How to care for a found cat?

[elle_71125]

@elle_71125 and @PintoBean
I've been reading reviews since I may get one for myself as a christmas gift too. I was wonder how the odor control is since I have the litter box in my bathroom since I live in an apartment (so no basement). This may not fit in my bathroom in which case it'd most likely go in my bedroom so if it's sort of smelly I might stick with my current situation (at least until I acquire a basement).

Mine has always lived in the basement so I can’t speak to how it smells in confined spaces but my basement actually smells a LOT better. We used to have two open litter boxes and you could tell I had cats as soon as you opened the basement door (yuck). This one really helps control the odors. It has the bottom compartment that holds all the “stuff” and there’s a carbon filter in there that helps with odor. However, when you open that compartment to change the bag..... That smells intense! Then you close it and it’s all gone again.

If you do decide to go for it, I have a couple money saving tips:

- You can buy carbon filters in a sheet form. Then just cut to size

- You don’t have to buy the special bags. I read a lot of reviews and bought these office trash bags off amazon. They are cheap and fit perfectly. You just roll down the edges a few times before tucking it into place.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B..._b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1&pldnSite=1
.

 

[Matata]

I was wonder how the odor control is since I have the litter box in my bathroom since I live in an apartment (so no basement).

I have 3 Litter Robots. The odor control doesn't begin until the unit rotates and moves the poo & pee into the drawer. Odor control for poo begins with diet -- the better quality the food, the less odor. One of the benefits of a carnivore diet -- either homemade raw or whole prey -- is that the poo is smaller in volume and nearly odorless. Not much you can do about pee smell.

The standard setting on the LItter Robot empties the globe after 7 minutes which is to ensure that the clumping litter has had enough time to do its job. You can set it for a shorter amount of time.

 

[JPie]

One of the benefits of a carnivore diet -- either homemade raw or whole prey -- is that the poo is smaller in volume and nearly odorless. Not much you can do about pee smell.

I found this to be true back when we had a cat. She was on a raw diet for a long time and her poops didn't really smell much. We had to switch her to more processed, canned food and her poops started smelling more.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Hhmm, fascinating! I don't know anything about raw diet but I"ll definitely do some reading. I have to admit I"m not great at preparing my own food, much less that of a cat, but less smelly poop is a pretty good motivator...

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Also on a related note, how can I tell if Shale's poop is TOO smelly? I'm reading articles about how bad smelling poop can be a sign of illness, food sensitives, or infection, but they are all phrased as "if your cats poop smells much worse now"... I don't know if the current smell is baseline or a change lol. They look healthy and are not loose or concerning for diarrhea.
Certainly much stinkier than the dog poop I"m used to picking up though..

 

[Matata]

Also on a related note, how can I tell if Shale's poop is TOO smelly?

If you're wrinkling your nose when he poops but still think he's cute, you're probably okay. If your eyes are watering, you're gagging and running to open a window then there's probably a problem. Your furkid is still transitioning to a new home and new food so the poop may be a bit stinkier than usual until he's fully adjusted (takes about a month). I can't remember if you plan on getting a PCR stool panel but I hope you do to rule out parasites. All of my cats have had giardia but no symptoms. One had coccidia and lost weight, but no diarrhea.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

yeah in hindsight I probably should have just pushed for the stool eval :/
He’s getting a dose of dewormer next week at his appointment for neutering. I’ll ask for a pcr at the vet appointment with penn I think. It’s just not until mid December cause it was the earliest I could get.

 

[Matata]

No need to worry unless there's a dramatic change in his health or what you find in the litter box.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I appreciate all the reassurance!
I need to stop comparing human medicine to vet medicine lol. I know if we had a kiddo come in who was found on the streets who had been missing we would be running at least 20 different tests lol.

 

[Matata]

I know if we had a kiddo come in who was found on the streets who had been missing we would be running at least 20 different tests

The difference between vet and human medicine isn't all that different. In Shale's situation, he was in good condition and it's doubtful he was out on his own for very long. That doesn't mean he wasn't exposed to something via whatever birds or rodents he may have eaten or from contact with other animals, but due to his general good condition, there's no rush for the tests. If you had other cats, it would be another story -- then I'd urge you to have every test run, some of them multiple times, while keeping him in isolation for a minimum of two weeks. Some intestinal parasites don't always show up the first time a fecal is run -- giardia is one of them. In multiple cat households, caution with a bit of paranoia on the side is best.

The last kitten I brought into the house had giardia. It didn't show up on the first fecal so I introduced him to the others after 2 wks. Then I got a call from the breeder saying that one of his siblings has diagnosed. I had to treat all 4 cats and it was a nightmare.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Haha thanks for helping me feel like an adequate cat mom!
It’s funny. If I had just adopted him from a shelter I probably wouldn’t be so paranoid cause I would have assumed they did all appropriate and necessary testing. But it’s the same vet and folk I saw when I took him to see them so I should have the same degree of confidence lol.

Yeah as much as I joke that I could afford to have worms and drop a few pounds I don’t actually want to contract worms...

 

[Matata]

Yeah as much as I joke that I could afford to have worms and drop a few pounds I don’t actually want to contract worms...

Snort...worms are a piece of cake. Giardia with its severe cramping and explosive diarrhea is a whole 'nother story. I never had it but a vet tech friend of mine did and she suffered for a couple of years.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Snort...worms are a piece of cake. Giardia with its severe cramping and explosive diarrhea is a whole 'nother story. I never had it but a vet tech friend of mine did and she suffered for a couple of years.

Oof, my mother in law is a infectious disease specialist so you better bet I'd be asking her for help should that ever happen to me.
We are the in the midst of gastro season here. Poopy kids all over the place!

 

[Matata]

We are the in the midst of gastro season here. Poopy kids all over the place!

Same here. My hubs is a pediatrician and I don't let him near me when he comes home until he's been dipped in Lysol

 

[distracts]

@elle_71125 and @Matata - do the litter robots fit larger cats? Mine are 14 lbs and a lot of "cat" stuff is just a bit too small for them. Matata are you the PSer who has bengals? I think they are often larger so if it fits your cats it would fit mine. I have googled a bit but people aren't posting the size of their cats on reviews, and I don't want to spend $500 and order it just to have to ship it back.

 

[Matata]

@distracts your cat will fit. If you order ask that the internal shield be removed. That will give more room. I was advised to do that by one of Litter Robot's techs who said the shield is unnecessary. I have no idea why they put it in there in the first place. My biggest cat fits. He's 27 lbs, 20 inches at the shoulder and 32 inches long so your cats will fit just fine.

 

[distracts]

@distracts your cat will fit. If you order ask that the internal shield be removed. That will give more room. I was advised to do that by one of Litter Robot's techs who said the shield is unnecessary. I have no idea why they put it in there in the first place. My biggest cat fits. He's 27 lbs, 20 inches at the shoulder and 32 inches long so your cats will fit just fine.

Thank you so much for this info! That makes me very relieved about ordering. I've seen one in person but my friend who has it has absurdly tiny cats that look like kittens to me even though they're adults, so I couldn't quite understand if mine would fit.

Also 27 lbs! Big boy!

 

[Matata]

You're welcome.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Haha my floors are already a mess, a few more scratches won’t make much difference at this point...
Same with the furniture. I’m not at all a nester or have any interest in home decor and as a result most of my furniture is stuff I bought on sale a decade ago...

The tall scratching post I ordered should be coming today! Will probably set it up in the living room by the window.

Thinking about a cat tree for my bedroom for when he’s up at 4am and wants to perch and watch me sleep like a weirdo. Right now he used a crate.

that's so funny
sometimes i wake up in the middle of the night and Borris is perched on the headboard looking at me - i hope with love in her heart

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I worked late shift yesterday and when I came home Shale was very insistent on attention.

This was the face I got whenever I’d stop petting him.

 

[elle_71125]

@elle_71125 and @Matata - do the litter robots fit larger cats? Mine are 14 lbs and a lot of "cat" stuff is just a bit too small for them. Matata are you the PSer who has bengals? I think they are often larger so if it fits your cats it would fit mine. I have googled a bit but people aren't posting the size of their cats on reviews, and I don't want to spend $500 and order it just to have to ship it back.

My cat is a good 17-20lbs and she's really big (the largest cat I've ever had). She fits in the box just fine.

Holy cow, @Matata . That is one big kitty!

 

[elle_71125]

He's so gorgeous.
How did you decide on his name? Did I miss that?

 

[junebug17]

I worked late shift yesterday and when I came home Shale was very insistent on attention.

This was the face I got whenever I’d stop petting him.

He's beautiful!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

He's so gorgeous.
How did you decide on his name? Did I miss that?

I named him Shale because I found him in the Shale Pit parking area at the state park haha

 

[elle_71125]

I named him Shale because I found him in the Shale Pit parking area at the state park haha

Fair enough. lol.
I like it.

 

[Matata]

This was the face I got whenever I’d stop petting him.

This is called stink-eye. You'll get it whenever he is displeased. He'll do it even when he's pleased just to keep you guessing and on your toes. Such is the fickleness of felines.

 

[distracts]

His eyes in the sun in that last pic! What a color!

 

[chrono]

I have so many silly questions:
Should i regularly bath or brush him?
Brush regularly. Bathing isn't necessary unless you have allergies or the cat gets dirty. Most will fight baths to the death unless trained from young.

Do people crate train cats? (Lol. Can you tell I’ve only had dogs?)
Some will train, some are more resistant.

Can you teach cats to come when called?
Mine have always come but I heard that some won't?

Should I get him a collar even if I chip him?
Mine is purely indoors so no collar.

 

[chrono]

No human food at all for my cat. I think because of this, he doesn't beg at the table or shows any interest in our food. He gets no grain, no starch, no vegetable, no fruit whatever you call it. Just single ingredient meat and the rest are necessary added vitamins. Pampered boy gets Dr. Elsey's canned. He doesn't need to drink any water since canned provides all the hydration he needs.

As for the litter box, my cat is so huge it was difficult to find something that fits. I bought the biggest litter box and even so, could stop the litter throwing until I bought this giant iPrimio Cat Litter Trapper EZ Clean Mat in Jumbo. It ended all the litter tracking all over the house. I clean the box twice a day and that keeps the place from smelling "strong".

I have to buy a dog bed for my cat because he's too big for cat beds.

 

[Phoenix]

He’s so needy for belly rubs