New Cat Questions

[richtea78]

I think he might be broken. I got home from work and made a fuss of him and he flopped over like a teddy bear!


Loki by richtea78, on Flickr

My parents cats are much older and have had them for years and they don't do that even now so think he must be happy

I did try and read earlier but he didn't like it!


Loki by richtea78, on Flickr

[ali_kat]

[Mobile Chicane]

He's gorgeous and clearly realises his ship has come in.

It will be lovely getting to know all his little foibles, and he yours.

[matt12023]

ehasler said:

Also if all other toys fail, then try a feather teaser toy called Da-Bird - I don't think any cat will be able to resist that!

Da-bird is very recommended, my Bob loves it, he does some amazing aerial acrobatics while after it. Peanut has no interest in it though, she is all about the laser pen

Great work with Loki OP, he looks lovely

[richtea78]

I don't want to appear crude but what is normal when it comes to pissing and pooing for a cat? He pees about 3 times a day so far and poos once. Is that normal? I empty his litter tray as quickly as I can.

My parents cats have always lived outside so I don't have a frame of reference.

If he was ill it would be obvious from his behaviour? He would act differently? My parents cats always hide so you know if one isnt around to go and find her. They only got ill twice though that I can recall.

This evening he has been moving around more upstairs but still won't come downstairs. I am going to get some Dreamies for bribery but no rush.

Edit. Another question. Are some cats immune to catnip?

[Mobile Chicane]

richtea78 said:

I don't want to appear crude but what is normal when it comes to pissing and pooing for a cat? He pees about 3 times a day so far and poos once. Is that normal? I empty his litter tray as quickly as I can.

My parents cats have always lived outside so I don't have a frame of reference.

If he was ill it would be obvious from his behaviour? He would act differently? My parents cats always hide so you know if one isnt around to go and find her. They only got ill twice though that I can recall.

This evening he has been moving around more upstairs but still won't come downstairs. I am going to get some Dreamies for bribery but no rush.

Edit. Another question. Are some cats immune to catnip?

That seems about right to me.

Make sure you have lots of water bowls dotted around the place - not just with his food - so he can't pass one without thinking "Oooh! A drink!"

Neutered males can be prone to urinary blockages, which lots of water will help prevent.

Yes, some cats are immune to catnip. There is no half-way house. They are either susceptible to it, or they're not.

[Munter]

That's about the same pee to poo ratio of our scraggy.

Who also does the exposed tummy routine

[richtea78]

He has 3 different water bowls and a water fountain that provides running water so he has plenty to chose from.

I wanted to make sure he had plenty of choices and they cost next to nothing so figured I'd leave lots around. I know neutered males can have issues so figured it was important.

[ali_kat]

Have a glass bowl too, mine prefer glass bowls to anything but the running tap!

[MG CHRIS]

Looks like a very happy cat mine roles around like that all the time normally when just waking up flips himself upside down like that and stays there for a bit until either he flops back over or you give him some fuss.

Everything you have said sounds about right to me from my 10 years of being a cat owner and the point about cat treats is 100% correct the same with a neighbours cat.
You can put out all the beds/toys you like they will find somewhere else to sleep and something else to play with like half way up the stairs or playing with the power leads for various things.

This is my little pest 10 year old Norwegian short hair I believe male doing what he does best sleeping

[richtea78]

Don't have a glass bowl but will get one tomorrow. Hadn't thought of that

I think I'd quite like to be a cat. He sleeps eats and cleans himself. Then he sleeps some more

I've not heard him really miaow though. My parents cats make a lot of noise. Loki sounds more like a guinea pig!

[mosc7pc2]

Loki is stunning! Looks so mellow as well. Congratulations and get ready to be manipulated!

[ali_kat]

Charity shops are full of old, cheap, expensive cut glass wide lipped bowls

Have too be wide lipped or they catch their whiskers & cats don't like that!

[richtea78]

I'll go to a few charity shops at lunchtime.

I've just been watching him squaring up to his own shadow!

[HereBeMonsters]

What a dude. Sounds like you're doing everything right. I'd say phase out the Feliway, ours was a bundle of fluff with it, but when it ran out he became a bit feral. We had to get a refill and do a few hours on and off a day until he got used to it not being there.

I think the most important thing is to always have a safe place for the cat to retreat to, away from outside, away from you and anyone in the house. Ours has a place behind a wardrobe in the upstairs study. He rarely uses it, but I'm glad he has it so he feels safe.

[Munter]

HereBeMonsters said:

What a dude. Sounds like you're doing everything right. I'd say phase out the Feliway, ours was a bundle of fluff with it, but when it ran out he became a bit feral. We had to get a refill and do a few hours on and off a day until he got used to it not being there.

I think the most important thing is to always have a safe place for the cat to retreat to, away from outside, away from you and anyone in the house. Ours has a place behind a wardrobe in the upstairs study. He rarely uses it, but I'm glad he has it so he feels safe.

On that sort of front. One of the things we do is have the cat carrier open and available for them to use with a towel in the bottom. They like to nip in there for a little hidden away kip now. And we think it makes it easier to get them in to it when it's time to get them to a vet.

[ehasler]

richtea78 said:

I've not heard him really miaow though. My parents cats make a lot of noise. Loki sounds more like a guinea pig!

One of mine doesn't make much noise either - it's more of a squeak than a proper miaow.

Also your pee/poo ratio sounds about right - I seem to be constantly cleaning up their litter trays, but it's good to see them drink so I'm glad they're needing to go that often.

As for the catnip - it's not unusual for some cats to not be sensitive to it, although different toys have different strengths and it can wear out. I've actually written a little article about it on my blog

[richtea78]

thanks, I'll have a read of your site after work, its blocked on my work network as a "Personal site" but we have very strange monitoring software. PH is allowed but football sites arent for example.

Ive not seen him drink yet but he must be drinking if he is peeing!

I have had to leave him at home a couple of days this week but most of the time I work from home for most of the week. When I work in the office I empty his tray morning before work, as soon as I get home and then a couple of times during the evening as when I notice it needs doing.

I have tried both a covered and uncovered tray. He seems to like the uncovered one but despite the lip on it, he seems to manage to flick some of it out on the floor. I saw him last night and it almost looked like the last flick was deliberately to get some on the floor! He wont use the covered tray so I am going to take that away I think shortly. I dont think he likes to be enclosed as he didnt want to go in his carrier either when I collected him.

[ali_kat]

Mine get cat litter all over the bathroom floor and down the stairs even with a cover!

[ehasler]

ali_kat said:

Mine get cat litter all over the bathroom floor and down the stairs even with a cover!

I've found it stuck on the bathroom wall tiles - 2 ft off the ground

Pets at Home do a rubber litter mat that's a little like velcro, which helps catch a lot of litter as they step out of the tray - it's made a big difference to the amount that escapes.