cringing at bad advice

[Mark]

One of the reasons I avoid Yahoo answers is the fact that you could spend all day on there correcting bad advice givn to people who more often than not should be on their way to the vet rather than posting on Yahoo.

I stumbled on it the other day and someone was asking a stupid question. The best answer I saw was "You should be asking a vet, not random strangers on Yahoo answers who are not qualified to answer (not that this stops them)

I would guess licking walls is another form of Pica and likely to be an anaemic cat trying to get iron into its system (that is what the vet told me when Clapton was doing it when he was end-stage CRF  )

[Bobsie]

I have just stumbled over this old thread and am appalled. Salt in quantity is toxic to cats, even though they love unsuitable foods such as crisps and cheese.( My fellow also loves the dregs of a yoghurt pot, preferably black cherry....) 

[CurlyCatz]

i know elaine, i put in my post that i'd be getting bloods etc done inc rbc counts etc for that very reason.

no one replied to my post even after i bumped it up so i can only hope the owner read what i had typed.

[Elaine]

 To my knowledge, a cat eating/licking concrete, plaster or earth could indicate anemia and or a calcium deficiency.  Why on earth would any one dream of giving a cat a salt block, I have never heard of that.

[CurlyCatz]

no you cant see her email addy, theres quite a few who dont put it on there (not sure why but its a different country so ?? security - i really have no idea tho)

they were suggesting googling to see where she could get such a thing from so atleast i know she couldnt get access to it quickly..

will check the thread later and bump it.

[Roz]

Hi Lynn

Can you see a personal e-mail address against the original posters name as you can on this site or C.C.?? I can understand your anxiety.?

Hope they do read your post soon...the thought of salt being given to that poor little babe is very worrying.

I wonder whether she is being given a dry or wet diet.

[CurlyCatz]

just checked the original thread on the other forum and no one has added anything since my post !!

[Gillian Harvey]

Sometimes it can indicate anemia - licking/eating unusual things. My cat Millie was anemic and she was licking paving stones.

What awful advice, about the salt!! Can't believe some people!

Gillian

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Well in their case I meant drinking from walls 

[CurlyCatz]

i know, hopefully she'll have seen my advice on the thread.  They werent being bad only in the dark about whats appropriate or not.

This cat wont be able to drink from puddles - they only get 4 days of rain usually tops per year LOL

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I think that is awful, cos cats wont need salt. Even salt tablets that human sport stars useed to take, is not done anymore cos you have to lose sooooooo much salt before you become depleted and the sport drinks are usually enough to compensate.

I reckon the poor cat was just not being givemn enough water or had a habit like mine, just drink from puddles in garden, despite having bowls of water indoors.

[CurlyCatz]

i am on an expat forum and someone posted that her cat keeps liking the plaster walls (what they have in dubai?)
and was wandering why she did that

a 7 year old appaently healthy cat

i asked firstly about water access etc

then i go back and see that atleast 2 other peeps have come to the conclusion the cat needs a SALT LICK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Needless to say i have said that under no circumstances did i think the cat needed that and said what i think after ruling out if hte cat drinks the water she is given and how to encourage this  (could be a good bit of condensation on walls in places like that)  and if she was fed on a good complete food i'd strongly recommend general bloods to check kidneys / rbc count etc

Just made me shudder with the thought of this cat being given extra salt tho !

anyone else heard of this or got comments, apparently the cat appears as healthy as can be.