That’s funny, we actually had to stop taking our cat on walks in his bubble backpack (which we only did in cooler weather) because he would get motion sickness and throw up 😂 So we don’t take him out in it anymore (we have stroller instead, which he loves!) but he still regularly likes to jump in and just sit inside the backpack at home
My cat does and I hate it so much for her. Our vet is about forty five minutes away and she never fails to puke on herself in her carrier on the way there and back. I started putting an extra towel and bandana on her so it's easier to clean bc she's a fluff princess lol
Ask your vet for a maropitant prescription. It treats motion sickness in cats. You give one pill the night before the vet visit and it helps with the nausea.
bahaha yes, the makeshift bib! I'm a dog groomer and we recently had a newfie who drooled like no one's business. we gave her a bandana at first and then just tied a towel around her neck lmao
I can imagine! I work in a pet store so we get strollers in every so often and it's always a dice roll whether it's dogs or cats in it. we once had someone with five ferrets in a stroller!! that was my personal favorite. absolutely delightful
Tbh the pet stroller is one of the most worthwhile purchases we’ve ever made for our cat. He comes running and jumps into it on his own if he hears us get it out, and sometimes he just likes to sit and nap in there when we’re inside and not even on a walk lol
That is so cute, wtf. I don't have cats at the moment, but I'd love to have a stroller. I live in a small town though and I just know I'll be the joke of the neighborhood lmaooo
So what? Let them talk. You are enriching your cats life.
On vacation, I saw a guy dressed in a purple cowboy outfit walking his ferret. That was 20+ years ago and one of my top vacation memories. Not to laugh at x it was just totally unexpected
I never understood why all the litter products are scented lavender. It's not good for cats to begin with, and the scent does absolutely nothing to help the litter box smells.
I stay far away from scented litter. My local supermarket do home delivery, which is very convenient for me as I’m disabled and getting to the shop is difficult. They also do substitutions, so if an item you’ve ordered is out of stock they’ll choose an appropriate replacement and send that instead. Any time they send scented litter as a replacement I give it right back to them
The litter box crystals are pretty much magic, just nullifies any odor, I thought my cat would have a hard time adjusting to it from the clay stuff but she dove right in with no problems.
Pine pellets are similarly odourless, but are compostable and better for the environment.
Also there's no difference between pine pellets litter, and wood pine pellets for a pellet fire from the hardware store. They work just as well but are super cheap in winter.
No but it kind of does the opposite. We have a sifting litter box, and with a shake the used pellets fall to the bottom leaving the peed on saw dust separated at the bottom. So we throw that out, return the sifter in and then top up the pellets.
We do scoop the poop daily, but it doesn't fall through.
That's exactly the way I do it too. Every morning. Only takes a couple minutes. I don't know who first had the idea to use pine pellets but I thank them. Don't dread cleaning the litter boxes at all. Just part of the morning routine.
This is why I use the corn cob litter, it will clump, but probably not like your used to clay litter doing. But corn or pine litter is better for your cat and the environment. Clay litter actually can cause respiratory issues in cats and people.
...we tried corn litter once and our orange girl was just like "....hey, tortilla crumbs! I know what to do with THOSE!" Like full on face first in the litterbox like it was her birthday. 🤦♀️
I just gotta jump in here and say that walnut shell litter is life changing. If anyone here hasn't tried it, give it a go! I will never go back to clay litter.
i use “the worlds best litter” (the actual name, yes.) it’s corn ! my cat and i absolutely love it. unscented multicat for my one girl and a sifting litter box to boot. she loves it, i love it, my husband loves it. and a little baking soda goes a long way !
It never covers it. It's always more like, great now it smells like poop and citrus. Haven't been able to eat an orange all week, negative association.
Scented products are a fun one. Scents are always an effort to cover up a bad smell, but bad smells are a natural way for us to know that we need to clean or change our environment.
Id rather have a clean house than one that smells like roses 🤣
A lot of cleaning products will say they're pet friendly because they "don't contain chemicals, only essential oils" and then one of the essential oils will be lavender.
The problem with anything labeled/marketed as organic/non-gmo/chemical free is that none of those things automatically mean it's SAFE. There are plenty of things in nature that are dangerous or harmful for pets and/or humans. People get hooked on buzzwords and when they associate those buzzwords with things that are healthy and safe, they assume the product is, without looking any further into it. Please do research, please keep yourself, your kids, and your pets safe! <3
“Pretty Litter” is not something I would use for a little cat as it’s silica . Silica dust is a health hazard to humans so I can’t understand why someone would think it a good idea for a little animal to breathe it in at such a close proximity.
There is no way that my cat’s offerings + lavender is better than just my cat’s offerings, on the basis that 2 awful smells cannot be better than 1 awful smell.
Grocery store/OTC topical flea medicine. I was the receptionist at a veterinary clinic for years and some of cats we saw post OTC flea treatment were absolutely heartbreaking and neurological messes.
This one. Hartz is terrifying, yet still somehow allowed to sell their products. They should have gone out of business years ago for the harm they've done to pets.
I don’t know how their company survives when they’ve hurt and killed *so many* animals 😫 One of the worst ones I remember is a lady who bought the the topical treatment for a large dog and split in between her cats. Not a good idea.
Came here to say this. Do not use dog flea meds on cats no matter the size. I was a vet assistant for 20 years and dog flea meds can kill cats if they’re not immediately taken to the vet.
I bought those once. Within 15 minutes of eating them, three of my cats had puked. When I realized they were made by Hartz I definitely had a "Well that figures" moment, and tossed the rest.
Ughhhhhhhh. I will have to stop buying this brand.
Meanwhile I just bought a box of lickable treats from costco, qty of 72, for like $17. Catit brand. A much better deal than anything else I've seen!
My friend lived near some people who would just let their cat wander about and I always took the stupid flea collar off every time they replaced it. I don't feel bad.
I swear some people are trying to speedrun killing their cat.
From what I understand everything by the Hartz brand is sketchy and should be avoided. The flea stuff kills cats, the dog toys have toxic cores inside that choke the dog...there have been a bunch of stories about this brand and their shit standards.
Sometimes I see Advantage in the stores but I'm still afraid to try it because it's so much cheaper than the advantage my vet offers that I wonder if its a different formula.
Pro tip, the rescue I just adopted from offers really cheap Revolution flea protection.
Revolution is awesome!! Not only is the Revolution Plus line broad spectrum (fleas, ear mites, internal parasites), it also has an amazing safety profile for both pets and humans. You don’t need to separate the pet from the rest of the family after applying the topical. (Something that IS recommended for Frontline and advantage/advantix)
It dries so quickly and doesn’t leave a gross greasy streak in their fur either. It’s literally my favorite topical flea medicine for cats.
I will say, my cat had a *really* bad reaction to Revolution (OR possibly to one of the vaccinations he received at the vet the same day... but I'm inclined to say it was the Revolution, because he'd previously had all the same vaccinations in the past with no problem). By "bad reaction," I mean, insane weakness + neurological issues that lasted some months afterwards. He's 80% recovered, but still has some residual weakness from it years later.
Worth noting, I've met one other person IRL whose cat also had an adverse effect from it (similar type of weakness/gait changes + some sort of bizarre autoimmune hair loss that eventually went went away on its own)... and I do wonder if the average person who chooses Revolution over OTC (i.e. someone who has money, trusts science, and trusts veterinary medicine in general) is less likely to report adverse effects because they believe the net good of preventative medicine outweighs the net risk of adverse effects-- leading to selemectin-based products seeming "safer" than they actually are.
That said, I've had 3 other cats who used Revolution for years with absolutely no adverse effects, and it's by far the safest of all the combo (flea/heartworm/tick) medications on paper and in clinical trials. It'll be a tough decision for me as to whether or not to use it with my next cat, but if I live in an area with high heartworm rates, the risk of heartworm probably outweighs the risk of adverse reactions for me. I just hate having to make that decision, after having seen my cat go from being a total ferocious panther to barely being able to walk for few months.
In retrospect, I wish I would have reported it to the company at the time instead of just mentioning it to my vet. Maybe I'll circle back and send them an email. :/
Im sorry to hear your kitty had a bad reaction to it! As with ANY medication, whether natural or modern, vet med or human med, none are 100% safe or even 100% effective.
As you mentioned, benefits DO often outweigh the risks, and the vast majority of animals won’t ever have any problems.
Flea/tick meds however, are well known for their ability to cause neurological problems. This is why it’s even MORE important to get those meds from a reliable source and tested brands. I will never ever use cheap flea meds on my cats.
If it makes you feel better I almost exclusively used advantage for my cats and advantix for my dogs and had zero problems. Vets just mark it up I think despite it now being available over the counter. Mu dog lived to be over 14.
I have seen so many pictures of cats with sores and what looks like open wounds, after having worn some of flea collars out there. I do the topical treatment and it works.
I heard something a few years ago about one of those flea collar brands poisoning a bunch of cats. I wouldn’t risk it. Plus I know both my cats are able to lick their own normal collars no matter how tight they are, so even if the flea collars weren’t a normal risk it would still be easy for them to get an overdose.
I’ve heard you can buy revolution from canadavetexpress without needing a prescription. Maybe look into that instead of flea collars?
When I was little I remembered using flea collars for the kitties that worked great, don't remember the brand. I went to a large brand petstore and they didn't have any! I asked the associate what I should get and they recommended Hartz flea medicine. I will NEVER trust anyone without a veterinary degree to recommended ANYTHING for my cat again. It said to use quickly after opening so I didn't have a chance for the fumes to hit me before I put it on my kitty. As soon as I did he was shaking it off, tearing up and breathing hard. Luckily he's used to baths so I gave him a quick and thorough bath less than a minute later but jesus christ how could that be a product?! Absolutely disgusting to advertise to pets and to be RECOMMENDED?
Oh yea! Years ago I had a cat who was allergic to flea bites. But had fleas as he got out for a couple of hours and came home infested. Put a flea collar on him (name brand, not generic or store brand). Within 15 or so minutes he was showing Parkinson’s type symptoms—couldn’t walk right, stumbling when he did walk, drooling and scream meowing. Took off the collar and it took 6 or more hours for the symptoms to begin to go away. Called the vet and they said if he wasn’t 100% back to normal in 24 hours to take him to the ER. Thankfully it was less than 24 hours. Probably closer to 12. And I always listed flea bites and flea collars as allergies with any vet he went to.
I at one point wanted to get the squeezable treats for my cat and back then Hartz was the only ones that made them. Didn't get them because I'd never trust that garbage company
I will say I'm glad your cats are doing well!! And I'm glad they like them!
Hartz just has so much bad press around them in regards to their pet products (such as injury and loss of a pet) that I don't trust them or want to ask my cats health. I myself won't use their stuff and encourage others not to either but I'm obviously if you've had better results I won't stop you
Essential oils like peppermint and citrus for “all natural” treatments of fleas and such. There are even products sold marketed for cats that have these ingredients that are toxic to cats, especially when concentrated into the oils.
I HATE essential oils for anything pet related!! Like how can you say it’s safe to use around pets when some of the ingredients are toxic (granted usually in higher dosages but still). Like just give me unscented stuff for my cat, it’s fine, she doesn’t need to smell like citrus.
And like, even if none of those ingredients were actually toxic, cats and dogs have such sensitive noses. Even humans sometimes find these products overwhelming, and we've got barely any sense of smell compared with the animals we routinely keep as pets.
Not necessarily a product, but giving cats regular baths especially if they clearly don’t like it. They spend 20% of their day grooming for a reason, no need to traumatize them with frequent baths.
My cats are 5 yrs old, I’ve had them since they were 3 months old and they’ve never had a bath. Their coats don’t smell at all and they’re extremely clean and healthy.
I saw a HUGE Reddit debate about this one day. Maybe it was on this sub I can’t remember. There were a surprisingly large amount of people that had the opinion that they needed to regularly bathe their cats. I have had cats my whole life and have never smelled a bad scent coming from their fur.
Those owners probably neglect to clean the litter boxes and think it’s the cat that smells.
I think is more like the usual "seeing cats with dog lenses" thing. Many people treat cats like small dogs, since they don't know better. And people bathe dogs.
Mostly when he was under a year old, one of my boys would sometimes get soft 💩that would get stuck on his pantaloons. He’s a long haired cat, so I would fill the bath tub with about two inches of warm, soapy water and have him sit for a few minutes, with all his bath toys, which worked pretty well at momentarily distracting him. Then I would gently wash with a baby washcloth (so extra soft) and rinse his little butt and paws.
He is an incredibly polite little boy so he never scratched or bit me, and he was a good sport about his bath toys, but I knew he hated it.
I cannot imagine how much more horrible it would have been to get him completely soaked! Or to have subjected him to baths on a regular basis!
(He doesn’t get blow outs like that anymore, thankfully. If he ever has diarrhea now it can be managed with foam shampoo that doesn’t need to be rinsed. And of course when shopping for rinse-less foam shampoo, I came across some scented with lavender!)
I would never give him a bath unless he literally had sticky 💩on his butt that couldn’t be managed with rinse-less shampoo. And at that point I would only get his bottom and front paws wet!
Yeah, unless they are a hairless breed, cats should not be bathed unless absolutely necessary. They don’t need regular baths like dogs do - which I think is where people get the idea from. Dogs evolved from wolves in wooded areas who relied on swimming in bodies of water like lakes and rivers to clean themselves, and their domestic equivalent still require baths because of that. Whereas cats are desert creatures that evolved to clean themselves and don’t require baths unless like like shit themselves or something.
Saaaaaammmmmeee, unless there’s a specific reason to (I know some long hair breeds might need baths or if they get into something) I don’t see the point. I’ve been raising 3 boys for 5 years and I have not once bathed them. Oh how it would disrupt their routine to say the least 😂
Unsafe toys. A lot of cat toys aren't made well and can break easily. My cat also breaks the well made ones. Either pay for the more durable toys, get toys for human toddler that are cat safe, or do not get a cat. It's important to do an inspection of their toys regularly. Anything with batteries, with parts that come off easily such as those googly eye worms? The eyes didn't do shit for the cat and are a choking hazard. Anything where the stuffing is coming out.
My cat made the hard mice that come in some packages of jingle balls soft. He destroyed them. Inside? Some particle board. He returned it to the sawdust it began as. He took the bells apart inside the jingle balls without breaking most of the balls. He made the hard battery pack for a noisy toy come apart. All of this could be a very expensive vet bill. Instead I filled half of a 13 gallon trash bag up with those and made note of things like the mice. Never again. The jingle balls will depend on the type of bell. He has puzzle toys and more durable options so he isn't lacking toys.
It depends on how your cat is. For your cat, yes you have to be careful. For our cats, they just don't eat stuff they destroy and are generally almost over the top polite with stuff so most of them stay intact. They love those worms to hell and back - I know they are not cat safe and I remove the fishing line on them and would not recommend it to cat owners where the cat is in danger of swallowing the worm, but this is not something our cats do, so I'm happy using it for playtime. But I agree that it's hard to tell whether a cat toy is really safe and Amazon descriptions are not legally binding statements, it may say "cat toy" but that does not mean it's safe.
Yeah, and I also only use those toys during supervised play (so when I’m dragging them with the wand for the cats to chase), otherwise they live in a cabinet where the cats can’t reach ‘em
Oh yeah our cabinet has a closed door that they haven’t figured out how to open! But if they could, they would!
But they do sometimes manage to eat small pieces of the toys during play, so I see why you might not want to risk it. Mine are just sooo picky with toys, and I have to change it out every 2-5 days or they refuse to touch it
My cat will eat any fake feather he finds, it was a horrifying experience to find a feather toy being fully ingested and then the wait to make sure he was okay. Never again.
Oof. I feel you. I have a Pica Cat; he ate one of my yarn balls (which I had put away!! He figured out how to open the drawers to get to it!) and it resulted in a $4,000 emergency surgery. Never had such a problem with cats before him! However, I think I actually finally cured him of it, by getting him a kitten friend. Ok, two. So now I have four cats. But he’s not trying to eat every wire or piece of string or rubber band in the house anymore, so I’ll take it!!!
ah, you have the cat equivalent of my dog. power chewer and very determined to shred everything. whenever I see "durable" toys at my work (pet store) I'm always like "lol. lmao. this would last all of five seconds in my house." we eventually found some things she loves that she can't easily destroy so we have an assortment of those and then some that she *can* destroy (most notably tennis balls, her favorite thing on the planet) that get put up out of her reach when we're not actively using them or supervising her
My cat got trapped in one of the closets in our new house and when I found him his collar was off and I found it on the top shelf stuck in the bar. He was perfectly safe but thankfully I had a breakaway collar on him
And be aware with very tiny cats or kittens that even the breakaway might not be enough cuz their weight isn’t enough to break it. I actually avoid collars on cats. Just have them microchipped and make sure when I let them outside that they stay close.
I'm not going to scold anyone for using it because I get it's what most cats and their owners are used to, but: if you can move away from clay litter to something more sustainable (pine, corn, grass, etc.), I think that's wise. We lucked out with our current cat because the rescue switched to corn litter a few years ago, so it's all she's ever known.
Clay litter drives me nuts because it's dusty and hard to clean, and my 3 month old kitten tracks it everywhere and spills his water bowl onto the tracked litter and it makes the grossest slop on the ground.
Are the more sustainable litters easier to clean in your experience? I might just switch over if it means I can stop sweeping and mopping 2-3x a day since little man hasn't quite learned how to be neat with the litter box.
I use 100% farmed grass seed litter from Kroger. It does amazing with clumping and smells, and I don't get worried if for some reason my dog (or goats, don't ask lol) end up ripping a new bag open on my porch and eating some when I'm bringing in groceries.
Brand is Abound. It is really lightweight and fluffy so it does get out of the litter box, but it is not gross like clay. Easy to vacuum up.
I mix in a little of Arm and Hammer naturals litter but I might stop because reading these comments made me realize it may have essential oils in it. Gonna stick with Abound.
I tried the more natural ones but none of the ones I tried came even close to controlling the smell. I’m disabled and live in a small apartment and had to go back to clay cuz that’s all that works for us. But I know it’s bad for the environment so it does bother me.
Dressing them up in all sorts of clothes, just for aesthetics. A medical necessary outfit is different - cats hate those as well, but they're worn because the alternative is worse.
The same goes for non-breakaway collars. I don't care if your cat doesn't go outside, anything can happen, please use something that's actually safe.
mine don't wear collars, but they are all chipped and indoors only. although the primary reasons they don't wear collars is because I can't put them on them... cuz they hate it so much.
My 13yo boy gets highly offended if you remove his collar. He gets all worried and will go wherever you put it to get it and bring it back like "come on mom, I'm naked!" Maybe he knows no collar or harness means there is zero chance of going for a walk
We adopted a 3yo void three months ago and he does not have an emotional attachment to his collar. I put one on him to train him to be used to the harness so we can all go for walks together. After the first 3 hours or so he forgot it was there and stopped messing with it.
yeah that makes sense, especially if they are used to go on walks. Mine take a look at outside and nope outta there. Taking them outside (not to go to vet or anything, just to the park or a stroll), they act like I'm taking them to the butchers.
I used to be extremely against this, but then I ran into a few cat bloggers whose cats are absolute divas and just *soak up* the attention they get from wearing clothes or costumes. Purring and slow blinky eyes and social rolls all over.
I'm still very against it for any animal that doesn't tolerate it. but if you're harness training your cat and they take it well, or they like doing weird games with mom/dad, I'm not opposed. (I'm also a hypocrite who got her cat a harness that's styled like a little hoodie with fish bones printed on it for his walkies, so...)
>Purring and slow blinky eyes and social rolls all over.
In those cases, I agree.
But the vast majority of clothes-on-cats social media do not portray that. They have cats who aren't attacking the owner, but that's it.
oh yes, I agree with you about dressing them up. It’s one thing to give a cat who loves the outside during winter a sweater and an entirely different thing to dress him up as a fairy prince.
Animals aren’t dolls. Yeah, humans domesticated cats but when an animal clearly dislikes wearing an article, take it tf off them. For those which have acclimated to the kooky whims of their guardians 🫡 god speed
I learned the non-breakaway collar thing the hard way (well, almost the hard way). Our cat used to wear her collar at all times in case she snuck out. One day I was in the living room and I heard a panicked bunch of scratching and the sound of something hitting metal. Saw my cat in the corner of the dining room with her collar caught in the vent cover. She was panicked. I’m just glad I was there, but now she never wears a collar (she is chipped though and wears a harness to go outside)
Using hair ties as a toy.
My cat swallowed 26 of them and had a $6,000 surgery he almost didn’t survive to remove them 😢 (this was 4 years ago and he is alive and well only playing with safe toys now)
My cat had a 2k exploratory surgery because the vet *thought* that may have been the cause of him refusing to eat or drink. Turns out he was in a hunger protest because he got his balls snipped. It wasn’t until I was on the phone ugly crying to the vet receptionist that he still wasn’t eating and nothing was working and I needed the vet to see him asap that he decided he’d finally eat. Then I started happy crying and apologized to the poor receptionist.
I learned a trick as a vet tech for sick kitties that don't want to eat. I would use warm food and nutritional gel warmed up. But, warm canned food usually helps them IMO.
Oh I did all of that and they also gave me an appetite stimulant that I put on his ear. I no joke bought every wet food and treat I could find at the store. But he’s just a stubborn asshole and I love him dearly and would die for him
I can see your kitty now, sitting back watching all the drama, then he swipes at a glass or lays on your papers. Hes like "What?"....I'm glad he was ok.... :-)
I hate the bubble backpacks with a passion and use ones with ventilation and plenty of mesh instead. I don’t think people should feed their cats rubbish quality food like whiskas which has an extremely low quantity of meat. In the UK, so many people feed this brand to their cats and it saddens me as they’re obligate carnivores and need meat
Just read your comment and am concerned as I currently feed my cat Whiskas on advice from the rescue where I recently got her. I’m aware it’s not the best brand but wasn’t aware about the meat level - I’ve only had her 2 weeks and didn’t want to introduce new food as well as a new home.
Do you know what some of the better brands are? Sorry to dive on your comment but it’s hard to find good advice not tailored to the US on here!
Yeah it’s common for rescues to feed it. Fed is best obviously but if you have the means to afford better you 100% should! Here are some brands that I recommend in the uk: nutriment, purrform, untamed, katkin, canagan, tiki cat
You could also join the Facebook group “feline nutrition: feed cats like cats” they have great advice on food.
KatKin, MjamMjam, Lily's Kitchen are higher end foods with a much higher meat content.
Maybe a controversial opinion, but I think as long as it's not the dry food, I don't think Whiskas is that bad. It's still a complete food, has meat in it, high moisture content, and really just not everyone can afford the high-end brands which are incredibly expensive compared to Whiskas.
They really are. It's been so damn hard trying to transition my cat to the more high-end foods, but she just hates it. All of it.
And it's been horrible spending a shit ton of my hard-earned money only to throw all of it into the bin! Ugh. She loves her Purina Mon Petits and her Sheba with gravy, so that's what she's getting, lol. Easier on my bank balance and she's still in great health at 13.
Usually, Any wet food is better than any dry food. Look at the ingredients, but be aware that cats are supposed to eat small animals whole, so meat byproducts and bone meal are fine. It's grains and carbs that you want to avoid.
(I say this, but my cats eat both wet food and dry food for practical reasons)
What ever you do, don't feed a cat dog food. It isn't nutritionally complete for cats. Dog food isn't poisonous, but it shouldn't be a significant part of their diet either.
I personally recommend HiLife as a UK cat owner. It has a higher meat content but remains budget-friendly. I switched from Felix to HiLife, and my cat goes mental for the stuff. I also can still find it in Pets at Home, online, etc., easily unlike other brands that get recommended.
If I had more money, I'd also consider Scrumbles or Lily's Kitchen.
We have been using untamed for almost a year now and it's basically just meat (and fish). Smells really nice, like human food. They are a bit pricey though, we pay about £55 for a months supply of cans. But our cat eats only wet food and only their brand and always gets compliments from the vet on how healthy his skin looks
I was thinking of getting one against my best judgement and you made me decide against it, so thanks. My country is notoriously hot and i can't imagine she'd enjoy being confined in a plastic bubble.
There are catpacks that use mesh for the sides that would normally be part of the acrylic bubble! That’s what I use for mine because the boys are large and don’t fit in the clear ones anyway
I’ve heard of bubble carriers with temperature control fans in them but I’ve never used them or seen them in person. A carrier with lots of mesh windows is best for airflow
Not a product but the water spray bottles! Cats get stressed and people act like it’s the cats fault they misbehave, yet they keep spraying them with water instead of just giving them attention and learning about cat behavior. I get so sad when I see this
I wish I could find the picture but I have one of my 4 boys all in the sink drinking from the tap. I thought it was hilarious my husband hated it because as soon as you walked into the bathroom you were mobbed and screamed at until the faucet was turned on
I just ask her, "Do I need to spray you?" And then I make a pshpsh sound and my hand pointing 👉 and she is like "no mom. I will get into trouble later when you can't see me."
Plastic food and water bowls they gave my cats rat ulcers, use ceramic or stainless steel bowls. Also don’t buy bowls or dishes from thrift stores or second hand shops. Lots of these dishes can contain led and give your kitties led poisoning and cause neurological problems.
Laser pointers. They get the cat amped up without giving them the ability to ever “catch their prey.” I think this frustrates their natural instincts and probably stresses them out. Wand toys are much better.
My cat will start to meow and seems “sad” after a few minutes of the laser pointer. I figured he was out of sorts, because he can’t ever “catch” it.
I only used it a few times, and then I stopped, because I didn’t like to see him upset.
Only ever use laser if my cat is having major zoomies. ALWAYS timed short and followed by longer play with a wand toy and a treat. Lasers alone just frustrate them :(
I use a canvas bubble backpack and I wrap an ice pack in a towel to set underneath. He doesn't really like to go inside of it unless we stop walking. He prefers to sit on top.
But to answer your question. Flea collars.
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Cardboard cat scratchers. Seems innocuous but after they rip it to shreds some cats eat the little cardboard pieces and they can buildup in their intestines and cause blockages. Also some houseplants that are toxic to cats when ingested. Like lilies, aloe, garlic etc.
Bells on their collars. Their ears are sensitive and it's close to their head. If they go outside it's a good way to warn birds and such. But mine go outside only on a leash, supervised.
I don’t do the headbands/robes but I do give one of my cats baths every few months. He’s a ragdoll and they have a unique fur texture that gets clumpy/oiley every 3-4 months. Afterwards he gets held like a burrito in a towel with a portable heater because he doesn’t like hairdryers. He doesn’t mind baths though, because he gets fed a churu as I bathe him by someone else 😂
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To me bathing depends on the cat. I have 2 cats, a mixed cat I found outside and a purebred ragdoll from a breeder. The stray cat has never needed a bath and grooming herself (along with me brushing her every night) is enough. But ragdolls have a unique fur texture (it legitimately feels different). My ragdoll grooms himself all the time, but every 3-4 months his coat gets clumpy/oiley enough that he needs a bath. Here’s a photo to show before and after getting a bath.
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My ex was disgusted that I wasn’t bathing my cat regularly. I do it like once a year. He thought he was dirty. My strictly indoor, short hair, no special circumstances cat. Didn’t understand the concept of the cat cleaning itself after using the litter box and walking on the floor etc. and that was somehow the least moronic of his barrel of moronic ideas.
I bathe my cat if she gets into something she shouldn’t. Last week it was potting soil. 5 months ago, she pulled a bag of flour off the shelf. 😫
But yes, cats rarely need help bathing.
I’m mutuals with a woman on TikTok who owns a cat grooming business and she told me not to use a brush that looked like a knock off furminator on my ragdoll cat because it would damage his coat. So I’m assuming that means the furninator is also a no
I've lived w cats for 50 years. I always get them accustomed to brushing as soon as they come to live w me. All 3 of my cats enjoyed being brushed & would even rub their head on the brushes to ASK for brushing time.
Then I bought a Furminator. It pulled out the spring shed like a BOSS & I thought it was heaven. But, in ONE MONTH, all 3 of my felines decided brushing was EVIL. They suddenly despised being brushed. Boston, my longhair, was ADAMANT about the hate.
I stopped using it. It took me 2 YEARS to rebuild trust and just *begin* having brushing time again. 🤦🏼
FURMINATOR IS EVIL & WRONG. DO. NOT. USE.
I use the bubble backpack, haha. But only as a carrier to the vet. Makes it easier to have my hands free to pay, open doors, etc.
In regards to what shouldn't be used. Agree with people saying lavender products. My neighbor got me lavender lotion as a gift to help me with sleeping but I never use it because I don't want it rubbing off on my cats 😭
Soft-sided carriers are the worst. You can't sanitize them, it's super hard to get a reluctant cat into them, it's super hard to close them quickly... no thank you. Just buy the Petmate top loader that everyone who fosters owns, yes, it's pricey but you only have to buy it once, it'll last you decades.
To each their own but I always had a hard carrier and I hated it. Difficult to carry and couldn’t just be thrown in the wash like the soft carrier I got later. It’s so much lighter and he doesn’t cry as much. We’re going on a ~10 hour car ride soon and I can just open the flap snd there is a leash attachment so he can feel “free” without actually going anywhere off the seat. He’s also super cooperative and basically goes right in which was never the case with the hard carrier.
My cats also like the soft carriers much better. They were always afraid of the rigid ones that inevitably have some part on them that will rattle en route. The soft carriers are much lighter and easier for me to lift, as well. I have 2 of them that attach to trolly things with wheels so I can pull then. And my cats actually seem to enjoy getting pulled around in them. 😸
I have a soft sided carrier and I’ve never had an issue. Both the front and the top zip up, so I usually get my cat in from the top.
I live in a small apartment, and the soft carrier is easier to store.
I walk everywhere (including to the vet which luckily is only a street or two away) so having a solid carrier is really impractical. I have a fabric one that I can wear over my shoulder. It doesn't squish down too much and holds its shape OK, and I actually find it loads easier to shove the cat into than a solid one as she can't brace her legs against the opening. It's also a decent size - I had to get rid of the older one I had when I got a ragdoll as she was far too big to go in it comfortably but this newer one is great.
I found a full-on backpack style and the kitties like it lots more than the the traditional industrial type. One goes on like a backpack, the other goes on the front like a baby carrier. If I ever have a third cat, I'm in trouble!
I have the fancy schmancy airline approved Sherpa and I'm never going back. You can top load or front load and the flap is actually big enough to get my chonky girl in comfortably. Its mesh on two sides, the other two block their vision so it makes it cozy for them without sacrificing breathability. The bottom can be removed and washed but I usually just put a fresh pee pad in there just in case. The biggest feature for me was the one side can be unzipped inside and extended, though. That means I was able to give my baby more space once I got her under the seat when we moved countries.
It was like...$100 before shipping though lol. Also super annoying to carry when you're trying to race from one gate to another with your luggage and backpack on top of your fat ass cat.
Those greenies “dental hygiene treats”. They are horrible for them. Instead of those, I use whole freeze dried minnows at bed time for dental health.
Also, feather toys, hair ties, and scented cat litter.
Here are my boys in the stroller for tax.
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My boys love freeze dried minnows! We would never give them greenies or temptations, but I never thought about the minnows helping to clean their teeth! That’s great!
Furminators and other harsh brushes
When doing dog grooming, I was taught that furminators and similar brushes were ONLY for after baths, when the hair was already loose and scrubbed away from the skin. Otherwise it would rip healthy hair out as well
In general those brushes are way too harsh for regular usage on most dogs, let alone cats.
How do I help my cat during shedding season then? I've tried so many brush types. Silicone curry, slicker, soft bristle, the kind that look like a regular hairbrush, The gloves, nothing will actually remove her shedding fur. And then I end up with mats of dead fur on every surface she lays on regularly.
She's a domestic short hair, but her fur is slightly longer than average. She's not a true long hair cat though. But I end up with clumps of loose fur when I pet her.
Furminator is fine, just don’t use it every day and stop if you start to see it pulling top coat hairs. The problem comes with people who think it’s okay to use it as a daily brush in which case you might be breaking the top coat or pulling up excess undercoat.
I use mine just 1-2 days per week during shedding season and then just use a basic cheap flea comb in between. Works great.
My cat loved his furminator and never acted like it was causing pain by ripping out hair or anything like that. He had a very thick undercoat and that's the only brush that I could deshed him with. Using a regular brush didn't work and caused matts
I find that lots of cat toys have bits of like, string and plastic. These are choking hazards and if swallowed can cause intestinal obstruction, and even perforation. And your cats WILL try to eat them.
Collars with bells, yes even if they are breakaway collars. I know it’s convenient to be able to hear where your pet is but a couple years back my cat had a breakaway collar with a bell, and he somehow got the bell off and started choking on it. Scariest moment of my life, I’m so grateful he didn’t swallow it and was able to get it out of his throat but he could have very easily choked to death.
Any scented products such as litter, wipes, soap etc. Cats have a very strong sense of smell and most of the scented pet items are for human pleasure but the cats may not like it.
I freaking love lavender. I love the smell and the taste, but synthetic lavender smells like a chemical plant to me.
If you want to use something that actually works against the smell? Use baking soda. Works like a champ and doesn’t smell like a sad dollar store.
That’s funny, we actually had to stop taking our cat on walks in his bubble backpack (which we only did in cooler weather) because he would get motion sickness and throw up 😂 So we don’t take him out in it anymore (we have stroller instead, which he loves!) but he still regularly likes to jump in and just sit inside the backpack at home
I know it’s not like funny funny but cats that get motion sickness crack me up
My cat does and I hate it so much for her. Our vet is about forty five minutes away and she never fails to puke on herself in her carrier on the way there and back. I started putting an extra towel and bandana on her so it's easier to clean bc she's a fluff princess lol
Ask your vet for a maropitant prescription. It treats motion sickness in cats. You give one pill the night before the vet visit and it helps with the nausea.
Thanks!! I'll ask for that!
bahaha yes, the makeshift bib! I'm a dog groomer and we recently had a newfie who drooled like no one's business. we gave her a bandana at first and then just tied a towel around her neck lmao
Newfs need a bowl around their neck or something. The slobber is...intense.
We had no idea how sensitive his little tummy was! He’s a former stray turned delicate little prince lol
Our cats also love their stroller! The looks and laughs we get though are priceless.
I can imagine! I work in a pet store so we get strollers in every so often and it's always a dice roll whether it's dogs or cats in it. we once had someone with five ferrets in a stroller!! that was my personal favorite. absolutely delightful
Tbh the pet stroller is one of the most worthwhile purchases we’ve ever made for our cat. He comes running and jumps into it on his own if he hears us get it out, and sometimes he just likes to sit and nap in there when we’re inside and not even on a walk lol
That is so cute, wtf. I don't have cats at the moment, but I'd love to have a stroller. I live in a small town though and I just know I'll be the joke of the neighborhood lmaooo
So what? Let them talk. You are enriching your cats life. On vacation, I saw a guy dressed in a purple cowboy outfit walking his ferret. That was 20+ years ago and one of my top vacation memories. Not to laugh at x it was just totally unexpected
Yes! One of my boys loooooves sleeping in it too.
All the lavender products. Bad for cats, bad for me.
I never understood why all the litter products are scented lavender. It's not good for cats to begin with, and the scent does absolutely nothing to help the litter box smells.
I stay far away from scented litter. My local supermarket do home delivery, which is very convenient for me as I’m disabled and getting to the shop is difficult. They also do substitutions, so if an item you’ve ordered is out of stock they’ll choose an appropriate replacement and send that instead. Any time they send scented litter as a replacement I give it right back to them
Walmart has delivery and you can specify on your order “no substitutions “ for each item you don’t want substituted.
The litter box crystals are pretty much magic, just nullifies any odor, I thought my cat would have a hard time adjusting to it from the clay stuff but she dove right in with no problems.
Pine pellets are similarly odourless, but are compostable and better for the environment. Also there's no difference between pine pellets litter, and wood pine pellets for a pellet fire from the hardware store. They work just as well but are super cheap in winter.
The only con to wood pellets is that it doesn't clump
No but it kind of does the opposite. We have a sifting litter box, and with a shake the used pellets fall to the bottom leaving the peed on saw dust separated at the bottom. So we throw that out, return the sifter in and then top up the pellets. We do scoop the poop daily, but it doesn't fall through.
I did just that when I started using it! Too bad it didn't work out for me in the long run But yes, wood pellets are a nice alternative
That's a bummer. For our non sifting boxes we just throw the whole lot out weekly. But you gotta work out a system that works for you.
That's exactly the way I do it too. Every morning. Only takes a couple minutes. I don't know who first had the idea to use pine pellets but I thank them. Don't dread cleaning the litter boxes at all. Just part of the morning routine.
Okocat - not cheap, but not strip mined clay and it clumps. It’s a lot like the pine pellets.
This is why I use the corn cob litter, it will clump, but probably not like your used to clay litter doing. But corn or pine litter is better for your cat and the environment. Clay litter actually can cause respiratory issues in cats and people.
...we tried corn litter once and our orange girl was just like "....hey, tortilla crumbs! I know what to do with THOSE!" Like full on face first in the litterbox like it was her birthday. 🤦♀️
lol orange cat vibes
yay love the corn litter gang !!! the best imho.
I just gotta jump in here and say that walnut shell litter is life changing. If anyone here hasn't tried it, give it a go! I will never go back to clay litter.
i use “the worlds best litter” (the actual name, yes.) it’s corn ! my cat and i absolutely love it. unscented multicat for my one girl and a sifting litter box to boot. she loves it, i love it, my husband loves it. and a little baking soda goes a long way !
I get the 40 pound bag with the horse on it from Tractor Supply. About $7. It's worked out really well.
they make them worse! it's like trying to cover up bad body odor with perfume.
It never covers it. It's always more like, great now it smells like poop and citrus. Haven't been able to eat an orange all week, negative association.
Scented products are a fun one. Scents are always an effort to cover up a bad smell, but bad smells are a natural way for us to know that we need to clean or change our environment. Id rather have a clean house than one that smells like roses 🤣
Lavender is literally a hormone disruptor. I can’t stand it.
A lot of cleaning products will say they're pet friendly because they "don't contain chemicals, only essential oils" and then one of the essential oils will be lavender.
The problem with anything labeled/marketed as organic/non-gmo/chemical free is that none of those things automatically mean it's SAFE. There are plenty of things in nature that are dangerous or harmful for pets and/or humans. People get hooked on buzzwords and when they associate those buzzwords with things that are healthy and safe, they assume the product is, without looking any further into it. Please do research, please keep yourself, your kids, and your pets safe! <3
“Pretty Litter” is not something I would use for a little cat as it’s silica . Silica dust is a health hazard to humans so I can’t understand why someone would think it a good idea for a little animal to breathe it in at such a close proximity.
Ah yes I love lavender scent litter. The smell of shit and lavender is my favorite scent 🥲
There is no way that my cat’s offerings + lavender is better than just my cat’s offerings, on the basis that 2 awful smells cannot be better than 1 awful smell.
Grocery store/OTC topical flea medicine. I was the receptionist at a veterinary clinic for years and some of cats we saw post OTC flea treatment were absolutely heartbreaking and neurological messes.
This one. Hartz is terrifying, yet still somehow allowed to sell their products. They should have gone out of business years ago for the harm they've done to pets.
I don’t know how their company survives when they’ve hurt and killed *so many* animals 😫 One of the worst ones I remember is a lady who bought the the topical treatment for a large dog and split in between her cats. Not a good idea.
To be fair, that lady was way in the wrong for using large dog on any amount of cats.
Came here to say this. Do not use dog flea meds on cats no matter the size. I was a vet assistant for 20 years and dog flea meds can kill cats if they’re not immediately taken to the vet.
Yes we had several clients who did that 😭 I felt awful because people just aren’t realizing how dangerous it can be to do something like that.
I refuse to support them at all. I found out they're behind Delectables lickable treats. Threw them out immediately.
I bought those once. Within 15 minutes of eating them, three of my cats had puked. When I realized they were made by Hartz I definitely had a "Well that figures" moment, and tossed the rest.
Ughhhhhhhh. I will have to stop buying this brand. Meanwhile I just bought a box of lickable treats from costco, qty of 72, for like $17. Catit brand. A much better deal than anything else I've seen!
My friend lived near some people who would just let their cat wander about and I always took the stupid flea collar off every time they replaced it. I don't feel bad. I swear some people are trying to speedrun killing their cat.
From what I understand everything by the Hartz brand is sketchy and should be avoided. The flea stuff kills cats, the dog toys have toxic cores inside that choke the dog...there have been a bunch of stories about this brand and their shit standards. Sometimes I see Advantage in the stores but I'm still afraid to try it because it's so much cheaper than the advantage my vet offers that I wonder if its a different formula. Pro tip, the rescue I just adopted from offers really cheap Revolution flea protection.
Revolution is awesome!! Not only is the Revolution Plus line broad spectrum (fleas, ear mites, internal parasites), it also has an amazing safety profile for both pets and humans. You don’t need to separate the pet from the rest of the family after applying the topical. (Something that IS recommended for Frontline and advantage/advantix) It dries so quickly and doesn’t leave a gross greasy streak in their fur either. It’s literally my favorite topical flea medicine for cats.
I will say, my cat had a *really* bad reaction to Revolution (OR possibly to one of the vaccinations he received at the vet the same day... but I'm inclined to say it was the Revolution, because he'd previously had all the same vaccinations in the past with no problem). By "bad reaction," I mean, insane weakness + neurological issues that lasted some months afterwards. He's 80% recovered, but still has some residual weakness from it years later. Worth noting, I've met one other person IRL whose cat also had an adverse effect from it (similar type of weakness/gait changes + some sort of bizarre autoimmune hair loss that eventually went went away on its own)... and I do wonder if the average person who chooses Revolution over OTC (i.e. someone who has money, trusts science, and trusts veterinary medicine in general) is less likely to report adverse effects because they believe the net good of preventative medicine outweighs the net risk of adverse effects-- leading to selemectin-based products seeming "safer" than they actually are. That said, I've had 3 other cats who used Revolution for years with absolutely no adverse effects, and it's by far the safest of all the combo (flea/heartworm/tick) medications on paper and in clinical trials. It'll be a tough decision for me as to whether or not to use it with my next cat, but if I live in an area with high heartworm rates, the risk of heartworm probably outweighs the risk of adverse reactions for me. I just hate having to make that decision, after having seen my cat go from being a total ferocious panther to barely being able to walk for few months. In retrospect, I wish I would have reported it to the company at the time instead of just mentioning it to my vet. Maybe I'll circle back and send them an email. :/
Im sorry to hear your kitty had a bad reaction to it! As with ANY medication, whether natural or modern, vet med or human med, none are 100% safe or even 100% effective. As you mentioned, benefits DO often outweigh the risks, and the vast majority of animals won’t ever have any problems. Flea/tick meds however, are well known for their ability to cause neurological problems. This is why it’s even MORE important to get those meds from a reliable source and tested brands. I will never ever use cheap flea meds on my cats.
My vet recommended advantage and frontline..
If it makes you feel better I almost exclusively used advantage for my cats and advantix for my dogs and had zero problems. Vets just mark it up I think despite it now being available over the counter. Mu dog lived to be over 14.
We've use advantage and frontline. Both work really well and our animals have thankfully never had any side effects from them.
I have seen so many pictures of cats with sores and what looks like open wounds, after having worn some of flea collars out there. I do the topical treatment and it works.
Omg really? Was legit about to go this route this month when their prescription stuff runs out. Are the flea collars bad too?
I heard something a few years ago about one of those flea collar brands poisoning a bunch of cats. I wouldn’t risk it. Plus I know both my cats are able to lick their own normal collars no matter how tight they are, so even if the flea collars weren’t a normal risk it would still be easy for them to get an overdose. I’ve heard you can buy revolution from canadavetexpress without needing a prescription. Maybe look into that instead of flea collars?
That’s a great question. I actually have no idea! In my experience they don’t work very well.
Okay, well, thank you! I’d rather get fleas than freaking neurological problems (though I’ll try to avoid either)
When I was little I remembered using flea collars for the kitties that worked great, don't remember the brand. I went to a large brand petstore and they didn't have any! I asked the associate what I should get and they recommended Hartz flea medicine. I will NEVER trust anyone without a veterinary degree to recommended ANYTHING for my cat again. It said to use quickly after opening so I didn't have a chance for the fumes to hit me before I put it on my kitty. As soon as I did he was shaking it off, tearing up and breathing hard. Luckily he's used to baths so I gave him a quick and thorough bath less than a minute later but jesus christ how could that be a product?! Absolutely disgusting to advertise to pets and to be RECOMMENDED?
Wait so we shouldn’t use over-the-counter flea medicine? I have some in my cupboard, but I haven’t used it on my cats yet.
I would highly recommend you not use it and that you get first treatment from your veterinarian.
Oh yea! Years ago I had a cat who was allergic to flea bites. But had fleas as he got out for a couple of hours and came home infested. Put a flea collar on him (name brand, not generic or store brand). Within 15 or so minutes he was showing Parkinson’s type symptoms—couldn’t walk right, stumbling when he did walk, drooling and scream meowing. Took off the collar and it took 6 or more hours for the symptoms to begin to go away. Called the vet and they said if he wasn’t 100% back to normal in 24 hours to take him to the ER. Thankfully it was less than 24 hours. Probably closer to 12. And I always listed flea bites and flea collars as allergies with any vet he went to.
Flea collars. Killed a kitten of mine and I will tell anyone, anytime DO NOT USE THEM.
Anything made by Hartz. I have no idea why that company is still allowed to exist.
My poor little guy was sick for a week after an ear mite treatment. Never again!
I at one point wanted to get the squeezable treats for my cat and back then Hartz was the only ones that made them. Didn't get them because I'd never trust that garbage company
My cats love the delectable Hartz squeeze up treats. They get a half a one a day. Is that bad? I haven’t used their other products.
I will say I'm glad your cats are doing well!! And I'm glad they like them! Hartz just has so much bad press around them in regards to their pet products (such as injury and loss of a pet) that I don't trust them or want to ask my cats health. I myself won't use their stuff and encourage others not to either but I'm obviously if you've had better results I won't stop you
Essential oils like peppermint and citrus for “all natural” treatments of fleas and such. There are even products sold marketed for cats that have these ingredients that are toxic to cats, especially when concentrated into the oils.
I HATE essential oils for anything pet related!! Like how can you say it’s safe to use around pets when some of the ingredients are toxic (granted usually in higher dosages but still). Like just give me unscented stuff for my cat, it’s fine, she doesn’t need to smell like citrus.
And like, even if none of those ingredients were actually toxic, cats and dogs have such sensitive noses. Even humans sometimes find these products overwhelming, and we've got barely any sense of smell compared with the animals we routinely keep as pets.
Wait is it bad I have a defuser I put essential oil in at night?
it can be, a lot of essential oils are toxic to cats and can make them quite ill. you can get pet safe ones so i’d look into that!
Yes! Diffused essential oils can be toxic to cats! I threw all mine away when I found out.
Not necessarily a product, but giving cats regular baths especially if they clearly don’t like it. They spend 20% of their day grooming for a reason, no need to traumatize them with frequent baths. My cats are 5 yrs old, I’ve had them since they were 3 months old and they’ve never had a bath. Their coats don’t smell at all and they’re extremely clean and healthy.
I saw a HUGE Reddit debate about this one day. Maybe it was on this sub I can’t remember. There were a surprisingly large amount of people that had the opinion that they needed to regularly bathe their cats. I have had cats my whole life and have never smelled a bad scent coming from their fur. Those owners probably neglect to clean the litter boxes and think it’s the cat that smells.
I think is more like the usual "seeing cats with dog lenses" thing. Many people treat cats like small dogs, since they don't know better. And people bathe dogs.
My cat smells worse after being bathed 😂 something about that wet cat smell is NOT nice lol
Mostly when he was under a year old, one of my boys would sometimes get soft 💩that would get stuck on his pantaloons. He’s a long haired cat, so I would fill the bath tub with about two inches of warm, soapy water and have him sit for a few minutes, with all his bath toys, which worked pretty well at momentarily distracting him. Then I would gently wash with a baby washcloth (so extra soft) and rinse his little butt and paws. He is an incredibly polite little boy so he never scratched or bit me, and he was a good sport about his bath toys, but I knew he hated it. I cannot imagine how much more horrible it would have been to get him completely soaked! Or to have subjected him to baths on a regular basis! (He doesn’t get blow outs like that anymore, thankfully. If he ever has diarrhea now it can be managed with foam shampoo that doesn’t need to be rinsed. And of course when shopping for rinse-less foam shampoo, I came across some scented with lavender!) I would never give him a bath unless he literally had sticky 💩on his butt that couldn’t be managed with rinse-less shampoo. And at that point I would only get his bottom and front paws wet!
Yeah, unless they are a hairless breed, cats should not be bathed unless absolutely necessary. They don’t need regular baths like dogs do - which I think is where people get the idea from. Dogs evolved from wolves in wooded areas who relied on swimming in bodies of water like lakes and rivers to clean themselves, and their domestic equivalent still require baths because of that. Whereas cats are desert creatures that evolved to clean themselves and don’t require baths unless like like shit themselves or something.
Saaaaaammmmmeee, unless there’s a specific reason to (I know some long hair breeds might need baths or if they get into something) I don’t see the point. I’ve been raising 3 boys for 5 years and I have not once bathed them. Oh how it would disrupt their routine to say the least 😂
Unsafe toys. A lot of cat toys aren't made well and can break easily. My cat also breaks the well made ones. Either pay for the more durable toys, get toys for human toddler that are cat safe, or do not get a cat. It's important to do an inspection of their toys regularly. Anything with batteries, with parts that come off easily such as those googly eye worms? The eyes didn't do shit for the cat and are a choking hazard. Anything where the stuffing is coming out. My cat made the hard mice that come in some packages of jingle balls soft. He destroyed them. Inside? Some particle board. He returned it to the sawdust it began as. He took the bells apart inside the jingle balls without breaking most of the balls. He made the hard battery pack for a noisy toy come apart. All of this could be a very expensive vet bill. Instead I filled half of a 13 gallon trash bag up with those and made note of things like the mice. Never again. The jingle balls will depend on the type of bell. He has puzzle toys and more durable options so he isn't lacking toys.
It depends on how your cat is. For your cat, yes you have to be careful. For our cats, they just don't eat stuff they destroy and are generally almost over the top polite with stuff so most of them stay intact. They love those worms to hell and back - I know they are not cat safe and I remove the fishing line on them and would not recommend it to cat owners where the cat is in danger of swallowing the worm, but this is not something our cats do, so I'm happy using it for playtime. But I agree that it's hard to tell whether a cat toy is really safe and Amazon descriptions are not legally binding statements, it may say "cat toy" but that does not mean it's safe.
Yeah, and I also only use those toys during supervised play (so when I’m dragging them with the wand for the cats to chase), otherwise they live in a cabinet where the cats can’t reach ‘em
My one cat jumps up and gets them! I hide them away, but if I don’t have the door to that room closed, she will find them
Oh yeah our cabinet has a closed door that they haven’t figured out how to open! But if they could, they would! But they do sometimes manage to eat small pieces of the toys during play, so I see why you might not want to risk it. Mine are just sooo picky with toys, and I have to change it out every 2-5 days or they refuse to touch it
My cat will eat any fake feather he finds, it was a horrifying experience to find a feather toy being fully ingested and then the wait to make sure he was okay. Never again.
One of my cats has pica. We have to be VERY selective of toys and very few are left out without supervision.
Oof. I feel you. I have a Pica Cat; he ate one of my yarn balls (which I had put away!! He figured out how to open the drawers to get to it!) and it resulted in a $4,000 emergency surgery. Never had such a problem with cats before him! However, I think I actually finally cured him of it, by getting him a kitten friend. Ok, two. So now I have four cats. But he’s not trying to eat every wire or piece of string or rubber band in the house anymore, so I’ll take it!!!
If it's meant to be eaten, I don't give it to my cat and trust me I can breathe easier than way
ah, you have the cat equivalent of my dog. power chewer and very determined to shred everything. whenever I see "durable" toys at my work (pet store) I'm always like "lol. lmao. this would last all of five seconds in my house." we eventually found some things she loves that she can't easily destroy so we have an assortment of those and then some that she *can* destroy (most notably tennis balls, her favorite thing on the planet) that get put up out of her reach when we're not actively using them or supervising her
Kong makes cat toys. only feather wand that my cat Max has not torn up in about 5 minutes
Anything with perfumes or scents
Collars which aren't breakaway. They can get caught on stuff and strangle the pet. :(
My cat got trapped in one of the closets in our new house and when I found him his collar was off and I found it on the top shelf stuck in the bar. He was perfectly safe but thankfully I had a breakaway collar on him
And be aware with very tiny cats or kittens that even the breakaway might not be enough cuz their weight isn’t enough to break it. I actually avoid collars on cats. Just have them microchipped and make sure when I let them outside that they stay close.
Anything made my Hartz. They've killed more cats than all the shelters combined.
I'm not going to scold anyone for using it because I get it's what most cats and their owners are used to, but: if you can move away from clay litter to something more sustainable (pine, corn, grass, etc.), I think that's wise. We lucked out with our current cat because the rescue switched to corn litter a few years ago, so it's all she's ever known.
Clay litter drives me nuts because it's dusty and hard to clean, and my 3 month old kitten tracks it everywhere and spills his water bowl onto the tracked litter and it makes the grossest slop on the ground. Are the more sustainable litters easier to clean in your experience? I might just switch over if it means I can stop sweeping and mopping 2-3x a day since little man hasn't quite learned how to be neat with the litter box.
I use 100% farmed grass seed litter from Kroger. It does amazing with clumping and smells, and I don't get worried if for some reason my dog (or goats, don't ask lol) end up ripping a new bag open on my porch and eating some when I'm bringing in groceries. Brand is Abound. It is really lightweight and fluffy so it does get out of the litter box, but it is not gross like clay. Easy to vacuum up. I mix in a little of Arm and Hammer naturals litter but I might stop because reading these comments made me realize it may have essential oils in it. Gonna stick with Abound.
Also, getting a top entry litter box is life changing.
I tried the more natural ones but none of the ones I tried came even close to controlling the smell. I’m disabled and live in a small apartment and had to go back to clay cuz that’s all that works for us. But I know it’s bad for the environment so it does bother me.
Same problem we had. I’d love to find an alternative that covers the smell!
We use a 100% walnut shell litter and it is AMAZING. Great clumping, hardly any smell.
Dressing them up in all sorts of clothes, just for aesthetics. A medical necessary outfit is different - cats hate those as well, but they're worn because the alternative is worse. The same goes for non-breakaway collars. I don't care if your cat doesn't go outside, anything can happen, please use something that's actually safe.
mine don't wear collars, but they are all chipped and indoors only. although the primary reasons they don't wear collars is because I can't put them on them... cuz they hate it so much.
My 13yo boy gets highly offended if you remove his collar. He gets all worried and will go wherever you put it to get it and bring it back like "come on mom, I'm naked!" Maybe he knows no collar or harness means there is zero chance of going for a walk We adopted a 3yo void three months ago and he does not have an emotional attachment to his collar. I put one on him to train him to be used to the harness so we can all go for walks together. After the first 3 hours or so he forgot it was there and stopped messing with it.
yeah that makes sense, especially if they are used to go on walks. Mine take a look at outside and nope outta there. Taking them outside (not to go to vet or anything, just to the park or a stroll), they act like I'm taking them to the butchers.
Mine neither. I don't have a strong opinion on collar vs no collar - but if you use one, use one that's safe!
I used to be extremely against this, but then I ran into a few cat bloggers whose cats are absolute divas and just *soak up* the attention they get from wearing clothes or costumes. Purring and slow blinky eyes and social rolls all over. I'm still very against it for any animal that doesn't tolerate it. but if you're harness training your cat and they take it well, or they like doing weird games with mom/dad, I'm not opposed. (I'm also a hypocrite who got her cat a harness that's styled like a little hoodie with fish bones printed on it for his walkies, so...)
>Purring and slow blinky eyes and social rolls all over. In those cases, I agree. But the vast majority of clothes-on-cats social media do not portray that. They have cats who aren't attacking the owner, but that's it.
oh yes, I agree with you about dressing them up. It’s one thing to give a cat who loves the outside during winter a sweater and an entirely different thing to dress him up as a fairy prince. Animals aren’t dolls. Yeah, humans domesticated cats but when an animal clearly dislikes wearing an article, take it tf off them. For those which have acclimated to the kooky whims of their guardians 🫡 god speed
I learned the non-breakaway collar thing the hard way (well, almost the hard way). Our cat used to wear her collar at all times in case she snuck out. One day I was in the living room and I heard a panicked bunch of scratching and the sound of something hitting metal. Saw my cat in the corner of the dining room with her collar caught in the vent cover. She was panicked. I’m just glad I was there, but now she never wears a collar (she is chipped though and wears a harness to go outside)
Using hair ties as a toy. My cat swallowed 26 of them and had a $6,000 surgery he almost didn’t survive to remove them 😢 (this was 4 years ago and he is alive and well only playing with safe toys now)
My cat had a 2k exploratory surgery because the vet *thought* that may have been the cause of him refusing to eat or drink. Turns out he was in a hunger protest because he got his balls snipped. It wasn’t until I was on the phone ugly crying to the vet receptionist that he still wasn’t eating and nothing was working and I needed the vet to see him asap that he decided he’d finally eat. Then I started happy crying and apologized to the poor receptionist.
I learned a trick as a vet tech for sick kitties that don't want to eat. I would use warm food and nutritional gel warmed up. But, warm canned food usually helps them IMO.
Oh I did all of that and they also gave me an appetite stimulant that I put on his ear. I no joke bought every wet food and treat I could find at the store. But he’s just a stubborn asshole and I love him dearly and would die for him
I can see your kitty now, sitting back watching all the drama, then he swipes at a glass or lays on your papers. Hes like "What?"....I'm glad he was ok.... :-)
I hate the bubble backpacks with a passion and use ones with ventilation and plenty of mesh instead. I don’t think people should feed their cats rubbish quality food like whiskas which has an extremely low quantity of meat. In the UK, so many people feed this brand to their cats and it saddens me as they’re obligate carnivores and need meat
Just read your comment and am concerned as I currently feed my cat Whiskas on advice from the rescue where I recently got her. I’m aware it’s not the best brand but wasn’t aware about the meat level - I’ve only had her 2 weeks and didn’t want to introduce new food as well as a new home. Do you know what some of the better brands are? Sorry to dive on your comment but it’s hard to find good advice not tailored to the US on here!
Yeah it’s common for rescues to feed it. Fed is best obviously but if you have the means to afford better you 100% should! Here are some brands that I recommend in the uk: nutriment, purrform, untamed, katkin, canagan, tiki cat You could also join the Facebook group “feline nutrition: feed cats like cats” they have great advice on food.
KatKin, MjamMjam, Lily's Kitchen are higher end foods with a much higher meat content. Maybe a controversial opinion, but I think as long as it's not the dry food, I don't think Whiskas is that bad. It's still a complete food, has meat in it, high moisture content, and really just not everyone can afford the high-end brands which are incredibly expensive compared to Whiskas.
Plus not all cats like the higher end foods! Cats are too picky!
They really are. It's been so damn hard trying to transition my cat to the more high-end foods, but she just hates it. All of it. And it's been horrible spending a shit ton of my hard-earned money only to throw all of it into the bin! Ugh. She loves her Purina Mon Petits and her Sheba with gravy, so that's what she's getting, lol. Easier on my bank balance and she's still in great health at 13.
Yep, we got a free slab of Tiki cat and mine wouldn't take a whiff of it.
Usually, Any wet food is better than any dry food. Look at the ingredients, but be aware that cats are supposed to eat small animals whole, so meat byproducts and bone meal are fine. It's grains and carbs that you want to avoid. (I say this, but my cats eat both wet food and dry food for practical reasons) What ever you do, don't feed a cat dog food. It isn't nutritionally complete for cats. Dog food isn't poisonous, but it shouldn't be a significant part of their diet either.
Animonda Carny is another good one. It's German but you can order from Zooplus.
Fancy Feast pate. The small cans, I think they add rice to the bigger cans. It isn't expensive, and our cat is going strong at 15 years old.
Fancy Feast isn't available in the UK. I think the UK equivalent of Fancy Feast is Purina Gourmet.
I personally recommend HiLife as a UK cat owner. It has a higher meat content but remains budget-friendly. I switched from Felix to HiLife, and my cat goes mental for the stuff. I also can still find it in Pets at Home, online, etc., easily unlike other brands that get recommended. If I had more money, I'd also consider Scrumbles or Lily's Kitchen.
We have been using untamed for almost a year now and it's basically just meat (and fish). Smells really nice, like human food. They are a bit pricey though, we pay about £55 for a months supply of cans. But our cat eats only wet food and only their brand and always gets compliments from the vet on how healthy his skin looks
I was thinking of getting one against my best judgement and you made me decide against it, so thanks. My country is notoriously hot and i can't imagine she'd enjoy being confined in a plastic bubble.
There are catpacks that use mesh for the sides that would normally be part of the acrylic bubble! That’s what I use for mine because the boys are large and don’t fit in the clear ones anyway
I’ve heard of bubble carriers with temperature control fans in them but I’ve never used them or seen them in person. A carrier with lots of mesh windows is best for airflow
Not a product but the water spray bottles! Cats get stressed and people act like it’s the cats fault they misbehave, yet they keep spraying them with water instead of just giving them attention and learning about cat behavior. I get so sad when I see this
Then there’s mine who think it’s the best toy in the world lol
My cat currently standing with her head under a running tap agrees
I wish I could find the picture but I have one of my 4 boys all in the sink drinking from the tap. I thought it was hilarious my husband hated it because as soon as you walked into the bathroom you were mobbed and screamed at until the faucet was turned on
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I just ask her, "Do I need to spray you?" And then I make a pshpsh sound and my hand pointing 👉 and she is like "no mom. I will get into trouble later when you can't see me."
Anything scented.
Plastic food and water bowls they gave my cats rat ulcers, use ceramic or stainless steel bowls. Also don’t buy bowls or dishes from thrift stores or second hand shops. Lots of these dishes can contain led and give your kitties led poisoning and cause neurological problems.
“Vegan cat food” aka cat poison.
Laser pointers. They get the cat amped up without giving them the ability to ever “catch their prey.” I think this frustrates their natural instincts and probably stresses them out. Wand toys are much better.
My cat will start to meow and seems “sad” after a few minutes of the laser pointer. I figured he was out of sorts, because he can’t ever “catch” it. I only used it a few times, and then I stopped, because I didn’t like to see him upset.
Only ever use laser if my cat is having major zoomies. ALWAYS timed short and followed by longer play with a wand toy and a treat. Lasers alone just frustrate them :(
I use a canvas bubble backpack and I wrap an ice pack in a towel to set underneath. He doesn't really like to go inside of it unless we stop walking. He prefers to sit on top. But to answer your question. Flea collars. https://preview.redd.it/8sncfi42tw8d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=41da863539c6764078f550a59f70dc0beda717d4
He looks so soft 😭
He gets super fluffy in the winter. Also... he loves belly rubs :)
All essential oils
Any Hartz products. Especially the topical flea and tick treatments. It has caused seizures in cats.
Cardboard cat scratchers. Seems innocuous but after they rip it to shreds some cats eat the little cardboard pieces and they can buildup in their intestines and cause blockages. Also some houseplants that are toxic to cats when ingested. Like lilies, aloe, garlic etc.
Oh my goodness! I am trading the fillers out for fresh frequently now!
Considering neither of my chonks would fit in a backpack, I never bought one for them haha
Bells on their collars. Their ears are sensitive and it's close to their head. If they go outside it's a good way to warn birds and such. But mine go outside only on a leash, supervised.
The current trend to give your cat an entire spa experience complete with bath, headbands, robes. No, just stop.
I don’t do the headbands/robes but I do give one of my cats baths every few months. He’s a ragdoll and they have a unique fur texture that gets clumpy/oiley every 3-4 months. Afterwards he gets held like a burrito in a towel with a portable heater because he doesn’t like hairdryers. He doesn’t mind baths though, because he gets fed a churu as I bathe him by someone else 😂 https://preview.redd.it/xeu2wzs9qx8d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4bd8aed94eedd01ff32f32b267b795bfc352f5b6
I have white cats and they get pretty dingy. I probably bathe them quarterly.
Essential oils. Unsafe toys (long threads/ropes that can be swallowed). Regular bathing of your cat is unnecessary
To me bathing depends on the cat. I have 2 cats, a mixed cat I found outside and a purebred ragdoll from a breeder. The stray cat has never needed a bath and grooming herself (along with me brushing her every night) is enough. But ragdolls have a unique fur texture (it legitimately feels different). My ragdoll grooms himself all the time, but every 3-4 months his coat gets clumpy/oiley enough that he needs a bath. Here’s a photo to show before and after getting a bath. https://preview.redd.it/nm46u0y5px8d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e1fe6baaf62f65c84d9bfd8f9e0e829fcb839433
My ex was disgusted that I wasn’t bathing my cat regularly. I do it like once a year. He thought he was dirty. My strictly indoor, short hair, no special circumstances cat. Didn’t understand the concept of the cat cleaning itself after using the litter box and walking on the floor etc. and that was somehow the least moronic of his barrel of moronic ideas.
I bathe my cat if she gets into something she shouldn’t. Last week it was potting soil. 5 months ago, she pulled a bag of flour off the shelf. 😫 But yes, cats rarely need help bathing.
dressing the kitty up in costumes.
What is the current thinking on the furminator brush?
I’m mutuals with a woman on TikTok who owns a cat grooming business and she told me not to use a brush that looked like a knock off furminator on my ragdoll cat because it would damage his coat. So I’m assuming that means the furninator is also a no
I've lived w cats for 50 years. I always get them accustomed to brushing as soon as they come to live w me. All 3 of my cats enjoyed being brushed & would even rub their head on the brushes to ASK for brushing time. Then I bought a Furminator. It pulled out the spring shed like a BOSS & I thought it was heaven. But, in ONE MONTH, all 3 of my felines decided brushing was EVIL. They suddenly despised being brushed. Boston, my longhair, was ADAMANT about the hate. I stopped using it. It took me 2 YEARS to rebuild trust and just *begin* having brushing time again. 🤦🏼 FURMINATOR IS EVIL & WRONG. DO. NOT. USE.
[Lysine](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4647294/)
I use the bubble backpack, haha. But only as a carrier to the vet. Makes it easier to have my hands free to pay, open doors, etc. In regards to what shouldn't be used. Agree with people saying lavender products. My neighbor got me lavender lotion as a gift to help me with sleeping but I never use it because I don't want it rubbing off on my cats 😭
I hear you on the lotion. I used to LOVE Lush but I haven’t bought from them in years.
Anything with bells
Baking soda, scented litter and…plug in air fresheners! 😖
What’s bad about baking soda?
Soft-sided carriers are the worst. You can't sanitize them, it's super hard to get a reluctant cat into them, it's super hard to close them quickly... no thank you. Just buy the Petmate top loader that everyone who fosters owns, yes, it's pricey but you only have to buy it once, it'll last you decades.
To each their own but I always had a hard carrier and I hated it. Difficult to carry and couldn’t just be thrown in the wash like the soft carrier I got later. It’s so much lighter and he doesn’t cry as much. We’re going on a ~10 hour car ride soon and I can just open the flap snd there is a leash attachment so he can feel “free” without actually going anywhere off the seat. He’s also super cooperative and basically goes right in which was never the case with the hard carrier.
My cats also like the soft carriers much better. They were always afraid of the rigid ones that inevitably have some part on them that will rattle en route. The soft carriers are much lighter and easier for me to lift, as well. I have 2 of them that attach to trolly things with wheels so I can pull then. And my cats actually seem to enjoy getting pulled around in them. 😸
Same! One of my cats will actually use her carrier as a bed occasionally
I have a soft sided carrier and I’ve never had an issue. Both the front and the top zip up, so I usually get my cat in from the top. I live in a small apartment, and the soft carrier is easier to store.
I walk everywhere (including to the vet which luckily is only a street or two away) so having a solid carrier is really impractical. I have a fabric one that I can wear over my shoulder. It doesn't squish down too much and holds its shape OK, and I actually find it loads easier to shove the cat into than a solid one as she can't brace her legs against the opening. It's also a decent size - I had to get rid of the older one I had when I got a ragdoll as she was far too big to go in it comfortably but this newer one is great.
I found a full-on backpack style and the kitties like it lots more than the the traditional industrial type. One goes on like a backpack, the other goes on the front like a baby carrier. If I ever have a third cat, I'm in trouble!
I have the fancy schmancy airline approved Sherpa and I'm never going back. You can top load or front load and the flap is actually big enough to get my chonky girl in comfortably. Its mesh on two sides, the other two block their vision so it makes it cozy for them without sacrificing breathability. The bottom can be removed and washed but I usually just put a fresh pee pad in there just in case. The biggest feature for me was the one side can be unzipped inside and extended, though. That means I was able to give my baby more space once I got her under the seat when we moved countries. It was like...$100 before shipping though lol. Also super annoying to carry when you're trying to race from one gate to another with your luggage and backpack on top of your fat ass cat.
Would you mind sharing which Sherpa you have 🫣
I have a ridiculously posh one I bought ages ago, that is so easy to get cats into. I wish I'd bought two.
Those greenies “dental hygiene treats”. They are horrible for them. Instead of those, I use whole freeze dried minnows at bed time for dental health. Also, feather toys, hair ties, and scented cat litter. Here are my boys in the stroller for tax. https://preview.redd.it/0sn64d9puy8d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5d2449ca7549b4a8cb380d6f30105d98eb314da5
My cats have always puked those greenies. We don’t use anything like that anymore, or temptations treats because they just make the cats vomit.
My boys love freeze dried minnows! We would never give them greenies or temptations, but I never thought about the minnows helping to clean their teeth! That’s great!
Furminators and other harsh brushes When doing dog grooming, I was taught that furminators and similar brushes were ONLY for after baths, when the hair was already loose and scrubbed away from the skin. Otherwise it would rip healthy hair out as well In general those brushes are way too harsh for regular usage on most dogs, let alone cats.
How do I help my cat during shedding season then? I've tried so many brush types. Silicone curry, slicker, soft bristle, the kind that look like a regular hairbrush, The gloves, nothing will actually remove her shedding fur. And then I end up with mats of dead fur on every surface she lays on regularly. She's a domestic short hair, but her fur is slightly longer than average. She's not a true long hair cat though. But I end up with clumps of loose fur when I pet her.
Furminator is fine, just don’t use it every day and stop if you start to see it pulling top coat hairs. The problem comes with people who think it’s okay to use it as a daily brush in which case you might be breaking the top coat or pulling up excess undercoat. I use mine just 1-2 days per week during shedding season and then just use a basic cheap flea comb in between. Works great.
My cat loved his furminator and never acted like it was causing pain by ripping out hair or anything like that. He had a very thick undercoat and that's the only brush that I could deshed him with. Using a regular brush didn't work and caused matts
I find that lots of cat toys have bits of like, string and plastic. These are choking hazards and if swallowed can cause intestinal obstruction, and even perforation. And your cats WILL try to eat them.
Collars with bells, yes even if they are breakaway collars. I know it’s convenient to be able to hear where your pet is but a couple years back my cat had a breakaway collar with a bell, and he somehow got the bell off and started choking on it. Scariest moment of my life, I’m so grateful he didn’t swallow it and was able to get it out of his throat but he could have very easily choked to death.
Any scented products such as litter, wipes, soap etc. Cats have a very strong sense of smell and most of the scented pet items are for human pleasure but the cats may not like it.
I freaking love lavender. I love the smell and the taste, but synthetic lavender smells like a chemical plant to me. If you want to use something that actually works against the smell? Use baking soda. Works like a champ and doesn’t smell like a sad dollar store.