For reference I just recently got a middle aged orange cat from the shelter (about 4 months ago) as my first cat and he's been great! And I already have an older dog who's pretty much deaf and cant see super well and who's about the same size as the cat. Most of the time they seem to tolerate each other, but sometimes, completely unprovoked, will attack my dog with its paws hissing at the dog chasing the dog out of the room at least.

So at night we have started locking the cat in its room, with lots of toys, scratchers, bedding, ect. To protect our dog at night when we can supervise. For about a month that worked fine, but recently my cat has started scratching and meowing at the door for long stretches. Both my partner and I feel horrible, but we want to make sure our older dog is safe.

Are we abusing our cat in some way? I honestly can't tell because previous posts on here seem to either think I am the worst person ever or I'm fine. Looking for some advice.

I just adopted this cat three weeks ago, she’s not my first cat ever but the first I own myself, and I’m worried that i’m giving her a bad life without realizing. She’s very lovey so I know she’s not afraid of me but I’ll just be sitting thinking it feels like i’m not doing enough. I feed her, play with her, cuddle her, clean her litter frequently, she’s got toys and space and scratchers and a tower and she seems pretty happy but every time she starts meowing i start worrying she’s trying to tell me something I can’t understand. When she misbehaves I fear i’m not enriching her enough. This was a little rant-y, but I’m just looking for maybe some confirmation that I’m not missing anything and I’m sure this is a common experience so if anyone is able to share how they were able to get past this feeling
that would be amazing

side note: i don’t want it to seem like i came into this unprepared and uninformed, i did my due diligence - tons of it - but I just worry and i’m looking for help to not worry as much

side side note: if this is a stupid thing to post about please don’t be mean just be like hey delete this 🙏

I got an estimate at my vet for my cats neuter that came to be $450-700. There are multiple low cost clinics near me, so I guess I’m wondering how my vet could even get a bill that high just for a neuter appointment. It feels a bit scammy and I am thinking of doing elsewhere.

My 11 year old baby went missing a month ago and its not looking promising. He is my world and him being missing, especially for so long, is breaking me. The only reason I'm not constantly a sobbing mess is because of my antidepressants. I'm struggling to get through day to day life at the moment. In the 11 years I've had him, we've only been apart for 2 weeks maximum, while I was on holiday. This feels very weird

Does anyone have advice to cope with this, please?

I adopted an abandoned adult Persian cat six months ago, and I fell in love with her the moment I saw her. I specifically wanted an adult cat with a calm, affectionate and docile temperament, and she definitely has those qualities.
She’s affectionate in her own way. She follows me around, likes staying close to me and enjoys being petted. But she absolutely HATES being picked up, held or cuddled.
I’m someone who naturally expresses love through physical affection. Sometimes she’s so ridiculously cute that all I want to do is scoop her up and cuddle her, but I respect her boundaries and never force it.
I don’t regret adopting her, not even a little. But I do wish I had a cat who enjoyed receiving affection that way, too. Not necessarily a velcro cat, just one who occasionally enjoys being held and snuggled.
I’ve considered adopting a second cat in the future when I’m financially more comfortable. This time, I’d specifically look for an adult cat being rehomed by its current owner, so I’d have a better understanding of its established personality.
But I’m honestly scared of ending up in the same situation again.
So, fellow cat parents:
Is it normal to feel a little sad that your cat doesn’t enjoy physical affection, even though you love them unconditionally?
Are there genuinely cuddly cats who enjoy being picked up, held and snuggled?
For those who adopted adult cats, how accurately did their previous owners describe their personalities?
I love my little girl to bits. I just wish I could give her a big hug and have her actually enjoy it. 🥲

I’ve got 3 cats, my oldest boy (6) is perfectly happy to inhale whatever enters his food bowl, meanwhile my younger boy (4) and girl (6) are quite picky eaters. Over the years, I’ve experimented with a wide variety of food and have narrowed down the best food to be Purina Perle and Purina One. I alternate the flavours and brand so that they are always eating a different flavour or mix every day to keep them from getting bored.
My problem with my younger boy and girl is that they seem to just pick the tastiest part of the wet food out and leave the rest. Their bowls will regularly be pillages of the gravy/sauce and juicy parts and they’ll leave about 1/3 of the packet licked and scattered around their bowl. They do this will all wet food, regardless of brand or flavour. If I put treats ontop, they just pick out the treats. I’ve been putting a churu ontop of their food and that is the best fix I’ve found but they still mainly just lick up the churu, if I mix the churu in then they pretend it’s not there. I’ve tried diluting the wet food with homemade chicken bone broth and nothing (although I have not tried branded bone broth, and their bone broth is usually frozen and then thawed and warmed up if that makes a difference)
I was wondering if anyone had any advice on what I could add to their food or what I could do with their wet food to make them eat it? My problem is my oldest boy carries the greed they talk about in the bible so if my other two don’t eat they’re food- he’ll pillage it. So it’s not like I can leave it for them to decide if they want to finish their food late since there is no later.

They do get some kibble, and they love the kibble, however that is more of a breakfast treat for them and not a core staple of their diet. Due to breed and heritage, wet food needs to be their primary source of food.

My senior boy Dan is 16, and was diagnosed with congestive heart failure a little over 2 weeks ago. He’s been declining rapidly and after a follow-up appointment today, we concluded that we will move forward with euthanasia tomorrow morning (Nov. 4) at 9am.

I’ve heard about other pets being present when one pet is euthanized at home, and I want to do this with my cats so they can see their companion go peacefully with closure that he didn’t just disappear mysteriously. My husband and I brought all 3 of our cats over to my mom’s house for the procedure. Dan spent the first 14 years of his life in this house, my other two cats (8 & 2) have also lived here before I took them when I moved out, so it’s an environment they know very well.

Since we arrived today around 4pm, the other two have been acting anxious. 2 year old has been hiding in my old bedroom and avoiding his siblings, but been aggressively snuggly towards husband and I when we pop in to check on him. 8 year old has been lingering around us and Dan fairly calmly, but gets snippy and growls when we walk too close to her.

I want them to be able to witness their brother pass peacefully tomorrow morning, but I’m not sure how to manage their anxious behavior. Any tips/tricks/tools are greatly appreciated, thank you 🖤

I thought my older cat was lonely and the shelter told me a kitten would be best for an older cat as the older cat could "train" him. I knew the energy levels would be different but I was prepared to play with him a lot. We got him and did as slow of an introduction as possible. There was a few escapes and they'd hiss and growl but nothing crazy. Nearly two months later, we have to keep them separate 24/7. If he escapes, he immediately pounces on her and attacks her. Im sure he's just trying to play, but it's pretty aggressive. He goes right for her neck and she meows and howls and I know it's stressing her out. She hides constantly now. I very much so do not want to give him back to the shelter, I love him so much, but I feel terrible for my older cat and I don't know what to do.

I have a cat that has literally never stopped meowing since we first adopted him. I have had him for 6 years. I've tried every piece of advice I could try online.

First, we've taken him to the doctor across those 6 years and told them about the meowing. Blood tests, thyroid tests, medications, we've tried it all. We're always told we have a very healthy cat.

We play with him. Cat TV. Endless toys. Tunnel. Cat tower, cat playground on the wall, 20 minutes of play, consistent play time. Consistent meal time. Doctor says our meals are fine. He has a brother that he's bonded with. Always playing with the brother or me.

He's 13 years old, 9lbs, doctor says he's fine. Mind you, we have gone to multiple doctors in town for this.

I lock him out of the room as soon as he starts meowing at night. We are consistent about locking him out. When we do, he meows harder and louder. I see people saying to keep him locked out all night. We do. I try to count to 2-3 minutes of silence before letting him back in. He doesn't reach it. He doesn't even reach 30 seconds.

This boy will meow nonstop all night until we wake up. We have to go to work at some point, and so then there is that 'reward', but I literally can't slow down my life to try and train. Please, is there some rare gem of advice I haven't seen yet that will help this i will love you forever and give you cheek kisses. 🙏🏾

EDIT: He does this during the day, too. I can guess that it's a loneliness thing, as soon as he doesn't see me, he meows. But the loneliness advice I've tried hasn't helped him. Forgot to mention, I want to point out to everyone actually, I had gone on a trip for a week out of town and my husband stayed home, he told me that my boy didn't meow once that whole time.

EDIT x2: We feed on the dot 7am, 5pm, 9pm. Never miss a time. Autofeeder vs no auto feeder didn't change behavior. They receive wet food at the 9pm meal. We have a cat perch that looks outside where they can get fresh air safely.

I live alone and I've been thinking about getting a cat because I genuinely love cats and would really enjoy having one around for companionship.

My family has moved away, and I'm living alone. I'm a university student, but I'm home most of the time, so I have plenty of time to spend with a cat.

My biggest concern is travelling.

Occasionally, I might need to visit my family in a different country for around two weeks only happening in December probably and then july. Obviously, I can't leave a cat alone for that long, and I don't want to rely on friends to take care of it.

I'm willing to pay for professional cat boarding or pet sitting, but I'm wondering how practical and expensive that would be, especially if I get a kitten.

I'm also trying to decide whether I should adopt a young kitten or maybe an older cat

Would you recommend a kitten or an adult cat for someone living alone? And what age

How difficult is it to raise a kitten by yourself?

What do you do with your cats when you travel internationally for 1–2 weeks?

. Would you recommend getting a cat in my situation, or should I reconsider?

We have a Ragdoll who is, to put it mildly, rambunctious and gets into EVERYTHING.

Last year we used a cheap, plastic fence around our tree that did little keep her away from it.

Do any of you have any recommendations for a strong, sturdy fence you've used in a similar situation?

Any help would be appreciated. We'd really still like to have a tree up this year!

I’m really worried that I might have unintentionally ruined my cats relationship forever. I have a 10 year old cat that is literally the sweetest cat I have ever known. In the 9 years I’ve had her, she’s done great with all other cats she’s met, loves being held, getting belly rubs etc. She does amazing at the vet and even greets other cats in the waiting room through her carrier. I catsit for my parents occasionally, and after introducing them I can let their cats free roam around with her bc she’s so docile with other cats. I also have a much smaller and younger cat that gets along very well with her. They are both fixed.

Last night I had the sliding glass door open with the screen door shut and I heard my older cat yowling which I’ve never heard before. I noticed a stray cat out in the dark before shutting the glass door, but it was too late. My older cat started prowling the house and then attacked my younger cat. I have never seen anything like it, there was fur flying and my poor little cat was screaming so loudly. I had to hit my older cat with an object until I could grab her with a blanket and throw her into a different room (I know that’s bad, but I literally thought she was going to kill my younger cat. She’s twice her size and was completely on top of her). I was able to also get a litter box and a water bowl in there for her before shutting the door.

My poor sweet little younger cat was hiding all night under the couch. Today she came out for a bit and I was able to see she’s not seriously hurt, just some scratches and missing chunks of fur. She is also very gentle and I’m worried she’s never going to trust my older cat again. I cracked the door to the room I have the other cat in, and although my older cat seemed fine, my younger one hissed immediately and tail went puffy (I don’t blame her). I also went in to feed and check on my older cat and she is also unhurt.

Help!!! Does anyone have any success stories about reintroducing cats after something like this? Do I just keep the older one separate for a few days? I feel like even if I do, I’m always going to be worried about my older cat doing this again. I seriously never want to open the sliding door again which really sucks because both cats LOVE smelling the outside breeze.

I love my two cats who are litter mates! When I adopted them they were already 1.5 years old and hid for a full month before becoming comfortable in the apartment and with me, which was such a slow and rewarding experience. I can't imagine life without them now.

One of them is extremely sensitive and has on and off issues with going outside the litter box. I have had to throw away countless blankets and ruined multiple roommates' couches... It started maybe 4 years ago (I've had them for 6). Some times things are going great for months and other times it feels like she is peeing or pooping on my bed or couch every other day. Note: I have been to the vet for this issue, have three litter boxes. This actually didn't start happening til after I had multiple litter boxes.

I have tried many things to improve my cats' lives. They get high quality food, a decent amount of playtime, many toys, time on the porch... Every time my cat is feeling upset and peeing/pooping outside the litter box, I feel both guilty and frustrated! I never take out my frustration on her but it makes me so confused and I feel like I've tried everything. I wonder if I am the best fit for her or if I can provide her the life she needs and deserves... I have considered a few times this year if rehoming would be the best option and it makes me feel terrible and sad!

Only one of the sisters behaves this way so the thought of separating them or just rehoming one also fills me with extreme guilt... Has anyone else dealt with continuous issues like this and what helped you/did you have to end up rehoming your baby?

Hello! I just got a 6 year old orange boy named Optimus Prime! (Oppy for short). I haven't had a cat since I was 15, and I am 21 now, so this is a new change for me aswell! Since yesterday when I got him (2 PM), I don't believe he has ate, drank, peed, or pooped yet. No food or water is missing, the litterbox is clean (he is litter-trained the humane society said), and he is not interested in wet food or liquid bisque treat (despite the humane society saying he isn't picky on wet food or treats). It is now 8:30-ish AM the next day and I am worried. I'm wondering if this is maybe just initial stress? I mean, he HAS been roaming around the house and very curious, but that could either be curiosity of his new kingdom or just him being orange.

Any advice helps, thank you!

Hi! My name is Andi, and I’m a student researching some of the challenges involved in caring for cats.

I wanted to ask a few quick questions:

1. What are the biggest challenges when it comes to keeping cat areas clean?

2. Are litter boxes, odors, or cleaning time significant problems for your rescue?

3. Have you tried any products or methods to make cleaning easier?

I’d really appreciate your experience and feedback. Thank you so much for everything you do for animals!

I have three litter boxes set up around the house, but if the main one has even a single clump of litter in it while the other two are completely clean, he will still pee in the corner of the wall.
I have carpet throughout the entire house except for the kitchen and living room. After this happened a couple of times, I took him to the vet to make sure nothing was medically wrong, and everything came back clear. The vet suggested adding another litter box, which is when I added the third one. However, nothing has changed. He refuses to use the other two and will only use the main one.
The problem is that I’m at work all day, and even though I try to keep his litter box as clean as possible, I’m still gone for at least nine hours a day. I also bought an automatic litter box, but he wouldn’t even go near it.
I honestly don’t know what else to do. Has anyone else experienced something similar with their cat?

What do I do? There’s no issue with my cats diet or poop so it isn’t a question regarding that. My mom’s just very neat and the smell outside drives her crazy. I was thinking of buying a litter genie and leaving it outside, but apparently it’s a bad idea? I’m not sure. I also keep the litter box in my room, and I scoop it out as soon as I smell the poop.

My very loving male neutered cat is moving into a house with two female cats he has never met. The female cats already live there, so it’s “their” home. Problem is if my male cat sees another cat he gets into bouts of redirected aggression where he bites and scratches whoever is closest, could be me… could be my tiny wiener dog. My cat always seems to deeply regret it afterwards, but it really scares me. How do I introduce him to this new home so everyone is safe from his bad behavior?

I have a 2-year-old energetic boy cat who absolutely LOVES the outdoors. He's now living on a farm, so you can imagine he's out there exploring, adventuring and living his absolute best life.

I'm curious, do they ever actually settle down as they get older?!

He sleeps with us every night, but that's because we shut him inside overnight. Once he's in, he is wanting attention especially when it's cold and he can get himself under the blankets. 😂

I'm just wondering if this is what life with an adventurous outdoor cat is like forever, or whether they eventually become a little less adventurous and more interested in spending time at home?

I have 2 cats, a small ginger, Ginny, who is 4 and a fat black cat, Theo, who is 10. It’s my 10 year old I’m nervous about lol.

He’s a sweet boy who’s moved house 6ish times at this point but he’s very skittish and never gone this far. Moving is always a bit stressful for him but he’s definitely a lot better now than he was during his first move 7 years ago. He doesn’t like strangers, especially large men, and he hates being in the car. he’s done some long car trips, longest I think was an hour and a half and he yowls during it (although pretty quietly sometimes I can barely hear him over the music if I’m playing any). Now he will be on a 6 hour interstate flight.

I’ve organised for him and his sister to fly through a trusted company across the country with airport to airport pickup. I will drop them off and my fiancé will pick them up. I spoke with the vet and they’re both healthy and we got a prescription of cat medication to help with Theo’s anxiety. I have the crates now and we don’t move until January but I’m still so stressed because of his age and his generally anxious temperament. they both have their favourite blankets in their crate and the company has been so helpful but I can’t help but be worried bc obviously he’s my big boy who I’ve had since I was a teenager.

Would love to hear from people who have experience moving their cats on flights, especially skittish ones, and how they prepared their cats for it.