u/Beast8333

Riku (aka "Deeks") loves his cat wheel so much! Probably the best and most expensive cat toy ever 😂 My apartment is the cat version of having toddlers with toys all over the place

This is gonna be a long one, TLDR at the bottom 😄

Late last year, I noticed my 12 year old cat's fur was spiky and greasy looking. He also had dandruff down his back. I found out the technical term for this was a "staring coat". Typically, that could indicate kidney disease, thyroid problems, or something serious going on. Given his age, I was sickened with worry. After about a month of really noticing his coat looking like this, I decided to take him into the vet to get his blood tested, including a fecal float. I will say, I'm not super well off money wise. Since he is considered a senior, his blood work (fecal included), and exam, ran me about $380 total. They found nothing in his blood or his fecal. The vet even said his coat looked "fine" and just recommended giving him some omega-3s to help. I thought, "Alright, I guess he's healthy, I must've been over thinking it."

Fast forward 4 months later, my younger cat developed resorpative lesions on his teeth and he desperately needed a teeth cleaning anyway. So, I brought him in. Obviously going under anesthesia, they have to do blood tests, and again, a fecal was included. So I took his fecal in, and they found slight amounts of giardia in his stool. I was honestly baffled by this because neither of my cats have had super distinct symptoms of giardia. My "greasy" older cat, did sometimes have softer stools on and off, but I thought it was associated with possible intermittent GI upset. Especially since his stool came back clean just months prior. Though, I learned giardia sheds intermittently and sometimes won't show up in fecal floats 🙃 Also, some cats don't show classic symptoms and will just reinfect themselves indefinitely. I literally have no idea how they got it as indoor cats.

Once I treated him for giardia, his fur is now back to being soft and fluffy. He's even gained some weight since. I felt like I was honestly crazy, but I knew something wasn't quite right. So my conclusion is, if you know how your cat feels, how your cat looks, and they don't look like that anymore, take them in. If nothing shows up, take them in a month later (unlike me). You might catch something early. A cat's fur will show something wrong with them before they even start showing symptoms. So try to take it seriously if you see a change in their fur at all.

I want to clarify that his fur was SPIKY not just shiny or clumpy (garlic clove?). It looked pokey, shiny, had dandruff, and felt semi-greasy. When he usually felt soft like a cloud.

TL;DR:

I took my 12 year old cat into the vet because his fur was greasy looking/feeling. I thought he had kidney disease, hypothyroidism, or something more serious. The vet ultimately found nothing (blood or stool). Come to find out, he actually had giardia this whole time. Another vet found my other cat had it during his dental pre-op labs. After treatment, he is back to his fluffy self. Don't ignore coat changes, especially if they get greasy, something is probably happening internally. You could catch it early before actual symptoms show up.

Lynx is the epitome of a "velcro cat" and has started laying on the stove when I make my morning coffee 😂

I know we are all cat lovers here, but I know it's controversial for cats to be on counters. He is allowed on the counters because of his younger brother being a food hog. I don't usually cook for anyone other than myself, and if I do cook for others, the counters and stove get thoroughly disinfected. And lastly, cats do what they want 😅

Hey girls! I'm a very simple person, so I don't know a lot about hair product, other than dry shampoo, oils, and hair spray. I would love to actually learn how to take care of my hair properly to make it look the best it possibly can! Especially for my hair type, which I don't know haha

I wash my hair every 3rd day (two days off, then wash the next day). I only use shampoo and conditioner. My hair is super nice looking after it dries (I always let it naturally dry, like I don't even own a hair dryer 😅), it has the tiniest amount of wave to it, until a brush hits it, then it goes completely straight. Over the 2 days off, if I don't brush it all day, my hair turns into a piece-y, flat, and scraggly mess. Though, it doesn't look or feel greasy. I get home, brush it, and it looks fine again. I would have to brush my hair almost every hour to have it not turn all "old barbie doll" looking. I can go to a restaurant and back, and it looks scraggly. It's frustrating.

What products could I use while my hair is wet and dry to keep it fuller and look nice throughout the day? Any advice would be appreciated!

Photo was taken about 2 hours after washing my hair.