Search found 839 matches

by alanc
Sat Dec 17, 2022 3:10 pm
Forum: General Cat Chatting!
Topic: Good Bye and I Hope to See You All Again Elsewhere
Replies: 7
Views: 5199

Re: Good Bye and I Hope to See You All Again Elsewhere

Goodbye everyone. Not sure yet whether I will join another cat forum. I am glad that the site will remain, as I have directed many people to the sound advice in the FAQ section (especially lost cats) over the years.
by alanc
Tue Dec 13, 2022 8:09 am
Forum: General Cat Chatting!
Topic: Forum change on 18 December
Replies: 32
Views: 49667

Re: Forum change on 18 December

I will miss this forum. It has always been my go to place for cat advice.
by alanc
Sat Nov 19, 2022 9:01 pm
Forum: General Cat Chatting!
Topic: Reuse or replace ?
Replies: 6
Views: 1953

Re: Reuse or replace ?

Tilly is using the litter tray I bought for my first cat Sally over 40 years ago. Some of the cat beds date from Misty and Honey's days. There are also a few of Sally's toys still around! Cat flap and cat tree are new, though, as the old ones didn't survive Badger and Tilly's kitten hood.
by alanc
Fri Sep 16, 2022 8:33 am
Forum: General Cat Chatting!
Topic: How many sofas have your cats ruined?
Replies: 18
Views: 3611

Re: How many sofas have your cats ruined?

Following on from Kay's remarks, mine have always preferred to strop their claws on the garden shed.
by alanc
Sun Sep 11, 2022 8:57 pm
Forum: Health and Behaviour Queries, Help and Advice
Topic: Cancer in 10 year old cats intestine and liver- advice required ASAP
Replies: 3
Views: 8512

Re: Cancer in 10 year old cats intestine and liver- advice required ASAP

I can only say the same as the others, I'm afraid. My experience of cancer in cats has been uniformly bad and treatment has been useless.
by alanc
Wed Aug 03, 2022 1:00 pm
Forum: Health and Behaviour Queries, Help and Advice
Topic: Annual Vaccination
Replies: 11
Views: 9101

Re: Annual Vaccination

Back in the Covid year of 2020, Tilly went 13 months without a booster (why her vaccination due date is now July, not June) as our Vets were only doing urgent work. Getting a booster at 12 months did not count as urgent! I usually only take her in when the annual reminder comes through the post. I a...
by alanc
Wed Aug 03, 2022 9:19 am
Forum: Health and Behaviour Queries, Help and Advice
Topic: Annual Vaccination
Replies: 11
Views: 9101

Re: Annual Vaccination

Not heard anything about that. Tilly got her annual booster early last month without any problem. She would have told me if there was any possibility of putting the vet visit off!
by alanc
Thu Jul 28, 2022 5:17 pm
Forum: LOST Cats
Topic: No longer lost: cream/chocolate shaded Burmilla, Hammondstreet Road, Cheshunt EN7
Replies: 4
Views: 9950

Re: No longer lost: cream/chocolate shaded Burmilla, Hammondstreet Road, Cheshunt EN7

It is the most wonderful thing in the world when you get a lost cat back.
by alanc
Thu Mar 10, 2022 2:06 pm
Forum: General Cat Chatting!
Topic: Where do you bulk shop?
Replies: 5
Views: 748

Re: Where do you bulk shop?

I use the local Farm Supplies shop. Not sure what their Whiskas in gravy supply situation is like as Tilly is not keen on it but not been any problem with other brands. Never any problem with cat litter, either.
by alanc
Thu Mar 10, 2022 7:52 am
Forum: General Cat Chatting!
Topic: Kitty Invasion Chaos
Replies: 16
Views: 1471

Re: Kitty Invasion Chaos

Might not work for you, but I trained the microchip catflap by putting it propped open in a gap in a wall of boxes in the bedroom before installing in the back door. Badger went through straight away, but Tilly was much more reluctant to oblige.
by alanc
Tue Feb 22, 2022 2:08 pm
Forum: Bereavement Support
Topic: First time pet loss
Replies: 3
Views: 1271

Re: First time pet loss

I lost my 5 year old cat Badger to cancer, it is devastating to loose them so young and there being nothing you can do about it. You did the right thing, however hard it seems now. Operating on your lad would have just put him under more stress to no good effect.
by alanc
Mon Feb 07, 2022 9:59 pm
Forum: Health and Behaviour Queries, Help and Advice
Topic: Heat lamps for older kitties?
Replies: 13
Views: 1367

Re: Heat lamps for older kitties?

Definitely real sheepskin - I bought it in the local wool shop. I doubt fake sheepskin would be anywhere near as warm. For the first few days, I placed it on the patch of floor on the landing beneath which the central heating pipes run (and where she frequently slept). After that, put it on one of h...
by alanc
Mon Feb 07, 2022 9:16 pm
Forum: Health and Behaviour Queries, Help and Advice
Topic: Heat lamps for older kitties?
Replies: 13
Views: 1367

Re: Heat lamps for older kitties?

Tilly considers that I should be her heat pad and expects to be cuddled in cold weather!
However, I bought her a sheepskin rug for Christmas (stripy grey to match her fur) which she adores, is as effective as one of those heat pads and much more economical.
by alanc
Fri Feb 04, 2022 9:37 am
Forum: General Cat Chatting!
Topic: Cats Climbing on house roofs
Replies: 5
Views: 1230

Re: Cats Climbing on house roofs

Its quite normal for the Maine Coon part of them as well.
by alanc
Mon Jan 10, 2022 10:00 pm
Forum: Health and Behaviour Queries, Help and Advice
Topic: If we missed fvrcp booster, I don't quite want to start over with first shot again but unsure what to do
Replies: 3
Views: 1382

Re: If we missed fvrcp booster, I don't quite want to start over with first shot again but unsure what to do

Some years ago now (probably about 20) I missed one of my cats booster shots due to some reason or other I do not recall now. She just had the normal booster about half a year later than she should have done according to the strict yearly programme. No problem and Vet said it did not matter. Tilly w...
by alanc
Sun Jan 09, 2022 9:12 pm
Forum: General Cat Chatting!
Topic: Need advice on fear of cats
Replies: 6
Views: 730

Re: Need advice on fear of cats

As the owner of a Maine Coon, I would certainly recommend them. They tend to be laid back and goofy. In addition to what booktigger has said, I would also suggest looking at older cats in rescues.
by alanc
Thu Nov 18, 2021 9:32 pm
Forum: General Cat Chatting!
Topic: Cat flap "Cat Mate Elite" problems
Replies: 1
Views: 637

Re: Cat flap "Cat Mate Elite" problems

No experience of the Catmate elite. I have a Sureflap pet door on which the timer works fine.
by alanc
Fri Oct 22, 2021 7:26 pm
Forum: Health and Behaviour Queries, Help and Advice
Topic: Cage rest
Replies: 6
Views: 722

Re: Cage rest

I didn't have the problem you have with keeping Tilly amused, as my other cat Badger spent most of his time in the same room as Tilly, keeping her company. He slept on the spare cat bed I had put on top of her cage to be ready for a quick change of bedding when Tilly spread her food all over her bed...
by alanc
Fri Oct 22, 2021 3:08 pm
Forum: Health and Behaviour Queries, Help and Advice
Topic: Cage rest
Replies: 6
Views: 722

Re: Cage rest

Oh dear, the troubles with cage rest. If its any consolation, you are not alone! Litter, food and water all over the place - had all that with Tilly. My Tilly escaped in her first week of cage rest - and did a bunk out the open room door and through the cat flap which I had left open for my other ca...
by alanc
Mon Sep 27, 2021 8:07 pm
Forum: Health and Behaviour Queries, Help and Advice
Topic: Pancreatitis - very worried
Replies: 6
Views: 864

Re: Pancreatitis - very worried

My experience with Tilly makes me think her Pancreatitis was food related - she has not had any more bouts since I cut milk out of her diet. How that relates to other cats, I don't know and I am not going to undertake any experiments on Tilly to find out if there really is a link!
by alanc
Sat Sep 25, 2021 6:22 pm
Forum: Health and Behaviour Queries, Help and Advice
Topic: Pancreatitis - very worried
Replies: 6
Views: 864

Re: Pancreatitis - very worried

From experience with my Tilly, it can take two weeks at least for her to recover from a bout of Pancreatitis.
by alanc
Thu Sep 09, 2021 8:28 pm
Forum: General Cat Chatting!
Topic: Help With Litter
Replies: 10
Views: 1149

Re: Help With Litter

None of the three kittens I have had have eaten the clumping clay litter, or shown any inclination to.
by alanc
Thu Sep 09, 2021 6:19 pm
Forum: General Cat Chatting!
Topic: Help With Litter
Replies: 10
Views: 1149

Re: Help With Litter

I try and keep a 2" depth of clumping clay litter (Pettex) in Tilly's litter tray which seems to be enough to foil her attempts to dig her way out the bottom and stop the clump sticking to the bottom. I would not use anything other than clumping litter as it is so much easier to clean out with ...
by alanc
Thu Sep 02, 2021 5:42 pm
Forum: General Cat Chatting!
Topic: Cat on cage rest with broken ankle. Need advice
Replies: 3
Views: 922

Re: Cat on cage rest with broken ankle. Need advice

Just to say that cage rest is survivable. My Tilly had some 9 weeks of it some 8 years ago when she broke a metatarsal bone. The first week was the hardest. How big a cage have you got? I found having two cages with passage between them helped as the extra space meant her litter tray could be in one...
by alanc
Sun Aug 22, 2021 6:08 am
Forum: General Cat Chatting!
Topic: i took in a stray kitten but now i need advice
Replies: 14
Views: 1560

Re: i took in a stray kitten but now i need advice

In similar circumstances I took in my first cat Sally when she was only 8 weeks old (she may have been younger). She was found dumped by a roadside. She was an only cat all her life and never had any problems with single kitten syndrome. Indeed, I have never heard of it until now! So I would say kee...
by alanc
Sat Jul 24, 2021 2:58 pm
Forum: General Cat Chatting!
Topic: What breed?
Replies: 4
Views: 856

Re: What breed?

Whilst I would agree with most f what Mollycat says, I would say that the Maine Coon and the Norwegian Forest Cat got the way they are (big and long haired) by natural selection. So far as anybody knows, that is. Human involvement was restricted to providing places in a cold winter climate requiring...
by alanc
Wed Jul 21, 2021 8:40 pm
Forum: General Cat Chatting!
Topic: Advice on microchip operated catflaps - brands/models
Replies: 4
Views: 792

Re: Advice on microchip operated catflaps - brands/models

The timer can be set to prevent exit between set times - entry is controlled by the microchip. You can't make sure they are in on time, but you can make sure they don't go out again after they are in. In Tilly's case, I set it so she can't go out after dinner and she is very rarely late for dinner.
by alanc
Tue Jul 20, 2021 4:14 pm
Forum: General Cat Chatting!
Topic: Advice on microchip operated catflaps - brands/models
Replies: 4
Views: 792

Re: Advice on microchip operated catflaps - brands/models

What you need will depend on the size of your cat. I have a Sureflap Pet door which has given good service for the past 8 years, and which is large enough for my Maine Coon, Tilly. They are not cheep, but worth it. I think you will find the more versatile ones cost in the £80-£100 range. The extra f...
by alanc
Thu Jul 15, 2021 1:08 pm
Forum: General Cat Chatting!
Topic: Cat Dispute
Replies: 13
Views: 1376

Re: Cat Dispute

Did angry man put any missing cat posters up, or advertise his cat was missing in any way, like contacting local cat rescues and vets?
by alanc
Thu Jul 15, 2021 1:03 pm
Forum: FOUND Cats
Topic: Request for advice on settling a found cat
Replies: 3
Views: 1496

Re: Request for advice on settling a found cat

Didn't have your problem when I got my old Misty back after his being lost for 9 weeks - he wouldn't go out and I eventually had to carry him out only for him to shoot back in again! I would follow fjm's advice re only letting him out before meal times for a while.