The Newsletter of Dwight – Pine Bluff – Lakewood Animal Hospitals
June 2005
 
 

Thinking Inside the Box!
One of the things owners love most about cats is that they use a litter box.  No house training, no crate, no worries about coming home to let the pet out.  But when litter box training breaks down, it can mean disaster for the cat.  Did you know that not using the litter box is one of the most common reasons healthy cats are brought to humane societies or euthanized?  This issue will include some tips that will hopefully keep your cat thinking inside the box!
 
 

What the Wild Ones Say

Wild cats (or barn cats, or indoor-outdoor cats) have their choice of where to potty.  It makes sense, then, that we should watch them for hints about what our indoor companions would appreciate in a toilet!  Here are some observations:
    ? Outdoor cats do not crawl into a confined space to potty (i.e., they don’t like a covered litter box).
    ? Outdoor cats prefer to urinate out in the open (i.e., they don’t want to be in the far corner of the basement).
    ? Outdoor cats often turn around and scratch several times before eliminating (i.e., they like a box large enough that they can comfortably move around).
 
 

Starting Right:
Healthy Litter Box Habits for Life
The best medicine is always prevention.  Having the right litter box, filled with the right litter, in the right place, on the right cleaning schedule, may mean your cat never makes a mistake.  Here’s what most cats look for in a litter box:
    ? LOCATION: easy to get to, but somewhat private: not the far corner of the basement.  Kittens, especially, may be reluctant to leave their family to go find the litter box.  On the other hand, the litter box should be in a “safe” zone, not where the family dog or the toddler can pester the cat.
    ? LITTER: Most cats prefer the clumping type (sand) litter.  (Most owners do too, because it’s easiest to clean.)  Use unscented litter.
    ? BOX TYPE: The bigger, the better.  Large cats, in particular, may be cramped and uncomfortable in a small box (Kind of like how we would feel if we tried to sit on a toddler’s training seat!).  Most cats prefer uncovered boxes (covered boxes just keep the smell in, and make the cat feel trapped).  While some owners love the self-cleaning style boxes, many cats are scared of the noise and machinery that surround these boxes.
    ? CLEANLINESS: Clean the box at least once a day!  Would you stand barefoot in an unflushed toilet?
    ? NUMBER OF BOXES: Probably pet owners’ biggest mistake.  Feline experts recommend at least one more litter box than number of cats.  That means, if you have three cats, you need four litter boxes.  Litter boxes should be placed in different locations, preferably different rooms …three litter boxes in a line count as one large box!

Troubleshooting

So what do you do when your cat starts missing the box?  The first thing to do, of course, is to take your cat to the veterinarian.  Numerous medical conditions, including urinary tract inflammation, diabetes, and arthritis, can cause changes in toilet habits.  However, there are also things you can do at home:
? Add extra litter boxes, in different locations.  Often this alone is enough to solve litter box problems.
? Try a larger box, unhooded.
? Try a short-sided box, especially for older cats, who may have trouble climbing into a tall litter box.
? Change litters – most cats prefer unscented, clumping litter.


Corrective Measures

Even after any medical or behavioral issues are resolved, if your cat has established a bad habit of messing outside the box, you will need to re-train him to the litter box.  Some tips:
o Place a food or water bowl in the spot where he is messing: few cats will soil their dining room.
o Place packing or duct tape sticky side up: cats hate to stick to the floor!
o Place tin foil or plastic wrap in the location (unless your cat messes on plastic bags!).
o Clean, clean, clean! (see our homemade odor eliminator formula below)
 
 

Homemade Odor Eliminator!
When you have tough pet smells and stains on your carpet or your furniture, you need a tough cleaner.  While there are many “pet odor eliminator” products on the market, this homemade concoction is our favorite, and it’s cheap too!
1 pint bottle of hydrogen peroxide
¼ cup baking soda
1 tbsp dish soap
Mix the ingredients together in a bowl just before use.  This mixture will fizz, so it cannot be placed in a closed container!  Thoroughly rub the solution into the stained material for 10 minutes, then rinse well.  You may want to spot-check before use to make sure it will not bleach your carpet.
This mixture is also safe to be used directly on a pet and is particularly useful on skunked dogs!

NEWS FLASH:
Cat Diagnosed with Rabies in Bloomington

The May 6 Pantagraph reported that a Bloomington housecat had been diagnosed with rabies.  The cat was an indoor cat with no known exposure to wild animals.  Health officials believe a bat may have gotten into the house and bitten the cat.  The cat was diagnosed after being euthanized at a local veterinarian due to illness.  Two adult owners were bitten by the cat and are undergoing rabies shots.
 This case is the first cat diagnosed with rabies in Illinois since 1996, but is the third case of rabies in a domestic animal in Illinois in the past 6 months.  Remember, rabies is one of the few diseases your pet can spread to your family, and it is by far the most serious!  ALL dogs, cats, and ferrets, whether indoor or outdoor pets, should be vaccinated!
 
 






 
 

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