Snow owls sleep like they just got back from a night of heavy drinking and missed the bed

cat acne?

hello, my cat has pretty bad acne on his chin. he eats from a clean, stainless steel bowl so im assuming its not that, but if theres better options please let me know. its been around since we got him, so im wondering if i should take him into the vet, or at least if theres anything i can do at home to help him out. he hates chin pats and always runs away when i rub his chin, so im like 99% sure its sore. im 15 and dont have a job, so if i should bring him into the vet can you give me some tips on convincing my mum to let me bring him in? shes always super restrictive on what i can spend money on, and feels like bringing them to the vet for anything less than death isnt worth it. i just need some solid points to try to convince her it is really worth it, plus what i can do to make him more comfortable in the meanwhile. thank you! sorry that the photo is bad, he wouldnt hold still. its a bit worse on the other side. also im not choking him, hes just super fluffy so it looks bad 😭

Wakes up child

This little stinker wakes up my 6 year old at all times of the night. We try to wear him out by playing before bed, giving him a cat bed in the room, etc. If we shut the door, he claws and screams until he’s awake. If it’s open, he jumps on him and head butts him until he’s awake. Wondering if anyone else has dealt with this and has suggestions?

FHO surgery

Our 1 year old cat Ludo started showing signs of distress about 5 days ago. He would hiss when moved, didn’t socialize as much as usual, has a slight limp and has been hiding out in the room that his litter box is in. We took him to the ER vet yesterday and he has full range of motion and didn’t have any abscess or viable injuries. After an X-ray they found what they called a “hairline fracture on his femoral head” and said he may need surgery or he may heal on his own. I was just wondering if anyone had any experience with this and could offer advice moving forward. We will be consulting with his regular vet later today and for now he’s just getting extra love and rest.

Cat is neurotic about food

What is this? Urgent vet appointment or wait for a day?

It is on the one side of the lip. What is it and what are the probable cause of it?

Should I order an X-ray?

My little guy blocked a couple years ago and underwent surgery to remove the block and drastically reduce the chance of future occurrences. He’s had no issues until Sunday. He seemed to be acting normal but I noticed a single drop of blood in his urine. I took him to urgent care and they suspected a UTI, prescribed him antibiotics and gabapentin for pain (which I’ve been halving to keep him from being fully sedated), and told me to keep an eye on him and consider further testing. Now that he’s back home, there’s no more blood, and he’s peeing a large amount but only once a day. For about 15 minutes on and off before he goes, he steps into the litter box, squats down, and then immediately jumps out. He’s usually good about drinking water and eating wet food, but that hasn’t been the case since he got back. I have an appointment for a follow up on Thursday and I’m short on funds. Would it be worth the hundreds for a urinalysis or an X-ray just in case? Would the treatment be different than the antibiotics he’s already on? My mom thinks I should let the antibiotics work for longer and give him the full dose of gabapentin before I try additional tests, but I’m worried about my guy after almost losing him before. I’ll be asking the vet these questions as well but I appreciate the advice of anyone who’s gone through anything similar! TLDR; My cat had blood in his urine and is straining to urinate after a perineal urethrostomy. Now he’s on antibiotics. Should I get an X-ray too or wait it out?

Cat ate a tick

My cat styles ate a tick last night. I’m not sure if that something to be concerned about or what to do?

SOS-Taking two kittens on vacation for a week. First timer advice?

Reggie is seven months and Lewis is five months old. We are taking them to the beach with us this Saturday for a week and it will be their first time staying away from home. From what I’ve read, it’s not recommended to bring cats on trips or keep them out of their homes for an extended period of time if it can be avoided. But unfortunately, we don’t have any family living near us or anyone we’d trust to come take care of them for a week. I need advice on essentials to bring (I know carriers, litter boxes, food and treats cat trees and toys) but are there other things that were crucial to a smooth trip in the car for five hours or staying away from home? It will also be their first time staying in a home with dogs (they will not be mingling, we will be staying on separate floors of a house but the noise of them barking and the general level of noise in the house will be a lot more than they’re used to). I appreciate all the help this group provides for us new cat parents. They are such a joy and special part of our family, we want to make sure they are happy and comfortable too.

Advice for her first vet appointment

Adopted her on 8/19 & she is 5-6months old. She was a bit feral and found a few months after birth. I recently adopted her and haven't petted her yet since reading you should wait for them to come to you. She has been getting a bit more brave daily. She has her vet appointment next week. I do have feliway to spray into her carrier. I am worried though about putting her in her carrier. I don't want to scar her or set back progress by putting her in there since most likely I'll need to wrap her with a towel to even pick her up which is what we had to do when I adopted her. Should I attempt petting her prior to her vet appointment? She has licked treats off my hand, but startles if you get close.

How to get my cat to stop scratching so much

Hey everyone! I have a 7 year old orange tabby that has been fine until probably about 6 months ago. He has developed this habit of scratching at his back shoulder blades near his neck and above his eyes in front of his ears. What have you done to help your itchy friend? I switched his litter to a grain based litter. He now eats solely wet cat food (was on dry before) and I even gave him a bath but all seems to have failed. Oh and he is on monthly flea and tick as well. He will scratch until the hair is gone and it is bleeding… which then it scabs over and eventually heals but he always develops a new hot spot. The bath may have helped a bit but he’s still scratching. First time cat owner, help!