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Barb, I hope Sherlock is eating. I had a cat that had to have an IV every evening. What a chore - she was not a cooperative patient.
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Ff, thanks for the good thoughts. We are syringe feeding Sherlock the special renal food for now. Back in Juy, we went on vacation for weeks and Sherlock stopped eating his regular wet food. And he just never went back to it. I am leaving all kinds of food out for him but he doesn't seem to be tempted by anything.

He's a rescue and has always been underweight (pretty clearly the runt of a feral litter). Hoping for the best.

We are leaving in 3 weeks time for an extended trip, so he will board at the vet and perhaps they will be able to do better than I.
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Barb, here hoping Sherlock will start feeling better.

A few years ago, my cat Charlie needed to have syringe water feeding. Whew, I was so glad he cooperated, except for the times when he decides he's had enough and starts to walk away, out comes the syringe with water spraying everywhere :P I think cats know when something we do is helping them.

Does Sherlock eat the special food? Charlie refused it, so the Vet said let him eat wet food whatever he likes, better than not eating at all.
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Ah, Ali, real estate is always hard! But it sounds like you've toughened up! Good for you. Too manyvof us want to be "nice" and "just get along". Sometimes spine is what's called for in these situations.

Shelock seems better tonight. He isn't fighting the syringe feeding (and I've watched a couple of YouTube videos that have helped.
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Barb my thoughts and prayers are with you again,, good luck!
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Ah Barb, so sorry. Sounds like you're again trying your very best for your kitty. I hope he's feeling alright.

Send, I just now saw your post from a month ago! It's unfortunate about the terrible cat I let in here. I knew better in my gut but I had a discussion with the owner and she seemed to understand she had to remove her if things didn't go well. Well, they moved out, so it's done. But I need to stand up for myself. It's tough for me, and just easier to ignore things and grit my teeth through it.

It was a surprise that this situation was bad, considering my previous experience with the previous roomie who was reference. It ended up that BOTH of them lived here due to their circumstances... and I didn't agree to double occupancy but again, I let it slide. Believe me, I'm thinking a lot about these things I let go on and how to remedy.

I have a great new roommate, and the new policy is -- No other pets will be considered, and multiple reference checks and background checks before anyone moves in. I've found if I sublet to students or recent grads, they are busy and productive in their own lives and are solid roomies. There are plenty of women who fit that description where I live who are looking for convenient housing. These have been learning experiences, for sure. But I have been disappointed with myself that I cannot be polite-but-assertive about enforcing boundaries.
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Pam Z - no fun

Barb - so sorry about Sherlock. Sounds like you are doing all that can be done for him.
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Yes, we are doing subcutaneous fluids. It's actually the easiest part.
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So sorry Barb. Is Sherlock getting subcutaneous fluids at all?

My thoughts are with you.
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Barb, I'm so sorry to learn about Sherlock (but I do like that name!).    I really hope that the regimen he's on now helps him.  Are there any other treatments for renal failure?
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Aaaaand, I have yet another very ill cat.

8 year old Sherlock is in renal failure. On a renal diet, getting potassium, anti-nausea pills and getting syringe fed twice a day.
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Today I was walking my puppers Chloe, and she loves to roll in the grass hubs has just cut. Smells great,, no problems. Except... today she rolled in a dead snake,, very dead.. very smelly... Washing was involved... We are babysitting DDs chihuahua,, who had more sense!
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Ali,
These roommate issues bring some strange reactions!
First, the addict roommate says something like: "I'm not moving, this is my apt. now."
Then the new roommate (who agrees to 'rehome' her cat if it doesn't work out), brings up that her cat is her support animal. Is that an implied legal defense or something? But she (like the other room mate, has given notice.).
Instead of rehoming the cat and staying.

I am just here to support you that they are very strange, it's not you! Don't even stop to doubt your sanity. It appears you are being used.

As for the empty front bedroom, put a lock on it and keep the door closed, imo.
You did not rent out that room to her or her cat. No need to grant access by default.

You say there was a written agreement about the cat? Well, boundaries would dictate that the cat must go now (preferably to a family member that can care for the cat until roommate moves out). It is amazing to me that roommate gets to keep her cat there just because she herself gave notice that she is moving?
Why, how is this even a consideration?
The cat has no legal standing, no rights in court to avoid eviction. Can you be tough about it? Ask animal control to weigh in, maybe they will come and get the cat?

Guess I would be talking to 'the good roommate' who referred this tenant to you.

Sorry that your space has been invaded again. And, they keep selling you a whole lot of B.S. to delay leaving.
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Cat is now working on it's 2:9 life. Yipes.
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That poor kitty must have been terrified, I hope the guy at the end of the video packed some polysporin 🐈🐾
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Has everyone seen this poor kitty? Amazing the cat is ok.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pwgkgkDW6Dw
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I was working on homework late into the night tonight in my bedroom and thought no one else was at home. I hear what I think is my cat Lilah screaming, yowling, clearly distressed and fighting with something in the other room. I run out panicked to see what's going on. The other roommate's cat had been let out and was being aggressive to Lilah. Roommate had just come home, just let her out, and says "they're just screaming at each other." I watched the cameras and see that it's not "them screaming at each other." Her cat consistently goes after mine, and mine tries to run away. Lilah is a very shy, timid cat, and now she's hiding away more than usual because of this other cat. And I started finding cat poo in the empty front bedroom, so either the new cat is being put in there without proper litter access or Lilah has new behavioral problems because she's never gone outside the box in the 4 years I've had her. Either way, this is a problem. Roommate is aware of my dislike about the situation. I said in her lease if the cats didn't adjust she would need to re-home hers... but roommate has already given notice and I won't say anything more since she's moving out. It's just annoying me and I'm mad at myself for not being able to enforce stricter boundaries with this issue. The new cat is a friggin menace, it's mean, it scares me much less my timid cat. And how the heck it's my roommate's "support animal" I will never understand. It's a little demon. lol
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Ali, that’s the thing with my cats was I didn’t want to put them in a bedroom for hours a day. It takes a long time to acclimate pets to each other and sometimes it never works. Our dog has had a cat around him since we got him at 9-10 weeks old. He plays very well with my 2 cats. DD’s dog has never been exposed. We have to be careful with our fur babies and other pets.

yes, Glad, I’m concerned he may go after the cats and the boys will try to stop him, then they get bit/hurt. I’d feel really bad if something happened to them as well.
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Thank you everyone for your thoughts about my daughters dog staying with us. We decided my hubs will go to our daughters house and feed, water him and let him out to run around the backyard for a while twice a day.
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Thanks for some tips about my cat situation. This new cat is really only a kitten of about 8-10 months, and since she hasn't been spayed, she goes into heat every 2-3 weeks. So that's part of why she gets all riled up and I can work with that for right now. New roommie isn't staying long so it's only a couple more weeks and she'll be moved out again. Nova the new cat is just a wild one, anyway, but when she's in heat, she cries constantly and wants butt rubs from everyone. All of Divo's bedding was washed and now Nova uses it on the sofa. I wonder if there is any scent left of him, I wouldn't think so.

The spray bottle idea is easy enough and I can use if needed.
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Tweety-bird became very friendly, looking down at me from his high up perch.
Then he flies to the bed, walks around. This was fun, said me, thinking we are bonding. He flew over when I called him (a new behavior!) He ate spinach from my hand. He started spending more time sleeping on the computer.
He nibbled on my toes just as I was waking from a nap. So cute!

Then he bites my toe! Then he is holding on, it hurt! He is hormonal, thinking now that I am his mate, not his mom. The solution found on the internet is to distract him with a toy. To make sure he gets more sleep, undisturbed.

The idea to get him a bird companion is just not feasible. But he could be lonely, hormonal, and jealous. I have asked dH to spend more time talking to him, and taken away the mirrors, decreased the bird videos and added parental controls to the ones he watches.

Hoping this will pass and he will be okay.
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Ali - some people I follow on a different forum have mentioned using synthetic pheromones to help their cats be less aggressive

https://www.feliway.com/us
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Sharyn,
The dog is misbehaving. Board it, in my opinion. Protect your own pets first.

Ali,
Carry a spray bottle of water or keep it nearby (Ali-when the new cat is aggressive). This may help, but I am sure watching a few cat whisperer videos
will help both you, and your roommate to be on the same page.

When there was a cat who passed recently, the new cat is going to be wondering, and looking for that missing cat smell. Let alone the existence of a real cat. Replace all the bedding (including the new cat's) with new.
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Sharon, especially with the boys! If they were in the wrong place at the wrong time they could easily be hurt badly. Dd has to find a kennel or another friend to take the dog. That is one of the things that always concerned me with living too close to my kids. Always calling mom for help when there were other options. Just easier and much cheaper for mom to do it. I was a convenience with DD1 and her two. I think me caring for mom that four years impacted our relationship because I was not as available as I had been before.😕
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Sharyn, I'm dealing with a situation in my apartment right now where I should have trusted my instincts and not let a new roommate with a cat move in after I saw how it behaved with my cat. I figured I could handle a couple weeks of adjusting but nothing's changed or calmed down, the other cat still hisses, lunges, and acts aggressive and wild, and my cat resorts to hiding away most of the time now.

What happened when your DD brought the dog over is what's going to happen if he's left there for a few days. You were good to try but it's better to have the dog go to boarding and spare you and your cats the stress.
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Thank you Glad. We will also have the boys during this time as well. I think it’s too much for me to handle since the cats are fast and can sneak out through the bedroom door before I shut it. Thank you, I agree.
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Hi Sharyn, DD's dog will be fine being boarded. You. made the right decision. It would be too difficult to say nothing of STRESSFUL trying to keep the pets apart.

I don't blame you one bit. It would take days if not weeks for the pets to adjust. By then daughter will be back.
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Just a question for all you cat and dog people.

my daughter and sil will be going out of state for a few days for a family wedding. My daughter wants us to care for her dog (a golden retriever and the brother to our dog).

the problem is my daughters dog is not acclimated to cats. She brought him over tonight again. My cats do not like her dog. They are very scared of him. I went to the windowsill my cat was sitting on so I could put him in the bedroom, the cat panicked jumped on the table and my daughters dog went after the cat. I grabbed the cat off the table, he sticks his claws in my back. I got him in the bedroom and shut the door. My daughter felt if I had left the cat alone, the situation would have been fine. Then she proceeded to pull two claws out of her dogs fur….the claws were shredded in strips. Now keep n mind, my husband is no support or help and I’m not a dog person. I like dogs but cats are clearly my jam and always have been. I’m concerned one of my cats may get hurt.

I told my daughter I think it’s best she board her dog since I can’t depend on my husband to help.

Any suggestions from all you loving pet people?
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Thank-you FF. We are going to make a scrapbook for Daniel with pictures and memories written down.
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Gershun, so sorry to read about Daniel's passing. I know what you are going through as we had the same lung issue with one of our cats. You did the right thing. I read your tribute, and it brought back memories of our orange/white cat, putting his paws under the closed door and rattle the door enough to open it. And other similar things. Only difference he was a terror at the Vet, always had to get the first appointment otherwise he would empty out the waiting room with his voice.

Write down those memories, otherwise as time passes we tend to forget the crazy things they use to do. Wish I did.
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