Dear Paws4Pets: We adopted a 2-year-old spayed female cat. “Trudy” has a problem when she pees in her litter box. She tends to spray over the top of the box. Someone suggested a covered cat box, so I found two at garage sales. She still pees to the back, and the pee drips down the back of the box where it clips on. Why is she doing this? I use litter she likes. Is this just a habit, or should I take her to the vet and get checked out? We really don’t want to take her back just because of this. She is so sweet. Is there anything else we can do? — Linda D.
Dear Linda: It’s always worth a trip to the veterinarian just to rule out any health problems. If Trudy checks out OK, there may not be much else to do after that. I’ve seen cats before that sprayed over the top of their litter boxes. In one case it was a dominant male in a three-cat household that clearly wanted everyone to know this was his box. He refused to use a covered box and would pee outside of the one that was installed, so his owner put the old box back and built a splashguard — cardboard wrapped with foil — that drained back into the litter box. That cat loved spraying on the splash-guard all the more because of the sound of water hitting the tinfoil. Trudy does not appear to have this problem. She’s not refusing her litter box, which is very good. Don’t take her back because of this minor issue. If the veterinarian doesn’t find anything wrong, continue to rinse the litter box top after every cleaning, and perhaps rig a splash-guard system that prevents the urine from collecting in the rim.
Dear Paws4Pets: I have two 2-year-old neutered canine brothers. They have lots of forested room to roam, but “Jake”” — the dominant one — occasionally insists on peeing on the deck. I can’t catch him at it. Why does he do that, and how can I get him to stop? — Carolyn V., via e-mail
Dear Carolyn: That can be tough to stop, since the deck is often considered part of the family living area for everyone, including the dogs. You’ll need to regain control of the deck area and remind Jake who’s boss. For the next several days or weeks, the deck is going to become Training Central. Work with Jake and his brother, separately. Whenever Jake begins to sniff around or tries to mark something, firmly tell him “no” and continue giving him basic obedience commands.
The Dog Days are here. It’s hot, Independence Day is well past, and Labor Day is a long way off. Here are a few books that can alleviate the summer doldrums:
Head to Tail Wellness: Western Veterinary Medicine Meets Eastern Wisdom by Stacy Fuchino, V.M.D.
Alternative medicine has gotten sidewise looks in the past from vets and owners alike. It’s fine to go to an acupuncturist yourself, but what good does it do for a dog or cat? Dr. Stacy Fuchino, who has augmented his degree in veterinary medicine with studies in Eastern medicine and Feng Shui, argues that it does a world of good. He presents case studies from his own practice of pets with chronic illnesses that improved following treatment with a combination of Western medical treatment and Eastern practices.
Cat-echisms: Fundamentals of Feline Faith by Ellis Weiner & Barbara Davilman
This is a fine example of the pet-persona genre, which many cat lovers probably will find endearing. Cat-echisms, as the title suggests, bases its style on the Catholic method of outlining fundamental beliefs and principles through a question-and-answer series. This is a small book, short enough to read in one sitting or just to leave on your coffee table.
Stay by Allie Larkin
Finally, a bit of fiction to chew on. Stay takes a fur-laden twist when our heroine, Savannah, impulsively buys a puppy off the Internet. (I won’t go into all the reasons why Internet pet sales are wrong, but the author does take pains to point out many of them.) If you’ve ever owned a big dog, you’ll immediately identify with Joe and Savannah’s first day together. The slobbery wake-up call. The harrying first walk with an excited canine. The big pile of poo on the carpet. Yes, it’s not your typical romance novel. But it’s definitely worth a read.
Dear Paw4Pets: A friend of mine told me that he trained his dog to go in a specific spot in his backyard by using a scented rock to mark the spot. How does that work, and where can I get this rock? — Frank in West Roxbury, MA.
Dear Frank: Your friend essentially trained his dog to identify a particular scent with a location that’s OK for him to eliminate. Using a focal point like the rock is pretty helpful when you’re trying to train your dog to do this. Hopefully the scent is unique enough that the dog won’t smell it elsewhere in or around his neighbor’s house! You can most likely find something like the scented rock (or a similar training tool) at a local pet store or online. Look under house training or basic obedience. Most dogs can be trained to use a specific spot, or several designated spots. It’s best if this training begins early in a dog’s life. If the dog is used to just running anywhere in the yard to do his business, disassociating him from this behavior is necessary and adds time to the process. You’ll also need to be absolutely disciplined yourself with this method — taking the dog out at specified times, daily, to that spot, until he completely associates the area with elimination. Ultimately, you’ll want to be able to just let the dog outside at that specified time and have him go on his own in that spot, although some dogs may never reach that point. The upside of this, of course, is that your lawn will remain free of little surprises as well as yellowed spots on the grass. The extra benefit, however, is that you give your dog a little more “face time” as you work with him to use the designated spot, something that rewards both of you.
“Goliath” (aka: Goober) a 19 month old, Male, Red Nosed Pit Bull is very friendly with adults and children, but can be testy with other dogs. He is fully vaccinated, dewormed, HW/Lyme Negative and on HW Prevention. $50 voucher for any CT Adopter/Rescue to pay for/towards his neuter.
“Mickey” is about 5 years young, is a Mixed Breed. Body of a Bulldog, head of a German Shepherd. He is neutered, fully vaccinated, and dewormed, just needs HW Test by adopter. Mickey is friendly with people and most other dogs. His adoption/Rescue fee is $5.00.
by Sam Mazzotta
