Case (
case) wrote in
fandomsecrets2020-05-11 06:44 pm
[ SECRET POST #4875 ]
⌈ Secret Post #4875 ⌋
Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.
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Re: Future Cat Haver
(Anonymous) 2020-05-12 12:27 am (UTC)(link)Also, if the cat ends up hating the harness, I have also mentioned above that we will be getting a collar in addition to the chip - would clipping the lead to the collar work if necessary, or would that only lead to distrust?
Thank you again for the advice - and everyone, while I'm at it! If i don't respond to subsequent comments on this til later, I've probably passed out for the night C:
Re: Future Cat Haver
(Anonymous) 2020-05-12 12:33 am (UTC)(link)Maybe you can try a cheap one and some boxes (the cats-in-boxes-thing is just as hilarious as the internet makes you think!).
Re: Future Cat Haver
(Anonymous) 2020-05-12 12:39 am (UTC)(link)i'm not the best to ask for this one i'm afraid, i tried the harness a few times and my boy hated it every time so i gave up rather than stress him out.
i can imagine though that a harness for a cat is similar to why small-dogs usually have harnesses to walk with, it's gentler on their bodies to stop them if they run off than tugging harshly on their necks, as they're more delicate than medium to large dogs. but i also don't know to well on that so i'll let someone with more experience chime in there.
i wish you the best anon!
Re: Future Cat Haver
(Anonymous) 2020-05-12 12:54 am (UTC)(link)Don't clip the lead to the collar. Any collar you have on your cat should be a breakaway collar - cats will get into the weirdest goddamn places, which means they get their collars caught on the weirdest goddamn things, so having a collar designed to come undone under moderate stress is the best way to keep your cat from hurting itself while exploring.
If the cat initially hates the harness, try it a few more times, with treat rewards at the intervals you notice as stress points, to see if it acclimates. Cats take a while to get used to new things. If it doesn't, then it won't be a cat you can walk - which is fine, not all cats are - and you'll need to set up an enclosed cat run if you want it to be able to get some outdoor time.
Re: Future Cat Haver
If you put the harness on early and often, with a little treat and lots of whatever kitty likes best, then it being used to it will come easy, and if you do walking with a leash indoors first, then that will make transitioning to outside easier.
If the cat *hate hate hates* the harness, then - you're done. You can't force it, and it doesn't *need* to go outside. Open screened windows or a screened porch are just fine, too.
Now, I take all our cats outside, no collars or harnesses, and let them 'get their paws dirty' in our back yard. They mostly eat grass (so they can puke it up as soon as they get back in) and roll around on the warm concrete. Two of them go right inside when I tell them. One will either flatten himself in the grass in an attempt to hide/make himself too heavy to pick up, or he'll go under the porch stairs *right* in the middle where you can't reach him, and then scoot the inch away when you try. That's a two-person issue, heh.
They are *never* outside without me and/or my daughter being out there, they are *never* unsupervised. I don't take them out when someone is mowing nearby, or if i just saw a random stray in the yard, or if the neighbor is out ranting, because that freaks them out.
BUT - this is my cats, what they're used to, and something we've done for years. You'll have to figure out what your cat likes, will do, can deal with, etc., but outside is exciting and overwhelming so that is something that can wait a while and should never be done in a rush or when you're distracted.
Also - one litter box per cat plus one extra, so ideally you need two litter boxes, put a few feet away from each other, and *nowhere* near food or water.
I have three cats so two food bowls (they don't like to share), and three water bowls, one in here with me, two far apart in the kitchen. They mostly seem to drink from my water glass, the jerks.
Stainless steel bowls are best, as plastic gets greasy and cats can get 'feline acne' on their chins from rubbing in all the grease. I have one cat that will eat anything she can get, another that will nibble at things, and a third who recoils in horror from anything that isn't dry kibble.
My older cat likes wet food (nothing with fish), but only eats like a quarter of a tiny can, and about half the time will throw that up. My other cat loves the wet stuff, but still only eats a tiny bit. You'll have to see what kitty like and doesn't like and yes - good cat food is expensive.
But but buying the good stuff, they'll poop less, eat less, and be much healthier. They're obligate carnivores, so they don't need veggies or grain, and can't process it, anyway.
If you're away a lot/the house is empty a lot, think about two cats, as they will entertain each other and keep each other company. Two cats discovering a new house is just as easy as one, and easier in the long run if you decide you want more.
Good luck - have fun!
Re: Future Cat Haver
She doesn't mind the collar, though. We've found one that she's fine with. Doesn't mind the bell either.