(Part 2) Best products from r/CatAdvice

Congrats on getting your new kitty. I really wish I had this subreddit when I adopted my girls almost six years ago. As a dog person, I've had a lot to learn. You seem like you're off to a good start.

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1. Most cats sleep for well over half the day. Usually in the form of short naps. Think about how human babies take multiple naps during the day and don't usually sleep through the night. I've never seen anyone suggest making them stay awake all day long so they will sleep all night. That just seems like a losing battle. They may be asleep when you go to bed, but they will most likely wake up for the 3am zoomies. It's this weird thing they do in the middle of the night where they chase ghosts from one end of the house to the other. If you're awake, you'll see her quickly glancing around as if she's surrounded, then sprinting away at top speed. It's funny when you're awake. When you're asleep, not so much. I hope your girl likes the hammock. Mine won't walk/lay on unstable surfaces. They aren't crazy about sitting on my lap as it is rather jiggly. A window perch of some sort is necessary. They like to sleep in the sun and are super nosy about what those nefarious neighborhood birds are getting up to.
   
2. I also alternate wet and dry food. It's really better to avoid dry food altogether though. Raw diet is best, wet food diet is good, dry food diet is not very good at all. When I tried adding water to their dry food, they wanted nothing to do with it, and it got nasty pretty fast. Just make sure she has a source of fresh water available at all times. I usually refresh their water after I brush my teeth (their bowls are in the bathroom). Water gets stale quickly, as well as collecting dust and hair. If she dips her feet in the water, it may also have litter in it (yuck!). Watch her for whisker fatigue with her food and water bowls. Some cats are very sensitive to their whiskers touching the side of the bowls. I eventually ended up putting their food on plates or in shallow bowls and their water in wide rectangular bowls. If she's not finishing the food, you could try reducing the amount by a little each day until you reach the right amount for her. Most vets will tell you that feeding guidelines are useful, but not the bible. If kitty is getting fat, feed her a little less. If she is getting thin, feed her a little more. You kind of bounce around a bit at first until you find the right amount for your cat. They all have different needs based on metabolism, activity level, and other factors.
   
3. Toothbrushing can be difficult. I've had more success with a round toothbrush. I just let them bite on it. They tolerate it more than a one sided brush. If she doesn't like it at first, get her used to the idea of you grooming her. Just touch her mouth and ears a little at a time and reinforce her good behavior with positive speech, pets, and treats. They need to know you're torturing them a little for their benefit, because you love them. You're not just being mean. Brushing preferences, like all things, are different for each cat. Try different types of brushes with different brushing techniques until you figure out what she likes. Mine hate metal brushes with a passion and adore boars hair brushes. One girl likes her brushies fast and furious, while the other prefers slow and steady. If you need to use wipes, just remember that she has to lick all of those chemicals and fragrances off of her hair later. I use unscented baby wipes for my girl that refuses to clean her bottom after pottying. If they get something in their hair, I use warm, damp washcloths.
   
4. For toys, just keep trying different things until you figure out what she likes. Before you spend hundreds of dollars buying all the fancy cat toys, try out the stuff you already have around the house. Cats usually don't like the things you buy for them anyway. Some suggestions: ribbon (big enough that she won't swallow it), aluminum foil ball, ping pong ball, socks, scrunchies (my cat found my stash from the 90's), rags, cardboard boxes with holes cut in them (large enough that she won't get stuck), paper bags, running your hands or feet under a blanket, laser pointer. You can also toss treats from one side of the house to the other and make her run back and forth. Just don't engage in the kind of play where she is biting your hand. That develops bad habits. Her not wanting to play yet may be due to being in a newish environment. She'll probably play more as she becomes more comfortable and feels secure.
   
5. Of course, she's not interested in the box. You set it up special just for her. You will learn that if you buy/make it for them, they don't want it. However, if you used the box for something else, she will probably claim it as her own. Just observe where she likes to sleep, is it out in the open, closed up like a cave, in a corner, in the middle of the room, under furniture, up high, down low, close to where ever you are. Use those observations to set up a bed(s) that is absolutely not for her. In the end, she's going to sleep when and where she wants, but it's nice if you can make spots for her that make her feel super comfy and secure.
   
6. If she likes those fake bones, go for it. One of mine loved chewing on an Orka bone after she ate. Now she just uses it to let me know she is hungry and I haven't fed her in ages, and she is going to starve to death soon, as it is really loud and squeaky when she rubs her teeth on it. You will need to check them and dispose of them if they start coming apart so she doesn't swallow chunks of it. If you want to give her real bones, use raw bones (like she'd eat in the wild). Cooked bones will splinter and can wreak havoc on her innards.
   
7. At one year's old, she's still a kid and will learn and grow. Some aspects of her personality will change as she gets older, some will stay the same. She'll adapt to you and your lifestyle as you adapt to hers.
   
8. I think they pretty much only knead dough when they are super relaxed and happy. It's a behavior that they used when nursing. After only 2 days, she may not be relaxed enough yet. Just give her time. Not all cats knead though, so if she doesn't do it, you'll just have to be content watching internet videos of other cats kneading. (FYI: There are over 600 cat subreddits.)
   
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   I hope some of this helps. Sorry it's so long. My cats are both asleep and I'm just Redditing while waiting for Game of Thrones to come on.
   
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   (Edited for formatting)

I'm really glad to hear things have improved. Yes, it's very likely he needed time to adjust to his new home. With any luck he will continue to improve over time.

Are you going away over the holidays? I ask because you said he got more destructive after your trip this spring.

This product might help with his scratching at the carpet outside the door.

Does he have any scratchers near the sofa? It's great that he stops now when you tell him to, but you could take it a step further and redirect him to the scratcher with lots of praise when he uses it. Even if he already has scratchers elsewhere, sometimes it really helps to put one right next to the object they're scratching, since they apparently feel the need to mark their territory in that particular area.

Do you trim his nails regularly? If not, that can help control the amount of damage. There are also nail covers that you can try.

>sometimes it really is like it's some kind of attention seeking behaviour.

One of my cats (the passive one I mentioned before) will tap me with her front paw to get attention, which sounds ok except when she gets really anxious (or hungry), she'll follow me constantly, getting underfoot and repeatedly tapping my legs and screeching, and if I can't deal with her directly, she will begin adding a scrape with her claws when she taps. Is he doing something like that?

Oh, one more thought: he might like the toys that dispense kibbles or treats. That would be another thing to try for when he's alone during the day. If you're not familiar with them, it takes work (both physical and mental) for the cat to get the treat out of the toy, which helps satisfy cats' hunting instinct.

Try a free-feeding puzzle feeder. My cat got to a chonking 16 pounds (which is large for her size). We purchased a Catit puzzle feeder and she lost the weight in a few months. And she’s maintained herself at a perfect (for her) weight of 8.5 lbs for over 2 years now. Because my girl is a natural borne ✨Diva✨ my husband was against it at first, but it’s cheap, so...what’s to lose? I spent a couple minutes poking my fingers in and knocking bits down to show her the idea and she took to it like a fish to water. We now have a second one, of a different style and different maker, that we put elsewhere in the house and fill with a different flavor/type of food. Both my cats love them. The idea is to prevent them from easily eating too much when bored and to make eating more stimulating, like a hunt.

They can eat as much as they want for as long as they want, but they have to earn every last kibble of it. My (former) fat cat seemed to live in front of the feeder at first - knocking food down most of her waking hours. But now it’s just a few times a day, and maybe a single tablespoon’s worth of food at a time.

This is another Catit puzzle feeder. They also have a variety of puzzle feeder toys - if you’re OK with bits of kibble all over the house. This is just one example.

(We actually just had to put our former chonker on a special renal diet. (She’s 18). We picked her favorite puzzle feeder and changed just it to the new, specialty food and left the normal food in the other. My two girls haven’t had a stitch of trouble telling which is which. I think the only downside - as they see it - is that they’ve lost the diversity of two feeders. (According to the stuff I’ve read, they recommend multiple feeders spaced around the house to engage their instinct to search out food.) But I’ll be damned if I’m going to have multiples for each type of food spaced around the house. After all, there’s only so much room in my house.)

Oh, an igloo like this might be a good choice. You might have to clean the sides and steps every so often, but if it helps get the poop off the feet, it might be easier than your entire bathroom.

Even though your cat’s poops appear normal, it might be worth bringing it up the next time you see your vet. They might have food recommendations that would result in more solid cleaner poops.

I use I and Love and You cat food. They also have a higher level food too. I think it's pretty good quality for a decent price for grain free.

If you’ve just fed him and he has access to water he might just be bored. My girl tends to sleep through the night but my friends would yell at night too. He ended up getting a few automatic toys to keep him occupied. This was one the things he got:

https://www.amazon.com/Moody-Pet-Fling-Ama-String-Cat-Toy/dp/B00IRJ7NL0

Other than that I can just recommend ignoring him so he’ll learn that he will only get attention when he’s quiet. Hope this helps, best of luck!

I have a long hair cat that gets matts under her arms even with brushing. I bought this trimmer to remove the matts myself at home and it works fantastic! I tried using a beard trimmer first but it wouldn't cut through her fur at all. This one worked great and I had the matt out in under 10 seconds.

https://www.amazon.com/Wahl-Professional-Animal-Cordless-9705/dp/B00IYF994Q/ref=sr_1_24?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1550788090&sr=1-24&keywords=wahl+clippers

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Amazon has a pretty good one in its basics lineup. I ordered two for my cats and it was comparable to a much more expensive branded one. They've also held up very well.

https://smile.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Black-Soft-Sided-Pet-Carrier/dp/B00QHC01C2/ref=pd_bap_rp_35?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=SYBX451ZDKHYSNQDN85Y

Did you use an enzymatic cleaner? I've had really good success with this one: https://www.amazon.com/Mister-Max-Original-Remover-Gallon/dp/B000I6NF6W

Go ahead and edit your place! :)

I switched to World's Best because of the dust I had with Tidy Cat unscented. It's made from corn. It has significantly lessened the dust problem and not tracking if you use a litter mat under the box. It's a bit lighter (easier to carry if you purchase at a shop) and lasts quite a bit longer! It's made from corn and clumps very well.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Worlds-Best-Cat-Litter-Multiple/dp/B009QJYBVK/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=3M8MEIP9PFRWF&keywords=worlds+best+litter&qid=1565972796&s=gateway&sprefix=world%27s+best%2Caps%2C237&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&smid=A2R7NNRSFIF6WD&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExMUZaNDJNMVFZMTdGJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNzkyNDc2MTVDNTlMT1VUS0VCTSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMjE4NzU2M1VETk5CRUFXOE05SiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

It really depends on what your cat likes scratching on. Some cats prefer cardboard, some sisal rope, some other surfaces. Some cats prefer horizontal scratching, some prefer angled scratching, and some like to stretch as high as possible.

If you're looking for a "buy it for life" kind of purchase, I recommend this one: https://www.amazon.com/SmartCat-3832-Ultimate-Scratching-Post/dp/B000634MH8/ref=sr_1_13

I've had that one for four years with three cats and it looks the same as it did out of the box.

When it comes to my cats favorite scratchers in the world, their absolute favorite is this one, but it doesn't last as long as the plastic ones because it's corrugated cardboard. You have to replace it about every nine months.

If you want to test out whether they are cardboard scratchers before investing you can get a $7 flat cardboard scratcher here. These will last about 3-4 months.

I like putting some dry food along with a few treats in a puzzle ball before bed. You can adjust the number of open gaps (and how far open they are) to make it so she might have to spend an hour getting everything out. I often hear my cat nudging it about early in the morning.

It sounds like she may still have a kittenish temperament. Is it also possible that she's just bored? Does she have various toys to play with when you're asleep? Do you play long enough to exhaust her in the evening?

Don't use Fabreze. Feliway spray is the appropriate product for this issue. You can get it at Petco/Petsmart, but I suggest Amazon if you have Amazon Prime http://www.amazon.com/Comfort-Zone-Feliway-Spray-75/dp/B003E71E24/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1458236485&sr=1-1&keywords=feliway+spray

There are also plug ins that work very well. I would spray the tree and use a plug in next to it.

Yea i found this on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Hurricane-Wizard-Hair-Remover-BulbHead/dp/B072YSJTG3 might give it a try from the videos i've seen on Youtube it seems pretty good

Double sided tape is a great deterrent for scratching, they sell large strips at pet stores for this purpose. Tinfoil or orange scented cat safe deterrent may also work. My cat loves scratching her ripple rug https://www.amazon.com/SnugglyCat-Ripple-Rug-Interactive-Scratching/dp/B016H3T8EC which would be the closest in to a normal rug (its a bit pricey but it will last forever).

Yeah I get that. She was feral and is about 2 years old, so there's a good chance she didn't have a previous owner even briefly. That said, I use pretty high quality shampoo and soap, so it's unlikely someone else used it.

The one thing I realized last night was that my normal shampoo (https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B000IZ8KZ4) has mint in it, and mint is in the same family as catnip, which means some cats go a bit crazy over it. I tried not using it when I showered last night, and did not see the aggression. That said, I also didn't let her in the bathroom until I was fully dried off.

You can buy one of those things: https://www.amazon.com/Kitty-City-Premium-Scratching-Furniture/dp/B077MYF3SC/ref=sr_1_8?crid=M2D13Y8Q1VCV&keywords=cat+scratching+post&qid=1568376697&sprefix=cat+sc%2Caps%2C668&sr=8-8 . In any shape you like.

Some cats also need to be trained. If you see the cat is near the furniture and wants to scratch, take the cat ant put her paws on the scratching post. She will get used very quick. I recommend to change the toy once a year or sooner (depending of what type do you buy), because it will be deteriorating.

Edit: ate some letters

Other people have good ideas in this thread but also there is special cat-attractive litter box training litter that you should try. It works for re-training too. https://www.amazon.com/Dr-Elseys-Attract-Problem-Training/dp/B000PKY7YA

I got one of these: PetFusion about 3 years ago and my cat hasn't lost interest in it yet. In fact we got a kitten about a year and a half ago and he started using it immediately. Well worth the money and seems like it will last at least another 3-4 years.

the two toys my guy's love is Moody Pet Fling-Ama-String and The Giddy Kitty 5 Pack Assorted Cat Feather Toy

https://www.amazon.com/Comfort-Zone-Feliway-Spray-Calming/dp/B003E71E24
You should also be able to find it at Petsmart.

Please do update!

are you sure she is pooping in the box? if so, a Booda Dome Box might work and an automatic box should work. maybe any hooded box would work.

https://www.amazon.com/Booda-Dome-Cleanstep-Cat-Titanium/dp/B0002DH8L4

I bought these off Amazon for the same reason. My cat can't get under them so the carpet gets to live another day.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00D00MXZ2?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_title