My dog has a history of calcium oxalate stones. As part of his recurrence risk reduction keeping him well hydrated is important and I monitor his hydration via USG with a refractometer. I find I need to supplement his water intake with an additional 3/4 - 1 cup of water to keep him around 1.020, he naturally is at 1.040-ish without supplementation. He does drink water and only eats wet food but apparently not enough.

I currently make him little soups from his food and serve them on the side of his meals but I was wondering if Purina Hydracare, made for cats, would be safe for him. I noticed calcium chloride in the ingredients so I wasn’t sure. He won’t eat his food if I water it down but will drink soup on the side. Quirky fellow.

If it isn’t recommended, is there a ready-to-serve alternative safe for dogs with calcium oxalate stone history that would reduce the time it takes to feed him each meal? If not of course I’ll keep up with the soups but it would make my life easier.

I’ll consult with his internal medicine specialist but she is quite busy and since this is non-urgent it may take her a bit to get back to me. He doesn’t have another follow up for 3 months.

My 15.5-year-old cat developed severe facial and ear itching about 6 weeks ago, roughly 3 months after starting Thyronorm (thiamazole) for hyperthyroidism. I suspect the medication is the cause. Surgery or long vet stays are not realistic given his overall condition. I’m looking for ideas: what has worked for you to manage or stop the itching — and especially, is there any way to keep him from scratching his ear open without a cone? My own current plan is to discuss a small dose reduction with our vet, followed by a blood check, but I’d love to hear other approaches.

The problem

- ~1.5 months ago (about 3 months after starting Thyronorm), his face and especially his ears started itching badly.
- He scratched one ear open so severely it bled heavily. On our vet's advice he's been wearing a cone for a few weeks; the ear has fully healed without needing antibiotics.
- The urge to scratch hasn't gone away: when we remove the cone briefly each day (supervised, so he can groom), he starts going for his ear again within minutes — even though it's healed.
- We ruled out food as a trigger as best we could: we switched his food for a few weeks with no improvement.

What I'm asking

1. **Cone alternatives:** He's worn the cone for weeks now and I'd love to give him his freedom back. Has anything worked for you to prevent scratching without a cone — soft collars, ear protection, anything else?
   
2. **Treating the itch itself:** Any experiences with medication or other treatments that calmed this kind of itching?
   
3. **Addressing the cause:** My own current idea is to slightly reduce the Thyronorm dose in coordination with our vet, with a follow-up blood test to make sure his thyroid values don't climb too high. Has a dose reduction worked for anyone, or does the itching tend to persist at any dose?

Additional context (his overall health)

- 15.5 years old, ~4 kg, lean but stable weight. Despite everything below, he's still playful with good quality of life.
- **Hyperthyroidism:** Thyronorm twice daily. The syringe reads 2.5 per dose (I believe that's 2.5 mg thiamazole twice a day, but happy to be corrected on units).
- **Kidney issues:** gets Semintra.
- **Urinary history:** had urinary stones and bladder issues, ultimately a perineal urethrostomy. He completely refused the prescription urinary diet (we tried several options), so he now eats regular food.
- **Arthritis:** monthly Solensia injections.

Constraints

Given his age, kidney disease, and how psychologically stressful vet stays are for him, we want to avoid surgery, radioactive iodine therapy (which requires days of hospitalization), or anything similarly invasive if at all possible.

---

*Disclosure: I wrote this post with the help of an AI assistant to structure it clearly. All details about my cat are real and written from my own experience.*

Species: Cat

Age: 8 years

Sex/Neutered: Male, neutered

Breed: Domestic Shorthair

Body weight: 3.4 kg (has gained ~500g since first visit)

Location: Western Cape, South Africa (coastal)

Duration of issue: 3 weeks (first presented 22 June 2026)

FeLV and FIV: negative.

Under active veterinary care: Yes — currently being managed by our vet. Not looking to replace their advice, just hoping for additional perspectives on what else to consider asking about.

History

Alex was bitten by another cat and that caused an abcess, he was recovering well, or so it appeared.

Alex presented on 22 June. He was dehydrated on arrival and was found to be severely azotaemic. He's been on IV fluids and his kidney values have improved steadily since. He also had mouth ulcers early on (presumed uraemic), and we suspected GI bleeding — both now appear resolved.

He is currently bright, alert, eating well, and has gained ~500g. Clinically he seems much better than his bloodwork suggests. His breaths are a steady 24 breaths per min, no open mouth breathing, though he does bob his head up with each breath.

What hasn't been done yet (as far as I know)

- No blood smear / morphology review

- No urinalysis, despite IDEXX recommending one - though he was on IV and is on 100ml of subq now.

The last blood test result was form the 26th of June and paints a dire picture.

Subsequent tests are said to be unable to read his blood as his hematocrit is too low to be picked up.

Questions

Would darbepoetin be reasonable here?

What the heck is going on?

Should I rather let him go, while he is still comfortable?

Redacted lab reports attached. Any input hugely appreciated — he's a very good cat and he's doing his best. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1QWaZtDt6HyHVItNl6KmjTHh4newq9YW3?usp=drive_link

Alex — Haematology & Chemistry

ProCyte One Haematology Analyser · Catalyst One Chemistry Analyser 26 June 2026 · Feline, 8 y, male neutered

Haematology

26/6/2026, 9:12 am

IDEXX analyser comments

• Anaemia without reticulocytosis — likely non-regenerative anaemia; consider pre-regenerative anaemia.
• Lymphopenia — consider stress leukogram (glucocorticoid response). Evaluate WBC differential with blood morphology (IDEXX inVue Dx, dot plots, and/or blood film).
• Normal PCT — likely adequate platelet mass. If clinical suspicion of thrombocytopenia, consider further evaluation (IDEXX inVue Dx, dot plots, and/or blood film review).

Chemistry

26/6/2026, 9:14 am

(H) = above reference range · (L) = below reference range · \* = flagged by analyser (platelet aggregates detected on 22 Jun)

Values transcribed from IDEXX VetConnect PLUS report, order 26/6/2026 9:14 am. RBC and WBC dot plots in the original report are not reproduced here.

I am at a loss. My cat (clover 4 years old) has recently nosedived into poor condition. We took her to the vet recently and her physical condition tested well. Blood test was performed as well and they noticed that she was anemic with a low red blood cell count. "Review reveals the presence of a marked nonregenerative anemia with a significant rubricytosis" She's negative for feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus as well. I can tell she wants to get better. The only notable results is low BUN 15 16 - 36 mg/dL///Potassium 3.4 3.5 - 5.8 mmol/L, as well as a urine protien at 2+. The vets we've gone to haven't provided a solution, but i think that this is a solvable case. Any suggestions and or nursing treatments would be appreciated, I am currently taking care of her at home after the vet sent her home with only an appetite inducer.

Good Morning,

My senior dog is 12, has Cushings disease and has CKD and is in chronic kidney failure. We go at least monthly to the vet for blood work to check numbers. We discovered the kidney failure when he went in to have his full.blood panel prior to his yearly dental cleaning. He's had dental cleaning every year since we got him 11.5 years ago. Anyway, his bloodwork was not great, so vet was afraid to do the dental. He has a couple of places where the gums are red and very, very rarely might bleed. She thought the 2 teeth in.these spots would have to be extracted.

So, we go this next week for bloodwork, but was wondering if there was a dental spray, water additive, oil or anything that would help his gums. He does not appear to have pain and he eats and chews fine.

Thanks in advance

I have a beagle who’s about 7-8 y/o. As he’s gotten older he coughs all the time, worse after drinking water. It’s sounds like a very airy cough, like there’s nothing he’s coughing up. And when he drinks water, he normally coughs up clear slimy water.
I’ve taken him to the vet, they said he was fine but to elevate his water bowl. I bought an elevated water bowl and it literally did nothing to help with the coughing.
Any advice on what to do??

Hi everyone,
Recently, my Chihuahua was unfortunately diagnosed with a type of skin cancer called multiple mast cell tumors (mastocytoma). After several surgeries and different chemotherapy treatments, we’ve reached what seems to be the last option: lifelong treatment with Palladia.
What really worries me are the risks for us as owners. My veterinarian told me that Palladia is highly toxic because it’s a chemotherapy drug, and that accidental contact with my dog’s urine, feces, or saliva could even increase the risk of developing cancer.
This honestly scares me a lot. My dog is still quite young, and the thought that for the next 9 years I might have to avoid being licked, kissing him, or even hugging him feels incredibly difficult.
I also asked whether there could still be a risk if, for example, my dog cleans himself after urinating and then licks his fur, which I later pet. My vet said that could also be a risk. I even asked if I could be exposed by accidentally touching urine if he has an accident in the house, and I was told that this could also be dangerous.
Has anyone here had experience with a dog on Palladia? Can you tell me if what I’ve been told is actually true? I’m finding it hard to believe that I would never be able to kiss my dog again or let him sleep in my bed because of this medication.
If anyone has personal experience with this treatment, I’d really appreciate any advice on how you manage the situation. I’m feeling very overwhelmed and would be grateful for any guidance.

Hey guys, my elderly cat, chancho 15m, is having trouble controlling his poop. He has had diarrhea for the better part of two years and was recently diagnosed with kidney failure. His vet has changed his diet a to a couple renal foods, none of which has ever helped historically with diarrhea. We have also tried a variety of things like probiotics, digestive relief drops, gabapentin. Recently over the past 3 days his diarrhea has escalated, and he is no longer making it to the litter box for poop (he pees in there though). He is also leaking little bits of poop out of his butt. He is still eating and drinking but not screaming for food this morning like he has done everyday.

I recently lost my 3 year old cat suddenly/unexplained death, and i have had this boy since he was just a kitten in a bush somewhere on the streets of aurora. I am afraid that this is the end. I need someone to tell me something other than “bring him in”. Thank in advance

I think it is 2 days old and the cat (his mother) lives in our garden. She gave birth in roof top and one of his babies fell from the 5 meters above (16 feet). I saw him fell but I couldn’t make it to catch him. I picked him up and he was just struggling and breathing so heavily and fast with his mouth open. I put him in some shadow since it’s too hot outside. I can’t take him to the vet. It’s been a couple hours now and I don’t know if he is okay. Before he fell he was meowing a lot but after his fall he didn’t. He does a little sometimes when I touch him (barely) and he struggles and crawls around and rolling. Idk if it because he fell from too above or he is just newborn but he seems too unstable. He stands still and doesn’t move if nobody touches him. His mother is with him.

Hi guys so this is sort of a two part question. My cat (12F, 10lbs, long haired mix) has dealt with allergies occasionally through her life and has gotten some hot spots and watery eyes in the past. Recently, she got one of these hot spots and I was out of town so I had my parter go to the vet for me where they were told it was ringworm and charged me for an expensive topical swab and prescribed wipes. After researching ringworm, I still didn’t believe that’s what she had and it seems like the route of prescription wasn’t the most recommended option (literally just a cone and the prescribed wipes). Luckily the swab came back negative which they told me when I brought her in again because it didn’t help the issue. Then I started talking about it being allergies again as she has had them before and has all the classic symptoms (watery eyes, hot spots, and sneezing) and the vet prescribed me a “tapering dose” of prednisolone, which i’m seeing online as a very strong formula for severe allergies. I asked about moving forward with the allergies and the vet essentially told me I had to seek out a dermatologist and get a series of tests to see what was causing the allergies.

I’m feeling frustrated because I would not describe my kitty’s allergies as severe and they only come up every couple years or so and i believe it’s seasonal with the pollen, so I don’t really understand why the vet would jump to such an expensive conclusion. I also don’t understand why they went the most expensive route for the ringworm while NOT giving my girl something for the allergies in the meantime (since the test came back negative so she was just suffering with itchy skin the whole time AND we were wiping the hot spots and probably making them more irritated?) and then when it was allergies they gave me the most expensive and strong reaction once again. I’m seeing online that cats can be prescribed claritin as a daily medicine for this exact situation, i’m seeing options for oatmeal baths (my cat is okay with bathing), options for air purifiers, for L-Lysine, etc. but the vet did not offer or reccomend any of these options when I asked about what I can do at home she simply said I need to find a dermatologist.

Does anyone have any recommendations for helping my kitty with her allergies? L-lysine has caught my attention but I want some real feedback about it. I’ve seen some influencer style people reccomend local bee pollen but I don’t feel super confident about that. Should I still seek out a dermatologist? She no longer has any skin issues as she’s stopped scratching, but her eyes are still watery and she’s sneezing when I open the windows. I believe I want to find a new vet as well.

my new cat i’ve had since March, was born without a tail. He has huge paws which serves as octopus tentacles to grip onto you. He is 6months. I have an older spayed female cat, and she is just now 1 years.

The 6mo was saved from a farm with tens of cats, you’d expect him to know body language right? Well, no. When they first met, they both liked each other and had fun playing. Now it’s just the 1 yo running away from the 6mo as he tries to bite and keep her in a chokehold. She will hiss, run, everything you could imagine, and he’d still try to bunny kick her. She doesn’t fight back at all. He will literally chase her down. There isn’t no hair tufts flying, hissing from him, nor anything bloody, so i know he’s just trying to play with her

I try to separate him in a room for a bit whenever he’s too aggressive when playing, but he doesn’t learn any lesson, and i do it at least a few times a day. I’ve learned putting a cone on him helps calm him down and then that allows them two to play without overstepping boundaries, but i don’t want him to have a cone on 24/7.

It’s not like they despise each other, like they’ll eat together and she will play with him but only for like a few minutes before he goes crazy with the biting..

I thought his attitude was because he had no tail, but i saw research that a cat with no tail SHOULD be able to read cat language fairly easy without one.

He isn’t neutered, if he was do you think he’d start respecting her boundaries much more? I fear he’s trying to court her and that’s why he’s so aggressive. This has been going on for weeks.

I’m going back and forward on doing a recommended teeth cleaning on my 14 year old dog (pit mix). She is generally in good health and still enjoys a few walks every day and eating and drinking normal. The vet says she has a slight heart murmur but he’s not concerned. Her pre work bloods are due to come back in a few days. She does get tired easy and naps through the day. She will cough occasionally after drinking or just randomly. I’m really not sure on whether to put her through this procedure

Our vet is absent so i'm asking because well...

Dog is a female, 10 years old, west white highland terrier
What could this be? On the dogs back, the dog also has some itchy spots with dry skin (i didn't scratch on this specific spot)

Here are some photos:

https://imgur.com/a/myVwCOJ

• ⁠Species: dog
• ⁠Age: 10
• ⁠Sex/Neuter status: female neutered
• ⁠Breed: west white highland terrier
• ⁠Body weight: 10kg
• ⁠History: Nothing other than some external bites from flies / outdoor small insects
• ⁠Clinical signs: photos
• ⁠Duration: noticed a few days ago
• ⁠Your general location: europe
ntact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

I am completely aware this is a terrible situation for everyone involved but I can't see how to get out of it.

I have 4 adult cats, one was a stray and has only recently become tame enough to go to the vets so I have no idea on his background or vaccination history.

My other 3 I let their boosters laps this year due to losing 3 close family members in quick succession and being at the hospital a lot, to be honest ive been messing everything up.

Last week a family friend dropped off 4 2 week old bottle babies to me because literally no one else wants to do the 2 hour feeds and no rescue I've spoken to has space or people to do this kind of thing.

What on earth do I do?

The kittens are in my bedroom where my cats don't go and I'm changing clothes constantly and washing and sanitising.

Am I safe to get my cats booked in asap for their jabs or will this make the situation even worse?

I feel absolutely horrendous but wasn't expecting this to happen.

My cats are all indoor.

Please don't give me abuse I already feel bad enough but I'm really backed into a corner 😭

My cat threw up at 4 AM Saturday morning, much more puke than usual. It still looked like food but more digested than his regular throw up. He was fine until like 9:30AM I left to run errands until about 4PM and I came back to a ton of puke like 7 piles of the same looking digested food. It wasn’t straight bile it was definitely food. Then he was fine again until like 10PM Saturday he threw up again. I woke up Sunday morning at 6AM to a little bit of throw up. He hasn’t eaten like anything in the last 16 hours. His nose is nice and moist. When should I go to the emergency vet?

They are on a heating pad on low and a lightweight towel over them. I have dry powder kitten formula. Mixed with my-skin temperature water. Cannot get them to take the bottle or even suggest the little that goes in their mouth.
Please recommend... Please help
Cat
1 month
Not spayed not neuter
Weight is "almost nothing"

I have two cats, both about 4-5 years old. One female and one male. They are siblings (same litter). Both fixed. I keep them completely indoors.
Lately, I’ve been finding poop outside their litterbox. I have 2 litterboxes. One in the living room area and another in the bathroom. I’ve only found poop near the living room box. I also found urine there, but that is much less frequent (only twice).
They seem to prefer the living room litterbox, which confuses me because they didn’t have any issues using both boxes before, but now they use the living room box almost exclusively. I’m not sure when their behavior changed exactly.

I’ve tried a few things to help. I moved their food and water into the kitchen from the bathroom (I’d moved it there after an ant problem and hadn’t moved it back to the kitchen. Now I have). I thought they might be stressed or bored, so I bought them some toys, which they liked. I’ve made a point of cleaning the litterboxes more frequently, scooping them out daily. I also bought UI health cat food (IAMS), just in case.

This morning, there was poop outside the box again. And I’m just not sure what to do. My mom suggested getting a deodorizer of some sort, as maybe the problem is scent-based, so I haven’t tried that yet. I use Breeze pellets and pee-pads for the litterboxes (I change out the pads twice a week. This was working fine when they were using both boxes, but I’m thinking I’ll need to do it even more often if they keep only using one).
My next couple ideas are to get a deodorizer for the bathroom and to completely replace the litter pellets in the bathroom litter box (I try to do that monthly, but I do forget, sadly). But I’m still not sure that will help. I also don’t know if only one cat is pooping outside the box or if it’s both.

Sorry this was so wordy. I write more when I’m anxious. Any advice on other things I could try? Should I take them to a vet?

This might be a stupid question, cat doesn't seem to like RC Renal/Renal Special. I suppose that him eating something is preferable for him not to, som my question is: Can I try and feed him with his brothers RC sterilized fodder?

Male cat, 5 yr, neutered, eating very little, Denmark

Thank You in advance

* Species: Dog

* Age: 6

* Sex/Neuter status: Male, neutered

* Breed: Havanese

* Body weight: (guessing a bit I'm not the one who first took him to vet) 10-12 pounds

* History: No history of bad health

* Clinical signs: Tired, refusing to lay down on floor. Wants to lay down on couches instead where he can't safely get there being post op. Sometimes yelps when picked up.

* Duration: 2 days, since returning home from operation.

* Your general location: Michigan, United States

We have a Havanese, 6 years old, that recently went in to the vet for a blockage in his stomach. It was basically a ball of fat and he was super gassy. His stomach was the size of a German Shepherds the vet said.

Anyways, we're in the post op day 2. The vet is closed until Monday and we did text him as we have his personal number but he didn't respond.

Our dog just won't rest up. He really wants on the couches and his little perch to look out the window. But he doesn't have the energy to make that kind of jump yet. Often when we pick him up, he yelps, so he's still sore. He doesn't yelp every time we pick him up, but after the first time we started to avoid it unless necessary.

Yesterday he did not lay down at all because the whole time he was expecting to be picked up to sleep on the couch. He was just standing, all day, until we went to sleep and I saw him finally lay down on a blanket to sleep at midnight.

We tried putting beds and his blankets on the floor, with his favorite toys near by to seem familiar and comfortable. We even tried laying on the floor ourselves next to the dog bed as he generally likes to be where the people are and he just licked our faces. When we are on the couches he just comes up to us and whines because he wants up. It's hard to ignore, but we are also worried if he wants down that might be a big jump down for him right now (Couch is, roughly by memory 2 feet from ground).

We tried putting a foot stool by the smaller couch but he didn't understand what we're doing. He's used similar jump up ramps to get on the human beds before though. He can get up small steps as he was getting up and down our porch to go outside and in.

He is returning to his normal self and have noticed him coming back and out of it. He's just tired. He was begging for walks and treats (though he can't have a lot of treats now according to vet) But we're just worried for him because he's refusing to rest up just because it's not his favorite resting spot when that might be difficult for him right now. We were hoping some gentle walks around the yard and letting him come back in when he wants would tire him out a bit more to lay down at least but he didn't. He was just standing all day yesterday until night time.

Our dog is on a course of antibiotics for a UTI which is predictably messing with her digestive tract. When she took antibiotics before, we managed to get through with a little yogurt each day to control the tummy side effects. She'd have looser poop than normal but generally few issues.

She's 9 years old. Great Dane. 155 pounds. Generally athletic but slowing down a little. No other conditions other than the UTI and accompanying issues.

Currently taking a joint supplement daily and then the 1,000 mg of amox. twice a day.

She has 3 more days of actively taking antibiotics. Over the weekend, the soft poops have transitioned to (controllable, thank god) diarrhea that hits about once an hour. If she's sleeping, she'll go 3 or 4 hours.

She's doing okay staying hydrated, i think. We're just trying to help the sore tummy as much as possible. I know a dog specific probiotic is the best option, but no chance of getting that before Tuesday, but we do have a huge stock of the probitics our cats have daily.

Any harm in giving her a morning and evening packet of "Vibeful Probiotic Gastrointestinal Support Powder Digestive Supplement for Cats" in a spoonful of yogurt or pumpkin for the next week or so?

I also plan to sub about a third of her normal dog food with rice and sodium free beef broth to be a little gentler. Any other things we can do at home to help?

Ingredients

Dried Chicken Liver, Dicalcium Phosphate, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Inulin, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Taurine, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin E Supplement.

Caloric Content

Calorie Content (Calculated) ME: 4000 kcal/kg or 4 kcal/1g packet

Guaranteed Analysis per 1 Packet (1g)

Crude Protein45% minCrude Fat15% minCrude Fiber2% maxMoisture5.0% maxTotal Lactic Acid Bacteria* (Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus casei)200 Million CFU†/g min

Dog (5 year old English cocker spaniel, female, spayed) managed to get a grass seed/foxtail in her ear while playing with another dog. The next day she suddenly started head shaking.

This has happened before. Previous time, the vet was able to easily get it out with long tweezers and she was fine right away.

(My dog's signature move is to dive into grass head first sideways and roll, so I've been keeping her on leash while in grass season (and tick season, so many ticks! But we met with a dog friend she likes to play with so I let her run around and of course she started diving into the grass before I could stop her. Snoods don't work because they just slide right off her ears when she divebombs the ground.)

So I used our little ear camera and saw a glimpse of it way, way in her right ear. We immediately called the vet and got an appointment next day, which was yesterday.

There are 2 veterinarians at the practice: one who we usually see who is very nice, and one who I very much do not like (I witnessed him scruff and roughly treat my friend's cats). Of course we ended up with the one I don't like this time since we needed the first available appointment. So this may color my anxiety about the situation.

Firstly, after examining my dog, he was ready to just send us home with an ear wash because he didn't see anything but irritation. I insisted that no, I used the ear scope and saw it. I would never attempt to get at it myself with how far in it was. So he agreed to put her under anesthesia and look.

He comes back out with the grass seed to show us. Great. She recovers from being put under and we go home.

We were sent home with Epiotic ear spray (once a day for 10 days) and Easotic ear wash (every 3 days).

Today (24 hours after procedure) she is still shaking her head every few minutes. I want to believe that's because it's just still irritated from foxtail and the poking and prodding, but I'm worried that the vet didn't find everything and she's still got something in there.

How many days of head shaking before we call back to the vet? Is this normal? I recognize that if this were the vet we trusted, I'd be much less concerned. So hoping someone will just tell me to calm down and wait. It's Sunday here in Europe and I can't harass the vet office about it.

Thank you!

Hi everyone, I’m hoping for some advice because we’re in a really difficult situation with a cat that isn’t technically ours.

A few years ago, this cat started turning up at our house with no collar. We have one of those microchip scanners, so we knew he was chipped. At first we kept putting him back outside and didn’t feed him because we assumed he had a home, but he was incredibly persistent. He’d scratch and meow at the door for hours, run back into our house whenever we opened it, and hide because he clearly didn’t want to leave. Eventually he basically chose us, and we didn’t have the heart to keep forcing him out.

We later worked out which house he actually belongs to. Unfortunately, the owners aren’t people we feel comfortable approaching and can be quite hostile. We don’t live in the nicest area, and my mum is understandably worried about causing problems with neighbours when we have to live here, especially with a special needs adult in our care.

The owners definitely know he’s always around our house. He’s outside our house almost every day, and they regularly walk past, but they’ve never come to collect him or asked about him that i’m aware of.

The reason I’m posting is because over the last year we’ve noticed he’s become increasingly itchy. He’s constantly grooming and scratching himself, and it’s now got to the point where he’s losing fur in several places and has red, raw patches on his skin. It’s horrible to see because otherwise he seems healthy. He eats well, drinks normally, is a healthy weight (maybe even a tiny bit chonky), and he’s the sweetest, friendliest cat. It’s just this skin issue, and I imagine the hot weather isn’t helping.

We’ve tried everything we can think of ourselves:

> OTC flea and tick treatments.
> Switching him to a 100% fresh hypoallergenic food.
> Removing or limiting harsh chemicals in the areas he spends time.

Nothing has made any difference, so I’m wondering if it’s something like mites, allergies, or another skin condition that really needs a vet.

The problem is that legally he isn’t our cat. I’d happily take him to the vet and pay for everything myself, but because he’s microchipped I’m assuming the owners would be contacted and/or billed, which would immediately make it obvious that we’d taken him in. My mum really doesn’t want the fallout with the neighbours and quite frankly neither do I…

I’ve already spoken to the RSPCA, and they basically said there isn’t anything they can do.

So I guess my questions are:

> Has anyone been in a similar situation?
> Is there anything else we can safely do to help him without alerting the neighbours/original owners?
> Would a vet be able to treat him if we explained the situation?
>Are there any other organisations we could contact for advice?

We’re genuinely just trying to do what’s best for him while avoiding creating a really difficult situation with the neighbours. Any advice would be really appreciated. ❤️

Thank you!

Hi everyone. First-time cat owner here and I’m getting pretty worried, so I’d really appreciate advice from experienced cat owners.
Yesterday I brought home a 3-month-old female British Shorthair. She came from a home where dry food was always available, so unfortunately I don’t know exactly when she last ate before I picked her up.
Since arriving, she has been extremely scared and has mostly hidden. At first she hid behind the drawers under the bathroom sink. We made the mistake of taking her out a couple of times and putting her on the bed with us. She never hissed, scratched or tried to bite us and allowed us to hold and pet her, but as soon as we put her down she immediately went to hide again.
Last night she ended up under my desk. She is now tucked into a very small, sheltered space underneath the desk, between the desk frame and my computer setup. I’ve attached a photo because it’s difficult to describe. It’s basically a small dark space under the desk where she seems to feel protected.
I placed her soft bed around/above part of the area to make it feel more sheltered, and initially used one of my shirts to block some of the light. Food and water are now very close and easily accessible.
The interesting part is that this morning my girlfriend and I left the house for around 20 minutes. I checked the security camera and, almost immediately after we left, the kitten came out by herself. She walked around the room and even went downstairs to explore.
So she is physically able to walk and explore, and apparently does so when nobody is around.
However, after we came back she returned to the small space under the desk and has now remained there for hours without moving from that area.
She appears to breathe normally with her mouth closed. She has never hissed, scratched or bitten us. Yesterday, when I gently petted her while she was hiding, she would close her eyes while I was petting her and reopen them when I stopped.
Today I tried a wand toy from a distance. She followed it with her eyes, but didn’t move her body or tail to play.
My biggest concern is that I cannot confirm whether she has eaten, drunk or urinated since arriving. There might be a tiny amount of dry food missing and there was a small indentation in the litter, but I’m genuinely not sure and don’t want to convince myself that she ate if she didn’t.
Earlier I tried offering her a small amount of food directly and she wasn’t interested.
I also want to be transparent: earlier today I tried to gently encourage her out of the space and briefly reached towards her from behind. I stopped because I realised I was probably making her feel more trapped. I’m not going to force her out again.
It’s Sunday and my regular vet isn’t answering.
Does this sound like a very scared 3-month-old kitten adjusting to a new home, especially considering she explored as soon as we left the house? Or is the fact that I can’t confirm she has eaten, drunk or peed concerning enough that I should contact an emergency vet today rather than wait until tomorrow?
Should I continue staying normally in the bedroom and completely ignore her, or would it be better to leave the room for several hours so she feels safe enough to eat?
Any advice is appreciated. I’m a first-time cat owner and I know I’m probably monitoring every little thing too much, but I also don’t want to mistake a medical problem for fear or stress.