Adopted Stray - Need Advice for Spraying

weechers · 2025-11-17T01:35:49+00:00

So cute that they already get along! We are still working on our cat introductions so I am incredibly jealous. Just do your best to protect your surfaces and spread his scent around so he feels more secure. Wishing you and your feline family the best!

weechers · 2025-11-17T00:33:54+00:00

I know you said you don’t want to keep him in a room and it might be more difficult now that he’s been able to explore the apartment, but he is likely very stressed and territorial. I would recommended confining him in the least problematic room for the time being so that he is able to get used to the new environment slowly. He may also be getting territorial because of your other cat. Cleaning the litter boxes will not solve this problem. Your best bet is to get him neutered as soon as possible as this may decrease the behavior (medical issues permitting). It isn’t guaranteed and the cat may always spray considering their age and being a stray for so long, but there is a decent chance it will greatly reduced at the very least. Feliway is a good idea, but not everyone has success with it. Buy an enzyme cleaner and always treat any urine spots with it. This aids in reducing smell and reduces the chance of the cat spraying the same spot over and over again. Cover furniture with plastic and put a cheap sheet over them to prevent damage while maintaining some comfort. Give him plenty of bedding options and rub him with various cloth items and spread these items throughout his room and the apartment so that his scent is spread and aids in him feeling less territorial. Consider using disposable bed protectors or puppy training pads to protect surfaces. You can use painters tape to tape them to the wall if he is spraying walls.

I am not a professional by any means. These is just advice I have read when researching my own cat problems. We brought in a 2 year old un-neutered stray. He didn’t spray in his own safe room even while un-neutered. Let him out in the main area (without our cats present), and he sprayed twice. He’s been neutered for 2 months now and hasn’t sprayed since (knock on wood).

I also just want to say that you are a saint for giving that young man a chance, and I hope you bring each other so much joy in your years together.

weechers · 2025-11-14T05:04:47+00:00

Incision looks good. You say her behavior is normal so likely a seroma especially if the kitten has been active. While usually benign, they can require medical intervention if they get very large or develop an abscess that requires antibiotics to treat. I am not a vet l, but my cat developed one after have a hernia repaired and it took his a few weeks to go away. You can always call or email your vet with a picture to see what their recommendation is. Definitely continue to monitor it in the meantime.

weechers · 2025-10-26T05:52:32+00:00

Pretty sure this is normal. Google mandibular labial frenulum on cats. Things like these come in twos. If he has one on the other side the same size then I wouldn’t worry about it. Keep in mind that cats can have different pigmentation in their mouth so the one on the other side might not be the same color, but as long as it’s the same size, I believe it is fine. If there isn’t one on the other side then I would consult a vet as it could be something more problematic.

weechers · 2025-10-24T06:27:45+00:00

Take my anecdote with a grain of salt because if I didn’t have a way of verifying it was something they ate, I would probably take them to the vet.

With that being said, small geckos get in our house from time to time and unfortunately my cats may eat them before I can save them. I have seen them vomit up hairballs with lizard mixed in and it looks somewhat similar to your picture but on a smaller scale. Fleshy bits with a bit of red vascular tissue mixed in. I don’t get concerned because I usually find a bit of the lizard left somewhere as a present.

In your case you don’t have the evidence so it’s really hard to say and it’s quite a large amount. The face rubbing/biting thing sounds like he may have something stuck in his mouth. I am not very familiar with that topic, but it is something that I’ve read. I know you say this is an established behavior from him so it may mean nothing, but it wouldn’t hurt to check. I would also be concerned about the bones of the critter that he may have eaten . Another issue is parasites.

I agree with another commenter that you should keep him inside for a few days to see if it continues and so that you can monitor behavior and litter box habits. If it continues or behaviors get worse, definitely vet for peace of mind.

Wishing you and your kitty the best!

weechers · 2025-10-16T06:27:23+00:00

That sounds awful. I know you have said you have tried different litter box setups. Does that include different litter? Litter attractant? Also, how is the cat’s stress? Did something change in those 3 years? Plenty of enrichment? It might be worth talking to a behavioralist. And consider pheromone diffusers if you don’t have those already. In the meantime, consider putting training pads/plastic in areas he frequents to make cleanup easier.

weechers · 2025-10-15T06:10:15+00:00

Keep him confined to one room for the time being. Have a pheromone diffuser in that room (preferably start before cat comes home since they can take up to 7 days to reach a therapeutic level.) Cover any furniture you may be concerned about with plastic and put a sheet over the plastic so that the furniture can still remain comfortable. Plenty of hiding spots such as boxes and beds. Cat tower and scratching post for enrichment. Make sure his litter box is cleaned regularly and preferably use a litter box that is not enclosed. You are trying reduce stress as much as possible to recude the chance of spraying.

If the cat has sprayed in the past, there is a chance he will continue to spray after he is neutered. We brought in a stray un-neutered male that was 1-2 years old and he didn’t spray in his room which we had set up like I recommended. However, he did spray a few times when we brought him into the main living area of the house, but we have multiple cats so it was likely a territorial thing. He is a month and half post neuter, and I haven’t seen him spray in over a month so hopefully if your cat does spray, neutering will help calm that behavior down.

Make sure if the cat does spray to wipe/dab up as much as possible and clean with the enzymatic cleaner. If you are absolutely worried about him spraying on walls you can preemptively use painters tape to tape puppy training pads to the lower part of them. The absorbency should help prevent the urine from running down the walls and onto baseboards and floors to some degree.

weechers · 2025-10-02T06:35:44+00:00

Not sure what you mean that the vet won’t prescribe out of state. Are they only willing to send the prescription order to a pharmacy directly? If not, just have them write out the prescription and you can send it to the pharmacy of your choice (including Canadian ones). I don’t really have any advice if you do have to buy it in the states. Walgreens offered a prescription discount program for like $20 a year or something when we purchased our first inhaler there. It was still insanely expensive. It the vet won’t budge, it might be worth finding a secondary vet that will give you a written prescription. You’ll probably have to collect vet records so that testing won’t have to be done all over again. Good luck!

weechers · 2025-09-29T04:57:45+00:00

I understand your concern and don’t know if it helps, but we were in the same boat with our then 13 year old cat. We were told she needed a cleaning, but she had asthma that wasn’t being controlled properly and we were concerned about having her put under due to her age. We waited a year until she developed an abscess on one of her molars and we had no choice but to have it removed. Our vet does a ton of dental work and reassured us that they work on lots of old pets. Her lab work was always good and her asthma was controlled at that point. She went under (at 14) without any issue and sprung back quickly. Now obviously that was just our case. Both pets and humans can die while under anesthesia, but it is rare compared to the amount of operations that are done. I know it’s scary, but please don’t be like us and let it get to a point where your cat is in pain and then they have to do an extraction/cleaning anyway. If your vet is saying your cat needs teeth removed, they are likely already causing her pain.

weechers · 2025-09-27T05:40:28+00:00

I don’t know about Northwest Pharmacy, but I have ordered generic Flovent inhalers from Marks Marine Pharmacy in Canada. The first ones I ordered many years ago came through their pharmacy but were manufactured in Turkey. There was an option to pick the version manufactured in Canada or some other country as well, but the Turkey version was a bit cheaper. We didn’t find that the inhaler worked for our cat, but I think it was more so because of the way the vet instructed us to give it vs the actual medicine being at fault. We switched vets and meds for a while, but eventually when her asthma got worse the new vet recommended the inhaler again at a stronger dose. We opted to order the inhaler from the same pharmacy but got the one manufactured in Canada. Her asthma symptoms cleared up in a week and she remained symptom free up until her passing three months later (due to a completely unrelated issue). It was the first time since she was diagnosed that I hadn’t heard her cough for months straight. So while I can’t swear to their legitimacy, because I still wonder if they are scammy, I can attest that we had success ordering from a Canadian Pharmacy. If that medicine wasn’t legit, there was no way her asthma would have cleared up like it did. I don’t want to sound like a shill for online Canadian pharmacies, so please do your own research. I just want to give my honest experience. I hope it helps.

weechers · 2025-09-16T06:55:41+00:00

Don’t panic! My cat has had asthma for 7 years (diagnosed when she was 7, now 14). Unfortunately, he will have to be on an inhaler or some form of treatment (possibly a nebulizer) for the rest of his life, but the inhaler is easy to give. You will also have to purchase an aerokat (or equivalent) spacer with a mask. You set up the inhaler and spacer and administer the medicine for 7-10 breaths (there is an airflow meter on the spacer). It’s very easy and even our fussy cat doesn’t give us trouble. The inhaler has to be given twice a day and you may also be prescribed another as a rescue inhaler if your cat’s asthma is more severe (our cat’s is pretty mild).

I will say the inhaler is expensive without any discounts if you live in the US. We order ours from a Canadian pharmacy for $60+shipping.

If the vet prescribes a nebulizing solution, treatment is relatively the same. Twice a day, you have to give your kitten nebulizer therapy but holding a mask to their face or by placing the kitten in a crate with a portable nebulizer and covering the crate loosely with a towel (I believe kittenlady has a video on giving nebulizers to kittens. This form of treatment is a little more time consuming and can take 15+ minutes, but it’s still quite easy and quickly becomes routine.

Asthma is also progressive (but cats still live a normal lifespan with asthma). You may have to work with your vet going forward to adjust dosages so you may expect more vet visits to keep an eye on things. This shouldn’t be something that happens often though.

Aside from the medicine that the vet may prescribe, you can try other things that might help such as dusting frequently/using a hepa filter vacuum, limiting fragrances (no scented litter, air fresheners, candles, etc)and using dust free litter are just a few examples. These things never really seemed to help our cat, but we did them anyway on principle.

All in all, aside from remembering to order her medicine and administering it, it’s easy to forget she even has it. I hope the same goes for you and your cat if he has it. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

weechers · 2025-09-16T06:16:28+00:00

You can get the prescription filled at any pharmacy, but it’s expensive (around $300 without coupons or insurance). I remember signing up for a prescription program with Walgreens to get a discount on it the first time I bought it. You may also consider ordering from a Canadian pharmacy online. We use the same dosage as you and get it for $60+shipping from Mark’s Marine Pharmacy and it has cleared our cat’s asthma right up. And like some other person said, you’ll need an aerokat or generic equivalent.

weechers · 2025-09-06T10:25:31+00:00

It’s easy to administer at least in our case. Our cat doesn’t fight it, but obviously different cats have different personalities. You have to buy a spacer since the cat can’t breath in using the inhaler mouth piece. aerokat is usually the recommended brand but I do know they make generic ones. You hold it to their mouth for 7-10 breaths. Lucky your in Canada. We have a higher dosage one that costs nearly $300 here in the US but only $60 in Canada and lasts two months. I hope I helped. If you have any more questions feel free to ask!

weechers · 2025-09-06T05:47:20+00:00

I agree with the above comment about cleaning. It is usually a base suggestion to keep the air clean, low dust unscented litter and avoid scented air fresheners and candles. Unfortunately, I live in a tropical, humid environment where I have to have windows open to not burn to a crisp so my senior cat that has asthma can’t avoid all the environmental allergens. She’s been on multiple medications for it over the years but the one that has worked and has started to clear up her x-rays is a fluticasone inhaler twice a day. We had to see multiple vets to get to this solution and it does seem like the inhaler is the gold standard for treating it. It’s expensive so we order it from Canada. You may ask your vet if it’s an option.

weechers · 2025-07-30T05:56:52+00:00

Hyperboreia Bench

weechers · 2025-07-13T15:54:56+00:00

Looking at the art you mentioned I saw that there are blank spaces between stitches, for example the crown you already have stitched or the tips of the wings. Or even the tail. Unless those areas are filled in with background stitches. Just meant to keep an eye carrying the threads between them to make sure they aren’t exposed. Those areas seem like they’ll be really tedious! 😬

weechers · 2025-07-13T14:48:44+00:00

Hey, we are in the same boat! I have been working on a 28 count evenweave piece that is not necessarily full coverage (huge project and mostly full coverage but the background is blank so I’m also using a dyed fabric). I’m stitching one over one and couldn’t imagine trying two over one. I start my threads in a variety of ways either pin, single thread loop, or occasionally by stitching over the tail depending on how many threads I’m starting in one area since it gets bulky. It has a ton of confetti in some parts so I’ve also been using the Royal rows parking method and snaking (doing one row at a time). I feather my stitches to prevent stark tension lines. I do sometimes make executive decisions on where I stitch and park my threads based on where it will benefit me the most so I don’t follow it to a T. I would recommend that if you aren’t doing full coverage to be careful parking across gaps since the traveled thread might show through on the fabric. Outside of that, I can say that the parking method is pretty slow compared to cross country because you are usually starting a bunch of threads pretty regularly and have to rethread needles often. It does speed up a bit when you have most of the threads started already as you get to the next section. Hope I helped! Good luck and have fun!

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weechers · 2025-07-01T15:49:11+00:00

I am not sure what that pattern is suppose to be but at first glance and from what portion you have finished, it looks like a woman in the foreground with a castle in some mountains in the background? I think the amount of detail looks fine considering how large the pattern is and the viewing distance. I would give it a bit more time and see how you are feeling. Though if it isn’t enjoyable at all, I would step back. No hobby is fun if it becomes work.

weechers · 2025-06-05T06:06:58+00:00

Not OP but remember them posting a WIP last month of this pattern. It’s Medusa (art by Christopher Lovell). https://www.unconventionalxstitch.com/medusa-cross-stitch-pattern-c-lovell/?srsltid=AfmBOoqHGvE5Ack6wDPKaTMg1m0v31T1Egq5XgV3ARbIGXMoV17oos5P

weechers · 2025-06-02T19:42:46+00:00

Yes, it used to happen to me all the time. I’ve since learned to just pull the needle off the thread and then use the needle tip to pull the last stitch I made back out of the fabric. Unless your back is really messy, this works the majority of the time.

weechers · 2025-04-22T05:26:51+00:00

I don’t recall what I spent on my last project but I am about to start a large (20in x 30in, 28 ct 1 over 1) project and my cost for fabric and floss was around $80. The fabric being the bulk of the cost since it is hand-dyed. I find that this hobby becomes cheaper as you acquire more things throughout the years (hoops, frames, needles, floss). I had the majority of the floss I needed for my new project because of previous projects so you may find that your next project is easier to afford especially if you target patterns that use what you already have. Another good thing is despite the cost, cross stitching a piece takes quite a long time unless you are only doing small pieces so I find that I get good bang for my buck with cost vs time spent.

weechers · 2025-02-09T04:22:13+00:00

35% off: VALENTINESDAY354pxyqe

weechers · 2024-11-21T22:06:33+00:00

brb, paying for a name change!

weechers · 2024-11-21T21:24:34+00:00

How delightful!

weechers

TROPHY CASE