all the time and picking out different flavors.
If you find the magic one that works,Please let me know.

FF,  if you find the food looks and smells pretty good....

Doriane, my husband received one of those little suction cup ones and it's on the window by his
recliner. Works well, still sticking after three years. The cats get so excited when the birds
stop...chatter chatter. I also put out seed on the patio. Best in mind the birds will be messy but
it's entertaining for cats and hus. 🐦

Typical cat, you purchase new flavor of cat food that comes in a box of 12 cans, and new box of chicken broth to try out. Well, the boy turned his nose up to both items. Will try again another day. I find the food looks and smells pretty good, so I don't know what is his problem :P Oh, maybe that is the problem, it smells good.

Thankfully my car pool rider has cats and feeds stray cats, she will take whatever food my critters refuse :)

Actually, you guys have me thinking - since Bruce is not allowed on the balcony (a kitten on a balcony 6 stories above concrete? Nooooooo), I might put a bird feeder out there so mom and Bruce can both enjoy the birds.

One of the bluebirds that was hatched here a year or two ago showed up yesterday; too early, since it was right in the middle of a snowstorm, but it came right up to the porch and sat with us.... so cute - hope it makes it! We also had a buck deer with a HUGE rack eating sunflower seeds out of the bird feeder - he was gorgeous! We got pictures!

Dorianne...you might be surprised when the
birds discover your garden!

Spring is definitely arriving. There is a starling (or starlings?) roosting in the roof of mom's balcony, and pigeons actually nesting under a chair out there! Last year I found an egg that had been kicked or taken out of the nest under the chair. It had a beak-sized hole pecked into it. I would love to know that story....was it the starling? Or maybe a gull? Crow? (I have to take nature as I can get it, up here on the 6th floor at mom's....so birdwatching it is.) (Those darned birds are in for a big shock when I plant a garden out there this year and put an end to their reign over mom's unused balcony.)

All of this is driving poor Bruce insane. At age 7 months, my mighty hunter has yet to have a "kill" of any kind - not even a moth or a spider has breached the walls of this sterile sky castle! - and he wakes me up to tell me about it every d*** morning! It doesn't help that the head of my bed here at mom's is RIGHT up against the windowsill that has the best view of the starling. He likes especially to lay on the sill, above my head, meowing loudly and twitching his huge, fluffy tail across my face!

Congratulations Susan, on your new little furrball doggy!
So happy for you!

Husband took a picture of 4 of our cats asleep on the bed, with the troublemaker in the middle, snoring! Amazing!

Dorianne, that is funny about Bruce. Good boy :)

I had a black/gold cat that use to do that to anyone who came onto the property. She would hide in the bushes and comes out in that Halloween stance, moving sideways. Believe me, no owner walked their dog on our front lawn ever again !! If I knew the UPS driver was coming that day, I would keep that cat inside the house.

So the other day, mom was too ill to go to dialysis, but I already had a couple of medical appointments booked. Not wanting to leave mom alone, I asked my BFF to come sit with her while I went out. I picked BFF up and dropped her off here at the door with the key, then raced off to keep my first appointment.

Well! I guess at the discovery that it was not ME coming through the door with the key, little Bruce fluffed up ALL his fur and came hustling sideways towards the door with a snarl on his face! Ready to rumble!!  He quickly got over it once he realized who it was. But oh boy, that little guy was sure determined to protect his grandma from any strange intruders!

(Edit:  "Little."  Lol, it's kind of a joke to call him that anymore.  At 7 months, he is the biggest kitten I've ever seen!)

Susan, that is wonderful that you have a new buddy :) Sounds like he is settling in pretty quickly. That's great !!

Susan we were never small dog people either, until DD got the Chihuahua. We were hooked after that! Our new puppy is a Chug ( pug and chuhuahua). The can get all their exercise in the house if the weather is crappy, and we have found you can take them places you can't take a bigger dog.. like vacation! They don't crumple up the back of the couch ( where ours like to lay, like the cats) And I think once your pup settles in and feels more secure you find a bark in there! Chloe did not bark the first week or two we had her,, then she "found her bark"! I am so happy for you!

Well, I finally caved. After I made the trip with the shelter cats 2 weeks ago, I had some empty carriers to return to the shelter, so I went up there Saturday, and while I was there, I looked at the dogs. There was this wee little ball of energy that just really caught my eye - first because he was just so dang cute and energetic, and second because he had the same name as my recently-passed dog. But so much smaller! We're talking not even 1/10th the size of my old dog.

I thought about it and thought about it, and when his picture popped up on the shelter's Facebook page, I just decided I would see what they thought about doing a foster situation until I could decide if I wanted to adopt him (though I was pretty sure I did). He came home with me and just settled right in - he's snoozing on the recliner right now. He loves to go out for walks and because he's small, he gives me another reason to get away from the computer several times a day because he has to go out more frequently. He hasn't barked - not even once - since I brought him home, which surprises me - he was very vocal at the shelter and had a really high-pitched, sharp bark, so I was a bit concerned about that. No bark at the mailman, at my friend who stopped by to meet him or anyone else. As annoying as my larger dog's barking could be sometimes, I was glad he notified me when someone came into the yard or the driveway, because he'd hear them before I did. I'll just have to get used to this, I guess.

I've never had a small dog or considered myself much of a small dog person, but he's working his way into my heart.

Gershun...about a year before my Mother died,I found Mother's diaries she had kept every single day from age 12 to 25 and there inside those wonderful pages was my parents love story.How they met,their engagement and marriage.Mother and I went through them and she answered my questions and told me about restaurants that no longer existed,etc. I could see the memories in Mother's eyes as we read and I was glad I found them before she left.
I find my parent's writing beautiful and comforting too.I'm glad you found those cards from your Dad to your Mom.I know they're priceless~

HolidayEnd, ditto for all the above comments. Get yourself checked out. Keep us informed.

HolidayEnd - if you have been sick for a month, not eating, and retching or vomiting, you may have an infection. It's imperative you get checked out! If I were you, I would get myself to the ER right away. If sepsis reaches your internal organs, it will be VERY dangerous.

I'm speaking from experience. I almost died at home of a kidney infection once, not knowing how sick I really was. And if you have back pain already, you may not be able to tell if you have a problem with organs like your kidneys, liver, or gall bladder (often a cause of back pain as well, if those organs are inflamed and/or infected).

Definitely get yourself seen. You are probably dehydrated and your electrolytes will be messed up which is very serious and can be life threatening.