Author: David

Since cats naturally think of sandy areas as bathrooms, most kittens quickly learn to use a litter box. You can make their job even easier. Upon bringing a new kitten home, place her in a small litter box, pre-filled with small-grained litter. Simulate digging by gently moving her front paws back and forth. Carry her to the box after eating or sleeping, and anytime you see her scratching the floor. Praise kitty whenever she goes in the box.

Sometimes accidents happen. When they do, transfer the mess to the litter box. The smell will encourage kitty to go there in the future. Thoroughly clean the scene of the accident to remove all odors. Never yell at your kitten for such transgressions – her anxiety may lead to more accidents.

 

 

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Scratching is a normal behavior for your cat. It helps your cat keep her nails in good condition. So you can’t really blame her for clawing the furniture, unless you have provided her with an alternative like a scratching post. If your cat has already scratched something, cover the item with plastic and she will likely turn to the post instead. When you catch your cat scratching furniture, try one squirt in her direction (not on her) with water from a squirt bottle and use a firm “no.” When she scratches her scratching post, reward her with praise.

Spraying: Both males and females spray urine to mark their territory, although the behavior is much more common in males. One way to address this is to spay or neuter the cat. Generally cats will exhibit this type of behavior when they feel their territory is threatened, such as bringing a newcomer onto the scene. Consult with your veterinarian about possible health problems that may be causing this behavior.

 

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Scratching is hard-wired into the cat’s brain – it’s what cats do to keep their claws sharp and ready for action. Your kitten will soon feel the urge to scratch, so offer her various items to sink her claws into.

Purchase several scratching posts and pads, or make your own with posts or boards covered with rope or carpet remnants. Place them in strategic places – near her food bowl, her litter box, and her favorite sleeping spot. Experiment with different textures to see what she likes best. Rub on some catnip to pique her interest.

If your kitten tries to claw your carpets, drapes, or furniture, discourage that behavior with one or two sprays in her direction (not on her) with water from a spray bottle. But be sure to reward her with treats and praise when she scratches the right stuff.

 

 

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Litter Box Training

Kittens learn by observing their mother. No training is necessary; you just need to make sure your new cat knows where the box is. You may want to limit your cat’s freedom to the room the box is in until you know she is using it regularly.

When your cat begins to get the idea, don’t take her good behavior for granted. Continue to praise her for using the litter box.

Litter Box Behavior

If your cat’s litter habits change, have her examined by a veterinarian to first rule out any medical problems. Then check to see that it’s not the litter box itself that is dissuading your cat. Is it clean? Is there something about the location that your cat doesn’t like such as new people or pets in the house? Once your cat has adapted to the change, she should revert back to her normal litter habits.

Litter Box Basics

Cats are fastidious and can be very fussy about their litter box, its cleanliness, location and the type of litter used. So be sure to keep your litter box as clean and comfortable as possible for your cat.

Choosing a Litter Box

Get a full-size litter box (kittens may use a smaller box) made of a non-absorbent material, like plastic, for easy cleaning with soap and warm water and to prevent odors from being absorbed by the box.

Placing the Litter Box

When selecting a location for your cat’s litter box, choose a quiet, out-of-the-way place that is easily accessible and will ensure your cat’s privacy. Keep the litter box away from your cat’s eating and sleeping quarters. Once you choose a location, don’t move it or you might confuse your cat. If you have more than one cat or a large house, you might want to place a litter box on each side of the house.

Types of Filler

The core ingredient of most conventional cat box fillers is naturally absorbent clay. While clay provides some odor control, additional ingredients can be added to control the growth of odor-causing bacteria and to diminish dust.

Time-release agents can control odor longer between litter changes. Scooping fillers offer moisture-activated clumping action, so that waste can be isolated and scooped out, leaving behind only clean litter.

Crystal-type fillers are considered state-of-the-art in litter. Non-toxic micropore technology keeps your litter box dry and fresh a long time, which means less work for you. Regular stirring allows you to go up to 30 days between changes (one cat). Silica gel crystals are extremely effective in dehydrating moisture and trapping odor.

Paper fillers are recommended by veterinarians for post-surgical use. *These fillers are 3x more moisture absorbent than clay, **and 99.7% dust free.

*Qualitative results from those veterinarians responding to a survey of a random sampling of veterinarians in the United States. September 2003

**by volume compared to clay

Pellets are designed for low tracking, are tough on odors, and are non-toxic.

Switching Fillers

Ease your cat into the new brand slowly to reduce stress and confusion. Begin by mixing one-third of the new filler with two-thirds of the old. Then, gradually increase the amount of the new brand until your cat becomes used to it.

How Much Filler Should You Use?

The amount of filler you should use varies by filler type. Although it is best to check the directions on the package, the following is a general guide by filler type:

• Conventional: Maintain a depth of 2-3 inches
• Scoop: Maintain a depth of 3-4 inches
• Crystals: Maintain a depth of about 1.5 inches

Cleaning the Litter Box

The litter box itself will need to be disinfected on a regular basis to remove odors.

• Conventional: Remove waste areas daily. Maintain cat box filler at a depth of 2-3 inches for pawing and covering. Clean the cat box with warm water and a mild detergent between complete litter changes.
• Scoop: Remove waste areas daily. Add more filler as needed to maintain a 3-4 inch depth. Clean the cat box with warm water and a mild detergent between complete litter changes.
• Crystals: Scoop out and discard dehydrated solid waste daily. Use your scooper to thoroughly stir crystals daily, which will distribute liquid waste, speed evaporation and increase the life of the product. Clean the cat box with warm water and a mild detergent between complete litter changes.

Disposing of Litter

When disposing of litter, wrap it in two bags and tie it securely. Do not flush the litter down the toilet or dispose of it down a drain, as it can be extremely harmful to plumbing.

Cat Box Diseases

Note:
We want to remind those with suppressed immune systems or pregnant women that a parasite sometimes found in cat feces can cause toxoplasmosis. For more information on toxoplasmosis, contact your doctor. Please wash your hands after handling used litter.

Dear Adopt-a-Pet.com, I adopted a Bichon Frise from Wags to Whiskers, a rescue group I found on your website. Chardonnay was unloved and her sole purpose in life was for monetary gain to the breeders. When she could not longer bear income-producing puppies, she was tossed out. Her entire eleven years was spent in a 4×5 cage.

She joins another adoptee Bichon Frise, Sir Lancelot, whose story was the same. Both are now living lives of royalty in my home in the country. Chardonnay went from a breeding dog to queen of the ball when she attended the Rescue the Animal Furball on Saturday. She now has her own designer gowns, a princess bed, her own dinnerware, at-home grooming, and the very best of medical care.  She is pure joy.

Thank you!
Camellia C.

Would you like to get a new dog that’s already housebroken, already had his shots, already been spayed or neutered, and who’s more than willing to learn a few new tricks? It sounds too good to be true, but a family-friendly older dog can be all that, and more.

You may think you want a puppy, but consider whether or not your schedule will allow for the time and effort that young dogs require. Older dogs, many of whom were given up because their owners got sick or moved away, may be able to make the transition much more smoothly. So if you’re ready to adopt, give the older, calmer canines a look. Tap into an online rescue site or visit an animal shelter. Lots of adult dogs are waiting for homes, and many of them are move-in ready.

The new Dog Park Finder Plus iPhone App compiles photos and reviews to provide all the information you would need for a quick trip to the dog park or for a vacation across the country with your pooch. Displaying local dog parks and search results in both map and list pages, Dog Park Finder Plus includes details such as user ratings, fenced and un-fenced markers, on-leash rules, hours and days of operation and many other features. Over 5,000 dog parks are listed as well as dog friendly beaches and hiking trails, and it even includes further information such as restrooms and bench availability in parks!

The people at DogParkUSA.com who developed Dog Park Finder Plus are committed to the promotion of happy and health canine friends by promoting responsibly maintained public dog play areas. But they are also committed to the idea that every dog should be lucky enough to enjoy a day at the park so they are generously donating 15% of their proceeds to Adopt-a-Pet.com to help us in our mission to find a happy home for every pet! Not only is the Dog Park Finder Plus a useful app to have, it also helps support our free service and promote pet adoption! What a great way to help get many more dogs in need into loving homes and into those fun dog parks indeed.

The Dog Park Finder Plus app can be downloaded from the iTunes App Store. Download it today so you can know all about new and old dog parks, and help homeless pets!

People are loving the new MixItUp With Adopt-a-Pet.com iPhone app by iMatte Inc. which allows users to insert a picture their pet into three famous paintings from the 1903 Brown and Bigelow calendar of dogs playing poker! The famous paintings of dogs playing poker remind us that every dog has an individual personality, emotional capacity, and a precious soul. Each dog and cat has their own unique poker face! The people at MixItup know that all animals deserve a chance to be a part of a loving family who cherishes them, so they decided to donate a percentage of proceeds from each app download to Adopt-a-Pet.com!

Our staff cracked up when we saw the app, and we knew our fans and their friends would enjoy it, too. We are thrilled to work together on MixItUp as a way to benefit homeless pets, and we’ve had a blast seeing the photos that have been sent in on our Facebook page. Being able to place your own pet at the poker table with the other dogs is a fun and funny way to show off your furry best friend! The MixItUp with Adopt-a-Pet.com app can be downloaded from the iTunes App Store and additional apps will soon follow so you can immortalize your pet in other spectacular ways!

Support Adopt-a-Pet.com and make yourself smile at the same time – download the MixItUp app today and enjoy!

Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, it is so much nicer to stay at a hotel with your best furry friend right at your side Hotel Indigo will let you do just that, and you can help earn a dollar for homeless pets right now, just by clicking the  Hotel Indigo’s ‘Like’ button on their Facebook page! Hotel Indigo is an upscale boutique brand that is truly reflective of the local community. It also happens to be run by pet lovers! Not only does this hotel chain deliver a refreshing, inviting, comfortable guest experience that is also environmentally conscious, but their hotels are as pet friendly as can be.

Beyond just being pet lovers, the staff at Hotel Indigo encourages pet adoption and wants every animal to have the chance to be a part of a family, which is why they are pledging their support to Adopt-A-Pet.com and here is how you can help Hotel Indigo is donating $1 per “Like” on their Facebook page and will give as much as $20,000 to help us in our mission to find a home for every homeless pet.

Please support Adopt-a-Pet.com by clicking Hotel Indigo’s ‘Like’ button on their Facebook page. Their donation will even double to $20,000 if the Hotel Indigo Facebook page receives 15,000 “Likes” or more before October 15th! And make sure to tell your friends to do the same! Feel free to share your own pet travel or pet adoption stories in the comments section of Hotel Indigo’s Facebook page!