My date came over for the first time and somehow ended up judging the way I take care of my cat.

He found out how much I spent on my Petkit self-cleaning litter box and was like, “Why would you spend that much? If you have a cat, you should spend some time and just scoop the litter yourself.”

Then he saw my automatic feeder and water fountain and basically had the same reaction. “Is all this really necessary? Can’t your cat just use a bowl?”

Sometimes I’m a bit busy with work. I like having a clean litter box, scheduled meals, fresh water, and being able to check on my cat via my phone when I’m not home. And honestly, if I can make pet care easier and spend more time actually playing with her, why wouldn’t I?

He also said that if I’m too busy to do everything myself, maybe I shouldn’t have a cat in the first place.

He has not even had a pet 🤣

I ended up asking him to leave because I really didn’t appreciate being judged in my own home over how I spend my money or take care of my cat.

I know not everyone wants to use smart pet products, and that’s totally fine. But I genuinely don’t understand why some people see them as “lazy” or think you care less about your pet because you use them. Busy people can have pets too.

Any redditors with multiple that can chime in 😭😭 I really think my guy now could use a companion but I’m hesitant on how different it would be from single cat ownership (in terms of extra responsibility/care/financial cost)

Hi everyone, recently I moved back in with my parents. When I first came, I found that their small dog was infested with fleas. Not only is the dog infested, but our backyard, the living room, bathroom and my room are infested as well. I constantly vacuum my room and clean the house but we keep getting fleas. I have about 80 flea bites on my legs and when I talked to my parents about it they laugh and call me dramatic. I've read to treat the flea infestation the dog must be treated first but I'm unsure which medications are sure to work? I've tried the Ultra Guard drops and flea collar but they don't work. Can someone please give me recommendations? Also, has anyone had the same experience with their home being infested and what did you use to ensure the fleas were dead?

I feel like every pet owner eventually develops a collection of sentences that make perfect sense at home and absolutely no sense anywhere else.

Things like “stop licking the wall,” “you already had dinner,” or having a completely serious conversation about why they can’t fit into a box half their size.

Somehow, all perfectly normal sentences when you live with a pet.

So, a little backstory about me. Ive recently finished college (uk). I have both Level one and Level 2 qualifications in Animal Care.

I got into an argument with one of my friends about how I plan ahead with animals.

For example, I want rats, I cant get rats until my hamster sadly passes away and I have the space. Not that I neglect him or hope that he will die sooner, because im not a monster, my hamster is still my baby.

But I know I want rats. I know exactly which cage I need, and I know how to place it, what enrichment they need.

But them recently I thought, well why get a new cage, and found out my hamsters cage is big enough for 2 mice.

My "friend" said and I quote "You're a bad pet owner, because you always think about the next pet you're getting."

And which i responded "No, im just making sure I know what im getting myself into."

I mean, I might be in the wrong, I might be the biggest asshole alive, but by researching the next pet in advance, I know if I can handle it, I know what i need, how to care for them. Ect

I really just wanted a third opinion on this

We have had our kitten since march, and since june his behaviour has gotten continuously worse. He was recently diagnosed with asthma and has been taking medication for it. it started with just small bouts of aggression against my partner in the evenings, but has become bad enough he is drawing blood daily. we have spoken to the vet and he also has no idea why this is happening. We have tried medication, feliway, high intensity play sessions to tire him out, putting him in a calm area to calm down, walking away, pretty much anything other than spraying him with water. we are at a point that we are debating rehoming him as neither of us have felt safe for months. when he isn't attacking us he is screaming constantly, i am unable to leave the room he's in without the door getting pounded on, and he will scream at it for hours if id let him. Does anyone have any advice, or experience in anything similar. we are beginning to believe it is neurological

Cats (stray, persian, grey british long hair, seamse)
Dogs (labra, stray, husky and german mix)
Chickens
Australian parrots
Ringneck parakeet
Owlet
Red ear slider turtle
Black spotted pond turtle
African tortoise
Fishes (many different kinds)

Hey everyone, I'm looking for recommendations for good vet apps with notes to learn basic to somewhat advanced topics for future reference. I live somewhere where veterinary healthcare is not very good, especially for indie breeds, and I feel like vets are only in it for the money. I feed stray cats that come to my house, but I can never adopt or keep them indoors because my family suffers from wheezing and other complications. So, the most I can do is feed them outside and take them to the vet when they are sick. There are more than 20 cats in our area, thanks to our neighbour who doesn't neuter his cats. I want to learn veterinary science to detect health issues in these cats early so they have a better chance at life. I would also like to learn about other animals as well and mentioned cats in particular because they are the majority here and I rarely see dogs or other animals in my area. I'm only learning this to detect health issues and not to cure the animals by myself! On noticing something off I will be taking them to the vet. I just need the knowledge to identify if they are sick.

P.s: would be great if the app has a feature to detect something wrong from the symptoms or something similar to that. Idk what I'm talking about honestly.

P.s2: I had tried contacting a few rescue organisations for help, but their hands were already full. I was away from home for 4 years cause of college and my dad (who does not have breathing issues) fed the cats in my place.

We have an almost 17yo tabby with some recent issues that are driving us and her a bit nuts. Looking for similar stories and/or advice. Sorry it is long. Most questions at the bottom.

Diagnosed with hypothyroidism maybe 2 years ago now. Is on felimazole twice a day and managing all fine with that.

3 weeks ago, got in a cat fight. She usually only goes out for a wee, comes back in, or finds a spot in the garden to sit in the sun. Havent seen any other cats around for a long time and no recent change in home owners recently so no idea where this cat has come from. Anyway, she had multiple bite wounds and was obviously very sore so taken to the vet that day and given pain meds and antibiotics. Was told could still develop an abscess, if she does, come back for draining.

Of course one bite swelled up, and she also started peeing all around the house but also still in the litter boxes. It also flared up her old cat flu virus in that she started sneezing a lot and had sores on her nose. Back we go, told no draining needed, the cat flu symptoms and wee are likely symptoms of stress. Given a longer course of antis for likely uti, they couldnt get a proper culture but there was blood in the urine test. Told these antis work for all these issues. Also given meloxicam to help.

Those antis finish, she seem pretty back to normal, the next day, insee spots of blood all over the floor. Came to find her straining to wee and only a drop of bloody urine coming out. This went on eveey minute for a couple of hours until we could get back into the vet. Of course of the way there, she finally pees in the carrier 🤦‍♀️ we get in, they test her nose scabs, nothing there. While doing that, she peed on the floor. They were able to test that, nothing bacterial but blood present. They determine likely not uti, might be cystitis, treat for that if no improvement, might be a bladder stone.

Well weve treated now for 5 days, the next day she did the straining episode again for an hour or so then back to normal for a day and a half, then yesterday did it again, then normal, then again today. She is also just peeing EVERYWHERE, she will wander over to us and then even wee right in front of us. Our bedrooms are carpeted and this seems to be her target areas of choice. We are so sick of cleaning up pee carpet! We have confined her to the bathroom for now.

Vet says, next step will be an xray, but this does require sedation. Shes old and the thyroid issue makes this risky.

If they did find a stone, what is the likely outcome for her? How risky is the sedation really for her? If there is no stone and it is cystitis, how can we best manage this? Nothing else in our has changed so we arent sure why she would be so stressed. Is this cruel for a cat of this age? Should we more be looking at her quality of life as she has been on the thyroid meds for about 2 years? Im so worried about her and dont want to prolong suffering if thats what shes potentially looking at going through?

Okay, I need some cat owners to help me out here. Comment on this so I can show my grandma your responses and hopefully convince her that getting another cat might actually be good for our current one lol. But genuinely, if you think another cat is a bad idea, tell me that too.
The cat in the picture is Shiloh. She’s a tuxedo, and I adopted her when she was basically exactly one year old. At the shelter she had a couple brothers and sisters, and when I adopted her, two of them were actually in the cage with her. I don’t really know what her life was like before that.
When I first met her, she was terrified, which is honestly part of the reason I chose her. I’d seen cats at cat cafés and shelters that seemed super outgoing and happy, but Shiloh seemed like she genuinely needed someone to give her a home.
For probably the first week after I brought her home, she barely came out of her box. She wouldn’t explore the house and was scared of basically everyone. She would let me pet her, but not really anyone else. Despite being terrified, she was never aggressive. She didn’t bite people or really even hiss.
Fast-forward to now and she’s basically a completely different cat. 😂 She walks around the entire house confidently, but she also went from being one of the quietest cats imaginable to meowing CONSTANTLY.
If she’s hungry? Meow meow meow.
If she wants attention? Meow meow meow.
If she wants to play? Meow meow meow.
When I wake up? She’s there meowing.
When I come home? She’s there meowing.
And she has a TON of energy. I play with her using a wand toy and actually make her run pretty hard. I give her multiple little play sessions throughout the day, but it never seems to completely satisfy her. She also constantly attacks people’s feet/ankles—not viciously or anything; it seems completely playful.
I’ve tried giving her toys she can use by herself. I bought one of those three-level toys where the little balls spin around the tracks when they hit them. She couldn’t care less about it. 😂 She seems to specifically want interactive play—chasing, fighting, running, stalking, etc.
So I’m starting to wonder if she’s just bored and would benefit from having another young, playful cat around, especially considering she lived with her siblings before I adopted her.
We also have a dog. Shiloh and the dog are fine together, but they don’t really have a relationship. The dog will sniff her, Shiloh eventually runs away, and that’s basically the extent of their friendship lol.
My main hesitation isn’t really money. It’s the workload. I’m not trying to sound lazy, but I’m a college student and I work a little bit too, so I’m not always home and I’m not always thinking about entertaining my cat. Obviously two cats also means more food, more litter, more vet expenses, etc.
I live with my grandparents, and they both act like they absolutely do NOT want another cat. 😂 It’s always “No, no, no, we’re not getting another one.” But I swear deep down I think they both kind of want one. They enjoy having Shiloh around and having something to take care of/do around the house, even if they won’t admit it.
Also, Shiloh is fully spayed and vaccinated, so there wouldn’t be any possibility of kittens or anything like that. Obviously I’d make sure any second cat was also properly vaccinated and spayed/neutered.
But that’s also what I’m curious about: Can two compatible cats actually be easier in some ways than having one? If Shiloh had another cat to chase, wrestle, play and hang out with while nobody is home, would that potentially make her happier and less dependent on us for constant stimulation?
I’ve also considered fostering/foster-to-adopt first so we’re not just throwing two random cats together and hoping they like each other.
So, experienced cat owners: Does Shiloh sound like a cat who would benefit from a feline friend? Would you get a second cat in this situation? And is owning two cats significantly more work than owning one?
Please give me some ammunition to show my grandma 😂 — but don’t just agree with me. If getting another cat sounds like a bad idea, tell me why.

Editing for clarity: Automatic Feeder with a Timer

We’ve got a smallish rattie (possibly maybe a chihuahua mix, he’s adopted) who’s going on 15 years old. He has developed a very sensitive stomach, so he needs six small meals (rather than one normal sized meal), twice a day. Today it occurred to me that an automatic feeder might be helpful. Does anyone know of a good feeder with custom meal sizes that can be very small, and timed 15-20 minutes apart? (We are talking a couple of tablespoons at a time.) This info doesn’t seem to be in Amazon listings, so I thought I’d ask the crowd …

The pet is specifically called triops (tadpole shrimp)

(which im not sure if I classify it as a crawlie or a fish) I haven't started hatching them yet and the instructions that came with covered the basics and I have food for them I just would like some advice that not might be obvious

1st UPDATE: The OCD/concern got to me, so I called my mom. She states the dogs were out “much more than I remembered“ and revealed that the reason she would sleep downstairs sometimes, away from my dad, was so that the dogs could sleep free roam without fear of peeing somewhere. Yes, there were absolutely nights where they slept closed crate though. She also reminded me I did too later in my life.

My parents rescued some dogs from my abusive uncle who would hit and underfeed them.

They were older dogs, small.

Unfortunately, because they peed in the floor often despite the attempts to train, they would keep them in cages for a good sum of the day. Large cages, but cages nonetheless.

They would get outside time 30 minute to an hour sessions during the spring/summer/fall as well as of course being let outside to use the bathroom. My dad would try to walk them, but one didn’t like walks at all and would refuse them.

They got fed well, my parents corrected that mistake my horrid uncle made.

But also I didn’t let them out of the crate near enough as I should’ve, being fully 23 myself. I moved away and that was the last control I had over it.

They were in the crate for hours a day during work and at night.

They passed away peacefully last year, different causes. Got buried with an engraved stone, so they cared that much.

But I feel like the crate time they got was too much and I regret not doing more.

My dad was rather mean to the dogs sometimes though, lunging and holding his hand up, yelling. I called him on it, as did my mom, but I was 23 and had agency. People on Reddit told me I was complicit for not rehoming them behind their backs.

This would mean I’m also an abuser who shouldn't have animals and the dog I loved was my victim.

TLDR: my family kept the dogs in the crate too much and I didn’t do much to stop it

Hi everyone! I’m relocating from Australia to Canada and want to bring my cat with me.

Just wondering if anyone has ever done that. I’ve got a small list of pet relocation companies below.

Could you please have a look and let me know of your experience with them? Thank you!
- pet traveller
- departure pets
- petflyer

If you used another company, please share! We would greatly appreciate any help, as we want to make sure our baby will be well taken care of.

My roommate adopted a cat 5 days ago. I don't have a cat because I'm a bit allergic to cats, though I find them cute, I'm not gravitated towards wanting to touch one due to this allergy. Since day 1 the cat pooped and peed on the roommate's clothes and beddings, he decided to keep the cat in the living room instead.

Somehow I think the cat chose me as a person. It's new to the place so still scared and skittish, and always hides on top of fridge or under the couch in the living room. But whenever I come outside of my room, he will come to me. He also only eats when I'm around 😭 He follows me 24/7 if I'm in the living room and keeps headbutting me for attention and endless pats and scratches. He also sleeps next to me when I sit in the couch. I always feel responsible to pat and scratch the cats when they behave like this and it's not doing my allergy well. But outside of me, he doesn't have anyone to play with.

My roommate works 9-5, I'm a college student. I feel bad for him because whenever he comes outside, the cat runs away, and even hisses at him. My roommate feeds the cat and gives treats, and also take care of litter box. I don't because I don't want the cat to get attached to me any further.

How do I make the cat likes me less and like my roommate more? 😭 I can't be spending hours on the couch everytime to watch him snuggle and sleep safely next to me plus pats pats because I'm quite busy too. I feel so bad for my roommate, like hes doing all the work but the cat just chose me instead

Hi! I’m considering getting a new couch next year. I have a pittie so I need something that would be durable. I’m hoping to pay no more than $2000 USD. Any recs would be appreciated! TIA

I recently adopted 2 cats and have been interested in registering them as ESA's - not to be the asshole who brings animals everywhere with them in public, but to save on pet rent (why do my cats need to pay rent?). Anyway, I have been diagnosed with general anxiety and am currently on medication for it, so I figured getting a note from a therapist shouldn't be too difficult.

Has anyone had any experience with this, and if so how was the process? Did it work out for you or did it cause problems with your landlord? I'm already on a 12 month lease, and according to my state laws/my lease agreement, ESAs are free of charge.

I figured it would be an easy way to save almost $100 per month. Let me know if it's worth it or a bad idea

Recently the vets saved my dogs life and although the odds were completely stacked against her she survived. I want to send a thank you card, and include pictures printed onto it. Would it be weird to include several pictures of our family with the dog? I want to show them they didnt just save a dog, but our adored family member? Or should I just keep it to pictures of the dog?

Hi there, my name is Ash, um, this is my first time on this sub-reddit, and I saw a similar story that was posted two years ago, but mine's a little bit different. For some background, I'm not quite an adult, so I have a little bit of time, however, I wanted someone's advice other than Google, which was helpful, but I need some real person expertise lol😂😅. I live with my mom, younger brother, and my mom's boyfriend and his family, and then we have 3 dogs and a cat. I am hoping to move out next year and move in with my bestfriend (A) after we graduate next year. However, recently, my dog (P), (which, long story short, he's not technically *my* dog, however I'm the only one who really takes care of him, so he is *my* dog) has been terrified of my mom's boyfriend, we don't know why. He hasn't been until recently, the boyfriend said he did nothing to scare him, so we're kind of stumped. Anywho, I've been told I'm going to have to take P with me because there is no one else who can take care of him other than me and the boyfriend (which he can't right now for obvious reasons). The problem is, is that a year after we're moving in together, A's girlfriend (R) is supposed to move in with us (which, no problems there, love her to pieces, she's one of the sweetest humans on Earth), however she has a bunny that we'll call C... now, as I've said before, we have a cat, and P and him get along fine, they have a very playful friendship (that is very one-sided, P loves playing with the cat, but kitty does not like him as much and swats him all the time), in which, I know it is not the same thing, since cats can at least somewhat defend themselves and bunnies cannot. However, I plan to train P to be able to be around C, I just need some help on how to get there. Do you think it is possible? P is like 2 I think, and he is still very puppy-like, so I was hoping that was kind of a good thing, since that would mean I could still train him. Please give me your advice and opinions, I really want to make this work!

I already have 3 different kinds of praying mantis in their own enclosures, as well as a damon medius. Is there anything that could comfortably live in that size tank? The measurements are in cm. And are Length, Width, Height

Hi everyone, first time posting here and I desperately need help because I am at my wit's end.

My dog is suspected 12-14(rescue, not sure on age), and developed a wound on the side of her right knee. It began as a bug bite that she picked at and has gotten worse from there. The wound was healing and I'd say 50% of the wound has healed. The inner section has been a battle. She was picking at it constantly so we began to use a cone while we weren't home. It worked for a while until we noticed she tore off the scab while we were home and not paying attention, so for thr last week and a half the cone has been on. Again, it began to heal...until she laid on our cold floor and it got stuck and tore off the scab.

The last week has been a routine of my partner and I attempting different bandaging techniques to try and cover the spot to allow the scab to actually heal over and nothing has worked. We tried using Telfa and gauze wrapping to go around her torso and around the leg like we've seen online, and it slides right off the minute she moves. We've cut up 4 pairs of socks trying to make a foot wrap that ties around her waist, did not work. We are also using derma gel to keep the area moist and keep it clean, and we always clean the area with normal saline snd gauze after it opens to prevent infection, because at this point I'm worried about the wound getting infected.

Today we got a leg sleeve that seemed promising after it tore open and scabbed. It attached around the torso along the body to the neck. We were out of Telfa so we slipped it on with derma gel and I figured I would get more telfa tonight (I work in a unit stocked with first aid items). We took a nap and when I woke up it looked like our dog had been in a fight. She was able to pull the sleeve off, it must have begun to bleed as she worked at it and she was dragging a blood-soaked sleeve behind her as she walked. The wound had stopped bleeding and has begun to scab over again by that time. We put the cone back on, put her in our spare room with towels on the ground, water and a few toys to give us a few minutes break.

The vet is closed, we cannot afford to go to an emergency vet and honestly I don't know what they can/will do besides clean the wound, give us an ointment to prevent infection and attempt to wrap it with minimal success (I've heard and read enough stories about people constantly going to the vet to fix bandages around this area because it's so tricky).

What do we do??? I'm frustrated and terrified that it won't get better. She's an old dog and she deserves to have the best golden years. She's so sweet and she's never had anything like this before. How do we get this wound to scab and STAY stabbed long enough to heal???

TLDR: How to keep a bandage on a dog's knee long enough to scab and heal?

My cat is 18, pretty sure she suffered a stroke this morning and she can’t really walk right. She’s gotten better in the past few hours, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to make the call. I know it’s best to visit the vet, but it’s Sunday and to even make it worse, tomorrow is Labor Day, how unlucky is that. I can continue to monitor her for a while but I’m just preparing myself when that call needs to be made. I will try to visit the vet right when they open.

Anybody had anything similar that they can advised me on?

Hello, we found fleas on our four cats about a week ago. I isolated my cat into my room and have been vacuuming my room every day/ combing him with a flea comb. After an initial flea bath and advantage 2 I’ve still been finding live fleas on him. Not a lot, like 2-5 every time I comb him. My roommates cats have also been given the topical and given a flea bath. We have also been vacuuming the house everyday. Do I just keep doing what I’m doing or is there something else I should be doing for him? I also gave him a capstar yesterday but it didn’t seem to do anything. Thank you for any advice.