Two years ago I adopted a calico cat from a rescue home. She was litter trained until recently when I bought a large, indoor, potted plant. Now she likes to use the plant as her potty and then she kicks the dirt all over the floor, like she would litter. She will still occasionally use her litter box, as to laugh at me when I vacuum. I was wondering if there were any home remedies to keep cats out of potted plants and back to their litter boxes. ( Patricia Herman, Cambridge )
There are plenty of over the counter cat deterrents available that use smell to deter your cat from particular areas, but this would be an expensive solution if you had many planted pots. Your cat obviously enjoys the soil element of the plant pot, and this is not surprising, especially if she is an indoor cat. Since this is a natural instinct, when doing the toilet. One suggestion is to put a thick layer of gravel (about one inch worth) on top of the soil around the plant and then move the pot to another location. Your cat will not like the feel of the gravel against her paws and this just might encourage her to go back to using her litter box.
My cat's nose has been clocked up for several weeks and seems to have a discharge quite often. What could be causing this? (Val Simpson, Roxbury)
Nasal discharge in cats is a typical indication of nasal disease or irritation. Many cats may have occasional nasal discharge without any meaningful reason (just like my mother who is a human ) but persistent or severe nasal discharge can be a sign of health problem. In some cases, there could be an emergency, such as if there is persistent bleeding.
Nasal discharge is categorized by the color and contents: For example, is it clear or cloudy, does it contain traces of blood etc. These questions will indicate quite accurately the nature of the problem, but not the exact cause. You must take your cat to see a vet so that he can examine the nasal discharge first hand.
How do I keep my cat from jumping on the counters and tables? (Jessie Woods, Allston)
First of all you need to consider why your cat is jumping onto the counter. It is a cats natural instinct to jump up, so it may not be anything you are doing, but if you leave traces of food or water on the countertops or feed them food from something you are preparing on the counter then they will associate the counter top with food and you will never be able to stop them from jumping up.
In order to stop this behavior you need to make the countertop as undesirable a place as you can. When you are around the house you can use loud noises (such as pebbles in a can) to deter your cat when you see them jumping on the counter, but obviously this only works when you are watching and the cat will learn this pretty soon and just go on the counter when you are not there. Better deterrents are those that will work whether you are at home or not. A common solution is to cover the countertops with sheets of aluminum foil. The cat will dislike the feel of this on the feet and it is often enough to deter. You may need to continue with this long term but the foil will stack up out of the way fairly easily so should not be a problem.
It may also help to get your cat something that they are allowed to climb on like a climbing tree and encourage the use of this toy with praise and by hiding treats around the tree.
PET FOOD 101
There are some basic, but important, factors to consider when feeding your four-legged friend.
Tips: When it comes to feeding dogs and cats, dietary choices can seem as simple as the decision between wet or dry and expensive or cheap. You may think you are giving Fluffy a special treat when you are feeding her that can of tuna, but can cats really handle the chicken of the sea? Experts debunk some basic myths concerning pet nutrition.
While most veterinarians will tell you that a combination of wet and dry foods work best for cats and dogs, each kind can contain some filler ingredients that are useless and sometime detrimental to your pet's health. It is always important to read the ingredient list on your pet food. Also the order in which they are listed. since ingredients are listed in order of relative amount.
High corn content in dry foods and the by-products sometimes contained in wet or dry foods should raise red flags. Lower quality dry foods tend to contain more corn, which is not as nutritionally useful to cats in particular, who are strict carnivores.
Meat by-products can contain more harmful products than you may already be aware of . The term "by-product meat" refers to animal tissue that has been rendered, which is an industrial process converting slaughterhouse offal and deceased animals from various sources into a more stable material. This can allow for traces of deceased or disease animals of many species to appear in your pet's food, in addition to residue of a drug called pentobarbital, which is used to euthanize animals.
With so much concern over the quality of the pet food some owners turn to nutritional supplements. The supplements are often unnecessary. In many cases the manufacturers of food products will put in more than is necessary to ensure that your dog or cat is getting what they need. So supplementation is not particularly useful, unless there are specific disease conditions or your companion is not eating mostly dog or cat food to make up most of its diet.
And what about those days when you forget to buy more pet food? Be careful what human food you allow your pets to chow on. A good rule of thumb is that foods that you would feed to a toddler are usually appropriate, such as vegetables and cooked meats that are not greasy or spicy.
Despite its reputation for being every cat's dream food, tuna is strictly a sometimes food. Grapes, raisins, onions, chocolate and garlic are never food for dogs as they are toxic. Dogs and particularly cats do not find many of the things that we enjoy very palatable.
My kittens teeth are falling out. Is this normal?
Kittens and puppies have "baby teeth" just like people. It is normal for them to lose teeth at about 4 to 6 months to make room for their adult teeth, If they fail to fall out, removed by your veterinarian.
My cat is losing an excessive amount of hair. Is this normal?
This condition is probably normal. Cats, especially cats with long hair will shed their coat. This is a completely normal process. if the hair loss results in complete baldness, a trip to the vet might be necessary.
Do cat's teeth need to be cleaned?
Yes, cat's teeth must be cleaned also. Feline dentistry is one special area of need.
Each feline dental problem is unique and requires certain procedures to control infection or tooth loss.
Feline cavities (endodontic, osteoclastic restorative lesions) are a significant problem in cat's mouths and must be handled appropriately when diagnosed.
How much sleep does a cat require?
One major difference between dogs and cats is their personalities. Cats differ from dogs, in that cats prefer to remain very independent rather than socializing in packs or with humans.
Another unique trait is unusual sleeping patterns. Cats may sleep up to 18 hours a day, but wake-up quickly when disturbed.
A tendency to hide illness relates back to ancestors who would have been preyed upon by larger carnivores if they had demonstrated any sign of weakness. This characteristic, however, often makes it difficult for owners to know when a pet is sick.
My cat is scratching my furniture. I do not want to have her declawed. Is their an alternative?
While scratching is natural behavior for cats, it can often cause problems for cat owners. The standard solution has always been to declaw. Nor your veterinarian has an alternative to declawing that is both practical and painless. nail caps for cats.
Nail caps are vinyl caps that help keep your cat's nails blunt and harmless. Nail caps such as Soft Paws are applied to the cat's nails with adhesive and keep them blunt for as long as four to six weeks before they need to be reapplied, and you can even apply them yourself.
Tips On Caring For Kittens
Keep neonates warm by placing them in a box or basket lined with a soft, warm covering such as a fleece blanket. Since kittens do not produce sufficient body heat until they are 3 to 4 weeks old, it helps to use a hot water bottle or heating pad under the bed covering to help keep them warm. Be careful that the hot water bottle is not so hot it could burn the kittens.
Newborns should be bottle-fed a kitten formula every two hours for the first week, and every three to four hours thereafter.
After feeding, be sure to massage a kitten's lower abdominal area to encourage elimination. Usually a mother cat will lick kittens to stimulate elimination.
Be attentive for crying or other abnormal behavior. Crying is a kitten's distress signal, although kittens naturally yowl when they are hungry. A quiet kittens could be a sign of sickness and should not be ignored.
Kittens should stay clean. Wipe away runny eyes or any crusty deposits.
Litter Box
Acclimation
How can I teach my kitten to use the litter box?
You will want to keep in mind that a young kitten is still a baby and will have accidents from time to time. that is the reason that I and my mother recommend confining the kitten to a small area of your home with easy access to his/her food, water and litter box until the kitten is litter trained and gradually introduce the kitten to the rest of the house.
Cats and kittens are meticulous, and you may find that your kitten's mother has already trained him/her to use a box. If not it is usually relatively easy.
Make sure your kitten has immediate access to the litter box and that the kitten can climb in and out with no extra effort (box lids work well). Watch the kitten closely and place the kitten in the litter box when it wakes up, after meals or any time it begins nosing in corners or squatting.
If your kitten as an accident, wipe it up with a paper towel and place the towel in the litter box. Gently scratch the kitten's front paws in the filler, so he/she will earn this is the place to deposit and bury waste.
When your kitten is successful, praise him/her lavishly.
Things to Remember When Combing Your Cat
. Be gentle.
. Be patient.
. Work at a slow pace until the matted area starts to give and you can gently lift the mat away from the skin.
. After the coat is no longer matted, always make sure the brush or comb's teethe reach all the way to the skin and then pull upward and outward.
Why Cats Don't Work
* A cat has NO NEED to work. They have everyone else (including kids and those other unspeakable creatures) working for them.
* A cat knows they are the BOSS and does not take kindly to a human who thinks they are boss.
* A cat is NOT A TEAM PLAYER and will intentionally
undermine group efforts just because they can.
* A cat generally want NO CHANGES in their life style. They will use the same undermining tactics to ensure things remain as they prefer.
* A cat likes to MAKE WORK for their humans by making messes
and being hard to please.
* A cast has MORE IMPORTANT THINGS to do.
WHAT THEY DO INSTEAD
. Sleep . Eat
. Drink . Groom
. Sleep . Play
. Play . Catnap
. Eat . Litter Box
. Sleep . Sleep
SLEEPING
It is normal for cats to sleep a lot, many sleep about 16 hours a day. While they are sleeping, they are storing up energy to do the all the other things they do, such as playing and making mischief. cats will find favorite places to nap at different times of day and will sometimes seek out high places in the sun. Other times, they may choose a dark corner where they can sleep undisturbed. Wherever they are sleeping be assured that they will be immediately alert when it comes time to eat or play.
CATNIP
The majority of adult cats love catnip. There are many
catnip-filled toys available. A cat may sometimes prefer to
just have the catnip without the toy they like it rubbed between
human fingers and put it on scratching posts, on the floor or in
a paper bag. When buying catnip, smaller containers are best
to help ensure freshness.
PLAYING (and Mischief Making)
A domestic at "Plays" instead of hunting as their ancestors had
to do to survive. Playing provides stimulation to keep a cat
mentally alert and healthy. "Playing" and "mischief making"
are much related - the more time a human spends playing with
the cat, the less a cat will need to get into mischief. If you
are a cat's human, be sure to play with your cat daily.
Can You Stop A Big Dog From Pulling On The Leash?
Keith, from Woburn, MA
Yes, but not by pulling on the leash yourself. Instead, do the
opposite. When the dog pulls on the leash, stop walking. When
the dog stops pulling, resume walking. The dog will soon
realize he gets to move forward when he does not pull!
How Long Can A Puppy Hold It In His Crate?
Cindy from Allston
A good rule of thumb is it is the number of hours equal to
his age in months plus one.
Can Dogs Get Sunburn?
Heidi from South End
You bet they can! Which is one reason why you should
never shear a dog's coat too short.
Sunburn
White cats , or cats with white ears and faces are particularly susceptible to sunburn. Over a period of time, exposure to the sun can cause squamous cell carcinomas, a cancer found most often on the tips of the ears and nose, Early signs are a sore that does not heal or that bleeds.
White cats should kept out of direct sun as much as possible, and if they must be in the sun, you can help them prevent sunburn by using a sunscreen on their ears and nose. Your veterinarian can recommend one which will not be harmful if ingested.
The sun is a powerful giver of life and still worshipped by people all over the world (something I do not understand) but it is not always your cat's best friend. Be aware of his/her condition on sweltering summer days, and if you have any doubts at all, go to your veterinarian immediately. You are the only defense your cat has.
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