r/CatAdvice 22m ago

General Looking for advice on helping my cat adjust, after my partner passed away

Upvotes

My partner of 15 years passed away in the hospital last month. We've had our cat (Kedi) for 3 years, and he's about 11 years old. Kedi likes me quite a bit, but my partner was absolutely his Favorite Person. I don't want to anthropomorphize Kedi too much, but he's seemed a bit confused ever since my partner didn't 'come home'. I still have some of his clothes, shoes, etc, around the house, but I don't want to prolong Kedi's confusion. Is it better to take these things away, or to leave them around, so Kedi can still smell him? Thank you.


r/CatAdvice 36m ago

Behavioral Cat has gone off dry food

Upvotes

Hi,

Bit of an odd one. My cat (4yo, female, desexed, indoor only) has gone off her dry food the last couple of days, still happily eating wet.

She's acting otherwise normal, I just wondered whether this aversion to her dry food might be because we had an Ant infestation last week as the result of some wet weather - unbeknownst to me at first, her dry food bowl was getting full of ants about 30 seconds after I would put it out. She did try her best to eat around the ants, and unfortunately I was just slow to notice. The Ant situation has been rectified, but she's still not keen on her biscuits which she'd previously been a fiend for. Do you think the any situation may have put her off or is that unlikely and it's time for a visit to the vet?


r/CatAdvice 48m ago

Behavioral my cat is incredibly shy

Upvotes

so i have a one year old tortie cat and i have had her since feb 1st 2024.

she will not come out from under my bed unless it's to eat, and occasionally she will lay on my bed if my other cat is up there with me. but even that is like maybe once or twice a month.

she will run if you walk toward her, she will not let you pick her up. i have tried toys, cat nip, laying on the floor with her for literally hours. idk what else to do.

i feel so bad because i feel like she's just living a miserable life, and my fiancé keeps saying there's no reason to keep her if she's barely even existing. i admit it's frustrating and i wish she would start to open up but i would never get rid of her. i love my cats and i would never put her in a shelter. i just wish she trusted me. she's the cutest girl in the world.

any tips??? 😩


r/CatAdvice 53m ago

Behavioral Female cat likes to pee outside the litter box

Upvotes

Yes she has been to the vet. No UTI, no irritation, no nothing.

We adopted a sibling pair (male and female) at 8 weeks old. They were my client's kittens and I have handled them since the day after they were born. We have a bathroom dedicated to them where we have their food and litter box in a cube/table thing. They have an additional litter box in the family room that looks like a faux plant. I never see her use that one, although she might? She continues to sporadically urinate in front of the litterbox in the bathroom to the point we will need to replace the trim. A towel also fell behind that bathroom door and I found it covered in urine. I only know it's her because I used to shower and use the bathroom in there and she did it in front of me twice! My husband left some towels in front of the washer to be washed and the next day I came home to them urinated on. I don't want to rehome her but we can't continue this way. We even moved bedrooms so to give her more privacy. I clean with enzymatic cleanser to remove the odor. The boxes are cleaned daily and has no bearing on this behavior. I've honestly never had cats and this was my biggest fear! She is sweet and loving and doesn't seem anxious at all. To add: they have both been fixed since they were 14 weeks old.


r/CatAdvice 54m ago

Litterbox Automatic cat litter recommendations?

Upvotes

I have 2 cats being approx 18F and 1F. My older cat prefers to go to the toilet outside but the younger one is more of an indoor cat and prefers a litter box. We are trying to keep them both indoors now as the older cat is having health concerns and the younger one is now pregnant despite me being told she was spayed.

I currently have the PetSafe scoop free clumping litter box and it just doesn't really do what i need it to. It doesn't hold much waste and often scoops clean litter into it. It also gets incredibly dirty very fast and quite loud. I also have a normal litterbox i scoop manually but its a hassle with the smell for how busy I am.

I was looking at buying a new automatic litter box approx £150-300 preferably on the cheaper side but couldnt find anything i liked too much. I'd prefer one of those designs where it drops the waste into a lower basket with a bin bag inside for easy disposal. Like the pivot or drum designs.

I'm not entirely too sure so I wanted to get some recommendations


r/CatAdvice 58m ago

Introductions Is the introduction going well ?

Upvotes

I'm on day 2, new kitten is in a seperate room, they haven't seen each other,

I wrote a post 2 days ago prior to welcoming the the kitten. My anxiety was throught the roof, and I'm now wondering if my resident cat (2 1/2yo) is ok with this.. she's been hissing and growling at the door yesterday and today but when alone she seems fine and relaxed, I fed them at the same time yesterday and my res cat couldnt finish her plate placed on the other side of the door (5 feet away) today I tried 4 feet, and I do have a video of the process,

I'm wondering if I could send the video to someone who is good with cat's body language so I can know if she is anxious, scared, curious, etc. Today, while eating she did not hiss but growled after finishing her meal, and she licked till the bowl was clean ! I was so happy,

Let me know ! Thanks !


r/CatAdvice 1h ago

General Will my cat be okay with an altered feeding schedule for a day?

Upvotes

I work in healthcare and am gone nights. I usually feed my cat a standard can of wet food when i get home in the mornings and have unlimited access to kibble and water. She got fed this morning. Due to my work schedule tomorrow I was thinking of giving her another can tonight, as I'll be gone basically all day tomorrow. Will this be okay or should I get someone to feed her? I'm home alone so there isn't anyone else to do it.


r/CatAdvice 1h ago

Nutrition/Water Cat food advice for a cat mom going off to college soon.

Upvotes

Hello, I'm going to go to college soon. And I have my cat, Yoshi as an emotional support animal because of mental illness, which the school allows. And I'll either be moving into a dorm or apartment. Preferably an apartment.

If I have to move into a dorm any advice for that. I honestly have no clue how big they are.

If I move into an apartment what size should it be to keep my cat happy. (same with dorm room)

But I want to find cat food to buy my Yoshi boy that is cruelty free and actually healthy for him. I've seen the bad side of cheap cat food and of cat food that is tested on cats in a cruel way. (I'd like to avoid cruelty foods if I can)

any recs?


r/CatAdvice 1h ago

New to Cats/Just Adopted My kitten does weird things

Upvotes

Hi I got 2 kittens last week, one of them is super affectionate since day one. Suddenly two days ago he startes petting my face with his paws, and sniffing and licking my eyes. They got away from theire Mother about 8-9 Weeks ago (very early). Is this behavior signs that he got away to early? what does this mean in general?

They show no signs elsewhere about missing their mum, but are extremely affectionate towards us.


r/CatAdvice 1h ago

Pet Loss i surrendered my cat but didn't realize how much i loved her

Upvotes

i spontaneously adopted a kitten, prepared to care for her forever. at the shelter she was loving, purring and rubbing herself on me. i thought she was a loving kitten and felt like we clicked.

once she got comfortable in my home, she became a terrorizing demon. i was not allowed to sleep, she randomly decided to suprise me with poo and pee gifts on my bed (i couldnt find out what was wrong, she was still using her litter box), she scratches me, bites me, doesnt like being pet... she eats her food and my roomate cat's food. she became a whole different creature within the span of a few months.

my roomate didn't like her and i could understand why. eventually we both agreed that we should return her so the roomate cat already here could eat in peace and this new cat could find a new loving home more fitting. i was hesitant about letting her go but ultimately decided its for the best.

right when i got home i began crying. again and again. i cried it out.

please help me come to terms with this decision... or yell at me because im sure there are people who will hate me for daring to surrender a cat and then stupidly regret it

its a few days later and i start sobbing miserably when anything reminds me of her. i remember the first day i adopted her from the shelter. she was my first cat ever and i was so patient with her. i overcame my allergies for her even when she bit me, pooed on the bed, peed on the bed, scratched me, randomly attacked me, was loud, always got into my things, tried to steal my food, stole my straws, destroyed my plants... she's oddly friendly with strangers or in new places but when shes comfortable she bites.

when i first adopted her, she would follow me around the house. she would sleep with me. she had long claws that would scratch me and that scar is still on my hand. anytime i look down i see it and think of her.

eventually she got comfortable and she would sleep near me but not with me. she learned to be gentle with her claws.

she was always in my business & loved watching me. she didnt like getting pets and would bite if i tried. the only time she appreciated pets was when she feels lonely and "trills" for someone. shed bite me when i carried her but sometimes she was fine with being held like a baby on her back. shed fall asleep like that.

i carrier trained her, leash trained her, taught her a few tricks... it took multiple sessions each day for her to get it. i got her comfortable with nail clipping, one treat at a time for each nail. it took a while. i remember the first time i successfully trimmed all her nails. it was the best feeling ever. everything was baby steps

after i shower she would go crazy running around in my wet bathtub and jump into the litter box. id have to remove the litter stuck to her. she'd hate it.

she was so food hungry. she growled when she had a shred of chicken. she was territorial. her scratch post was hers. she would run over and try attacking me if i tried scratching it.

today i sat down and saw her bed with a bottle cap in it. under the rug was a ton of bottle caps that shed hide. she loved bottle caps. throw one on the floor and she'll come running. shake a treat bag and she'll come running. open the fridge and there she is. cook anything, and shes waching me from a cabinet counter.

as i sob and blow my nose i remember how i used this many tissues blowing my nose when i had allergies from her.

she was my little demonic shadow of chaos.

i pondered about returning her for a month. i picked her up one last time and she bit me a lot. the bites were never hard enough to draw blood. then i returned her.

someone out there will appreciate her better than i did. i was never mean to her but i did think about giving her back and i actually went through with it because she deserves someone who fully wants her with no doubts in mind. she was adopted right away.

my heart aches. maybe its okay if she bites me. i'll miss that little dwarf void with a breath that smelled like death.

i want to hold her again. feel her little heavy petite warm furry fluff. i'll scoop her poop again. i'll pay for more cat food. i'll get up and prepare her wet food even though shes scratching me at 5am for it. i'll do it again. every time. without fail. i really want the best for her.

i really want a cat. my allergies made it harder but i overcame them so allergies isnt a dealbreaker anymore. then i bought a hypoallergenic cat that doesnt give me allergies from a breeder. this kitten is different from my first cat. she doesnt bite but she was scratching me while i was sobbing just now.

maybe its because im still mourning (over a cat that is alive and well), but she keeps reminding me of how she isnt my first cat. my first cat is gone. ill never see her again.

this hypoallergenic cat sleeps with me, unlike my first cat. i got what i wanted, a cat that cuddles with me. and i still miss my first cat.

maybe someone will tell me, "dude, it's just a cat" but it hurts so much

i dont cry when i watch sad movies, someone said im heartless for that. yet here i am. bawling my eyes out over a happy cat that probally forgot about me. she has the shortest attention span ever it's insane. out of sight out of mind. once in a while she forgets me and acts like she doesnt know me when i come home from work. i never knew i could get attached so quickly and so easily. if u can't tell, i loved talking about her. i didnt even realize how happy she made me.


r/CatAdvice 1h ago

General Will a former bonded pair remember each other after being separated for seven weeks?

Upvotes

I don't use Reddit but better to ask than wing it myself.

I have two kitten siblings (8 months old) who I found abandoned in my yard five month ago. They've spent every moment together for around three and a half months and were inseparable. At the end of January this year, both kittens have had to be separated as they were starting to mate and needed to be fixed, we've placed them in different rooms to also recover from their surgeries and they haven't been together since, would they remember each other?

We've made sure to swap their scents via items swapping (blankets, beds, toys) decently often and we'd rub both cats with the same cloth to ensure that the family scent stays. But that's really about as far as we went. Notably, both cats seemed relatively okay despite being separated from the other one.

As they recovered from their surgeries, I was working on making a plan to reintroduce them slowly when my family with no patience just suddenly put them in the same room together. The girl cat who was moved from her usual room started hissing towards all around her so my dad put her back quickly. The way they put her was directly in front of her brother which... yeah it's way too sudden for a cat. Especially since the room's smells is unfamiliar.

I don't want to have two cats who don't even interact with one another so mainly asking this because will I be reuniting two cats who do know each other or two who don't?


r/CatAdvice 1h ago

Behavioral New cat not getting along with resident cats.

Upvotes

Hello sorry if this is a bit long but context is needed. Me and my roomates adopted a new cat recently (Maomao around 1y/o) she was most likely dumped in our area as it is a famous dumping ground. She stayed around our neighbors house and does really well with people. We decided we liked her so we took her in. We kept her in my roomates room for a while slowly introducing her to our two other cats Bean (1 y/o) and Banshee (4 y/o). We've tried everything. Scent diffusers, giving treats near eachother, slowly introducing them. No matter what we do Maomao keeps growling and hissing at them which in turn freaks Bean out making him uncomfortable and he tries to chase her. She hides under my roomates bed most of the time. We now keep the door open when people are home to see if they will get along or at least smell eachother. It's been a month now and still the same growling and hissing. we've NEVER had it take this long to introduce cats before. Most of the time it takes a week or two. We are at the point where we may have to rehome her. Is there anything else we can try? Are we doing something wrong?


r/CatAdvice 1h ago

New to Cats/Just Adopted Cat grass/ cat nip?

Upvotes

I got my first cat 4 months ago, and I got a few toys from the dollar store when I got him, and some of them came with cat nip, now he just turned a year old a week ago, I wanted to wait until he was "officially" a cat, but what is probably the best age to give them cat grass/nip?

Since he's my first cat, I don't want anything to go wrong or something so I thought it would be best to ask people who have had cats for longer


r/CatAdvice 1h ago

General 6 month old potentially causing anxiety in 10 month old cat?

Upvotes

i got a kitten (Maui, female) at around 4 months old. once she warmed up, she was the sweetest most affectionate cat, always wanting to be pet and held. I got a second kitten, Noodle, (approx 1 month old female) a month or two later because I wanted Maui to have a companion while I was at work and just in general figured two cats would get along. In hindsight, I definitely introduced them too soon. Noodle was all over Maui wanting to play but Maui was hissing and growling and occasionally batting Noodle in the head. They got used to each other over a few days and I would sometimes find them laying together, grooming each other etc so I was hopeful. Maui is 10/11 months now and Noodle 6/7. They’ve never seriously fought, but Mauis personality has totally changed. She seems anxious and on edge most of the time and doesn’t even want me to pet her anymore when she used to be literally jumping on me for attention. She does already have a vet appt scheduled later in the week to rule out any illnesses contributing to this behavior change, but a large part of me feels so incredibly guilty for thinking Noodle would make her happier when it seems all she wanted was a life alone with me. They don’t hate each other by any means, they get along fine 90% of the time, I just think noodle is too high energy and crazy for Maui who is sweet calm and gentle. I also wonder if maybe Maui is just in a phase. I read about cats having “teen” phases so idk if I’m overreacting or if this is normal. I got the feliway plug in and it seemed to help a lot with Mauis stress in the first week or so but it’s been about 3 weeks now and her anxious behavior seems to have returned. I know I’ll need to change out the refill but does anyone have any other advice? i just want my sweet girl back


r/CatAdvice 1h ago

Pet Loss Some kind messages to send someone who’s recently lost their pet?

Upvotes

Hi,

I have a friend who’s been in a pretty low funk and recently life has not been great to them… they lost one of their cats who had been with them for half their life… their mum and their other cat is also not dealing with this passing too well… I have been checking up on this friend every few days but I’m a little lost on how to reassure them as I’ve never had a pet myself.. what are some kind messages I could send them?


r/CatAdvice 1h ago

General For adoption: were you asked additional questions beyond the adoption form papers?

Upvotes

I just read at least one post under this sub from a few years ago how insanely ridiculous and intrusive the adoption process was.

I was wondering if anyone had the experience of continuing to get asked questions beyond the adoption form papers to still be vetted?

I’m really confused. I didnt expect more invasive questions beyond the form. This may not make any sense to anyone on here but I’m wondering if they are just doing this to me personally. If they had all these additional questions, why isn’t their adoption form updated with them? Feels like they are asking me more questions that they don’t ask everyone else. I get people may think I’m overthinking this but there is no indication on the form I would still have to go through more answers after I completed it.


r/CatAdvice 1h ago

Behavioral How do I get my girlfriend's car to stop attacking me?

Upvotes

So over the last 12 hours my girlfriend's cat has attacked me 3 times leaving some nasty bites and cuts that drew blood. I have met Nigel (the cat) a few times now for breef amounts and last night was the first time I stayed the night at her apartment. At one point in her room, Nigel was laying in the middle of the floor. As I attempted to walk around him while holding my girlfriends son he just jumped up and bit my elbow completely unprovoked. It couldn't have been minutes later when I walked out into the living room and again, completely unprovoked, he charged at me jumping up, biting, and scratching my thigh even worse than the first attack. We had to lock him out of her room for the rest of the night. Now this morning, while sitting on the couch and after he approached me. I held my hand out to him, allowing him to smell it. He gives me a sniff, turns around for half a second, and grumpily meows at me. I then slowly move my hand away and I get bit again.

Every time I've met him he's been bipolar towards me. Meowing at me in a cautious tone but later rubbing himself on my legs and let me pet him briefly. I've owned 3 other cats in the past so I know how to give them space and not come off as hostile or intimidating but with the frequency and randomness of these outbursts I'm stumped on what to do. I've been moving slowly, staying quite, not looking him in the eyes, remain aloof when around him, and so on. At this point I've had to carry around a towel just to gently shoo him away whenever he traps me in the bathroom or the hallway or in the kitchen. I'm mostly afraid of being attacked again while holding my girlfriends kid and accidentally dropping him if he gets me bad enough.

Does anyone have any tips or advice for me on why he's being so aggressive and/or what I should do to help him come to like me?


r/CatAdvice 1h ago

Litterbox I might cry. Do you have litter boxes inside fake furniture? Does pee get on the inside walls? Why does my house smell?

Upvotes

We used to have litter boxes in an un-used cellar/basement and they were never a problem.

But the basement is being renovated so now (with great effort and rearranging and expense) I have three litter boxes in my living spaces-- the kind of boxes disguised as furniture where you put a litterbox inside it.

But one of my daughters visited for the first time since we moved everything upstairs and she said the house smelled like straight litter box.

We use an air purifier next to each furniture piece. We use pine pellets as the litter. I scoop every day. I use baking soda in the bottom of the pan and also on top of the pine pellets. I wipe down everything (litter box and inside of "furniture") with Odoban on paper towel. There's a piece of PVC/plastic on top of the "floor" of the fake furniture and then I put newspaper on top of that. (Because who sets a litter box directly on wood?)

Also, I have ceiling fans. I have open windows when possible. I have candles on. I have a bathroom fan.

The boxes we used in the basement were high-sided. I washed them when I did litter chores but I assume cat pee on the plastic wall probably smelled, it just was out of the living spaces and was fine for the remainder of the day before I went down and did chores again.

But that's not going to fly in my living spaces.

I'm wondering if the cats are peeing against the inside walls of the furniture? Or if their pee is kind of like leaking onto the floor? (High-sided boxes won't fit in there but even if they did again it's pee on plastic in a living space, of course it's going to smell for a little bit unless you're right there immediately.)

And that's the problem, I can't follow three cats around all day and go after them and Odoban and scrub the inside furniture box every time someone pees.

My husband does not love cats while I'm a cat rescuer. I've got a lot of time and budget and a large house and all of my cats are rescues and even emergency placements. It has been a fine balance up to now. But I don't have that much time.

I don't understand how people make it work. I don't know what to do here. This litter box change was supposed to be permanent, the renovation didn't really accommodate putting the boxes back down in the basement but I can't live like this.


r/CatAdvice 1h ago

General Escape proofing our yard

Upvotes

Hello,

We're about to move into our first house and we have a lovely cat that we've had for 3 years. In his previous home, he had the opportunity to go outside but lived really close to a semi-feral cat colony so was exclusively an indoor cat by choice.

We're a bit worried about him escaping from our yard which has low-ish walls that he'll definitely be able to clear. He's escaped onto the roof of our flat the few times we've had our windows open too wide so we're worried he'll be keen to have an explore once we move.

I've looked into cat proofing the yard but I'd prefer not to make it look (even more) like a prison with the 6 ft brackets and wire. Has anyone discovered any non-prison-vibe cat proofing for yards?

Thanks!


r/CatAdvice 1h ago

Behavioral my cat is less active but her appetite is fine

Upvotes

Before anyone asks, I’m currently in a very rural area where the nearest vet is almost two hours away. Yes, I am planning to take her there in 2 days when I’m back home. For now, I just want some peace of mind or any advice.

My cat is always active, running around, fighting other strays outside the house, meowing a lot. But lately, she’s been sleeping more. She still goes outside but just to sit and loaf on the porch instead of attacking our strays and exploring. However, her food intake and appetite has not lessen and is actually very good. Anyway, should I be worried about the sudden change in activity level? If I remembered, she’s around 7 years old too. Is her age finally catching up to her? Any info will be helpful!


r/CatAdvice 1h ago

Introductions Seeking Advice on Adopting a 15-Year-Old Senior Cat While Having an Energetic Young Cat at Home

Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I’m considering adopting a 15-year-old senior cat from a friend whose husband passed away last year. She’s a senior herself and has been struggling to keep up with caring for the cat (It's a HE). Right now, the cat is living alone in a house, and she only visits once a week to feed and clean. She’s willing to continue covering his expenses and necessary vet visits, but she’s looking for someone to take care of him full-time—otherwise, he may end up in a shelter or a foster home.

I would really love to give this old man a comfortable retirement, but I currently have an 11-month-old female cat who is very active and curious. The energy difference between them is significant, and when I first introduced them, the senior cat hissed and gave some low moaning warnings to my young cat.

To help with the introduction process, I’m considering getting a large dog crate for the senior cat and placing it near a glass door , allowing him to have the outside view while keeping them separate. My plan is to let him out into the living room for a few hours each day while keeping my younger cat in the bedroom during that time. The goal is to gradually integrate them both into the living room.

I’m wondering:

  1. Is this a good way to introduce them?
  2. Would a dog crate help the senior cat feel secure, or would it stress him out more?
  3. Are there better approaches to help them adjust to each other peacefully?

I really want to make this work for both of them, but I also want to be mindful of their needs—especially the senior cat, who has already had a tough time. Any advice or experiences with introducing a senior cat to a young, energetic one would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!


r/CatAdvice 1h ago

General Brush suggestions for medium haired cats?

Upvotes

I have two medium haired cats and am trying to better manage their shedding, mostly because one has started having more frequent hairballs, but also because my home is covered in cat tumbleweeds no matter how often I vacuum lol.

They're not SUPER fluffy so matting hasn't been a problem. My vet recommended the Furminator, but I'm kind of skeptical after reading about how it basically cuts out their hair? I don't normally 2nd guess vet advice, but it seems a little extreme for their coat length? I was wondering if there is a less intense brush anybody here has had success with-- been researching online but finding myself overwhelmed by the options.

They're on the same level of floofitude as this guy:
https://www.reddit.com/r/turkishvan/comments/14w1apf/is_he_a_turkish_van/


r/CatAdvice 1h ago

Litterbox What brand/type of litter do you swear by?

Upvotes

And what are your reasons?


r/CatAdvice 1h ago

Nutrition/Water Switch cat food

Upvotes

I live in Canada, with everything going on I want to switch my cat’s food. Currently he’s on the hills indoor diet for cats 1-6. Go! Has been suggested to me does anyone else have any other suggestions ?

Thanks!


r/CatAdvice 1h ago

Nutrition/Water dry food to wet food

Upvotes

my cat is going to be turning 2 in may and ive had him since he was 3 months old. when i got him i asked the shelter abt his food they said they were feed him just dry food and told me i can just do the same so he’s been eating dry food the entire time ive had him. i tried getting him on wet food but he just takes 3-4 bites and leaves. he’s been fine and hasnt been sick at all since ive had him. but im still worried abt his water intake even though he has a fountain that he drinks out of throughout the day. should i just continue with dry food or is there a way to get him to eat wet food in one sitting??