From Noelegy:
My Maggie cat went missing in November 2016. She liked to go out in our fenced backyard, and would always let us know when she wanted to come back in. Except one day she didn’t. She was microchipped, and I signed up with the PawBoost lost and found network.
I never expected to see her again, but we were reunited in December ’17. She was sixty miles from home, and declawed (front and back paws). I think when her personality changed because she was in pain, someone dumped her out into the country.
Of course I’m glad she’s back with me, but I’m furious at whoever did this to her. She’s clearly traumatized. I have to keep her separated from the other cats, and she will go in one instant from purring and letting me pet her, to hissing and biting.
I’m open to suggestions. Right now, I’m treating her like a litter of feral foster kittens I won over: gentle, consistent presence.
In my opinion you’re handling it perfectly. Keeping her separated and letting her have her own space, treating her like a brand new, feral kitty, is what I’d have recommended. You might try adding some Rescue Remedy to her regimen (I saw that you’ve added a Feliway diffuser to her room with good results.)
(Also, what an AMAZING story, that she was gone for over a year and came back to you. I hate that she was declawed, and god knows what she went through in that year, but thank god she’s back with you!)
Anyone have more suggestions? Please share!
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From Jo:
I’m having a cat problem that I’m hoping you or someone reading your roundup can answer.
I have an indoor/outdoor cat (her name is Olive) and she has suddenly started pooping outside the little box. Luckily she still pees in the box, but poops just outside the boxes. I have started keeping the extra large rubber litter catchers under the boxes so she hits there, then I drag them outside to clean with the hose. I have 4 cats and 5 litter boxes in two rooms in my house. I’m not sure how old she is as someone dumped her and I took her in. She was an adult cat at that time – and that was 2008.
Previously I lived out in the country on 3 acres and she went in the woods there. I kept a litter box in the house but it was very seldom used by any of the cats. When I moved here in May 2016, all of the cats settled in nicely, I had the fence cat-proofed so they could still access the outside, and they all started using the litter boxes inside the house. To the degree that they would come in to go, then return to the yard.
Believe me I have tried different boxes, sizes of boxes, litter types and brands. I’m beside myself and don’t know if I should take her to the vet or what. Any suggestions you can offer would be greatly appreciated.
I said: I’d suggest a visit to the vet to start with. Given that you’ve tried changing litters and the types of boxes, that the behavior is relatively new, and her advanced age, it seems likely that it might be an arthritis issue and that squatting in the litter hurts her hips, knees, and/or back. If that’s so, there are supplements that you can try to give her some relief that the vet can direct you toward.
Also, if you haven’t already, you could try putting a disposable pee pad (like the kind they make for dogs) just outside the litter box. If she’ll go there, then that would make cleanup a whole lot easier while you’re getting the problem figured out!
(Jo made a vet appointment for Olive, and reported that she watched Olive get into the litter box and squat to pee with no problems.)
If you guys have thoughts on this, please chime in!
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What former L&H kitten were you speculating might have had Khal for a daddy? I’d love to see a side-by-side. Depending on how long he was intact before Fred caught him, you know he must have made some pretty babies out there!
and
I think it was little Miss Privet.
Indeed it was Privet (who we called Floomp – which is now one of Khal’s nicknames, of course.)
Here we are with Daddy Khal on the left, and daughter Privet on the right.
I really think he must be her father, don’t you guys? I wonder just how many babies he was responsible for before we had him neutered!
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Have you tried brushing Khal? I just love his look
Fred brushes him a couple of times a week, and Khal loooves it. I haven’t tried brushing him myself because Khal and I are still in the making-friends stage of our relationship.
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Caught your lovely posting of Frankie – how is he doing?
Frankie is doing very well. He is currently getting Atopica twice a week, and it’s controlling the stomatitis. He yawns big all the time, with zero yelping or crying. He’s eating well, he’s playing, and he is one happy boy. I can’t believe he’s only been with us for a year – and in fact, I think at this time last year I was still hoping to find him a home. HA. I found him a home, all right!
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Also, a huge THANK YOU for the Rescue Remedy idea! I have one cat (male, of course) who has anxiety and as a result tends to spray when he’s stressed. He *was* on a generic form of cat xanax, but recently had stopped accepting the crushed pill in his food after a couple of years with no issue. So, I stopped the pill and now put RR drops in the water bowls around the house and he’s totally calm. Perhaps even more so than when he was on the pill!
I’m so glad it’s helping! I really think that adding Rescue Remedy to the water helps keep our cats more relaxed and I highly recommend it to everyone!
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“Whatchoo MEAN ‘child support’?”
We had some guys in the house the other day (the water heater died, and OY that’s a topic for another day, thank you) and coincidentally, Sheriff Mama (the lump in the middle of the bed) found it necessary to inspect the underside of Fred’s comforter. A sheriff’s job is just NEVER done.
Archie, on the other hand, gathered his toys and stayed under Fred’s desk for the duration of the morning.
Later, Alice watched a squirrel in the front yard. (Alice was watching squirrels from the screened porch the other day, forgot herself, and ran head-first into the screen. I shouldn’t have laughed, but even now when I think about her back end coming up off the ground as she hit the screen, I giggle.)
Khal (bottom middle of the picture) watching the biggest squirrel I’ve ever seen (on the tree.)
“I SUPPOSE that comforter passes inspection. I have to sit here and consider whether I need to issue a warning for the wrinkles in the sheets.”
Stefan is such a muffinhead.
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Previously
2017: She’ll be 10 in April which is not by any means OLD, but it’s certainly oldER and technically she’s in the senior category now.
2016: Extreme Ears of Annoyance.
2015: I swear she must be half monkey.
2014: No entry.
2013: No entry.
2012: Giving me the side eye to see if I’m impressed (I’m not).
2011: How tiny IS Tiny Alice?
2010: M’Lynn the skittish.
2009: It wasn’t until after she put her glasses on that Samba realized she’d been whispering sweet nothings to a water bottle all evening long.
2008: No entry.
2007: Possibly if I stopped buying toys for the cats there wouldn’t be such an issue with them scattered everywhere, but I guess cat toys is my other illness.
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.