Ranting about kitty politics, all opinions welcome

pearce1974

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thanks! I am just miffed at the 'system' how can people beg to have pets spayed or neutered to control the pet population, but want an arm and a leg for a fee. I just can't afford hundreds of dollars for a pet. and even if the spay is reduced with two female oriental mix kittens it is a struggle. they are so affectionate and vocal already, I can't even tell when or if they would be in heat ['will be 5 mos. on january 20] i just don't know what to do. if i give them up, oh great, the shelter will do everything, but if I do it myself, no fair.
\tI am so confused about foods and such. how long have your cats lived. I am so paranoid about all these urinary tract diseases, and how owners are saying meow mix is so bad. I need to get them dewormed. I feel like a cat mommy on the brink, i have no kids and my boyfriend thinks I waste too much time worrying about them. I would love someone to talk to to calm me and my ffears to have a support system, etc. please tell me about your cats, ages, food pref., litter they use, etc.

-----------------------

I did find a kitty whisperer, who is supposed to write me soon.
thank goodness!!!!!! Please do NOT hold your tongue, all responses needed to help me and my babies!!

edited to add what I do, do currently:

11/16/06 last and only vaccinations/deworming, I was afraid to do follow up due to their side effects after the shots

I use fresh step kitty litter

nutro dry for kittens and trying to wean them off meow mix deli select pouches [fish] and onto friskies, [they hate the morsels so trying pate' today]

for some reason one is pooping right beside box out of nowhere, I think I made litter this time around after washing out bins with too much litter, so reduced the amount

I scoop at least twice a day [and right after seeing them use it, if it is right after I scoop]

I cleaned the litter pans with the same cleaner used to deter smell of urine, was this okay or a bad idea???? thanks!!! oh, and with snap, vets still was cost of shots, check up, etc, which still makes price at least a hundred, I am set to 'fix' both feb. 6 with a quoted price of 55 + more for shots, so at this point I am blessed, but still miffed at how hard it was to find this price, and hidden fees may still apply so I expect to take with me about 150 total for both...

please straight, no chaser, help me and my pets!!
 

missymotus

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Vet bills are just part of owning a pet, something you need to think about before you get the animals.

If they are already 5 months old you need to get them spayed asap, they will go into heat soon and it's best to get it done before their first heat.

Food - the Nutro you are feeding is fine, not sure about meow mix but I thought the pouches were okay. Friskies in not a good food.
I feed raw, I'm sure others will be along to answer your nutrition questions.

Here's a website with low cost spaying listed by state if you need it
http://www.lovethatcat.com/spayneuter.html
 

jen

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You seem like you are doing things alright so far. Wet food is important but I would toss the Friskies. Get some canned Nutro if that is the dry you are feeding. Or there is a variety of other brands at the pet store. Basically, if you find it at the grocery store, stear clear of it. Avoid lots of grains and by-products.

$150 for both to get everything done isn't horrible at all for a regular vet, there are cheaper options though. Here it costs $45 for everything, there is a low cost neuter scooter (mobile) that does it for $20. But you are perfectly fine going to the vet you chose I am sure. That is great they are being spayed right away. I do them anywhere from 6 weeks to 4 months. But as long as it is done before the first heat, it actually cuts the risk of them getting cancer when they are older pretty significantly.

The vet will deworm them and everything for you too. Make sure during the summer months, they are on flea preventative. Even if they are strictly indoors, they can get fleas! Never ever put a flea collar on your cats, only use flea meds from the vet.

As for urinary tract health, they make a Nutro for UT health I believe. You can look for that one. Offer them distilled water, not tap water (too many minerals and stuff that can affect UT health). Make sure they get enough wet food of good quality. Wet food helps because most cats don't drink enough, wet food tastes good and is mostly water so they increase their water intake by quite a bit.

That is all I can think of right off. Stick with us here and post pictures and ask any questions you like. We are always here to help! Oh Wellness makes a great grain free canned food. Great for UT health and to increase their water intake


Feel free to PM with any questions.
 

callista

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Your BF is silly--everybody spends time thinking about pets they love. Do try to reduce anxiety level and just enjoy your kittens, though; the kits pick up on the vibes and they don't like their "mommy" feeling bad.

Anyhow, cats aren't hothouse flowers; they're tough little creatures. Once they have their shots and neuter, all you have to do is give them good food, a place to rest, a clean litter box, exercise, and lots of love, and they'll be at their optimum health level, not to mention happy. Common sense and a willingness to listen to what they are "saying" is all you really need to have healthy cats.

With two kittens, scooping twice a day sounds about right; but you could just as easily have two boxes and scoop only once. Some kittens don't like sharing, anyway. The pooping beside the box sounds like a kittenish accident, no more... if it's a habit the kitten may need re-training.

Washing the box with enzymatic cleaner doesn't seem necessary to me. Dish soap and hot water should work just as well. You want the kittens to smell the box as "their place", while still not being able to smell it yourself; so--clean the box, but you don't need to overdo it.

Regarding your vet, you may ask straight out--Can the expense be decreased any? Are there shots they don't need, extra expenses on the spay surgery they might not need?... Many vets will also allow things like payment plans as well.
 

ping

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Originally Posted by missymotus

Vet bills are just part of owning a pet, something you need to think about before you get the animals.

If they are already 5 months old you need to get them spayed asap, they will go into heat soon and it's best to get it done before their first heat.

Food - the Nutro you are feeding is fine, not sure about meow mix but I thought the pouches were okay. Friskies in not a good food.
I feed raw, I'm sure others will be along to answer your nutrition questions.

Here's a website with low cost spaying listed by state if you need it
http://www.lovethatcat.com/spayneuter.html


Owning a pet is hard at times. If you search some of my posts I think I have asked everything under the son about cat care. And the thing is if some here makes sense to you and you go to another site and they say something different the questions start again. So I can feel your pain. Lets see if I can help with some of your specific questions:

Nutro is a good food. I went to put Ping on that but he would not eat it. Then I tried another food and he was allergic to something in that. So for now he is back on Fancy Feast (dry) until I can get to this pet store an hour away to find something better. From what I learned here Meow Mix in the pouch is not a bad food.

Spay/Neuter here I can get shots for around 32-35 dollars but thats driving an hour away to get that done. I can get him neutered for 45 for everything again an hour away. Some places do charge more than others.

Litter: I use Fresh Results litter. Its a corn cob based litter that costs 5.88 at wal-mart for a 5 or 10 lb bag. Though I am seriously considering switching to a chick. feed litter because I hear so many good things about it.

Collar: It has taken me awhile to find one that he will tolerate. I just bought him a beastie band off of ebay that I am having great results with.

Litter box: I switched him to a covered box a few mths back. I did that because he was kicking litter all over the place. But I do have to have the flap tied back because he would not go into it with the flap down.

Cat I am owned by: Ping a Siamese mix male. He will be a yr old in May.

This is a great site to ask questions at. Everyone has been very helpful for me when I have questions.
 

KitEKats4Eva!

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Unfortunately vet costs are part of responsible pet ownership, and although they can seem a lot (and are at some vets) when you think about what they actually do, it is reasonable. A spay is not just like stitching up a paw - it's a highly complicated technical procedure that involves safely removing the uterus and ovaries of a cat in order to prevent heat cycles, reproduction and other hormonal balances. If you think that $100+ for that is not worth it, then I think that's a little unfair.

If you have found a place that will spay for $55 then that is just incredible - I would certainly feel like I had the right to more than that if I spent 6 years studying how to become a vet so I could do it cleanly, safely and correctly. I think a lot of vets (like doctors) get a hard time from people for being expensive. Well, they can do things that only a very few other people can do, are highly skilled and have spent a lot of time learning and studying to help animals. IMO they deserve to charge fairly for their services, and to me, `fairly' means that yes, it's going to be quite expensive. The equipment, drugs, labour, time and skill involved in a spay alone would equal a lot more than $55 - so I'd say that your vet is actually losing money in offering you this service for that cost.

I'm not a nutrition expert so I have no advice on the food, and I think it's fantastic that you are concerned and love your babies and are doing the right thing for them, but you do need to expect a fair amount of expense associated with having two kittens - as they get older it will lessen, but when starting out as a pet owner, if you're going to do it right, it's going to cost you quite a lot of money!
 

tavia'smom

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As others have said vet fees are all a part of having pets but unless your cat gets sick or injured they usually go down in a bit of time. But you have to think ahead to the what ifs? And make sure you have money to spend if something should happen to your cats.

Nutro is a good food brand. I would put your cat on the same brand of wetfood. My cat is on science diet but my vet recommended it for her because she has a very sensitive stomach and everything else I tried made her sick so I stopped using it. She gets science diet sensitive stomach dry and she gets turkey and giblets or chicken science diet wet and she gets the wet twice a day.

I use fresh step kitty litter and a covered litter box and have never used any other kind of litter box although I had rescently switched to fresh step I really like it.

My cat is three years old but cats if properly cared for ie, good nutrition, vet care, and lots of love and excersize can live to be in their 20s.
 

booktigger

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IF money for both the spays in one go is an issue, I would look into pet insurance - it shoudln't be that expensive per month, and means that if something happens that will cost hundreds of dollars, you have a safety net. You do have to make sure that insurance policies will cover conditions for life though, and not just for one year, as a lot of health issues are for life. And make sure you get the highest amount per condition that you can afford - with youngsters, I would go for the highest, I went for the second highest with mine being oldies. And you want amount per condition rather than amount per year. Good luck, and enjoy them!!
 

gizmocat

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Pet insurance in the USA is a waste of time in most cases, it's not like it is in Britain. You'll pay premiums and get NO service whatever, here.

Look up low cost spays in your area. There are posts on this site showing where to find them.

Spaying your cat is a lot cheaper than caring for litters of unwanted kittens! and the cats will be healthier.

It's not a 'system', dear. Pets cost money. It's like having a kid, without the need to send it to college. If you go for cheap food and low quality care, the epenses will be still higher in the end. It's worth it to take preventative measures now.
 
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pearce1974

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thanks for all the advice. I peruse this site, cat channel and cats at about.com. so far everything is fine, I think I made the fresh step kitty litter too deep. considering how many changes I have made, although in their best interest, I am glad I have not made their stress level explode. the lady I got them from said they were 10 weeks on 11/8 [although vet put them at 8 weeks on 11/16] she gave them frontline, so on 12/21 I continued with that, and will purchase more this weekend. in the beginning she had them on purina kitten chow dry, so did I, then I tried wellness kitten canned and regular and now they both won't eat it. I tried meow mix kitten formula which they loved, until I read about how poor the quality was. I tried natural balance but it seemed too rich [to me, after reading others' similar opinions]. I tried pet guard canned, nutro canned and nutro pouches for kittens, all a no-go now. the friskies was short lived and after reading your posts, rightly so. so no pouches or canned. they love the meow mix deli/market selects cups and pouches, and right now I see no problem with the fish so they win.
so right now:
nutro dry for kittens, meow mix market selects, front line, fresh step, spaying set for feb. 6.
and while I don't want to stress them further, i want to do the distilled water and as they are growing rapidly, perhaps carefully in time, not right now [too much change!
] get larger litter boxes.
thank you all for your comments and advice!

ETA: after reading all these opinions, I wonder if I should just go ahead and get the spay done at another place I actually know of where each would be 125. I guess I can't be satisfied, I wanted cheap, but after gizmocat's and KiteKats4eva's responses, I don't know about the 'cheaper' unknown place. The cheaper place says the kittens can't eat or drink anything after 9.m. while the other place says no food after midnight but water is fine. both have a drop off at 8 a.m. I guess that is something to think about this weekend and make a decision from there. regardless they would get it done sooner not later than feb 6.
 

jenny82

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Originally Posted by pearce1974

thanks for all the advice. I peruse this site, cat channel and cats at about.com. so far everything is fine, I think I made the fresh step kitty litter too deep. considering how many changes I have made, although in their best interest, I am glad I have not made their stress level explode. the lady I got them from said they were 10 weeks on 11/8 [although vet put them at 8 weeks on 11/16] she gave them frontline, so on 12/21 I continued with that, and will purchase more this weekend. in the beginning she had them on purina kitten chow dry, so did I, then I tried wellness kitten canned and regular and now they both won't eat it. I tried meow mix kitten formula which they loved, until I read about how poor the quality was. I tried natural balance but it seemed too rich [to me, after reading others' similar opinions]. I tried pet guard canned, nutro canned and nutro pouches for kittens, all a no-go now. the friskies was short lived and after reading your posts, rightly so. so no pouches or canned. they love the meow mix deli/market selects cups and pouches, and right now I see no problem with the fish so they win.
so right now:
nutro dry for kittens, meow mix market selects, front line, fresh step, spaying set for feb. 6.
and while I don't want to stress them further, i want to do the distilled water and as they are growing rapidly, perhaps carefully in time, not right now [too much change!
] get larger litter boxes.
thank you all for your comments and advice!
It sounds like you are doing a great job!
 

emmylou

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I think that if you look around you will find a place to get an inexpensive spay or neuter. Many public animal shelters do offer inexpensive spay/neuter programs for people's existing pets. In my area there is a low-cost spay/neuter van that is available to people who show that they are low income. Research the options and I'm sure you'll find something.
 

ryanjay

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I have had about 25 cats spayed neutered ata low cost clinic...when i first went there it was 45 for neuters its now 80 and 100 for spays but they look so good and bounce back fast so hes doing a good job. the cats get dropped at 7-9 and its no food after 6 no water after 11(having many cats i just crate the ones going in to be done) I have seen issues with the shelter vet with alot of infectuions(this is just one shelter-i know the others around me arent bad) spaying varies but where i go you get the spay, rabies and a 3 in one shot. that comes to 91 and then its 9 if you want dissovable stitches(whch i get as I don't take them back for boosters) if you want to get a fecal done its 15 and 5 or so for the dewormer(i do my own dewormings so never have them tested. if they end up with a infection you call and get antibiotics(never had to call but guess thats 15 or so. i have 23 cats right now and over years have heard the good/bad food-mine have been eating science diet mainly for the fact its not a to pricey brand and they ALL eat it. with only two im sure you could move around with the food alot easier. anything in the suppermarket id avoid(friskies, purina, whiskas, store brands) some cats just dont like wet all that much and are fine on all dry.
 

carolpetunia

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One cautionary note: there are different spaying techniques, different anesthetics, different painkillers... and some are safer than others. Please be sure the vet you choose understands that you don't want to save money at the expense of greater risk for your kitties. Good luck!
 
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