Tag: First Batch

How to Introduce a Scared Cat to a Dog

Is your new cat scared of dogs? Learn more about cats’ territorial behavior and how you might be able to address their fear of dogs.

puppy-kitten-snuggleIn a perfect world, all puppies and kittens would have plenty of positive playtime with each other from a very young age, like my former foster kittens and puppy in the photo above. The reality is, many pets don’t have the opportunity to be multi-species socialized. This article is about a very specific scenario for when a cat hasn’t had the chance: a home with an adult cat who’s never lived with a dog before, and the cat is scared of a known-to-cat-friendly dog in the home.

If you adopted a new dog and you don’t know how the dog is with cats, read our 6 Steps to Introduce a New Cat To Your Dog. If your new dog is chasing the cat, read Stop Dogs from Play Chasing New Cat.

For these tips, this is key: these are for when your dog (we’ll call him Rover) ignores or acts calm and friendly towards your cat (we’ll call her Kitty). So if Rover calmly watches or occasionally tries to sniff Kitty, and leaves Kitty alone when told to do so, but Kitty is scared — running away and hiding, or getting all puffed up and hissing, growling, or cowering when Rover near, then these tips are for you!

Note: If Rover gets excited near Kitty, perhaps his head held high and wagging his tail really fast, play bowing, pawing, or barking — even you think he’s doing it in a friendly playful way, you should restrain (leash, crate, or other room separate) Rover and train him to “leave it” then advance to “leave it” with “it” being Kitty. Rover needs to be calmly ignoring Kitty for these tips to work. Extra exercise and playtime for Rover helps too!

1. Create a Kitty Safety Zone. Kitty needs to feel safe. You can use a combination of baby gates, closed doors, and dog pens — your Kitty Safety Zone setup depends on your home and your pets. If your dog is small, baby gates are often easiest. If your dog is bigger and crate trained, crates let the pets see each other safely.

2. Set up Escape Routes. Kitty needs to feel safe. Yes, we’re repeating that! Help her feel safe by giving her escape routes in every room and hallways. An escape route can be a chair next to a table (if your dog is small) or bookshelf (larger dogs) or closet door or cabinet door propped open in such a way that only Kitty can slip inside but not Rover. Baby gates with cat openings (or low ones for small non-jumping dogs) placed strategically in key doorways can help too.

3. Praise positive behavior. If Kitty ventures out, give her lots of verbal praise for that and any other non-fearful behavior, including just sitting somewhere in sight of the dog. (You can reinforce Rover’s good behavior ignoring Kitty with praise and treats too!)

4. Let Kitty have the whole house at night. Cats are often nocturnal. Confining Rover to a crate or one room while you and he sleep can let Kitty enjoy free roaming time all night long which will reduce her stress levels overall too.

5. Give Kitty time along with you. Put Rover to bed (in his crate/room) an hour before your bedtime, and encourage Kitty to come out and spend time with you — if she likes to play, play with her! If she likes to snuggle, snuggle. Or maybe she just wants to sit calmly in the same room with you, without Rover. It’s her time with you to do whatever she and you like to do best together.

6. Give Kitty time to adjust. Cats can take weeks to months to get used to even a small change. Living with a dog for the first time is a HUGE change!

We hope these 6 tips help your cat-friendly dog and dog-shy cat live a long and happy life together!

 

 

Pets For Kids: Benefits Of Having A Pet For Kids

Thinking of adopting a dog with kids? Read more to learn about the benefits pets can have on children.

petcentric-dog-babyOur friends over at Petcentric recently posted this great article with five great benefits of dogs and children growing up together. Puppies and babies can be a tough combo to juggle, but adopt a young or older adult dog who’s already trained and good around children, and the mix can be magical! Here are some of the many benefits of dogs being in children’s lives that Petcentric describes.

1. Constant Companionship

Although childhood isn’t always easy, having a pet provides constant companionship through the ups and downs. Dogs can be a great source of comfort for kids — even when they’re coming to grips with difficult life lessons. Whenever kids feel sad, angry, or afraid, they can always turn to their pet. Petting and cuddling dogs has also been shown to relieve stress and help people relax.

2. A More Active Lifestyle

Caring for a dog also encourages a more active lifestyle. In fact, a recent study showed that kids with dogs exercise eleven minutes a day more than their non-dog owning peers. That might not sound like a lot, but over a week or month, it really adds up. Many dogs require daily walks or runs and plenty of play time. Those adorable puppy eyes they give you are sure to motivate you — even when you’re not feeling up to it.

3. Learning Responsibility

Having a pet is a great way to teach responsibility to kids. Making sure that the family dog has food and water gives children a first glimpse of accountability and obligation. Children also learn empathy and compassion by caring for their pet, while developing a higher level of self-esteem by taking care of their pet-owning responsibilities.

4. Health Is Wealth

Recent studies have found that babies raised in close contact with a pet get sick less often in their first year of life, meaning fewer visits to the doctor’s office. Exposure to pet dander and the microbes that pets carry into the home from the outdoors is suggested to improve babies’ developing immune systems. Research has also found that children who grow up with dogs experience a reduced risk of allergies.

5. Don’t Worry, Be Happy!

Perhaps one of the greatest benefits of dogs in early childhood is simply that they make children happy! Interaction with animals has been proven to raise levels of serotonin and dopamine, which are the chemical building blocks of positive feelings. All science aside, playing and interacting with dogs is just plain fun — and it’s bound to brighten any kid’s day.

Benefits written by https://www.petcentric.com/authors/rebecca-desfosse

Now check out the happy video of a hound and his young friend making beautiful music together at Petcentric.com!

Rehome My Pet: How To Find A Home For My Pet

Seeking a loving home for your pet? Explore our guide on effective rehoming strategies to ensure your furry friend finds a safe home.

Adopt-a-Pet.com has a program available for individuals in the U.S. who need help with cat or dog rehoming. See more info at rehome.adoptapet.com and read our tips below!

cat-dog-wanted-a-new-homeWhether you rescued a pet from a shelter, one you found abandoned in the street, or from a home that could not or no longer wanted to keep him or her — you are a pet hero! Thank you for helping a pet in need and trying to find him or her a new loving home. (If you are trying to find a new home for your own pet, please click that link for an article that is written just for your situation.) Adopt-a-Pet.com is a service that lets shelters and rescue groups list their animals for adoption.  We also have a peer-to-peer service called Rehome that allows individuals in the U.S. to post pets they cannot keep or stray/rescue dogs and cats to our website. If you have a stray or found pet that you would like to Rehome, please read our tips if you find a stray pet before doing so. The information below is not intended as a complete guide to rehoming a pet, but is a great way to get started. Thank you again for helping a homeless pet!

Find your pet a new home yourself

More than likely, you will need to do the work yourself to find the pet a good home. Don’t worry – Rehome is here to help! If you choose to post your pet on Rehome, you will be guided through the entire process- from creating your pet’s profile to transferring vet records to the new owner. There is no fee to list a pet on Rehome and once your pet’s profile is live, millions of potential adopters will be able to view her or him. If you cannot keep the pet in your home, ask friends and family to help, or look for a boarding facility or veterinary office where you can pay to house the pet. Don’t house the pet too far away or it will be hard to show him/her to potential adopters. Here are a couple other tips that can help you with the rehoming process:

  • Friends, family, coworkers and neighbors are valuable adoption resources. Not only are they potential adopters, but they can help spread the word to others as well.
  • Have the pet spayed or neutered-you’ll have better luck adopting him or her out!

Screen any potential new home

If you are considering giving the pet to someone you don’t know, you will want to screen them to ensure the match is a good one. Let your pet’s personality be a guide for what questions to ask. Is your pet good with cats, dogs, and kids? Does she have any characteristics that warrant a more experienced pet owner? If you are using Rehome, you’ll get suggestions on how to screen applicants to find the best home for your rescue dog or cat.

Once you’ve chosen a few top applicants, you should meet with the potential adopter in person to make sure it is a good fit. Through Rehome, we offer tips on how to set up a safe and successful in-person meeting. Trust your intuition—you want to be sure that the adopter has your pet’s interests at heart. You may want to check identification and ask for references. Let the new adopter know they can call you for questions or advice.When you pick the perfect new home for your pet and transfer ownership, you may want to give the new owner a call after about a week to find out how things are going.

Do NOT give away a pet for free

Free pets are much more likely to be abandoned, and in some cases, someone might be seeking to obtain a pet for free to use for an illegal purpose such as dog fighting. When using Rehome, there will always be an adoption fee applied that will be donated to help more pets find their forever homes. Having someone pay money for a pet is one of the most important ways to be assured that the person who is taking the pet is serious about wanting them, and can afford to pay for the food and veterinary care the pet will need throughout his/her life.

rescue-cat-new-home

Surrender to a rescue or no-kill shelter?

There are privately-run shelters and rescue organizations that do not kill pets. But because they keep the pets for as long as it takes to find a new home, they are usually filled to capacity, so it can take weeks to get an appointment. If you do find a “no-kill” organization than might take the pet you rescued, offering as big a tax-deductible donation as possible will help. Remember, in the case of private shelters and rescue groups, they are just people who are doing their best because they care about pets, most are volunteers spending significant amounts of their own money to cover vet bills, and they all get far more legitimate hard luck cases than they can possibly handle each day. For a list of shelters and rescues in your area, click here.

Surrender to a public shelter?

It is greatly preferable to find the pet a home yourself rather than taking him/her to a shelter. Even the best shelter is stressful for the animal, and you have only one animal to focus on while a shelter may have hundreds. Publicly run animal shelters are already overcrowded and, in many cities, a majority of the pets are not adopted, but instead are euthanized. Even purebred and friendly pets are routinely destroyed at public shelters to make space for new pets coming in. The extent of the overpopulation problem varies from area to area. For a list of shelters and rescues in your area, click here.

Remember, this pet has NO ONE but YOU—The loyalty you show and effort you put forth to find this pet a new loving home, even if it causes inconvenience for you now, will be well worth it when you know that this pet is living out a healthy and happy life!

Thanks again for helping to find a rescued pet a new loving home!

If you have any further questions about cat or dog rehoming, please visit our FAQs page.

How can I find a new home for my pet?

Adopt-a-Pet.com has a program available for individuals in the U.S. who need help with cat or dog rehoming. See more info at rehome.adoptapet.com and read our tips below!

adopt-dog-cat-posterThank you for caring enough to try to find a good home for your pet! (If you are looking to find a new home for a pet that you found or rescued, please click that link for an article tailored for that scenario instead.) Adopt-a-Pet.com is a non-profit resource that allows animal shelters and rescue groups to list their animals for adoption. In coordination with the Petco Foundation, we now offer a feature for individuals in the United States called Rehome where you can post your cat or dog to Adopt-a-Pet.com for free! Once your pet’s profile is approved, your cat or dog will appear in search results on Adopt-a-Pet.com for millions of potential adopters to see.

However, before you give up your pet, we encourage you to take advantage of the many resources available for solving problems and keeping pets in their homes. Read on…

Behavior problems

For pet behavior problems such as barking, digging, scratching, problem urination, etc., first talk to your veterinarian—some behaviors can be caused by health problems, and for others there may be medications available.

  • For dog behavior issues, consult with a trainer or dog behaviorist in your area. You can also find dog behavior help articles in our Dog Behavior and Training guide.  Keep in mind that if your dog has a behavior problem, it will need to be addressed at some point, and generally in his home with the people he loves and trusts is the best place.
  • For cat behavior issues, we have many articles here that can help – and also visit the Cats International website at www.catsinternational.org or call (262) 375-8852 after you have spoken with your veterinarian. Most cat behavior problems are solvable!
  • If you are concerned about your pet being home alone, consider enrolling your dog in a doggy daycare, hiring a dog walker, or getting another animal to keep him/her company.

Moving

If you are moving or having trouble with your landlord, see Renting With Pets for tips on finding or keeping a pet-friendly rental.

 

Allergies

If you or a family member have allergies: There are products available at pet stores that you can spray on your pet to reduce allergens. Quality air filters can also make a big difference. And today’s allergy medications can alleviate most symptoms. Your doctor can give you more information. You can also find helpful tips to reduce or eliminate pet allergies in our Reduce Allergies to Pets article.

If you absolutely must find your pet another home, remember that your animal has only you to depend on to make sure that he/she lives in a safe and healthy environment. Your loyalty to your pet and willingness to put forth some effort will make it possible for your animal to live a happy and healthy life.

Surrender to a public shelter?

It is greatly preferable to find your pet a home yourself rather than taking him/her to a shelter. Even the best shelter is stressful for the animal, and you have only one animal to focus on while a shelter may have hundreds. Publicly run animal shelters may already be overcrowded and, in many cities,  pets that are not adopted may be euthanized. Even purebred and friendly pets are not an exception. The extent of the overpopulation problem varies from area to area. For a list of shelters and rescues in your area, click here.

Surrender to a rescue or no-kill shelter?

There are privately-run shelters and rescue organizations that do not kill pets. But because they keep the pets for as long as it takes to find a new home, they are usually filled to capacity, so it can take weeks or even months to get an intake appointment. If you do find a “no-kill” organization that might take your animal, offering a big tax-deductible donation may help. Remember, in the case of private shelters and rescue groups, they are just people who are doing their best because they care about pets, most are volunteers spending significant amounts of their own money to cover vet bills, and they all get far more legitimate hard luck cases than they can possibly handle each day. For a list of shelters and rescues in your area, click here.

Find your pet a new home yourselfcat-dog-rehoming

More than likely, you will need to do the work yourself to find your pet a good home. If you cannot keep the pet in your home, ask friends and family to help, or look for a boarding facility or veterinary office where you can pay to house the pet. Don’t house the pet too far away or it will be hard to show him/her to potential adopters.

  • Friends, family, coworkers and neighbors are valuable adoption resources. Not only are they potential adopters, but they can help spread the word to others as well.
  • Have you pet spayed or neutered-you’ll have better luck adopting him or her out!
  • Post your pet on Rehome. Our Rehome team understands how difficult the decision can be to rehome your pet, and they are here to guide you through the process from start to finish to help you find the best new home for your cat or dog. All you have to do is start here and fill out health and behavioral questions, write a story to describe your pet, and add photos and videos so potential adopters can see your pet. It’s that easy!

Screen any potential new home

If you are considering giving your pet to someone you don’t know, you will want to screen them to ensure the match is a good one. Let your pet’s personality be a guide for what questions to ask. Is your pet good with cats, dogs, and kids? Does she have any characteristics that warrant a more experienced pet owner?

Other questions you should ask are: Will the pet be allowed inside the house? Have they had pets before? Did their pets die of natural causes or for reasons that make you suspect they were not properly cared for? Our Rehome Team will also give you tips and tricks for spotting red flags and filtering through applications so you can be confident that you are choosing the right new family.

After you’ve done some initial screening and have a good candidate, bring the pet and person together to meet. The Rehome team will also offer advice on how to set up safe in-person meetings between you and the potential new adopter. Some of our best advice is to trust your intuition—you want to be sure that the adopter has your pet’s interests at heart. You may want to check identification and ask for references. Let the new adopter know they can call you for questions or advice. If you decide to that this person is the right new family for your pet, Rehome will help you sign a contract of new ownership and help you to transfer all medical records. Even if you do not find the new pet owner through Rehome, you can still post your pet on our platform to utilize our contract signing and records transfer to ensure a safe hand off. After a week or so, give them a call to find out how things are going.

Do NOT give away a pet for free

Free pets are much more likely to be abandoned, and in some cases, someone might be seeking to obtain a pet for free to use for an illegal purpose such as dog fighting. You should charge an adoption fee that is equal to or greater than the adoption fee charged by your local animal shelter for that type of pet. Don’t be shy to charge money for your pet! Having someone pay money for a pet is one of the most important ways to be assured that the person who is taking the pet is serious about wanting them, and can afford to pay for the food and veterinary care the pet will need throughout his/her life. If you do not want to keep the money you receive for the pet, you can donate it to your local shelter or rescue. You can also offer to hold it as a veterinary fund for the pet. That is a great way to ensure that the adopter is serious about wanting the pet, the pet has a small fund for veterinary care, and you will continue to be able to monitor the health of your pet. If you find your pet a new family through Rehome, the adoption fee will be donated to help get even more pets adopted.

Remember, your pet has NO ONE but YOU—The loyalty you show and effort you put forth to find your pet a new loving home, even if it causes inconvenience for you now, will be well worth it when you know that your pet is living out a healthy and happy life!

 

If you have any further questions about cat or dog rehoming, please visit our FAQs page.

How To Introduce Cats Using A Crate

Preparing to introduce a new kitten to the family. Learn how the crate method can offer cats the opportunity to acclimate to a new kitten

kitten-in-a-crateThere are lots of articles online already about how to introduce your newly adopted cat or kitten to your current cats or dogs… but most of them, including ones we’ve written, start out with something along the lines of: “Put the new cat/kitten in a separate isolation room.” While this very sound advice, as it allows your new cat to get adjusted to your home before trying to acclimate to other pets, what if you live in a studio apartment or loft? With a bathroom so tiny or dark or hot you can’t possibly keep a cat shut up in there for a week or two? Also, many times the iso room is the location of your current cat’s litter box, and suddenly cutting of his access while at the same time introducing a new cat can really raise stress levels, which could cause a variety of problems. All which can likely be avoided if you use the crate method!

What’s the crate method? The crate method using an extra large dog crate to create a tiny room within your room, when you don’t have another good isolation room you can use.

Important: Since the crate method is not isolating your new cat completely, make sure to talk to your vet about any preventative health care you should take with your current pets, before bringing your new cat home.

What is a crate? A crate is a large pet-safe enclosure, also called a pet carrier or kennel. There are three common styles of crates: fabric, wire bars or molded plastic.

What size of crate? If you already own a cat, you probably have a plastic cat carrier crate already. That will be much too small to use as an introduction crate. To use the crate method of cat introduction, you will need a crate big enough to fit a litter pan through the door, and room enough with the litter pan inside for your cat to sleep and eat. Generally at least twice as big as the litter box is a good rule of thumb. For example, a 36″ long by 23″ wide by 25″ high crate would be a nice size for a cat introduction crate.

What style of crate? If you will be using the crate for a baby kitten (under 4 pounds), we suggest the plastic style, i.e. an airline dog crate. The openings are smaller and there is less chance your kitten will be able to squeeze through the bars or try and get stuck. Still, check for openings where a paw or tail could get stuck, and securely block those with duct tape. If you are using the crate for an older kitten or adult cat (over 4 pounds), you can also use a wire style. Do not use the fabric style, cats can claw right though them.

How much do they cost? As of the writing of this article, you can get a brand new wire crate the size recommended above for $86 at the big pet supply store chains. You can find used less-expensive crates and kennels on Craigslist, thrift stores, and yard sales.

Create a moat! You will also need to set up a 2nd barrier around the crate, to create a “moat” around your crate castle so your current pets can’t go right up to the crate.  Some great ways we’ve seen studio dwellers do this include: putting the crate up against a wall, and making a waist-high U-shape cardboard wall taped with blue painter’s tape to dining chairs on the inside of the wall; putting the crate in the kitchen with a tall baby gate across the doorway and filling/blocking the pass through with a suitcase to prevent their cat from jumping into the kitchen; putting the crate on their dining room table, pushing in all the chairs, and blocking the remaining tabletop with empty plastic water jugs so their cat couldn’t jump on the table. You get the idea, you just need to be creative! Some moats can also help you when you’re cleaning and feeding your kitty in the crate, in case they slip past you, you have a barrier to prevent an instant escape.

Visually block. If the crate is in an area like on the table or behind a baby cat that can be seen through, you’ll want to block the cats from seeing each other. Cover the baby gate with a towel, or cover the exposed side of crate with a very light weight sheet or gauzy fabric. You of course want to make sure the cat inside the crate will remain at a comfortable temperature with plenty of air. You can also lean flattened cardboard boxes up against the sides of the crate at an angle for plenty of airflow.

Once you’ve set up your crate and moat, you can then follow all the same advice for introducing your cats to your other pets. You can find our articles on bringing your new cat or kitten home and introducing him or her to your other pets linked towards the bottom of the articles list at https://www.adoptapet.com/blog/adopting-a-cat/

 

New Puppy Owner Guide: How To Raise A Puppy

Getting ready to adopt a new puppy? Download our guide to help you prepare for the arrival and first few months with your new puppy

Getting ready to adopt a new puppy? Adopt-a-Pet.com’s “The Puppy Manual” is not a complete guide to raising a puppy – there are entire books devoted to that topic! However it is a super-helpful and concise 21 pages covering the basics, to help you prepare for the arrival and first few months with your new puppy.  The basic training, socialization, and guidelines explained simply with many easy-to-follow steps can be used starting at the age of 8 weeks, the earliest age at which most people would be bringing a puppy into their home. If your puppy is slightly older, as long as they are under 6 months old, these steps can still be helpful! For puppies older than 6 months, many of these tips still apply, but you’ll want to look at the other articles we have in our blog that are for older puppy & dogs too. We have several formats of The Puppy Manual for you to choose from, click any of them to download and start reading:

1. PDF free download, two sizes:

2. Tablets/e-readers free download: http://bit.ly/1jrjsSu

3. Kindle download: http://amzn.to/19Dr7a8 — this version costs 99 cents, the lowest we could make it available on Amazon.

We’d really appreciate your time if you’d post an honest review on Amazon, no matter what format you choose! Reviews will help it be seen by even more people, helping more puppies.

If you need any assistance with the PDF download, please email Jennifer at blog@cms.adoptapet.com

The highest percentage of dogs surrendered to shelters are adolescents – thorough puppy training and socialization can prevent many puppies and dogs from becoming homeless. Help puppies everywhere by sharing The Puppy Manual a free download from Adopt-a-Pet.com with everyone you know who has or will soon be adding a new puppy to their home! Click the icons below for easy sharing.

When To Spay or Neuter A Dog Or Cat

Wondering when to get your pet spayed/neutered? Learn more about the process and the optimal age to get your pet fixed.

What is the best age to fix a puppy or kitten? Ask ten people, and you may get ten different answers! Those of us in the animal sheltering and rescue world usually recommend early-age spay/neuter at 8 weeks of age, or as soon as possible after that. Promoting early-age spay neuter is part of the social responsibility we feel to do all we can to reduce 5,000 dogs and cats euthanized in animal shelters every day. We see the number of puppies and kittens barely 6 months old that come to shelters, suffering from such an early pregnancy. Decades ago, when many vets were receiving their education, 6 months old was the randomly recommended age for fixing a dog or cat – you read that correctly, the 6 month old recommendation is based on clinical sentiment, not than scientific studies! 

On the other end of the spectrum, you have pet owners who mistakenly think it is better for a female dog or cat to have one heat – or even one litter – before being spayed, or don’t believe in spaying in neutering at all. They believe this myths in spite of vets and scientific organizations supporting the benefits and safety of early-age spay/neuter. To clarify: Early-age spay/neuter includes both pediatric surgery which happens at 6 weeks to 16 weeks, and spay/neuter done before 5 months of age. Early-age spay/neuter is endorsed by the the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), the Association of Shelter Veterinarians (ASV), and the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) among others.

To encourage veterinarians to educate pet owners about the benefits, the Clinicians Brief is promoting a wonderful campaign, Five-Saves-Lives. “Five-Saves-Lives, or Spay Before Five Months (Spay B4V)  is a national spay/neuter public awareness campaign that strives to prevent unintended litters by reducing the routine spay/neuter age to 4 to 5 months in private practices.” They remind us, “Both cats and small-breed dogs can go into estrus with pregnancy risk before 6 months of age, but rarely before 5 months of age… Five-Saves-Lives promotes the addition of a spay/neuter appointment between 4 and 5 months of age. As with pediatric spay/neuter, the procedures are faster and easier, and patients recover more quickly with fewer complications…” Plus female pets never become pregnant, and male pets do not develop undesirable sexual behaviors! 

We encourage caring pet owners to share this information with their vet, who may not be aware of Five-Save-Lives. You and they can help more pet owners make a compassionate decision about the age to spay or neuter that is best not just for their pet, but for the pets in their community too.

Why Does My Cat Bite Me? Understanding Cat Behavior

Does your new cat like to bite? Learn more about aggressive biting and what you can do to change their behavior.

Cat bites are not fun! This article is to help you with knowledge and tips for avoiding future cat bites from your pet cat. If you are reading this because you just got bitten by a cat, please know this is not an article about the medical care you may need. Instead, please go immediately to our “Cat bites are serious!” article right away! If you have a feisty young kitten (under 6 to 7 months old) who is play biting you, so not inflicting hard skin-puncturing bites, we suggest you first read our Is your kitten biting you or playing too rough? article. However, if you are here because your tame, usually friendly cat has suddenly tried to bite you, possibly more than once, and would like some tips to avoid being bitten, you’re in the right place! Read on…

Tame adult pet cats bite people for many reasons. The three most common reasons for indoor cats are overstimulation, fear, and anger/stress. Less common reasons are maternal, status, redirected, disease, or pain. It can be just one of those reasons, but sometimes is a combination of two or more. Understanding the causes can help you remove or counteract them, and reduce the chances of being bitten. However, figuring out what a cat is feeling is no easy task! This article isn’t a comprehensive guide to why cats bite, but can give you some tools to increase your understanding and reduce a cat’s biting. We highly recommend working with a professional cat behaviorist in addition to reading this article.

Below are examples of the three most common reasons cats bite, followed by what to do tips for each reason. Below that, we suggest one better way you can react the moment your cat tries to bite you, and finally one way to positively reward good behavior to further reduce biting behavior.

  1. Overstimulation. Often a cat who enjoys being pet, but then suddenly bites. 
  2. Fear. Examples include a cat that bites when picked up, when restrained (like for having his nails trimmed), or when woken suddenly.
  3. Anger/stress. Most commonly from territory changes or challenges, changes in their routine, or illness, but can be from other causes too.

If your cat bites you because he is overstimulated, you will need to try to learn what causes him to be overstimulated, and at what point the overstimulation causes a bite, then carefully avoid approaching his limits. So if your cat bites you after you’ve pet him five times, you may only be able to pet your cat one or two strokes. If he gets wound up after 5 minutes of playing with a toy on a string, you may be only able to play for 1 minute. This seems simple, but when your cat is acting affectionate or having fun, stopping can be really hard! Some cats will tolerate neck scratches without biting, but will bite if their back is pet.

Each cat is an individual, so you’ll need to carefully determine his individual limits. Closely observe your cat for any pre-bite warning signs – such as tail swishing, ears going back flat, body stiffness, growling/hissing, pupils dilating – and stop whatever activity you or he are doing immediately. You’ll also have to make sure all other humans that come in contact with your cat obey the limits you determine. Often “don’t pet the cat” is easier for other people to understand and abide than “only pet him three times” or “only scratch his neck.” Give visitors a feather toy on a string to let them play with your cat safely that way instead.

If your cat bites you due to fear, you will need to do you best to avoid fearful situations for your cat. Declawed cats often bite out of fear, having had their first line of defense removed (yet another reason never to declaw a cat). Fear biters can be challenging when it comes to nail trimming, so you may need the help of a professional groomer or vet tech to learn how to humanely, safely, and in the least-stressful way possible restrain your cat and trim their nails. If your cat likes treats or canned food, rewarding him after the fearful experience can sometimes make him forget more quickly the fearful experience he had to endure for his own health.

If your cat bites due to anger/stress, you probably have some detective work to do to figure out all the causes, then see how much you can reduce or remove them. Often you can’t do much directly, like if a new barky dog moves in next door.  Creative thinking helps! Sometimes confining the cat to a small room such as a quite bedroom or bathroom for some or even all of the day for a few weeks can let them get used to the new situation more slowly, on their terms, which could be less stressful. But some cats are more stressed out being locked in a room. Each situation is so unique, if your cat is biting you because of anger/stress, we highly recommend consulting with a professional certified cat behaviorist.

Why a behaviorist and not your vet? It is rare for a regular vet to have a degree in feline behavioral medicine. According to the American Association of Feline Practitioners, “most veterinarians never received education in veterinary school about feline behavior, and do not have the time and resources to study all the latest research and develop behavior protocols.” However, don’t hesitate to ask your regular vet for a recommendation of a certified cat behaviorist. A good behaviorist will often work closely with their clients’ veterinarians, especially if anti-anxiety medication is indicated, and to rule out any possible underlying medical causes. 

HOW TO REACT IF YOUR CAT TRIES TO BITE YOU

The best way we’ve found to react to a cat who’s tried to bite you, no matter what the cause, is to calmly back away from the cat. (Sometimes upset cats will go after your ankles if you move quickly, or turn your back to walk away.) Leave the room, or if you live in a studio or loft leave your home, shut the door behind you, and give the cat a time-out alone for 5 minutes. If you are upset, take the time to calm down and forgive your cat, so you can re-enter as if nothing untoward has happened.

HOW TO REWARD GOOD BEHAVIOR

Does your cat like treats? Canned food? Playing with a toy? If your cat is an overstimulated biter, and let you pet him for his allotted time with no bites, you can reward him with his favorite treat, food, or game. Rewards are building blocks for long-term, positive behavior.

*IMPORTANT: Never respond to a cat biting you with a physical reprimand or punishment. PUNISHMENT WILL MAKE YOUR SITUATION WORSE. Cats respond to negativity with negativity. If your cat bites and you “tap” his nose, forcefully push him away, yell, squirt him with a water bottle, or respond with any other negative punishment, you almost guarantee the cat will try to bite you again, and likely try harder – or become scared and avoid you and a broken trust bond with a cat is very hard to repair.

We hope this article helps you with your biting cat!

Stray Dog: What to Do If You Find a Stray Dog

Found a stray dog in your neighborhood? Read more to learn how to help safely.

My friend Kate called me the other evening in a panic, screaming, “there is a small white Terrier mix running around my neighborhood!” Being an animal lover herself, when she saw this little fellow running around, Kate immediately parked and got out of her car to try and catch him. Probably scared from the chase, confused from the streets, and perhaps a tad shy, the pup ran away and hid. Kate was beside herself for not being able to catch him and she suffered a long, tearful, sleepless night even after I tried to calm her down on our phone call. The next day, she saw him again. She wasn’t sure what to do or how to catch this pooch, but she knew that chasing him again would only result in him running away.

A friend told me about a local animal rescuer with much experience capturing and helping stray dogs. We reached out to him and asked for guidance. Below is a list of tips for what to do if you see a wandering dog in your area. I hope this encourages you to try and help lost or abandoned pets as a life on the streets is not an ideal life for them. There are many dangers that stray animals face such as oncoming cars, predatory animals like coyotes, or living sick, starving or injured without any proper care. Please help to get them off the streets and into safety!

Tip 1: Call Animal Control. Please call your local animal shelter and let them know the exact location of the dog so that they can come pick him up as soon as possible. By calling the authorities, you can follow up and visit the dog at the shelter once he or she is caught without having to try and catch the dog yourself.

Tip 2: Bring friends. If Animal Control can’t catch the dog or you decide you want to try, it’s best to do this with other people. Please only move forward with attempting to capture a lost dog if you understand and accept the risk that you and your friends could get bitten. Strays are often scared or timid and might bite out of fear or perceived threat to defend themselves. Having people with you is often the best way to successfully trap a stray but make sure everyone understands the concerns. Also, having at least one other person is recommended for protecting yourself as there is safety in numbers for both animals and people! Try getting in touch with local animal rescuers or trappers who may have more experience and invaluable wisdom to share.

Tip 3: Contained space. If you are trying to help catch a dog off the street and understand the risks, an effective strategy may be to lure the dog to an area or yard with a fence/gate so that you can shut off escape routes. By corralling the pup to a contained area, you can better ensure that there aren’t any escape opportunities. Verify that the yard has high enough walls and that there are no holes anywhere! By combining minds and forces and working together as a team with those helping you, you can better prevent the dog from darting away. If you cannot find a contained area nearby, try luring or leading him into an alley or space with only one entrance and exit and have another person there with you to block it with an opened up box or baby gate. Another option is to set up a feeding station in your own yard if you can, even if it is not contained, and then you can use a humane dog trap once a stray has become used to eating in your yard. This could be a way to build trust and gradually meet the dog.

Tip 4: Use food. The most important thing is to have high-value food on hand such as pieces of hot dog, wet canned food, or some kind of meat or meat treats. Usually the smellier and mushier, the better. Using food is commonly the only way way to lure a stray to safety. Make sure to give the food in tiny crumbs. Ideally you can use the pieces to lead the dog into the chosen yard or contained space. Remember to keep the pieces small! If you give a whole hot dog at once the pooch will likely get satisfied and run off. The key is that the lack of satiation and increase in temptation will very gradually allow you to coax the pup closer. Please make sure the dog seems friendly. It is not recommended that you try to lure or get close to an unfriendly animal. You can always call your local animal shelter to come catch the dog by providing location and any detailed information about the animal (i.e. what the dog looks like, what time(s) you usually seem him, etc.)

Tip 5: Be calm and prepared. If you catch the dog in a contained area or yard, try sitting down on the ground so you are at level and not towering over. Do not rush over and leash him or get close to him right away. Sprinkle treats around yourself and leave some pieces in your hand with your palm open. Turn your head so that you’re not looking the dog in the eyes, but from the side of your eyes. Staring right at a dog can be interpreted as a sign of aggression in the canine world, especially if you’re a stranger! So look away to convey a sign of peace. Have the leash out and limp in front of you and let the dog approach, eat, and hopefully also visit the treats in your hand. Give him time to get used to your smell and to the situation, and very gradually and slowly try to get a leash around him. Avoid sudden, jerky movements but you will want to be swift. Just remember to stay calm while you move. If the pup bears teeth, growls, lunges or tries to bite, please contact your local Animal Control and stop trying to catch him yourself!

If you are successful at catching a stray dog yourself, please be cautious and careful since this isn’t a pet you know well! You’ll want to immediately check for a collar and tag if you’re able to safely touch him, but if the dog isn’t wearing one, please take him to a nearby veterinarian or animal shelter so that they can check for a microchip. Hopefully you’ll be able to locate the owner and rejoice in the reunion of a family!  If this pup is not microchipped or identified in any way and you are able to temporarily care for the stray dog until she/he can find a permanent home, try creating a profile on Rehome! It’s a safe and reliable way to find a forever home for the stray you found! Once you create a profile, the cat will be posted on Adopt-a-Pet.com for millions of potential adopters to see!

As for Kate, she did end up catching that Terrier mix with the help of a few friends. His name is now Mikey, and he is loving life as part of her very own family! Lucky for him Kate not only spotted him but also did not give up until he was safe. Thank you for being the kind of person who doesn’t turn away when you see a lost animal roaming the streets. We appreciate your willingness to work with your local animal shelters, and how much you care about helping homeless pets!

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Why Won’t My Cat Use The Litter Box? Solving Litter Box Problems

Is your new cat refusing to use its litter box? Explore effective tactics to address and resolve this issue.

Cat Sniffing LitterboxOne of the most frustrating behaviors for a cat owner is litterbox issues. If only cats could talk to tell us why they weren’t using their litterbox! There are so many reasons cats completely stop or won’t use their litterbox all the time. It can take some detective work to figure out the reason or reasons, and the cure or cures. This blog article will give you a step-by-step process to figure out why and fix the problem. Many cat owners I know and I have personally used these steps to solve litterbox problems with many cats, from young kittens to seniors. Litterbox issues are one of the most common reasons cats are surrendered to shelters, but it doesn’t have to be that way. We describe nine steps below in detail – don’t be overwhelmed! Often it only takes finding the right step to get your cat going back in the litterbox again.

To make these steps easier to understand, I’ll call your litterbox-avoiding cat Kitty.

Cats can be sensitive and effected by your mood. They might not show it in a way you understand, but if you are stressed or unhappy when your are cleaning their litterbox or otherwise, Kitty will pick up on that and that may be why he is avoiding the litterbox. Can you change your mood? Sometimes buying a pretty new litterbox and scented litter makes you feel better, and will help Kitty start using it again. Also, as your Kitty gets back on track, don’t forget to lavishly praise Kitty each time he gets it right, and reward him with his favorite treat if you ever see him using his box.

These steps assume you know litter box math: each cat should have their own litterbox plus one extra, so 1 cat = 2 boxes, 2 cats =3 boxes, 3 cats = 4 boxes.

Step 1. Clean up

Cat urine is one of the most difficult smells on the earth to remove. To add to the challenge, cats have an extraordinary sense of smell, and may continue to go if they can smell their prior mess. But it can be done! Remove, sterilize, and store (or throw out) any items Kitty urinated or defecated on outside the box. If Kitty went on more permanent items like your front door or wall-to-wall carpet, thoroughly clean the entire area, and soak with an enzyme pet cleaner for 24 hours. If you can’t close Kitty out of that room, keep him away from it the entire time you are trying the steps below by covering it with a large cat-proof item, like a plastic tarp.

Step 2. “Brand New”

The easiest and fastest thing you can try is adding another brand new litterbox, with new litter, in a new location. Put a brand new litterbox, as big a one as possible and NOT a covered one, filled with fresh all-new litter, as close as you can to where Kitty was eliminating inappropriately the most. This might be right next to your shower if they were using the bath mat, in your closet, on the couch, under a window or in a doorway.

Monitor Kitty for one full day.

Did that stop Kitty from going outside the box? Great! Keep it there for one full week or as long as it would usually take for your Kitty to go outside his box. If you can keep the litterbox in the new location with that kind of litter, your outside-the-box problem may be solved.

What if the new location is not where you want a litterbox?  Gradually – just one foot a day –  move it to where you want it. If Kitty’s peeing or pooping outside the box resumes, move it back. If you get up to two adjacent boxes, keep the 2nd box there for one month. After one month, you can take up the 2nd box – but be aware, even some single cats need two boxes.

Step 3. Medical

If the “brand new” solution didn’t fix your problem in one day, you should take Kitty to your vet ASAP to rule out any medical causes. Often cats will stop using their box to communicate they aren’t feeling well or are in pain. Here are the steps most vets will recommend:

1. A urinalysis to check for infection.

2. A urine CULTURE for elevated bacteria.

3. Blood panel or other tests for illnesses.

4. Feline Prozac or Buspar to relieve anxiety-driven litterbox issues.

Step 3. Litterbox preferences

After your vet has ruled out immediate medical causes, and while you’re waiting on the culture to come back, you can start the process of figuring out if it is the litterbox location, type or depth of litter, cleanliness, or style of box. Kitty may have a particular preference!

In the order listed below, try each of these six options for three days each. Add on the next option after three days if the previous step didn’t get Kitty going in his boxes 100%. If you reach a success combo, keep it up! This takes time, but each option or combination of options could be the key to your success.

  1. Cleanliness: Keep all boxes hospital clean for three days. Dump all litter out daily, scrub with a cat enzyme cleaner (or use a brand new box), replace with 100% clean new litter. Some cats are super clean and don’t want to use a box once it has been used.
  2. Style: add another new litter box, as big as possible, uncovered, with the lowest sides possible.
  3. Type: Fill new box with a different type of litter – try unscented non-clumping Tidy Cats if you weren’t using that.
  4. Soil: Replace new box litter with nice rich potting soil.
  5. Depth: Add more soil to new box and litter to original box make it deeper. Some cats want to dig down first.

Step 4. Location and quantity

Try putting six new litter boxes out in six different locations. You don’t have to buy six new permanent ($$) boxes, you can use the disposable cardboard litter boxes sold in packs at pet supply stores. This is a temporary test to see if something in the two locations you tried previously is scaring or stressing Kitty out so he doesn’t want to go there all the time. If you find Kitty is using one or more boxes and not going outside, after one week remove one he’s using the least. If you’re still okay, then remove one more a week until you are down to the maximum number you can tolerate. If Kitty has an accident, then replace the last one you removed. You may need to combine this with keeping all the boxes super clean for it to work long-term.

Step 5. Stress

After a medical cause, stress and anxiety (territorial or other source) are the most common reasons cats go outside their box. Kitty could be upset over a change in his routine, by someone or something new in the house, or something you can’t figure out! Whatever the cause, you can try these stress relievers:

  1. Rescue Remedy. Effects are immediate. Put it on Kitty’s paw so he’ll lick it off.
  2. Feliway plug-ins in every room. Not cheap, but often more effective than spray or collar versions.
  3. Vet-prescribed kitty Prozac or Buspar.
  4. Soothing music, like a classical or easy listening radio station left on.

Step 6. When left alone

If he only does it while you are gone, it might be your absence that is causing the stress. Kitty may feel less stressed in a smaller secure space. If you have a comfortable well-ventilated heated/cooled bathroom, laundry room, or other kitty bathroom-proof room, close Kitty in that room with a litter box, food, water and a bed every time you go out. If you don’t have a good room, you can use an extra large dog crate, cat playpen, or multi-level cat cage. . Try that for a week every time you go out to give it enough time to see if it helps. You can give Kitty a “treat” of canned food when you close him in there to make it more enjoyable. Use the above four stress relievers as well.

Step 7. Scent and Territory

What are you cleaning with?  If the old smell Kitty was trying to cover is not removed, he may continue to go on that spot. Does Kitty go on the door, on the rug by the door, or under a window?  It could be anxiety-driven territorial marking. Try blocking off where Kitty can see/hear/smell any other cats or dogs outside.

Cat urine smell out of household items – finding one that works for your surfaces can take many tries. If a pet enzyme cleaner isn’t working, a solution of biological laundry detergent with water, soaking the area for 24 hours, and then flushing it can work. So can strong sunlight. With carpets, often the only solution is to remove them.

After you’ve cleaned all the areas where your cat has gone, gently rub a soft cloth over his cheeks, neck, and bottom, then rub the cloth where he went to the bathroom and leave the cloth there. This spreads the cat’s pheromones and scent onto that surface, and will reduce Kitty from needing to put his scent there himself.

Step 8. Bad memories

Some cats have a painful association with going inside a box, like declawed cats who tried to dig with wounded paws, or cats that had a painful urinary infection. So if all the above fails and Kitty is not using the box at all, or only using it for #2 and not #1, close Kitty in the bathroom, with his food, water, and a new clean litterbox. You may need earplugs if Kitty meows to be let out – you’ll need to be strong and be prepared to keep Kitty in there for up at least a few days for this to work.

Cover the floor with newspaper – every square inch! If Kitty goes in the tub, put the newspaper in there. Most cats will go to the bathroom in one location on the floor. Gradually pick up the newspaper where the cat is not going (one or two sheets removed a day). When you are down to two sheets where Kitty is going regularly, take a sheet that has some urine on it and put it on top of a flat piece of cardboard box, or on a cookie tray. Now there should be newspaper only on top of the box/tray, and none on the floor. If Kitty continues to go on the paper on the box/tray, try a brand new low-sided uncovered litterbox (so it won’t smell anything like litter) in the same spot, and put some urine scented newspaper in it. Then the next day, try putting a handful of a new kind of litter in it, that doesn’t smell anything like their old litter. So if they were using clay litter, try the pine dust or ground up corn litter. Often with baby steps you can have them graduate back up to a real litterbox with litter, but sometimes you may have to stick to newspaper or dirt. It’s better than your _______ (insert where your cat was going before here)!

If at any point during the re-introduction process Kitty reverts to going on the uncovered floor, do not panic. An accident or two may happen. But if it’s more than twice, you should take a few steps back and proceed more slowly. If your Kitty was really traumatized, it can take weeks. But a few weeks in a bathroom, while not fun, is worth the chance of getting your Kitty over his trauma and back to using his litterbox.

Step 9. BONUS STEP FOR SPRAYING CATS! Soak Kitty’s fabric collar in his sprayed urine, let it dry, and put it back Kitty, so everywhere he goes, he will smell his own scent, and will not feel he has to spread it by spraying.

With patience, deductive powers and our suggestions, we hope your Kitty will be using his litterbox very soon.

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