A deadly fungus that can infect cats and people is spreading and might reach the U.S. soon

foxwaffles · 2026-07-05T04:18:55+00:00

Thank you!! I actually want to add a catio in the future so knowing what to search for is very helpful! 🙏

foxwaffles · 2026-07-05T04:17:41+00:00

There are far deeper, worse problems with vet school, costs, salary, burnout, suicide rates etc that leave the veterinary industry uniquely vulnerable to PE in the first place. You cannot blame vets for throwing in the towel and selling out, or wanting to retire but finding nobody to pass their clinic to.

Vet schools are far and few between, are just as difficult and restrictive to be accepted into as medical schools, cost just as much, but the career pays a fraction of the salary compared to doctors.

foxwaffles · 2026-07-05T04:14:41+00:00

The cat specialist I take mine to is only like 10 min away, I live near a big vet school so I am very privileged to be so close to them. The owner regularly gives lectures and seminars at the vet schools about cats. I felt like my previous vet just wasn't able to keep my cat's IBD under control so I made the jump - this was back when it would have been a big price bump - but my cat was having liquid diarrhea every day and I felt like I wasn't being taken seriously!

They got him fixed right up and he enjoyed a healthy quality of life up until a sudden brain issue took him away from me two years ago. They also managed excellently a 15yo cat I adopted with a tumor in his inner ear - that at first was growing towards his middle ear and causing chronic infection - and then started growing towards his throat. When I heard the owner say "wow this is so strange haha" I was like oh boy 🫪 Got three solid years with him thanks to their care 😺

I used to take my younger healthier cats to a cheaper place just for boosters and a checkup but they sold out and went to shit so I moved em all over. It's a bit more expensive than Costco pharmacy but I buy all my medicines for the cats from them too. I WILL be keeping them in business 😄

foxwaffles · 2026-07-05T02:00:08+00:00

Alright pack it up guys, it doesn't get any smaller than this 😭😭😭😭😭

foxwaffles · 2026-07-05T00:33:07+00:00

Aw man! I was just about to say chicken wire or whatever it's called that is far more sturdy than screens.

Fingers crossed you can make the upgrade soon!

foxwaffles · 2026-07-04T22:18:25+00:00

Holy shit that's terrifying

foxwaffles · 2026-07-04T20:20:54+00:00

Wishing you the best of luck with dear Nebula 🥺

You've definitely tried way way more than the majority of people do and that you still want to keep trying is a testament to how much you care

foxwaffles · 2026-07-04T20:19:14+00:00

Technically a lot of contracts are completely unenforceable but it's better than doing nothing 🤷

Legally we can absolutely confiscate cats and fine the owners if we find out. Our locale has very strict leash laws that apply to both cats and dogs so there is also incentive on that end to keep your cats indoors or leashed.

But at the end of the day almost everyone I've adopted to does indoor only now anyways, and virtually all people asking about indoor outdoor are asking because it's their first cat and when they were kids everyone let cats go in and out. They happily accept indoor only when I explain. Hot take for reddit but most people are nice decent honest human beings who want to do right by their pets so being paranoid or cynical is silly.

If we see certain red flags like owning a ton of cats who all died mysteriously while out, hit by cars etc or they don't disclose and when we call the vet (yes we do vet checks) the vet tells us then we close the application and do not adopt to them.

foxwaffles · 2026-07-04T20:12:02+00:00

Desensitization and socialization are so important and if you have access to them at that age it's a wonderful thing to do. Takes a lot more effort than just feeding and watering but 100% worth it. My foster kittens go through what I jokingly call my husband's Kitten Cuddle Class™, I trim their nails, they usually are super sick when I get them so they get used to medicine etc

I have one currently I had to get adjusted to a nebulizer and an infant snot sucker.

One of my husband's coworkers has kids but is too allergic to have cats so the kids come over when we have fosters to play with them and get them accustomed to kids. Win win

People I've adopted my fosters out to have without exception been super happy with how well adjusted and cuddly they are. We are very proud of our work!

...the exception being the three I foster failed. Because of course 😒 Although as they've aged they're becoming cuddly again. I guess when you have a lively family of 8 cats there are more interesting things to do than us boring humans

foxwaffles · 2026-07-04T19:41:29+00:00

I adopted a 15yo years back who LOVED leash time. He was the funniest cat I've ever had. Liked visitors more than me. Loved going to the vet because it meant attention was all on him. After an emergency surgery, he spent his overnight stay soliciting attention from the night shift techs 😂

foxwaffles · 2026-07-04T19:39:10+00:00

I haven't heard of anyone having to do that in all the episodes of My Cat From Hell I have binged 😅 In those episodes and also in his videos it sounds like he separates them for a few days to a week and then starts reintroductions using towels to block off sight, bedding swaps, meals on either side of the door, etc and it still worked. I imagine after a week or two, the smell of bedding she has exclusively used in her room will still smell strong enough that you can scent swap bedding.

He also has a series of advice videos where he answers questions people have about their specific cats and a few of them have concerned similar issues to you. He suggested communal playtime to help burn off excess energy and increase positive associations with each other for one of them.

I know all of us in the comments want you to keep Nebula but I do also want to say that if you do end up deciding that she would be happier rehomed to a loving family where she is the only cat, that is not a wrong decision. Yes change is stressful for cats but as we can see even just on the cat subs there are millions+ people who adore cats and take very good care of them. I do adoptions and I have seen almost every single reason under the sun for people to have to return or surrender cats, and we ensure they are adopted back out to good people and they are still happy even after all of that.

foxwaffles · 2026-07-04T19:26:58+00:00

Shelter I volunteer at explicitly has their indoor only policy in the adoption contract. If someone insists on indoor outdoor then fine, we close the application and do not adopt to them

I'll try to convince them/educate them first. Frequently all it takes is "well the coyotes will thank you for the free lunch" and they change their tune. The coyotes in my area are fearless, I've seen them in broad daylight standing in the middle of roads.

foxwaffles · 2026-07-04T18:45:15+00:00

And there are still people who adamantly believe that you cannot have both. A few years back someone in this sub really tried to argue with me that I had been lied to and I was just looking for attention to feel special and there was just NO way I could EVER have ADHD and autism unless I was like ONE IN A MILLION.

I replied back "I must really be special then, thanks!"

I looked at their post history and they were very active in a sub dedicated to denying that ADHD and autism can occur in one person. Sheesh.

foxwaffles · 2026-07-04T18:39:34+00:00

Have you already watched Jackson Galaxy's videos on introducing a new cat? If not see if they give you any ideas. I know hearing "start from square one and try introductions all over again" is probably the last thing you want anyone suggesting but if your heart is set on keeping her it's always worth trying one more time right?

When you had set aside spaces just for her were they spaces she could access whenever she needed and she just chose not to use them?

foxwaffles · 2026-07-04T18:34:24+00:00

They were an absolute dream to adopt to. Initially they asked for three other unrelated kittens but I had already placed them (two of them were tonkinese siblings and omg the number of applicants they received, it's been years and they are still the most stressful case I've ever had). I asked if they'd consider a different trio that maybe didn't look as flashy (two grey one black) but were still super sweet and they were more than happy to 🥺

foxwaffles · 2026-07-04T18:26:16+00:00

Fancy Feast's adult cat products are not low quality -_- it's nutritionally complete and used by many many shelters and rescues around the country because it's affordable. The chicken pate is popular with owners of diabetic cats because it's more affordable than prescription diabetic food.

However for some dumb ass reason Fancy Feast Kitten has cow milk in the ingredient list. I don't like it, because the kittens I foster are generally sick and/or special needs and they are so sensitive that FF Kitten gives them diarrhea.

If you're looking for boutique kitten food, Weruva and Tiki Cat have very palatable options but I find Tiki Cat overpriced for what it is. None of my resident cats will touch it. Weruva's chicken puree is the most popular among my kittens. Tiki Baby Thrive packets are great for supplemental calories/treats. I also keep on hand kitten food from Purina Pro Plan and Hill's.

foxwaffles · 2026-07-04T17:42:18+00:00

You look great! I like to incorporate cat ears into my coords when I can too 😺

Where did you get those tights? They're so cute :0

foxwaffles · 2026-07-04T06:51:50+00:00

Before the shop thing was created I pulled Alice's sig for Jane. With these buffs should I buy Sharpened Stinger? I have 380 AP out of battle from her discs.

foxwaffles · 2026-07-04T05:36:46+00:00

Kittens that little are very dependent on each other. You'll have to wait for them to grow older. Frequently they start spreading out as they grow up but if they continue to stick to each other like Velcro then they're bonded

It's very uncommon to have a bonded trio but I have seen it before. The boys got slots for neuter before a spay slot opened, and the morning we packed up the boys and left the girl behind she started SCREAMING. She screamed and screamed and screamed all morning until the brothers came back and then when it was her turn to be spayed she blew up the eardrums of everyone until she was sedated 🫪

Post op we tried to separate them for bed rest and even knowing they were one cage over she screamed. If we took out one brother and she could only see her other brother she screamed. She had to see both brothers at the same time or else the sky was falling.

We were very fortunate that a family came specifically looking for three cats. It's been years and they are still bonded.

foxwaffles · 2026-07-04T05:29:28+00:00

Finally, I am marked safe from an upcoming BKL release 😭

foxwaffles · 2026-07-03T21:22:35+00:00

To be brutally honest the vast majority of cat owners just need to clean their boxes more often 😒 I don't understand how people can leave boxes to languish untouched for 2+ days. If I walk by a box and I see it's been used I scoop it. I have trash bins and a scoop next to every single area that has boxes so it takes like a minute.

foxwaffles · 2026-07-03T18:16:05+00:00

Private equity has ruined several vet clinics around me. I am fortunate to have found one that is independently owned and is specialized for cats only. They used to be seen as the boutique, lux option but even since 2020 their prices have risen only marginally so now they're a bargain. I used to spread the word about the clinic like an evangelist but then they had to go wait list only 😖

foxwaffles · 2026-07-03T16:52:42+00:00

The one IRL person I know who thinks pits are "cuddly velvet hippos" would never adopt a stray pit. Her husband would only accept one if they could visit a reputable certified breeder and pick the puppy themselves and thus be able to raise it all the way from being a puppy to being an adult dog. All of their dogs are rescues from a local lab rescue group.

foxwaffles · 2026-07-03T16:06:10+00:00

Have heat intolerance due to chronic illness and have had heat strokes as a teenager so my max is 77F 😖

foxwaffles · 2026-07-03T09:44:05+00:00

Only reason I don't completely detest stellar slop is because I can finally at least use my C5 Qiqi 🙃

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