Morris Animal Foundation

whenever my cat poops in her litter box, after a while my dog goes in her box and eats some of her poop! Is my dog bored or hungry? I don’t understand. Please write back,

Jenna

oprophagy (ingestion of stool) is not uncommon in dogs. Bitches may ingest the feces of pups to keep the denning site clean and reduce odor. Anxiety, such as may be elicited from boredom, is another potential cause of coprophagy while nutritional deficits may also trigger coprophagy.
Studies have shown that the incidence of coprophagy is higher in animals that are in restrictive environments such as dogs that are kept indoor or in confined areas for long periods of time. You question whether your dog is bored in your comment. Perhaps involving your dog in a broader spectrum of outdoor activities may decrease this behaviour.
How frequently do you clean or change your cat’s litter completely? Ideally, scooping should be performed daily (at a minimum) and completely changing litter should be performed every other week. Perhaps your dog is attempting to keep its “denning area” clean and reduce odor. Remember dog and cat olfactory sensitivity is many times greater than that of man. Eliminating the source of odor is the first step in stopping this behaviour.
Another possibility is that your dog is lacking appropriate levels of certain nutrients in its diet. This can be determined via consultation with your regular veterinarian who can tell you how you should modify your dog’s diet, should this be the case.

You can keep the dog from eating feces by using a covered litter box or an automatic cleaning one or simply by putting the litter box behind a door with a cat door too small to admit the dog

We own two dogs, one is a corgi who is about a year and a half, and the other is a beagle who is about eight. When we first brought our corgi home, our beagle took some time getting used to her; and occasionally will snap at her still. And I've noticed lately that our beagle has been much calmer but our corgi tends to get aggressive when food is involved. She'll kind of snarl without growling. She's great with people and absolutely craves attention. We decided to try and take her to a dog park so she could run around and play with the other dogs (she's always been good with other animals before and rarely barks). When we got there she did really well at first and was playing with a dog that was pretty close to her size. But when the bigger dogs came over she started to snarl and snap. We tried to show her the other dogs were nice and praised her when she didn't act aggressive towards them. She stuck by us and didn't run much after that, but when another small dog came over they kind of sniffed each other but she immediatly backed up and snapped again. We decided to leave before she got too aggressive; the whole way home she seemed very bothered by the whole experience and kept her head down. I want to socialize her so we can take her out and let her play at the dog park, but I don't want to traumatize her in any way. She's always been so friendly, so it's quite confusing to us. I would love to hear any suggestions you may have. Thank you so much for your time.

Your corgi is a maturing dog and you are seeing changes in her behaviour and relationships with other dogs. Interdog food aggression is not surprising; your maturing corgi is attempting to guard a resource (food) from a potential rival. One can decrease the likelihood of such aggression by feeding them in separate areas such that they do not interact in the presence of food.

With regards to the dog park, how much interaction has your corgi had with larger dogs? How much interaction has she had with unfamiliar dogs? A dog’s experiences earlier in life can shape interactions later in life. Many dog parks have areas for small dogs and other areas for bigger dogs. Perhaps, for the time being, if you know other owners of small dogs (or gentle bigger dogs) that your corgi gets along with well, you could have small play groups with these animals. It may be that she has certain preferences for play partners that some of the other bigger dogs were not fulfilling.

WHY IS MY DOG AFRAID OF OTHER DOGS?HE IS ALWAYS RUNNING FROM THEM.

Dogs can be fearful of other dogs if they have had a bad experience with
other dogs in the past or if they have never been around other dogs before
and dont know how to interact with other members of their species. When
on walks with your dog ask him to sit and then give a treat when another
dog approaches. Start doing this when you are far enough away that your
dog is not threatened by the other dog and slowly decrease the distance as
your dog becomes less fearful. It would also be helpful to find friends
with dog-friendly dogs and allow your dog to interact with them in a
controlled environment. You can start by walking your dog on leash with
another dog (also on leash). This will allow your dogs to be present with
another dog but not have to completely interact with it. When your dog
seems comfortable you can allow the dogs (on leash) to interact with
eachother. Then progress to off-leash play. Obedience classes would also
be helpful as obedience classes would give your dog a fun activity to do
and build confidence and the classes would have the added benefit of
interaction with other dogs. It is important that any interaction with
another dog be positive and not overwhelm your dog, which could make your
dog even more fearful.

Our two similar sized and aged (two years) dogs (one a pure white lab, the other a pound rescue mutt, shepherd mix), got into a horrible fight, drawing blood. The mutt was clearly the aggressor, and had the lab by the throat and would not let go. The lab obeyed after I drug the mutt away, (which was very difficult), but the mutt wanted to go to round two. No food or toys were involved, basically unprovoked. The mutt is aggressive when you get near her food, and the lab is just what you'd expect, a lover, not a fighter. Will this happen again, and I think our only option is to get rid of the mutt. When in the backyard, they play and wrestle, but this was a vicious fight. The lab was not in season, and the mutt is fixed. This was a first. I fear if we leave them alone the lab will get killed. Ideas? Thank you.

.It sounds like there are a couple of things going on here. First, if your shepherd-mix is growling at you when you get near her food , this is just as much a problem as her fighting with your other dog. Also, though it may seem that there was nothing that provoked the fight, your family members were present, it may have been she was trying to keep the lab from receiving your attention. There are things the can bedone. The dogs should be separated (if not already) when there is nobodyin the house. Also, basket muzzles should be placed on BOTH dogs to
prevent injury to either one of them. Both dogs should be obedienced trained or be re-trained if they have already been through classes. A "no free lunch" policy should be instilled where neither dog gets food, attention, or treats unless they sit or laydown for it. Both dogs should be meal fed. It will also be helpful to teach your shepherd mix to 'drop it ' so she learns to give up any resource that she has (food, toys, bones,etc.). You can start by offering her a toy and then teach her to drop it by making a trade with a tasty treat. This will teach her that is a good thing to relinquish items to you. Of highest importance is the safety of everybody in the situation. Make not of what situations will set off the conflicts and try to avoid them. Pay close attention to body language: a dog with her ears up and pointing forward, standing straight and stiff,staring head on, and hair standing on end indicates that trouble is brewing and the dogs should be removed from the situation. I know that it is easy to favor the lab, as she is the apparent victim in this, but try to treat both dogs equally as preferential treatment of the lab may cause
her to become the aggressor toward your other dog.

Hi, My dog Frankie was thrown into my partner's yard in Portugal as a puppy. He is part Schnauzer. My partner kept him but worked 10 hours a day and left Frankie in the yard. He just tore around in circles all day defending the property. When I moved in, Frankie was a year old and was attacking and trying to eat doors when they were being closed and still is so hyper, running around destroying lawns and always on edge. He is fairly disobedient when being walked and always runs away when let off the leash and pulls on the leash. Although he is 50% improved from where he was, I would just love to have the skill to calm him down so he can relax in the garden and home rather than being constantly on edge. We had another rescue male dog for 3 years, they got on great but he just died suddenly and now I'm worried about leaving Frankie alone in the day again. Any advice?

Congratulations on recognizing and trying to alleviate Frankie's stress. Control on walks is an important component in preventing injury to a dog by decreasing the likelihood that the dog will pull away from its owner and get into potentially injurious situations including being hit by automobile, or attacked by other animals.

Focusing a dog's attention on their owner is a critical component in ensuring control on walks. The "look" command is helpful in achieving this. This command can be used to direct an animal's focus to the owner and away from potentially distracting stimuli. One way to train a dog to this command consists of holding a small amount of a food item (preferably one that Frankie really enjoys), in one hand, away from your body. Typically dogs will stare at the proffered item and offer a behaviour to achieve procurement of the food item. Eventually, Frankie will direct his attention to you for guidance. Only when he does this will you give him the food. You must offer him the food as quickly as possible after he looks at you however, to link the food reward to looking at you. After several repetitions of this, begin saying, "Look!" each time he looks at you and then immediately offer the food reward. Eventually, Frankie will pair "Look!" with looking at you and expect good things from looking at you! Ideally, you should spend at least 5-10 minutes/day training Frankie on this command. This command can be critical in keeping his attention focused on you on walks. The author/trainer Karen Pryor has books that deal with training in this fashion (positive reinforcement) that you should be able to find in most bookstores or online.

There are also several restraint devices that humanely prevent an animal from pulling. Excellent examples of these include the "Gentle leader" device and the "Halti". These devices work by controlling the dog's head such that when the dog pulls in a give direction, their head is pulled in a direction incompatible with the direction they were initially pulling towards. They are also excellent in that, for dogs that may be aggressive, a tug on the leash closes the dog's mouth quite effectively. The company that makes the "Gentle leader" provides an instruction video with their product to ensure it's appropriate use.

Replacing a companion dog with another is a big undertaking. Not only does one need sufficient time and space to train and provide the dog with the space it needs, but also in your case, dogs must be compatible. Do you have time and space for a new dog? Is Frankie a dog that enjoys playing with high-energy dogs or is he a dog that prefers to relax? Is Frankie good with new dogs? If you feel that you have sufficient time, space, and that Frankie is good with other dogs, you need to select an animal that is compatible with Frankie. The best choice would be a female dog of similar or smaller size than Frankie. You can assess their compatibility prior to bringing the other dog home by observing the fashion in which Frankie interacts with the new dog at that dog's current residence. You must also remember that by bringing a new dog home, if you bring a new dog home, you will not just be providing Frankie with a playmate, but also bringing home a new animal with its own idiosyncrasies and potential behavioural issues. You will potentially have two dogs that need training and restraint on walks, rather than one.

Hi- I have a two year old Brittany Spaniel who is driving me crazy. She won't stay off the furniture, we push her off the couch, she jumps back up. We do this for 10-15 -20 minutes at a time and it's exhausting. She thinks we don't see her on the furniture and even after yelling at her, rolls to her side with her tongue hanging out thinking it's a joke. The same with our bed, our Lab isn't allowed on the furniture but Brittany (the Brittany) jumps up when we fall asleep and scoots in between us pushing us to the edges with her paws, we push her down she jumps back up. We are so tired in the middle of the night that half the time she ends up jumping up really quietly and curls up on the bed to sleep. Sometimes she wakes me up by putting her nose into my eye, just sits there like this until I wake up. How can I keep her off the furniture, we took her to a dog training class which she passed, even after bullying the other dogs in the class, and she's smart but won't listen. She also bullies my 110lb Lab to where the lab gives in to her. I jsut want her off my furniture and to listen. Thanks and sorry so long winded.

It is easier to have the furniture teach her not to jump up. There are devices Scat mats that will mildly shock the dog when she jumps on the couch. There are also Snappy Trainers which are mouse traps equipped with a large plastic paddle instead of a killing bar. They usually frighten the dog away. You could create booby traps. As for your bed- I would get her a nice dog bed in your bedroom. Use a leash to tie her away from your bed and close to hers. S. Two weeks of restraint usually suffices to convince the dog to keep to her own bed.

I have a 60lb mixed breed dog who is 11 years old. It is New year's Eve and she has extreme anxiety when fireworks go off. I have my own prescription for vailum and was wondering if it would be safe to give her some to help her? If so, how many mg should I give her?

Your dog does need help, but not from your pill box.It is dangerous to administer drugs meant for human to dogs. In this case you would find that the drug doesn't last very long. Your veterinarian can prescribe more effective medication. At 11 your dog may have cognitive dysfunction in which case a diet such as Hills b/d or a supplement like Senilife might be helpful

I will be moving in with my fiance very soon. He has a sweet, well tempered dog named Popcorn. I have two cats named Henry and Sadie. They are both shy, but Sadie is afraid of everyone. When my niece visits to spend the night, I have to put her food and water in the closet. My fiance has found a nice family willing to adopt Popcorn, but I think he really wants to keep him. I am a huge fan and lover of animals. I'd love to keep him, but am concerned whether Sadie can adapt. Henry is shy also, buy Sadie acts like an animal that was abused. I'm really torn in this decision, as I want to keep the dog, but don't know if Sadie will adjust. I suppose the only reason why I'm torn is because we do have a good home lined up for Popcorn. If I had to chose between keeping him and taking him to the Humane Society, I'd keep him.

So, here's my question. Is it realistic for me to expect Sadie to adjust to Popcorn??? Any words of wisdom will be very appreciated.

If Popcorn is a cat-friendly dog, it may be possible for Sadie to become
comfortable with him. It may be helpful to bring blankets that Popcorn
has slept on into your home and allow Sadie to smell the dog. Feeding her
something she finds particularly tasty or playing with her in the presence
of the object may help her associate good feelings with the scent of the
dog. Also, if possible, having some dry runs where Popcorn is allowed to
come over prior to the move and interact with the cats so that they can
all get used to each other might be helpful. It is important that these
experiences be positive for both the cats and the dog. During the first
introduction, Popcorn should be kept on a leash until you are sure that he
will not be overzealous in his attention of his new housemates. They should be
given something tasty and/or try to engage them in play with their
favorite toys to make it a good experience for them. Both Sadie and Henry
should have places that they can got to if they get overwhelmed with the
dog being in the house. Feliway, a feline pheromone, may help make Sadie
and Henry feel calmer. Diffusers can be placed in outlets of each room and
release the calming scent.

we adopted a approx 1yr old male kitten. Over the course of his 5 days here he has gone from frightened to lap kitten lovable. He has a healthy appetite, is neutered, had all of his shots etc. He has now started eating, chewing and knocking over our rather large house plant family members. It has become a obsession. We are cleaning up a 4 foot tall palm that was on a 4 ft pedestal stand... what do we do to distract or alter this behavior. It is not the lack of food, treats, toys or attention?

Your cat needs his own cat garden. These contain plants that cats like and which are not toxic. He probably also needs a kitty condo or cat tower to climb. You can protect your plants with physical barriers or even with compressed air attached to a motion detector (SScat)

We have a four year old cat, Frisky. We got him when he was a kitten. He is terrified of strangers and family members that have been here before. Our 10 year old grandson stayed all night 2 nights ago and he hid. He was still hiding after he went home. Was hiding this mroning. What can we do?

The best way to lessen the fear that Frisky is feeling when new people enter the house would be to try and associate good things with the new comers. This can be done by giving Frisky a special treat when there are outsiders in the home or trying to engage him with play or toys. Also, if
the “outsider” is a frequent visitor to the household (your grandson for example) keeping items that have been used by this person (like a blanket, worn shirt, etc.) in your house may help your cat familiarize itself with
the visitor and not be so traumatized. Products such as Feliway, releases a pheromone that helps to calm cats. Diffusers that plug into the wall can be purchased and put in each room. There are also drugs that may help ease anxiety that Frisky can take to help him be less fearful while trying to associate.

I have two cats that are sisters, spoiled and completely indoors. Neither have ever darted for the door, I'm so lucky. They both have different personalities of course but they have the same personality at the Vets. They have to be sedated in order for the Vet to do anything to them, it has been very very stressful for both cats and myself. Is this behavior due to the cats themselves or is it because they are spoiled and very pampered? Do you have any suggestions on how to get them their yearly vaccinations? They have become extremely difficult to get in their carriers and have to be separated for a whole night. Any suggestions would be very helpful. Thank you

Feed the cats only in their carriers. Begin three weeks before their vaccinations are due. Meal by meal move their dishes farther into the carrier. Next close the doors little by little. Spraying the carrier with Feliway before the journey will also help.

I have 10 cats in 1 apt. It seems like some are urinating other places than the cat box like on top of the stove. How can i stop them

Unfortunately the only way to stop spraying in a ten cat /apartment setting is to reduce the number of cats. It is very stressful for them to be so crowded. Your veterinarian can prescribe medication to reduce stress and you can use Feliway diffusers and 11 litterboxes, but the prognosis is guarded

hi this is a horse question. there is this 21 year old morgan mix mare. she is really small and she needs to gain alot of weight what are some good foods for her to gain weight on? also the place where she is living (down the road from my house) she does not get any attention so i have made it my duty to look after her. What are some ways i could get her used to me? she lives in a really durty stall in a musty barn with pigs all around her and they are so loud!!! the people that hve her now just got her monday and they mean well, its just that she dosent get the proper care. what can i do to get her used to her new surroundings and like me so i can ride her when she gains weight? thanks.

You are very kind to be concerned about this mare. Fist- don’t worry about the pigs. She’ll quickly habituate to them and they are probably much quieter when there is no human present who might feed them. You’ll have no problem getting this mare to like you. Just appear with a carrot or apple each day. Most horses like to be brushed especially at this time of year. The owners should have her teeth checked because dental problems are a cause of weight loss in older horses. There are several good commercial diets for senior horse. Plenty of hay is a must for any horse. The dirty stall is the greatest concern; it should be clean or she may develop thrush or other hoof or pastern problems. Don’t be surprised if she is a lot livelier when she is in better condition. She may like you, but not want you on her back.

I have a cat who is 2 1/2 years old. She was friendly and loving until I had her fixed. She is friendly and loving to me and can be so swwet, but no one else really sees that. A short time after I had her fixed she started acting terrible to everyone but me. She hisses and growls and sometimes bites. No one likes her and most everyone is afraid of her. She has gotten pretty good with my roommate after a while, but I wondered if she could have some kind a hormone problem since this started after she was fixed. Help!

A There is no evidence that fixing-spaying (ovariohysterectomy)- increases aggression in cats. That is an experiment waiting to be performed. Because most cats are spayed at 6 months or younger you may have been observing a developmental change as she passed out of kittenhood rather than a change due to surgery. The fact that she has accepted your roommate and that she hisses indicates that she is probably fearful so a passive approach by visitors is recommended, They can ignore her or toss a cat treat. Cats accept other people and cats very slowly. Replacing her hormones would be dangerous and probably not necessary

my 8 mth old cat steals whatever is not nailed down-quite heavy objects, especially metal things like bathtub and sink stoppers. He has zillions of toys, cat climbing condos, interactive toys, and 5 other cats to play with. I never know what I am going to find in one of his many hideouts-a spoon? a hairbrush? a large resin object...how do I stop this funny behavior??

Your cat is unusual-Kitty kleptomania is not a common problem. As long as he isn’t eating those objects it is not dangerous. Because he is young it might be a play behavior which will gradually wane. Five other cats may cause him to hide things from the competitors. Keep a diary to see when he takes things, Is it the day you are away until midnight or the evening you have 12 guests? That will help determine his motivation. You might try to teach him to fetch which is a nice party trick and which will help satisfy his urge to carry.

Our female 4 yr old cat has taken to urinating on the dog's bed (a covered foam pad in a large basket. We wash both pad and cover, but doesn't help.

Because you are washing the pad and cover she has a clean place each
time. In general that is the key to urination problems: easy access to a
clean litter box or two and non-scented clumping litter in an open box
less than a a year old that is washed with dish washing detergent every 2
weeks. She should be examined and have a urinalysis performed to
eliminate infections or Robin Barry (rbarry106@comcast.net) Asks:
===============================
Q <p>my 8 mth old cat steals whatever is not nailed down-quite heavy
objects, especially metal things like bathtub and sink stoppers. He
has zillions of toys, cat climbing condos, interactive toys, and 5
other cats to play with. I never know what I am going to find in one
of his many hideouts-a spoon? a hairbrush? a large resin object...how
do I stop this funny behavior??</p>

mia mae is a 2 year old great dane mix so shes large about 80 lbs shes loves a bath but will not let me near her nails they need trimed really bad she runs and hides when i come near her wwith the clipers. she hides under the bed and wont come out untill i go get her and convince her we dont have the clippers anymore so i want to know if theres something i can give her to calm her down just long enough to cut her nails a friend told us to use a bendryl tablet is that true said it would make her sleepy please halp me . north port florida

It would be better to teach him that clipping her nails is not awful. Try a different kind of clippers -the scissors type are often less painful to the dog than the guillotine type. For a few days put the clippers next to his food dish. Next hold the clippers up to her paw then give her a tiny treat. Repeat ten times a day. After a week try to clip one nail, give her a big treat. Do a nail a day. You could just take her to your veterinarian to have her nails clipped.

I have 3 Cats. 2 Girls and A boy. During Christmas I went outside my front door to bring in my christmas decorations. When I reentered the house, my hands were full of decorations and my 3 year old tabby cat went crazy. She Was growling, hissing, and screaming very loudly. When I went near her to try to comfort her she was screaming so loud and she lost both her bowels. After I got a hold of her I removed her from the situation by putting her in the basement by herself. I left her down their for a couple of days. After I noticed that she wasn't yelling at my wife or me I Put my other two cats in a room and let her up. After being by herself for a little while, I decided to let my other cats out. A little hissing and growling happened but not for long.

Last night after I came in the front door from getting the mail All this started again. She Lost her bowels, growled, hissed, screamed. I have had her in the basement ever since. What is wrong and What could I do? My wife is pregnant and the last thing that I want is for my cat to act like this when my baby is around. I know if I take her to the vet they will want to euthenize her. She was a good cat before all this happened.

A. Your cat is reacting to something outside –most likely the odor of other cats. It is hard to keep other cats from visiting so you might want to put her in another room before you go out . Wash your hands and change your shoes before interacting with her. If she does begin to go “go crazy” , don’t try to pick her up. Put a cardboard box over her and a cookie sheet under her and carry her to the basement. Letting her calm down and slowly re-introducing her to the other cats. was the right treatment.

I HAVE A YORKIE AND SHE IS A INDOOR DOG SHE EATS RIGHT AND KEEPED VERY CLEAN BUT I RECENTLY DISCOVERD A LITTLE THING COMING OUT OF HER IT IS BETWEEN HER LEFT LEG AND HER SHOLDER SHE HAS LIKE A STRING,PICE OF MEAT COMING OUT NOT BIG SMALL ONLY SHOWS WHEN I BATH HER WHAT SHOULD I DO? PLEASE LET ME KNOW( ASAP) THANK YOU

Please take your dog to your veterinarian. This is not a behavioral problem.

I have one cat a girl who is 3 years old. My girlfriend has 3 boy cats and we wanted to move in together and I was looking for some guidance on how to bring our cats together. Thank you for any help you can provide.

Carefully. I worry that he male cats may begin to fight or spray when a female is introduced. Introduce them slowly. Keep the female in a room by herself with food water litter box and a soft place to sleep. Keep the door closed for a week, but feed all the cats on either side of the door (yours on the outside; hers on the inside). After a week put a baby gate or screen bin the doorway and repeat feeding them on either side and at the same time. If after two weeks and if there is no hissing growling or
lunging you can begin to let them interact.

We recently (two days ago) adopted a one year old cat from our local humane society.

We were told that the cat came from a hoarding situation, had an upper respiratory infection, but was doing well.

I know it's been a very short time, but the cat has not come out from under the couch in my daughter's room, has not eaten or had any water for two days.

When we attempt to coax him out, he will let us pet him, he purrs, but will simply not move.

"Spenser" is the only animal in the house and we would love to give him attention and care, but can't seem to reach him.

Do you have any suggestions - I am getting worried that he hasn't eaten in two day.

Thanks for your help - Karen

Two days is a short time for her to adjust to a new environment, but a long time without food. Put her food and water under the couch and the litter box nearby. Sit quietly with her but dont try to pull her out. The fact that she purrs when petted is a good sign. I have had success with a cat-video to reduce fear in hiding cats. They come out to watch the birds and rodents and realize it is safe and interesting in the world
outside the couch. Good luck.

we have a black lab and he is 5 years old and he has now got in to a new habit of running away with the neibor dog and also now when we call he he looks at us and keeps going he also will walk away with any person like bike riders runners etc. can you please help us with any of these very bad habits that my dog has started. ps. this is all new it has been going on for about 6 months. thank you for your time Kendra Paulk

A The first question I have is:”What do you do when he does return from one of his expeditions?”. If you are (understandably ) annoyed with him and chastise him by yelling or striking him, he may have learned to avoid you when you call. I assume that he has been neutered. Intact un-castrated) male dogs are much more likely to roam. Teaching your lab off-leash recall will be difficult but you should either build a fence or walk him on a leash until he comes every time you call him. You can start in the house using food rewards so that he learns that coming means a slice or hot dog or a carrot slice, if he is heavy. Then practice in the yard with a long leash on hom so you can insure that he comes. Only when he is perfect in an enclosed place like a tennis court- off leash should you let him out alone. I am very worried that he will be hit by a car if he continues to wander off.

how can i stop my cat from using the house for his litter box he was doing great before i had him fixed now he using the bathroom every where i have changed the litter and the locattion of the litter box many times i just do not what to do i am at the end of my rope

The first thing to consider when a cat is urinating outside the litter box is a medical problem. Take your cat to your veterinarian. You did not specify whether the cat was squatting and urinating on a horizontal surface or standing up twitching his tail and spraying urine on a vertical
surface. The latter is most likely to occur in a multi-cat household. In both cases litter hygiene is necessary but may not be sufficient for spraying cats. One litter box per cat plus one, a clumping non-scented litter scooped daily, an open pan that is washed every week or two and filled with clean litter should help.

either every night or every other night while we are sleeping one of our cats pulls tissue out of the box and tears and chews on the tissue. Why does he do this and how can we stop him from doing it?

Pica or eating non-food items occurs in many cats. Unfortunately we are not sure why. Providing another source of grazing by providing a cat garden and hiding their food or placing it in small treat balls so they
must hunt for it may help You could lock up the tissues or use handkerchiefs, but they might turn to chewing more dangerous things such as fabric or plastic

We have two cats and they have always gotten along. They are both fixed and our male cat is the dominate one.About a month ago they all of a sudden got into a fight while outdoors on their ropes. Ever since then my male hides under the kids beds and won't come out. Once in awhile he'll be on their bed and the other cat will come in and he'll be find,other times he growls and hisses at her. The big problem is that he is very spooked to come out of the room and won't eat or use the litter box. When I bring him down stairs to the litter box he freaks out and runs back to the room. He looks to see if the other cat is around and won't come out or stay out in the living room. I put him in the bathroom with the door close so he'll eat something. I don't know what happened or why he is so scared. My other cat is find, but we can tell she misses playing with him. There doesn't seem to be anything medically wrong with him. I took him to the vet when this first started. Could you please help me with this situation. My husband said we will have to get rid of the other cat if he doesn't get better.

First you should provide food and a litter box where he is hiding. Tying your cats outside is probably not a good idea. They might have smelled or seen another cat which precipitated the fight. Try rubbing both cats with the same cloth. Let the male take his time re-joining the female. A Feliway diffuser near the male would help him relax. If tincture of time doesn't help see your veterinarian fort medication

my cat has always been obsessed with the world. weather it meant sitting in a window for hours, being on the front pourch, or scattering to get a glimpse of our front yard. i guess we never paid attention to this or knew how serious it could get. recently our cat has not been going to the litterbox, on purpose. she will go near the door. shes declawed, so i dont want to let her loose. we are unsure of what to do in this situation.

Your cat may be avoiding the litter box on purpose, but probably because it is not where the cat prefers to eliminate or isn;t the kind of box or kind of litter or clean enough for her.

I have thee Cats (1). Domestic Female Tabby 3 years old, first cat in family, (2). Feral Male Tabby 2 years old, 2nd in family. (3). 8 month old male Tabby last member of our cat family. All spayed or neutered. Problem, 8 month old kitten got out of house and stayed out overnight. The Feral male #2. saw him on the back porch and had a nutty over him. When the kitten finally came in. The Feral cat has been in hiding, won't come out to eat or drink and seems scared to death of the kitten. The kitten could care less and goes about his way. Before he got out they were the best of friends playing and loving each other. Why and Will the feral cat calm down and accept the kitten again??? The oldest cat #1 ignores them all.

The kitten probably smells different after his overnight adventure. Eventually the feral male should come out of hiding, but meanwhile be sure he has food, water and a litter box near his hiding place.

8 year old cat has always kneaded for extensive lengths of time before he lays down or gets comfortable. This can last for over 30 minutes. He is not de-clawed and this can cause some issues with fabrics and my skin since he likes to lay on me. Any ideas? Thanks

I love be kneaded by cat toes, but can understand your complaint. The easiest thing to do is have a thick soft surface between her and you or your furniture. Cats like to tread or knead on soft surfaces. You can clip her nails or even apply Soft Paws - plastic nail covers.

We live in a high lizard area and our two cats have begun eating them and are starting to lose weight. It appears the muscle along the spine has shrunk while the stomache appears a bit swollen looking. Does this sound like worms?

Check with your local veterinarian about the possible consequences of eating lizards.

Can a cat sense that a human has a pacemaker? My cat met a friend of mine who has a pacemaker and she puffed up and was a little weary to go near him. She has never done this before when meeting someone. This was her first time meeting him but acted normal with meeting his girlfriend. Can it mean she knows theres something different about him or does she sense that maybe he is not a nice person? I hope you can help me with this question.

Thank you very much

Melissa & Roxy

I have known cats that interacted normally with people with pacemakers, but it might be an interesting phenomenon to investigate. The cat might be responding to your impression that he was not a nice person

Adopted a rescued Egyptian Mao... that had been abused by hitting, slamming off counters, and starvation. She has been with my daughter for two years, and has a nice disposition, very affectionate ( my daughter calls her a snuggle whore) and has made much progress. Although she is well fed, She will still steal food... anything, anytime and always. This presents many problems, as the cat is alergic to land fowl, and must be fed stictly. Which brings us to the second problem... she requires monthly alergie shots. This cat will not let anyone pick her up. Period. She runs, bites, scratches and fiercly struggles against you, until you and the furniture are a bloody mess. Getting her in to a carrier requires relentless pursuit, until the cat goes catatonic in fear. The vet literally cringes when he know she is coming. Is there a way to work with desensitizing her so that it is less traumatic for everyone? We don't need to hold her if she doesn't like it... just don't want her to freak out everytime we try to move her off the bed, or shoo her off the counter.

You can take advantage of his appetite. For the two weeks before his next shot, feed only in the carrier. Spray the carrier with Feliway. Those two things would help with visits to the veterinary clinic. You can make him work for his food by hiding it in various places and putting it in balls that will dispense the food when rolled.

Last night one of my male cats ran out of the house. ( for the most part are indoor cats unless they sneak out). I heard cats screaming, and assumed he got into a fight with a cat. I tried to get him back inside but he wouldn't come in. So the next day he decided to come back in the house. Now all of a sudden his brother is hissing and growling when he goes near him. He keeps his distance but he growls and fluffs up a little.

I think he injured his tail or was bit in the rear, cause he hisses at me when i touch his tail.(they were fixed when they were 6 mths old. The cat that remained inside and is not injured is the one that is behaving different and aggresive.

Your cat is a different animal since his rerurn from the outside. Your other cat is treating him like a strange cat possibly because he smelle different. Try rubbing both ,cats with the same cloth to exchange odor.

While traveling on short distances no problem with my pug, however on long distances she pants alot and it becomes annoying. I stop alot and offer her water but many times she doesn't drink. How can I make her ride more comfortable for her and also make it a more pleasant ride for myself?

Thanks.

She may be car sick. Your veterinarain can prescribe a new drug for that problem. Meanwhile a DAP (Comfort Zone Dog appeasing Pheromone to plug into the car might help and so might lavendar essence. Be sure to use a seat belt or car seat .

Why is my seven month old puppie throwing up blood?

This is a medical emergency.Please take him to your veterinarian immediately

why has my cat started vomiting after she eats?

She may have a food allergy. Try switching her to a novel protein cat food and feed several small meals rather than large ones

I own a nutured male cat. Today he met up with a younger, stray cat which is also male. I noticed the stray cat following mine quite frequently. I didn't see any fighting between them so I let them be. My cat is usualy a very calm and very nice pet, but since he met this stray he will hiss or try and bite when I try to pet him. Is this normal behavior or should I be concerned?

I would discourage contact between the cats. Your cat is probably exhibiting re-directed aggression. The other cat is arousing him, but instead of attacking the other cat he is aggressing toward you. Hissing is usually a fearful vocalization.

I have a 6 year old female and about 1 1/2 years ago I brought home a kitten to keep her company. The kitten is a neutered male and is now about 18 months old. GiGi was not amused at the new cat and seems to only tolerate him.

GiGi will not use the litter box I guess because she smells the kitten, so she has taken to using the bathtub, which is not so bad as I can clean it easily. But the other day I caught her squatting on the carpet and peeing. How can I get her to use a litter box? I am afraid if I get her one the kitten will use both and we will have the same problem. Is there anything I can do?

One cat is usually a problem free and happy cat. Providing company should be done when both cats are kittens. For your specific problem you need three litter boxes . Be sure Gigi is examined by your veterinarian to be sure she has not developed a urinary tract problem.

My cat has started acting jumpy at odd times. He will be fine one min. and then I will go to pet him and he will leap up as if touching him hurts, moments later he is fine and I can touch him. I have not noticed any connection between when he freaks out and what he or I am doing. If you could help that would be great. Thanks

You might be shocking him when you touch him. Keep a record of where you were standing when you touched him. That might help to determine why he is acting jumpy.

How do I get my older cat to stop hissing at my new kitten?

Your car is afraid of the new kitten. He should become habituated to the kitten in a few weeks,

About a 1/2 hr. before the alarm goes off my 8 month old kitten will start doing things that she knows will get me up. She rips the wallpaper off with her teeth, scratches at the carpet... she only does it when she wants me up. It is destructive and nothing works. HELP!!!!!!

Many cats would like their owners to arise early in the morning. Keeping a bowl of food in your bedroom might help because cats like to eat in their owner's presence. Feed her late in the evening and be sure to play with her in the evening.

Hi, We have 2 cats that have been with us for 2 years. 6 days ago we brought home a puppy. Starting on the 3rd day our cat Shade has been been leaving BM's on towels in the bathroom, in the sink and peeing on towels and once on my sons bed. We never had any problems before this. We keep the puppy in a corral type thing in the kitchen and in her cage in the basemnt at night-

so she is not chasing after the cat or anything like that. The breeder we got the puppy from suggested we introduce them by holdong them next to each other, we have done this a few times and are still having the potty issues. What can I do besides giving up the dog that we have spent a grand on in the past week.

Cats often get extra fastidious when stressed. Be sure you have 3 litter boxes, clumping litter and open boxes.

Thank you so much for your input. If I have 3 litter boxes where should I place them, near each other or in separate rooms or ??? And yes, I realize now that I probably made a mistake with the kitten, but do you think when the kitten is older and not so playful, (she loves to stalk GiGi but I do have outdoor patios and places for GiGi to escape to when she needs it), do you think that they will be more happy with each other? The kitten really adohrs GiGi, and would love to be able to cuddle at nap time, but for now the only thing the kitten can do is lay a safe distance away from her on the bed or couch or whereever, because GiGi will not have any part of it. The kitten is a rescue and did not have a mother image and I am afraid I am the only one she has. And I will make a donation as I do appreciate the input. GiGi is not very maternal.Thanks Barbara

It would be best to place the litter boxes in different places in the home
given your cats' dynamic. Gigi may not appreciate it if the kitten
bombarded her while in the litter box, which could cause a litter box
aversion. By having them in separate places, you are more likely to avoid
this scenario. Also, Gigi and the kitten may get along better once the
kitten has gotten older and doesn't act so much like a kitten. Having
places that Gigi can get away from the kitten/hide is excellent. You might
try feeding them a special treat (tasty canned food) together in one
particular room with each one on opposite sides of the room. If there is
no hissing, spitting, arching of backs, or striking, the distance between
them can be decreased by 1 inch until they are comfortable eating right
next each other without incident. This will work best if they are only
given this special food (canned food) during the time you are working with
them and may necessitate separating the 2 cats if you the kitten is
relentlessly bothering Gigi. You may want to try keeping them separated by
a baby gate, allowing them to interact with each other, then give them
free access to each other after they become re-acclimated.

Our 2 1/2 year old male cat has recently become aggressive while he is sleeping or sleepy. For example, if he is sleeping on the back of a couch near someone's head, he may suddenly wake up and attack that person's hair by biting it. He gives a slight meow and then bites. At first, this behavior happened only when he was sleeping. Now, it has happened twice when he was partially awake but still sleepy. Altogether, this has happened 6 or seven times. Other than these instances, this cat is totally loving and wonderful. We are not pestering him while he is sleeping. These attacks are spontaneous and completely surprising when it happens. Any ideas about what we should do or what is happening?

You have heard of the expression "Let sleeping dogs lie". Well that applies to cats as well. The cat may be in Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep and having an aggressive dream. You can avoid disturbing him at all when he is asleep or touch him gently when he is sleerpy then give him a treat.

I have a 11 year old Boston Terrier who suddenly became still in the vomit position, but nothing was coming out. Her eyes were bugging out and she seemed to be choking. I picked her up and thrusted under her diaphram several times but it didn't seem to help. She was not breathing, then became completely limp and urinated as though she had died. I thrusted her again in desperation and she came back. She vomited twice afterwards an hour later.

This is not a behavioral problem. Please take her to your veterinarian

We have had two cats who have been together in our home for a year. They have always gotten along, playing, sleeping together and cleaning one another. The older cat had already been neutered & de-clawed. About 4 weeks ago, we go the younger cat neutered and de-clawed but once she got home the other cat refuses to accept her back. The behavior went from loving to hissing, running away and swatting. The younger cat continues to try to have the relationship they once had and has show no aggression whatsoever. We have rubbed them together getting the same scent but still there is no improvement & have to separate them when they are un-supervised. We love both our cats & would like the peace back in our home. What should we do?

Failure of recognition when a cat returns from the vet is quite common. Cats recognize one another by scent and the anesthesia, antiseptics etc change the cat's scent. Try rubbing each cat with the same towel to exchange their odors.

Why is my 7 year old pug peeing everywhere. He drinks SO much water when I give him water.

I’m sorry for your unfortunate situation. In situations in which an adult animal suddenly begins drinking more frequently and urinating more frequently we, in the veterinary community, typically suspect an illness.Diseases such as diabetes and adrenal diseases are usually the first things that come to mind. I would suggest making an appointment with your veterinarian to assess a probable medical reason for this.

my two older dogs(8&5) have been together since the youngest was six months old and about a year ago they started viciously fighting each other...we have to keep them locked in seperate rooms and any time the get together they fight im affraid that if i was home alone with them my youngest would kill the other she seems to be the instigator..we also have puppies that they get along great with and all other dogs are fine this aggression is just to each other...my oldest is a boxer lab mix and the other is a mix not really sure of what but they are about the same size ...what can i do to possibly stop this behavior one of them is fixed the other is not

At this time, without knowing more specific details, I would suggest placing a basket muzzle on both dogs when the two are together to prevent injury. The more time they spend together the better.Also walking them together (ideally with two people and one person holding each dog). This will allow them to be together without having to interact directly may incite positive feelings toward each other and allow them to

burn off some excess energy. Walk each dog toward the other giving a food treat at the closest point. Repeat as often as you can. A “nothing in life is free” policy should be instituted in the household whereby neither dog receives food, toys, attention, etc. without performing a task such as sit or lay down. Meal feeding the dogs is also beneficial. Of course, they should sit for their food before being allowed to eat it. If this fighting is as vicious as you suggest and conditioning your pets from viewing one another as enemies does not work and there is the possibility of injury to you or the puppies, medical management may prove helpful. Speak to your veterinarian about pharmaceutical options that mayhelp to reduce anxiety or aggression that your dogs may feel to one

another.

We recently adopted two cats from the SPCA. They had been caged together for a long time. The second day they were here, the dominant of the two slipped out of a window and disappeared. The other, the more submissive, now has not eaten or used the litter box in two days. Is there anything we can do to help her? She was shy before, but now she just seems lethargic.

I am so sorry that your newly adopted cat is lost. Mourning behavior is common in cats when a companion disappears. Loss of appetite is a sign of mourning. She isn't using her litter box because she isn't eating or drinking. Two days is a long time for a cat to go without eating. You should take her to your veterinarian. There are medications to stimulate appetite. . Meanwhile try cat treats, sardines, canned food close to the place where she is spending most of her time.

My 4 year old male lab had TPLO surgery on 3/13/09. It took him a couple of weeks after surgery to finally put weight on his right leg. Since then, he's put weight on it when I take him out to do his business & when we go for walks. This week (4/27/09) I've noticed that when I take him on walks, he will use all fours when he's on the grass. He walks just fine. However, when we walk on the sidewalk (or any hard surface) he resorts to picking his leg back up. When he does walk (on the grass) he does not limp or give the appearance of there being any pain. Any thoughts or suggestions? Thank you!!

I am sure the harder surface of the sidewalk transmits more concussion to his sore limb. You should check with his surgeon, but he seems to be making satisfactory progress

I have 2 almost 9yrold male littermates. Wonderful guys! I was on the computer and 1 was on cat perch right next to me and the other was in the kitchen. Neighbor young cat came beneath the window and my cat started screaming loudly, which prompted the other cat to see what was wrong. Cat 1 then attacked cat 2,was very bad situation. Same thing today when I came home,both cats in same window and other cat outside. What happened? And was I being protected? We are together all the time.

I am afraid the cats weren't protecting you. Cat 1 was exhibiting re- directed aggression to cat 2 because he say the other cat, but can't reach him. I would block that window before Cat 1 and 2 have long lasting conflict

My dog has been shaking for the past week. He hasent been himself; he doesnt run to the door when the doorbell rings, he doesnt come out of his little box and slleps, and he wont go up or down the stairs. Im worried about him. Should i see a vet or is this a normal behavior?

See your vet. That is not normal behavior

My cat is 2 1/2 years old and is loosing large amounts of hair all over her body. Everyday it just gets worse and worse. Now she is acting very scarred of inanimate objects. I took her to the vet and they said well maybe she is allergic to fleas but she had no fleas on her and they even said they could not find fleas on her but maybe one bit her. She is an inside cat and I have a 2year old and a 5 month old kids and I just want to make sure this isn't anything that could harm my kids. Thank you for your time.

Your children are probably not in danger, but hair loss is usually a medical rather than a behavioral. Fleas are a possibility as are other parasites and allergies. A referral to a veterinary dermatologist might be in order.

My cat is indoor/outdoor, 7.5 lbs, 4 year old, American short hair. She sometimes goes to my neighbors who have a another female, also indoor/outdoor. However, their cat will not leave their yard.

The neighbors report that the cats yowl at each other. Then, their cat poops all over their outdoor table and chairs and flees.

I have placed a shock collar on my cat and provided the neighboors with the controller.

However, so far, they have not been able to use it.

There may be other, feral cats, that also enter their yard.

I am glad your neighbors haven't shocked your cat. Keeping him indoors would serve three purposes: 1) he would live much longer; 2) he would not kill any birds or small animals 3) your neighbors would not be angry at you. You can build a cat proof fence so he can go outside, but not leave your yard

Our cat often runs ahead of my husband in the house and lies down right in his walkway, on her side and stretched across his pathway. My husband has trouble walking and this drives him nuts, as he can't get past her without me coming and moving her. What's up??

It may be attention getting behavior. Cats will roll over in front of an older, dominant cat. Your husband can spray compressed air at her- a hiss

Last night one my cats got a plastic bag wrapped around her neck. I believe that her sister may have startled her causing the bag to start rustling. This resulted in her running around my apartment with the bag around her neck. Her sister was also chasing her. Now, I can't have them in the same room. I have them seperated. I had hoped that by this morning, they would be better, but that's not the case. Any suggestions that you may give me will be greatly apprecated.

Cats are predators so they will attack any animal that is acting abnormally. Introduce them only at meal times for a week or so and see if the problem is better, If not videotape an interaction and

ask yoiur veterinarain for medication to reduce the aggrression of the chasing cat and a diffrent medication to reduce the fear of the victim

I have a 3 month WGSD, and she does fine during the day with crate training. However, at night, I wake up two times to take her out, and each time I get up to take her out of the crate, she pees. I have researched excitement peeing, but do not know if she qualifies, because she looks as if she is consciencely squatting to pee before removing her from crate. I tell her no, and take her outside, where she finishes. She never pees when removing her from crate during the day, it is only in the middle of the night and the early morning, or when we return home after a few hours that she does this. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Submissive urination can be conscious. Here are a few suggestions. Leave the light on so she can't tell the difference between day and night. Teach her to sit while she is outside her crate. Once she has mastered that ask her to sit before she squats. They usually won't urinate while sitting. Finally you can take her water away an hour after she eats her dinner.

I have 2 indoor cats. One was brought to the Vets for her yearly vaccination. Since returning the sister cat growls, hisses, and spits at the cat that returned from the Vet - that cat is now growling, hissing and spitting at the sister cat. They act like they absolutely hate each other now - although they have been raised together - they are 2 year old cats. Can't get the sister cat to the vet because I can't get her in the carrier.

This is a combination of problems I have addressed recently. If the cats went to the veterinarian together you might not have this problem. You could use a house call veterinarian, but you can also train your cat to enter the carrier. Feed him only in the carrier and spray the carrier with Feliway. Meanwhile rub each cat with the same towel to accelerate the process of reconcilation

Recently we added a 6 week old kitten to our family. Prior to getting Daphne we had a 2 year old altered male named Shadow. When we first brought her home shadow was not pleased needless to say but recently they have started getting along better. He is still quite rough with her and uses his teeth alot but this has not stopped her in any way from chasing him and attacking him. But Shadow has started throwing up and rubbing himself on our fleece blanket and meowing a lot more AND rolling daphne over and licking her genitals. Is this all because she is not fixed yet? Or what else could be causing him to do these things?

If Shadow is throwing up you should take him to your veterinarian. The behavior you describe does not sound like normal male sexual behavior so it may just be play. As long as she returns for more it is play.. Nevertheless, the kitten should be spayed as soon as she is old enough.

Our kitten tries to wake us up around 4:00 in the morning every morning. He meows and licks and purrs around our head. We have tried to tell him no and put him on the ground, putting the covers over our heads, and putting him in a room with his kitty litter so he can't get to us, but he continues to try to wake us up. What else can we do or try?

Lots of cats become active in the early morning. This is probably a natural rhythm,but doesn't help your sleep deprivation. I would try keeping her in the dark during the day so she will be most active in the early evening. Also play with her late at night and give her a large meal just before you go to bed. Have a bowl of food in the bedroom so she can have your company when she wants an early breakfast. Try these things before punishing or isolating her.

Why would a cats fur feel oily or wet and why would a female cat spray in the house?

If your cat's fur is wet she may simply have been grooming herself or if she was very hot she may have been spreading saliva to keep cool. Cats don't sweat so hey must use saliva to keep cool. Oily fur could be a dermatological problem.

Spraying is normal in female cats when they are in heat. One out of twenty spayed females spray usually in response to social stress.

I have 2 cats 1 female and 1 male. The female is pooping outside the box. We have 3 boxes and still refuses to use the box. What do I do?

You should be congratulated on having the correct ratio of boxes to cats. Despite that your cat may prefer a different litter or a different type of box or a different location. Try a variety of types of litter- clay based, corn based, wheat based, paper based etc. Open boxes are usually preferred, but some cats prefer covered ones.

I have a weimer. and she ate some mice poison last Christmas. we took her to the vet gave her the charcol medicine and another medicine. We have noticed that she will leak when sitting on our couch. Usually she is great about going to the bathroom and letting us know she needs out. She never has accidents on the carpet or floors. It is like she doesnt even realize that ir is coming out or something. I dont know what to do about it Should I pay alot of money to the vet to try to figure out if the poison has damaged her system? I dont have lots of money and that last vet visit was 600.00 Any helpful ideas would be great. I dont want to rub her nose in it if it is something she cant help.

Thank you

juli Buchanan

Remember $600 wasn't much to save her life, but I don't think her problem was called by the poison. Please don't rub your dog's nose in her urine. She is incontinent, that is she is dribbling urine when she lies down because she has poor control over the muscles that hold urine in the bladder. She has no voluntary control. It is is a very common problem of spayed females. Your veterinarian can prescribe for her.

We got a new type of litter box yesterday, one with a grate under the litter that you lift out to remove the waste, for the first time since we have had her. This evening she pooped and peed on our bed and she has never done anything like this in the 6 years we have had her. Could it be that she doesn't like the feel of the grate when she digs? She usually spends quite a bit of time digging in her box.

Your diagnosis is probably correct. Go back to your original box. I am sure your cat is worth the task of scooping. You might consider an automatic litter box.

neighbor's cat comes to our house - waits outside and when our cats(we have 7)go outside , neighbor's cat beats ours up. We have tried chasing him away, yelling at him,NOTHING WORKS. He comes every day and makes life miserable for our cats. Any suggestions on how to discourage him from coming?I always have to go out and rescue our cats and then make them stay inside. It isn't fair! Can you help us?

The best thing would be to build a fence to keep your cats in and keep the neighbor's cat out. You can try repellents between your house and the neighbors, but they rarely work. During warm weather you can use a Scarecrow that is a motion detector that sprays water when an animal passes it.

Actually she is not a new kitten, she is 1 year old (orange tabby). I have 3 other cats the last one being of Abyssinian, but feral. She will not allow the new cat to be part of the family. Extemely aggressive to her. I have a litter box in each bedroom and each one comes out separately during the day in the main house. If a mistake is made the Abyssinian bushes her tail, attackes and growls the poor newer cat is tramatized with the behavior and pees. My husband wants to get rid of the newer cat but I love her too.

Is there a way for Abyssinian (Dahlia) to get along with Missy (orange tabby).

It is very hard to integrate an adult cat into a group of cats. Your Abyssinian is very aroused judging by the bushy tail. The best way to solve the problem is to prevent any interactions between the new and old cats except at meal times when the new cat could be put in a cage with the other cats' dishes at the other end of the room. If all the cats eat and do not growl you can move their dishes closer to the cage. Continue until the cats can eat next to the cage you can repeat with the new cat out of the cage.

whay does my cat just randomly bite my toes and just meows

Your cat is showing predatory play or aggression. Try playing with a fishing pole toy with feathers at the end. That shoud be more attractive than your toes.

I just got two young kittens from different litters. They got along allright at first ,but I had to separate them for 4 days as one was sick. As soon as I put them back together they have been chasing and biting each other non stop.

If the kittens are chasing each other it might just be play.Kitten play,especially male kittens can be pretty rough. If one is chasing the other the it may be real aggression because the sick kitten seemed different.

We have 2 cats. My girlfriend accidently left our neighbors cat in our apt. The cat was there for a couple hours. Since then our 1 cat has been hiding and hissing, including at our 2nd cat. There is no evidence of a fight between them.

At this point he has not eaten, I keep a water bowl near his hiding places.

Is he still nervous and this will pass, or will he get agressive towards our 2nd cat.

What can I do to calm him down, he will let me pet him, but he will not leave his hiding places.

I would be sure that he has food in his hiding place as well as a convenient litter box. Visit him and pet him, but don't force him out. Hissing indicates fear.Rub him with a piece of cloth you've rubbed on your other cat. Sometimes a cat video will entice a cat out of hiding.

My 14 year old (only) cat is suddently pushing her water bowl around the floor and causing "floods".

How do I get her to stop? The bowl has not changed in years.

thank you

The bowl may not have changed, but your cat has. At 14 she probably has arthritis and may be reluctant to crouch down to drink. Try elevating the bowl or letting her drink from a table from a stool. A cat fountain might help too.

My family and I found a stray cat outside our home a couple of years ago, we took him and got him fixed and declawed. I have never had a male cat before and I think he acts strange. Even though he has been fixed, it seems his penis is alway out. We pet him, it comes out, we rub his belly, it comes out. Now he has started kneading and with that he tries to mate with the blankets and he bites the blankets and even tonight, he tried to mate with my foot in bed. This is really annoying to all family members, and now no one wants to pet him. He is such a loving cat. So my question is, is this normal? We have no idea what his life was like before we found him.

Some male cats continue to show sexual behavior after castration. This is because their brains are still male. It sounds like any stroking is enough to stimulate him.. First I would have your veterinarian examine him because any type of pelvic irritation can cause this type of behavior. Meanwhile put him down gently when ever he protrudes his penis . Deprivation of your attention may be enough to discourage the behavior.

I got a new dog last year. The cat and dog have had a few minor fights over the past year but in the last few months have been having daily fights. My dog is a hearding breed and has always chased the cat. The cat got cut on its paw during one of there fights and now they can not even be in the same room.

My cat did well with my previous dog but would sometimes attack guests. The dog came froma shelter and is a very insecure dog she is anxious most of the time. I am unsure if the dog needs training to learn to stay and not chase the cat or do I need to seek a behaviourist for both of them?

Teach your dog not to chase the cat. Start with the dog on a leash or better yet with a Gentle Leader. You might have to start with the cat in a carrier and then- if the dog is perfect at sitting and staying despite the temptation of the cat-have the cat behind a baby gate. Once the dog no longer lunges at the cat try them in the same room, but with the dog still leashed. Finally drop the leash but leave it trailing so you can grab it if the dog chases the cat. This will take weeks

my cat always runs away when i am like five feet a way i ahve not done anything please help any adivice please i love my kitty eba

The first rule with cat is to let them come to you. You could try to clicker her train her to come. Find a treat she really really loves As she is eating a tiny piece make a clicking sound (or buy a clicker Clickertraining.com) After a dozen or so pairings wait for her to take one step toward you. When she does click and put the treat down for her. When you think she has caught on you can add the request "Come".It will take a while to train her to come to you from five feet away

After having my cats for 3 years my male has recently stopped using the litter box, prefering any towel or rug that gets left on the floor right before the shower in both bathrooms. I have attacked this problem from every angle.... Changed the litter to fresh, it's the same brand I've used for years, moved the boxs (I have 2) into the house vice the garage, got a new recirculating fountain for fresh water, put water bowls in the areas he messed in, removed the scent from the mess with enzyme cleaner so he doesn't smell it. I'm at a loss for how to get him to start using the litter box again. The only significant chage I can come up with is the recent increse in heat. (Which is why we moved the boxes inside vice the garage) I've caught him trying to return to the places he's used before, and shut the bathroom door but it seems he's now holding his bowels waiting for the area to become available again. (he always uses the box about 5am in the morning)

There are several things you can do. He has either a location preference-the bathroom- or a substrate preference- towels. You should have at least one more box if you have two cats. You could try a different litter cats can prefer a different litter for defecation than for urination. You could try a box with a piece of toweling in it or a box the bathroom Don't punish him.

We have two cats that we have had since kittens. They get along great and we spoil them. The problem is our female cat has started urinating on the couch. It's always the same spot. Her litter box is clean, our apartment is clean, and she loves her littermate. We cannot understand why she is doing this or how to prevent it.

The first thing you should do is take her to your veterinarian to be sure she doesn't have a urinary tract problem. You should have 3 boxes. You can try putting plastic or foil on the couch to discourage her, but have a box near by. If she uses it you can move it slowly to a more appropriate place.

We have raised both a cat and a dog together since they were both little. They used to play together and always got along. A few years ago my cat started attacking my dog. We put her down in the basement so that they would be separated because the dog did not do anything to fight back. During this first fight, the cat managed to scratch the dog on the nose and a scar is still there from when it happened. We had kept the cat in the basement for a few hours and when she came back up she was fine with the dog. They have not played together anymore, but they get along. Now, my cat is doing this same thing again. She started hissing at the dog yesterday and then attacked her. I placed the cat in the bathroom with her food, litter box, and water for the night. I let her out this morning hoping she would be fine, but she went to attack the dog yet again. She has also been having problems with using her litter box and I don't know if this would be related or not. She started peeing in the house instead of using the litter box or going outside like she normally does. This has been going on for about 3 years and we have tried a lot to resolve this issue but have been unsuccessful. She still uses the litter box for bowel movements but not to pee.

There is a reason why the expression is" Fighting like cats and dogs" The hissing indicates that she is afraid of the dog so she is exhibiting defensive aggressive. Be sure that your dog sits quietly the next time you introduce them. She may be out of sorts because she doesn't feel well. She may be urinating outside the box because she associates pain with urinating, but not defecating in the box so take her to your veterinarian.

My cat maxx likes to jump up on the covers with his favorite toy while he is meowing and start kneading on me with his front paws, he then drops his toy and grabs the blanket with his mouth then proceeds to knead with his back paws. When I try to move him he gets upset and meows kinda yelps at me, should I be worried? He was just at the vet recently and she said nothing was wrong, still this behavior is strange. He likes waking me up meowing and yelping like he is in pain or something as well. Any advice? Thanks

It sounds like Maxx is a very playful cat and his play seems to be progressing to sexual arousal If Maxx is eating well and playful he is unlikely to be yelping from pain. It is more likely that he is upset and yelping because you are trying to interrupt him. You might want to try to set up more time throughout the day to exercise him with play. You can try dangling toys, throwing balls, or a laser pointer on the walls to get Maxx to run around more in the daytime. If you can tire him out that way and at the same time give him the attention he is looking for, he should be less inclined to bother you when you are trying to rest.

I have an 8 mo old recently neutered male cat I rescued at 10 weeks. I brought him into a home with 5 spayed female cats and a spayed female dog. I have 3 litter boxes in different locations that are scooped out 3-4 times each day. The male kitten started pooping in the bathtub upon arrival and has recently started doing it in the sink. He urinates in the litter boxes. When he does poop in the litter box, he won't cover it. Can he be re-trained to do both jobs in the litter box or can I train him to go outside? Help.

House soiling in cats is a very difficult and common behavior problem. First you should use an enzyme based cleaner on the areas in the house he has defecated . White vinegar mixed with equal parts hot water is a cleaner you can try that is effective and safe around your animals. It sounds like he is using the litter boxes sometimes for both urinating and sometimes for defecating. The most important thing you can do is to increase the number of litter boxes in your house. With 6 cats, ideally you would have 7 litter boxes places in various rooms/places around the house so that none of the cats have to compete with any of the other cats for a litter box. You can also try out different substrates in the litter boxes to see if your new kitten has a preference for the type of litter he likes to use. The fact that he doesn't cover may indicate he doesn't like to put his paws in the litter. Cats sometimes prefer different substrates for defecation than for urination It would also be a good idea to take him to your veterinarian to determine if there might be any medical reasons for his behavior, as pain can sometimes cause cats to eliminate on cool porcelain.

I have a male cat that I love as my own baby. I founded him when he was barely a month old and his condition was very bad; fortunately he recovered and now he is a 3 year old healthy cat with a two year old little sister (she came a year after) they both get along very well.

He has been neutered; however last year we assisted another male cat who came every night for shelter and food (he stayed in our garage), my cat never liked that idea and he started spraying the house. The other cat is no longer around but seems like my cat kept that as an habit.

He has sprayed over our computer, TV and cable box and he almost started a fire when he peed over an electric outlet. I have been very patient with him, as I already mentioned, I love him as my own baby, and of course I can not punish him in any way. I have tried different products (plug inns, sprays, even herbs scents to calm him down) but nothing seems to work. Last night he peed over my hair while I was sleeping and now I really don't know what else can I do to help him.

Please help!

Spraying is a difficult problem to solve. About 10% of neutered male cats spray. First, be sure that he has no urinary or other medical problem. Next be sure you have 3 litter boxes that you scoop daily, wash weekly and replace with fresh litter (non-scented clumping) If that does not help it will be necessary to treat him with psychoactive medication which your veterinarian can prescribe.

My cat moves her bowl with food and water around the room. How can I get her to stop?

I am sure you could find bowls so heavy she couldn't move them, but it would be better to determine her motivation for moving them. She might prefer a different feeding location - quieter, farther from the dog etc. She also might like a different food.

My cat will sit at a window and watch birds. She will quiver and make a clicking sound.

it sounds like your cat is attentive and intertested. Her quivering and clicking noises ( called chattering) may just be her way of expressing excitement while watching the birds. The chattering occurs in cats that are confined and watching prey. If they did it when actually hunting they would warn the birds. If you’d like to provide more environmental enrichment through birds at the window for her to watch, try installing a bird-feeder outside the window. Your cat might enjoy that.

Two year old cat from the Humane Society. She constantly is vocalizing all day long and howls if you aren't in her site. Even if you're in the same room, she sits and vocalizes constantly. It's really annoying!!! She also eats like a dog and wolfs her food down, then constantly cries if you're near the kitchen like she needs more food. Please help!!!!!

Your cat may have been food deprived before you got her so she is begging for food. You an do two or three things. Don't feed her if she is meowing. Sit with a bowl of dry food. Give her a kibble if she doesn't meow for two seconds Gradually increase the number of seconds required for a food reward. You can also try hiding her food and also putting it in food dispensing balls. That way she will learn to depend on herself for food.

Until 5 weeks ago, we had two cats: a 5-year-old male and a 14-year-0ld female. About 5 weeks ago, we adopted a 9-week-old male kitten. Although we have seen a few signs of "settling in," our older cat still hisses and growls at the kitten and seems very uncomfortable around him. The older cat has been spending more and more time outdoors, and last Saturday he stayed out all night, for the first time in more than a year.

On Sunday, I found out that he's been visiting a neighbor, who has been feeding him 2-3 times a day for a week. Sunday afternoon we brought him home, and we kept him in the house for two days. Tonight (Tuesday) around 6:30 p.m., we let him go out. About an hour later, we got a call from the neighbor saying that he was there again, so we went and picked him up and brought him back inside. Is there anything we can do to help him get used to the kitten, and how can we break his habit of going to the neighbors' house and staying out all night?

Adding a new cat is almost always stressful to the original cats To break your older cat’s habit of going to the neighbor’s house and staying out all night, you have to take away his motivation for going there in the first place. You can ask your neighbor to stop feeding your cat, and to ignore him if he goes over there in the future. You can also turn your cat into an indoor cat, by not letting him outside anymore. If you go that route, the change has to be abrupt, and you have to stick to your decision once you make it. He will become more insistent when demanding to be let out, and that behavior will get worse before it gets better – don’t give in to his demands, or it will only be even more difficult in the future to turn him into an indoor cat.

As for getting along with the new kitten, his current behavior towards the kitten is a natural reaction to a new animal in his home. You should separate him from the new kitten with a solid barrier for a few weeks, until the older cat seems less anxious. Then you can switch to a barrier method that allows him to see the kitten but not interact. You should feed him and the kitten only when they are within visual distance of each other, so that he will associate the new kitten with positive things (ie food). Make sure all interactions between him and the kitten are supervised and controlled, and try to prevent aggressive behaviors before they happen. You can gradually decrease the distance between him and the kitten over the next few weeks, until they are both comfortable in the same room together and neither are displaying aggressive or fearful behaviors. Take your time, it could take months for him to get used to the idea of having a new kitten in the household, and even longer before he decides whether he will like the new kitten.

My dog Tex goes crazy and get really aggressive when I take him to the Vet and my Vet is the most wonderful Vet I have every met. Why does my dog do this?

Your dog is associating the veterinarian with pain or fear. His aggressive offensive behavior at the veterinary office is a defense mechanism learned from previous success using aggression. He may have had a traumatizing (from his point of view) experience at a veterinary facility in the past that could have been either painful or frightening, and therefore associates the location, people, and smells with the painful or fearful event(s). You can take steps to work with your veterinarian to make future visits safer and less stressful for both Tex and the veterinary staff. Institute basic training, teach Tex to wear a muzzle, and consider going to the Vet's office several times a week just for treats- i.e. desensitization

My female cat suddenly started attacking one of our other cats about three weeks ago. She is about three years old and, until this past Friday, she had not been spayed. We were hoping that spaying her would help but, when we let her out of her cage, she immediately attacked the cat in question. He is a neutered male, about five years old. We have another cat and three dogs--when she starts fighting with the cat in question, all the other critters come running and she will then attack anyone that gets in her way. She does not attack humans, or show any signs of aggression towards us. Something else worth noting is that we recently took in a boarder with three young boys. Could this sudden change in the household have prompted this behavior? Is there anything you can suggest that would explain her behavior and/or help us stop it? We don't want to give her up but, we certainly can't keep her locked in a kennel for the rest of her life. Any suggestions are most welcome.

Thank-you,

Melody

It is certainly possible that the recent changes in your household may have been the impetus for your cat’s aggression. Changes to the household are stressful events to cats, and each individual cat may respond to such events in their own way. Also, the recent spay surgery she went through is also a stressful event (as any trip to the veterinarian would be). You can try behavior modification to re-acclimate her to the other cat. For now, keep the two cats separated, and re-introduce them slowly under supervised and controlled conditions – you may want to keep your three dogs out of the room while re-introducing the cats. At first, separate the two cats via a solid barrier (in different rooms with the door closed), until they are both showing less anxiety and tension in the home. Then switch to a see-through barrier (ie a baby-gate, or slightly open door). It may take weeks for them to get used to each other again. Feed both cats at the same time on opposite sides of the barrier and bring the food closer to the barrier each time, but try to prevent aggressive or fearful behaviors from either cat – move the food further away from the barrier if you notice signs of aggression. Take your time, and eventually you should be able to feed both cats right on either side of the barrier without any problems. You can then try to let the cats free in the same room under supervision for short periods of time, and extending the time they are allowed together until they can co-exist in the home together again.

My 7-8 month old cat has recently become very affectionate the past 2 weeks. My husband rescued her from a pine tree during a bad winter storm when she was a kitten. We assume she was a feral cat round 6 weeks or so old. She as always loved attention and showed affection but recently it has got to the point were its annoying at times. When I sit down she jumps up in my lap or has to be next to me. When I sleep she has to be right next to me and she follows me around the house more then my 2 yr old daughter!

I know she is not in heat. My husband and I did leave for 2 days then shortly after I had to leave for a week. When I returned she acted her normal self. It wasn't until 2 days later that she started behaving this way. Could this be from my week away or is it something else?

It sounds like you have a very affectionate kitten, who is craving attention from you. When you left for over a week she probably took some time to recognize you. Yoiu probably smelled different to her. She now recognizes you and is making up for lost attention. You can set the rules so that she only gets affection and attention when you decide, and not whenever she asks for it. Ignore all of her attention seeking behavior – do not pet her, do not talk to her or pick her up, just get up and walk away. Set aside enough time each day to play with her and give her attention on your terms. She will learn that pestering you will not get her what she wants, but she will not be affection deprived either. Make sure she is getting enough exercise throughout the day so that she is tired at the end of it – that will prevent her from bothering you at night. Understand that her pestering behavior might get worse before it gets better, since she is at this point used to getting her way whenever she wanted to, but keep up the attention regimen, and don’t give in to her attention-seeking behavior. By the way, many owners of aloof cats envy you.

I have a 7 year old neutered male cat who wants to eat constantly. I feed him twice a day, once in the morning and again at dinnertime. When his bowl is empty he wants more and will chase and aggravate me until mealtime. He is overweight and I need to cut back on his food instead of feeding him more. Is there anything that you can suggest to curb his appetite or this behavior

It is likely that at some point in the past your cat had pestered you for food, and you gave in. The way he sees it, he annoys and chases you and that is why you feed him dinner. If you are trying to get him to lose weight, try a prescription weight loss diet (like Hill’s W/D) which will provide the nutrients he needs, with added bulk so your cat will feel like he’s eating more when he’s getting the same number of calories. You can try hiding his food around the house so he has to search for it. You can also give him food in a food dispensing toy. There is a devise called a Deli-Dome that dispenses feeding balls on a schedule. They aren't easily available but might be able to find on eBay. Using these he will learn that the food comes from the feeder and not from you – thus ending his motivation to annoy you. You can also try dividing his meals so that you are feeding smaller meals but more frequently (ie 3 times or 4 times a day) – again this may make him feel like he is eating more since he will be eating throughout the day, even though it is the same amount of food per day. Also consider increasing his daily exercise, encouraging him to chase toys around the house, to help with his weight loss. Be sure he never goes a day without eating.

For the past three days my cat who is 19 years old has been hiding in a space behind my file cabinet. She always would be found on a chair in a sunny spot or on my bed. This is very strange for her. Is she trying to tell me something. She doesn't seem to be in any pain.

I would be worried about your cat's health. Hiding is a sign of illness. Cats are small and prey animals to larger predators so they withdraw when they don't feel well. Take her to your veterinarian right away. Cats can have cognitive dysfunction- feline Altzheimer's disease, but the sudden onset indicates another problem

Hi

I have taken in 2 cats and 4 dogs to prevent them from being sent to the pound. I am only having difficulty with Pony. She is a super smart Boxer mix. She wants to put a paw on you every single second. She jumps on everyone. She starts the second she is let out of her crate. If you ignore her she just waits and jumps on you when you aren't looking. She is 49 lbs. and much too big to be jumping on anyone. If you tell her down, she lays down with her paws on your feet, when she sits she puts a foot on one knee and then the other and then up she goes to standing up. All in one second. She will go into a sit and do the same thing over and over. Treats do not work with her. For some reason baked chicken and broiled steak aren't that interesting to her. If you don't give her praise she jumps up and if you do give her praise she just jumps even more.

I love my Pony girl. I do not love her jumping.

Sincerely

Jumpin' Jack Flash (Kidding)

You are very kind to take in so many animals. Pony is out of control. Perhaps she needs more exercise so she isn't in her carte too long. I think you are on the right track. Ignore her if she tries to jump ignore if she jumps leave the room or put her in another room. Her motivation is to get your attention so ignoring should do the trick. In addition you can teach her to do something incompatible with jumping. You said she doesn't like steak, but I bet she would like it if she hasn't had any food for 12 hours. No treat if she puts a paw on you. Keep a leash on her to make it easier. There is a no jump harness, but I am not sure how well they work.

We adopted our female kitten when she was 4 weeks old and found in a dumpster. She was sweet at first, but now at 12 weeks is extremely aggressive except when sleepy. She constantly stalks us, scratches and bites. She now longer likes to be petted or held. What should we do? Also, we have 3 senior cats (ages 9 (a tomcat),

10 and 15)who live in the basement. When we bring a senior upstairs for an hour or so (usual) or kitten downstairs (for a few minutes under supervision) the senior hisses and growls. If we put kitten downstairs with the seniors will they get her to stop attacking?

Your kitten is at the peak of her play period. Try to do lots of interactive play with her using wand toys and hanging talks , but never your hands. Clip her sharp little nails and then let her interactive for a while with the senior cats. Your kitten left her mother and litter mates too early so she hasn't learned proper play.

I have a 7 week old kitten that I got a week ago Thursday. He is been doing very well with going potty in the litter box. He did not have any accidents at all. The night before last I woke up at around 5:30am to him peeing on my comforter on top of my legs. I thought maybe he was upset with me because I had not played with him throughout the night cause I was asleep. But he did it again last night/early morning at the exact same time he did the previous morning. This time I was on the oppisite side of the bed and he peed on the comforter on my legs again. I rolled him over on his back to show him who the alpha is. But he does not pee anywhere else. He is very good about going in the litter box. He came into a 2 cat home. I have a female and a male. Both around 10 and 11 years old. The male has started to play with the little one. My female still hisses at him. She is not doing it as often. I have not changed any of my behaviors since I got him. I am wondering if he is trying to mark me trying to tell the other two cats that I am his. Or if he is trying to pull alpha on me or if I am just way off base. Please help.

Yes you are way off base. She is definitely not pulling alpha, In the first place, cats usually don't live in groups so a hierarchy is less likely to form. In addition she is much too young to be socially mature. She is also unlikely to be marking. Only sexually mature cats mark Your kitten probably is simply eliminating. He probably feels safest with you. You could confine him at night away from you and the other cats with a litter box water and a nice bed. Use the softest litter you can find because he likes a soft surface on which to urinate Don't punish him, especially when you didn't catch him in the act.

My adopted Male tabby 8+yrs old 16lb (indoor decawed) was diagnosed with diabetes 3 mos ago. We have it under control

However his personality has changed radcially. He has become very vocal and demands my attention. He does not like to be held or cuddled.(never has) But wants to be petted and only by me. At first I understood it becasue we had to change his eating habits (free feeding dry food) to twice daily wet food and a little dry left out all the time. But he is vocalizing even when he has food in his bowl. He wakes me up usually around 3 in the morning up on the bed off the bed and hellloing the whole time..or a low humming wine kind like a dog...I am a light sleeper, live in a one bedroom apartment and sleep deprived. This is beginning to be a serious situation, and I am not sure what he wants.....

Going through a major illness is a very stressful event for a cat. It may take him some time to get adjusted to the new routine and feeding methods. Give him plenty of affection in the daytime on your terms, and try to play with him so he gets enough exercise in the evening to be tired enough to sleep at night. Feed him his evening meal as close to bedtime as possible. Do not give him any attention if he tries to wake you up or bother you when you are in bed, and ignore all of his attention-seeking behavior – do not even acknowledge it, do not yell at him, and do not give him attention. In the meantime, see if you can lock him out of the bedroom at night so he cannot wake you.

I just received a basket of live flowers..my cat just sits and stares at them, meowing loudly. If I leave the room she attempts to get up to the basket, continuing to cry. These are the only live plants in my home. What is her fascination?

Your cat may just want to know what the plants are – she may be interested in getting up there to smell them. Since she doesn’t get much exposure to live plants, this is a novel item to her and she wants to explore it. Do make sure none of the plants in this basket are poisonous to cats (for example lilies). You should get her a cat garden which has plants that she can eat. They are available on line in catalogs and pet stores.

My 7-year old female Siamese regularly wakes up at night and seems to not have her breath. She coughs a bit, loosening liquid, doesn't throw up, swallows alot, and then she is fine. It also happens during the day if she wakes suddenly. Otherwise she seems fine. The problem is that when she came to me 6 months ago, she was quite traumatized, especially about being held or carriers, so I don't think I can get her to a vets. Even if I could lure her into a carrier now, I don't know if she'd let a vet touch her, as she has huge temper when she is scared. Is there anything I can do about the coughing at home, or any suggestions about getting her to the vet? Thank you

You should definitely have your veterinarian give her a check up for that cough. Call your cat’s regular veterinarian for a anxiety reducing medication you can give your cat at home before putting her in the carrier, and make sure your veterinarian knows that your cat can be aggressive when frightened. In the future, you can work on desensitizing your cat to carriers using behavior modification techniques (feed her in the carrier; spray it with Feliway).

There has been a feral tom that has been hanging around the property here for a year or so. I named him bandit, and after a prolonged period of "courting" which included him bringing rabbits and mice in exchange for cat food, i am now able to pet him. Here is the deal ... he ASKS for attention, comes up to me cooing and mewling, rubbing against my legs. The first time i was able to pet him he was totally digging on it - i continued to pet him as he seemed to be enjoying it based on the cooing and purring, then all of a sudden he grabbed my arm and bit my palm. Didn't break the skin however. So i said that is not nice and got up and walked away from him ... soon he was back at my feet cooing so i bent down and petted him again. After about 5 minutes he nailed me again! this time breaking the skin, so i said not nice and went inside the house. I determined that he becomes over stimulated so i have been limiting the pets - just a few strokes on the head and shoulders, seems to be working pretty good. Last night he follows me around the pasture, comes up on the deck with me and is cooing and purring, i reach down and pet him, just 4 strokes on head and shoulder, after about 10 minutes (3 petting intervals have elapsed) i am standing there calling one of my other cats and he is sitting next to me on the step I feel searing pain on my thigh just above the knee. He nailed me again!!!! I wasn't even touching him! SO here is my question. Is this aggression because he is overly stimulated/excited overcome with affection and unable to express it any other way? Or is this the feral in him saying wait a minute what am i doing its a Hoooman? And either way is depriving him of my attention the best way to correct this behavior? Is it possible that it will improve when i am able to corral him and get him neutered? I have done cat rescue for 20 years, i have a huge population that never found another home - he fits in with them does not scrap with them, backs away from aggression from the residents. He seems to be trying really hard to find a home here. This is the first time i have encountered this particular behavior ... I have siamese that do this but they give you at least a split second ear flick warning or something.... he just coos and kills!

Any insight would be appreciated!!!

Tia

This feral tom cat probably did not have a lot of human contact and handling early in life and thus has a lower threshold for tactile stimulation. It is likely he is exhibiting some changes in his posture or tail right before he attacks as a warning, but they may be much more subtle than your Siamese cat’s ear flick (it could just be a dilation of his pupil). If you can figure out his warning signs and stop petting him when he exhibits them, or identify his petting threshold and stay below that, you should be able to prevent future aggression. If he does not give any warning, you may want to keep your petting to a minute or so, and allow longer periods of time to elapse between petting episodes. Avoid punishment, as that will likely escalate the aggressive behaviors. It is much better in this situation to try to anticipate when he will be aggressive and avoid those situations entirely. It is possible that some of his aggression may improve with neutering, but watch out for those warning signs regardless.

I have 2 one month old gray male kittens. They are strays that my neighbor found in the middle of the road at 2 weeks old. One boy(darker gray) will turn over his brother(lighter gray) and start sucking on his brothers genital area. He is very persistent with this and will cry out if you try to remove him. The other one does not do this kind of behavior and does not seem to enjoy being "nursed" on. What is going on?

While kittens may begin to eat solid food at 4 weeks of age, weaning is usually not complete until 8 weeks of age. In the next month, your kittens may need to suckle milk, and that is what the dark gray kitten is trying to do. The light gray kitten is likely to be further along in the weaning process and thus not exhibiting the suckling behavior. In the absence of a mother, you may need to provide them with kitten size bottles and kitten formula at regular times daily for the next 4 weeks to supplement their solid food diet. This will also provide good bonding time for the kittens, who were separated from their mother at a very young age. Daily handling preferably with a variety of different people will help provide the social interactions they need to grow up to be friendly well-adjusted cats.

My 12 week old kitten is still dry nursing on anything that she can. She was 8 weeks old when I adopted her and was on dry food and litter trained. The behavior started about a week after I adopted her and it hasn't stopped. She will suckle on anything that she can get her paws on, but mostly me, anytime I am still. What can I do to break her of this behavior. It is excessive and disruptive. Thanks.

Your kitten may have been weaned earlier than 8 weeks. Kittens will normally nurse occasionally for months. For that reason many kittens exhibit non-nutritive suckling as your kitten does. You can try feeding her milk or kitten formula or broth from a kitten-sized bottle. Most pet stores have them. She will gradually wean herself. You can put something she doesn't like- lotion or cologne- on your arms to discourage her. I know their little tongues are rough.

i have had a cat for almost a year now it was always playful nice but never really liked being around people ........ my friend recently had a cat that recently just gave birth of 5 kittens once they were pretty much good on there own i took the mom and one kitten so when i brought the mom and the kitten my cat that i had the whole time fought with the mom the second i brought her home but it didnt attack the kitten so i got rid of the mom i kept the kitten but now my old cat is acting strange it runs away from the kitten and now it hisses at everybody its just not that same cat no more please i would appreciate it if you could give me a good explanation why the cat is acting like that because i would love to keep both of them

It sounds like your cat is reacting to the kitten in fear. His hissing is a sign that he is afraid of the kitten. The addition of new cats into your household was a stressful event for your resident cat, who is now anxious in the house and thus acting aggressively. Separate the kitten and the cat, preferably in different rooms with a solid barrier such as a door between them until your cat’s anxiety level decreases enough to stop hiding and running away. Then you can begin to introduce the two cats slowly and under controlled and supervised conditions, always pairing the interactions with good experiences for the cats such as food. Understand that this it is a normal reaction for some cats to become fearful or anxious when a new cat is added to the household, and that it may take months of management before the two cats are comfortable around each other. If your cat’s behavior doesn’t get better or worsens despite separating the two cats, you may need to consult your veterinarian for medications to supplement behavior modification techniques.

I adopted my about a year ago from the Humane society. She was spayed when I got her, but I do not know how old she was when they spayed her. Recently she has been sitting by the door crying non stop, and when I pet her she pushes her backside in the air. Is it possible that she could think that she is in heat even though she is not because of the later in life surgery? If so is there any thing I can do to stop her or HELP her? I feel so bad for her.

It is unlikely that your cat thinks she is in heat if she is not actually in heat. If she were in heat she would be rolling, caterwauling in the night time and not just crying by the door. Extending her hind legs so she pushes her back against your hand is not sexual behavior. If this is a sudden and new behavior, you may want to take her to your regular veterinarian to rule out any medical problems that might be causing her pain, as that could be a cause of vocalization. Once you have ruled out any medical causes for vocalization, make sure you are not inadvertently rewarding her vocalization by reinforcing the behavior with attention, food or affection. If you have been doing this in the past, she may have learned that crying by the door is a behavior that will earn her a reward from you. In that situation, stop rewarding her (giving her attention, food etc) when she is vocalizing, and instead reward her when she is quiet. You can interrupt and discourage the vocalization with a loud noise or compressed air if you would like to. Try to identify the reason she is crying. If there are stray cats outside the door that she can hear or see, discourage them from coming near your property and block off access so your cat cannot see them. Lastly make sure your cat is getting enough exercise, and play throughout the day and especially late in the evening.

I adopted two kittens about a year ago one male one female, and both were really good about using the litter box, the day we brought them home didn't have a litter box set up yet and they found newspaper to go on. About 2 months or so ago they seemed to become almost discusted by the box we clean it every day and started trying so many things to get them to use it again we tried several different litters bought different boxes they each have one then one they share and i can't get them to stop using the bathroom floor, tub, and sink as there personal outhouse. This is my last chance to save them from the humane society, my roommates are getting tired of the mess's they leave and won't let me keep them if it continues, what can I do?

House soiling is a common and difficult behavior problem in cats. You should start by taking the cats to your local veterinarian for a check-up to make sure they do not have urinary tract infections that may be causing them pain during urination which can lead to litter box aversion when the cats associate the pain with the litter box and thus avoid it in the future. The fact that your cats are choosing porcelain and tile floors indicatesdiscomfort. Next, clean the areas that the cats have urinated or defecated on with an enzymatic cleaner (such as Anti-Icky-Poo) designed to eliminate the odor – this will help discourage them from eliminating near those areas in the future. Try to place your three litter boxes in different areas of the house, preferably in different rooms. Clean the litter boxes every day and completely change the litter once every one to two weeks. If you want to try different litters to see if they prefer one litter substrate over another, put different types of litter in the three litter boxes and keep all three boxes out in the same room to see which one they prefer to use. Make sure to pick unscented fine grain clumping litters with no additives or crystals. Cat attract is a popular litter.Make sure your litter box has no liner, and that it is large enough for your cats. If you have a larger cat, consider adding a large plastic sweater-box (like the under the bed kind) with litter in it. Make sure your litter boxes are uncovered or remove the lid.

I have two 5 year old cats, both of which are spayed. Every since one of the cats was spayed she will pee on clothes/blankets. She mainly pees on my husbands things. She tends to like him more and be more attached to him. I thought it was b/c no one was home all day but I am now for the last year a stay at home mom and i keep the 2 litter boxes clean, the house clean, and give her attention all the time. I can't seem to break her of the habit. I have taken her to the vet and they can't find anything wrong. What can I do to stop the peeing?

House soiling is a common and difficult problem in cats. It sounds like your cat has a preference for cloth. Usually when house soiling suddenly begins in a cat that previously did not have any house soiling problems, there is an initiating factor of something that is stressful to the cat (new addition to the household, moving, houseguests, illness, etc). There are two main things you can do to stop the house soiling: make the inappropriate sites unavailable or less attractive, and make the litter box(es) more attractive/ideal to the cat. Restrict access to the clothing/blankets she has been peeing on – if it is all in one room, close the door to that room for now, and try to clean all soiled surfaces with an enzymatic cleaner such as Anti-Icky-Poo. Add a larger litter box, preferably in another room. Offer a litter box cafeteria to determine the cat’s favorite litter type – put three different types of litter in three different boxes in the same room in an easily accessible but not high traffic flow area and after 24 hours, the litter that your cat uses is the one she likes best. Because she is urinating on clothes you might try a box with a towel in it. The towel could be washed and, if she uses it, litter could gradually be added. Make sure your litter boxes are uncovered, and that the litter is an unscented, fine grain clumping type with no crystals or additives (except optional Cat Attract).

I accidently stepped on my cat I've had for nine years, today. My cat made a scary noise and scrambled away. It was let in the house and every time I come near it it hides. I'm scared she'll run away or won't love me. What should I do?

When you stepped on your cat, it was an unexpected painful experience that was very frightening. For now, let your cat have her ‘safe place’ where she can hide and calm down. Do not try to approach her to drag her out from her hiding spot. You can try to lure her out with a very yummy treat such as boiled chicken meat or tuna. If possible, have someone else lure her out while you stay very still at the other end of the room. You can then have them give her the treat closer and closer to you until she is right next to you, so she can see that being near you does not mean her tail will get stepped on. This may take a few days, since your cat has associated you with the painful experience of having her tail stepped on. The important thing is to go slow and not make the situation worse by forcing her out from her hiding spot before she is calm and ready.

As a 10week old kitten Meggy had to be treated at a shelter for ringworm. After that she had to be dragged from her cage. I adopted her at 6mo. In the 1st 6mo that I had her she allowed me to pet her if 1 of the other cats was between us. At 1yr my husband and I cornnered her and after mush hissing got her in a carrier and took her in for a Vet check. Since then I cannot get more than 2' from her before she runs. I wonder if this is anti-social or anxiety.

It sounds like your cat Meggy’s behavior is mostly fear related. Meggy has had several very traumatizing experiences around you and your husband, and now associates the two of you with the fearful experience of being put into a carrier and being brought to the veterinarian. Do not try to approach her or drag her out from her hiding spots where she feels safe. Doing so will only make her more fearful of you and your husband. Try to give her new positive experiences to associate with the two of you. You can begin by feeding her at specific times, and standing at the opposite side of the room while she eats. Do not try to approach her, just stand in the room and ignore her while she eats. When she leaves, pick up the food so she cannot eat while you are not present. You can then try to stand one step closer the next time you feed her, until you are standing next to her. Eventually you can try to feed her by hand. You may want to try this with something that is especially yummy to her, such as canned food or tuna juice on her regular dry food. Go slow, this may take a very long time depending on your cat’s temperament and how scared she is of you.

Use Feliway on your hands and spray the carrier with it. Feed her in the carrier so it will not be associated with scary thiungs

I have a small Chihuahua mix that is very leash aggressive when walked with my other two dogs. Will bite them to get to a strange dog walking by. But she won't do anything if walked alone. How can I correct this behavior and walk three dogs at the same time?

It sounds like your Chihuahua mix is displayed redirected aggression toward your other two dogs when they are all being walked together. This will occur when your dog can’t get to her primary target and so redirects the aggression toward the innocent bystanders – your other two dogs. Often there is a primary underlying aggression that also needs to be identified and addressed. If you can predict when the aggression will occur, and avoid the primary triggers of her aggression, she will leave your other two dogs alone. If you see a strange dog while on your walk, turn around or cross the street to avoid them. If your dog is still aggressive you can try to train her to ‘look’ at you. Keep treats on you, and BEFORE she becomes aggressive, have her focus her attention on you while you are walking. Continue to give her treats and reward her for looking at you instead of the strange dog while passing by. Usually if eye contact between her and the other dog can be avoided, the aggression can also be prevented. You may also want to consider fitting her for a gentle leader or other type of head halter to give you better control over her if she does become aggressive. The head halter will allow you to have control over her head, so you can keep her on one side of you and your other dogs on your other side without a lot of force. If she is aggressive in other situations, you may want to consider consulting a veterinarian for anti-anxiety medication and further behavior modification therapy.

We just got a 5 month old bassett hound named Bo. We got him from a woman who breeds them. She seemed very nice and seemed to care about the dog genuinely. He was previously an outdoor dog and we are converting him to be an inside dog. This has gone well so far, as he had some instinct not to poop or pee in the house and seems to enjoy being indoors. There is another dog in the house who Bo gets along with very well. People, however, are another story. While he loves my boyfriend and me, he does not act comfortable around other people, especially males. He runs from them, as if he thinks they are going to hurt him. We have continuously held him and let others pet him and he doesn't fight against it, but even after doing so, if my boyfriend or I aren't right next to him, he still runs away. Often, he won't even come back in the house if he sees another male inside. We have tried letting others give him a treat to make him like them, but Bo will not take it from anyone but my boyfriend or me. Please help! We really want a dog everyone can love!

Your puppy was not socialized to people during the important periods between 7 and 14 weeks; that is why he is fearful. Try not to force your dog into situations where he is extremely anxious or fearful. By forcing him stay and be petted, you are creating more frightening experiences that only serve to reinforce the fact that strange people are scary. It sounds like strangers, especially men are scary for Bo. Begin by teaching Bo to sit and relax on a verbal command in neutral safe places with just you and your boyfriend. Next, identify a gradient of what types of people are least to most scary for Bo. Gradually expose him at first to types of people he is least afraid of (perhaps women). Have the person stand in the room and ignore Bo. Once he is calm and relaxed, reward him for the non-fearful behavior. If you would like your guest to give him a treat, have your guest roll him the treat from several feet away while crouching down and ignoring Bo (no eye contact, no touching, no speaking, and definitely no reaching for him with hands). If he is not fearful, you can gradually increase the exposure to types of people that are higher on his gradient of who is scary. Keep in mind that you may always have to go slow when introducing him to new people. Try not to let strangers approach him. If there are visitors to your home, have them ignore him. Once he is calm, if he is not scared, he can make the decision to approach them. Again, do not force your dog to interact if he is not comfortable, doing so can cause his anxiety to escalate which may lead to aggression.

My neutered male cat has always been attracted to and eats string or string like things. Recently, he has been chewing on and consequently swallowing our shoes. He has ruined several pairs. Do you have any ideas on why he would be doing this?

Young cats that engage in destructive chewing are usually motivated by their desire to play. Adult cats that exhibit this behavior may have a compulsive disorder. Some breeds of cats may have a genetic predisposition to the familiar disorder that manifests as destructive chewing. Chewing and ingesting string-like objects as well as fabrics can cause result in serious health problems for your cat. He may become obstructed or otherwise injured by the objects he ingests. The best way to prevent this is to restrict his access to the types of objects he likes to chew, and to give him alternative, safe things to chew and play with. You may want to purchase a cat garden that will contain plants for him to eat. They are safe for cats to ingest and, in fact, aid the cat's digestive health. You may want to switch his food to something with a chewy consistency – consider dry food instead of wet or semi-wet food. Hide and store all shoes and shoestrings as well as other string-like objects. Commercial booby-traps or motion-activated cat alarms can be placed near areas where his chewing targets are stored. Commercial sprays are also available with an adverse taste that can be used to discourage your cat from chewing on objects. Provide your cat with some form of entertainment – consider food dispensing toys, play centers with food inside, and splitting his daily allotment of food into several portions to be dispensed in various ways throughout the day and in various locations throughout the house.

My cat is 2 years old. She scratches in both an upright and prone position. I have provided scratch posts of sisel, cardboard and carpet/fabric. I have tried catnip in the "right" areas, and taken her to these areas whenever I catch her. Still, she simply tears up my sofa and carpet. I am on my third sofa now and can't afford to keep buying new furniture. How can we work out this problem? I know she must scratch. Your help will be VERY appreciated.

Try placing the scratching posts at your cats favorite scratching locations, perhaps directly in front of the furniture your cat has been scratching. While in the training period your cat needs to be under constant supervision, and when she cannot be watched she should be confined to an area in your house where there is only the acceptable surface to scratch (perhaps the bathroom, with her scratching post inside). When watching her, give her a food treat when she approaches the scratching post, and give her a bigger treat when she actually scratches it. If she attempts to scratch the furniture or other inappropriate area, do not scold or physically punish her. Instead, interrupt her with a puff of compressed air or a loud noise (that doesn’t come from the owner) to startle her. In the meantime you can also try to humanely booby-trap the furniture you are trying to get her to avoid – consider double sided tape, motion-detectors or Scat mats (electrified). If there is a marking component to her scratching, consider using the feline facial pheromone Feliway which is available as a diffuser or a spray. You may also want to consider regularly trimming her nails or using Soft Paws- glue on claw covers- so she will do less damage

My Persian has been tested for everything under the sun and still shakes her head all the time. It's not violent shakes but you can tell she is doing it. She also urines on my bed. Any ideas why she is doing this?

There is no behavioral reason for her to shake her head the way you have described, so please continue to try to find a medical reason underlying the problem. Your regular veterinarian can give you more suggestions. You should also take her to the veterinarian to rule out any medical reasons for her urination outside of the litter box. Diseases such as urinary tract infections that cause her pain during urination often cause litter box aversions if they associate the pain with using the litter box. Once you have ruled out any medical reasons, if she is still urinating outside of her litter box, and only on your bed, she has an aversion to her litter box and a preference for your bed. First clean the areas and surfaces she has urinated on using an enzymatic cleaner such as Anti-Icky-Poo, and block off your cat’s access to these areas perhaps by locking her out of the room when you cannot supervise her. Offer her a litter box cafeteria to discover what her preferred type of litter is. Place several litter boxes in a room (consider using plastic sweater boxes) with different brands of litter and see which one she uses after 24 hours. Choose unscented, fine grain clumping litters with no additives and no crystals. You may consider sprinkling CatAttract on top of the litter. Make sure the litter boxes you are using are large enough, with no cover or liners. Scoop out the litter every day, and change the litter once a week. Clean out the litter box using only soap and water at least once a month. Once she begins to reliably urinate only in the litter box you can give her access to your bed again.

I adopted Kitty last year from my neighbor downstairs. Just recently--the past month-Kitty has begun meowing at the back door of my apartment. Sometimes smelling at the doorway and rolling around on the floor at the base of the door. I can't get her to stop. I found out that when my neighbor had her she used to do the same thing. She also used to try to escape to the outside, which she also tries to do with me but I'm very careful that she doesn't get out. There is a male cat that that lives downstairs. She has been fixed. She will sometimes start meowing when she hears noise from the neighbors and sometimes in the middle of the night. I don't know how to get her to stop. Please help! >^..^<

Consider bringing Kitty to your regular veterinarian to make sure there are no underlying medical conditions that may be causing her to vocalize in pain. Once you have ruled out all medical reasons for her vocalization, make sure you are not inadvertently rewarding her vocalization by reinforcing the behavior with attention, food or affection. If you have been doing this in the past, she may have learned that crying by the door is a behavior that will earn her a reward from you. In that situation, stop rewarding her (giving her attention, food etc) when she is vocalizing, and instead reward her when she is quiet. Keep in mind that this method may cause the vocalization to briefly intensify before stopping. This is called an ‘extinction burst’. You can also interrupt and discourage the vocalization with a loud noise or compressed air if you would like to. Try to identify the reason she is crying. If she is vocalizing because she can hear the male cat downstairs, consider ways to soundproof your apartment, perhaps with the use of well placed rugs. Lastly make sure your cat is getting enough exercise and play throughout the day and especially late in the evening. If she is tired before you go to bed, she may be able to sleep through the night without waking you up.

Hi Katherine,

Thank you so much for helping with these questions.

I just adopted an 8 year old Yorkie from an animal shelter. He was there for 2 weeks. He has some separation anxiety, but what I'm most concerned about is the fact that he has gone potty in the house a couple of times. I take him out 3-4 times a day, but he just marks instead of really eliminating his bladder.

I praise him when he goes potty but I'm concerned that this is going to continue indefinitely.

Thank you in advance for your advice. MAF is an excellent organization.

It is likely that your new dog was never properly and completely house broken. That may be the reason he was at the shelter. You will have to begin house training from the beginning as if your new dog was a puppy. Begin by thoroughly cleaning all areas in the house where he has urinated or defecated with an enzymatic cleaner such as Anti-Icky-Poo which will actually break down the urine molecules so that your dog will not be able to smell them even with his superior sense of smell. Next, continue to praise him every time he urinates or defecates in the appropriate place outside the house, and consider using a treat reward immediately after he urinates/defecates. Give him the treat while still outside, not after you have come back in the house. Never punish your dog if he has accidents in the house, this will only worsen the situation. For the next month, your dog should be under constant supervision while in the house – consider using a leash to tether him to your person while you are home with him. Crate train him, and leave him in the crate whenever you cannot supervise him (while sleeping, showering, or when he is alone in the house). Take him outside 20 minutes after each meal and every 5-10 minutes thereafter until he urinates and defecates. Once he reliably goes outside you can start to let him free for increasing periods of time. If he truly has separation anxiety that is severe enough to interfere with his house training, consider bringing him to a veterinary behaviorist for treatment and perhaps medication. If he is not neutered, please consider having him neutered at your regular veterinary clinic, as neutering will decrease his marking behavior.

I 'adopted' a 10 week old kitten from some kids standing outside the local Walmart last October. She has been very playful and not shy or scared(she is the only pet). She seemed well socialized and not feral. Even when tiny she would jump out from behind the door or couch and bite my foot then bound off (with those needle sharp baby teeth she often drew blood). I understand that it was her invitation to play and I got her a mouse on a stick and several balls which she will attack with a vengence. She has always had a low tolerance for petting or being picked up (if you pick her up and cradle her on her back she will almost immediately start biting and "rabbit kicking" and this can quickly escalate to fear or anger with growling, hissing, dialated eyes, and flat ears). I had her spade and declawed (front only) at six months and keep her as an indoor kitty only. Now at nine months old and almost 9 pounds, she can do some real damage when she bites.

We've tried walking away or putting her down when she gets too excited or rough. But as you can imagine sometimes when she really nails you, it is difficult not to retaliate.

Is there a way to discourage the biting and what appears to be very rough play? (If you try to pet her, she will sometimes roll to her back and literally gnaw on your hand while rabbit kicking with her back claws.)

Some cats have a lower threshold for tactile stimulation. Your kitten seems to indeed have a lower threshold for physical interactions with you. Most cats will show preliminary warning signs before escalating to aggression. If you can identify your cat’s warning signs, and stop petting her when you recognize these signs, you should be able to avoid aggression. Some signs may include fidgeting, tail twitching, leaning away, tenseness, and/or ears flattened against the head. If your cat attacks you every time you pick her up, stop picking her up and cradling her on her back. Instead, use treat rewards to gradually increase her tolerance for physical interactions. You can have treats on hand (consider boiled chicken pieces, tuna or moist treats) and reward her for not displaying aggression when interacting with you. You can gradually wait longer (one stroke, then two, then three and so on) before rewarding her. For the rough play, discourage any aggressive play by ignoring the behavior. When she initiates aggressive play, ignore her completely. Do not push her or speak to her or scold her in any way. It should be you who is initiating constructive aggression-free play. Encourage her to play nicely by providing appropriate toys, such as wand-type toys, laser pointers, or stuffed mice she can chase. Try to rotate her toys every few days to provide novel experiences for her. Also consider climbing centers, boxes, paper bags etc. Interrupt aggressive play with a mild aversive such as water spray bottle, compressed air can or fog horn. Do not yell at your cat, as she will associate you with the aversive and not the behavior you are trying to interrupt.

Mickey is throwing up lots of mucus. We took him to the vet and they said urinary tract infection and gave us medicine. That has not helped. He doesn't want to eat and still throwing up and losing weight. This has gone on for 2 months. We need help. Thanks

Your cat has a medical condition that needs to be seen by your regular veterinarian. He is showing signs of kidney disease, but there are a variety of problems that can cause vomiting and weight loss. As this has been going on for quite some time it is imperative that you take Mickey to your regular veterinarian at your earliest convenience.

Can you recommend a web site so we can locate a cat park in Southern CA? There are numerous dog parks, but unable to locate a cat park. I have many, many cats and they really NEED to take a stretch in an open space.

Are there any condominium developments with cat parks or small towns who cater to cat lovers?

Thank You!

Most cats do not need to be taken to cat parks, as they are not social animals like dogs. Cats are usually stressed by interactions with strange cats, and will certainly not engage in play with strange cats in strange parks. It is also dangerous to let your cats interact with stray cats, as they may have various infectious diseases, and will almost certainly get into fights with your cats. If your cats enjoy the outdoors, consider condominium developments or apartment complexes that have outdoor patio spaces or private yards. You can then utilize an invisible fence or an actual cat-specific fence around your property to keep your cats in and stray cats out. Please remember to visit your regular veterinarian to make sure all of your cats are up to date on their vaccinations, and consider a flea and tick preventative for the warm months.

I have a neutered male cat. He is about 11 years old and we have had him 8 years. Lately his behavior seems to be changing. If he wants on my lap but I will not let him, his eyes get big he comes out with a strange meow and then trys to attack and bite me. He is generally a very loving cat who follows me every where. This behaviour started in the last few months. What can be causing it?

A sudden change in behavior in an older cat is usually caused by an underlying medical condition. Consider taking your cat to your regular veterinarian to rule out medical problems. If his behavior is due to cognitive dysfunction from old age, your veterinarian can also prescribe medications to help slow this degeneration of his cognitive function.

How do I find a new GOOD home for three older (4, 6, 12) cats that have been together in my older, single, (just deceased) friend's home for their life? Thanks.

I’m so sorry for your recent loss. It is often difficult to re-home older (adult) cats, especially if they need to be together. They may not need to be together if they don't curl up together and groom one another. In addition to notifying your local shelter, Consider contacting local cat rescue organizations and explaining your situation. You can be a part of the adoption process, and meet the potential new owners of these cats before agreeing to adopt them out. Another resource you may want to consider ispetfinder.com, where you can post pictures and information on these cats and explain their situation. Again, I encourage you to insist on meeting the potential new owners before adopting these cats out. In the mean time, make sure you contact the cats’ regular veterinarian and either obtain a copy of their medical records, or give the veterinarian’s information to the new owners so they can have the records sent to their new veterinarian once they’ve adopted the cats. You may also ask the veterinarian to post an ad in the clinic, where local pet owners may be able to help spread the word.

I have two lovely Border Collies [one is 13, the other almost two], but my younger one develops neuroses at an incredible rate; it seems as though we work through one problem only to have two more spring up in its place. He goes berserk [spins rapidly in circles] over traffic unless he is walking--when we stop at intersections the behaviour comes out, as it does when riding in the car. He also charges strollers or bicycles if they are on the sidewalk. He loved children until about five months ago; now he barks viciously at them and runs away from them if approached. He randomly [but by no means consistently] tries to attack dogs that walk by the house. I exercise my dogs every day and I walk them through the neighborhood daily too--they are well socialized animals. I bought a soft-sided kennel for the car to stop the whirling and barking [and it works as long as the kennel as completely covered with a sheet] but I can't seem to help him feel comfortable in these other situations. Additionally, he kneads like a cat, often for 15 minutes or more at a time, and was rescued from a barn at five weeks' old. He was taken from his litter at four weeks. I have had him since his five-week-old rescue and we've managed to correct a lot of behaviours, but the remaining anxiety and aggression have me stumped. What do you suggest?

Your dog's problems are so serious that I recommend you find a veterinary behaviorist in your are See dacvb.org/about-us/diplomates. Meanwhile you might consider a Calming Cap from Premier.com so he does not react so much on the street and in the car. You have done all the right things, but he was taken from his mother too soon and these maternally deprived dogs have many behavior problems.

We brought in a 9 month old kitten in December. We found her in the aley behind our house. We had her spayed. We have 6 older cats. Her behavior has become increasingly more aggressive. We play with her when ever possible. 2 of the cats hide when she is around and one is constantly attacked when ever she goes to get a drink of water, use the litter box... Before meal time she becomes very aggressive and hits any cat in her path. I seperate her and give her a small amount of food. I then get the rest of the food ready and put out the food for the other cats and bring her in to finishe eating. I am pretty sure she did not have a home before this one but must of been fed by someone. Any suggestions?

It sounds like your 6 older cats lived in your household with no problems before this kitten was introduced. Often any household with more than two cats will see potentially severe social problems between the cats in the household. This is because cats are not normally pack animals, and prefer to live alone with very large territories (often an entire city block per cat) when given the choice. In your situation, the new kitten is becoming aggressive toward your other cats because she does not have enough territory to herself. It is likely that her behavior will get worse as she gets older. If you can re-home this kitten, and refrain from acquiring any new cats afterward, your household should become peaceful again. If you cannot re-home the kitten, you will need to gradually introduce her to your other cats by keeping her completely separated from them, and only allowed to be in the same room as them during meal times. During feeding, the kitten should be fed in a crate on one side of a room, while the other cats are being fed on the other side of the same room. You can gradually decrease the distance until your cats are eating next to the crate and none of the cats are displaying anxious or aggressive behavior. You can then repeat this process with the kitten on a harness and leash so you can control her. This protocol can take weeks to months, and the kitten must be separated from the other cats during the entire time. If during training the kitten gets loose and is aggressive to the other cats, you will need to begin the protocol again from the beginning. If you are successful, understand that relapses are common, and usually occur after any change in the household or after any event that causes any of the cats stress. Remember it is likely that if this kitten were the only cat in a home, she would be cured of her aggression. Consider also that as she gets older and the aggression escalates, your other cats’ anxiety and fear will also worsen, which may lead to other social behavioral problems such as spraying urine in the house and litter box aversions.

We recently adopted a 2 yr old manx cat that had been rescued from a meth house that had burned down. She is very afraid of people particularly my husband. She wants to stay in the basement all the time. I have put food and water near her. She will let me pick her up and loves to be petted. But when put down she is right back to the basement. I read that it is common for animals from meth houses to be afraid of people. Is this true. What can I do to help her adjust to a loving home.

Any animal that did not receive adequate socialization at a young age, or enough positive interactions with people will likely develop a fear of them. It sounds like your cat is particularly frightened of men. You can certainly take steps to help your cat become more comfortable around you and your husband, but understand that she will probably always be fearful of new people in your home, and will always take some more time to become familiar with new people she meets. In the meantime, allow her to have the basement as her ‘safe spot’. Do not take her physically from the basement, and do not block her access to it. Alternate between you and your husband as to who is the one that will feed her. Place the food downstairs in the basement and walk away. Stay still nearby where she can see you and do not move toward her. Let her eat. She will gradually let you approach her while she is eating. You can also try to lure her upstairs with very delicious food treats. Consider boiled chicken pieces, tuna, or moist cat treats. Go slow and never force her if she is acting anxious or fearful. Throw the treats to her, and if she will eat it, you can throw the treats closer and closer to you until she will eat out of your hand. Do not pick her up. Leave the decision to climb into your lap up to her. You may also want to consider the use of synthetic feline facial pheromones such as the Feliway diffuser or spray. These products mimic the cheek pheromone scents that cats use to mark their ‘safe areas’. Using this product in your home will help decrease your cat’s anxiety by signaling to her that it is a safe place to be.

My boyfriend and i just moved in together, we both have cats. Mine is female 3 yrs, his is male 7 yrs. after a week of hissing they started playing with each other and licking each other and being friendly. Every now and then they attack each other, hiss and growl. Even at my boyfriend and i when we try to separate them. what can i do to stop the aggression towards each other and us?

Your cats are actually doing quite well for cats introduced as adults. Do not try to touch them when they are fighting; you'll be the victim of re-directed aggression. Instead make a very loud noise to startle them and toss a large towel over one so you can place one cat in a room alone to calm down Try to determine what triggers the scuffle - a cat outside, food, a favorite place to sleep so you can decrease the frequency of altercations.

My cat is daily eating our clothes and has destroyed numerous tops, socks and underwear. We cannot afford to keep buying new clothes.

> Pica, or the ingestion of nonfood items, can be caused by several

> different behavioral and medical diseases. Please consider bringing

> your cat to your veterinarian to rule out an existing medical

> condition, as diseases such as anemia, liver, or gastrointestinal

> disorders may be causing your cat to display pica. If your

> veterinarian does not find any medical cause for the pica, then your

> cat may be displaying pica due to anxiety or a compulsive disorder.

> Some breeds, including Oriental breeds, are particularly prone to a

> compulsive behavior known as Wool Sucking or fabric eating.

>

Pica may be a roughage craving behavior in which case supplying a cat garden or high fiber diet would help. Anxiety may also contribute,

> so do not punish your cat as this will only exacerbate his

> situation. Try to determine if there is a stressor that is setting

> your cat off, perhaps a recent change in your household, addition of

> new cats either in your house or the arrival of a new feral cat colony

> outside your house that your cat can see, or changes in your cat's

> feeding pattern. If you notice that your cat frequently exhibits pica

> when you are away from the house, this may be a manifestation of a

> separation anxiety. IF you can identify what triggers this behavior in

> your cat, you can better address it by helping to reduce the stressful

> factors. Feliaway, a feline pheromone, may aid in decreasing your

> cat's anxiety. In addition, an animal that does not receive the

> intellectual stimuli it requires will often display stereotypical

> behaviors such as pica out of boredom. Consider supplying your cat

> with several different types of cat toys, and rotate them so that your

> cat gets to enjoy a variety of toys. Use fishing rod or feather pole

> toys to play with your cat for 5 minute sessions for a total of at

> least 20 minutes a day so that your cat can get enough exercise. You

> may also provide enrichment that your cat can experience on his own

> when you are away during the day to keep him entertained; consider

> purchasing a feeder ball that will dispense food as he plays, or even

> just hiding pellets of his food around the house so he can engage his

> hunting instinct.

>

> Finally, cats that display pica will usually focus their energy on

> certain types of objects, usually fabric or wool items, so please

> prevent your cat from gaining access to these items without

> supervision. Not only will this prevent further loss of your property,

> it will also protect your cat from having a serious medical emergency

> if he were to swallow pieces of the material; if the nonfood items

> become impacted in his intestinal tract, he could require emergency

> surgery to save his life.

>

> O

How long does aggression last between cats after one has returned from the vet? We've tried rubbing them with the same cloth and brushing them with the same brush but the one left at home still hisses and attacks the other cat.

Normally, the failure to recognize a housemate cat after a veterinary visit should resolve fairly quickly. However, in severe cases, it may take up to a week or so for your cats to get along again after a visit to the vet has changed the smell of the cat that left the house. In addition, it sounds like the cat that stayed at home is reacting to the returning cat in fear. His hissing is a sign that he is afraid of the returning cat. If this is the case, you may want to consider trying a gradual re-introduction of the two cats. Separate the cats in different rooms with a solid barrier, such as a door, until your cat's anxiety levels decrease. Continue the odor exchange. Once this occurs, you can then slowly re-introduce the cats in controlled and supervised conditions. Be sure to bait each encounter with tasty treats so that both cats associate co-existing peacefully to something good (the treat). As always, do not try to touch them when they are fighting; you'll be the victim of re-directed aggression. Instead use a mild adversive such as a water spray or compressed air spray to startle them and toss a plastic laundry large towel over one so you can place one cat in a room alone to calm down.

In the future, bring both cats along whenever one needs to visit the vet clinic may help prevent the failure to recognize eachother when one returns home from a solo vet visit.

we rcently adopted a 3 yr old siler tabby male who is neutered and declawed.we adopted him about 2 mths ago. i have recently 2 days been observing him with his mouth open(jaw dropped). it looks frightening and weird. i continue to treat him the same, with love and respect since adoption. ive had cats before and never in my life have i seen this. ive seen him chattering( although he makes no noise) at birds. he can be vocal when he wants something but i have no idea what this is

The behavior he is exhibiting is called Gape or Flehmen. He is transferring a substance such as urine to his vomeronasal organ, a sixth sense of animals (all animals do this except humans). The organs lies between the nose and the mouth and contains receptors that connect to the part of the brain that are involved in social and sexual behavior. The short answer is that his behavior is normal; he just has detected something interesting. Males are more apt to do it then females and some cats do it more than others

I have a 10 year old nuetured male tabby who is approximately 17 lbs and has started to randomly urinate in our downstairs area. He tends to go along the wall or on the kids toys. We have had no changes in routine or lifestyle. He has also pooped on both of our childrens beds and once on the floor. All of this has occured within the last couple of months. He seems to be sleeping alot more but also eating all of the food quicker than he used to. We've had him on portion control for food, but his weight has not gone down and he appears to be getting a larger. He was treated for a urinary tract problem last year, but doesn't display any of the symptoms this time. What can I do to help get him back upstairs to use his bathroom?

A sudden changes in behavior in a older cat is often caused by an

underlying medical condition, so please take your cat to your regular

veterinarian to rule out a medical problem. If he is healthy

physically, then his behavior may be caused by cognitive dysfunction

from old age (similar to Alheizmer's Disease in humans). If this is

the case, your veterinarian can prescribe medications and dietary

changes that may help slow the degeneration of his cognitive function.

We have 4 cats, the youngest a new addition 4 months ago,adopted street cat. The big male tomcat is an in and out cat, the others are strictly indoors. All cats routinly came and went, slept , etc in my daughter and her husbands bed. The are three other family member beds to choose from, but the young one has suddenly taken to urinating occasionally in the marital bed. None of the other cats have done this. The bed has been wet in the past before by the 7 years old son, but the bed has been totally cleaned and kids not allowed in the bed anymore. The young cat is the sweetest and most loving of the bunch, but now this sudden random peeing on the bed,and the door has been kept closed. Peeing is always on the males side until tonight, when my daughter left the door open for a minute and the young cat went in and was caught peeing on my daughters side, foot end. She still uses the litter box, but the random peeing must have some message. She is scheduled to be given away or pound bound by next week. Maybe a solution could save her for us. We really like her, except for this. She gets along with the other cats and people very well. Just this has now elevated her to undesirable status.

The arrival of the tom cat probably stressed the young female. She may consider the bed the only safe place. The tom cat may also be bringing strange odors into the house. You should have 5 litter boxes. If possible she should have her own. You could use a cat door that opens via a magnetic collar that only she wears. She may prefer a raised litter box You should also be sure the litter is clumping litter with no scent.

Last night my friend cats bits me and draws blood out of the blue. she stated to come to me and let me rube her and she started to lay on my lap then out of the blue she turns toward me and bits me then hiss at me. I total dont understand this.

Cats can become easily overstimulated, and this sounds like it was the

case with your friend's cat. While it may have seem to come "out of

the blue", chances are this cat gave you lots of warnings signs.

Unfortunately, since cats commuicate in ways that appear very subtle

to humans, we often miss these warning signs when the kitty we are

petting is already screaming "enough already!" For instance, cats will

show that they are upset by a subtle tensing of their body, a

backwards tilt of their ears (the further the ears are tilted, or

"flattened", the more upset they are), slight increases in their

breathing and heart rate, and a dilation of their pupils. Also, don't

be fooled by a cat that is flicking her tail rapidly -- since we are

so accustomed to associating a dog's wagging tail as a friendly sign,

we often falsely apply this reasoning to cats too. However, cats and

dogs are completely different creatures, both physically and

behaviorally, and a cat's flicking tail is a big warning to stay away.

The next time you play with your friend's cat, make sure to watch out

for these signs to make sure that you read her body language correctly

when she tells you she has had enough petting.

I recently rescued a 6-year old Manx cat from the Animal Rescue League. She had been there is a cage since October and was showing signs of depression. I brought her home and kept her alone in a bedroom with litterbox, food bowls, etc. for approx. 10 days. Once I had her health cleared with my vet, I opened the door to let her "out". One my cats goes crazy when she sees the new one and fur flies and they screech and then the new one (the manx) runs for cover. My resident cat is approx. 4 years old and the manx is 6. Do I have any hope of them ever tolerating each other. The manx does not appear to fight back - she just runs for cover. Help. I want to keep them both. I also have 2 other cats, a male and a female and they just seem to be curious, but show no aggression towards the manx. The manx has had a sad life and I really want to keep her. Can you give many advice?

This is a problem that I have addressed recently in several similar questions. Often any household with more than two cats will see potentially severe social problems between the cats in the household. This is because cats are not normally pack animals, and prefer to live alone with very large territories (often an entire city block per cat) when given the choice. In your situation, the sudden addition of the Manx cat caused anxiety and stress for your 4 year old cat, and this is causing her to act aggressively towards the Manx cat.

While you were correct to separate the Manx cat when she first arrived at your house, by simply "letting her out" was too abrupt of an introduction. To address this, you will need to gradually introduce the Manx cat to your other cats by keeping her completely separated from them, and only allowed to be in the same room as them during meal times. During feeding, the Manx cat should be fed in a crate on one side of a room, while the other cats are being fed on the other side of the same room. You can gradually decrease the distance until your cats are eating next to the crate and none of the cats are displaying anxious or aggressive behavior. You can then repeat this process with the 4 year old cat on a harness and leash so you can control her. This protocol can take weeks to months, and the Manx cat must be separated from the other cats during the entire time. If during training the Manx cat gets loose and the other cats act aggressively towards her, you will need to begin the protocol again from the beginning. If you are successful, understand that relapses are common, and usually occur after any change in the household or after any event that causes any of the cats stress. Consider too that such relapses and increases in anxiety and stress may also lead to other social behavioral problems such as spraying urine in the house and litter box aversion, especially if the Manx cat is already showing signs of depression due to being in a shelter for too long.

We recently adopted a cat we think she's 2yrs old from the local pound. She had just had kittens and was recouperating from that and being neutored. She's been with us for over a week. She was fine until a few days ago. Now she crys all the time and seems to always be wanting something. She seems very discontent. She's warmed up to the family but seems restless.

can you give me some clues. I'm thinking perhaps she's looking for her kittens

Thanks

Most cases of excessive vocalization in young cats result from either being in heat, or because they are asking for something (food, going outside, attention). However, it seems unlikely that your cat would be looking for her kittens. Since your cat was recently adopted from a local pound, it is likely that she was formerly an outdoor cat, and is meowing to be let outside as she is used to being outdoors. If you do not wish to have an indoor/outdoor cat, there are things that you can do to help your cat become more accustomed to staying inside. Your cat enjoyed the physical exercise and intellectual stimulation she got from going outside, so you will need to find ways to recreate this for her indoors. Engage in more play and interactive time. Cats of this age need more interactive play, so instead of just giving her a toy to bat around, consider purchasing feather pole or fishing pole toys that you can use with your cat. Try to keep your cat running for 5 minute sessions several times a day (ideally around 5-6 sessions for a total of at least 25-30 minutes of exercise a day.) You should also provide intellectual stimulation for your cat in the form of enrichment toys, such as treat dispensing balls or puzzle boxes that will allow her to exercise her mind and keep her from being bored indoors. A simply way to do this would be to hide hard food pellets around the house before you leave for work in the morning; while you are away, your cat will enjoy "hunting" for the food pellets. Finally, you may consider purchasing a Feliway cat pheromone dispenser, as these have been shown to help reduce cats' anxiety and may help your cat be more tolerant of being indoors.

Your cat may also have been food deprived before you got her so the meowing may be her begging for food; an indication of this would be if her vocalization increases when she is near where you normally feed her, or if it increases in anticipation when you are about to feed her. If you feel this is the case, consider the following behavioral modification techniques. Don't feed her if she is meowing. Sit with a bowl of dry food. Give her a kibble if she doesn't meow for two seconds. Gradually increase the number of seconds required for a food reward. The food hiding and treat dispensing ball toys mentioned above will also help, as that will teach her to depend on herself for food.

My cat, whom we adopted a little over a week ago. Is continually chasing her tail. is that something to be concerned with

Thank You

Whether this is a problem will depend on the degree of intensity and amount of time your cat spends chasing her tail. Do you observe your cat spinning in tight circles for periods of time that exceed normal movement or grooming? Does this happen so often for a long enough period of time that it interferes with other normal behavior? Does your cat actually cause injury to her own tail if and when she does catch it? If you answered yes to many of those questions, then the tail chasing may be of concern, especially in a adult cat that has outgrown the kitten playful phase. Tail chasing and spinning are compulsive behaviors that are believe to manifest during periods of high anxiety and stress, and is more commonly seen in herding breeds or in individual animals that are more anxious overall. Some animals may even cause injury to their tails during these compulsive behavior bouts.

Please keep in mind that you should never punish your cat for engaging in this behavior; doing so will only increase your cat's anxiety and aggravate the tail chasing. In some cases, trying to isolate and rectify the stress inducer in the pet's environment may help reduce your cat's anxiety level and decrease this behavior; use of a Feliway feline pheromone dispenser may also help calm your cat down. If you are able to anticipate when your cat is about to start chasing her tail, you may be able to redirect her onto some other activity such as chasing a tossed toy or feather pole toy. Tail chasing may also be a stereotypical behavior that is manifested because your cat is not receiving the amount of intellectual stimulation that is required to keep her entertained, thus causing her to experience stress. Make sure that you have several different types of toys around for her to play with (both solitary play types, such as a ball to bat around, and interactive types, such as a fishing pole toy); do not put these out all at once, but rather rotate thought them so that she has a constantly changing variety of toys to engage her interest. You should also provide intellectual stimulation for your cat in the form of enrichment toys, such as treat dispensing balls or puzzle boxes that will allow her to exercise her mind. A simply way to do this would be to hide hard food pellets around the house before you leave for work in the morning; while you are away, your cat will enjoy "hunting" for the food pellets. If the tail chasing is severe enough that it does not improve with the behavioral modifications suggested about, your cat may be suffering from a compulsive disorder for which she will need medication. Please consult a veterinary behaviorist in your area for a full consult and treatment options. (You can search for veterinary behaviorists in your area at www.dacvb.org/about-us/diplomates).

My 4 year old cat started drooling profusely two days ago, and seems restless (going from upstairs to downstairs, hiding under beds, etc.) She is eating okay and drinking--stools seem fine. She was treated for roundworm last month, although she is an indoor cat. We added a new cat about 3 months ago and they don't get along well. My vet is confused as well.

The drooling could be a dental problem. Take her to your veterinarian. She nay be so stressed by the new cat that her immune system is affected.

We found my cat Freyr a year ago in our front yard. He weighed maybe 5 pounds, was neutered and declawed. After taking him to the vet, we were told that he had two bad molars that needed to be removed and a bacterial ear infection in both ears. The vet then had me clear up the ear infection and got him to gain some weight before removing the two bad teeth and cleaning the rest of them. Up until this point, Freyr was getting along with my other cats just fine. He lived downstairs with everyone else and even would come upstairs at night to the bedroom on occasion. Once he returned home from the vet from his dental work, however, he was being attacked by my youngest female, Sasha. It got to the point where he would hide behind the washer and dryer in the kitchen and not come out unless Johnny or I was in the kitchen. We then took Freyr upstairs and blocked off the top of the stairs with a baby gate and a blanket so that he would have his own area to recover from having teeth pulled. Everything was going just fine until Sasha and my other female, Echo figured out that they could climb over the blanket and gate. Its only been getting worse. At first we had the litter box in our bedroom, but then moved it about 10 feet to the end of the hallway. Even before we moved the litter box, if one of the girls was upstairs he wouldn't leave the bedroom. Instead he would hide in the closet, and pee in there. He's peed on the carpet in front of the litter box in the hallway, and just last night, he peed on the bed. I just don't know what to do. He seems to be terrified of the other cats, I have 3 (two female, one male), and he would rather run away than try and stand up for himself. Freyr is an adult cat, but because he just wandered up into the yard, we have no idea how old he is. Please, anything you could tell me would be of great help! We are expecting our first child in about 10 weeks and I would like for everybody to be getting along and to have fewer messes to clean up because of one cat being terrified of the others.

I've commented before that cats may not be recognized when they return from the veterinarians, Fryer had a particularly painful procedure so he must have seemed like an easy target for the other cats. Keep him in a separate room and introduce them only at meal times gradually moving their dishes closer at each meal if there was no aggression at the last meal. Rub him with a towel you also rub on the females and rub them a towel that smells like him. If necessary your veterinarian can prescribe medication to reduce his fear and/or decrease Sasha's aggression..

My cat is a very tempermental 14 yo female who does not really like anyone, we moved into an apartment for 2 years and then back into my parents house. She handled all that ok, adapted fairly quickly. My boyfriend would come to the appartment and at times my cat would let him pet her. She may have hissed at him a time or two. I just moved into a new house with my boyfriend. I brought a blanket she always sleeps on and a few other things from my previous home so she would have the familiar smells, not all of my stuff is moved in, just his. She is fine until I am not there and he is. She will hiss and growl at him, she even did that to me the other night after she became scared at him. I have told him to leave her alone, don't make eye contact or talk to her at all. She will still growl. Is there anything else I can do to let her know he is not going to hurt her?

At fourteen it will be very hard for your cat to adjust. Your boyfriend should ignore her, but feed her meals . Rub his hands and then pet her so she'll become used to his odor. Try a Feliway diffuser to reduce her anxiety.

I have an 8 year old female cat who is urinating and now i have found stool on my daughters bed. She is very shy and afraid of everyone and all other animals. We have moved to a new home in the past 6 months and this behavior started as soon as we moved. She has a sister cat and two small dogs that she has grown up with. We have moved the litter box and tried to coax her out of the room, but she seems to be urinating everywhere upstairs. Any help would be appreciated

First you should take your cat in for a physical examination. The only thing more stressful than adding another cat is a move. I would begin by putting a box pr two in your daughter's room where she hides. Once she is reliably using the box, you could try moving it out of the room gradually, but wait several weeks to move it. See our responses to other owners of house soiling cats to get more ideas on litter boxes, types of litter Feliway etc

We have a 15 yr old male neutured cat (Daffy). We have had him since a kitten and he is awesome. Over the years we have

"rescued" and fostered many cats and dogs, but none recently. All together we have 7 cats, and 3 dogs-everyone is fixed and everyone gets along. We have 8 litter boxes.

Daffy decided in the past 6 months that our basement was his new litter box. With 7 cats, we used a video camera to determine who the culprit was. We had him to the vet who confirmed he is perfectly healthy- just has a bad attitude. We have tried everything from Prozac to pherenomes, new boxes, new litters, blocking off areas and now we have had it as he now uses any part of the house including our new carpeting since he can't access old spot.

We have put open boxes in "his" areas and he would urinate or poo next to it,around it but never in it. Now, he will squat right in front of you and do his business.I put him directly in the box when I saw this and he just sat in there for an hour un phased by the whole event. Our next move is Euthinasia which stinks, but it just can't continue- Why after 15 years does a perfectly healthy cat suddenly behave so badly. This is my last attempt to try and fix him...

Congratulations on having the correct number of boxes. I also congratulate you on using video to catch the cat in the act. At 15 your cat may have feline cognitive dysfunction or kitty Alzheimer's. Your veterinarian could prescribe a drug for that and your could give him vitamins (Select is one brand)You can give him newspaper to use. Many old cats defecate outside the litter box and a tray instead of a box with sides can help.

Our young siamese mix (9-12 months) has recently started disrupting our sleep by crying, jumping on and off the bed and generally keeping us awake. we have 2 other, older siamese. Help!

Cats are active at dawn and dusk, take cat naps, and don't adapt to our sleep patterns. This can be especially disruptive when the cat is a vocal Siamese. Things that may help is vigorous play before you go to sleep and a big meal, both of which will encourage sleep. You could barricade him from the bedroom but try the kinder treatment first.

I have a 3 ys old female domestic cat. She is spayed. Lately she has been peeing on area of the house such as throw rugs, bed spreads. She is acting ok. Eating,drinking, purring,etc... I don't know if this is strictly a behavior problem or a possible urinary tract infection. Please advise either way. I was planning on taking her to the vet next week. I'm just hoping & praying this is nothing serious & of course that she will STOP doing this.

Take her to your veterinarian. Otherwise make ler boxes (she should have two) as attractive as possible. Do not punish er.

My cat is elderly and has started to walk up to a wall and look at the wall up toward the cieling, like theres something there. He climbs the walls, I have previously heard that that was an indication of some kind of health problem.

This is an indication of feline cognitive dysfunction of Alzheimers. She has brain pathology very similar to that of humans with the disease. The best treatment is dietary- increase antioxidants. There is a drug developed for dogs that can sometimes help cats

One of my 1 year old indoor cats has started playing with the water bowl. He paws the water up on to the wall and ultimately dumps it all on to the floor. They are alone in the house for most of the day. We do take them out doors most evenings for about a 1/2 hour.

It's a problem daily, but we are concerned if we have to leave them alone for several days.

Is there some technique to break this behavior?

You might try a cat fountain so that the water is moving. Cats seem to prefer running water. That is why they sometimes drink from toilets. Your cat may also like water in a bowl at chest level. In addition be sure they have plenty of things to play with- food dispensing toys and interactive toys like feathers on a flexible pole

i have two cats from the same litter. both are intact males. the one is getting more aggressive to the other and not letting him eat, drink. if i neuter one or both, will that solve the problem? we live on a ranch and got them both to keep the critters away, so i want them to stay active.

Neutering the cats would certainly reduce the aggression between the and keep them for wandering. It should not decrease their motivation to hunt "critters". just be sure not to over feed them because hunger will increase their predatory drive.

my cat is kneading on me at night.It is usually only at night.It really frustrates me while I am trying to sleep.Is there any way to stop him? Should I try to stop him or not?3.7

Kneading or treading is a behavior that cats perform when they are with someone they like first of all their mothers and later their owners. They usually tread on soft material like quits or pillow or owners. If you really don't like the behavior just put him on the floor, gently. You can keep his claws trimmed if that is what bothers you

my cat is about a year and a half, had her since 6 weeks old, knows where the box is but the last 2 mornings at 530 am, while we were sleeping in the bed decided to pee on the the bed by our feet.Do you think this is an attention issue or something else? Please know, the litter box is clean.This just happened the last two mornings on the bed but she also has peed on my grandsons backpack if its laying flat on the floor.

First take her to your veterinarian. Her behavior could be a sign of a urinary tract infection. It is always important to make sure there is not a health problem before thinking a behavior is attention seeking. It is more likely that she fees safest on your bed. Yes, a clean box is important, but she should have two and may want a different litter.

My cat is always biting and hissing at my 16 year old nephew, and she is smelling the areas he has been, Why? She has always done this.

Cats use the sense of smell much more than we do Apparently something about your nephew frightens him. Try rubbing your hands on his and see if the cat reacts differently to him If he has cats at home that could explain it. It might be easier to put your cat in another room when he visits to avoid stress on both of them.

My male cat flew through the 2nd floor bedroom screen window after birds and my sister's cat followed him.

Both male cats are neutered, but my male wants to wonder and get out of the house all the time.

In March this year, he stuck out for 3 weeks, got lost. Someone brought him in to the shelter.

I love him dearly, but he wants his freedom.

Any suggestions.

Thank you,

Jioy

The first thing you should do is have your cat micro-chipped so he can be identified. If he has a favorite escape route you can use a compressed air devise with a motion detector (one trade name is SSScat). Try to make your home as exciting as possible with cat trees, catnip toys, interactive toys so you can play with him etc.

My son's cat is about 7 yrs old. He also has another cat and 2 dogs. Harvey the 7yrs old cat has started going out of the litter box. the yonger cat is about 6 mts to a year old. (F) The reason they got the young cat is because they had another cat (M) and it died. They felt Harvey needed someone. Harvey has always been a perfect cat. This is not like him at all. Their Vet told them that he may be fustrated. Can they do anything, to keep the cat from going out of the litter box.??

Getting a cat another cat to replace one that has died is not a good idea. Not all cats get along. That may or may not be the cause of his problem so be sure to have your veterinarian examine him, There should be 3 litter boxes with clumping lier. They should be scooped daily and the litter replaced and the boxes washed weekly.

My 12 yearold cat has been urinating on my husbands undershirts that he takes of in puts them in a small closet on the floor, she aslo piss behide a recliner in our bedroon. And has also pissed in our big closet. I really dont know what to do. she still uses her littebox. please help. I cant seem to get the smell out of a certain area. I have tried steemcleaming everywhere. nothing work and she just does it again.

The first thing we think about when a is 12 years old cat is that urinating outside the litter box is that this could be the beginning of renal insufficiency, She may be producing more urine because she is using her box as well as the other areas. it is advisable to take the cat to the family veterinarian to check the renal parameters on blood work.

The other common cause is the number of litter boxes and the litter box itself. Do you have any more cats in the household? The rule of thumb is: Number of littler boxes = number of cats + one, if you do not have enough you should get some more.

-Have you change the litter lately? If you have, it is important to switch to the original one, once cats get used to one litter they do not like change.

-Is/are the litter box covered? Some cats do not feel safe using covered litter boxes and an open one should be tried.

-Is/are the litter box big enough for the cat? If the cat has gained weight it might be that the litter box is too small for him, try a bigger one and see if it helps.

-Where is/are the litter box located? It might be that there are located in a place with high human traffic where the cat does not feel safe, and this is why he is urinating in the closet where he feels safer.

To deal with the odor use an enzyme based cleaner. My favorite is Anti Icky Poo

My daughter's kitten has started to poop in my daughter's bed. She doesn't know what to do and if she can not find a solution she is going to give the kitten away. I am very upset about this! I feel once you have an animal in your home they are there to stay. They are like children, you wouldn't give your child away because there was a problem!!!! Please help. I have always had dogs so I am not very up on cat or kitten issues. I love this little kitten. She thinks it maybe the food she put her on a week ago!

While not as common as inappropriate urination, there are several possible
reasons why your kitten may be defecating outside of her litter box. If
the feces looks abnormal in color or consistency, I would recommend having
a veterinarian run some fecal tests, as the kitten may be suffering from
parasitic disease and be unable to control her bowel movements. If the
feces appears normal, is the kitten also using her litter box to
urinate/defecate in? Litter box management is a common cause of
inappropriate bathroom behavior in cats. Every household should have
litter boxes equal to the number of cats in the house + one additional
box. The boxes should not be too big for the kitten to get into and out
of. You may also consider trying out different litter types and placing
the boxes in different locations in the house. Cats often dislike litter
boxes that are covered or lined with plastic liners, so I would try
removing those things if you have them.
Defecating outside of the litter box may also be a sign of anxiety. I
can’t determine, from your question, if the kitten is displaying any other
behavioral signs or is comfortable in other areas of the household. I also
do not know if there are other animals in the house and if they appear to
get along with the new kitten. Sources of stress may make the kitten
anxious or reluctant to use the litter box. If litter box management does
not seem to improve the problem, I would take the kitten in to your local
veterinarian to have them run fecal tests and discuss options for
decreasing anxiety.

Whenever I pet my cat on the back he raises his hind quarters up. What does this mean? Is he just being content?

We know that all cats like to be rubbed on the cheeks and under the chin. but some will permit and even enjoy having their backs rubbed. I think they extend their hind legs to increase the pressure. Keep on petting

I rescued a male 5 mo old chocolate point siamese March 15, Had him neutered and all shots and tests on april 15. According to the vet he is very healthy. Plenty of toys to play with and I play with him by throwing a paper ball that he loves to bring back over and over again. Fishing pole toys etc. I play with him 3 or 4 times a day and for 20 -30 minutes usually. For no reason when I am sitting or walking thru the house and not bothering him he will attack my legs and bite so hard that he draws blood. I will say no, don't bite and he will try and do it again if I turn my back to walk away. Also he will hop up into my lap and purr want to be petted, go to sleep, and if I move he will bite by arms or hands hard. I was sleeping and he attack my head biting and quickly running away. I don't know what I have done to make him do this. I am very kind and gentle with him and it seems that the biting is happening more frequently now. Please any help would be greatly appreciated or I will have to give him away due to the injuries that I am sustaining. He is now 9 months old.

It sounds like this cat is displaying aggressive ‘play’ behavior, despite your provision of plenty of play opportunities There
are several ways that you may be able to deter him from this behavior or
channel it into a more appropriate form. In order to reprimand an animal
for bad behavior  the punishment must be three things:consistent, immediate (within three seconds of the behavior) and
effective. In situations where he is sitting on your lap and attacks you,
I would try simply standing up and letting him fall to the floor. You may
also carry a water pistol or spray bottle with you in the house, and
reprimand him with that as soon as he attacks you. The goal is to teach
him, with a mildly aversive stimulus, that this behavior is not O.K. It is
important that he be reprimanded (with the water pistol, for example)
every time he attacks you or any one else in the household. Ending play
activity when he attacks, or immediately placing him in another room for a
period of time, may also help him learn that this is not appropriate play
behavior.
 An alternative approach could be to try clicker training, where you teach
him (with positive reinforcement) to respond to the sounds of a handheld
clicker. This would be a way to focus and control his activity, while
also providing a way for you to interrupt moments of playful attack with
a command. If you are interested in this, there are several online
sources outlining how to get started with clicker training.

We recently adoped male kitten @ about 4 1/2 weeks from friend. Older cat not too receptive, and kitten has gotten really agressive with older female. But sometimes they sleep on same bed (or under it) together. No real problems eating except older one eats kitten food and kitten eats adult food. Will having kitten neurted help with this agressive behavior? How soon can he be fixed?

Neutering will help, but meanwhile give him plenty of play fighting opportunities that don't involve your older female or your hands. Fishing pole toys, food dispensing toys, mechanical mice are good and a cat tree would give him more exercise.

Every morning at 4:00am my 3 year old cat, Bobbie climbs over my head and acts like he is trying to take down the pictures on the wall, meowing.

Last night when I got home the 4 pictures over the couch were all cockeyed and I could see he had been up on the back of the couch.

Sometimes he just looks at the walls and meows, I was starting to think my apartment was haunted by ghosts.

Thank you.

Your cat may be hearing ultrasounds made by rodents that he can hear, but you can't. Early morning is prime hunting time. He might apprec iate a cat tree that he can climb. That would save your pictures.

my cat likes one type food for few days and then he doesnt want that at all for long time,and recently he is not liking anything ,eating very less wet food aswell dry,but he is mostly picky about wet food,any suggetion -he is getting scinny

First be sure that your cat is not sick so a visit to your veterinarian is in order. Cats are notoriously finicky and are neophilic, that is they like a new food, but will prefer the original food after a few days if it is the more palatable. Cats also have cycles of body weight and if she is on the downward slope she'll be more finicky.

What might be wrong with my dog if he won't eat looks weak with droopy eyes is starting to lose a lot of hair drools a lot and has no reactions when he's called upon? He won't eat but hes drinking more water than usual. I recently received the dog and he hasn't had any shots.

Please take your dog to a veterinarian immediately. He could be suffering from a variety of illnesses including diabetes, kidney disease, adrenal disease (Cushings')or dental dissaes.

Someone gave us a Corgi mix. We had him neutered. We didn't know he had heart worms. He's only 2 yrs. old. I presume the previous owner did not treat him for anything. We spent a lot of money on having him treated for heart worms. We had his hair cut because he seemed so hot and we live in Texas. Even with all of this he breathes very hard. Is this normal for a Corgi?

I would take your dog back to your veterinarian to be sure he doesn't have residual heart damage from the heart worms. Look at his gums. If they are pink he is getting enough oxygen, but if they are bluish he isn't You are right to be concerned about the heat. Be sure he is kept cool. Corgis originated in a much cooler climate.

My cat, Muffin, is 6 years old. She is a joy to have in the house and has never before had a problem with other animals in the house. Recently we decided that she should have a play mate because it has been over a year since our dog ran away. We decided to get a kitten because we remember how much fun she had a few years ago when we were fostering kittens. Since the new kitten, Fuzz, has been in the house, almost 3 months now, Muffin is very unhappy. She howls and mewls and growls even at the people. We know she isn't aggressive to the point of hurting us or the kitten, she has never bitten or even clawed the kitten, or us since she was a kitten herself. I wonder is it possible that she just hates Fuzz, or is it something else?

Please help my kitties get along!!

Marisa

Generally cats seem to prefer to be only cats unless introduced as kittens. A good thing to do is to separate them for about a week, without letting them see, hear or smell each other. After that week there are two ways you can re-introduce them:

Allow them to be in rooms that are next to each other for about a week, then allow them to see each other through a glass window for another week, and then do this through a baby gate. This way they will gradually get accustom to one another.

Feed them on the opposite ends of a room and start moving the bowls closer together every day. Keep the aggressor either in a kennel or on a leash at the beginning.

My cat will get very cranky sometimes. He will hiss, growl, and dislike being touched. It is not all the time, but most frequently after he has used the litter box. I am wondering if it's possible digestive tract problems, if I should change his food, or take him to the vet immediately.

When he gets this way he will let you pet his head, but nowhere else on his body. I've been giving him cat nip to calm him down until I find out exactly what is wrong with him.

Please take your cat to your veterinarian because it sounds as if he having urinary tract or gastrointestinal pain. Changing diet might help depending on the problem

Most cats prefer chin and check bedding to petting anywhere else.

I have 2 male neutered cats about 7 years old each that have been living with me for the same time. Recently the one cat has started urinating and defacating outside the litter box. I had one litter box for the longest time with no problem. Since this problem started I have added a second litter box, both with scoopable litter. The one cat is still not using either box except once in a while. I am meticulous about keeping the boxes clean. They are indoor cats with the litter boxes in the garage. Please help!

He may not want to travel to the garage either. You should have 3 boxes for 2 cats. Try several different types of litter in each so he can choose which he likes. The other cat may be keeping him away which is another reason to have boxes in diffefent places

My cat uses his litter box to urinate, but he ALWAYS poops inside the bathtub. we have tried different litters, and different liners, and even cat repelant spray in the bathtub but nothing seems to work. Why does he do this? Is there any way to teach him to stop?

Dear Ms. Adair,

First, it is definitely a positive that your cat urinates in the litter 
box.  However, in order to change his site of defecation, certain 
aspects of the environment may need to be changed. First, if the litter box is located in the bathroom, I would recommend 
another box  outside of the bathroom.   To discourage use of the bath tub keep a few inches of water in it During this 
time, you can monitor his defecation and see if he then uses the litter 
box while not having access to his preferred site.

The components of the litter box are also important to recognize as 
contributing factors.  First, most cats do not like litter liners-  that could be the problem 
sprays, or scented litters.  Try the UNSCENTED clumping litter, which 
most cats prefer.  In addition to the litter, it is VERY important to 
keep the box clean, at least  one cleaning per day.  
Finally, I would recommended having  different litters in the 2 litter boxes (if you have just 
the one cat).  Some cats like a different litter for defecation than for urination.Th
We hope by putting all of these factors into place he will prefer the litter box to the bathtu

I am looking after an approximately seven month old female kitten that I rescued from the street. I am sure she came from a domestic situation even though she was on the street because from the start she has been friendly to people, although very nervous. She has been living in my apartment with me for about a month. When I let her roam around my whole apartment she is an aggressive, fearful little ball of chaos. She will play but not be petted. When I keep her shut in a small room she is all sweetness and light - purring, sitting on my lap, responding to strangers, etc. There is still a little anxiety and aggression, but the difference really is like night and day. Why might this be happening, and what can I do to get her to be sweet whatever room she is in?

Coming into a new home will most likely be highly stressful for your new kitten. Cats are highly territorial so that she is having a rough time in new and different surroundings. Setting up a "safe place" for your cat to hide and hang out will help to make her feel more secure and adjust to her new home a lot quicker. If possible, set up the small room, in which she feels most comfortable as you mentioned, for your cat to have as her own territory for a little while. That room should be quiet and separate from other pets. And, don't force your cat to come out to whole apartment. This will only cause more stress and slow down the process of making your cat feel comfortable and safe. Let her decide when she wants to come out. Start to feed her in that room for a couple weeks and slowly take her food out of the room after then.( Eventually, a bit of comfort and some hunger will set in and your cat will come out to explore.) As often as you can, spend time visiting with your new cat in her safe space. It could take your new cat a day, a week, or even more to get used to her safe place and feel comfortable. Your cat's comfort will depend on several things, such as her temperament, past experiences, or whether there are other animals in the house.

Once your new cat seems comfortable in her safe space, it's time to let her explore the world beyond. Open the door to your cat's safe haven and let her come out and explore the rest of your apartment at her own pace. Always keep the door to the safe haven open so your cat can retreat to this safe place when she needs to. Your cat will most likely appear hesitant and a bit of a scaredy cat at first. Most cats will start to make small excursions under the cover of night. This will include rapid retreats back to the safe haven, so be sure to keep the door open and don't let it shut by itself. When getting used to her new home, your cat should always be able to retreat to her safe place. With enough time, your cat will rightfully act like she owns the place.

If you have the space in your cat's safe area, it's helpful to also have the following set up and ready: a cat scratching post, or other scratching alternative (such as a cardboard scratcher), some cat toys, and a cat bed. (The bed can be as simple as a folded up towel or a pillow in the corner.)

Atta

so my friend called me and asked if i could adopt her 9 month old male cat. i said i would give it a try, my kitties are 10 month old male, and 6 month old male. both my males are neutered, but new one isn't. the new cat, has been obsessed with my older cat. he keeps attacking him, and won't leave him alone. then when he can't find that one he is attacking the other. my original two don't want to fight, they just keep trying to get away. also toby, the new cat seems terrified of me. he was very affection towards my friend, so i'm just confused. i've had plenty of cats before, but nothing like this has happened.

His aggression may be based on anxiety. To relieve the anxiety Toby is feeling in a 3 cat household one solution may be to separate him from the other cats for a few days. During this time you should spend a lot of time alone with Toby to help get him used to you. You may consider rewarding him for positive time spent with you such as when he comes up to you feed him treats such as wet cat food or other kitty treats or toys.

Toby may need a safe place to go to when he is feeling stressed. Creating that space in the form of a cat perch or box with a bed in it may also help him feel comfortable.

There is also a product called Feliway which is synthetic derivative of the kitty happy pherormone which they secrete when they are feeling secure. This product comes in a diffuser . which you can use in the room to which he is confined.

After Toby has reached a comfort level with you, you can spray a large area with Feliway and introduce all of your cats again giving Toby positive reinforcement again such as with treats or attention. After a short time return Toby to his room which he may spend more and more time away from as time goes by and positive interactions with the other cats continue.

My cat is about 2 or 3 years old. She has access to the littlebox and the outside for the bathroom yet she constantly pees on clothes, towels, blankets, pillows etc. Her litterbox is cleaned daily and we have cleaned all the places she has gone. I have taken her to the vet to check if she has a urinary infection and she doesn't. My father is threatening to get rid of her so I need to find a solution ASAP! Please help!

Some things to consider to curb this habit include decreasing anxiety with Feliway a synthetic version of the pheromone secreted by the skin of the cats cheeks and which he rubs on you or other objects when he is which they release naturally into their environment when they are comfortable. Feliway comes in a spray or room defuser and may decrease anxiety enough to curb this behavior.

Another recommendation is to add another litter box. There should be one extra litter box for every cat in the household. So, if your cat is the only cat you should have two litter boxes so that if he feels uncomfortable about one he can use the other in its place.

If the type of litter is a problem you may consider using a plain, non-clumping, unscented clay litter in one box and your normal litter in another to see if he will chose one over the other. If even this does not work you may try putting a towel or piece of clothing into a litter box. He may have a substrate preferenceWhen he urinates on that you can try putting a little cat litter on top of it and gradually increase the amount of litter everyday until you have covered the article of clothing or towel. You can then take the towel or clothing away.

Elsa is 10 mo old. I also have 2 schnauzers. About a week ago Elsa started to pee by the back door. I think it's because she gets mad when I make her come in. (I have only recently let her out and only with me because she is declawed) I have tried Natures Miricle. No help. I cant put her litter box or food by the door, because of the dogs. I dont want to invest in another $100 plus Dr. visit, because I really dont think thats the problem since she still uses the litter box. Please help we love her! She is the best, she plays fetch wants to be held, and gets along perfect with the dogs. We don't want to get rid of her, but we don't want our house ruined either!! I have contacted our veterinarian, but all she said was bring her in to be checked. I would if, and if I thought it was really the problem, but I don't. Please get back to me asap, because my husbands patience is wearing thin!!

She may want to urinate outside where she can have a fresh place each time or she may be marking in response to odors she encountered outside. I would not take her outside anymore. You could put plastic down to protect the doorway while determining what kind of litter shell find irresistible. You might start with Cat Attract litter in one box and your regular litter in another. There should always be one extra litter. If this does not work you may try to place the litter box by the door with a box over it with a hole cut in it, just big enough for the cat, but too small for the schnauzers so they can not get into it. There are several good odor neutralizers such as Anti Icky Poo Plant Urine and Zero Odor. Fabreeze petcare will remove any odor you can smell

Some things to consider that might decrease her anxiety are Feliway a synthetic derivative of the cats secure and happy hormone which they release naturally into their environment when they are comfortable. Feliway comes in a spray or room defuser and may decrease anxiety enough to curb this behavior.

I have 3 cats in my house: Spaz, Arya, and Ty (youngest to oldest).

All 3 of these cats have been in the same house for over a year now. Spaz (male) and Arya (female) are mine and until recently both were not fixed. Spaz has been fixed for at least a month now.

He's always been somewhat aggressive towards Arya but has never hurt her before. I attributed it to neither cat being fixed and thus took Spaz to get neutered. His 'obsession' with Arya has grown worse and turned into aggression.

Spaz and Arya have been seperated for at least 2 months total now. (occasionally letting them meet) Just today Spaz and Arya were doing fine for several hours until I heard Arya making seriously disturbing meows. I knew they were fighting but when I got out there I found them latched to each other with Spaz on top and Arya on her back trying to fight to get free.

After I broke them up and seperated them I noticed the floor was covered in several patches of Arya's fur apparently torn out and quite a large puddle of her urine I assume from her being so frightened by the attack.

I'm at a total loss. It's been months and I would prefer to keep both cats as I've had both of them since they were kittens (not of the same litter). The vet has no answers for me and Spaz seems to wait for the right opportunity to go at her. He knows when he's in the wrong with me and so he simply tries not to get caught.

Thank you for contacting us regarding your cats fighting behavior. It sounds as if your cat Spaz is the aggressor and Arya the victim. Castration usually reduces aggression so his behavior is unusual I would separate them complelely for at least a week. Meanwhile rub each cat with the same towel each day so that they exchange odors.

At the end of the weeks separation reintroduce them only at meal times (no free choice food). Have a harness and tether on Spaz. Keep them separate between meals. When the cats can both eat in the same room with no aggression begin to move their dishes closer. Move the dishes only a few inches at a time. When they can eat together peacefully you can gradually extend the time they spend together. The process will take weeks, but should prove to the cats that good things happen in each others presence.

-Medication may be necessary to reduce Spazs aggression and Aryas fear. These types of medication will need to be administered by a veterinarian.

My cat has been over grooming and created sore mostly hairless spots on her belly area. I took her to the vet and he gave me antibiotics, which I got most of in her and Amiltriptryline for itching and anxiety. Shes upset by the meds and still grooming too much. What do you think of the treatment?

Amitriptyline has both anti-depressant and anti-histaminic properties so it should help with over grooming, but it is very, very bitter. Most over grooming is caused by a dermatological rather than a behavior problem. Return to your veterinarian and ask for a referral to a board certified dermatologist if she doesn't improve soom

I have a 6 year old male indoor fixed cat. Two days ago got a 8 week old female kitten from the Humane Society. This morning I find the male cat carrying the kitten around in his mouth. The kitten was not too happy. Is this normal behavior for a male cat? Should I be concerned?

Carrying is unusual by a adult male cat. Female cats do carry kittens, but usually younger ones. Lets hope that the male is treating the kitten like an offspring and not like prey . The behavior should subside

My cat just recently started hissing and crouching at me, when I came back in the house last night she started and I couldn't get her out of this behavior. She did go in the basement and calm down, this morning she let me feed and pet her then again when I was leaving my room she did it again and ran off.

Please help she is usually so loving and I'm concerned for my kids.

It sounds like your cat is afraid. Hissing and crouching are signs of fear. Perhaps she smelled something on your shoes when you came in or it could be something else entirely. I don't think she presents a danger to your children as long as they leave her alone when she is hissing. Try a Feliway diffuser and if she isn't better in a few days take her to your veterinarian to be sure she is well. If necessary a psychoactive medication can be prescribed.

We have 2 cats: 13 yrs and 8 yrs. They have always gotten along fine.

The 8 yr old was in poor condition when we got her at 12 weeks old. She was malnourished and covered with fleas. She has always had trouble adjusting to new things and places and has always been timid. She had never seemed really smart. When we moved into a new house, she urinated our new sofa for weeks. But has always gotten along with our older cat, though the older cat is clearly in charge.

Recently, our 13 yr old cat accidentally slipped outside and spent the day in the yard. When we let her back in, the 8 yr old attacked her. She continued to hiss and growl at the older cat for almost 2 weeks. This is the first sign of aggression she has ever shown. We thought maybe the older cat picked up the scent of another animal while outside. However, the older cat sometimes goes outside with us when we are in the yard and the younger cat has never had a problem with it.

Things finally returned to normal until today. I spent the evening at a friend's house, that I visit almost weekly, who also owns a cat. When returning home, my older cat rubbed my legs. A few minutes later the 8 yr old attached her viciously. If I had not separated them, the older cat would have been hurt. The 8 yr old urinated all over the floor when I picked her up. Then licked her urine. gross.

What do we do? I am afraid to leave them alone with each other. I am also afraid of what will happen if I visit any house with pets and then come home.

Your younger cat seems to be really sensitive to odor and fails to recognize your older cat if she smells any different. In addition your older cat may be displaying some sign or smell of weakness that predisposes the younger predator to attack You can use a Feliway diffuser to add a calming odor. When you visit a home with other cats you might forestall problems by putting grooming powder or some other strange scent on both cats as soon as you get home If aggression persists I would recommend that you separate the cats for at least one week and slowly re-introduce them by feeding them in the same room (under supervision) but at different ends of the room then slowly start feeding them closer to each other when they feel more comfortable. The owner can also put up a screen door between the rooms where each cat is confined to, which will allow them to smell each other but not have to directly interact until they are both comfortable enough.

My eight month female cat bites me when I am on the phone. She will sneak up on me, bite me and then run off. I have no idea what provokes her. If I get up and walk from one room to another, my cat will bite my leg and run. Do you have any suggestions/ideas for this behavior? She has plenty of toys, gets fed daily (soft and hard), and I have even leash trained her to go outside. I give her as much attention as my schedule allows. Would it be beneficial to get a second cat to keep her company?

Many cats react as your cat does when on the phone. It is probably attention getting and she has learned that she can bite with impunity because you are otherwise occupied. . You might try keeping a catnip mouse or even a treat that she get s only when you are on the phone. Her attacks when you walk are predatory play. Try fishing pole toys to re-direct her behavior. Interactive toys are much more fun than ones she has to play with by herself. Don't get a second cat or you may have all the problem other owners have presented to this site.

My boyfriend's year old, neutered cat sprays my leather couch each time he comes over to 'visit' my 10 month old spayed female cat. They are the best of friends and she is quite at home at his house and he seems OK at mine but obviously he isn't as adaptable as she is. I have Feliway and have not used it yet but would like to ease his fears or territorial worries so both cats can be together no matter which house they're at without us having to worry if he's sprayed or not while we're at work. Any suggestions? Thank you.

He is probably spraying because he is in a new place. Cats may spray to make a new place smell more familiar. The Feliway might help. You must also have 3 litter boxes with litter he really likes. The litter should be scooped daily. Those are the things that are necessary but are sometimes not sufficient in which case anti-anxiety drugs are necessary

I have 10 yr old Persian that has always been very independent. I recently adopted a 3 yr old poodle, who is getting along well with the other two cats. The Persian took one look at the dog and moved into the garage. She only comes in through the cat door to eat and drink. She is now totally unapproachable and has bitten and scratched me. The only way I can get near her is to trap her when she comes in, but she escapes the first chance she gets. I have run out of ideas. Is there any way I can get her accustomed to the dog?

Your poor Persian may feel that she deserves a more peaceful environment during her golden years. Don't try to approach her when she is aroused and fearful because you may be scratched or bitten. The best approach is to be patient. The fact that she comes in to eat and drink is a good sign. Because odor is so important try rubbing her with a cloth you have rubbed on the dog. Also use a Feiway diffuser in the room where she eats. Be very sure the dog doesn't come in the room while she is eating. Use a baby gate if necessary.

I have a 14 week old great dane puppy that was just diagnosed with an interior shunt on his liver. First, should I get another opinion regarding this or go forward with the very expensive surgery? Second, I know this is a very rare condition in large breeds and especially inside the liver, could this be something different, maybe less severe? He did just have his parvo and distemper shots 7 days before he started acting up with his lathargic attitude and running into walls while couching up what sounded like mucus. Please let me know what you think,

Thank you

A liver shunt is not a behavioral problem. It is unusual in a giant breed, but diagnostic work will confirm the diagnosis. I have had two affected Cairn terriers, but they have been worth the effort of repairing the shunt and keeping them on special diets.

Our large cat, (we have 3) seems to have been

traumatized by a fox or coyote. It was gone for a day, then came home after darkness fell in the evening. We believe it was treed all day by a fox or coyote. After it came home, it will not leave the area of the attached garage. It is very skittish, looks around constantly, hides under the bushes when it is outside the garage. This behavior is about 180 degrees different than what it was. It is a large cat, about 22 lbs, did not move for the dogs, other cats, only moved when the horses would nudge it, was very confident, owned the whole area around the house, barns and out buildings. What can we do to get him confident again, help him to regain his confidence.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

If you are correct about you cat's experiences, it (he or she)has every right to be frightened or nervous. He apparently never was challenged before Foxes and coyotes are good examples of why it is best to keep cats inside. If his behavior doesn't improve in afew days you shoukld take him to yiour veterinarian who can prescribe anti-anxiety drugs. If he isn't eating take him immediately.

My cat Coley is about 9 years old and within the last week and a half he has lost a lot of weight, you can feel his spine and he won't eat. He has unusual behavior like staying gone for days at a time and he wont sleep on the bed with my mom any more like he usually does. What could be wrong with him?

There could be any number of things wrong with him. Please take him to your veterinarian as soon as possible. Meanwhile keep him safe in the house. Sick cats often isolate themselves which is why he won't sleep with your mother and why he stays away from home.

We have had our puppy for 3 days...Friday night she started sneezing, then Saturday she slept for much of the day...very lethargic, still eating and drinking though. today she woke up and has a lump on her face under her eye (on her cheek). She is still eating drinking, lethargic but eliminating urine and feces on a regular basis.

Please take your puppy to a veterinarian immediately. A lump is not a behavior problem.

My 17 yr old cat is occasionally blinking eyes fast and putting her head back, practically falling backwards if I don't catch her.

She is also putting her face against mostly armchair when on my lap. I don't know if she is getting dizzy or having head pain?

You are a good owner to have cared for your cat so long. I would take her to your veterinarian after you have made a video of her behavior to show. It does sound as if she has a central neural problem

my cat is about 9 months old and we are very close. about 2 weeks ago he started looking in my mirror and constantly crying and meowing. he does it incessently. whats wrong with him? he isnt fixed but has just recently started this. is he lonely? should i get another pet for him?

Most cats habituate to mirrors because the image doesn't act like a cat should (doesn't feel or smell like cat. Recognition of self in the mirror is supposed to be a sign of intelligence. dolphins, gorillas and at least one elephant recognize themselves. Why don't you put a(safe) mark on him and see if he tries to groom it off when he sees himself in the mirror. If you read the other questions sent to me you can see why I don't think you should get another cat. Cover the mirror and get him some videos to watch .

This morning, our puppy was found in his crate with poop all over his face and legs.Is this a sign of sickness. He does seem a bit more lethargic....but he is a bit lazy for a puppy.

Some dogs become agitated in a crate and will eliminate and then soil themselves as they try to escape. Unless he is frantic to escape from the crate he is probably ill. Take him to your veterinarian.

I recently took in a stray kitten that was homeless,I seem to have a problem, it will not let me any wheres near it,I do not know what sex it is .It is not afraid of my other cat or dog,it sleeps with my cat.Is there any I can do so it is not afraid of me..............

You were very kind to take in a stray kitten. With time it will probably become accustomed to you. Let the kitten come to you. Grabbing it and petting it will frighten it more. Leave a dirty t shirt for her to lie on. so she learns your scent. Spray Feliway on your hands ands sit next to both cats while they are sleeping together. . When your older cat approaches to be petted perhaps it will too.

My cat, who is litter box trained, continually urinates on other objects, a chair cushion, laundry, paper, inside leather bags. I do not understand why she does this, and do not know how to stop her. It is almost impossible to catch her in the act.

Another cat will not deficate in the litter box. Again, what do I do?

Thank you. I appreciate any advice you may give me.

Jean-Marie Lacobee

Most failures to use the litterbox are due to dislike of the litter. It may be the smell, the texture, the depth or the cleanliness. Try several new boxes, each with a different type of litter and see which your cat uses. You need as many boxes as you have cats plus one.

my 5 year old chichuahua has siesures which vet told me but today he is very lerthargic and wants to be on my lap with his tail and head down The same thing happens 4 days ago then he had a seisure. He also is like a vibrator i feel him shaking inside what should i do thanks

Seizures are not a behavior problem. Please take him to your veterinarian.The usual medication for seizues can cause a dog to be lethargic so check with your veterinarian about the dose.

Our cat is about 1 yr old, we rescued him from the back of our garage when he was approx. 4 months old. We know he needs to be neutered and he wants to be outside so badly (since there were so many strays in the area we kept him indoors exclusively). The last two weeks he has been meowing to the point of howling. He does it constantly unless he's sleeping. Is there anything we can do to calm him down until we can get him neutered (I'm pretty sure that's the problem)? I'm almost ready to slip him some camomille tea or something just to quiet him down!

You are right to keep him inside in order to keep him and the wildlife safe.. Intact male cats (tom cats) like to roam and that is one behavior that is reliably decreased by castration. Make an appointment for his surgery. before he begins to spray. Meanwhile try to amuse him with cat videos, cat trees and fishing pole toys.

The cat does house soil all the time, but in two months he has done it 3 times in two different beds. Nothing has changed: same cat box, same littte,r same number of cats I dont know why.

Your cat would probably like a raised litter box. He may feel safer in a higher place. You should have as many boxes as cats plus one.

I have 2 spayed female cats. They have lived totally inside for 4 1/2 years. The other day I had my sliding glass door open (with the screen door between the inside and outside). I don't know if one of them got sprayed by another cat, if another kind of animal was out there (i.e. fox, dog, etc...) Since then they have been very volitile. Even the younger cat is not growling and aggressive (she has never displayed this kind of behavior). Last night I tried to have them roll in catnip, got them together. The older cat chased the younger cat and they fought under the bed, the chased her to a couple other places and fought there. The younger cat was so scared that she pooped in two places and released her anal glands in another. I have tried everything, and I cannot even have them in the same room with food any longer, where before food used to bring them at least into the same room. I now have them separated and no longer have any plan of action. I need to see if I can get some other suggestions.

Thank you!

The cats probably picked up strange odors and then failed to recognize one another. Now one cat is afraid of the other. The next step is to keep them completely separated for two weeks. During those two weeks teach them to eat meals instead of having food available free choice . Next put a harness on the aggressor and tether her so she can't chase the victim cat. Feed them at opposite ends of the same room. If no one hisses, growls, lunges, or otherwise aggresses you can move the dishes a few inches closer together. If there is any sign of aggression keep feeding them at the same distance until they eat calmly. Between meals they should still be separated. When they can eat right next to one another begin again at opposite ends of the room with the attacker free, but with the leash still attached in case she attacks. When they are eating right next to one another gradually extend the period they are together after meals.

A few days ago i took my two cats, brother and sister, to get their annual distemper shot. They both went in at the same time but since the male got scared and peed on the way there, the vet took him in the back and rinsed him off. Once we got home, i gave him a full bath and the female cat started hissing and growling whenever he was around. She is fine around everyone else, and we dont know what to do to get them to be fine again.

Cats recognize one another by smell and your male cat now smells very different. She is hissing because she is afraid of this strange male cat. You could rub the same grooming powder into the fur of both cats. Eventually she'll become reacquainted with him

We adopted our cat Isis two years ago from a multiple cat home where she was abused by the other cats. Since being in our home, she has thrived overcoming her timidness and has become a loving personable cat. She still has some issues that we are working on including the problem of when she is frightened and has a dark place to hide, she will hide for several days until she feels comfortable about coming out again. My husband has always loved dogs and now would like to adopt a 3 year old Australian cattle dog. What are the best ways to introduce this dog to Isis? And are there ways to determine if Isis is going to be comfortable with this dog before we finalize the adoption process? I would like to keep the stress between the two animals to a minimum and create an environment where both animals can thrive. Thanks

I am sure your cat is much happier in a single cat household. If the dog is well behaved and doesn't chase her, she should learn to tolerate a dog. Have the dog on a leash so you can control the initial meeting. Have the dog on a sit stay. Don't hold the cat; leave him on the floor to stay or leave as she wants. Be sure she has lots of places to jump up away from the dog and places she can get under which the dog can't. Tolerance may be the best you can hope for, but if you are lucky they might even like to play together.

My husband cat has been peeing outside of the litter box and onto the floor or carpet. He's been doing it for years. Hes about 14-15 years old and neuterd. I took him to the vets already cause he was getting sick alot and found out he had high thyroids. they gave him pills to take. I don't know what to do about the peeing. when he pees he sometimes stands and pees on the wall with his tail shaking ( this was while he was standing in the litter box) other times he squats and shakes his tail. What should i do to make him stop? and is there a special litter that i need to buy? Or anything to spray where he goes to have him not go there anymore?

You could put a piece of plastic behind the litter box so he could spray there with impunity. The usual treatment for house soiling is a very clean box with clumping non-scented litter. You could try Cat attract litter. The best products for removing odor are AntiIckyPoo, Zero Odor and Planet Urine. You goal should not be to repel him from a given spot, but rather attract him to the prefect litter box.

My male cat will eat it's fur balls that shed on the floor like he's cleaning up his mess. What is the reason for this?

Eating shed fur is certainly unusual He may have a roughage craving. You might try providing a cat garden or feed a high roughage diet like Hills wd

I have two Boston Terrier's Maggie the 3 year old. She, has a problem with redirected aggressives behavior.The othe day Maggie was upset over not being able too chase a cat. Maggie turn and started fighting with Molly my 2 year old. my little one ended up with her eye hurt....we are not sure if she will ever see.I have now changed things and went out and brought a Training collar.t (spikes)I also have found a baby playyard gate.I will put Molly in that area out side.This will be so she can injoy outside with out getting attach.I worry about both dogs...will this help?

Separating the dogs will temporarily help the aggression between the two dogs, but might lead to continued aggression. Try leading one dog up to the other and give each one a treat at the closet point. Have someone hold one dog or tie her in case there is aggression Repeat 10 times with Molly approaching Maggie and ten times with Maggie approaching Molly. Do this each day. Be aware that anything that increases their arousal- a cat, company, loud noises- can lead to a fight so be prepared

I had an ultrasonic pest control box plugged in, not suppose to affect my cat but she started acting weird, like not wanting to walk on the floor, she gets from place to place from jumping from 1 piece of furnature to the next. I unplugged the device & 5 days later, she is still acting skiddish of the floor, if she does get on the floor, she runs like she's been shot out of a cannon. She is eating, but I have to put outside or on the counter for her to eat. Besides her being a cat, what's wrong with her?

It sounds like your cat was afraid or disturbed by the pest control plug in which normally work by emitting high frequency sounds which humans can't hear but animals can. It is great that you have already unplugged it, but it seems like she is now fearful of the floor. It is possible she associated the noise with when she was on the floor and is now afraid to go onto the floor or the noise will start again. Use a Feliway diffuser and play some nice Mozart.You may consider placing an adjustable stool in the middle of the floor. Place tasty treats and her food on the stool so she can eat and know it is o.k. Once she is comfortable with the stool and a day has gone by either adjust it so that it's lower to the ground or find a lower object to place the treats on. Repeat this until the stool is very low to the ground then try taking the stool away and place a small carpet down. Place the treats and feed on the carpet, you can then take the carpet away and use just the floor. You may also consider giving her a toy to play with (i.e. a fuzzy mouse or ball she can bat around or a string or feather on a stick). If she plays with it on the furniture or stool, once the stool is taken away you can encourage her to step onto the floor by tossing the toy or playing with a string with her which should reassure her that the floor is once again safe and the scary noise is not going to return.

I have had my cat for 13 years and I have noticed a patch of fur that has fallen out and hasn't regrown. I am conserned about it. Is there anything I can do about it. It doesn't seen to hurt her.

Unless she has pulled the hair out, the problem is not behavioral. Your veterinarian can determine what coukld be causing it. Parasites, a nutritional or an endocrinoligical problem are possible causes.

I own 3 rescue cats.all male & "fixed..the tabby is 2yrs and the other 2(brothers) are 1yr..The tabby is friendly but the 2 brothers are frightened at EVERY noise..I have had the cats from kittens and they have a great life as indoor cats with outdoor access to a deck enclosure..Well fed(raw and dry food)..The 2 brothers are always on alert and will hide from everyone accept me..Can i de-sensitize the 2 brothers to be more friendly??

The two brothers have one another so it will be harder to overcome their reluctance to meet other people. The brothers are also probably genetically shy Don't force them out. Use Feliway diffusers and have other people spray their hands with it. Your veterinarian could prescribe anti-anxiety medication

My adopted cat has finally started to fit into our household but recently has stopped using the litter box to urinate. She does deficate in the box. I have tried everything, including changing the litter, removing the top of the litter box and using a non-deodorized litter. Nothing seems to help. She has been checked out by a Vet and is healthy but "stressed". Suggestions?

There are other suggestions in addition to those you have tried so far, but first you must totally rule out medical causes such as urinary tract infection. One of the reasons, why she stopped using the litter box, could be the location of the litter box is not to your cat's liking. Don't put the litter box in a busy location or near a noisy washing machine, for example. Put the litter tray in a quiet easy to access location and don't forget they like privacy too. Just in case, if you have many cats, additional litter boxes would help. Some cats will not pee where they have pooped, so a single cat should have two boxes. Some will not do either where another cat has already gone. If you have many cats, please match the number of boxes to the number of cats plus one extra at least. Also, scoop the boxes at least once daily, no matter how many you have. Even with a clumping litter the ammonia smell builds up and can irritate their eyes, especially in warmer weather. If you have less than one per cat, scoop twice a day. .

I have two cat's, a female named lucy she is about a year old, and a mal named prince and is about two years old plus he is declawed and fixed. I have been having a problem for a while. I am sure it is both but they are peeing outside of their litter box. I do not know why but there ruining our stuff and i am about to take them to a animal shelter. I really do not want to do this but it is my last choice. I need some expert advice and help. People have been telling me my cats are probley jealoes of each other. Or they are marking territtory. But i think they get along fine i really need your help. Please write back.

The secret may be the number of litter boxes. You mentioned their box. They should have 3!. Scoop the litter daily and replace it every week or two.

Why does my dog chew grass constantly? Is it a dietary deficiency?

We don't know why dogs chew grass. It does not stimulate vomiting. It is more common in the offspring of mothers that eat grass and in younger dogs. You could try increasing the fiber in your dog's diet.

I moved in with my boyfriend 2 weeks ago. I have two cats, ages 8 and 9. The 9 year old is adjusting just fine. She likes my boyfriend and is very happy here. My 8 year old male is not adjusting so well. He frequently hides under the bed and won't eat unless I sit with him near his food bowl. He also will not always let my boyfriend pet him or play with him. Occasionally he will, but not very often. I had my boyfriend feed him tuna (his favorite treat) while I was at work and that didn't seem to work that well. What can I do to help my cat adjust?

Your boy friend has won you over, now it's time for him to "court" your cat. As food is always the fastest way to a cat's heart, have only your boy friend feed your cat. He should remain in the room while he is eating--in the beginning- at the opposite side of the room. To shorten his stature, he should sit on a chair, or better yet, on the floor. If he wants to talk to your cat, he should talk in soft, high tones, avoiding "sss" sounds (that might sound like a hiss). Until your cat has shown some signs of relaxing in his presence, he should try not to stare directly at him. Keep in mind the importance of the role of scent in the cat's social life. Put a couple of your boy friend's unwashed undershirts next to your cat's food dishes and favorite sleeping areas. You might consider donning one of his shirts or jackets when cuddling your cat. Make sure that your boy friend's after-shave or cologne does not contain animal products (e.g., > musk). > Your boy friend should never seek your cat out, but should let her approach him when she is ready. (Forcing your cat to confront him, will only increase his level of stress and convince him that he should be feared.) A favorite toy tied to a long pole (or a fishing pole-type cat toy) will help your boy friend interact positively with your cat from a distance. Once he sees your boyfriend as the provider of wonderful things to eat and a potential source of entertainment, he can't help but acknowledge his usefulness.

My cat recently has started constantly trying to chewm and lick my hair. Typically it happens in bed or next to me on the sofa. I looked online and can't find this anywhere. What's going on? He can't seem to get enough.

Cats groom one another and he appears to be grooming you. Sometimes a strongly perfumed hair product will discourage the cat. You can discourage him from getting too close to your head by firmly placing him on the floor

My dog has been biting a large hole into its leg ever since we moved into our new house about a month ago. She has bitten this hole in her leg down to the bone and its raw. I dont know what to do. Does she have a disease or is she just demolishing herself for attention. We are giving her away but i dont want to give her to anyone unless i know she doesn not have any diseases. Please help me i have no clue why she is biting herself to the bone.

- Heather

I hope you take your dog to your veterinarian immediately. Although self mutilation can be stimulated by anxiety, the wounds are almost always infected and need medical attention.

our 4 1/2 month old kitten is scared to climb down the stairs to our basement. I have his litter in the bathroom on our main floor, but I would prefer to have it in the basement. How do I get him to be comfortable on the stairs? Do I have to wait until he is older??? If we carry him down he is o.k. climbing back up on his own. I have sat on the stairs and shook his treats or even set some on the stairs. He is too scared to even come for his treats. Please help!!!!!

You were on the right track with the treats, but may have wanted the kitten to move too far too fast. Feed him at the top of the stairs and then on the next stair. He is more likely to be frightened if the stairs are open (no risers) or if they are not carpeted.

My 7 month old puppie has had diarea for the last two day's any ides what is wrong?

Please take ypour puppy to your veterinarian. This is not a bheavior problem. He could have parasites or a bacterial infection or any number of causes of his diarrhea

I emailed you before about my cats licking on her tummy and leg areas until it's pink with a few little sores, we tried antibiotics and amitriptyline for a week, she hated the feeling of the drug, and didn't seem much better. Now he wants me to try antibiotic and prednisone. She won't eat her pill pockets anymore so I'm still trying to get her to take them. What do you think of steroids for this problem, short term? She seems to sneeze and itch when around our other cats more. We got a Feliway dispenser too. Thank you!

There is a good video available from the Feline Health Center http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/pet/fhc/pill_or_capsule

That will help you administer the medication. Yes steroids short term could help her. I hope you and your veterinarian are able to make your cat more comfortable

my cat has become sick and will not eat or move very much. we live in the mountains and this started about five days ago, could this be caused if she ate a very big lizard. we think she ate the lizard about the time her behavior changed.

Your cat is ill so please take her to your veterinarian. Some lizards can cause illness

My dog is 9 years old and I've had him since he was 6 weeks old. He is a rescue dog. I had an older dog when I got him and adopted another older dog after that. So at one point I had 3 dogs. Since then the 2 older dogs have died and now for about a year my dog has been the only dog. He had a lot of separation anxiety at first and I started a new job where I travel a lot at the same time I lost the last of the 2 dogs. I have since taken correction to help him overcome his anxiety and he has been doing great. Recently I was on a business trip and we had a bad thunderstorn and he torn up the couch cushions. Since then he had periodically torn up more and more of the couch cushions even when I just have a long day. I need a solution for changing this behavior. This is new just in the last month. It is becoming more regular behavior. I've given up on this couch but tried to leave it intact as much as possible because I don't want to replace it until I correct this behavioral issue.

I would be more concerned with the feelings of the dog than correcting his behavior. You can desensitize him to the sounds of thunder by playing a DVD at very low volume while feeding him as long as he remains calm and eats you can increase the volume at each daily session. Meanwhile anti-anxiety medication will both relieve the dog's fright and preserve your furniture

Hi I was thinking about getting a horse for my daughter. She is extremly passionate about horses and riding. Although she is 13 she is very small and skinny. I want to know of some smaller horse or pony breeds that she could ride for hours on end and care for. Do you know any? Thank you

A girl after my own hear with a wonderful mother. The first thing to think about is not size but safety. A nice, quiet Quarterhorse would be good. A Pony of the Americas (POA) would be a smaller animal. Be sure the horse is given a soundness examination by a veterinarian who can also evaluate the horse;s temperament.

I have a 55 pound rescue dog which is a great family pet. She is a boxer/shepherd mix. One of the reasons I adopted her is that she doesn't bark and is not aggressive. However, she has lots of energy. When friends come to the house, she jumps up and down with boundless energy. After a few minutes, she calms down. When I walk her, she pulls hard on the leash until she's tires a bit. However, if she sees another dog (no matter how tired) she jumps up and down and pulls hard again to investigate this new dog. What advice can you give me on how to control her bursts of energy or mania?

       It sounds like there are a few things you might be able to do 
with your dog to help control your pet's energy while at home and on 
walks.  To help with her outbursts on walks, a Gentle Leader 
(http://www.buygentleleader.com) would be a good tool to try. It is a 
collar and lead that moves the point of restraining pressure from the 
neck to the side of the muzzle, offering better control of the dog's 
movements. Some dogs need to be conditioned to the collar, and the 
product comes with an informative DVD to explain how to best do that. To 
help control her bouts of energy at home when meeting new people, you 
should work on improving her ability to inhibit her actions.  One of the 
best ways to do this is to focus on the "stay" command with her.  
Initially, get her to stay in one place for short periods of time a 
short distance away from her and reward her good performance with treats 
or praise. Continue to work with her, increasing the time she has to 
stay and the distance between you and her.  Ultimately, the goal would 
be for you to be able to leave the room and do something else, and then 
come back to her remaining in the instructed location. As such, when 
visitors come to the house, she should be able to stay and wait until it 
is time for her to receive attention from the visitors. 

       If you have not already taken your dog through an obedience 
program, that would also prove helpful in controlling her bursts of 
energy. And lastly, as it sounds that your pet has a lot of energy, the 
more time you can offer her outside with physical activity, the better. 
Long walks or periods of active play will help reduce her activity level 
at inappropriate times.

what to do with 12 year old cat that poops on floor. urinates in box and will poop in box also,but about once a week goes on floor

Defecating outside the box is a common occurrence in older cats. There are a few things you can try in hopes of getting your cat to go in the litter box all the time. If you have multiple cats, you should have as many litter boxes as you have cats +1. You can also try a litter buffet, where you set up multiple litter boxes with a different type of litter in each to see which litter your kitty prefers (Worlds Best, and Everclean tend to have good results). You should also try various depths of litter and see how deep your cat likes the litter. Try to scoop the box every day and wash it out with soap and water once a week. If you have other cats, try putting the litter boxes in various locations in case one cat is ambushing the other cat. Overall, the most likely scenario as to why your cat is defecating outside the box is that your kitty does not like something about the box, litter, or location of the litter box. Therefore, if you try to change various things about the box you may find what is bothering your cat about the current litter box. Lastly, if your cat is having harder than normal stools then it is very possible there is a medical problem and you should take your cat to the vet to help determine what that is and possibly get some medications that could help soften the stool.

I already have two females at home both were adapted from a shelter together. They are 1 1/2 years old. I decided to bring home a new male kitten. I figure there would be some tension but now neither of them get along. The two females now hiss and growl at each other and they both hiss and growl at the kitten. I am going to keep the two females apart from the kitten until they get used to each other but I am worried about how the two females will get along now. They never had problems with each other. Thanks for your help

Thank you for your question. Introducing a new cat to a household can be a challenge. If you have not already done so, you should make sure your female cats are spayed and the male is neutered, to avoid any hormone related aggression. In addition to this, I would recommend separating the new cat from the two females (for example, keep him in a completely separate room, such as a laundry room or spare bedroom). Hopefully, if the kitten is removed, the two females will return to their former amicable relationship. If this is not the case, after a day or two, it may be necessary to separate the females from each other as well.
Next, you should try slowly re-introducing the cats to each other by allowing supervised interactions, preferably in a neutral location. Ideally, this location would be an area of the house where the cats do not normally go, or at least room that is not associated with any objects of attachment, such as food bowls or a favorite chair. If your cats are playful, toys can be introduced as part of the supervised playtime, to encourage positive interactions between the cats. As the cats' interactions with each other improve, the length of the supervised sessions can be increased and the cats gradually can be allowed access to different areas house.

You should generally try to change the routine (feeding schedule, litter box location, sleeping areas, etc.) as little as possible, for the preexisting two female cats, however, you should add in additional beds, food bowls, and litter boxes for the new cat, perhaps allowing one additional item total (e.g., 4 food bowls, 4 litter boxes, etc. for the 3 cats).
Lastly, many people find Feliway (a synthetic copy of the feline facial pheromone), a helpful aid when introducing new cats to each other. Feliway diffusers can be placed throughout the house, but minimally, you should consider a dispenser for the room in which supervised play between the cats is first introduced. Please visit http://www.feliway.com/gb for more information.
We hope you find these suggestions helpful. Best of luck with your cats.

I HAVE 2 DOMESTIC SHORT HAIRS. A 1.5 YR OLD MALE AND A 2- 2.5 YR OLD FEMALE. BOTH WE ADOPTED FROM PETSMART AT DIFFERENT TIMES. OUR MALE WE GOT A ABOUT A 6MTH KITTEN AND THE FEMALE RECENTLY AT 2 YRS. 90% OF THE TIME THEY GET ALONG FINE. THEY SLEEP TOGETHER,PLAY,CLEAN ONE ANOTHER, WATCH BIRDS TOGETHER. THEN THE REST OF THE TIME THE MALE WILL PIN THE FEMALE AND BITE HER NECK. IT DOESNT SEEM TO HURT HER BUT SHE SCREAMS HORRIBLY UNTIL WE HAVE TO SEPARATE THEM. HES NEVER HURT HER BUT WE CANT JUST LET THEM GO ON AND ON. IT DOES GET ANNOYING.WEVE HAD THEM ALMOST 3 MONTHS NOW. WILL THIS EVER STOP IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO OR ARE THEY JUST NEVER GOING TO GET ALONG? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

Thank you for writing. My first suggestion if it hasn't already happened is to have both animals spayed and neutered. This type of behavior- grasping the neck of the female- can be sexual; however, inter-cat aggression isn't uncommon in multiple cat households, especially where there is a male cat. If both animals are already spayed or neutered then the next step is to totally separate the male and female for one week. During that week rub each cat with a towel and then rub that towel on the other cat. This will transfer their scents to each other. After one week of isolation has passed you can spray a product called Feliway (or get a Feliway diffuser)around a room you will use to reintroduce the cats. This product is a synthetic pheromone which emulates the one released from a cats cheek gland when they are calm. Feed the cats at the same time you introduce them in different corners of the room. Gradually move their bowls closer together over another week every time you feed them, keeping them in separate rooms whenever they are not eating. When they begin to eat peacefully next to one another you can keep them together. Whenever they are near each other they can be given treats to create a positive association with the other cat. Feliway can be used as much as need with anticipation of any stressful event to help decrease anxiety and aggression. If during this process the male begins to attack your female you can continue but with a harness on your male so that he does not harm the female. If this does not work you may consider anti-anxiety medications in addition to behavior modification. We hope this helps and we wish you all the best.

My 26 year old Nanday conure has exhibited nesting/mating behavior every year with varying degrees of severity. This year is particularly severe. My main concern is his regurgitating. I've eliminated most "high value" foods (sunflower seeds, peanuts, almonds, table food) which he craves then immediately regurgitates, as well as most of the items in his cage that he regurgitates for. He's still at it! Is there any way to eliminate this nesting/mating behavior all together? He makes our household quite tense for 5 to 6 months every year. The only thing that turns it off is when the days grow noticeably shorter.

1) Please visit your local veterinarian to rule out medical reasons for regurgitation, such as crop stasis, crop infection, or thyroid disease. Some of these problems can be quite serious and will need treatment. This persistent regurgitation does not sound like sexual behavior.

2) If the regurgitation is due to inappropriate behavior, the most likely cause is that your bird is showing you courtship behavior which may include songs, visual displays, nest-building, food presentations (via regurgitation), or mutual preening. Recommendations to stop this behavior include ignoring the bird when he/she is exhibiting nesting or mating behavior and taking away the toys that stimulate this behavior.

3) If these suggestions do not work, medical therapy to decrease the amount of sex hormones may be warranted.

We have two cats, one male and one female. The male is the older of the two (about 11-12 yrs). Both were rescued by my wife before we began our relationship 5 years ago.

The male was acquired first as an adult cat that had been abandoned and lived outside for a couple of years before being rescued. He became very attached to my wife (and later to me as well) before the female kitten was introduced a couple years later (before I joined the family).

Though the problem is with the male but I believe it is imbedded in the two personality types of the animals. The female is a siamese(sp?) mix that is the product of two feral cats. She is very territorial and very agressive. It took over 3 years for me to have a predictable relationship with her.

The male is a "go along/get along" type but resists her aggresive bebavior toward her. He will occasionally "groom" her. I don't know what that is about.

The males' unacceptable behavior is that he deficates outside (but fairly close to) the litter box. He does urinate in the very same box he resists deficating in. We have three boxes for the two cats. From what I've read here that's the correct number.

I have moved a box to a previous spot he was using. For about a week he used the box as hoped. Then he stopped. As I am the one that cleans the boxes I have observed some behaviors.

The female will abandon the use of her previous favored box to use the one he uses. That's when the problem resumes. If either of us is sitting in the room where the cat boxes are he will use the box as he is supposed to. When no one is looking he'll use the carpet.

I've even cleaned the boxes multiple times a day but that hasn't helped. (I never thought I 'd evolve into a lavatory attendant for two cats but I guess I have.)

Neither cat seems to object to the brand of litter being used.

When the female comes to feed and the male is already feeding she will crowd him from the dish he's using rather than choosing the vacant one.

Other than listening to my once a month "melt downs" my wife hasn't been a very active participant in seeking an answer to this problem. I don't know if that has anything to do with the lack of success.

The aqgression sounds mild because neither cat is injured. The only serious problem is defecating outside the box. If he defecates right outside the box you can put down newspapers around the box to ease clean up. You need not scoop more than once a day. You do have enough boxes but he may want a different litter in which to defecate so try Cat Attract or Everclean or Woirld's Best. Most cats like deep litter which is also easier to scoop.

My neighbor has this awful cat. I love cats; I've never met a cat that I couldn't charm or make friends with. This cat hates everyone except the female owner; and he tollerates the 15 year old boy. This cat will charge you, stand in doorways and not let you pass unless you charge him to get him to move; if not, he will attack you if you just ignore him. he growls, hisses and is the meanest cat I've ever met. The owner takes really good care of him, he goes to the vet and has no physical issues that have been identified. My freind shared that the cat has been like this ever since he went to the vet as a kitten to get nuetered and have be delcawed; sinc ethem, he hates the world, and tries to attack people. Any suggestions on a treatment for him? He's got to be so miserable, and it's sad for him....and scary for the guests!

It's unlikely that the declawing has made this cat aggressive.  Rather, it
is more likely that the cat is afraid of strangers and always has been. 
My advice to the owner is to put the cat in another room when people are
visiting.  The cat may also do well with a leash and tether so that he can
be connected to, and controlled by, his owner when guests are present. 
Treats may be given to the cat while he is on a leash and halter, thereby
helping him become comfortable with some of the more frequent visitors to
the house.  Finally, a Feliway diffuser in the owner's house will help
calm the cat in general and Feliway spray on house guests will help
decrease the cat's fear response to strangers.

I was wondering if there is something wrong with my cat. My cat falls down alot, and doesn't really seem to care, or land on her feet. She will be laying on the window sill, and the next thing I know she is laying on the floor where she fell. And it is never on her feet, she will fall on her back, side, or how ever she hits the floor.

And the other day, I was watching her, she was just setting there, he eyes were kind of closed. Her head was kind of bobbing back and forth, then she fell over. Then gave me dirty looks like I knocked her over.

She is a year old, is this something to worry about.

Ye this is something to worry about. She may have a neurological problem, for example ,so please take her to your veterinarian as soon as possible. A videotape of his behavior would be very helpful.

My big male cat sometimes Poop's outside his littler box on the bath room rug. Last night he pooped on the bedroom rug. I don't want the Kittens picking up that habit. We have 2 other 8 month old kittens and they all use his box. They do have their own but because he is the oldest they want to go where he goes. We also have a 3rd litter box in the laundry room but they only use that one once in a while. I don't understand why he is doing that? What can I do to get him to stop? Could it be he is looking for more attention ?

There are several things that can be tried to rectify this situation.  Cats can be
very selective about the litter box - it's cleanliness, the type of litter, the size
of the box, etc.  Therefore, I would make the following suggestions.  First, if you
don't already, clean the litterbox twice a day - once in the morning and once at
night.  Try adding a second litterbox.  Experiment with the types of litter you use
- scented vs. non-scented, traditional clay litter vs. newer alternatives, etc.  Try
taking the top off of the litter box so that your cat can look around when inside
the box.  While we may imagine that a lid on the box gives privacy, to some cats it
may cause anxiety due to inability to see what "lurks" outside the box.

I have a neutered 7-year old male cat. He is obcessed with licking me. He is not particular where he licks (arms, nose, feet, etc). It is rather annoying. It doesn't make any difference whether or not Ihave lotion on or not - if he can get near me - he licks.

Cats often allogroom-that is groom another preferred associate. Your cat may be trying to groom you. You can try noxious things on your skin or just put him down when ever he starts to lick. Give him plenty of other things to do-interactive toys, hide his food, cat trees etc. Be sure he has a cat garden to graze and a nutritional supplement.

My cat, who was a feral, but is now an indoor/outdoor cat came home with scratches to his face. I got him and swab down the scratches. I was particularily concerned because on is on his low eyelid. I wanted to take him to the Vet, but he now won't let me get near him. He hisses and hides. He is also limping and favoring his hind leg. How can I calm him down enough to get him to the Vet?

It is important to bring your cat to the veterinarian to address his limping and abrasions. Try putting some tasty food or cat treats inside of a cat carrier (If you don't have one you can get a new one at a pet store, or borrow one from your vet). While the food is in the carrier, you should supervise it so that you can close the door if the cat goes inside.

It is important to encourage the cat to go into the carrier, so it is better to have your own carrier that does not have strange smells in it. You can put familiar objects into the carrier or use a product called Feliway, which is attractive to cats.

The last resort would be to use a feral cat trap, which would be more stressful for your cat and could potentially create behavior issues down the road.

It has mostly been my male cat (Lucky) and I since he came to stay with me as a rescue kitten five years ago. He has never really liked being around other people and would usually hide when I had visitors. We moved in with my fiancé, now husband, in November. Everything was okay at first, but now he is hissing and growling regularly whenever my husband walks passed him. He will not be around me when my husband is around. Is this just jealousy, because he’s not use to sharing me, and if so what do I do?

This is probably not jealousy, but instead actual fear.  It would be
best to establish a comfortable and safe routine with your husband and
cat wherein your cat can grow to trust and even like him.  To this
end, having your husband be the primary person in the household to
feed the cat would be a great idea.  Also helpful in this situation is
a product called Feliway.  This is an aerosolized product that can be
plugged into a wall outlet as a diffuser, and serves to calm
frightened and stressed cats.

Out young female cat is constantly/compulsivly scratching the plastic inside the litter box. (Litter box is large with cover). It is very noisy and driving us crazy at night. Any suggestions?

It isn't clear whether she is scratching a plastic liner or the sides of the box. If the former remove the liner. If the latter remove the cover (most cats don't like covered boxes). She may be scratching the sides because she doesn't like the litter so you might try Everclean or another premium litter

My 18 yr old cat has started defecating outside her litter box and only using it to urinate. Her box is cleaned daily, sometimes several times. She has regular vet visits and has not had any health problems except a little arthritis. She usually poops on a paper that we put down since she started doing this. However, she has sometimes gone in other areas. I need to do something about this problem as we are planning to move in with my Mother who has dementia and I know she will not stand for this behavior. Please help.

This is a very common problem of older cat. It is probably related to her arthritis. Be sure you haven't chnaged the litter. Sometimes a very shallow litter box encourages old cats to use it . You could try a ramp to the box. If you can determine when she defecates, isolate her at those times to avoid your mother's displeasure. Feeding meals will make her elimination more regular. Ash your veterinarian about arthritis treatments

My 18 yr. old cat passed away a month ago and it seems since then my 9 yr. old cat cries alot and does not rest as well. She still eats but not as much. I work and she is alone all day now.

Also, my mother's dog is always jumping up and nipping me with her teeth. I have tried squirting her with water and using a rolled up paper but she still does it. I have also seen her biting at the furniture covers and sometimes she bites at my clothes.

Your 9 year old cat is mourning. You can try the feline pheromone Feliway to calm her cand stimulate her appetite. Your veterinarian can prescribe medication if necessary. Do not rush to get a new cat. Your cat is missing a particular cat not cats in general, and may be aggressive to a new cat.

As for the dog. Be sure she has plenty of chew toys and give him one as she approaches to chew on you or the furniture. Also ask her to sit as she approaches. If she jumps turn your back and walk away do not tough her, seak to her or even look at her.

My cat has hyperthyroidism. He constantly meows and eats. He will walk along sometimes and "attack" his tail. He has gotten to the point that it is bleeding sometimes. Is there anything that I can do to stop these "attacks" or are they normal for kitties with hyperthyroidism? He is 16 years old. I want to make him as comfortable and happy as possible.

Be sure to consult your veterinarian about your cat, He might have a partial blockage of the blood supply to his tail. There are lots of other medical poroblems that could cause pain in the area. Treatment could make him happy.

This is a questions that has stomped me for some time, no pun intended.

My 11 year old male cat, who is very affectionate most of the time, out of the clear blue will walk over to someone and stomp their feet with his hind legs. He looks like a rabbit doing this. I have always wondered if this is a dominate thing or if he is just mad at this person for some reason.

I must admit I haven't observed this behavior. It sounds like he is marking. He may be trying to spray or alternativel,y trying to wrap his tail around the person- a more friedly gestrure. Many cats stand on people and tread or knead with their front legs. Idon't think he is dominant, but perhaps territoriality.

Hello,

Our cat, Bear is now just over a year old. As a kitten he was really aggressive and constantly attacking my wife and I with his claws. When we got him fixed, we also decided to get his front claws removed.

After having his claws removed, he has resorted to biting me and my wife. Lately, his behavior has become worse and he attacks unprovoked and is known to draw blood. He also hisses at all our guests. In the past month, he has now pulled six keys off my labtop keyboard.

I don't know what to do. We don't want to get rid of him, but we also don't want to feel like prisoners in our own home. What can we do to change his behavior?

Thanks for any help in advance.

Robert Kerr

Declawing does not usually cause cat to bite. His behavior toward guests is probably fear-based because hissing is defensive. His behavior toward you and your wife may be predatory play. That is the case if he jumps out at you to grab your legs as you walk past. If he bites when being petted you may be over stimulating him so you should limit petting and stand up if he begins to lash his tail. Be sure he has plenty of active play with fishing pole toys and food dispensing toys. A kitty condo will give him an outlet Don't play fight with him or let him play with your hands. You can teach him obedience see clickertraining.com

thanks in advance for helping if you can. new cat. bengal. had no prior knowledge of the species. he is about 2 yrs old. he hates our female cat. extremely aggressive with her. need to keep them separated, very difficult. I have had to make him sleep in a room by himself because he peed on our bed several times. he pees all over the house pretty much. we try to keep up with his box. what can I do. I love him and feel not many people could have the patience he needs. I want to keep him but I need advice to try to train him better. please help.

If your cat is urinating all over you should be sure he doesn't have a urinary tract infection. He may be spraying rather than squatting to urinate, in which case he is socially stressed. Your veterinarian can prescribe medication to reduce spraying. Gradually re-introduce your cats at feeding time. Start with the cats at opposite ends of a room and move their dishes closer at each meal if there is no hissing or growling. Separate them between meals and, if necessary, tether the male cat. I assume both cats are neutered.

we have two inside cats and lately a couple of stray cats have been spraying the front porch and the side yards. we don't want to harm the strays but, is there a way to stop strays from spraying?

You can get a scarecrow, a motion detector devise that sprays the animals with water when they approach. www.safepetproducts.com/scarecrow-motion-sprinkler.. Be sure not to feed them

my dog is not responding when his name is called , not eating , losing wieght , i have seen him eat grass before an also there has been dead birds in our back yard , what is wrong with him an what do I do ?

His problems are not behavioral Take your dog to your veterinarian immediately. Eating grass shouldn't hurt him, but eating dead birds might.

I have very recently been allowing my indoor cats to go outside. 1 is very skittish and wants nothing to do with going outside, while the other is fearless and loves to be able to go out and explore. When my fearless cat comes back in from playing and being outside the indoor skittish one growls and picks fights with him. What can I do to stop this?

The easiest solution is to stop taking them outside. Your skittish cat is reacting to scary smells outside and when your other cat comes in smelling like those things the skittish one reacts.

We picked up my daughter's cat and took her home while my daughter went on vacation. The cat has been here several times with my daughter and remembers the house. She will not let anyone in the family touch her - she crouches and hisses. She is eating and mostly stays under my daughter's bed. I'm guessing she is scared. Is there anything that I can do calm her down?

The best thing to do is to let her come out of her own accord. Have her litter, food and water. Don't try to pet her. The hissing and crouching indicates that she is scared. You could try a Feliway diffuser to help her become calmer.

Tries all during the day to urinate may do a few drops. But at night urinates in sleep.

I am not sure whether you have cat or a dog, a male or a female, but in either case, please take the animal to your veterinarian. The animal may have a partial obstructionof the urinary tract.

My cat has started urinating on my clothes that are in my bedroom, wherever they are - on the floor or on the bed. I believe it has to do with my adopting a dog. I have stopped leaving clothes on the floor and have begun closing off my bedroom except at night. But, last night when I changed into my pajamas, I forgot to close the door and when I went in to bed he had urinated on my top sheet that was kind of in a ball. I am not the best housekeeper !!!

I checked the litter box everytime he does this and it usually has only one day's business in it.

Please help !!!

Thank you,

Pam Doran

First have him checked for a urinary tract infection. The arrival of the dog may have suppressed his immune system. Be sure the dog isn't bothering him at his litter box. Be sure it is in an area the dog can't access.. Make sure he has two boxes with two kinds of litter- maybe Cat Attract and Everclean.

We have raised this female cat from a 2 week old kitten. She was always playful and sweet, but at about 9-10 months of age, she began chasing her tail. It was funny at first, but soon became a bit scary. The behavior has developed into a hissing, biting and scratching fit that my youngest daughter terms "Psychotailioma." When she is in one of these fits, which can come on seemingly without warning, she seems beyond any reason. I even have reason to believe she has self-inflicted wounds in the past from these fits. I have also noticed, recently, that her eyes, change color. When she is docile and snuggly, her eyes are green. Within seconds, they can change to yellow, which seems to connect with her ferel mode.

What is this behavior from and how can we help her? Her fits are more than just annoying as her unpredictability can turn to attacks on people, as well. And, that is with or without contact with her. She may just turn and attack and no one has touched her.

The problem is called feline hyperaesthesia, although I must say I like Psychotailomania. Unfortunately it is very difficult to treat and the cats nearly always need to be given pain killers and other psychoactive drugs. Please take her to your veterinarian

She is a 12 year old lab and during the day when she goes to urinate it is very little or nothing at all. But at night she will go in her sleep.

Your dog probably has a problem with her bladder as many older spayed female do. There is a treatment so please take her to your veterinarian

I have rescued 6 cats from a certain death throughout the last couple of years-they have all been slowly introduced into the clan and all have been getting along fine until recently. All my cats have been fixed and are indoor cats only. One male cat has suddenly become very fearful of one of our female cats (who I might add loves this sudden switch and is antagonizing and spitful now toward him.)

The male cat will not exit the bedroom and will only come out from under the bed when we open the bathroom door and enter. He immediately crouches and starts to hiss at the sight of this female cat.

The possible reason for change (the only thing that is different) is that the male cat has been on steroids everyday for about 5 months for severe diarreah and we are only now being able to start tapering down and we are at every 3 days which is when this started. Could this have anything to do with his suddent fearfulness? Our bedroom has always been a refuge for alll the cats-window seats and soft bed,and the male gets along fine with all the other cats who actually seem to stay in the bedroom to comfort the scardey cat. He has food, water and a litter box in the bedroom now(which I hate) but feel he needs to have safe access to life's essentials.

I guess my main question is - could this sudden fear of only one cat be caused or fed by the tappering of the predinsone?

Any ideas to help this poor baby with his fear? WE have done everything we know to do.

You have a lot of cats in your house and there may have been an incident between the two cats that you did not observe. Certainly illness and a powerful drug like a steroid could make him more frightened. Rub both cats with the same cloth, use Feliway and gradually reintroduce them after total separation for two weeks.

My cat is about 2 years old and she has always made a mess with the litter outside the box. How do I get her to stop kicking it out. Also she has two boxes and will only poop once in one of them and then she will poop on the floor. Sometimes she will only pee once in a box and then poop on the floor when the other box is completely clean. What should I do with these issues.

You could put her box in a right side up cardboard box, after cutting an entrance on one side. She may like one litter for urination and a different one for defecation; she definitely is fastidious. She might be a good candidate for an electronic litter box that scoops after every use.

My cat is very sick. We are treating him for inflam bowel disease in conjunction with GI Lymphoma - he's on two different steriod and also has diabetes as a result. He has reverted to kittenhood and "makes muffins" on me and my boyfriend and is very insistent with this behavior, which he did previously but it seems he's much more insistent with his kitten behavior these days. Is this end of life behavior that I should pay attention to?

Making muffins (called treading) is a behavior of flexing and extending the toes that cats only do on soft surfaces such as your lap or a pillow. It is the same motion that kittens use to massage the udder or mammary tissue of their mother to stimulate milk production. It is therefore a comfort seeking behavior. I hope it isn't an end of life behavior but rather a I want close contact behavior. I hope he gets well soon.mEanwhile enjoy the treading

Hi There,

My dog dakota, German Shepard/husky. When we have guests or when even i walk in the door. She tends to nibble at my people's feet. She Follows us atleast until we are in the next room. She trys to bite gently but still almost makes us trip. Is there anyway i can teach her to stop this behavior ?

I would teach Dakota to do something else when guest come. She could sit and stay until they come in and then be given a toy like a Kong with cheese inside or some other chew toy that she really likes. She certainly should not be putting her mouth on people.

Hi there,

My Dog dakota is "constantly" barking at everything in sight. We have tried a bark collar but it doesnt seem to work. Is there anyway i can try to stop the barking constantly?

Dakota has several problems indicaring that she is out of control. Braking can be difficult to inhibit If she is barking at things outside try to block her view by closing cutians or using window wall paper at her level. After she has barked once at something tell her good and give her a treat before she has a chance to bark again.

There are several types of brak collars : ultrasonic collars that play a high frequency when the dog barks. The dog oftens habutuates to those quickly. Electronic or shock collars work for some dogs but often have to be so tight the dog's neck is irriitated. I like the citronella collar best because it doesn't hurt the dog. Dogs can habituate to them too.

Well,

When i go to take my dog for her daily walk it is so tireing for me. She is always pulling and switching directions and going left,right etc.) One thing that worries me is when she wants to stop and pee, she stops but doesnt and quickly moves on as if she scared to do so. I do not rush her what so ever. Can you please help me with this.?

First I would purchase a Gentle Leader or a Halti to give you more leverage when she pulls. These head halters have a loop around the nose that allows you to control her head. You don't have to pull just let her forge ahead and she'll stop herself as her head turns. The urination problem could be a medical problem if she is squatting and straining without producing any urine, but if she is just pausing and sniffing she might simply been choosing the best safest spot. Observe where she does urinate and take her to that spot or one that is similar in substrate ( grass, dirt, concrete )

Hello: We just adopted a cat that was a stray. The cat was previously adopted and brought back but because they had covered litter boxes.

But the problem now is when I pick her up and cradle her in my arms, she will look around like she is seeing something, and then suddenly will jump out of my arms on to the floor. It is as though she is afraid of something she sees. She also did this when she was setting in my lap, she suddenly turned around, looked intently and then started jumping up and down, and then on to the floor.

Other wise she is very gentle, and very easy going even around our other old cat. She even went up to our older cat and kissed her nose.

So is there any explanation for this weird behavior when holding her or having her set in my lap?

Thanks for your help.

I am not sure what she is doing, but because she was a stray she may not be used to being held. In fact a lot of cats would prefer not to be picked up. If she is voluntarily sitting in your lap she may not want to be petted too many times. Try to notice her tail. If she starts to lash it she is annoyed and you should stop what you are doing. You can try petting her twice giving a treat, petting three times and giving a treat etc

I adopted a cat, who was approx. 14 monts old from a shelter. I have a Chinese Crested dog who is 12 yrs old. She loved the cat at first until he started swatting at her & biting her. I had the cat declawed with laser but he still bites her neck out of jealousy. Never hard enough to punction the skiin, but I'm afraid that he will accidently one day. It's been 9 months & I don't know what to do. I don't want to give him back to a shelter, but I can't continue to have biting my dog when he gets jealous. My dog never does anything to him. Most of the time the cat wants to lay down next to my dog & he follows her around a lot. I know he likes my dog, but if the biting doesn't stop, I have no choice but to give him up. My last hope is to try Prozac which my Vet just prescribed today upon my insistance. He doesn't think it will help. I would appreciate any help you can offer me. I love him & don't want to give him up, but I can't keep him if he continues to bite my dog. Please help me.

Your cat may be giving the nape bite that male cats use to hold down the female. In that case the Prozac will help because it lowers libido. There is any easy fix. Get your dog a spiked collar so that he can't get a mouthful of skin.

I forgot to mention that my cat is a neutered male.

Even neutered males may exhibit sexual behavior

My very smart 6 year old male cat (he taught himself how to pee in the toilet) has recently started spraying me when I'm in bed. We have a large, lively home--2 male cats, 2 female cats. All but the 1 year old female cat are spayed and neutered. We also have two dogs. I have two litter boxes on the top floor, 2 on the second floor and 2 in the basement. (altho' he uses the toilet if the seat is up).

I've had him to the vet twice and ruled out medical causes. He is a loving cat with people and gets along fine with the other animals except he will hiss at the young unspayed female cat if she bothers him. He is a wonderful, wonderful pet and I don't want to get rid of him or have him euthanized. I need help! Thank you!

What a smart cat. You are to be congratulated on having enough litter boxes. If your cat is spraying- standing, quivering his tail and urinating on a vertical surface, it may be in response to the intact female. She should be spayed for her own health and that might solve the problem Meanwhile it may be necessary to have your veterinarian prescribe psychoactive medication to relief his anxiety

Recently my 2 year old female cat has started to urinate everywhere - on the floor, on clothes, blankets, the couch. Sometimes she will do it right in front of me. Once she came right up next to me when I was sitting on the couch and urinated on the pillow I was leaning against.

I've had her since she was a kitten and she has never done this before. It's only within the last month that she started. About three or four months ago I brought a new, male cat into the household but he's not the first cat to come in the house and stay for an extended period of time. He is, though, the first sexually mature male who hasn't been fixed that's come into the house. Could that have something to do with it?

What I'm confused about is that she will urinate somewhere in the apartment and then go straight to the litterbox to poop. And she'll urinate in the litterbox, too. Is there a medical issue or does our male cat have something to do with it or am I completely off base?

Urinating everywhere often mens the cat is producing more urine or has to urinate more frequently, either one of which indicate a medical problem. She may have such urgency that she can't get to the litter box in time. The addition of the tom cat whose urine is very smelly may also cause her to avoid the box. Cats produce a compound called felinine which contains sulphur and causes the strong odor. I assume you will have the tom cat castrated Remember the rule: a libox per cat plus one.

Our 1 year old male (neutered) Maine Coon cat has a a constant habit of bitting himself on the side of his body and in the process yanks the fur out with the biting. I have looked at the skin in the area to see if the is any irritation and there appears to be no problem. He does tend to be a little "high strung" and the behavior is not excessive, but we are still concerned.

Your advice would be most welcomed as soon as you time allow.

He is also very lovable but has a REAL problem of staying off of the kitchen counters - no matter how often we may spray him gently with a water bottle.

Again, advise is very much appreciated. Have a great weekend. Sincerely, Lin Stoltz

The counter jumping is an easy problem to solve. Buy a motion detecting compressed air canister (one trade name is SSScat). Another cheaper, but messier technique is to put down double-sided sticky tape. He won't like gettinmg his paws stuck.

The biting himself is probably a medical problem even though you saw no abnormalities. He could have parasites or a skin allergy. Only a small percentage of over grooming in cats is caused by behavioral problems. Take him to your veterinarian

My dog keeps coughing and i dont know what to give him of medication? But Im not sure that it could be the valley fever?

This is not a behavior issue. Please take your dog to a veterinarian. There are many causes of coughing

I was away for a week and my cat was cared for by a friend he knows. Why is he lying in his own waste in his ltter box. He has nevre done this before.

This is a fairly unusual behavior. The only time I have observed it is in a room with no soft surfaces for the cat to lie upon. When provided with pillows the behavior stopped. I would also give her a bowl- cats seem to like round nests. and a second clean box of litter. With those choices I hope she'll choose a cleaner place.

I recently loss one of my mini-dachshunds in an accident and am facing how to help the remaining dog deal with the loss. He spends a lot of time looking for his brother and will not go out of the apartment other then to go to the first bush, do his business and then run back to the door to go back in. What can I or should I do to help him deal with his loss? Are the good resources that I can check out that might help? If I carry him out somewhere, like to a play time with other dogs, he is okay when we get there. But I don't want to encourage a fearful behavior by carrying him to places like this. Thank you

I am sorry for your loss. Your surviving dachshund is certainly showing signs of mourning. They usually will return to normal in a few weeks. I would not worry about carrying him to play with other dogs.It won't encourage his fear. You could try a Dog Appeasing collar. As long as his appetite is adequate he doesn't need medication Many veterinary schools, including Cornell ,have Pet Loss Hotlines

I got my 3 year old cat at 6 weeks old form the humane socitey. She grow up with me at college. when she was about a 1 1/2. She started showing signs of aggression towards my roommates boyfriend. He harassed her when she was younger until I got tired of it and told him not to touch her any more. but if he did she started peeing on my roommates bed. then growling if she heard him and some times even her. She got better with the growling and even started playing with him again. but would occasionally pee on my bed now. After college we stayed at my parents house where she plays with their small dog (yes willingly, its really cute) and will randomly smacks the bigger one. When we first moved back she peed on my bed a couple times...one time was directly after i put flea median on her. I've been told that she's doing it to punish me for making her mad. But most of the time i don't know what i did to make her mad. I've tried not spending so much time with her in hopes she will be more indepentent, she even has her own room. she's done really good the last 2 months then yesterday she peed on my moms bed. I really want to know what i'm doing wrong with her. Please any help would be nice Thanks

Your kitty has had some trauma in her life as well as several moves. She may be suffering from interstitial cystitis a painful condition that is exacerbated by stress. She will feel n urgency to urinate. All you can do is to reduce stress in her life. Don't withdraw attention . Pet her, play with her ,provide several litter boxes with premium litter and one raised box. She may use beds because she feels safer there-not because she is vindictive

I adopted a young female cat that come to our house 1/09. She is indoor with access to outdoors. She disappeared shorltly after coming here. I found her 36 hours later stuck in a tree a couple hundred yards from our house. She disappeared again about a month later. She was coming into heat. I found her 3 days later .35 miles from home. This is the same direction as when I found her stuck in the tree. I later found out that the place where I found her is where she came from originally. I had her spayed, dewormed and vaccinated. Sunday 7/19/09 Coconut disappeared again. I have checked the place where she ended up before, but no luck. Is it reasonable to think that she went back to the same area as before? Do cats tend to travel the same area? Thank You, Theresa

I hope you find Coconut. Cats do seem to be able to find their territories. You can try a c Havaheart trap in that area. Once you find her try to prevent a third occurence The best idea is to not let her outside. She could be hit by a car, attacked by a dog or wild animal or be injured in a cat fight.

My dog has aggression when being brushed, cleaning his ears. I was wiping his ears from was on the outside and lunged at me showed his teeth bit me, called his name and he finally let go of my arm. He is 4 yrs old and this is not the first time, the other time we were on our way home from vacation and he went on vacation with us. He had a sore paw and I sat on it by accident and he did the exact same thing. I have talked to my vet and she says he is a time bomb and dangerous, but I don't want to put him down I love him so much, but I don't know what I should do, please advise me, I am begging anyone to help me.

Your dog exhibits pain-induced aggression. It is his way of saying "Ouch". You can help him by touching his head giving him a treat ten times a day. Gradually-over a period of days- move the touch toward his ears so that by the end of the week he will have learned that toch on his ears predicts a bit of hot dog. If you must do something painful such as treating an infected ear or injured paw, put a muzzle on hi m first.

I have a friend who owns a kitten that has been walking around the house while meowing. Do you know whats causing it?

Thank you for your question. We will give some instructions to you for  
help you:
1.Bring the cat to the veterinary clinic to rule out medical problems.
2.After ruling out physical pathologies we need to identify the stimuli  
that lead to the behavior, and avoid them. Probably, the kitten has a  
anxiety-motivated problem. But, sometimes we cannot identify the  
stimuli.
3.Highly stimulation toys should be provided. Food pieces could be  
hidden in the toys.
4.His owner should play more time with him.
5.Feliway® diffuse may be reduce anxiety.

My cat has a strange routine that I have no way (that i know of) to get him away from.

around 5 am EVERY morning he scratches at my bedroom door for me to come out there and "spend time" and feed him. I can't leave the bedroom door open because my wife has allergies and at that time in the morning her allergy medication has not yet kicked in. I have tried to ignore it but after an hour of it I surrender. Plus he damages the door. For awhile he got scared away by the sound of an aerosol spray can like Lysol but even thats not working any more. Please help me with this.

Unfortunately many cats arise at 5 AM. You could try feeding him just once a day late at night so he'll be satiated longer. Play with him with fishing pole toys before you go to bed to wear him out. You could but a heavy mat on your door to protect it and muffle his pounding or you could use a Ssscat (motion detector activated compressed air, but it would be nicer to change his motivation

My kitten is urinating on the beds when we are sleeping in them. It has only happened a couple of times. I clean the cat box everyday. Is there something i can do to stop this

The kitten probably feels most secure on your bed. Otherwise try all the usual things for urinating outside the box: 2 open litter boxes , a premium clumping litter with no scents, new pans which are emptied and washed every week or two. A raised box might help in this case.

I recenlty had to put my 17 yr old female to sleep I have 2 other male 2 year old cats. They have totally changed won't sit with us the youngest won't sleep in the chair where she and he used to sleep everyday the other won't come up on couch when he used when she was alive. They are skiddish now not sure what to do. It is bad enough trying to get over losing her and now it seems I have lost them too. Please advise

I am sorry for your loss. Some cat meow a lot when they mourn, others are hyper active, some won't eat. Your cats are changing their behavior patterns. Tincture of time should solve this. I hope the cats will soon sit on your lap.

Please help me if you can. We have two cats who are brothers who have been together since they were born. They have been loving with each other for seven years. All of the sudden three days ago one of them started fighting and hissing and biting his brother. The whole house is stressed. We have them seperated and the"well" cat, who is not aggressive, cries to be with his brother. We have attempted to reintroduce them, but after smelling each other for a copule of minutes (when everything seems fine), the aggressive cat (Bert) starts hissing and screaming at his brother (Ernie). We can not identify anything that has changed in the house or with either cat. Otherwise, each cat is still loving and healthy (eating, litter box ok, etc). As long as Bert does not see Ernie, he is fine. In fact, Bert saw Ernie on the other side of a glass door and still starting hissing.

I don't know what to do.

Cats often have fragile social relations. Bert is fearful of Ernie. Something probably frightened him that he associates with Ernie. They can probably be re-united because they have gotten along before. Keep them completely separated from one another for a week, but each day rub each cat with he same towel. After that time see if Bert still hisses through the glass. If not they can probably be reunited.

We have a cat that is about a year old. We found her in the paper and got her when she was about a month or two old. She is very aggressive she plays with us sometimes and likes to be petted sometimes but she gets very aggressive. When we have people over she runs to them and attacks she hisses at our guest and can’t stand to be around other people, she will not leave them alone and is always attacking them. We will be moving soon and don’t have anything to do with her because no one can take her because she is so mean to people. We might be able to find someone to keep her but she will not stop attacking people. Is there any way to correct this problem?

I am confused. If the cat can't stand people why does she approach them? Hissing is usually fearful behavior. You can try limiting your petting and play so that she doesn't get too excited. Give 2 pets and a treat or 2 pets and then stand up. Always play with toys not with your hands. Fishing pole toys are very good. Give her lots of places to climb and hide. Try to train her to go to a certain place. It is relatively easy to clicker train cats. See www,clickertraining.com

We have a mixed breed (chihauhau, Jack Russell, Dachshund, etc.) who is a Katrina rescue dog attacks our much less dominant Maltese. The mix shows no outward agression to us, but attacks the Maltese more and more frequently. The attacks tend to occur when one of our three dogs just comes in the house. The mix gowls in a very low tone when he sees the Maltese, and we punish him by grabbing the nap of his neck. The problem is getting worse and worse. The Maltese is 15 years old and the mix is about 4 years (he was a puppy during Katrina). Things have gotten so bad we are thinking of having the mix put down. We love him very much and he seems to respect and love us, but we cannot put up with this any longer.

I think your Katrina dog is attacking an older, weaker animal as any good predator would. That is probably how he survived Katrina. Now you must protect your Maltese. Try to avoid having them together in arousing situations like coming in and going out of the house or when company comes. Have all the dogs sit and wait to go out so you are in control. If necessary muzzle the Katrina dog so he won't hurt the Maltese. On the positive side, walk the dogs up to each other and give each a treat so they will learn to associate one another with good things.

I have two cats that I rescued when they were 4 weeks old. The boy, Buster, won't always use his litter box, though I clean it daily. He only goes on the kitchen floor and I'm really tired of it. I love him to death and his sister, Minnie, always goes to the litter box to do her business so I don't know what is wrong with him, its become a daily thing. He sees her use the box so I would think he would know what to do. This started several months ago, maybe 3 or 4 and he just started urinating on the floor since I got him fixed in the end of May. He also kneads and nurses on me every single time I have him laying with me or sitting on my lap. He only does it to me, I say that because I live with my fiance and he's been with them since day one just like me. When he was little he would nurse blankets and towels but now its just me. I also wanted to mention that when they were little, Minnie would try to nurse on him. I would always pull her away and eventually she stopped. It didn't go on very long but I thought I should tell you in case that could be an issue with him. Any advice you can give me would be much appreciated, very very much appreciated! I wouldn't trade him for the world, they're like my kids, but his habits are getting out of hand. Thanks for your time!!

You should go to a vet and have them check to make sure that there is  
no medical reason behind the urination such as a urinary tract  
infection or if there was any complication to this recent surgery.
- it is always good to have more litter boxes in the house, the rule  
is the number of cats plus one in boxes so you should have at least 3  
boxes and maybe putting more than one in the kitchen might better the  
situation in that he might not want to use the same box.
- Check the box to ensure that he likes using it, sometimes cats can  
suddenly dislike the type of litter that is used (usually they should  
spend some time digging around, always burying their feces/urine - and  
if they don't do these things then there are signs he doesn't like the  
litter) or they can dislike a box that is covered or that has high  
sides to the box.
- since the urination is primarily in the kitchen area, placing a  
feliway diffuser (sold at pet stores) would be beneficial in that it  
can have a calming effect on the cats and can decrease spraying
- Also make sure that you are cleaning the litterbox out on a daily  
basis - cats don't like to wade around in their own mess - and also  
that you are cleaning the box with a disinfectant every week clearing  
the litter out and replacing with new litter because this can cause a  
cat to not want to use the box as well.  Also getting a high quality  
litter is also a good option to try.

The neighbor left and abandoned his female cat. She seems about 4-5 years old, spayed and a gentle reclusive spirit. She stays at the house he left and I have been going over there to give food and water. She does not want to be friends with my male and female cat. She does not socialize or come next store to where I am staying. I am planning to move and want to begin the process of making us one family since I would take her in rather than leave her or turn her in if I can. Please, help me to know what to do. I have been feeding her from a bowl that has the smell of my cats, no help. Please help me to make this a happy ending.

Kindest Regards,

Sherry Sapier

Slow introductions are the way to go.  

When you bring the new cat into your home you are going to want to keep the
cats separated for a while in order to allow them to get used to one
another's smell. After you bring the cat into your

home, take a cloth and rub it on each of your own cats, then bring the cloth
and rub it on the neighbor's cat. Next, bring the cloth back and rub it on
your own cats. You can repeat this several times, and should definitely rub
down all the cats with the cloth before you bring the cat over for the first

time. After you bring the cat into your

home, take a cloth and rub it on each of your own cats, then bring the cloth
and rub it on the neighbor's cat. Next, bring the cloth back and rub it on
your own cats. You can repeat this several times, and should definitely rub
down all the cats with the cloth before you bring the cats in direct contact.  t

. You may start by keeping them in separate rooms for about a week.
i, then move to opposite sides of the same room, then closer, etc. To
separate the cats when they are in the same room, you might try putting each
cat  in a carrier or on a harness. Once the cats are safely separated
in the same room, toss some type of tasty kitty treat to all the cats so
that they form positive associations with having the other cats nearby.
Slowly move the laundry baskets closer to one another and continue to give
treats. For the first few days, don't let the cats out together in the same
room. When you feel you have repeated the treats/laundry basket routine
enough times that the cats have becomes more accustomed to smelling one
another in the house, you may try letting them out in the same space.
Ideally, allow areas for the cats to "escape" to or hide in, since they may
still require some time to become good friends and having a safe place will
make them feel more comfortable.

We moved our granddaughter's 2 cats into our home. We have a 3 year old cat who we rescued from the back yard is sweet and lovable. We will cal our granddaughter's cats "A" amd "B". There were transported about 500 miles in carrieres in a car. We put them in a seperate room hoping that they would adjust to new smells and sounds. The 2nd day we let them have the run of the house and they immediately hid under our bed. Cat "A" attacks cat "B" and our cat all the time.

While your instinct to allow the cats time to adjust to the new smells and sounds was good, you did not allow enough time for them to adjust. To address this, you need to reisolate all 3 cats completely for a period of 2 weeks. After this time, reintroduce them to each other very gradually while pairing it with a positive stimulus. To do this, toss all cats a very good, yummy treat when the cats are in the same room or near each other; this treat should be something that they love but normally do not get, such as tiny bites of boiled chicken bits or fish. Start with the cats at a good distance away, with the aggressive cat A in a carrier or leashed so that she cannot attack. (, while also making it easy to give her treats). Then, proceed gradually to moving the carrier closer to the other cat, then to not using the carrier/leash, all the while tossing a continuous supply of treats. As such, they will associate being near each other to a good thing, and slowly become more tolerant of each other.

You will also want to use the same cloth to wipe down all the cats so that you can transfer their scents to each other, and use a Feliway feline pheromone diffuser or spray to help your cats get along.

Cookie is a 2 1/2yr old American shorthair. We got her 12/31/07. From the momoent we got her home she used the box faithfully. About 5 mos ago she started pooping outside the box, only 1-2X/month and about 3 ft from box. We've always scooped at leasy once/day and changed litter at least once/wk. We had our vet check her (no probs or suggestions), tried different types of litter, put a plastic carpet runner underneath, moved box to a new room and no change. We know of nothing that happened/changed to cause this behavior. We're considering getting rid of her if this continues so any suggestions will be appreciated.

Your cat would probably like a second box because many cats want to urinate in one box and defecate in the other. She may want a different litter for urination than for defecation. You might try newspaper under the boxes so clean up is easier.

I have a 1 1/2 year old Pomeranian recently she starting pooping and peeing in the house again though we leave her door open for her even at night if we take her for walks she is afraid and wants to go back home.

I think you have already identified the problem. She is afraid of something outside. Lets give her a safe place to eliminate. If she ever was paper trained you could reinstate papers Otherwise you should go outside with her so you can reward her with praise and then a treat when she urinates or defecates outside. You may be able to identify why she is afraid. If this occurs only at night you might try lighting your yard. Lots of animals, coyotes raccoons etc are more active at night.

I am a volunteer at a no-kill shelter in Plano, TX. One dog, Quincy, is exhibiting aggressive behavior, which is keeping him from getting adopted.

He becomes fearful of strangers (potential adoptive parents) and barks at the visitors until they leave the kennel area.

When he is with people who have been introduced to him, he is an obedient dog. He sits and heels on command, and plays frisbee. He likes other dogs.

While at the shelter, he got lose from my grasp as I was tryiing to put a leash on him for a walk and he ran to a man who was looking at other dogs and bit him. I was able to grab him when he retreated from the man, and he went out with me for the walk. He exhibited normal behavior at that time.

Some of the members at the shelter think he needs to be killed, rather than address his behavior. Due to the stressful environment (noisy and cramped), other members, including me, think he needs one-on-one training off-site for a period of time. Can you recommend a plan of action to rehabilitate him?

He has been with the shelter for at least two months. I know there's a way to help him, but don't know exactly who to contact or where to begin. Your help is truly appreciated.

Corinne Whitis

972-596-6976

I am afraid the prognosis for this dog is not good. You are lucky in that there are two board certified veteribary behaviorists in Texas Dr Bonnie Beaver at Texas A&M 979 845 2351 and Lore Haug in Sugar Land 281 980 3737.

Fostering and desensitizing and counter conditioning him to the approach of strangers may help

My 6 1/2 yr old, neutered, male shorthair had one of those corrigated cardboard scratching boxes in our living room. All of a sudden, I discovered him squatting over the box to urinate. I threw ut the box and cleaned the carpet underneith where it had been, but I caught him doing it again this morning.

Tribble is the sole feline member of our family and we have had him since he was about 6 wks old. He has always been very good using his litter box which is in our basement. For about a year and a half my husband was home with him all day long. However, about 3-4 months ago my husband's work hours changed and now Tribble is alone in the house during the day.

Is there anything we can spray on the carpet to discourage him from going there?

I am guessing he may be getting bored during the day, but both my husband and I were both home when I caught him using the scratchy box and then just the carpeted area. He has more toys then most children. I saw your answer to another question which suggested moving his food around (make him hunt for it). Any other suggestions?

Because he chose the catnip treated scratching box your cat might like Cat Attract litter. He may want a more convenient box so have one upstairs. Be sure there is a light in the basement so he can find his way there. Your box may be too old (they should be replaced yearly) and he should have a second box. You can use a a motion detector compressed air devise (SSScat) to keep him from the spot, but it would be better to make his boxes irresistible.

As for boredom climbing trees, cat grass, and kitty videos would help, but that is probably not the cause of his house soiling

I recently adopted a four year old male poodle mix. He was having seizures for the first four days the pound had him but had not had a seizure for about 2 weeks. I have two other "pound puppies," a nine year old male and a five year old female. In general, they do well with other dogs, however, they are avoiding the new dog like the plague. They are not aggressive toward him but don't want to even stand near him. This is very strange behavior for them. Could it be that the new dog is sick and that's why they avoid him? What else could it be? What can I do?

You are very kind to take in not one, but three pound dogs. Yes, your older dogs may be responding to illness or "strangeness" of the new dog. You might try a DAP (Dog Appeasing Pheromone) collar on him and rub him with a cloth you have rubbed on them to make him smell better. Eventually they may accept him, especially if he regains his health

Our 9 month old, neuter, male, rescue cat has two litter boxes in different locations and different sizes.

The problem is that often when he urinates in the litter box, he stands directly next to the side and part of the urine ends up on the rug next to the box. I tried putting newspapers around the box to catch the urine, but then he urinated on the papers.

When I am working on my computer, he will come and urinate on the floor near me and the litter box. He has just started urinating on the plastic stand that holds my cd collection. I tried covering the bottom of the stand with aluminum foil and he just came in and urinated on it.

It sounds as if your cat is spraying. Ten percent of neutered male cats spray. In order to control spraying you need to have perfect litter hygiene we tell every owner. In addition it is almost always necessary to use psychoactive medication. You veterinarian can prescribe that. Meanwhile try Feliway spray where he has sprayed, but only clean with water or alcohol before spraying

We have had these two male cats for 4 years, and the last few months, the younger male has started sneaking up on the older one, biting him in the neck. The older cat meows to get our attention, but won't move. We have tried squirting the one cat to get him to let go, which works, but he will just do it again and again and again. We can't seem to modify his behavior. Any suggestions?

This is sexual behavior. Male cats bite the back of the female's neck which holds her still ( just as your victim catwon't move).Although I assume your cats are neutered their brains are stlll masculinized and the behavior you observed is very common A very simple solution is to put a spiked collar on the victim cat so that the mounter will get a mouthful of spikes. These collars are available in Chihuahua and therefore cat sizes.

My 2 indoor cats have been loving brothers for over 10 years. After an aggressive outdoor cat agitated them thru a screen door they started fighting. We medicated the our agressor and eventually were able to remove him from the medicine, but now the aggression is back with a quirk. If they are both locked in our bedroom they get along like old times. Once they come out of the room the cat we had medicated attacks the other. What can we do besides medicating again, or is that the only option? Thank you for your time and knowledge.

This is an interesting problem-environmentally dependent aggression. It is fine to re-medicate the aggressor, but first try letting the victim out first and then after an hour or so let the aggressor out and greet him with treats (and some for the victim too). Lets see if associating reunion with good things and giving the victim the advantage of being there first will help.

I have a 4-year old Cavalier who is well-trained, house-broken and is not kenneled during the day while we are at work - he roams the house. He has never pooped in the house, until the past week, where he has pooped multiple times throughout the house during the day, and then again when we get home from work (outside!). The only change was a change in his food about 3 weeks ago. Since then, we have mixed the old with the new to provide a more gradual change in his diet.

The excessive defecation is probably not behavioral. I would expect a reaction to a new diet much sooner than a month, but there could have been some other dietary indiscretion If he had been really frightened he might have had an overactive gastrointestinal tract. A trip to your veterinarian is in order.

Our 16 year old cat meows all the time. We can't seem to make her happy. We feed her, change her litter box, give her water, give her loves but she still carries on. Help.

Your sixteen your cat may have feline cognitive dysfunction. Many teenage cats have the same brain pathology as people with Alzheimers . She may also forget to use the litter, wander, but be more affectionate. There are vitamin/antioxidants supplements that can help and a medication. I hope you can make her golden years comfortable

My roommate got a Savannah cat (domestic cat bred with African Servol Cat) when she was 10wks old. It has been about 5 weeks--she spent the first two in my roommate's room, then the next two only outside of the room when my roommate was at home, and now she stays outside of my roommate's room). She always follows me when I come out of my room. She jumps at and and swats her paws at my feet. She rubs against me (which my roommate says is a sign of affection) but then eventually she scratches me (drawing blood). She is going to be de-clawed. But I am still bothered by her attacking my feet and following me around every time I leave my room. It gives me so much anxiety that I don't leave my room anymore unless I have to. I am seeking professional help about my anxiety. But, what can I do to get her to stop? It's behavior that I would not want her to continue with me or any of my guests in the future. My roommate tries to keep toys around the house for her to play fetch. But once you start playing, you have to keep on or she will start scratching/chasing you. Also, I read all of your other answer and I have thought about a water bottle. But, she loves the water (she jumps in the shower with my roommate) and I am afraid she would like it. PLEASE help me. I feel like a prisoner in my room and I dread coming home after work anymore.

 Your roommate is very inconsiderate.  If you can't leave the situation try to improve the cat's behavior.  The  diagnosis for your roommate's cat is play aggression. We  
here are  some instructions to you for help you:
1.Avoid all physical punishment. You could interrupt undesirable  
behavior with an aversive stimulus like: citronella spray, foghorn...
2.Redirect play toward appropriate objects (e.g., moving toys)
3.You should initiate play sessions using chase toys
4.After the cat tires of chasing a play, try a novel toy since the cat  
may be tired of the toy but still in need of play.
5.Avoid engaging the cat in aggressive play.
6.Consider getting a second cat of similar age and temperament.

I had new roommates move in about four months ago, and one brought her 17 year old cat, wiskers. Ever since, my cat refuses to urinate in the same litter box most of the time that wiskers will use. She also has taken to urinating in their laundry hamper if it is left out, she urinated in my roommate's gym bag today, and I caught her urinating on his computer chair, but she will use the litter box to defecate in but not urinate. She will not pee on any of my things only theirs and I have no idea what to do, or if it is a behavioral issue at all, she had a UTI before and I don't know what to do about it. Should I try another litter box only for her or are there other methods I can try. I feel like I am running out of options with her.

The first thing you should do is to take your cat to you veterinarian . Urinary tract infections are common and can recur. The second thing you should do is get two more litter boxes. There should be as many boxes as cats plus one. You can put your cat and the box in a separate room and after a few days open the door and hope she'll continue to see it and the old cat will not.

We adopted a stray dog who is very loving toward my husband and me, but is aggressive toward strangers. We always keep him on a leash, because he would bite people otherwise. Interestingly, when we take him to the vet he is very well behaved. Any advise? Thanks!

We think thathis problem may be fear- related  
aggression. o
We'll give you some instructions to help you:
1.We recommended that you bring your dog to the veterinary clinic to  
rule out medical problems such as hypothyroidism.
2.Avoid  dangerous situations whenever possible. We believe that basket

muzzle is going to be a safe method to handle your dog. Gradually get  
your dog to use your basket muzzle by filling it with a good sticky  
treat . You could put a sticky treat in the muzzle. When the dog is  
putting his nose in the basket muzzle without hesitation, then you can  
fasten it behind this neck. He must wear it when you have guest.
3.Please, buy a Gentle Leader and start using it when walking. This  
will allow more control over your dog and to interrupt aggressive  
behavior.
4.We recommended that you works with your dog on obedience.
5.A distance between people and dog must be established from the  
distance least likely to cause aggression. In this distance order him  
"sit" and give him some treat. Gradually, You can reduce the distance  
between person and dog.
6.Avoid reinforcing aggressive behavior with soft talk  such as "Thats OK"or treat.
7.Avoid punishment. It may increase the level of aggressive arousal  
and it may cause redirect aggression toward owner. Instead turn him away from people

My cat is peeing on things like he peed on my futon and by my bed, i know lately i have to go out alot but he is not left alone and my mom had seen him pee in a dog bed when the litter box was right next to it. He just got his rabies and distemper and i did mention that he has been known to sit in the litter box for a while and unsure if he even does anything, she just told me hes probably constipated and to make sure he gets plenty of water or put some Metamucil in his food. do you have any suggestions?

1.Please, take your cat to the veterinary clinic and explain that he is

urinating outside the box. Your veterinarian thought he was straining to defecate which would be a sign of constipation.  A variety of medical  
problems can lead to housesoiling problems, such lower urinary tract  
disorder. I think that your cat may have dysuria (pain when he is  
peeing) and that is a possible cause of your cat is eliminating  
inappropriately.

2. If the cat is urinating on top of specific items is possible that  
exist an anxiety motivated problem. This type of problem can be  
difficult to diagnose but the treatment involves to remove the cause.
3.You  could use chemical or enzymatic/bacterial odor eliminators in  
the bed. You can use felly-way spray in this area.
4.You could make his litter box more attractive:
aDetermine favorite litter by providing a few additional boxes with  
different substrates (clay, soil, sandy clumping...
b.Determine favorite box by providing a few different boxes (covered,  
lower sides, open, larger...)
c).Determine his favorite location by locating boxes in a number of locations
d)You can increase the total number of litterboxes, and clear them  
more frequently.

Another frustrated cat owner. 16 year old Siamese. In fairly good health with no issues up to this point. However, in past 2 months she will enter the litter box and hang her rear over the side of the box so that she pees over the side onto the floor. In response, I made sure I cleaned the box daily. Then took plastic storage bins, and cut an entrance hole, hoping it would force her to stay over the litter when urinating. Instead, she just hangs out of the entrance hole with the same result. I now have 3 litter boxes cleaned daily, with no improvement in her behavior.

There are several things you can do. Put the box into a larger cardboard box so the urine falls on the cardboard. You can change the box now and then. You could just put down plastic and then paper under the box. The real; question is why she is doing this. As an elderly cat She might have arthritis so she doesn't want to squat.

We have four cats, three of whom were adopted within 72 hours of one another about two months ago. The lineup: 11-year-old male (our original guy), 2-year-old male, seven-month-old female, 5-year-old female. The 5-year-old female is extremely aggressive toward the others, in particular the other female. She often positions herself in spots the others will have to pass in order to leave the bedroom, get to a litter box, etc., and then will attack them when they cross her path. The 2-year-old male is so threatened by this that he has urinated on the bed several times now. The aggressive 5-year-old also sometimes chases down the others (again, mostly the female kitten) seemingly unprovoked - when one of them is leaving a room, etc. She is very affectionate toward me and my wife, but only for very short periods before she signals (with a light bite or a gentle shove with claws retracted) that she has had enough. She is especially territorial about half of the apartment, so the other three (who get along extremely well with one another) do not have free and comfortable use of the entire household. No one has been hurt yet, but we are extremely concerned. We know very little of the 5-year-old's history, but what we do know is that she was abandoned by a previous owner last winter (left in a carrier outside a vet's office in the wee hours) and spent seven months in a cage before we adopted her. We were warned that she'd be better off as a single cat, but we couldn't stand the thought of her in that cage, waiting indefinitely. She had already been adopted and returned at least once. She also had not been spayed before she was abandoned. She is now, but we're wondering if this might explain her particular apparent hatred for our other female (who is beginning to exhibit some retaliatory aggressive behavior herself). We've tried Feliway plug-ins (they're everywhere in our home) to no apparent avail. We are unwilling to abandon the 5-year-old. We're desperate for some way to make this work so that all of them can be happy together. What can we do?

1- We recommend that you provide your cats with 5 sources of food, water and litter boxes (1 more than the number of cats that you own), placed around the apartment so that no single cat can control all of the resources.

2- You could also provide many levels of resting areas such as cat trees, window sills and chair backs, so that your cats have a choice of where they feel most comfortable and can safely avoid conflict. A variety of toys should be provided around the apartment to avoid boredom and fighting over toys.

3- We recommend that you train your 5-year-old to come on command by calling her name and rewarding her with treats and attention. This way you can call her away from the bedroom doorway and other areas where she would stalk the other cats to interrupt her behavior before it can start. Reward her for coming to you in a more neutral location.

4- The two females should be progressively introduced to each other, and not have contact except for supervised training sessions. You can start by rewarding both cats for being at opposite ends of a room on harnesses and leashes and progress to shorter distances between them until both can be pet or played with on the same sofa or chair, and eventually left to roam freely in the same room without any signs of stress or aggression. This progress may be made over days or weeks depending on the cats' comfort levels. Treats should only be given while the cats are calm. Never bring the cats closer than they can accept while remaining calm. Should the cats become stressed or agitated, they should be separated to a more comfortable distance and then given rewards for calm behavior.

Z

Do animals think? If so, what prove is there out there that they do. If not, what prove is there that they don't.

Thank you for your question.

There are several strong arguments to prove that animals do indeed think. They can even reason. What they don't have is language. Different species seem to have different levels of intelligence, but here are a few strong examples.

1- Animals seem to recall past experiences, whether they were pleasant or unpleasant, and will anticipate a similar result when a similar occasion presents itself.
For example, lab rats can be trained to push certain buttons to gain access to food, or avoid other buttons because it will result in a shock.
Similarly, a cat that is only placed in its carrier to go to the veterinarian's office will become anxious whenever it is placed in its carrier, even if the cat were left in there with no negative consequences.
Also, a dog that is given a treat by every stranger entering its house will learn to eagerly greet all visitors in anticipation of the treat. It will even learn that the doorbell means that people will be at the door, and will run to the door in anticipation of visitors.

2- A trained dog knows that a certain hand signal or voice command is meant to illicit a certain response, and that it is then rewarded with a treat or praise. While some may argue that this is an automated response, most dogs do not respond correctly 100% of the time. This implies that they make a decision to obey or not, based on the strength of the reward being offered or what the dog is asked to give up.
For example, a dog that is chasing a squirrel and is called back to its owner may either decide that the squirrel or the owner is a bigger reward and will chose to obey or not based on that decision.
To further this example, a study done by Friederike Range of the University of Vienna showed that when 2 dogs were asked to perform the same trick and only one was rewarded, the unrewarded dog would refuse to continue performing the trick. This shows that the dog recognized the inequality and would feel jealousy for the situation.

3- Another example of a thinking animal would be Alex - the African Grey parrot, who was able to identify objects based on their color, shape or material. He was also able to perform basic mathematical calculations such as counting objects of a same color up to 6 when mixed in with many other objects. He had an understanding of the connection between a written number, the sound said to represent that number, and the value of that number. He was also learning the sounds that different letters represented and how they were put together into words. Alex also understood social interactions, knew how to ask for things he wished to be done, and was able to coach and correct his fellow birds in their own training lessons.

My snow shoe Siamese has been waking from a sound sleep and loudly meowing. She seems frightened. We pick her up to comfort her and then she seems to be fine. She has never done this before. What could be causing this behavior.

1- We recommend that you make an appointment with your veterinarian to check your cat for any medical problem that may be causing her to wake up at night. If she is an older cat, this may include screening her for cognitive dysfunction.

2- You should avoid changes and disturbances to your cat's regular schedule. Try to keep meal times regular, and give her attention and play time during that evening so that she is tired out and ready for sleep at her regular bed time. We recommend playing with fishing-pole type toys and training sessions using treats to teach her tricks such as "come", "sit" and "high-5".

3- Make sure that your cat's bed is in a comfortable, quiet location. Any activity that she may hear from outside the room or house could be disturbing her sleep.

I am now 4 months pregnant. Since the begining of my pregnancy, my 3 year old cat suddenly started peeing on everything. Mostly, she pees next to me in the bed and the couch. She has peed on my husband and last night she peed on my friends who were sitting next to me. What can we do? She doesn't have a physical problem because all day she uses the litter box, but a few times a week she will come up next to me and just pee.

Congratulations
1- Even though your cat uses the litter box on most days, we recommend that you make an appointment with your veterinarian to check your cat for a urinary tract problem and for any other health problems that may be causing pain or discomfort when she is urinating or climbing in and out of the litter box. If she is spraying-females do spray- it is less likely she has a medical problem, but litter hygiene and possibly psychoactive medication would be necessary.

2- We recommend using a large, open litter pan. You can try offering your cat a "litter buffet" by placing litter boxes in a few different locations and filling them with different brands of unscented, clumping litter (Ex - Cat Attract, Everclean, World's Best...) to see if she has a preference. We recommend that your house have 1 more litter box than the number of cats (so 2 litter boxes if your pixiebob is your only cat), and that you scoop the pans once a day and clean them completely once every 2 weeks.

3- Your cat may be stressed from the changes in your household such as your pregnancy. We recommend that you use a Feliway diffuser or Feliway spray (bought through your veterinarian or at your local pet store) in the areas where she has most accidents to help reduce this stress. Please note that when using the Feliway spray, you can only clean areas to be sprayed with alcohol and water, and the spray should be re-applied daily.

Good luck .

Hi there,

My pixiebob cat is 3 years old and is a girl. She is peeing on everything in the house! There are many litter boxes in the house and they are scooped a lot during the day. She has never had this problem before and I really don't know what to do. Help!

Jessica

1- You should consider making an appointment with your veterinarian to check your cat for a urinary tract problem and for any other health problems that may be causing pain or discomfort when she is urinating or climbing in and out of the litter box.

2- We recommend using a large, open litter pan. You can try offering your cat a "litter buffet" by placing litter boxes in a few different locations and filling them with different brands of unscented, clumping litter (Ex - Cat Attract, Everclean, World's Best...) to see if she has a preference. You probably have enough boxes;we recommend that your house have 1 more litter box than the number of cats (so 2 litter boxes if your pixiebob is your only cat), and that you scoop the pans once a day and clean them completely (throw out litter and wash box once every 2 weeks.

Good luck .

Hello,

My 1 year old white cat keeps scratching right below his ear. (kind of where the whiskers/hair grows in front of his ear). At first I thought is was a hot spot so I just put some neosporin on it but then he started itching it so compulsively that it started bleeding! I checked inside his ear and it is really dirty in there and really red but his other ear is just fine. I tried some mite ear drops but it didn't seem to do anything except make it redder. Then I bought an elizabethan collar and it has healed a lot but anytime I take it off of him even for just a few minutes he scratches to death! Please help!

Jessica

This is a medical problem, not a behavioral one. Please take your cat to a veterinarian immediately

I have a 8 year old female cat. She has always been fond of urinating on specific things, like plastic bags, paper, blankets, and piles of clothes. She uses her litter box frequently, both to urinate and defecate, and only urinates on a few specific items. I've tried different litters, different litter boxes. I keep her litter box as clean as possible. Still no success. This activity isn't recent, I have just put up with it, but I am about to have a baby and I can't risk her urinating on his clothes or blankets and him coming into contact with it. I desperately don't want to give her away but I don't know what to do to protect my child and keep my long time companion. Please help!

-Heather

First if your cat is healthy, even her urine won't hurt the baby. She seems to have a definite substrate preference In addition to all the things you have tried I would try boxes with plastic or cloth in them. You can teach her not to go near the baby or in the baby's room to reduce the chance that she'll use his things. . Otherwise try all the things we have told other people with house soiling cats

We have a female cat (9 years old) who about 2 years ago started peeing everywhere when she gets mad. We have 3 litter boxes & 3 indoor cats. The other 2 cats are brothers (12 & 11 years old). She was raised with them since she was a kitten, but when she was 7 she decided that she HATED them. Any time they get near her she screams & hides. At first the boys didn't get why she was doing that they just wanted to plsy, but now they think it's fun to make her scream. Afterwards though we usually find some place that she has peed. The sofa, dresser, bed, a chair, any rug, she's not picky, but she always pees somewhere. Plus anytime anything new is added or something changes she pees on it. It is very frustrating! And no she doesn't have a urinary tract infection, we took her to the vet to check. I was just wondering if there was anything we could do to make her stop. Oh I forgot to add that we lock her up in my parent's bedroom during the day, so the boys won't bother her. It has slowed the messes down, but it hasn't stopped them completely. Any advice that you can give will be very much appreciated.

Three cats seems a bad combination. There may have been an incident-like a outside cat at the window that upset your female cat so she is afraid . I doubt if the males have such evil motives, but they are scaring hr You do ned one more litter box. Partial separation is helping; perhaps total separation would be best. At the very least you do need one more litter box.

My Cocker Spaniel Puppy is not eating as well as she did. I have tried putting water in the food to make it soft and she ate it like that for awhile and then stopped so after i noticed i put hard food again of the same amount and brand . She is eating puppy chow and she hasnt been eating well. i ahve scheduled an appointment for friday but I wanted to get an oppinion from you first . Please get back to me as soon as you can ...

I am glad you have an appointment for your Cocker Spaniel. There are many cause for poor appetite from simple lack of variety in the diet to a serious illness. She may not need puppy food now that she is older. Dogs don't eat as much in warm weather.

I have 6 cats. Within the last month or so, my 13 year old female who has always been loving, affectionate and vocal, has changed completely. She no longer craves my attention or companionship nor does she talk and as a matter of fact she is now afraid of me and runs when I come near her! There have been no changes in my household and I am at a loss as to what is going on. Please help me.

Your cat is probably sick. At her age there are many things that could be wrong Sick cats are fearful because they are easy prey. I hope your cat gets better

I have a female cat that is about 5 years old. She has always been good about going in the litter box. About a week ago she pooped on the carpet and now she is only pooping on the carpet in the basement outside of the room where her box is and she has has not peed in four days. I have looked and smelled everywhere but there is no pee. I can't afford to take her to the vet and I will have to take her to the shelter if you can't tell me what to do.

I certainly hope your cat does not have a urinary obstruction. The pain of trying to urinate may have made her avoid the box for defecation. The drastic action you can take is to put her in a cage with litter on the bottom of the cage and a shelf for her to sit on. Unfortunately the cage would cost as much as the veterinary care she so obviously needs

My friend of 10 yrs is a elderly cat of 18 or so. She has hyperthyroidism and her kidneys are not in the best shape. She is in declining health and is not long for this life she appears not to be suffering and I am giving supportive care. Anyway she has started to rest her neck on the side of the water bowl with her chin in the water. She drinks in the usual fashion but this behavior is puzzeling.

This could be a sign of cognitive dysfunction, general weakness, calcium imbalance due to renal (kidney) disease, excessive thirst because she is losing water also due to renal disease or possibly a way of cooling herself. Cats usually spread saliva on their coats to cool themselves, but she may be too weak. I hope you are able to keep her as comfortable as possible.

I have two cats. Monster I have had since he was a kitten, I rescued him from under a friends porch. Recently I got a new job that has kept me out of the house for much longer hours, so I got him a friend, Raci. He has taken to her well. At first everything was fine, but recently she had taken to following him to the room with the litter box. When he goes, she goes right outside of the box, directly in front of it. If he defecates, she will too; if he urinates, she does too. I just took her in for a check up at my vet and they didn't seem to think anything was wrong with her. I have scolded her, but it does not seem to deter her poor potty actions...

Don't scold Raci . Cats learn by observation and she is learning the general area where she should eliminate. I would get a second box (You should have 3 anyway) so she can eliminate next to him. Meanwhile put down papers for easier clean up.

I have a 12 year old cat and I just adopted her 2 months ago from a shelter. She ate fine up until about a week ago. She went for probably 4 days without eating, that I saw, so I took her to the vet. I had tried giving her new food (canned and hard food) but she didn't eat it. The vet did lots of tests (blood tests, biopsy, x-ray) and they found nothing. I haven't changed anything in my apartment and don't have other pets. I am now feed her watered down high-calorie cat food (from the vet) through a syringe every 2-3 hours but she's still not eating on her own. Any ideas on what the problem could be and how to get her to eat again?

Anorexia (no appetite) in cats is a common problem. Your veterinarian is in a much better position to diagnose the problem. Neoplasia or cancer is a common cause in an old cat. Tumors release compounds-cytokines- that suppress feeding. You can try chicken baby food that many cats like. Hand feeding also helps. You were very nice to adopt an older cat so I hope she returns to health

my cat recently had a teeth cleaning from issues of not eating, he started eating but before slightly and now non stop his tongue is sticking out a lot. and after he eats he starts drooling so much that he licks his paw and face until it's soaked wet.

george

Take you cat back to the veterinary dentist. Your cat probably has a complication of the tooth cleaning. You can check his mouth to be sure there isn't something caught in his teeth.

My cattledog/corgi (3 yr.) was adopted 1 yr. ago after being seized as a cruelty case. Starved, embedded collar, neglected. He SLEEPS...and sleeps and sleeps. Kind, VERY gentle, wary, cautious of humans. Will not play with anything. Will not play, will not chase toys, squirrels, cats, dogs, humans...nothing! Will not chew on toys or bones, etc. Won't even open his mouth for treats. Extremely well behaved. Completely housebroken, comes when called and wants to be with me 24/7. He follows me around, sits and watches and does absolutely nothing else!! Can't seem to learn anything. Cat LOVES him, so do I, but will he EVER be normal???

I am glad your dog has found a loving home. he may still not feel very energetic.He could also be suffering from learned helplessness. If a dog is punish and can't escape they stop trying to escape and can't learn to avoid pain as a normal dog can. Keep trying and remember that many owner would prefer to have what you have- a furry rug who makes no demands. Take him for walks to enrich his environment A Dog Appeasing Pheromone (DAP)collar might help him relax.

I have cleaned my couch for the second time and am now covering it with plastic. My youngest pee'd on the plastic this morning. I had the couch torn apart for a week letting it dry and put it back together last night. This morning when I awoke I checked the couch and it was dry. Within 5 minutes she pee'd in the same spot but on the plastic. She does not seem to have an issue going in her litter box so not sure why she is doing this.

I have moved into a one bedroon condo so is she wanting more room because of her older friend?

It is hard to tell why your youngest cat is urinating on the couch, but if she is the youngest of 3 she may need more boxes. You should have 4. If you have fewer she may urinate once and then seek cleaner areas ie your couch You might put a box near your couch. If she uses it you can slowly move it to a more socially acceptable spot and you can always move it when you have guests. Keep the plastic on the couch until you have made all the litter changes and she is reliably using the boxes. Clean the couch with Fabreze pet care. Remember to try good litters such as Cat Attract or Everclean and scoop daily and boxes less than one year old.

We have two neutered male cats, 4 and 5 years old. We believe the younger of the two has recently been urinating outside of the litterbox. He has never had an accident since we had him (since he was a kitten) The vet checked his urine and found only ambiguous crystals and no infection. We have three litterboxes and have been using the same litter for the past 4-5 years. We also have a feliway diffusier in the area of the litterboxes. In the last two days we found that he had defecated in a pile of clean laundry and urinated and defecated on our couch. On our vet's advice we are also letting the cats outside in our fenced in yard several times a day and changed their food from dry to canned. Why would this behavior develop all of a sudden when we have had no issues before?

You are certainly doing lots of things right such as number of litter boxes and Feliway. Your litter may have changed even though the brand is the same. Try a different litter in each box and a 4th box with soft material (towels or diapers) because he seems to be choosing soft material as a substrate. Owners often respond " But then he'll think it is permissible to use fabrics". My answer is he has already chosen fabrics so lets respect his choice

I have a loveable but quite crazy dachshund, female, two years old. She barks and rummages through anything she can find when I leave the house, and she eats any food within reach. She has eaten entire loaves of bread, bags of chocolate chips, and more. She eats actual garbage from the trash. When people are eating she shakes uncontrollably until given food--and when the food gets within reach, she savagely grabs for it.

I have tried keeping food out of reach, I leave the TV on when I go out, and I leave dog treats in strategic areas (like near her bed). I leave her food out all day & do not feed her separate meals.

What else should I do?

Thank you!

At first I would recommend to bring her to a veterinarian to ensure there is not underlying medical problems causing her to be extremely hungry. You can also discuss with your regular veterinarian about her diet and if it is appropriate for her. After you have evaluated those 2 things, I would recommend stop feeding her human food all together. By feeding her after she acts this way, she is being rewarded for this behavior. You can also feed her breakfast and dinner when you are eating breakfast and dinner.

Meanwhile you should also treat her for separation anxiety. Ignore her when you leave, but provide a chew toy or a Kong stuffed with cheese or peanut butter that she only gets while you are away. Ignore her when you come home and give her attention only when she is quiet. Teach her to stay. If necessary your veterinarian can prescribe medication.

Our 8 year old male persian/himalayan has always been particular when it comes to people. He likes my husband, likes me - will sometimes come out to visit my mother...but hates my brother, my teenage niece, my 20 year old son and my 10 year old daughter. In the beginning with my daughter he would leap at her and try to bat at her with his paws and we really just thought it was kind of funny although it scared my daughter. Now he has taken to hissing, growling and lashing out at her. We told her to ignore him but sometimes he's right where she needs to get into some place to get something and she can't because he is doing this to her and won't get out. I have had to go in and remove him at which point he hisses at me as well and has become scared and lost his bowels/bladder on the floor. I told my husband tonight that I refuse to allow my daughter to be held hostage by the cat. If he can't get along, he's the one that will be leaving - not my daughter. After reading these stories and the suggestions - I'm surprised so many people own cats...why would anyone want an animal that controls them in their own home - it's ridiculous. Is there anything that can be done or is the solution to cater to his every whim and demand only?

You might feel more sympathy to your cat if you knew that he is terrified. Lashing out is usually defensive not offensive aggression and losing bowel and bladder control is a sign of abject fear. Be sure he has plenty of high and dark hiding places. Have you daughter feed him (he should get meals not free choice) and give him treats. She might even enjoy clicker training him See clickertraining.com. You could use a compressed air motion activated devise to keep him off surfaces that your daughter routinely uses. In an emergency you can put a plastic laundry basket over him and move him away that way without touching him. Try a Feliway diffuser to help calm him.Most of us don't mind the cat- or husband or children- controlling our lives. The positive aspects far outweigh the negative ones.

Our first, a three year old female cat gets along well with our new one year old female cat except she attacks her in eeither of our two litter boxes.

If you do not already have the litter box's seperated, one thing you can try is placing the litter box's in different rooms on different floors. Another thing I would suggest is to ensure the litter box's are not the covered types. If the box's aren't covered, the cat being attacked can see the other cat coming. You should also have one more box. The number of boxes should equal the number of cats plus one.

I have 2 six yr. old cats. One male orange tabby & one female calico. The male came into the home six months before the female. Both of them have been with me since they were kittens. The female has always been timid and somewhat fearfull which allowed the male to be the alpha cat. For six years they got along fine, but recently my male has been attacking the female without any provacation. At one point I came home to hair and feces all over the floor . I'm not sure what to do about this. He has always been an indoor/outdoor cat (mostly indoor) and until about three months ago the female was an indoor cat only. The overly agressive behavior started after she began to venture outside. Do you think this is the problem and if so, what can I do about it?

It is possible this behavior is due to the fact your female cat is now smelling like something outside and this is confusing the male. Since this all started around when the female was going outside, something to consider may be continuing to keep her inside. You could also try something called "Feliway" which is a feline pheromone and can help calm anxious cats. We would recommend obtaining the diffuser over the spray.

Separate the cats for a week and then gradually reintroduce them. The best way is to feed them in the same room at opposite ends. The male should wear a harness and leash so he can be tethered. That way he can't attack her. If they eat peacefully move the dishes closer.

It would be a good idea at this time to bring both cats to the veterinarian to ensure they are healthy. The male cat may be painful from things like dental disease or urinary tract disease which could cause him to be more aggressive. It would be a good idea at this time to bring both cats to the veterinarian to ensure they are healthy. The male cat may be painful from things like dental disease or urinary tract disease which could cause him to be more aggressive.

My cat (Jasmine) is 6 yrs old, I have had her for 5 of those six years. I believe she was subjected to abuse as a kitten. When she hears loud unexpected noices, i.e. laughter, startled noices, etc., she panics and attacks me and/or the other male cat in our household. In the past I have separated her from the other cat for as much as six months before I could successfully reintroduce them. She is well behaved and loving until she hears unexpected loud noises. Both cats are strictly indoor cats, but they are not declawed (have been trained not to scratch the furniture). Please give me any suggestions to help my cat. Thank you

The best thing to do when a cat becomes aroused by loud sounds, cats outside the windows etc is to safely remove her from the scene. A laundry basket turned over the cat will allow you to move her into another room to calm down. Turn off the lights and leave her with water and a litter box. Lift the corner of the basket with a small block so she can work her why out. Leave the room and come back every hour with food. If she is calm-no hissing, dilated pupils, or hair on end it may be safe to let her out. She may need psychoactive medication to reduce her fear. She is probably a genetically timid cat who has had some bad experience on top of that.

Hi,

My cat is about 10 yrs old and has been acting up for a couple yrs now whenever I try to brush her. She used to like it and I have no idea how to introduce it to her again, since it was never a problem before.

She is a long hair cat and looses a lot of hair. I would leave her alone but my b-friend has allergies and I myself don't like having hair everywhere.

What can I do?

My guess is that the comb hurts her. There are a few things that you can try. There is a mitt for grooming cats. Try to pair each stroke with a little treat. If she has knots cut them out rather than pull. For less tangled hair, hold the hair next to her body and comb the strands beyond that place to prevent pulling on her skin. Finally you could take her periodically to a professional groomer.

Hi, I have two sisters I adopted at the same time. They are 2 yrs old. They have always been pals, playing and licking each other. As kittens, Cat A was a little dominant when playing with Cat B. They never hissed or got serious.

Suddenly, two weeks ago, Cat B has been bullying, chasing and intimidation Cat A. So much so that Cat A now stays on top of the fridge all day and night. She is even beginning to poop and pee on a towel that I left on the counter.

Whenever I bring them together, the hissing and howling starts until Cat B chases Cat A into a hiding spot.

Do I need to give one away because I love them both very much.

Feline social relations are quite fragile. Although you did just what I would advise for good relationships-adopting related female littermates- the cats have begun to fight. There are several reasons : At two they have reached social maturity; something may have happened while you were out that scared A so she ran around frantically. Her sister didn't recognize this apparition and attacked her as she would any strange cat. Now Cat A is so frightened of Cat B that she is seeking refuge on top of the refrigerator. The good news is that they can probably be successfully reintroduced. It may be necessary for your veterinarian to medicate Cat A so she is not so frightened and possibly to medicate Cat B so she is not so aggressive. The first step of the 3 week reintroduction process is to give Cat A a room of her own for at least a week where she can't see Cat B. Don't try reintroducing them during this time, but rub each cat with the same towel so they are exposed to one another's scent. They should be learning to eat meals and Cat B should learn to wear a harness and leash Begin after a week by feeding them on either side of the door to A's room. When that is going well, tether Cat B and serve their meals at opposite sides of the same room. Move the dishes a few inches closer at each meal, if no one has hissed, lunged or refused to eat. They should be separated between meals. This will take a long time, but when they can eat right next to each other you should start again with Cat B loose and the dishes at opposite ends of the room. Repeat the process and when they are eating peacefully together then increase the post meal time that they are together. Good luck.

I have a 2 year old neutered bengal cat. He waits under the table and attacks my legs when I walk by. But only my legs, no one elses. Can you tell me why?

Your Bengal cat is exhibiting predatory behavior.It is probably predatory play and it is aimed at you because he considers you a play mate. To reduce this painful behavior try to use fishing pole type toys -held by you- for him to chase and leap upon. You can try to dissuade him from stalking you by making a loud noise with a whistle which you always have on a chain around your neck

I have a year old female cat. She has always been playful and affectionate but in the past few months she has gotten in to the habit of biting and clawing when she plays. Sometimes its a soft bite, other times its a hard bite but never hard enough to draw blood and her clawing is always rough. I figured she just wants to play rough but in recent weeks her aggressive play has gotten even worse. She will attack my ankles when I walk, bite the bone on my wrist or attack my arms when I'm asleep, almost always leaving marks and and scratches. I am almost 6 mo pregnant and wonder if she is sensing a change. I am afraid if I cannot get her to stop playing so aggressively she might harm my newborn. What can I do?

Congratulations

The effect of human pregnancy on the behavior of cats and dogs is an interesting and unanswered question. We should do a survey of pregnant and non-pregnant pet owners. For your particular problem I would recommend not using your hands to play with the cat at all. If she bites or claws just stop playing immediately. There are many interactive cat toys - fishing pole type Cat Dancers, or homemade toys such as cats' favorite hair scrunchies and milk bottle tops.

Keep the cat out of the nursery even before the baby arrives. and keep the cat away from the baby just as you would keep her away from the turkey or a cake. They have plenty of time to bond in a few years

We have 2 female cats for 3-4 years now. Recently, the eldest has been poopng outside the little box. We have 2 boxes and went from wheat to corn litter because of the high ammonia smell wheat leaves behind . Please help!!!

Your older cat would probably prefer a different litter in which to defecate. Outdoors they would have their choice of many places to eliminate and wouldn't urinate where they defecate. You should have a third box anyway so try a different litter such as clumping clay. A high ammonia level indicates that the litter or the box hasn't be cleaned (daily) or the litter replaced (every 2 weeks) often enough.

My cat constantly wants to go outside. We take him for walks with a leash and we bring him outside every time we go out on the balcony. But he continues to meow at the door and claw at our screen door. He learned how to open the screen door so we started taping it shut. Now e climbs up the screen when we're not paying attention to it and rips the scree out of the door and runs outside. It there a way we can get him to stop doing this?

It might be better not to take him out because now he knows what is out ther. You might want to close the curtains and put window wall paper on your windows so he can't see out. You should compensate for that by enriching his environment- a cat tree to climb now that he can't climb trees, a cat dvd or video so he can watch birds and rodents inside rather than outside and a cat garden because he won't be munching grass outside..

Keep a motion detector compressed air spray (Ssscat) by the door to discourage him from attacking the screen.

I recently got my 7 year old neutered male cat back from my ex. He is now with my roommate, her neutered male cat and myself. He is acting more skiddish than he has in the past when around people but the real problem are his litterbox habits. He has taken to using our larger house plants as his litterbox. I tried changing the plants around and raising the ones he used off the ground, and even bought more plant stands. It stopped for a few weeks but last night he did it again. We had been leaving the sliding glass door cracked for the cats since it was summer but last night my roommate closed it and I was gone to work. He apparently woke her up several times during the night and she noticed the plant when she got up this morning. There is a completely unused litterbox in the house. How can I get him to stop using the plants? Please help!

Cats have definite likes and dislikes concerning places to eliminate. It sounds like your cat has a preference for dirt. He has been going outside and when he couldn't he chose the nice, soft clean dirt in your flower pots. For the moment leaving the door open and putting foil around the plants will probably do the trick, You can get panels to put in your sliding glass door so the cat can get out, but thieves can't get in. Winter is coming and you should try to find a litter he likes. You can mix dirt (potting soil) with litter and, if he uses that, gradually decrease the ratio of dirt to litter.

3 y-o female cat seemed lonely, so we brought in a 12 week-old female kitten. Gradual introductions went well, but it's been two months and our older cat, who used to be so sweet and curious, now skulks around like we've been beating her (not at all!) Younger cat is so rambunctious. Older cat is generally very kind and tolerant but will occasionally hiss at younger. We feel like we've lost the sweet older cat's personality forever. The younger one is friendly and playful but has her occasional "kitten moments" where it seems she is overly playful with older cat. We miss the older cat's former personality. What to do?

This is such a familiar tale that I have a motto "One cat is a happy cat". I am not sure why owners think the original cat is lonely. Most cats are perfectly happy to sleep while you are at work and socialize in the evening and early morning. Some cats get along fine, but it is unpredictable. Even when the owners brought the first cat to the shelter and the two seemed to get along, they fought in the home. Your cats may eventually learn to like one another. Try to play with the kitten yourselves so he doesn't torture the older cat. Be sure there are cat trees and other places for the older cat to escape from the pesky kitten.

family moved,,cat kept inside for a short time now runs away when gets out...family has returned her to former house (empty now) and feeds daily outside..stays close to yard as before....other cat has adjusted nicely to new home and goes in and out..old house will be sold...what should family do to help this kitty get used to her new neighborhood...thank you

I am glad your cat has survived his "incredible journey" from your new to her old home. I would confine her to one room with her litter, a soft place to sleep and her food. Be sure to visit to cuddle and play with her. Confine her for 2 weeks. It would be much safer to convert her to an indoor only cat. That will mean that both cats should stay inside or be confined to a cat proof garden. They will live longer. Have motion detector compressed air devices (Ssscat) to keep her from the door

Sir: adopted a domestic short hair female ( age approx. 8 wks old) named hemi.

she has been spayed and declawed (front).

nine yrs. later she is most active between mid-night and 4 am. As I arise for work @ 4:00 am she is finally unwinding and sleepy.

any suggestions ( in light of nocturnal behaviour)?

regards,

Jeffrey Sehl

Cats are most active at dawn and dusk. Many, many people complain that their cat awakens them very early. You can't change your schedule so lets try to change hers. Try to keep her in the dark during the day while you are at work, You may also want to be sure there aren't nocturnal vermin like mice that she is hunting while you try to sleep. When you are at home try to play with her and give her her main meal of the day just before you go to bed so she'll be more likely to sleep. Leave lights on in the rest of the house so she thinks it is daytime.

My 3 year old indoor cat has begun raising his right leg (as if shaking your hand) when he comes to a sitting position. He does not favor the leg when he walks and he is still jumping on sofa, etc. He is not licking his leg excessively nor does he exhibit any other strange behavior.

Perhaps he thinks he is a Japanese beckoning cat that brings business by raising his paw. I assume it is a front leg. In any case it might be a good idea to have him examined by your veterinarian.

I'm used to her staring in general but now she's taken to lying on her back and staring at me upside down. I'm just curious as to why in the world she would do that

I am not sure whether your pet is a cat, dog or horse, but cats and dogs often look at their owners. Cats do this more than dogs. If it is a cat notice whether he or she is squinting. That seems to indicate affection. Both cats and dog role over in submission. Cats do it in te presence of a dominant tom cat. Do not pet a cat on the tummy. That is not what one cat would do to another.

It is interesting that whereas humans don't respond to upside down human faces, dogs do- probably because they so often see people from that angle. Cats haven't been tested

My cat (about 3 years old) has two younger cat sisters, they all get along very well (even sleeping together). She likes to carry her stuffed toys around the room, making a strange howling sound. She then sets the toy down and looks from one side to the other, howling each direction. She will then leave the toy and wander off to do something else. It is not annoying and I don’t want her to stop, but I was wondering why she does this.

I also wonder why she does it. In fact, I ask every owner whether or not their cat does it and about 10% of cats act like yours. I hypothesize- and have no proof- that this is bringing prey home to her kittens. She is calling them to come to share it, Mother cats bring prey to their kittens. At first they bring dead prey and then live prey so the kittens learn to eat solid food and then can practice catching small animals. Cat behavior is so fascinating!

we have 5 cats total. 2 girls 3 boys. all fixed. all declawed. all indoor. all have lived together for years and years. 1 girl and 1 boy fight slightly. these 2 started about a month or 2 ago pooping/peeing in spots other than their cat boxes. ie: filing cabinet, floor in front of back door, in front of door where garbage is under counter, and even on counter! my parents are really getting fed up with there house having poop/pee everywhere and are gonna get rid of these 2. the male doing this is my personal cat that i've had for 6 years! i don't want them to get rid of them but i don't know what to do. we've tried cleaning cat boxes more paying more attention to them but i don't know what else to do. none of these cats are elderly either. can you help me?

I am not surprised that in a household of 5 cats some are fighting. Perhaps you should confine your personal cat in your room with two boxes of litter. Use a different litter in each box. For example Cat attract in one and Everclean in another. In that way you can determine what substrate he likes in his boxes and he won't be stressed by the other cat. Your home should have 7 litter boxes or an equivalent surface area of litter. Feliway diffusers might also help. If one cat is the aggressor he should wear a belled collar to warn his victim.

Hello, I have two cats. One male one female both the same age (2yrs). I got them both at the shelter when they were each 4 weeks and they were both fixed at 7 weeks but not declawed. They are indoor only cats and have never (until yesterday) been outside. I woke up yesterday morning to find the screen to the window in shreds and the male cat missing. Even though she could have left the female stayed. Then under the window on the pavement I found patches of his gray hair (no blood) scattered across the pavement. After an extensive day of searching from 9am until 11pm we found the male just a few yards from the house in good condition. We brought him in bathed him fed him called the vet (appointment tomorrow) and locked him in the bedroom away from the female incase he had contracted something.

This temperament of the male is VERY outgoing curious affectionate and playful. Always greats strangers and has to be in the middle of everything. The female on the other hand is scared of her own shadow. Will not come out with new people in the house and is even afraid of my husband for no apparent reason. The male and female get along very well. They eat together sleep curled up together clean each other and play together.

This morning after we had the male locked in the room all night he was overly affectionate, more so than normal crying for attention. He ran out of the room and went to the female (in a non-aggressive manner) and she literally freaked out. She hissed repeatedly started swatting at him backed away her hair raised. I was shocked. The male just laid down in front of her looking almost sad and he started crying. I put him back in the bedroom and waited then tried to re-unite them again and got the same response. The male has about 4 pounds on the female I don't understand this behavior at all.

There are a family of black stray cats in our neighborhood I assumed he jumped through the screen and got in a fight with one because he has hissed at them through the screen in the past. Now I am wondering if my two cats got in a fight themselves, of if she is just scared because she was there when he was fighting with the other cat, or a third reason all together. What should I do?

Your male cat probably smells different after his adventure. In addition any of the scenarios you imagined could have happened. Most likely the female was frightened by the commotion when the male jumped through the screen. Keep the male isolated and rub him with a towel that you rub on the female so she can learn his scent again. Use a Feiway diffuser

Since we got our rescue cat we have fed her wet food once a day in the morning in addition to her dry food. Now she wakes me up 2-4 times in the middle of the night because she wants fed. Even if I do get up and feed her once she continues to wake me up the same night. If we close our bedroom door she scratches up the carpet and door outside our room. I have also tried feeding her before we go to bed but to no avail. How can I change this behavior.

Remove her dry food during the day. Play with her late at night and give her wet food late at night and keep dry food for her to nibble at night. She may want you to be there while she eat because she is vulnerable then. She may be sleeping most of the day so if you are home wake her up for play and petting and keep her inm a dark room if you are gone during the day.

My 10-month old femal kitten is pretty good at home but whenever we take her outside, either for vet visit or boarding, she was so aggressive that we had to warn the animal hotel about her aggresion. Last time, she refused to take in any water or food at the hotel and we were told that she was not welcome in that hotel anymore.On top of that, she got really sick the second day with vomitting and lost a couple of pounds.

When she was younger, she was much friendlier.

Could you please help us?

If your cat was feral she missed the sensitive or critical period of socialization to people. She is probably fearfully aggressive.

She should be fed all her meals in her carrier

Use Feliway® spray in the carrier

Have a pet sitter come to your house rather than boarding her.

My soon-to-be 12-year-old female cat has begun urinating outside the litter box and she basically wants to live in the kitchen window sill. She has been laying there so much than her back legs go to sleep and when she tries to walk, she can barely get around. She is very claustrophobic and I have to sedate her to get her to the vet. Is there anything I can try to help her before traumatizing her with a doctor's visit? The last time I took her to the vet, she got out of her carrier, ran outside and into a vacant building. It literally took us hours to get her out. I want to help my cat, but I don't want to traumatize her more than necessary.

Veterinarian must examine cat. Possibly veterinarian can make house call to avoid travel. Rule out medical diseases because that is critical at her age.

Use Feliway® spray inside carrier and vehicle 5-10 minutes before travel. Put a harness and leash on her in case she escapes. Use a carrier that open from the top

Consider type of box, height of lip, number of boxes, location of boxes and cleanliness.

If she is getting older and stiffer a box with lower lipmight be best and on the same level of the house that she most frequents.

Sister cats. been together since birth 7 years. Today we took only one (first time aopart) for dental work for about three hours.

When we brought her home, a little groggy, they approached each other. The one that stayed home began hissing and screaming and now wont let the other one in any room where she is, and hisses and growls at the sight of the one that went to the vets.

Help !!!!

Your cat did not recognize her groggy housemate who smelled different. She is afraid of this stranger. Your job is to reintroduce them slowly and carefully.

Don’t force them together. Provide safe and separate spaces for victim and aggressor to retreat to.

Initially provide litter boxes in separate spaces, also water in separate places.

Reintroduce helping her feel confident and not fearful. During feeding time possibly starting in separate rooms, but in view of each other, then moving bowls closer every day (inches).

Rub fabric on sibling to obtain her familiar scent and bring to other cat. Place in locations where she naps.

Pet sibling getting her scent on you and then pet other cat.

If one is using one litter box exclusively, switch litter boxes.

Play time can sometimes help get reacquainted in unthreatening way.

Feliway® Diffuser or spray

My 4 year old cat Gabby, will defecate on the floor outside her litter box or in on the floor in other rooms. She is seen by the vet on a regular basis, and is a healthy cat. I have tried just about everything. She has 2 litter boxes, in 2 different locations. One is filled with clay litter and the other is filled with pellets. So she has her choice of which one she likes better. Sometimes she uses one and sometimes she uses the other. She always urinates in the litter boxes. She will go in streaks where she will defecate in the litter then for day’s straight use the floor as a litter box. When she uses the floor, I isolate her so she will use the litter box. Her litter boxes get cleaned out everyday (almost right after she uses them). This all just seems like a cycle that will not stop. Please HELP.

Any advice is greatly appreciated…

Thank You!

Location, types of box, litter, depth of litter and cleanliness of box are all important. You may be cleaning too much. Cats may mark with feces so leave them in the box for a few hours. Papers under the box will make clean up easier if she defecates near it. She may prefer a box with lower sides
Add another substrate and litter box. A sand-like, clumping unscented litter as a third option in that box.
Try a large open litter box with deep- 4 inches of litter.
Put it in the location that she or you most prefer or in a quiet but easily accessible location.
Show her where you place it and train her to use the litter box by giving her a treat as soon as she uses it
Discard the litter every week in all boxes and clean and sanitize the boxes themselves.
Use enzymatic cleaners to thoroughly clean the areas she soils.
Do not punish her if she eliminates in another location.

I have two cats going on three years now. about 1 year ago they got into a fight. now they can't be in same room. one lives in my bedroom and the other in the bathroom. any way to bring them back together? Both are males UN-neutured and brothers.

Two year old un-neutered cats will fight-even brothers. In a natural situation they would have split up between six months and a year and found their own territories. They have done the same thing now -one has the bedroom and one the bathroom. Have them castrated and slowly reintroduce them at meal times only.

Our cat keeps licking/biting at an area right beside her tail (not quite the butt) for maybe 2 minutes at a time frequently throughout the day. While she does that, she kind of kneads with her paws. I'm afraid she had worms or something else that can be contagious. Please let me know what is going on. She's been doing this for about a few weeks. She's about 6 months old.

thank you.

She is most likely having an allergic reaction to fleas or some other allergen. In any case, take her to your veterinarian along with a fresh fecal (bowel movement sample for him or her to examine for parasites

Recently moved to a new home. Kitty eating regularly, drinking lots of water, and he's using the litter box. However, the litter doesn't clump -- it stays the consistency of brownie batter. I'm using the same litter as before. Could he have some type of urinary infection that is making the litter refuse to clump?? Kitty seems fine otherwise - seems happy in his new enviornment. Is this something to be concerned about? Thanks.

Drinking water is a good thing and I doubt that he is excreting so much that the litter won't clump. Try a different bag of the same litter or a different brand.

we just adopted a 2 month old kitten this morning. We have introduced her litter box this several times and she has yet to use it. She has eaten and has been drinking water. when should we expect her to use the litter box?

Your kitten should eliminate within a few hours. The excitement of a new house may have slowed her gastrointestinal tract. If it is more than 24 hours - call your veterinarian. First check carefully that she hasn't eliminated some where other than her litter box-in case you scared her

HI!!! i have a Jack Russell (7 months old) he is losing a lot hair , i mean there is hair everywhere , is this normal? what can I do about it? I am concerned that my family might get sick! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP

I don't believe your family is in any danger. Excess shedding can be a sign of many illnesses so please take your puppy to your veterinarian. Dogs may shed when they are very anxious, but that is the only behavioral cause. Be sure to observe whether he is scratching out his furor just shedding it. Scratching would indicate an allergy, for example, a flea allergy

my cat keeps meowing all day and when she lies down she wont put her butt down and she seems to be a little sensitive in her hind legs. whats wrong with her?

Take your cat to your veterinarian as soon as possible. This is not a behavioral problem

My female cat is the cat I had for almost a year. I bought her as a kitten. then she had a litter of 5 kittens. So I decided to keep one as another cat in the house. She is an indoor/outdoor cat. Her kitten wanted to be a indoor/outdoor also. They were doing fine for a while. as mom and their kids get along. Then one day it changed. So I thought it was because he wasn't fixed. So I got him fixed. Nothing has changed between them. She is already fixed and has been for 5 months now. He was recently fixed. I wanted to see if I could get them to tolerate each other better. They fight way to much in my opinion. So if you have anything that would help out as to get them to get along that would be wonderful. Thank you and I hope to hear from you soon.

As your male got older he should have had his own territory. Because she is his mother your female won't defer to him. Many cats do not get along but sometimes they can be persuaded to tolerate each other and with time most cats become friendly. Separate them completely for a week and then bring together only for feeding. Separate them again between meals. When they can eat right next to each other with no hissing or lunging or growling, leave them together for longer and longer periods after their meals.

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Animal Behavior Questions (320)

Why does my dog eat cat poop?

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My dogs got into a vicious fight and now I’m worried about leaving them alone

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My dog is afraid of fireworks—can I give her Valium?

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My cat is hiding since my grandson visited

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uncared for horse

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My kitten steals

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wont let me trim her nail hides

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what is it

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How to help the cat we adopted from the Humane Society

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cat not content.

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constant kneading

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cat playing with water bowl

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Cat urinates in the same spot on the couch

My Cat is showing aggression towards my dog

my cat kneads with front and back paws