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- Nov 8, 2015
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Hi there, I was looking to clarify some things about animal care as I am concerned but unsure if someone I flat with is neglecting their cat. I looked up online but feel I couldn't clearly determine this and was looking for advice. My flatmate has a kitten that is 8 months old and free feeds premium cat food from the vet and generally has full clean drinking water - however occasionally I come home and see that the food bowl has been empty for several hours, and once or twice I have seen the water bowl empty for 3-5 hours also.
The litter tray often goes several days without being emptied full of poo, and after an injury to his tail following a brawl with local strays the kitten has been inside the last month to avoid further injury while awaiting surgery to amputate the tip of his tail (a bite severed a crucial nerve and while there is hope some of the tail may regain function some of it will definitely not recover).
I am worried as during this time kept inside he seems desperate to go outside and lonely as he incredibly affectionate and clingy, though she plays with him with fairly active exercise/toys and actively gives him company and massages for some hours several times a day, he also spends much of each day alone. He has also had fairly common accidents pooping/peeing around the house in repeated areas (3-4 times a week) which the vet says may be behavioural due to being unhappy kept inside for long, and having less stimulation and attention than he was used to, although she is trying her best and about to integrate a cat pheromone the vet recommended that apparently calms cats that are lonely and having behavioural poo problems.
I’ve caught him drinking out of the toilet bowls a few times which really concerns me, I know he seems curious and generally has access to clean water but I don’t think that is normal behaviour for cats. He has also vomited several times around the house, and I don’t know if that has got to do with the toilet or sometimes getting into human food when he has a sensitive stomach.
My flatmate loves her cat and says she is trying her best, but though the vet has said the cat is very healthy I am very concerned he may have an neglectful environment that is harming him. Please help clarify on whether this constitutes neglect, as I am quite worried and unsure whether to pursue action to get SPCA to take him away.
Many thanks,
Felicity (Flick)
The litter tray often goes several days without being emptied full of poo, and after an injury to his tail following a brawl with local strays the kitten has been inside the last month to avoid further injury while awaiting surgery to amputate the tip of his tail (a bite severed a crucial nerve and while there is hope some of the tail may regain function some of it will definitely not recover).
I am worried as during this time kept inside he seems desperate to go outside and lonely as he incredibly affectionate and clingy, though she plays with him with fairly active exercise/toys and actively gives him company and massages for some hours several times a day, he also spends much of each day alone. He has also had fairly common accidents pooping/peeing around the house in repeated areas (3-4 times a week) which the vet says may be behavioural due to being unhappy kept inside for long, and having less stimulation and attention than he was used to, although she is trying her best and about to integrate a cat pheromone the vet recommended that apparently calms cats that are lonely and having behavioural poo problems.
I’ve caught him drinking out of the toilet bowls a few times which really concerns me, I know he seems curious and generally has access to clean water but I don’t think that is normal behaviour for cats. He has also vomited several times around the house, and I don’t know if that has got to do with the toilet or sometimes getting into human food when he has a sensitive stomach.
My flatmate loves her cat and says she is trying her best, but though the vet has said the cat is very healthy I am very concerned he may have an neglectful environment that is harming him. Please help clarify on whether this constitutes neglect, as I am quite worried and unsure whether to pursue action to get SPCA to take him away.
Many thanks,
Felicity (Flick)