Health and Well Being - Using the Litter Box

In response to many emails I've received I'm writing an article specific to cats with Litter Box issues and will concentrate mainly on cats who have used the litter box but has developed a seeming aversion to it.

Kittens learn at an early age to use the litter box. Prior to that, the mother has to clean them herself and the kitten can't even "go" unless the mother

stimulates the area with her tongue. Having worked with rescue kittens who've lost their mothers, I'm very familiar with that process as I had to use a warm, wet cloth to stimulate the kitten to "go."

With some of the cats I've had over the years, as they aged,  I believe they just kind of "forgot" about the litter box. Something that affects most people as they age. What's a little forgetfulness between friends?

Other cats may have health issues, such as Kidney Stones, that, for some reason, makes them reluctant to use the litter box and instead use a secret place guaranteed to send the owner on a frantic search throughout closets and under beds for the source of the musty, overpowering odor.

If  the cat lives in a multi-pet household, litter box bullying is not unheard of. One cat may be

peacefully doing her business and another cat launches a sneak attack that scares the first cat out of her wits. One or two incidents may not change her behavior, but if it keeps happening, you can be sure she will become extremely grumpy and look for either a second box, or a nice, dark, quiet place probably among your clothes and shoes. Remember my previous post about the comfort they get from your odor? It makes sense they will search for a nice stinky shoe, as they associate that smell with you - safety, security and comfort.

Whatever the reason she may stop using the litter box, there are several steps you can take to help retrain her. The information here is provided as shared experiences only. I've tried them myself and they worked for me.

And I can't reiterate enough to always seek Veterinarian assistance whenever you notice a change in behavior; whether it is litter box use, over sleeping, hyperactivity, loud meowing that is new etc.

Please don't try these remedies with the idea that these will hopefully work and you won't have to take your pet to the doctor. By all means do them, but make an appointment with your Vet. If you don't have a current Vet, talk to your friends and see who they trust and use. But it's very important to eliminate any health issues, or address them, as soon as possible.

Now, before I continue, I also want to share that I am not a licensed animal trainer or "dog whisperer" or anything like that. I am just a typical pet-owner and animal lover who has refused to believe that "cats can't be trained" or "Pit Bulls are murders" or anything of that sort. While cats may take a little more attention and dedication to train than dogs, and pit bulls certainly have a genetic history of violence, I firmly believe what we do right now, as responsible owners and pet-lovers, is what makes the animal trained or not trained; vicious or not-vicious. So I'm offering this advice based only on personal experience with the hope that it will help.

Sterilize the Area

Sterilize; (verb) Make something free of germs, bacteria or other living microorganism.

Always do this before starting a new regimen, and always follow the directions given with the various litters I will suggest here, or follow your Vets advice on how to accustom your cat to the new litter.

• Thoroughly clean the litter box and the litter box area with soap and water. Finish with either a white vinegar and water rinse or a final scrub with baking soda and rinse with water. This will eliminate any odor and germs.
• Thoroughly clean any "accident" areas with a Urine Elimination treatment or, minimally
• shampoo the carpet with an effective cleaner such as the Bissell Spot Cleaner. They make a pet odor eliminator too, which is very handy.

Sufficient and Adequate Litter Boxes

This is very important. I've always heard you should have at least 1 box per cat-owned. I always do a "plus-1" So if I have 2 cats, I have 3 litter boxes. I know that seems like a lot, however, if your cat(s) are indoor, they will be urinating several times per day and at having a  bowel movement least once per day. With kittens I've seen 2 or 3 times per day. In a multi-cat household you could be looking at several pounds of waste every day. Now, imagine that all piled in ONE litter box. I know - it's gross - but that can be exactly what the cat is thinking too. Who wants to sit on top of a mountain of poo, in order to poo? You could inadvertently be encouraging your cat to find somewhere else to do her business.

Motto: Don't own more cats than you can handle their poop

So, plan on adding litter boxes if you have just one. If you have one cat and one litter box, I strongly urge getting one more litter box. Repurpose if you need to. You can use a cardboard box, line it with all those saved plastic shopping bags accumulating under your sink and add a layer of decent litter.  Or use one of those big plastic tubs that usually hold sweaters during the summer or Christmas decorations not being used. Having a makeshift litter box is much better than not having enough.

Clean Clean Clean

Plan on cleaning the litter boxes two times per day. This is very important. Both for encouraging the cat to use it AND to keep the germ load down. If your cat is prone to urinary tract infections, this is one step you can take to help prevent them.

It doesn't take long to clean, especially if you do it twice per day. Clean it once as part of you morning routine and once before you go to bed. Save your plastic shopping bags, or use a trash receptacle just for cat poop, and scoop it away. You can also use disposable trays, such as the repurposed cardboard box I describe above or buy them from the store.

Get a good scoop, metal if available. They need to last awhile, so try not to go with something flimsy. I've also used skimming or slotted spoons I've picked up at Goodwill.

Another way to try to stay ahead of the game is to buy the sifting litter boxes, or buy one of the automatic litter boxes. I've used Litter Maid with 100% usage by the cats. The Litter Maid with the ramp combines the best of both worlds for Kitty and you.

With the sifting litter box you have to have a receptacle that has a wide enough mouth to dump into, not too far from the litter box itself. You can also use larger lawn and leaf bags as these work just as well. Just don't let them get so full you can't carry it out.

With the automatic litter boxes, you will still need to pull out the small trays that capture the waste and dispose of it. When I had these, I had to wear plastic gloves as those little trays are VERY unpleasant (at least to me). Keep refills  on hand as well so you don't have to get creative on catching the waste. The Litter Maid trays are usually sold in packs.

After trying the sifting litter box and automatic litter box, I found it much easier to just scoop twice per day, morning and night, but use what works for you.

If your cat is getting older, is small, a kitten or a dwarf-like cat with shorter legs, get a litter box (Or make one) with a ramp or lower sides so she can easily get in and out. You can even make steps out of old books or scrap wood lying around. There is no end to repurposing an it will make you Kitty much happier!

Also, remember that if you use a box and it doesn't work out, and you're unable to return it, donate it. Keep your receipt and get a receipt from the place you donate to. Be sure to hand it over to your CPA during tax time!

Litter Selection

The choice of litter can also affect how your cat use, or doesn't use it. Anything from Texture to Odor can affect your kitty. They are very opinionated! For example, I started using a Cedar/Pine based litter as it was clumping, natural and a smell I could live with. However, the cat I had at the time did NOT like it. He refused to use it and wanted to go outside all the time. Well, that became a pointless exercise since I couldn't be home all the time to let him out when he needed to go. I had to go back to clay. Here are some of the litters that I personally liked. You can test them for usage by Kitty.

• Precious Cat Ultra Premium Clumping Cat Litter. Very good litter, with just a little bit of dust.
• Precious Cat Cat Attract Problem Cat Training Litter. Again, a very good litter with just a little bit of dust.
• Precious Cat Senior Litter. Excellent litter for a senior kitty. Again, I've used this myself and for whatever reason, my 17 year old cat loved to use it. I truly don't know what was different about it, but I guess she did!
• Precious Cat Touch of Outdoors. I use this for my outdoor kitty. He is always desperate to be outdoors, however, he is black with a heavy coat, and since I live in the desert, the temperature would get to 120 degrees. Way too hot for him. To help him adjust being inside I use this litter during the summer.
• This is the Pine Litter that my cats DO use. I use this in the garage litter box and it has become more popular to use than  the indoor litter boxes. It is clumping AND no dust.

There are a variety of other litters to choose from. See Luving Petz Store for more options.

Now that these first steps are done and/or in place as part of a routine, lets look at some different scenarios more specific different behavioral issues.

The Aging Feline

As cats grow older, they have the same issues that we do; stiff joints and/or arthritis, forgetfulness, weakness, eyesight and hearing degeneration, and probably a score of other issues we have no idea about because they can't tell us.

The other issue of course is that the cat will try to hide any weakness. So it's very important to keep a good eye on your aging cat. Treat them as you would an elderly family member, gently and a lot of encouragement.

Whenever you see changes in behavior, such as digging in the litter but not producing urine or feces, loud meowing, drinking water more than normal, not drinking water at all, or any number of "differences" talk to your vet and get some advice. You may need to schedule an appointment to have her checked out.

I recommend making the following changes to the litter and litter box for senior kitties:

• Get a litter box with a ramp or add steps for her to be able to  get in and out more easily.
• Use Precious Cat Litter for Senior Cats. Follow the instructions as to depth of litter.
• Use a larger litter box (not higher) so that it is easier for kitty to turn around and maneuver in.

For forgetful kitties, try these following steps to help remind her about using the litter box:
To remind the cat to use the litter box, try the following;

• After ensuring the litter box is sterilized and cleaned as above;
• Sprinkle Dr. Elseys Herbal Attractant over the top of the litter;
• In the morning and in the evening, place Kitty very gently into the litter box;
• Gently take the front paws and help her "dig" the litter just a little bit; AND
• Be sure to use a soft and encouraging voice and tell her she is good.
• Watch the kitty for a minute or so after she jumps out of the box to ensure she doesn't head somewhere else to do her business.

When kitty has an accident

• If you witness it, you must take action immediately. Remember, you can be stern but don't go crazy. Use a quiet but firm voice, and I have always treated them the same way as I would a dog. Have them smell it and say "no." Don't hit them or scream.
• Right after telling them no, carry them as you would a kitten to the litter box.
• Take the scruff of the neck in hand but don't CARRY them that way. Hold them in your arms, but take the scruff in hand. My thought is this is what the parent-cat would do. But because they are so heavy, you don't want to injure or choke them, so always support their weight.
• Follow the same steps as outlined above, place them gently into the litter box;
• Gently make their paws dig a little;
• Tell them they are good.
• Use a soft and encouraging voice.
• After these steps are done. Thoroughly sterilize the accident area so that no odor remains.

Training Trick

Now, here is a trick I used to break cats of urinating, spraying and jumping on areas I didn't want them to go. All you need is a good water gun or spray bottle that will shoot a stream about 10 or 20 feet. The nice thing about this is you really don't need to fill it with anything else except water, as long as you do it right. It's all about timing and not letting Kitty see you doing it.

• Watch your cat for signs of one of the above misbehaviors, let's use jumping onto counters as an example.
• Have your water gun handy.
• Make sure kitty does NOT see you pointing the spray bottle at her.
• As soon as she crouches to jump, spray her. Don't let her actually jump up. Again, as soon as she crouches to jump, spray her.
• For counter jumping - spray the head or butt.
• For urinating or spraying, spray the butt.
• VERY IMPORTANT: Kitty can't know you are doing it. The water in the head or butt must be the result of an action Kitty is taking, not because of you. So she can't be looking at you when you spray her.

Summary

By taking a little extra time you can ensure the health and happiness of Kitty and your own peace of mind. Patience is always the key!

Health and Well Being - When You Gotta Go

A Safe and Clean Place

One of the biggest issues most people have with keeping a pet is cleaning up after them. It would be so much easier if all pets could be trained to use the toilet, including how to flush. However, most earthlings just don't have the time to be able to spend the time to do this.

So, if you can't afford a professional trainer, keep these things in mind when ensuring your pet has what she needs.

Cats

Most vets will recommend that an owner has at least 1 litter box per cat in the household. That can be a LOT of litter boxes, if you're a hoarder. Litter set up kits are very handy, along with disposable litter boxes.

Myself, I like to have that, plus 1. So if you have 2 cats, have 3 boxes available.

An owner should always clean the box at least 1x per day, if not twice. This will keep the germs and bacteria load down. Also, keep in mind how you might feel if you went into a bathroom and the toilet hadn't been flushed...like all day. Pretty gross. If you're in a public place, you would probably be exiting that stall and searching for a cleaner one. There are options out there to make it easier, however, a good motto to live by is to never own more pets than you can handle their poop.

A cat may feel the same way, and if she can't find a clean litter box, she just may put her waste inside your favorite shoes. To avoid this litter-box-avoidance-issue, here are a couple solutions:

• Get into a routine; when you are making your coffee or breakfast in the morning, go take a second to clean out the box;
• Save your plastic shopping bags and scoop the poop; OR
• Buy an automatic litter box or sifter box. BUT always remember that you will still have to pull out the container that the yucky stuff is swept into.

Barring any other health issues, this will keep you kitty using the proper waste deposit facility and not on top of your favorite sweater.

Dogs

Dogs have their own routines; males like to mark their territories, females like to sniff out those territories.

Some lucky owners have backyards to let their canine housemates run around in. But if not cleaned regularly, your lawn can start to look just like a litter box, just on a much bigger scale. Same with dog patios and dog runs. Who enjoys seeing those little burnt up hot dogs out there?

There are now many pooper scooper options available in your local stores, but there is always the old fashioned way; newspaper and a trash bag.

Bacteria can grow just as easily in the back yard as in a litter box. Scooping the waste away and watering the lawn is the best way to deter any unwanted lifeforms growing where you barbeque.

Again, get into a routine. It's rumored that once you do something daily for at least 2 weeks in a row, it becomes a habit. If you don't have neighborhood kids willing to pick up the waste for a nominal fee, make it one of your weekly chores;

• Saturday morning, before the weekend shenanigans begin, grab an old grocery bag and newspaper, and clean away the mess.
• Water the lawn and spray down walkways, dog runs, bushes and trees.

If your pet is using an area you don't want used, be sure to spray down and try some Bitter Apple Spray on the area to see if you can dissuade your buddy from using the wrong toilet.

Supplies

Having the right supplies handy is important, especially when getting started. It may be easier to get into a good routine if you have the right supplies necessary and immediately to hand. After you have the routine down, it'll be easier to improvise. You can shop in Luving Petz Store for a complete array of items that can assist you in caring for your pet(s).

Summary

Again, keep in mind how you feel when entering a public restroom that is stained, smelly, broken faucets and flooded toilets. It is incredibly unappealing. Animals can feel the same distress. They may not think to themselves, "Oh dear, there might be eColi growing in there" but they become frustrated, anxious and grossed out just the same as we do and will look for alternate places to do their deeds.

Health and Well Being Series

Introduction

I've been thinking a lot of the well being of pets. Mainly Cats and Dogs as that is my main experience, although I've also kept birds, snakes, mice and rats (as a child).

My next series of posts will be regarding the health and well being of our beloved pets. In it, I will provide helpful tips on providing a healthy environment, both physical and mental, for our pets.

Stay Tuned!

Jazzard

Gigi's First Christmas went off with a bang!

She was very interested in all the decorating and goings-on, observed from the couch of course.

However, when the tree went up, she claimed her spot and stayed there. Eventually, in order to make her more comfortable, I put the carriers under there, just so she would have a cozier spot to lay and stay warm. She stayed under the tree all day and all night until I actually went to bed, when she would join me there.

Her Petpets (2 other cats I adopted to keep her company and help with any depression for having only a human companion) were very curious whenever she disappeared into one of the carriers.

Note: It's a good idea to remove the carrier doors as these boxes are way too small for any accidental, lengthy stay.

Merry Christmas Gigi!

Adoption

Gigi the day she came home

Shortly after I lost Tigger, I decided to adopt again. I checked out my local shelters through Petfinder. Best service ever.

It has a great search engine by location, age, sex, length of time in the shelter, etc.

WELL worth the effort. I specifically wanted to find a pet that had been in the shelter the longest. I knew there would be difficulties getting those pets adopted out.

Originally, I was looking at dogs as I hadn't had a dog in so long and really wanted to be able to go for walks with him or her.

However, I found a listing of a cat who had been in the shelter for 4 years! I really thought this was an error, I mean, why would they hold a cat for 4 years? It didn't make sense, but when I was ready, I drove the 30 miles to the shelter to find out.

It turned out that this little Torby female, named Gracie, had been part of a hoarder situation, living in a cage on the porch with several other cats. They were all confiscated, and it took 4 years for the Humane Society to get custody.

During that time, they were only allowed to perform those medical procedures that were meant to keep her alive. Meaning, they couldn't alter her.

She became very depressed and bitter during her time in there. She developed anorexia, she refused to eat, she became malnourished, her teeth rotted. They pulled all of her teeth except 6 on her bottom jaw. All her uppers and rear teeth were gone.

When I went to meet her, she paid absolutely no attention to me. She wanted only to go back to her cage. But I didn't care. I wanted to get her out of there. She was severely underweight, her ribs, hips and shoulder-blades were poking out, her fur was thin, she had absolutely no fat cover.

I had to wait, but I went back the following week to pick her up and take her home.

It was a little hard, I had to finagle some tricks to get her out, and keep her out of her depression, but she is now a very happy little kitty. She has gained 2 lbs and is a very healthy 6 1/2 lbs. She eats without being finicky. She goes in and out of the back yard, and always come back to nap beside me. I've renamed her Gigi (short for Good Girl.) And she's the most curious and fun little kitty I could imagine.

Gigi Today

Tigger

In August 2016, I had to put my dear cat, Tigger, to sleep. He had thrown a blood clot that lodged in his arteries, blocking blood flow to his back legs.

It was an utterly devastating decision to have to make, as I'm sure any loving person knows, if not first-hand, by word-of-mouth and empathy.

Tigger was a very loving, cool little dude, who just loved to cuddle and hang out with me.

Having been abandoned as a younger cat, when I found him he was pretty desperate for a home. He already had some issues to deal with: food allergies, dog attacks, neurosis, and was trying to find a caring home to move into. He came upon my house, and at the time I already had 2 other cats and didn't want a third. However, I took pity on him as it was the dead of winter and the entire bottom half of his body was furless due to the food allergies. I brought him in, much to the disgust of my other cats, and the rest was history.

When he threw the blood clot, I knew immediately there was something wrong. I took him to the vet and we were seen right away. After the exam, the small, very sad and sympathetic speech ended with, "the treatment is about 30 days long and is EXTREMELY painful for the cat. The success rate is very poor, and there is a very strong likelihood it will happen again within the next 12 months. I really recommend euthanasia."

I made the decision, and it was very tough. But he's on the other side of the rainbow bridge now, and I KNOW he is doing great.

RIP Tigger. You will always be my best little buddy.

Jazzard

EXPENSIVE TASTES

Ever have a cat her nose up to a new luxury bed you went out and bought special for them?

Or a dog who hogs YOUR bed and refuses to set a paw on his own?

Yep, every owner has most likely had this issue. Your favorite pet wants to lay on your old ratty T-shirt instead of a nice, new, fluffy bed.

Try this next time: For a couple days, sit on the cushion yourself! Too simple right? Well, our loving companions don't know how much money you spend on a comfy couch for them. All they know is that if it smells like you, they must be safe and secure.

Shop the Luving Petz Store for a full array of pet beds, cushions and condos.