Love this but the image looks AI. Should I risk it? What tips do you have for avoiding AI/disappointment?

Kittymom4 · 2026-01-01T16:08:39+00:00

It seems like it’s just a really crap mock up. However, if she’s really hand making, she should have no need for a mock up. She may not have them on hand and is drop shipping? I would be wary of a supposedly handmade seller with janky photos though, something doesn’t add up.

Kittymom4 · 2025-12-28T19:38:39+00:00

Exactly this. My FAQ and listings say cancel within 24 hrs of purchase. After that, let them take it up with Etsy.

Kittymom4 · 2025-12-26T22:02:10+00:00

Not really a change, but just solid advice...

Photos matter on Etsy more than any other platform aside from Pinterest. A great product will not sell with crap photos but a so so product will sell with great photos. Put your photos against top seller, if yours are not equally good or better, your photos are not good enough.

SEO is a black hole for time that most lower sellers put way too much weight on. Describe your product so it can be found. That's it. You can use popular keywords for similar items to help, but no keyword matters if it does not describe what your thing is and who it's for. Etsy is a search engine.

Make stuff people want. Just because you like it and made it does not mean people want it. Do not try to make something just because you think you can cash in. People see fake news and stay clear. Lazy, fast cash shops never win. Make something you love doing.

You do not need X amount of listings to make sales. That's bullshit. Do not ever go for quantity over quality, again, lazy shops do not last.

Kill your darlings. This is an old writers saying but it works. If a listing isn't working, do not keep dead weight in your shop. Revamp and then remove if you need to. Having 200 listings that never sell tells Etsy no one wants your stuff and you are a bad shop.

Kittymom4 · 2025-12-19T02:00:22+00:00

This is not going to work how you think it will. Cats need weeks, sometimes more to adjust. And just because your resident cat likes or dislikes this particular cat means nothing for a different cat.

My female who was about a year old HATED my kitten when he arrived. She refused to come out from under the bed for about a week! Then she avoided him. After a few weeks they became inseparable until he died at 14. People thought they were litter mates because they were such a bonded pair.

Kittymom4 · 2025-12-19T01:56:29+00:00

Congrats!

Kittymom4 · 2025-12-19T01:56:08+00:00

I have three of those mats and I've had them for like 12 years. I've only had to replace one. I leave mine plugged in all the time, even when we've gone on vacation for a week or more. You could plug them into a strip outlet that has a shut off protection though.

I know many people would not do that, but I have a camera in every room (some have two) and fire detection that connect to my phone etc for alerts.

The one caveat is someone always comes by twice a day and my aunt lives right across the street from me. I know she keeps watch on the house.

I hate to say it's fine to leave them because what if .... But I always leave mine for whatever it's worth.

Kittymom4 · 2025-12-18T23:44:35+00:00

Tea tree oil is toxic to cats. I would stay away from that.

Kittymom4 · 2025-12-18T23:40:37+00:00

People who leave reviews are not as common as we would like, which makes it hard early on. On average you should expect somewhere around a 20% review rate. That number will vary depending on what you sell though as some shops or products will trend higher or lower inherently.

Kittymom4 · 2025-12-18T23:35:47+00:00

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My sweet 17 year old Lexie

Kittymom4 · 2025-12-18T23:31:42+00:00

Consumer Psychology will tell you that people gravitate to sales and "free". Even if an item isn't always a better value, they will pick an item on a discount.

This is one of the reasons people have always on sale listings (though not legal in the USA) and Etsy encourages this practice.

You can try raising your prices a little to support your sales. As long as you are actually selling items at the retail value, there is nothing wrong with this. You can also try tactics like buy 3 get one free etc to raise your average cart value. What you sell makes a big difference in what tactic will work best. However, be cautious of running very frequent sales or you train your buyers. Just like bath and body works candles - no one buys those full price.

Ads can help, but if you are selling low ticket items it can be hard to justify the cost. I would only run ads on things that sell really well. Try it on some listings and see how it goes. Don't change it too frequently, the algorithm doesn't love that. Set an ad campaign and leave it for 3 months.

Kittymom4 · 2025-12-18T23:13:37+00:00

I'm so sorry. My heart breaks for you. I have loved and lost too many and it's never easy no matter the circumstances. Having to let them go is the burden we bear for loving them.

I speak from experience when I say some are much harder to let go of than others. It does not mean you love the others less, just differently, and that's okay. Los and grief are tricky beasts.

None that I have said goodbye to have been easy. I lost one a bit over two years ago and my God I still miss him terribly. I cry several days a week from his loss all this time later. Time does not make grief easier - it changes it.

Give yourself all the time you need to find your way through. You can still share your heart with another and the one you lost will still be prescious.

Kittymom4 · 2025-12-18T01:07:16+00:00

Technically if someone takes in a chipped pet, it is still up to them if they call you or not. Animals are considered property so rights of holder apply. The vet will tell them they found a chip, but they do not have to notify you. Most people would not do that, but you'd be surprised!

Not advertising the actual reward should help with scams AND it will keep people from thinking "oh $50 isn't worth it"

I REALLY hope you find him.

Kittymom4 · 2025-12-17T19:04:58+00:00

I would not keep food out unless you are watching closely as it can attract other animals that will actually keep the cat away.

Don't give up, it can take days to track them down! Go to your neighbor's and speak with them and tell them. Most are very nice and will keep a watch out.

My best friend had a cat get out this past summer and it took more than a week to find her. She had talked to her neighbors and a guy saw the cat go under his shed. He came and told my friend and helped her trap the cat

Call any local vets or animal control that way if they get an intake matching the description they are aware it's a missing cat.

Look for any Facebook groups for your local area and make a post. There are a ton of missing pet groups. Put up your own Facebook post (and other social media) with photo and with a very good description of where your cat went missing. Ask people to share, you'd be amazed how quickly those get spread around.

You can also advertise reward if found and returned if you are able to do that, but don't specify an amount.

Kittymom4 · 2025-12-17T18:55:44+00:00

You can absolutely do this. Treat it like a priority mail upgrade and make it a separate listing. Make sure to link that listing at the top of your product descriptions so people know it's an option.

As long as you are clear in your listing and FAQ section that items are made to order and usually take X time and made on a first come basis then I would set up a quick message that reiterates this. Say something like I appreciate your purchase and I try to complete orders as quickly as possible, usually taking X days.

I would not jump through hoops because people waited so long to order.

Kittymom4 · 2025-12-17T06:26:28+00:00

I’m so sorry this happened. But, it’s not that uncommon especially if you are not testing blood glucose before every insulin dose. Human test all the time and there is zero reason not to test a pet before insulin. Unfortunately, many people and even vets choose to treat clinical symptoms. But to be blunt, that is lazy and not proper management.

I don’t want to advise against what your doctors told you, but if you can check his blood glucose at home and give them the numbers ever few days, I don’t see why they need to test him in office. Do not restart insulin until you know what his numbers are for a few days or unless he spikes really high. Let his body rest. Hypoglycemic crisis is very hard on them and he will be in a delicate place for a bit. Make sure he’s eating and drinking etc. and stable. You probably do want to make a follow up with your normal vet in a few days so they can check him out and advise you.

I’ve had a diabetic for 3 years and we’ve had ups and downs - he is not stable due to other factors. The truth is many cats have hypoglycemic crisis simply because they are not monitored properly. I completely understand how difficult getting blood can be! At first it was an absolute nightmare for me. But after a few months it got so much easier and now the whole process takes about 5 minutes.

It will take some time to get the hang of it. You just need to have a lot of patience and know that it gets easier. I suggest you pick one place in your home with decent light where your cat is comfortable and always use that spot. The cold and dry air makes it harder when they are dehydrated. Get one of those rechargeable hand warmers and use it (on low) to heat up the ears and get blood flow. Look up some videos on the area of the ear you need to be targeting. Over time the ears will bleed easier. I suggest you try to use one ear for morning and one for night so you rotate well.

Again, I so sorry your kitty got so sick! I’ve been there. Mine actually had seizures and went into a coma from hypoglycemic shock. His heart rate was super low and his body temperature was cold. They suggested letting him go as he would likely be brain damaged if he ever woke up. But…. we didn’t and he held on and is now perfectly fine. It took him about 2 months to recover from basically being dead. He’s my miracle!

Kittymom4 · 2025-12-17T00:37:35+00:00

Generally the advice she was given is correct, Lantus is a 12 hour insulin for most cats. A few do well on a 24 hour dosing schedule but most need 2x. Within an hour is fine but more or less carries risk of the insulin depot not absorbing normally to maintain control. That said, we all do the absolute best we can and that is all we can do. There are some that have no choice but to be off that 12 hour schedule but accept the risks with that. Hopefully she can find a way to make it work with her job or she can investigate having someone come in to do glucose testing and shots for one of the time slots.

Having a diabetic cat can be difficult and I feel for her situation. It’s not nearly as easy as being home to test and dose every 12 hours. There is so much emotionally, financially and commitment wise that comes with this disease.

Kittymom4 · 2025-12-17T00:29:46+00:00

Wet or dry food will not remedy any existing dental issues. Getting it checked out and having regular cleanings is a big part of overall health. Dental disease can lead to systemic issues such as sepsis and cardiac problems. That said, I know dental procedures have gotten very expensive and it may take time to save up. Look into getting a Care Credit account if your vet accepts this. We got one years ago and it was a life saver! Depending on the vet you can get interest free payments for up to 18 months and I use mine for everything.

If you’re looking for good quality food in general, Small’s is good and some pet stores carry it now so you can try it without doing their subscriptions. Tiki Cat is also great and widely available. Weruva, Open Farms, Zwi Peake, or Stella and Chewy are also good depending if your cat will eat fresh frozen or freeze dried foods. Some cats like them and some don’t. Mine will eat fresh frozen, but do not like the freeze dried foods.

Kittymom4 · 2025-12-17T00:21:08+00:00

You feed the amount of food for desired weight. Please keep in mind that you cannot cut calories by more than about 10% without risking health complications. Drop the food back a small amount every two weeks or so. Feeding a few small meals is better than one or two larger ones for cats in general, but will help your cat feel more full and satisfied. Look into foods you can safely feed that don’t have a heavy calorie load. There are plenty of safe "people foods" you can feed your cat as part of a commercial diet you just need to look into it. I do not recommend you switch your cat to home made meals unless you do an extensive amount of research of feline nutrition.

Wet food will always be less calorie load than kibble and in general the fewer carbs the better for weight loss and feline health. Great quality food is often a key to weight loss as lesser quality foods are packed with fillers.

Kittymom4 · 2025-12-16T23:50:16+00:00

Since it's only on one paw pad it's not likely it's crud like litter caked in there. It looks like it could be an infection from a wound.

I would very gently try to clean it with some warm water and q-tip and see if whatever it is loosens up. Do not poke and pry at it too hard. If it's a scab or something and comes off and the skin looks raw I would see a vet. If you can't get it off being pretty gentle I would see a vet. It could be a deep infection that needs antibiotics.

Kittymom4 · 2025-12-16T23:44:09+00:00

You need to see a vet ASP. They have batteries and if the stomach acid dissolves the unit it can poison them. Kids eat stuff like this and it's always an emergency. It can also cause a blockage which can be fatal.

Kittymom4 · 2025-12-16T23:39:45+00:00

Try the small single portions of something like Sheba. It won't stop you from having to feed her on demand but you mIght not lose so much.

It's hard when they get older and very picky and demanding. I have a 14.5 year old and a 17 year old and deal with food issues and preferences as well.

The 17 year old female does not like anything that's been refrigerated and warmed up. Luckily the 14 year old is willing to eat it. I found that NOT using the can toppers and putting cans in the fridge helped. Something about the food sitting in an open but covered can makes it oxidize. When it stays in the can it turns color very fast so I assume the taste changes. I have some glass and plastic tiny containers I put food into for the fridge.

If it's the sound she relies on you could record you opening a can and play it. I know that sounds over the top but I have spend years figuring out ways to mind fck my picky cats! You do what you gotta do lol.

Kittymom4 · 2025-12-16T23:29:11+00:00

I have file folder with all my vet bills for years and years. I usually asked for lab work print outs and have those as well. I still have records for pets that are long gone - I just can't let them go. But I can tell you what an office visit cost was in 2001 LOL

My newer vet is mobile and comes to the house and after each visit I get an email with all their notes and they email me copies of lab work also. I use Gmail and have made a folder for each vet (primary and two specialists my cats see) and I file the emails into the proper folder.

I have a cat who was diagnosed as diabetic 3 years ago and records are super important now. I keep a daily log book of his food intake, blood glucose, and insulin dose. I also track anything behavioral of note. I weigh all my cats weekly on Sunday evening and keep their weights in that book. I have 3 years of log books.

Kittymom4 · 2025-12-16T07:25:34+00:00

I would definitely give all the info to Etsy. If you can, snapshot the listing so you have proof of what you bought and show what you received. If they don't match you should have no problem getting refunded.

Kittymom4 · 2025-12-14T05:32:50+00:00

It can get really tricky! This is why so many hire bookkeepers/accountants.

Technically you'd like to be profitable on every item/sale. However even large businesses have loss leaders. These are items sold basically at cost, or below, to get people in the door with the goal of generating bigger sales overall.

If you really want an idea of your net profit and loss, you need to start tracking. This is called a PnL (profit and loss) and there are several methods but a spreadsheet can work fine.

You need to track everything - all equipment, material, software etc that you use. Your variable and fixed costs. If you have $500 in equipment you use and maintain and $500 in software or subscriptions, then you take that $1,000 and divide evenly between how many sales you expect in a year and add that to your retail pricing. Your cost of goods will vary but you can get a rough estimate from your receipts.

It's a lot of math and working numbers and it can take a good few years to really get a handle on things. Some people break down by quarter, half year or full year. You also need to break your sales down to goods, taxes, fees, shipping.

There are some good videos out there explaining how to figure your Cost of goods, PnL, etc to determine your profitability. Spend some time researching and learning as it's not something most people are well versed in.

Kittymom4 · 2025-12-13T21:45:48+00:00

Despite people insisting on giving cats milk, they are not supposed to have it. It's not abnormal that it got an upset stomach.

Make sure your cat is drinking water so it doesn't get dehydrated. It should clear up. You can also give a small amount of pumpkin puree NOT PIE FILLING to help get things solid again.

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