Tag: pet care

Inappropriate elimination can be caused by behavioural and medial reasons. Medical reasons may include urinary tract infections, kidney disease and incontinence due to old age. Your vet should check your cat’s health so you can rule out or manage such causes.

If there are no underlying medical issues, then avoidance or misuse of the litter tray should send you a clear message that your cat is trying to tell you something. You may be making some simple mistakes or it may be a more complex problem, but either way you should get onto resolving it as soon as possible, because the longer the behaviour continues the harder it will be to fix. To help work out why this problem is occurring consider the following:

• Has anything changed?  Cats can become stressed by changes in the household such as moving house, changes to routine or the arrival of a new baby or a new pet. Anxiety or tension can also occur between cats or other animals in the household.
• Does your cat have easy access to the tray?  Cats don’t like to share or queue, so if you have more than one cat be sure to provide at least one tray per cat as well as one additional tray.
• Is the litter tray clean enough to meet your cat’s standards?  You should remove waste as often as possible and change litter at least once a week.  Some cats prefer to have the litter changed and the tray washed and dried daily.
• Is the tray an adequate size? The tray needs to be large enough for your cat to toilet easily without the risk of a misfire or mishap, one and a half times the size of the cat is about right. 
• Is the litter right? You need to ensure there’s enough litter in the tray to enable the cat to bury its waste. Simply changing the brand or type of litter can cause problems for some fussy felines, so you may need to be consistent with one brand or experiment with different products to establish which your cat is happiest to use.
• Is the litter tray private? Just like humans cats like privacy, so place the tray in a quiet space and well away from the area where the cat is fed. Covered trays can provide extra privacy, but be aware that many cats don’t like them.

Be aware that cat urine contains ammonia so take care not to use cleaning agents with ammonia as it can draw the cat back to eliminate in the same spot again. There are specific products available to remove cat urine and deter cats from urinating there again.

Finally, don’t punish your cat for toileting in the wrong place, rather than understanding that it’s a location issue the cat will most likely think they’re being punished for the simple act of toileting or for doing it when you’re around.  Try not to be frustrated and annoyed, you need to calmly work out why the cat isn’t keen to use the litter tray. 

Some pets are more susceptible to the cold than others – short coated, very young and older dogs and cats need extra care during winter.

Dog with very short coats may benefit from the added warmth of a jacket.  Always ensure jackets fit snugly and that they don’t restrict the dog’s movement.  Waterproof jackets can be useful for outdoor winter walks, but never leave a damp or wet jacket on a dog. Some dog breeds, such as Whippets and Greyhounds have fine coats and very little body fat, whilst Devon and Cornish Rex cats have very short coats and Sphinx cats are virtually hairless. All of these breeds are particularly susceptible to the cold and it’s essential they’re kept cosy. 

Very young and older pets require extra consideration during winter.  Newly born or orphaned puppies and kittens can succumb to cold, whilst older dogs and cats often find it harder to keep themselves warm in colder weather. Elderly pets may slow down, spend more time in bed and be stiff when they move; this can be due to arthritis. Your vet may recommend medication to ease your dog’s discomfort. Older pets should sleep on a cushioned bed raised off the ground, a specially-designed pet electric blanket may also help.

All pets deserve to be well cared for and there are a few simple steps you can take to help maintain good health for your pet and guard against winter chills:

• People love getting into a warm bed and snuggling under the doona on a cold night. Pets are no different, so create a draught-free sleeping place for your pet all year-round and provide extra bedding in winter.
• If your dog has an outdoor kennel ensure the kennel is waterproof, the opening faces away from prevailing weather and provide plenty of bedding.
• Winter home heating may be too hot for some dogs, they should always have the option to go somewhere cooler – like a tiled floor.
• Provide fresh water at all times. Even though it’s cold pets still need access to clean, fresh water at all times. 
• Shorter days and bleak weather may discourage outdoor activities, but try to maintain a regular exercise routine throughout winter. Remember to dry your dog off if they become wet while walking.

Always remember, despite their built-in fur coats, our pets can still feel the cold.