r/CATHELP Feb 20 '26

PSA: PLEASE think 10 times before you donate money to someone on this sub.

1.8k Upvotes

It's in our rules and we say it time and time again, but after the recent events from this post, the mod team wants to put out a reminder.

Look, we get it. Seeing cats in distress is hard. When people without money are expressing their inability to afford emergency care, it's distressing. You know we have rules against shaming people for being unable to afford care, and encouraging people to go into debt. But we also have rules against fundraising, and it's for a very good reason.

It is very easy for people without the best intentions to collect lots and lots of money from well meaning community members who are affected by what they see in images and video.

With this post in particular, several commenters encouraged the OP to share a gofundme (something strictly against our rules).

Once they created and shared one (without any bills to show and despite many of the top comments saying this was NOT an emergency), people felt bad and donated anyway.

The gofundme raised nearly $2000 and today we received the update that the cat, as many commenters predicted, is not dying and did not need emergency care.

We are now starting to see meta posts (another thing we don't allow) complaining that the OOP is not returning any of the extra funds, and is blocking users who donated asking for their funds back and proof of payment.

This is a story we see repeatedly in the sub. We don't always get to the donation links quick enough to remove them, and we can't stop you from DMing each other money, but this is why we caution PLEASE do not use this subreddit to send each other funds.

We are working on a Wiki with low-cost vet resources, at least in the US, but we get users posting from all over the world begging for money. DO NOT DONATE unless it is verified on a subreddit like r/gofundme or r/rescuecats, or is directly being paid to the VET (though we have seen scams happen internationally through this 'direct vet payment' as well).

PLEASE REPORT FUNDRAISERS. Please do not encourage fundraisers. We will start banning those who encourage it. Please help us keep this community safe from those with bad intentions.

Thank you and good day!

- r/CATHELP mod team


r/CATHELP Jul 15 '25

Announcement [READ THIS FIRST] r/CATHELP Rules Reminder

378 Upvotes

Hello there

Due to a growing number of cat crises and a surprising number of people who cannot read a sidebar, we’re now regularly posting this rules reminder. This is here to prevent both:

  1. repeat offenses, and
  2. the inevitable “I didn’t know!” mod mail we get after your post/comment disappears into the void.

If you're new (hi, welcome, pet your cat for us), or returning and rusty, please take a sec to read this. It’ll save you—and us—a lot of headache.

STRIKE POLICY: Break the rules once? We warn you. Break twice? Temp ban. 3 strikes is a perma-ban (unless you're a mega troll).

1. BE NICE

No, really. Be nice. You are talking to someone who is probably stressed, worried about their pet/a stray, and sleep-deprived. Reddit is not your venting space to shame people who are already anxious. Educate, don’t humiliate.
This includes a zero-tolerance policy for berating or shaming OPs. If you can't say it kindly, don't say it here.

In addition to this, know that we get posts from all over the world. Sometimes it's people who live in a village, 500km from any formal vet care. Often it's a minor who cannot make a unilateral decision for the cat in question. Be compassionate! Bullying them won't help the cat.

2. NO SOAPBOXING OR OFF-TOPIC DEBATE

(Definition of 'SOAPBOXING' here.) Yes, letting your cats outdoors isn't great for the environment. But this isn’t a debate club, and PLENTY of things harm the environment besides cats. People come here from all over the world, with different cultures around how cats are cared for. People come here about strays. No preaching!! Take your cat care bible elsewhere! Either give OP helpful advice about their issue or move along.

Don’t derail threads with politics, don’t pick fights across multiple comments, and definitely don’t start fights with the mod team. We don’t get paid enough.

3. VET FIRST, REDDIT SECOND

If your cat is injured, bleeding, gasping, or pooping blood—call a vet.
Reddit is great for guidance, second opinions, and shared experience. It is not a substitute for veterinary care.
If you haven't called a vet yet, our advice might be limited.
Can’t afford one? Look into:
• Payment plans or CareCredit
• Local rescues and shelters for assistance
• Low-cost clinics in your area

Still post if you need to—but know that our first advice will probably be: call your vet.

Additional note to commenters: no 'Vet. Now.' comments will be allowed without context. If you think they need immediate care, explain why. Otherwise it's just creating panic and those comments will be removed.

4. NO FUNDRAISERS

Sorry, but GoFundMes, Venmos, PayPals, and “please help save Coco” links are not allowed, even in comments. Too many scams, and too hard to moderate. Try subs like r/Assistance or r/GoFundMe instead.

5. NO BULLYING POOR PEOPLE

We get it. Vet care is expensive. It's frustrating to see cats suffering. But complaining about people who can’t afford a vet is not allowed. Full stop.
Suggest rehoming? Fine. But if you’re here to shame people for being broke, please find another sub.

If someone is struggling financially, ER visits are not really something they can just save up for, nor is it realistic to expect them to just get rid of their pets they have emotionally attachments to. All we can hope for is people really think long and hard about how a pet will fit into their finances before they decide to adopt or take in an animal from street. You simply can’t help them all, there are too many cats for that.

6. TAG YOUR GORE NSFW

Bloody wound? Surgery pics? Graphic medical stuff? Weird rash? GAPING FUCKING WOUND?! Mark it NSFW.
That includes genitalia (gender ID posts) and poop/vom. You know who you are.

7. ON-TOPIC POSTS ONLY

This is not r/aww or r/cats. This is r/CATHELP. We are here for:

  • Requesting anecdotal experience with medical issues •
  • Behavior issues
  • General advice
  • First-time cat owner questions (yes, 'noob' questions are welcome!)

That means:

  • No “What should I name my cat?”
  • No “Look at my cat in a hat!”
  • No memes, no fluff.

Posts that don’t have a clear help-related question will be removed.

8. NO BREED QUESTIONS

Unless your cat came with pedigree paperwork from a breeder, they’re a domestic short/medium/long hair. That’s it.
We don't do breed speculation. Why? Because it’s almost always wrong, and it clogs up the sub.
Want to know more? Here's a guide to fur patterns, and here's a general answer to 'what breed is my cat'

9. NO SHITPOSTING, NO KARMA FARMING

If your post is clearly made up, AI-generated, or you’re just farming karma with a low-effort fake, we will yeet it. And probably you, too.

10. NO BRIGADING

If you don’t like someone’s post, do not go hunt them down on other subreddits to insult them. It’s petty, it’s bannable, and Reddit takes it seriously.

11. NO PET SALES OR BREEDING

We do not support the cat trade or backyard breeders. Period.
Don’t try to sell or give away pets here. Don’t ask about breeding. Don’t promote purebred aesthetics. Shelter cats are just as cute.

BONUS REMINDERS

• If your posts or comments are disappearing, check your karma. If it's low, Automod probably ate it. Message us for manual approval.
• If you see rule-breaking behavior, REPORT IT. Automod can’t catch everything.
• If you’re confused or unsure, check the [wiki] or send us a modmail.
Read the stickied comment on your post. It’s there for a reason.

TL;DR: Help cats. Be nice. No scams. No BS. Read the rules.
Now go pet your cat. They probably knocked something off the counter while you were reading this.


r/CATHELP 9h ago

General Advice Cat refuses medication at any cost

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259 Upvotes

Pics for some flair! This is my cat Ramen. She is 11 years old, so when something goes on with her health, I take it very seriously.

CONTEXT: Recently, she has had chin acne, and has been prescribed a mousse. She HATES it. We have also tried an oral antibiotic, which she tolerates more, but she has once peed herself because we wrapped her up to administer the medication and she was so terrified. She hates being picked up or handled either way, so it’s been a tough experience.

Flash forward to today. Ramen has been having a hard time keeping her food down for a few days. After a vet visit and some bloodwork, she doesn’t have any issues with her blood. The vet recommended that I put her on an anti-medic to see if we can settle her stomach. It is in pill form.

She avoids pills and medication even in wet food, and administering medication to her manually hurts both of us (literally and emotionally; she does not shy from using her claws to protect her peace!). I want to make this as easy for her as I possibly can. Looking for any type of advice! Thanks for reading :)


r/CATHELP 12h ago

Behavioral Issue Kitten arching back after eating

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231 Upvotes

Sorry, first time cat owner so I’m worrying about everything! 4 month old kitten arches like pic after every meal, is it normal? He’s on anti-diarrhea medication, but he’s still active and wants to eat.


r/CATHELP 23h ago

Appearance weird black dot on cats face

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1.1k Upvotes

wouldn’t easily come off so i didnt wanna force it. I noticed it after we came inside from a harness walk outside. cat is 3 year old female, we live in washington state on the west coast. could this be a tick??


r/CATHELP 2h ago

General Advice Rescue says it's the same cat?

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25 Upvotes

Hello, I don't know if this fits here, but I'm been trying to adopt this cat from a rescue, but they needed to be treated for ringworm first. I have other pets, so I didn't want to risk getting them sick. Anyway, 4 weeks later, they said there was a mix up in cats (in name only) and showed me a picture. However, the picture looks a little different, even though they claim they're identical twins. Can cats change their markings over a few weeks? Is this even the same cat? Also, please do not harrass the rescue, I understand they're probably overworked / volunteers. They said they'll double check the cats.

Edit: Fixed spelling


r/CATHELP 4h ago

Behavioral Issue Why is he doing that, hes doing it over and over again

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31 Upvotes

r/CATHELP 5h ago

Spay/Neuter Question Siamese kitten is very hyper, spay is tomorrow

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28 Upvotes

Hello,

I am 19, Canadian, vet is accessible, TLDR: worried about hyper active kitten after spay, age: 5.5 months, sex: female, yes I can afford a vet :)

As the title suggests I have a 5 and a half month old kitten who is real hyper. Shes siamse so its to be expected, but im very concerned about her post op healing. After her deworming and both vaccinations she was HYPER. Vet said she may be sleepy, not eat as much, the usual. Instead she was RUNNING around the house the second we got home T-T

Next day she was totally fine, not a care in the world. Shes a really big fan of being outside so the vet didn't stress her at all.

Does anyone have advice for when she wakes up? I set up a crate for the first few days and moved my bed frame out of my room so she can't climb but im still worried she may rip her stitches since she always wants to play.

Vet said they could give her extra medication but I also worry about having her drugged up and unable to eat properly:(

(I did buy a surgery suit for her but she is NOT a fan. I tried it off and on for 2 weeks with treats previously and she just hated it. Shes used to the cone as pictured lol, so thats what im working with)

Any advice would be appreciated. I went to like 4 subreddits and nobody had anything


r/CATHELP 11h ago

Update Meatloaf is All good!

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87 Upvotes

Safe to say Mr meatloaf is doing all good after his brownie incident I still am going to be a little cautious and monitor him the next couple days to really make sure. I really appreciate all of your guys help ❤️I am going to schedule a vet checkup in the next week anyway because his first birthday is this month!!!


r/CATHELP 3h ago

General Advice "Mysterious" Cat Illness

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18 Upvotes

Two weeks ago on 8/14 I (26F) took my indoor only cats (spayed female, neutered male, 4YO from the same litter) to the vet for a checkup and vaccines (which I note, the distemper vaccine had lapsed by about 6 months). They are otherwise healthy. At the vet, my female cat lost her mind and went crazy in the room and was hiding under the table. They were able to do her vaccines and everything was fine.

The following weekend, my female cat developed a limp and throughout the week continued to decline, couldn't jump on things, had an extremely decreased appetite, quit drinking water, hissing at me, not playing, and was hiding. All signs of being sick. I took her in, she had a 103 fever and had lost weight. They kept her for the day, gave her fluids and did blood work. Blood work only showed slightly high neutrophilis and monocytes (attached). X-rays showed no injury. They administered Meloxicam and some IV antibiotic. She came home and has been doing better.

3 days later, my male cat started exhibiting ALL the same symptoms and lost a whole pound. I just took him in. They did blood work, gave him an antibiotic, fluids, and a different NSAID. They said they have no idea what this "mysterious" illness could be. I asked if they could have picked up a virus at the vet (perhaps Calicivirus bc of the limp/joint pain) and they said there was no way because we were the first appointment of the day so there should have been no exposure to other sick cats.

So the question is, wtf is going on with my cats?! I haven't changed anything else except started offering a high fiber food alongside their regular food at the vets suggestion to help female cat with hard stool. I am so vigilant, cautious, and careful with these poor babies. I am waiting on male cats blood work but it's just so crazy to me that literally $1200 later I have no answers. It freaks me out because I have no idea how else I could have prevented this. I am very fortunate to be able to afford this vet care. Lemonade insurance has been great, I highly recommend. I have only had to pay a fraction of the total bill here.

Any advice, words of reassurance, or constructive/kind comments welcome. We are located in central Florida.

TLDR; Young healthy indoor cats both got some virus/illness that showed up after routine vet visit and vaccination and veterinarian is not sure what it is or how they got it.


r/CATHELP 5h ago

General Advice Are they playing or fighting?

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27 Upvotes

I’m 30

U.S.

Yes they have a vet

Tuxedo is 6 and white one is 5

Both spayed and neutered

They’re like roommates. Had them together for years. They do chase but the white girl doesn’t know when to stop and plays too rough sometimes. Their personalities are total opposite. Tuxedo is chill and Turkish angora is crazy lol. They do chase each other though but no cuddling.


r/CATHELP 1h ago

General Advice is one of her eyes swollen or am i imagining it??

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Upvotes

what do i do? I just woke up this morning and noticed her right eye seem a bit swollen


r/CATHELP 11h ago

Breathing Issues Rapid breathing and heart palpitations

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57 Upvotes

Hi everyone, my parents female cat (16) lately started to breathe heavily and lost some weight. She never had any visible health issues but I’m worried if she needs to see the vet or it’s just an age thing.

Would appreciate any input!


r/CATHELP 12h ago

General Advice Hey, I saw this cat in the street. is it alright?

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44 Upvotes

it doesn't look like a stray cat to me but im not an expert. I was wondering if it was a domestic cat. Also it doesn't look good to me. do you think vet can handle it with a simple and cheap treatment?


r/CATHELP 13m ago

Update UPDATE: Kitten has normal poops now!!

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Upvotes

TLDR: switched food and everything is ok now!!
Hey everyone!! I switched my kitty Hestia to a turkey and chicken based diet and she has normal poops and no more stinky farts!!! I’m also getting freeze dried pumpkin powder in the mail today that I’ll be adding to her food. Right now she eats I and Love and You chicken wet food and fancy feast kitten chicken and turkey dry food. Once the dry food is all finished I’m switching her to something WITH NO FREAKING MILK IN IT!!! F U FANCY FEAST for having cows milk in your kitten food!!!! Even the dry food has cows milk in it :((((. All in all it’s safe to say my kitty has a sensitive tummy just like me. Also soooo many cat food brands say “chicken” but when you read the ingredients they sneak fish in there. What a pain!! The last slide is a painting I did of Hestia if you want to check it out.
Poster age: 22
Cat age: around 5 months now!!
Area: USA
I can afford the vet but it wasn’t necessary. YAY!


r/CATHELP 6h ago

Injury Cat eye is watering and red

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16 Upvotes

I noticed one of my cats eyes is watering and the skin surrounding is slightly pink. It’s been like this for 3 days. Everything else seems to be normal- he is eating And drinking normal. I have not noticed him scratching his eye. What could it be? I am planning on taking him to the vet if it doesn’t subside on its own in the next couple days.


r/CATHELP 12h ago

Eye Issues I NEED HELP ASAP

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42 Upvotes

This is what my cats eyes look like on a daily basis, I’ve gone to the vet 3 times they don’t know what it is and it goes away at the end of the night then comes back in the morning. I’m baffled and need all the help I can get I can’t have my little girl in pain. She’s a 10 month old girl cat


r/CATHELP 1d ago

General Advice Found an Amputee Cat at My Workplace

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634 Upvotes

A cat with an amputated leg entered the restaurant I work at; I noticed it while closing up after the night shift. I gave it some food and water. If it is still there tomorrow, what do you think I should do?


r/CATHELP 1h ago

Behavioral Issue Bfs cat smelled my cats and started doing this, before attacking me and biting me. I’m feeling guilty he’s gonna be a little “messed up” now. Any advice on how to mitigate my scent and his stress?

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Upvotes

23F, not an urgent medical issue just a behavioral concern. I have two cats at home and my boyfriend has one cat at his home. When I sat down in his bed his cat came to say hi which he always does, he knows me and he always enjoys sitting with me. But this time around he was acting different. He started aggressively rubbing his face on the blanket I just sat on and then started doing it to me. And then he started biting me and attacking my arm, like bunny kicking. I had a sweater on thank god because he has very long claws and he would’ve cut me bad otherwise. But I had to push him off and by pure luck he didn’t try attacking me any further. I’m worried now that after I leave he’s going to still smell me. Is there anything I can do? Any precautions my bf can take? It’s a one cat house, so he doesn’t have any other cats he’ll be freaked out by or attack. But I don’t want him to attack any family in the house.

I put on a pair of pants that were covered in cat fur earlier, and I lint rolled them heavily. I thought it would be okay cause this is not my first time going over smelling like my cats, and I didn’t see any visible patches of fur. Little stragglers, but again, I’ve been with my bf for 3 years and this is not my first time coming over with fur on me. But im guessing my scent passed the threshold of cat smell, and it was too strong this time around. This is purely all speculation but I believe this was a reaction to my cats. Any advice would be appreciated. I feel really guilty. I’m scared he’s gonna have behavioral issues and I just messed my boyfriend’s cat up ☹️.

I’ll definitely make sure to do laundry and only wear clean clothes for the future..


r/CATHELP 1d ago

Behavioral Issue Returned multiple times: what can help this cat?

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606 Upvotes

TLDR at the bottom

I’m posting this on behalf of a shelter volunteer in Ukraine who is desperately trying to help this cat. I’m in the U.S., so I’m hoping someone here may know of options, treatments, or organizations she hasn’t been able to access locally.
His name is Crocs. He has already been rejected or returned by multiple families because of extremely unpredictable aggression.
The heartbreaking part is that he is apparently an incredibly affectionate cat most of the time. He cuddles, rubs against people, wants attention and can be very sweet. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, he can suddenly attack extremely hard, biting and scratching badly enough to seriously tear up someone’s arms or legs.
He also seems to react particularly badly to men.
On top of that, Crocs has severe pica involving rubber. He will actually eat rubber objects and has nearly died from it twice.
That creates a huge problem at the shelter. They can’t safely let him live in the communal cat room because there are rubber mats underneath the litter boxes, and if he eats them he could die. The volunteer says the mats serve a practical purpose because otherwise the litter boxes get pushed and slid around the room.
So right now the other option is essentially keeping him confined in a small cage, possibly long-term. She obviously doesn’t want that to be his life either.
They have already sought help from animal behavior professionals and have tried calming or sedating medications without success.
She suspects there could be a neurological, behavioral, pain-related, or other medical issue going on, but there is no confirmed diagnosis that I know of.
She is a volunteer in Ukraine, so please keep in mind that she may not have access to the same veterinary specialists, board-certified veterinary behaviorists, rescue networks, medications, diagnostic testing, or specialty facilities that someone in the U.S. might have.
That’s partly why I’m posting here. Even if a specific resource isn’t available to her, knowing what she should be asking local vets about could still help.
She really cares about this cat and is trying to find a humane solution rather than simply giving up on him.
Has anyone dealt with a case remotely like this?
We would especially appreciate advice about:
Medical causes that should be ruled out for sudden, severe aggression
Neurological conditions or pain disorders that can present this way
Treatment options beyond basic sedatives or calming medication
Managing severe pica, especially rubber eating
Environmental setups that could let him live safely without spending his life in a cage
Sanctuaries, special-needs rescues, experienced fosters, or organizations that might be willing to advise someone in Ukraine
Any veterinary behavior resources that offer remote consultations internationally
I realize nobody on Reddit can diagnose him. I’m mainly hoping to give this volunteer some specific avenues to pursue because right now she feels like she has exhausted her options.
Please be kind. She’s trying very hard to help a difficult cat with the resources available to her.

TL;DR: I’m posting for a shelter volunteer in Ukraine trying to help Crocs, an extremely affectionate cat who can suddenly become severely aggressive with little or no warning. He also compulsively eats rubber and has nearly died from it twice, making normal shelter housing difficult. Multiple families have given up on him, behavior specialists and calming medications haven’t helped, and the volunteer may not have access to the same veterinary resources available in the U.S. Looking for ideas on medical causes to investigate, treatment options, safe housing/pica management, or specialists/rescues that might advise remotely


r/CATHELP 9h ago

Injury Cat both top fangs are gone and gums super swollen

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16 Upvotes

He will be going to the vet tomorrow evening. Just wanted to know if anyone else has seen anything like this and know what procedures might be required

I'm 17

Indonesia

Vet accessible

Cat is 2 years old

Male and neutered

Can afford vet but barely.

My house is not built to be cat friendly and despite major efforts to making it cat proof he still keeps finding ways


r/CATHELP 19h ago

Kitten Help Ate some brownie?

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105 Upvotes

Hey I’m 19 in America my cat ate like 3/4 of a dark chocolate brownie Betty Crocker and he’s about 11 months and 12lbs the closest 24h vet is 3 hours away It was about 15 minutes ago I’m very worried. No symptoms very urgent


r/CATHELP 8h ago

Kitten Help Is this play or aggression?

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11 Upvotes

I have recently introduced my kitten (4-months, F) and adult cat (7-years, F) and am not at the stage where they can be in the same room.

Over the past week their play has evolved to what looks like fighting. The video attached is an illustration of the wrestling that they have started to do. Is this normal?

The kitten will approach the adult when she is scratching or looking elsewhere. They typically part ways after a few seconds and then may re-engage a few minutes later.


r/CATHELP 6h ago

Appearance Does anybody know what these dots on her ear could be?

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8 Upvotes

I've recently noticed that my cat has these small dark spots in her ear and want to know if this is normal or if I should go to the vet

My cat is 13 years old