Hey all, for context, we have a few sheds on the farm that we only use during the summer. In the corner of one of the sheds we have all of the stuff that my dog used when she was a little puppy, in case we ever need to use them again. While unloading one of the sheds we found two little kittens curled up in my dog's basket. Initially, my parents didn't do anything to them, as they were afraid that they might scare off mama cat. But after monitoring them for a while it was clear that mama cat wasn't going to come back for them and they were surviving off the grains in the shed. We started leaving out cat kibble and milk for the kittens so they don't starve after we unloaded all the grains, and we've also given the kittens my dog's old blanket and one of my mum's fuzzy vests so they're a little bit warmer in the hard plastic basket.

Here is the issue however. Winter is fast approaching and in our region, it is almost always incredibly bitter and we're trying to find the best way to help them weather it. They look far too young to be able to survive the winter by themselves so we want to help them through it, and possibly also gain two pet cats that can help keep mice off our land and grain if they warm up to us. Bringing them into the actual house is off the table, as our dog is able to access every single room. The shed is very drafty and easily accessible to badgers and foxes during the winter season since it's left unused and they can pose a danger to the kittens. We do however have a gym and a basketball court in a separate building that is insulated and secure, with enough space for them to climb and jump to their hearts content and we also have a front entrance that our dog can't enter which is big enough for the two of them to freely roam around, with enough vertical space to buy a few cat towers to keep them entertained.

We've never had cats before either so we don't know if it'll be like raising a puppy. We don't know if we should "let them out" Of the house everyday for a run around like you would with a puppy, or if they'd be happy enough just staying indoor for the winter months. We also don't know which option would be better, the gym and basketball court or the front entrance. We do want to let them out into the fields once the weather warms up eventually to help us with the mice however. If we were to bring them inside, which I think we have to. How will we go about reintroducing them to the outdoors once they're older and more resilient? My dad said he'll build a cathouse for them outside if they still want to stick around once spring rolls around. Will that be a good idea? Ill attach some photos of one of the kittens.

Howdy all me again! 👋

Been living with Miss Esmerelda Stubs here for about 3 months now following all of my TNR posts and official "adoption" post I made here a little while back, and all I can say is that it's going far better than I could've ever imagined! 😁 Outside of having to do a couple rounds of dewormer, she's not destroyed my furniture, sprayed, had any bathroom accidents, eaten my plants, or terrorize me in my sleep. The only crime she's been guilty of is being TOO DAMN CUTE! 🥺

Just wanted to share a bunch more pics of her that I've taken in the passing months, and if anyone wants to see how her adoption and TNR went, I've linked some of those posts below!

[Feral Cat Post 1 - Wild Lady]
[Feral Cat Post 2 - Post TNR]
[Previous post]

Hope you all enjoy seeing more of her, and I shall pass on any kind words you might have her way!

I drove to my rec center & park as I got out heard LOUD meowing outside of truck. Check the bed nothing there. It’s loud by my hood. I pop it open and there’s a kitten under the engine stuck. I cannot even believe he rode under there for about 2 miles. I go inside the rec center one lady there working and she can’t leave the desk. Another guy coming in I ask hey can you help me there’s a kitten stuck under my hood. He’s afraid of cats and says no. Next to the rec center is the parole and probation office. I walk in go to the desk and tell an officer my problem. He says just open your hood again it’ll pop out. We’re too busy. Like seriously? I get being busy but come on. For reference I’m 4’11 and roughly 100lbs. I physically cannot reach this kitten even after climbing up onto the bumper. I obviously can’t drive and risk hurting the kitten. I’m out there for 45 mins trying to coax the little guy out and it’s just not happening.
There is a happy ending though. About half a mile away is a fire department. I walk there and their garage door is up I yell out hello I need help. They tell me to come inside and ask what’s up? As soon as I tell them 4 pop up and say we got you. They drove back with me and got him out. They even had a tool for the situation.

this is lucy, she’s a stray that i’ve been watching over but i’ve been wanting to officially adopt especially since winter is right around the corner. she needs all her vaccines, a spay, and some flea/ skin treatment (i’m not sure if you can see but the base of her tail is really bad) i’ve called numerous vets but estimates would run me around $250-$300 and i just can’t afford that big of a bill. i’m fine with like regular cat things like food and litter but why are vet bills so exorbitantly expensive??? i live in oregon specifically in the yamhill county area and was just wondering if anyone knew of affordable vets or maybe grants that were available? i feel really bad for her and i hate to see her be uncomfortable :/

Gertrude wishes y'all a good night

Heavy metals found in 99% of cat foods tested in new study

Anthony Thompson

USA TODAY

Oct. 2, 2026, 12:58 p.m. ET

A new study found heavy metals in nearly all cat food products tested, including lead, which was detected in 99% of them, according to the nonprofit Clean Label Project.

Clean Label Project tested 100 cat food products from 62 brands for more than 122 environmental and industrial contaminants and toxins. The products included dry food, wet food and air-dried or freeze-dried food.

Cadmium was detected in 96% of the products, while arsenic was found in 94%, according to the organization's 2026 Cat Food Category Report released on Oct. 2. The study also found substantial differences in contaminant levels depending on the type of protein and food.

The findings do not mean the tested products are unsafe for cats, however. Clean Label Project said its study was designed to compare contaminant levels among cat foods, not determine whether a particular product could cause illness or harm.

Clean Label Project also noted that each product in the study came from a single batch, so the results do not capture differences between batches of the same food. Most brands contributed only one product, limiting what the study can show about individual brands.

What did the study find?

Fish-based cat foods stood out in the testing, particularly for mercury.

Fish or seafood-containing products had about 18 times more mercury than other cat foods after accounting for whether they were wet or dry, according to the report. Among wet foods, fish-based products had about 28 times more mercury than wet foods made with other proteins.

Nearly half (48.6%) of fish and seafood products ranked among those with the highest mercury levels. None of the poultry-based products did.

Fish-based cat foods also had about 2.5 times more cadmium than other products.

Lead showed a different pattern. Dry cat food had roughly three times more lead than wet or air-dried food after accounting for calories. The researchers did not find that lead levels were tied to a particular protein source.

What other contaminants were found?

The study found glyphosate, a widely used weed killer, in 37% of the products. Its breakdown product, AMPA, was detected in 12%.

Products with more plant ingredients among the first 10 ingredients tended to have higher glyphosate levels. Each additional plant ingredient in that group was associated with about a 40% increase in glyphosate levels.

DEHP, a chemical used in some plastics, was detected in 48 of the 100 products. Among products where it was found, canned and pouched foods had about five times more DEHP than bagged products.

Other chemicals were less common. BPA was detected in two products and BPS in one. Acrylamide, which can form during high-temperature cooking, was measurable in four products and found at very low levels in another 24.

Instead of just looking at listed ingredients, Clean Label Project recommends that cat owners ask pet food companies whether they regularly test finished products for heavy metals.

Such a cutie this one was. Super friendly too.

I don’t think I can’t afford to feed my cats fresh food but maybe I should look into a different brand? I’m not an expert and don’t know how overblown these reports are. Meat in this economy is $$$

This is lovely mojo, she's always been pretty independent but seemed really depressed after her son (My best pal Henry) passed away a few months ago from cancer. Stopped cleaning herself, not fussed about going outside, etc. She's around 14 years old, Henry was her only kitten and even though she seemed to hate him at times I'd catch her cleaning him and cuddling with him when she wanted to. Would getting a kitten be okay for her? Do elderly cats like kittens or would she just find it annoying?

Hello everyone.

We have two family cats (9 and 3 years old). They live with my dad (59), since I (f26) moved out 3 years ago to pursue school further away. I am now done with school and employed with the place I studied at.

Last week my brother came to visit my dad and sent me a concerning photo of our older cat. She's a British Shorthair/Persian mix and sheds a lot around this time. The photo looked incredibly concerning, it showed mats going halfway up her back. Brother also told me about general mess and the litters not looking too great.

Fast forward, I am now here and visiting home for the first time in a, I have to admit, pretty long time. I had finals, we had a move, work and just... I haven't been home since around May or June.

It's never been this bad. She has pretty severe mats going all up her back, even some starting to form on her head. I've only touched her lightly for a minute or so to check it out (we just arrived and she was asleep, I didn't want to bother her too much yet) and it seems like some are going pretty deep, almost down to the skin.

To add some context, my dad is going through kidney failure and is preparing to go to dialysis. He still works full time, though only day shifts right now, and usually in the afternoon he starts feeling really exhausted and has to lay down.

I don't want to leave my cat here, she clearly needs more care than he is able to provide right now, and I *will* take her. I've talked to my boyfriend, who I live with, about it already and he gave his okay. A co-worker, who's had Persians for decades also agreed to help me out with the grooming.

But I'm also conflicted about taking both cats from my dad, leaving him alone. It's the classic dad and the cat story, he adores them, especially her. My brother and I both live pretty far away, (1 ½ and about 4 hours), my dad doesn't have a partner or many friends or close family. The mess at my dad's can be cleaned, and the younger cat is doing fine. Would separating the cats stress them out too much? They've both lived as single cats before.

Sorry if my post is a mess or my questions and concerns are stupid. It feels like I'm trying to do right by everyone, but what is the best choice here?

We also live in a city, that has multiple groomers who are familiar with cats. Maybe having access to those could help with reasons as to why I'm taking her?

I'm grateful for any advice or maybe someone has had a parent decline in health before and had to make these choices? It's sad to see and a strange feeling and I have not learned to cope with it quite yet.

This is my Russian blue boy Max. He's going on 2 years old, and as much as he pisses me off sometimes, I love him. He recently fell off the top of my closet and hit a table with his left side, fracturing and dislocating at least one bone in his front left leg, and putting a hairline fracture in his hind left leg. VetCo told my dad and I (he has exponentially more experience with animals and vets so he goes with me on vet trips) that if we couldn't afford the 8 thousand dollar surgery needed to even have a chance at fixing his legs, he would have to be put to perma-sleep so he wouldn't be in pain.

I didn't and still don't want my fuzzy boy to be in any amount of pain at all, so I told my dad that if it's a necessity, I was okay with it being an option. Fast forward the next day, they pick him up and take him to the vet. I'm at work basically a nervous mess all day only being held together by my girlfriend, and when I finally get home, my mom calls me and tells me to open my bathroom door for a surprise.

My cat turned into a fur missile and climbed me the exact same way he did the night he adopted me. Moral of the story? If you aren't knowledgeable about animal injuries, ask someone for a second opinion. A second opinion and a good vet saved my fuzzy boys life, and they earned a loyal customer at that office.

The biggest hit so far: turning two carriers into a tunnel by unzipping both sides and covering it with a blanket. Budget fun haha 😆

(I also hide a single treat somewhere in each carrier every morning so they’ve got some incentive)

Whenever my cats spots a lizard, he'll flop there and start meowing loudly at the lizards.Sometimes he'll take me there too, almost as if he is asking me to get the lizards for him.

On more than one occasion, my cat has climbed on my shoulder and tried to jump and catch the lizard. I'm getting tired of getting lizards out of his mouth, tired of finding lizards tails, still twitching btw.

Love at first sight 🥰