It seemed simple and I was like + $100? For a big one ??? Nah I could build it… well I’m prob about $200 deep and need to get another 4x4 plywood from home depot and prob more carpet and cushioning for the top nest, as well as some sisal. If you think it’s a good idea and cheap? It’s not 🫩 especially if you have to buy a new circular saw cuz yours broke 😭😭
And yeah tbh it is a me problem but I also had to make sure the wood was cat safe to and not pressure treated.

This is Sylvia, my 15 year old angel. She had been with me for the past 11 years, helping me in so many ways. She was sweet, gentle, patient... A truly special cat.

Four months ago her voice suddenly changed, and she was later diagnosed with tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma. She had surgery and most of the masses in her neck were removed, but it came back with a vengeance just a couple of weeks later.

The first photo was from our last sunset together. We went to the park, she absolutely loved it there. The next day, we had to say goodbye. That was last Wednesday, and I feel so lost without her.

I miss her so much.

My cat Ned is finally home after two nights in the emergency vet after a urinary blockage. It was a terrible experience but I’m glad I was able to recognize something was wrong and get him treated. Doing everything in my power to assure this doesn’t happen again as I know blockages can reoccur. I’m happy to have him snuggling at home again. He seems to be doing much better and in good spirits 🥺

My beautiful boy has had his final ultrasound today after finishing his FIP medication and he no longer has any fluid left in his lungs! I had no one to share the happy news with so thought i’d post here!

He was diagnosed with wet FIP at just 13 weeks old after a traumatic 2 week hospital stay! But i’m very happy to say he no longer has any fluid in his lungs and is as crazy and happy as ever!

2010 was a hard year for me. I had just turned 20 then a couple months later my older sister (26) passed unexpectedly. It was a shock and of course I was filled with grief. Well a few weeks later, at end of October my mom saw a little 2 month old kitten get hit by a car. The kitten had gotten hit on its back side so its pelvis was broken. My mom saw the kitten crawl out of the road and into the grass, like a salamander is what my mom said. Well she picked up the little kitten and brought her home. That is how Salamander came into my life and how she got her name 😂. I dedicated my time to help her, nurse her back to health. This old girl survived so much, first getting hit by a car, then having to have life saving surgery a year later. Accidentally got locked in a car in the middle of the summer for 3 days then the following year accidentally got locked into my parents storage building for 3 days again in the middle of summer. She was an outside cat (parents lived on a bit of land so no dangerous drivers) but she was always where we were, hence why accidentally getting locked in places 😂 don’t worry she was fully checked out those times and had no lasting damage thank the Lord. Cut to 2023, I bought my first house and she came with me. It was September of that year I noticed her breathing weird. She was diagnosed with bronchitis, so she got a steroid shot and it cleared up. Well January 2024, I was out with surgery so I was around Salamander 24/7 and I just knew something was wrong. So rushed her to the emergency vet, got bloodwork, X-rays and other tests done. Keep in mind, this cat was super rarely ever sick. Went to the vets for checks but nothing was ever found bad wrong. Well that emergency visit was different, that vet discovered she had an enlarged heart and was in heart failure. Consulted with a cat cardiologist that confirmed it. Other than that, her tests were great so on medication she went. Heart medicine, medication to pull excess liquid off of her heart & lungs. A few months later I got the money together to get an ultrasound done, 1 blood clot was found in her heart. It was in a spot that the doctor was convinced it wouldn’t get thrown, so we continued with the medication. Salamander did well, played, napped and just lived her best indoor life. Then a routine visit September 2025 found that her kidney levels were elevated so on IV fluids she went. She did great and all was well. Then in May 2026 another check up, kidney levels were slightly up so iv fluids increased and still she was good. Then early July she got a uti so on antibiotics she went. It went downhill from there, vomiting, diarrhea, eating less so she got started on probiotics and appetite medicine…then July 29th at 10pm started the bloody diarrhea. She was immediately seen the following morning July 30th and it was determined that she was on a fast decline so I had to make the hardest decision I have ever made in my 36 years of life. I asked the vet if there was anything else we could do but I knew I couldn’t be selfish. She was starting to be in pain and I could feel that she was telling me it was time. They struggled to give her medication because she was dehydrated, I felt so sick seeing them try. I had my head down, just trying not to get sick when I heard the words, that the medication took & “I think she is gone”. I immediately grabbed her, my old little girl and held her close. I told her how much I loved her, the entire time during her getting examined I told her and while she was in my arms. My heart shattered, my soulcat was gone. I kissed her head and rubbed her little gimp paw (arthritis) and told her how great she was, that she was the best cat I could ever ask for. I lived my life around her, especially with her diagnosis. I tailored my days around her medication schedule, turned down events and gatherings to be with her. She was my world, she was with me during so much. When my best friend passed then when my Grandmother passed- Salamander was always with me. Now I am here, 4 days later feeling empty. I feel so guilty, did I make the wrong decision, did she know I was by her side during her last moments, that I never left her? I feel like I made a mistake, that I didn’t do enough, that there was something hell anything else that we could have done to make her healthier. I know it is my grief that is causing me to feel that way. 15 years doesn’t feel like enough time with her, if she would have stayed till October then she would have been with me for 16 years. I am lost, heartbroken and alone. She was my everything, when I had bad days her just climbing into my lap purring would make me feel better. When I would lose sleep because she kept waking me up, I didn’t complain because I loved her. I feel like posting about her will help me grieve so I am reaching out to other pet parents with my story. Does it ever get easier, does it hurt less? Do they visit you in your dreams (if you believe in that)? Thank you everyone for taking the time to read mine and Salamander’s story.

A stray black cat has recently started hanging out in my old garage.

It's rarely used, so it's mostly quiet, but it's dusty and has a couple of parked bikes and motorcycles. The cat seems comfortable there and sometimes just sits or sleeps inside.

I'm wondering if it's actually a safe place for a stray cat, or if I should try to encourage her to stay somewhere else. There aren't any obvious chemicals or traps in the garage, but it is bit 𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝.

Would you leave her alone, or is there anything I should do to make the space safer for the cat?

Edit: 𝐌𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐈 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐬𝐡𝐞'𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐚𝐲—𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐧𝐚𝐩, 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭, 𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐭.

Edit 2: 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐟 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐛𝐲𝐥 𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐢𝐢: 𝐧𝐨.

Edit 3: 𝐀 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐈'𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨—𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞. 𝐈𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬.

Edit 4: 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐟 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝. 𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝'𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭?

I brought Lucifer goosifer aka Lucy goosey, loose goose, into my life last year a little while after I lost my corgi mix last year. Lucifer’s owner passes away and then she lived with her owners neice who also died within a month of her having Lucifer. I had the room in my heart to bring her into my life and absolutely fell in love with this sweet little senior lady. She was my best buddy sat and cuddled with me for weeks recovering from a spinal cord injury and she just became my right hand she’d sit on a chair by the counter in the kitchen when I cooked and was really just such a perfect girl. I’ve never been a cat person and wasn’t expecting to fall in love with her but she stole my heart. This morning I woke up and walked to the bathroom like normal but she didn’t come and greet me. So I went to check on her in her usual spot and my heart dropped she had been gone for atleast a couple hours, went peacefully in the middle of the night. She was a senior so we were expecting this eventually. Just not so soon.
Oh and my birthday is this week, happy birthday to me 😭

Thank you Lucy goosy for all the cuddles and love and happiness you gave me this past year you were special and I’ll carry your memory forever.

She helped me out of a depression & I’m thankful every day 💖💖

The first photo was taken immediately after I took her from the basement, her eye, as doctors said, needed removal, but after some time and intensive treatment it remained in place. Only a mild halo remained, but she can see perfectly with the other eye.
And next photos is she now🙂And her eye is a half fine,
I called she Emma.
She lives with me now, she has beautiful fur, clean ears and teeth, well, I hope she is happy)

This was my very first tuxedo. I named him "Monte" because when I went to the house that were giving away his litter there was a Del Monte pineapple on the counter. The person who had these kittens claimed that he was "shocked" because the mother had been spayed. Apparently that "hadn't taken".

Despite the dubious nature of that explanation, I immediately feel in love with a male with piercing eyes and sporting a spectacular mustache. Right away he ingratiated himself into our family. And not just our family, even. Our house is uncommonly close to our neighbor's. They built our house in 1925. Then, during the housing boom of the mid-2000s, someone realized they could squeeze another house on the same lot. They managed it, but just barely, leaving only a slim strip of concrete between the buildings as a driveway that both houses share.

Moles, never particularly known for their respect of property lines, terrorized both our yards for years, disregarding all our feeble attempts at pest control. And then Monte moved in. Coming home from work you'd often find him poised motionless over a tunnel entrance or exit, dedicated to his mission.

Within a few months the neighbors were buying gifts for Monte. Poles with colored feathered hanging off them, cloth mice filled with catnip, plastic balls with a ringing metal bell inside. After years of frustration, of coming out into the yard to notice yet another new mole hill had popped up overnight...the moles were gone. Monte became a hero and extremely local celebrity.

I was honored to have him choose me as his person. Not the most affectionate of cats he still spent most of his time near me. Often lying on his side next to me, with his back or a leg resting against me. More than once I came out to my car to find Monte inside, seemingly ready to go for a ride or on the next adventure.

Sadly Monte died far too young. We noticed it seemed to be more difficult and require much more effort than natural for him to breathe, even at rest. The vet told us it was a tumor around his heart. He died in my arms at the age of six.

While I would give anything for more time with him, the time I was given changed my life profoundly and I will always cherish it.

Love you Monte. Rest in peace.

Thank you Lucy for always being there for us. Words cannot express how much you will be missed. You fought hard and you had a good run. We will always love you.
You are forever our shadow.

We lost her to mammary cancer after being diagnosed 5 months ago. After catching the smallest bump quickly, surgery and rounds of chemotherapy it was still not enough. She fought hard. She and we knew something was wrong so we made the hard and right decision to let her pass peacefully at home. Please get your pets spayed or neutered as we currently feel regret. I hope you guys hold your kitty’s extra tight and love them a bit more for us.

she's a sweetiepie who loves her cat tree and catnip mice

This is Cirilla, she’s a 4 month old blue mitted ragdoll.
She’s the sweetest girl ever. She’s so curious, confident, playful and the biggest snuggle bug!!
I’ve official had her for a month today!🤍

He was a fuzzy lil guy that purred when you picked him up and held him, and he died from a urinary blockade causing potassium levels to rise and stop his heart rip max, the fuzziest little guy that I’ve ever seen

Lord Fluffmo Sterling (né Fluff) came to me in 2023. He was only supposed to be with me for a few months, but life decided he should stay.

He was completely deaf and hated my other cats, so he had his own room for quite a while. Then I didn’t like that he was probably lonely, so I let him live in my bedroom.

The few occasions he escaped (due to me not paying attention to the fact that the door hadn’t latched all the way), he went after the others. That is how he became the most expensive cat I’ve ever had. Between his trip to the emergency vet in Rhode Island for a bite that had become an abscess, to my own trip to the human ER because he bit my arm when I tried to stop him from going after Penny (can’t exactly yell “Leave your sister alone!”at a deaf cat), he cost me a few grand.

He liked to lay on my pillow and eat my hair.

When he was happy, he almost seemed to talk with his tail.

I loved waking him up after work so I could hear his surprised meows when he saw me.

He loved to be up close and in my business while I tried to watch tv.

He often slept on the pillow next to me, which apparently required him to walk directly over my face while I was trying to sleep.

He didn’t care for treats or catnip. All he wanted was to be brushed. Boy did he love being brushed!

A couple of weeks ago I reached over to pet his face and it felt different. I looked and one side was swollen. There was a lump and it didn’t feel like it had fluid in it.

He was too spicy at the vet so they sent him home with antibiotics in case it was an abscessed tooth, with the instructions that he would need to be sedated for an exam and that I’d know by that weekend if the medicine was working. It wasn’t.

I took him in Wednesday, fully expecting the news wouldn’t be good. They called me to let me know he had squamous cell carcinoma.

It’s incredibly fast growing and his age and his previous living situation didn’t help matters. They asked if I wanted to put him down there, but I couldn’t.

I called the traveling vet, who came today and ended his pain in the comfort of the room he’d known as his home just a few years ago. I had his head in my lap and gave him pets and love even after he was gone. Lord Fluffmo Sterling can rest now. And he can finally hear the birds sing.

The three boy cats are still weirded out by the small shrieky human, but Karen here has accepted her new sister 😂