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Cats: To Potty Train or Not to Potty Train

We can potty train our kids, but what about our cats? Do any of the products offering feline toilet training actually work? I don’t know anyone who has a toilet-trained cat. But that doesn’t mean I think they can’t work. Enough testimonials exist for me to believe that potty training kitties is possible, but with one major caveat: it takes a lot of time and a lot of mess. MSNBC Health published an article detailing the feline toilet-training process, complete with interviews with animal behaviorists, cat trainers, and real-life people who successfully taught their cats to use the toilet. Before … Continue reading →

Diary of a Cat Care B&B: I’m Not a Scratching Post (But I Play One on TV)

Maybe the heat is making our guests at the cats-only boarding facility a little cranky. Whatever the reason, I’ve been playing the role of scratching post at work lately! I won’t post pictures of my injuries, but just to tally them up: I have an inch-long bite mark on my left wrist, a three inch claw mark on my left forearm, two half-inch claw marks on the inside of my right forearm, three scratches on my chest, a two inch claw mark on the front of my left shoulder and a few more scrapes on the back of my left … Continue reading →

Territorial Behavior in Cats

Cats are territorial animals — there’s no way around it! In the wild, a cat establishes a territory where she eats and sleeps (a sort of home base) and where she hunts and mates (a home range). The size of a wild cat’s territory is generally determined by the availability of food. When food is plentiful, the cat needs a smaller home range. When food is scarce, the cat needs to range farther. A cat’s territory is marked in several ways. Scratching leaves both visual and scent marks on trees (or furniture). Rubbing also leaves scent marks. Urine spraying and … Continue reading →

Using Bitter Sprays For Training

My parents got a gorgeous set of new couches for the living room. It’s no surprise that they don’t want the three dogs climbing up on the couches! My dad blocks the couches by putting folding chairs onto the cushions, blocking the dogs’ access to the new upholstery. There is an easier way to keep your pets away from the things you want to protect! Deterrent sprays can help teach your pets that a particular thing is off limits — even when you aren’t home. There are lots of different sprays out there; you may have heard of bitter apple … Continue reading →

Starting A No-Kill Shelter

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One major decision you’ll have to make if you are starting a shelter is this: do you want to be a no-kill shelter? What does it mean to be a no-kill shelter? It means that you are not putting a time limit on the animals’ stays. It means you will not euthanize animals to free up space. It means you may be housing animals for months or years before they find a home. You may even be responsible for some animals until they pass away. Here are some issues to consider: Finances. Caring for an animal for a year will … Continue reading →

To Declaw or Not to Declaw, That is the Question

My husband and I have been spoiled. Mr. Meow, who we found at our apartment complex after he’d been abandoned almost eight years ago, came to us declawed. (His front claws at least. He still has his back ones.) Now we’ve got Tabby. Not only did she come to us pregnant, she came intact with all her claws, front and back. It’s been somewhat of an adjustment. When Mr. Meow “makes biscuits” (kneads) our bellies, it’s a pleasant feeling. When Tabby does it…ouch! When she got spayed, they trimmed her nails. That was nice! But that was over a month … Continue reading →

Do You Own A Canine Shredder?

A cousin of mine owns a pet store and always brings treats and toys for the dogs at holiday time. Michelle gifted all five dogs in the family — my two dogs, Moose and Lally; my brother’s two dogs, Kuma and Lily; and my parents’ dog Becca — with little squeaky stuffed animals. And the family watched in awe, humor, and horror as Kuma proceeded to mangle her little pink squeaky pig. The first thing to go? The snout. Then an ear, and an arm. Then the white cotton batting inside went flying! My cousin Steve decided it would be … Continue reading →

The Books of Lilian Jackson Braun

Lilian Jackson Braun published her first three books, “The Cat Who Could Read Backwards,” “The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern” and “The Cat Who Turned On and Off” between 1966 and 1968, but then didn’t write again until 1986, for reasons unknown. She was then picked up by the Berkeley Publishing Group and made a reappearance, to the great joy of her fans, continuing “The Cat who. . .” series, starring the intelligent Siamese Koko and his friend, Yum Yum, also a Siamese, but female. Their owner, James Macintosh Qwilleran, otherwise known as Qwill, is a writer for the local … Continue reading →