SCIENCE-BASED, NON-JUDGEMENTAL, CAT BEHAVIOR HELP
Much like tech support for computers and devices, I offer support for feline caregivers. My name is Tom Kirby, UW-AAB and I’m a certified animal behavior consultant with a wealth of experience in cat behavior. On this channel, I provide you with the most up to date cat care resources to help you and your feline friends live happier, healthier lives together.
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Thanks for putting out this video. The situation is so frustrating! For anyone seeking standard size replacements, I just ordered an 8-pack for $35 from a brand called Lionpapa. They seem to make just litter genie and diaper genie refills. We'll see if anything arrives and what kind of quality they are! I'll try to come back and update with my results.
Yes, I'm sure lots of people would like to know about a good alternative. Thanks for watching!
Very interesting video.
Thanks for watching!
I was so sad when my current cat showed no interest in wadded up paper balls. It's been a few years, though, and she loves toys that skitter across the floor in unexpected patterns, so I'm going to try again. I think I'll just leave it on the edge of a flat surface and let her at least have the joy of knocking it off even if she doesn't play with it after that. One of her favourite wand toys is the rainbow colored one you showed on the screen. The others are drawstrings cut off my clothing and a 3-foot strand of sewing elastic that I loop around my finger. The only automatic toy that I've found that she likes is the nano hexbugs. She especially likes the one that's designed for cats because it has a piece of fluff tied to it. She'll watch it for ages and then toss it up in the air when she catches it.
I actually reviewed the hexbug and my cats ignored it. Glad to hear someone is enjoying it! :)
Unfortunately, my lovely 4.5-year-old, Lexie, was one of those rare cases of a cat dying during a routine dental. Despite being perfectly healthy, having normal blood work results and having had the same anesthetic without any issues when she was spayed as a kitten, it stopped her heart and they couldn't revive her. Their review of their procedures showed no human error and the necropsy showed no issues in her main organs, so they have no idea what caused it. It was traumatic and I was really nervous taking my other cat in the following month. I got extended blood work done, not just the standard package as with the other cat. No issues and she got through it just fine as had all my other pets who had surgery. Just bad luck, I guess.
I'm so sorry to hear that. It happens that way with people sometimes too.
Thanks for the info on AAFCO. It makes me less nervous about feeding my cat raw food that doesn't have it (or the Canadian equivalent) on the label. I gravitate towards raw food that is whole carcass (minus the parts that animals don't usually eat) but it's not a complete and balanced diet, so the companies recommend alternating protein sources. However, after not being able to keep down raw beef, my cat refuses to eat all red meat and I don't want her becoming deficient in something vital because she'll only eat chicken and turkey. In the end, I decided to provide her a variety of types of cat food to avoid this and so she maintains some flexibility in her eating preferences. I feed her wet (Nulo medalseries pate and going to try Tiki Cat After Dark broths) as her main food but also give her raw, freeze-dried raw, and a bit of high quality kibble (first 13 ingredients are meat and seafood). I tried cutting the kibble out completely but it stressed her out, so I give her a very small amount as a treat. I toss it and she chases it down. I'm comfortable with that small amount and she doesn't complain too much about not getting enough of it. It's a good balance overall, I think.
Thanks for watching! I have lots of thoughts. Just take these as the anecdotal suggestions they are. If you'd like a good alternative to the kibble, I've used Ziwi Peak dry as a treat, though I'd stay away from the ones that include fish. Of course, treats don't really have to be good for them. They should just make them feel good. :) If you're concerned about your cat developing a protein allergy due to limited proteins, you could always add another protein in the form of the Ziwi Peak. Both my cats accepted the beef version even though neither would eat other beef foods. If you're concerned about deficiencies in a raw diet, adding Wysong's Call of the Wild supplement to the meals may help. I've never been able to get my cats to accept a raw diet, but I think that's just because I got them after they'd already been fed kibble. Just getting Mina on wet food was difficult because she'd had nothing but kibble for months when I adopted her as a kitten.
@@KittyHelpDesk I can relate to the difficulty of getting them on wet food after eating dry. My elderly cat ate exclusively kibble for the first 12 years of her life. Once I got her, it took months before I could get her to eat wet food and even then she'd only eat completely smooth pate that she could lick up. If it was a gravy or broth, she'd lick up all the liquid and leave behind everything else including the meat. She never ate enough wet or raw food for me to get her off kibble. She'd just refuse to eat at all after a certain amount. Luckily, I found Dr. Elsey's chicken kibble, which has no starches in it, so at least it was very low carb. In the last year of her life, she would only eat that and Tiki Cat Mousse in 2 of the fish flavours. She made it to 22, though, and I credit the food with some of that longevity. I'll look into Ziwi Peak again. Last time I checked, no one here sold it and it was difficult to get on Amazon Canada. Maybe that's changed. I'm only concerned about her not getting enough variety in her raw food but as you said, maybe a supplement would help with that. She eats beef and lamb in some of her wet food.
I agree that greed is the main reason for this. It's sad though, as even at the old prices, their profit margin must have been pretty high, considering what you're getting. I really do like this product though, but think their plan will backfire in the long run. Thanks for the video.
It truly seems that no profit margin is high enough these days. *sigh*
Wow this is the best video on the subject I’ve found. Needs more traffic as was very helpful for me. Thank you
I'm glad you found it helpful. Please take care of yourself.
Good video. You hit just about everything that is wrong with the commercial pet food industry. One step further, many veterinary practices and clinics are being bought by the corporations that own many of the pet food companies. Most notably Mars Candy (Royal Canin among many others).
Yes, the big vet hospital conglomerates like VCA and Banfield often put profits ahead of everything else. They've also bought out lots of private practices or otherwise put them out of business. It's a tough world for independent vets right now, which I why I try not to be too critical of them. Unfortunately, many of them know very little about nutrition. That's why sites like catinfo.org are so valuable.
Just lost my cat yesterday. The pain is real, I can't stop crying.
I'm so sorry. Please try to take care of yourself and know that there are those of us who understand and share your pain.
I have a 16 year old who has just been diagnosed with cystitis and early kidney disease. I have pain meds antibiotics and he seems to like the diet food i have. But he won’t eat if i add extra water even if it is gently heated. I am keeping him in my bedroom at night as i also have a hyper 6 month old kitten (just neutered) who was making his life difficult. I always monitor them when they are together. Even though my oldie is drinking water i’m worried he isn’t getting enough as he doesn’t seem to be putting much fluid out. My cats have always had a wet food diet. I also have a 13 year old. Should i start him on the special diet too as a preventative?
I'm not a veterinarian, so I recommend that you follow your vet's advice. However, if the food your vet recommends is dry, I'd get a second opinion elsewhere. I cannot understand why anyone would recommend dry food for a cat with CKD, even if it includes supplements. If you'd like to be more proactive in the care of your CKD cat, I highly recommend visiting Tanya's CKD site. Just be careful - it can be a bit overwhelming because of the amount of information provided. Narrow your focus and try not to do everything all at once. This is a good place to start: felinecrf.org/just_diagnosed.htm . I also recommend learning more about cat foods. I have a video I'm going to release this week on this very subject, recommending catinfo.org as a primary resource for feeding info. Dr. Pearson knows a lot more about feline nutrition than I do and she offers a lot of that info on her site for free. You may also want to try Hydra Care, a product from Purina designed to get more moisture into cats with CKD. Adding a water fountain for your cats can also help. Most cats prefer moving water. For the other cats, they should do fine on any high-quality canned diet. See Dr. Pearson's site for more info.
@@KittyHelpDesk i have been feeding him a German company, Vernandi Animal i think it’s called. It is a wet food pouch. I’ve only ever fed my cats wet food pouches. Spot seems to like it but he’s only eating a pouch a day instead of the usual three per day. This food is more solid less jelly and i understand he won’t each much if he’s feeling poorly plus it is VERY warm here at the mo. I’ve managed to get the meds into him by mixing them into a treat. He’s sleeping a lot understandably. I will need to contact my vet at the end of this week for a review and this time i will remember to ask about 13 year old Tib transitioning onto the renal food. We all live in an incredibly small house but have a static water bowl in every room and one fountain in the kitchen that’s always available Thank you for the links. You have been incredibly helpful 👏👏👏
When Lucy was demo'ing the wheel it looks like if you put the treet higher up that Lucy might use it. Have you tried the laser or other toys they suggest?
Of course I've tried lots of toys but never lasers. I don't recommend anyone use lasers when playing with cats. It can be highly frustrating for a cat to chase something they can never catch. Many cats can even become extremely light reactive if they play with lasers, jumping at the slightest suggestion of a flash of light.
just found your channel and im so happy, really good information, thanks for your work!! (im spaniard, sorry por my bad english) 🤩🤩🤩🤩
Your English is much better than my Spanish! ¡Gracias por ver!
A well timed video for me. Generating a routine is something I have been trying to cultivate with my 15 month old cat. I have not been as consistent as I should for both our sakes. So thanks for the information about how beneficial it will be.
I'm glad you found it helpful. Thank for watching!
This is a great idea!!!
What about the XL+ ?????? Which is advertised as largest, this is so confusing.
They're making it more confusing by the day. The refills have changed and so have some of the LGs. Check out this video for more info: kzread.info/dash/bejne/qZ2Wm6ZsoNGynZs.html
Im in the uk and rescues wi t let me have a rescue cos im too near a main road even an older one 😢
If you keep them indoors, how does being near a road have any impact whatsoever? I don't understand.
I can't keep one inside as my flat is very small and would get out eventually
Adopt a adult cat!
thank you for the video! We have been on several weeks-long road trips with our cat (last one finished yesterday), but always helpful to hear different opinions and suggestions, that more coincide with our experiences! I've noticed that our cat tends to meowingly ask to stop as soon as we leave in the morning. We usually choose a green, secluded place with no people in the distance (and no noise or voices) to walk him for a while. For example, a rest area, possibly a forest without undergrowth. Then he gets tired and sleeps until lunch. In this way we have been able to drive for up to 700 km with no problems. Usually, we leave him in the carrier, but he really likes to sleep on the back window, on his pillow. Tied to a seat belt, of course. He controls everything from there. Over the years he has gotten used to it and things are better now. Much better than traveling by plane, anyway, that is always a problem, as we leave in a small island. One more suggestion: apply a GPS to them (there are many available on the market with phone SIM), on a DIFFERENT collar than the harness, so if he get free he is still traceable. Last but not least: if google maps say the trip will need, let's say, hours, plan for the double, so you have plenty of opportunities to stop and let him walk and get tired.
The problem with my cat is he attacks my feet when I’m sleeping. When I feel it, I kick and scream. Sometimes if not to deep asleep I just move away and said no. It’s hard been conscious of what to do when you’re half out you know
Just know that your actions will actually reinforce the behavior and only make it worse. Maybe that will help you remember what to do. :)
I’ll try
I don’t kick him, just so you know. I now have 3 and love them very much. He doesn’t like to be petted much but is a sweetheart.
I have 5 cats and I totally agree with what you are saying. I am also a shaker! And aesthetically, I like the easy roll, but the bags are too small. I just purchased an XL so that I am not carrying a bag out every two days. I also like the idea of just cutting the bag when I feel it is time, rather than a set bag size. Thanks for the review!
Thanks for watching!
I have a cat that I raised from a kitten. I used to let him bite and kick my feet, and I dont think I was very good to him growing up. Now he's 6 and to make a long story short, I feel really guilty. Also, my older brother plays extremely rough with him, so my cat and I have this emotional bond, because my brother makes me really nervous all of the time and seems to enjoy it. I'm still living with my brother in my parents home, I feel it's time to move out, I Judy haven't figured it out yet. I want what's best for my cat and I. There's my story.
There's no better time to start doing better than right now. You're the only one who can defend your cat and make his life better. Do what you need to do. If you can move out and it's time for you to be on your own, by all means make it happen. If you can't and your brother plays rough with your cat, explain it reasonably. If he continues, restrict his access to your feline friend. You can help!
@@KittyHelpDesk Many thanks!
I really appreciate this review. I was about to buy to but after your comments I realized my cats would behave exactly the same way.
I'm glad it helped!
Thanks for this. I was having a tough time getting information on the changes and this helped.
I'm glad it helped! I have to admit that I'm still not sure exactly what's happening. I think they've made newer versions of the old models that can accept either refill size, but I'm not sure because I don't want to purchase them.
My cats love those - especially if i hide it in a storage box with scrunched up paper. The biggest downside (certainly in the UK) is the battery. Lucky to get 20 mins out of one. They are also stupidly priced for what they are. I generally buy the kids version now - no fluffy tail though, which my cats like as they like to carry them about.
If I mix this kibble with wet food, would that help? I love my baby, and I already take allergy meds, but I really need something more
This is really a bummer. I love my Litter Genie, as it has no smell and the bags are strong. (I used a Diaper Genie when my daughters were babies, and loved it, as well.) Last year, I bought 12 standard refills for $84 on Amazon. I just looked today, and they went up to $117. That is a huge price increase. Let's work together and see if we can find a solution. I haven't found a more economical way to deal with this. Thanks, Tom.
I couldn't agree more. In the space of three months, I noticed the price of the normal size litter genie refills MORE than double. I feel pretty betrayed by this company and I feel like pretty soon I'm gonna have no choice but to get rid of my two perfectly good genies and replace them with the models which have the more readily available and reasonably priced larger refills. This is gonna really hurt my budget and I think it's extremely shady behavior from this company, whatever their reasons (mostly greed, I'm thinking) . But thanks for the informative video. I already knew most of this info but it's nice to see I'm not the only one who's upset and confounded by what's been going on there.
Thanks for watching! If I can find a good alternative with readily available refills, I'll definitely test it and post a video about it.
are there any good budget friendly options? for reference i have a 2y old shorthair approx 15lb
Unfortunately, this is the least expensive version on the market. These are very large items so I doubt anyone will produce one that costs less.
@@KittyHelpDesk so not suitable for a condo?
I suppose that depends on the condo. I'm sure you can find measurements at onefastcat.com.
@KittyHelpDesk appreciate it thanks.. and since I'm still early into looking, is there good radius/width the wheel/ track should be?
Miss Lucy is 18# and she fits on the OFC wheel I have, so I expect any cat would fit on tracks that are at least 10-12" wide.
I found myself here because a friend of a friend asked about her cat that was overgrooming and I wanted to see if there was anything I could add to the advice I gave besides "enrichment and vet check". Then I had to laugh at your cat liking harp music, and just had to share that any time I pull out my flute or guitar, my cat gets chatty and comes running, purring and kneading, and head/cheek rubbing, rolling around in my lap or weaving between my legs. I could never discern if she likes it or if she despised it and was trying to change the sound.
Oh, I'm sure she likes it. When cats dislike sounds, they usually hide or run away from them.
Wow what a wonderful way to be able to bond and connect together :)
Found you on the date of my beloved chainsaws death. He was a scrapper and he fought hard and we will miss him dearly thank you for the video
I'm so sorry for your loss. Please take care of yourself.
@@KittyHelpDesk didn’t expect you to respond thanks for the kind words. It means a lot
Ive liked the original and am only wanting to change (its 7 years old) is because its come to a point where every morning i attempt to pick it up to move back and forth. The darn thing (and I can see the same on yours) wont stay shut anymore. Honestly... other than that... with my two cats it works great. I just dont like sliding it across the floor. Hoping the "super sized" one closes a bit differently. Great video.
Yes, they wobble and don't line up well because the plastic is so thin. The XL is much better in that regard. I added padded feet to the bottoms of all of mine so they don't scratch the floor.
how often do you change the filter
I clean it and replace the water once a week and only change the filter when it seems dirty. Otherwise I just rinse it out. That usually means changing it every few months as opposed to every month as recommended by Catit. That works as long as you replace the water frequently.
This was really helpful thank you
Thanks for watching!
You’re great at doing reviews!
Thank you!
The kids say the cats trained me. Aiden wakes me up around 4 am. Typically I then realize I need to pee and go downstairs. Then, since it's an hour before breakfast, I would give the cats some treats(in this case, a type of dry cat food that they love and we only use as treats). Of course, most mornings he will wake me up. And if he does not, often I wake up to go to the bathroom and all cats run to the kitchen. At night they always get "bed night snacks" and they sure do know what that means! Also, every time the smoke detector goes off(usually when I am cooking), my son grabs the treats and gives some to the cats, in the hopes that in a real emergency, they will run to us for a treat and we can get them outside.
Thanks for the video.
Thanks for watching!
possibly the kindest, most gentle explanation of kitty cat behavior I have ever seen or heard. Thank you. 🥰
Thank you for the kind words, and thanks for watching!
Just looking at it, it would seem to be annoying to use - you need to pull the lever to open it while holding the full pooper-scooper but if you’re pulling the sliding bit, the whole thing will move….is that not the case? I’m considering buying one but they’re much more expensive here in Australia.
I don't find it annoying at all to use. I can't say if you will or not. I do think you have one misconception about how it works. You deposit the waste into the top and THEN pull the slide out to allow it to drop into the bag below.
I’m so very sorry.. I had my soul kitty for 16 years. I adopted him from the shelter when he was guesstimated as 3. I’ve had a bunch of cats and dogs (and a bunny) during my life & there was nothing I wouldn’t do for them, I loved them all so much. But my cat Buddha was just over the top because we went through a lot together. I lost my sister & my Dad during our time together & he was with me in a way no human could be. He was diagnosed with diabetes about 3 years ago and for most of that time he did well on his insulin & had a great quality of life. But the last 6 months or so he just kept declining - once he completely stopped eating I knew it was time. I cried for 3 days straight knowing I had to do it for him but struggling with it at the same time. I felt like I was killing him and it was so heartbreaking.. My vet who I was with for years, she made it so comfortable for him, and for me- with lots of time, soft music, and dimmed lights to calm him. We all cried together. He passed peacefully with me holding him and talking to him the whole way. It was January 29th of this year. I still cry a lot and I miss his presence and his snores and snuggles and the way he used to look at me and listen to me when I’d tell him about my day at work, & so many other things about him. I’m so grateful and lucky that he was (and will always be) a part of me. A few weeks ago I adopted a 10 year old boy from the shelter whose parent sadly passed. I went there to spend some time with the cats & dogs to help my sadness… I saw him and brought him home for a “sleepover”. Ended up adopting ❤ I think Buddha sent him to me so I could help him and he could help me. I wish you peace and comfort… 💞
My sincere sympathies for the loss of Buddha. I love all cats, but there are always those special ones who touch you in some way. I can't even put it into words. May your Buddha continue to inspire kindness in your heart.
I was depressed for a while and my cat began licking the belly hair off of her lower belly. She’s indoor and has no flees. Now that I’ve been more active and playful and having more indoor fun, she’s been more active and playful and having more indoor fun. She’s really a mirror to my mental health. She still licks her belly hair to self soothe I think, but less and less.
AUD50 for the plug alone and it only lasts 6 months. What a rip off.
Not sure what product you're looking at, but the Feliway plugins only last for 30 days.
I just came across your channel & happy I did - just finished your over grooming video & it helped answer a question I had about my new senior I adopted. Subbed, thanks! Also, I’ve used a fountain for years & never had a problem. Ppl will post anything regardless of facts. 🤨
Welcome! Thanks for watching!
Great information! SUBSCRIBED✅️ This is what I expected to be told by the vet on our last visit!🙄 So thank you so much! My Monkey Boy love's a good patting because he's a PURRR MACHINE...But I have been neglecting him in the last few months! My 2 Dog's and 10 other Cat's take up a lot of my time and ENERGY! BUT I will definitely give him more cuddles and patts and god willing reduce his stress and discomfort! Also he absolutely smashes the Cat biscuits and i rarely see him drinking water so I'll try MORE wet food with him and maybe some APPLE CIDER VINEGAR... Thank you brother... Gratitude from Fiji 💪🏿🏝🇫🇯
Welcome! Thanks for watching!
I would also mention that the material of the food bowl is important. Stainless steel is better than plastic, and wide bowls with low profile edges are appreciated by cats that are whisker sensitive. And, of course, keep those bowls clean! 😊
Yes, stainless or glass are better than other materials because they don't harbor bacteria. However, whisker stress has not been shown to be a real issue in studies to date.
I like that it is elevated off the ground. I wish it had 2" "frame at the bottom of the entrance to help hold in bedding/ straw. Easy enough to add a "frame." Really like the color as it would blend in well with my yard garden palate of colors.
Yes, even a small lip would help to keep bedding in place.
Thanks for this review!
Thanks for watching!
Thank you for all the information. Love your channel and kitty
Thanks for watching!
So sorry for your loss. Just discovered your channel while trying to figure out why my cat has been bullying the other. Have learned a ton from your videos! Stay strong brother.
My near 2 year old girl has been licking herself bald since we found her in the mountains. She licks herself raw and bloody in different spots, likes to switch areas a lot. Ive tried cones from plastic to plush, surgical suits, antidepressants, feline hyperthesia medicine, steroids, got her treatment for fleas, possible ringworm, she has tried so many different medications and even tried switching food, engaging in more praise rewards when she takes her attention away from overgrooming. Nothing. She is on amitriptyline now and for a month was doing well but now she licked her leg wide open raw and i had to wrap it up. Im at a loss, she purrs with us and loves to cuddle with us, and cuddles with her feline siblings. At this point i feel like im failing
I'm sorry to hear that. Unfortunately, all of my best advice for treating this behaviorally is in the video. I do recommend visiting multiple veterinarians because the behavior often indicates an internal problem that the cat's trying to soothe. Sometimes one vet will pick up on things that another won't, or they'll test for things another might not know about. Good luck to you and your feline friend!
I tried the diffuser for a while and would have been glad to try longer but the diffuser dumped oil all over my floor. Kind of an expensive gadget to just ruin my hardwood. I have added another adult cat to my household, and this has been the worst reaction to a new family member ever. One is overgrooming and one is attacking, not just the other cat, but me as well. Will tey some other tricks.